Baked Tofu

I love Tofu. There ... I said it. I'm not ashamed of it!! I do however, try to limit my tofu consumption simply because it is higher in calories than whole plants, or edamame itself. I've tried tofu in scrambles, in soups, in curries, in rice .. basically every preparation except for Baked Tofu. I just hadn't gotten around to it. Finally this week, I decided to make a variation of Basic Baked Tofu from The Happy Herbivore Cookbook.  The original recipe calls for baking strips of tofu at 350 F but after a somewhat failed first try, I decided to bake at a higher temperature today to ensure that I got it nice and crisp on the outside, while maintaining moisture on the inside. 

Baked Tofu with Peanut Sauce

Prep Time: 15-20 min

Ingredients (Serves 2):

1. 1 x 14 oz box of Nasoya Extra Firm Tofu (frozen, thawed and pressed in advance)
2. 2-3 tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
3. 1 recipe Spicy (HH) Thai Peanut Sauce
4. Sriracha Hot sauce, to taste. 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut the slab of tofu into 8 strips. One cycle of freeze/thaw makes the tofu somewhat denser and changes the texture. Pressing the tofu prior to making baked tofu makes it absorb the sauces and become more flavorful. Lightly spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside. I tried  making this on parchment paper and the tofu ended up sticking to it during the baking process. I've tried using a Silpat baking mat and I found the it doesn't let the outside of the tofu become crispy. To get the crispy exterior, I found that direct contact with the metal sheet works best. Using a pastry brush, rub each slice with soy sauce followed by peanut sauce. Flip over and rub the other side. Bake uncovered for 10 min/side and serve warm with Sriracha sauce for an extra kick.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 262 (Fat Calories 114)
Total Fat 12.7 g; Carbohydrates 10.9 g; Fiber 3.6 g; Sugars 3.6 g; Protein 25.6 g