Easy Spicy Peanut Tofu Bites. Vegan. Gluten Free.

Easy spicy peanut tofu bites.  

Well hello there my friends.  I’ve missed you all so much & feel like life is moving at warp speed.  Craziness.  What happened to lazy summer days?  Well, as we settle into our summer norm, having two teenagers home with me, eating round the clock, wanting to go driving (learner’s permit) and my oldest wanting to join me at the gym but “… not so early” and cooking for clients – I seem to the be the only one stressing here. Ha.

So if you follow me on any of my social media… you know I have a big puffy heart love affair with tofu.  Yes, I was the person you are reading this not so long ago.  I hated tofu.  It was gross.  Flavorless.  And pretty much the only food that they can fry and it still tasted gross.  Until I created this recipe and my entire world changed.  In fact, it has a cult following on Instagram.  I kid you not!  Fast forward several months and my love affair has grown.  First, it’s a wonderful source of protein.  It’s incredibly versatile, taking on whatever flavors you throw at it.  This has been a recipe I go to pretty often and once you taste it… you’ll see why.

I adapted this from several different friends (two of which own restaurants) and I really hope you give it a try.

Ingredients:

1 block (14 oz) of extra firm tofu (make sure you are buying extra firm)
2 tbl of toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup of liquid aminos
1/4 cup of maple syrup
3 tbl of chili garlic sauce
3 tbl of peanut butter
2 tbl rice wine vinegar
1 inch nub of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp of red pepper flakes

Toppings:
1 tsp black sesame seeds
Chopped peanuts

Method:

First begin by pressing the water out of your tofu.  You can either use a tofu press or drain and wrap your tofu in a clean, dry towel.  Place that on a plate and place a heavy pan (cast iron etc.) on top.  Then add a heavy can of tomatoes etc. on top for extra weight.  Press for at least 30-45 minutes.  Then remove the towel and slice into cubes.

While pressing, add all of your ingredients through red pepper flakes into a mason jar or your blender and shake/blend until well incorporated.  Once the tofu is done, place it and the marinade in a container with a lid.  Let the tofu marinade for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.  The longer it marinades the more flavor it will absorb.  You can cook this one of two ways… either in a fry pan with a bit of oil cooking until crispy or you can bake.

If baking, line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat liner.  Add your tofu, trying to reserve some marinade for coating later.  Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden, crunchy edges develop.  I did toss midway through the baking time.  Top with sesame seeds when cooking is complete.  Remove and serve immediately or at room temperature.  Leftovers store perfectly in the fridge in an airtight container.  I love pairing this tofu up with a big mixed green salad, steamed veggies or for tacos.  You can also go the classic avenue and serve with rice or cook in a stir fry.  Enjoy!
  
Those crispy edges tho…


Still not running but meet with my new ortho on Friday.  Cannot wait to get some answers on swelling/pain.  In the meantime this is what I’ve been up to…

Sunday: 40 minutes lifting/30 minutes elliptical
Monday: 60 minutes elliptical/core then went back to the gym in the evening and did 30 minutes cardio/40 minutes lifting
Tuesday: 35 minutes elliptical/40 minutes lifting/core – I may go back tonight.

That’s a wrap from here.  Hope you’re having a great week!

— Knead to Cook