Shirataki noodles are my favorite quick and easy tofu incarnation. While the word “shirataki” might sound intimidating, shirataki noodles are really just noodles made out of tofu! They are essentially tasteless, and have a similar texture to regular or rice pasta.

Want more out of a noodle? Shirataki noodles can give you more! How about only 20 calories per serving, and only 3 grams of carbs! Brilliant.

While methods of preparation vary from Italian to Asian to any other cuisine that embraces the noodle, my favorite tofu shirataki recipe is simple, salty, sweet and speedy.  It can be eaten hot or cold, as a main dish or a side dish, and can be dressed up with any additional diced or julienne vegetables you have in the fridge.

Behold…

Tofu Shirataki Noodle Confetti

Shirataki Noodles at their finest!

Ingredients:

• 1 bag tofu shirataki noodles (I use House Foods)
• 1 bag “Rainbow Salad” (also known as broccoli slaw – basically like a slaw-style mix of julienne broccoli & cauliflower hearts, carrots & red cabbage
• About 1 TBSP oil (just enough to lightly saute veggies & noodles) – I like the flavor of peanut in this, but use whatever you have!

Sauce:

• 1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 2 TBSP honey or agave nectar (might need to add a little more if using agave, as it’s not quite as powerful)
• 1 TBSP lime juice
• 1 TBSP soy sauce (I actually use Braggs Liquid Aminos to replace all my soy sauce)
• a couple sprinkles of sesame oil
• 2 TBSP rice vinegar (use a bit more as necessary to get sauce to desired consistency)

Garnish:

• Lime wedges
• Cilantro
• Chili Sauce (your favorite!)

Heat oil in a saute pan (or wok) over medium-high heat. While the oil is heating up, drain your noodles in a colander, and rinse them well. To get rid of the slightly mushroomy smell, simply microwave the noodles in a bowl for 1 minute, and then drain them one more time.

Make your sauce: simple mix everything together well with a fork! If you use natural PB & keep it in the fridge, it helps to microwave it for 30 seconds before you start mixing it up. Add additional rice vinegar if you need to, bringing the consistency of the sauce to about the consistency of honey mustard dressing – coats the fork, but not super thick.

Now add about half the bag of Rainbow Salad to the oil, and stir fry for about 2 minutes. Add the drained noodles and a couple sprinkles of soy sauce (at this point I sometimes add a little chili sauce,) and stir fry for another 2-3 minutes. Metal tongs are great to separate the noodles, as they can come out of the package a bit clumped together.

Once the veggies are tender-crisp and bright, and the shirataki noodles are heated through, transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl and add about half the remaining (raw) rainbow salad, as well as the sauce. Mix well (works best to mix with tongs.)

Serve with chili sauce; garnish with lime wedges, cilantro & additional raw rainbow salad if desired!

I love this salad, especially in the summer. It’s a great party dish too– I make a huge Greek feast, with this salad, pitas, hummus, baba ghanoush and tabbouleh, and fresh figs for dessert. And now I’m hungry.

You’ll notice that I throw out lots of options to change up this recipe based on what you have on hand/ your tastes. Feel free to change it even more… be fearless with your tofu and you will be rewarded.

Greek Salad with Marinated Tofu “Feta”

Ingredients

* 12 ounces firm tofu, cubed and drained
* 1 cup canned garbanzo beans (cannellini beans are great too), drained and rinsed
* 1/2 cup Kalamata olives (or any good olive), pitted and sliced
* 1/2 cup parsley springs, chopped (sub basil if you feel like it)
* 1/2 medium red onion, peeled and sliced
* 2 large tomatoes, diced (sometimes I use sun-dried)
* 1 small cucumber, seeded and diced
* any other veggies you feel like adding, such as chopped zucchini, celery, red bell pepper, etc

Dressing (sometimes I double this… can you really have too much dressing?? You can always use any extra as a dressing for another salad, or to marinate tofu and/or veggies for the grill.)

* 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
* 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or try 1 T white wine or rice vinegar with 1 T balsamic, or you could just swap out lemon juice for the vinegar)
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* 2 teaspoons honey
* 1 tablespoon dried oregano
* 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon salt or Braggs Liquid Aminos
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation

1. Place the “ingredients” in a large salad bowl; mix.
2. Combine the “dressing” a mixing bowl, and pour over the salad. Toss; marinate at least an hour, but I prefer overnight.
3. Enjoy!

Tofu isn’t just for hippies and health nuts. It’s for kids, too! (Not to mention everyone.) Today was a perfect example of why I heart tofu so very, very much.

My four-year-old boy had been outside this afternoon for hours, playing soccer and running around like a crazy person. He walks in the house, kicks of his cleats and lets me know he’s “staaarving.” I head to the kitchen, whip out the friendly block of extra-firm tofu (water-packed, not silken) that’s waiting for me in the fridge, and I cut it into some fun little shapes– squares, triangles, trapezoids, whatever. I arranged my tofu shapes on a plate in a fun little pattern, set them down in front of him, and he ate every last one. Even had seconds.

The point here is that YOU DON’T EVEN HAVE TO COOK TOFU! It was literally straight out of the package. The trick? Make it fun, and never ever ever make kids think it’s something that you grew up thinking was “weird.” Cuz they have no idea what any particular food item even is, they just eat stuff that looks fun.

Another reason why plain tofu is perfect for kids? It tastes like nothing. That might sound strange, but think about it. What does your kid eat? Plain pasta? Plain bread? Plain is what kids like, and plain is what tofu’s all about.So the next time you’re looking for a quick, healthy meal or snack for your child, try some plain tofu. I bet they’ll surprise you!

These tofu noodles are more along the lines of Italian linguine than Japanese-style tofu noodles, but they are exceptionally delicious. Gluten-free and fabulous. Serve with any pasta sauce, pesto, or even just some olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, sea salt and cracked pepper.

Tofu Noodles

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup extra-firm tofu, drained
* 1/2 cup rice flour
* 1/4 cup soy flour
* 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus some for water
* 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus some for water
* Water
* Optional mix-ins: 1-3 tablespoons of anything you would put in homemade pasta~ herbs, seasonings, poppy seed, etc

Method

In a small bowl, crumble tofu. Add rice and soy flours and mix-ins and mix with a fork. Add olive oil and salt; mix. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture forms a dough.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured counter top or cutting board. Knead briefly, form into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap dough in wax paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.

Before cooking the noodles, have a pot of boiling water ready (add some olive oil and salt to keep noodles from sticking).

Remove dough from fridge; place on floured surface. With a rolling pin, roll out to 1/4 inch thick; cut into strips with a knife or pizza cutter. Carefully life noodles with a metal spatula/knife and place in boiling water. Cook for 3-4 minutes (DON’T OVERCOOK!!!)

When tender, drain noodles, sprinkle with olive oil and sea salt, and top with your favorite pasta sauce!

4 servings

Chocolate Tofu Cheesecake

Ingredients

* 3 cups medium tofu
* 1 cup margarine or coconut oil, melted
* 1 – 1 1/2 cups dry sweetener
* 3/4 cup cocoa powder
* 2 tsp vanilla extract
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 1/2 cup soy milk
* 1 graham cracker pie crust

Method

In a blender or food processor, blend all the ingredients until smooth. Pour into a cheesecake pan that has been lined with a graham cracker crust. Chill for at least 12 hours before serving. I like to garnish with raspberries.

Easy answer: my 12 inch cast iron skillet. Hands down.

I know, I know… it’s so old school. Yes, my great-grandma had one too. Yes, I have over $1,000 in All Clad from Williams-Sonoma sitting in my pantry and I’m choosing the pan I bought for$19.99 at Target.

It’s just that good.

(The man. The myth. The Lodge Cast Iron Skillet.)

Once you have your cast iron skillet properly seasoned (which really isn’t as scary as it sounds) that pan can make anything taste amazing, and it becomes naturally non-stick! And did I mention tofu is virtually made for the cast iron skillet?

It’s true. They’re a match made in heaven.

Here’s my technique (start the day before for best results):

Cast Iron Tofu

Ingredients

* 1 block extra firm tofu
* 1 bottle/2 cups of your favorite dressing/marinade (I love a tarragon-Dijon!)
* Olive oil

Method

* Drain your tofu over the sink.
* Cut the block the short way into 6 rectangle.
* Place the tofu “cutlets” (for lack of a better word) onto a stack of paper towels; cover with another stack of paper towels.
* Cover the paper towel/tofu sandwich with a baking sheet, and then stack that sucker with some heavy stuff (balance it or you’ll have mess) like cans, cookbooks, whatever.
* Leave it alone for an hour – go read a blog, watch Ice Road Truckers, or check out some bamboo clothing online.
* Now that you have nicely pressed tofu, place it in a glass dish and cover it with the dressing/marinade.
* Place it in the fridge overnight for best results, or bake it for 20 minutes at 350 degrees for a classic tofu speed-marinade.
* Now we’re ready to bust out some cast iron. Put about 1/4 inch of olive oil into the pan (10 or 12 inch), and heat it to just over medium heat.
* Now, simply fry your tofu until it’s crispy and golden brown, flip, fry, place on a stack of paper towels to drain for a minute or two, and enjoy!

Believe it or not, tofu is GREAT on the grill! It’s fast, easy, healthy and tasty, so next time you decide to fire up the grill, try tofu!

Basically, you just need extra firm tofu, cut into 1/2? thick rectangular “steaks” (I slice my tofu the short way, but it really doesn’t matter!) Drain your tofu by placing the slices on some paper towels, placing more paper towels on top of the tofu, setting a baking sheet on top of that, and topping it off with some heavy jars or cans or cookbooks.

After at least 15 minutes of draining, place the tofu in a glass pan or Ziploc bag and marinate it in, well, whatever you want! Tofu loves any marinade, so you really can’t go wrong. Here’s my staple recipe:

* 1 part soy sauce/tamari/Liquid Aminos (I use Bragg’s Liquid Aminos to cut out all that sodium)
* 1 part lemon or lime juice
* A couple dashes Worcestershire sauce
* A couple dashes Tabasco
* Pepper
* Optional Add-Ins: a few shakes of sesame oil gives it an Asian flavor; a splash of balsamic vinegar makes the flavor richer– perfect for pairing with potatoes & veggies; a little cumin and chili powder create a distinctively Mexican taste

Let the tofu marinate for at least 20 minutes, up to an hour or so. Now you’re ready to grill!!

Simply grill the tofu over medium to med-high heat, just a couple minutes per side. I like to oil my grill or spray it with a little Pam For Grilling so it doesn’t stick, but I have thrown it on the grill without doing either and had no problems– just don’t try to move around the tofu too soon… wait until it’s nice and crispy before you turn it to prevent sticking.

Happy grilling!

Unless, of course, you unleash the mystical powers of silken tofu and unsweetened frozen fruit.

It’s really simple: just get some Mori-Nu soft silken tofu (the kind that comes in the shelf-stable box) and some frozen fruit (make sure it’s unsweetened; I buy huge bags at Costco for about $10 that last forever). You can also add fresh fruit if you have it, and a couple scoops of protein powder and/or greens powder will just add to this smoothie’s glory.

Just place 1/2 the brick of tofu, a couple cups of frozen fruit and any other add-ons in the blender, and some water (about halfway up the ingredients) and press go. Keep pulsing, and add more water to achieve your desired consistency.

This smoothie can be altered to fit your tastes – try frozen strawberries and chocolate protein powder for the “chocolate dipped strawberry”, or just frozen raspberries and tofu for a “raspberry silk”.

The beauty of this smoothie is that it’s completely healthy, high in protein and rich in antioxidants. If you add in some good greens powder, you’ve added even more nutrition. These smoothies are perfect for kids – you can’t even see or taste the tofu, so they’re getting high quality protein & vitamins while they think they’re just getting a sweet treat.

Oh, the beauty of tofu!