BBQ Portabello Mushrooms (& Tofu)

You've heard it all before. I started a new job 6 months ago. It's 45 miles away in the city and requires me to commute between an hour to an hour and 15 minutes one-way to get to work. Also, I'm responsible for getting an entire new department up and running in the next 12 months. Suffice to say, it leaves very little time for my favorite pastime - food blogging! As I've mentioned over the last few months, I've resorted to the tried and true recipes I've devised over the last few years. Rice pilafs, beans, breads, pastas ... baked potatoes with toppings! That's the usual fare. But its summer and everyone is grilling. I love the smokey smell of foods off the grill. However, there are only so many Black Bean and Boca burgers one can eat before they start to get really old ... really soon. 

This post goes put to one of my husband's business acquaintances. Ms. Kelly Lazar is an avid follower of my blog and she recently mentioned to my husband that she missed my regular postings. So although I can't promise to be as consistent as I used to be .. I'll try to do more than just post pictures on Facebook. Here's a super-easy recipe - perfect for quick summer meals. 

Prep Time: 10-15 min (or more if you marinate)

Ingredients (Serves 2):

1. 2 Large (3-4") Portabello Mushrooms (~4 oz each)
2. Half of a 14 oz Block of Extra-Firm Tofu*
3. 4-6 tbsp of your favorite BBQ Sauce
4. 1 tbsp Minced garlic
5. Kosher Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Pre-heat grill to between Hot to Medium-Hot. The purpose here is to sear both the tofu and the mushrooms which will prevent sticking. Remove stems from mushrooms and brush with a damp paper towel to remove any dirt. Place each mushroom on its belly and sprinkle Kosher salt, freshly crushed pepper and some minced garlic on the gills. Press tofu between 2 paper towels to remove excess water (use heavy cans to weigh down the top to squeeze out the excess). Slice into 2 thick steaks. When the grill is ready, place both items on the hottest part of the grate (place mushrooms gills-side-up). Sear tofu on one side, turn and place on a different hotter part of the grate to sear that side as well. Grill 8-10 min total until the edges of the tofu begin to get crispy and the mushroom shrinks in thickness and girth (its hard to overcook either of these items). Turn mushroom only once towards the end so that all the salt and garlic juices have a chance to seep into the mushroom as it cooks from the underside. Just before they're ready, brush your favorite BBQ sauce on both sides (I use Stubb's or Rudy's which are both available in grocery stores nationwide). Allow excess sauce to burn off (this adds to the smoky flavor). Serve immediately and watch 'em disappear! 

* If you're trying to maintain a no-soy or a low-fat diet, skip the tofu altogether. Almost all the fat in this dish is from tofu. But so also is most of the protein (see nutrition information below). I love both foods so I have no problem consuming the fat in tofu :) 

Note: Marinating both pressed tofu and mushrooms for 4-6 hours in a gallon ziploc bag will help bring out the flavors. I'd recommend splashing both with a good balsamic vinegar. Place in the fridge and turn occasionally. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving - Mushrooms Only): Calories 61 (Fat Calories 2)

Total Fat 0.2 g; Carbohydrates 13.1 g; Fiber 1.8 g; Sugars 7.1 g; Protein 3.1 g

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving - Mushrooms & Tofu): Calories 176 (Fat Calories 54)

Total Fat 6.0 g; Carbohydrates 21.1 g; Fiber 2.2 g; Sugars 12.6 g; Protein 12.9 g

If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!