ginger-sesame marinated baked tofu

Probably my favorite cookbook of all time is Thug Kitchen. And not just because it's hilariously foul-mouthed and completely vegan. It's incredibly simple, delicious food. "Eat like you give a f*ck" is their motto and I've never been disappointed with anything I've tried to make. The recipes are very accessible: the ingredients are easy to find, and the directions are easy to follow.

Here's the baked tofu I added to GP's cauliflower + kimchi 'fried rice' in a previous post. This tofu is amazing. Yes, tofu can be mouth watering goodness if you do it right. And here's a very meta moment between GP + TK.  

adapted from Thug Kitchen's Recipe

marinade:

1/4 cup tamari
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 Tbsp lime juice (about 1 big lime)
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp minced ginger
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp Sriracha
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

to make your tofu:

*drain a block of extra firm tofu by wrapping in a towel and pressing between plates (weighted down by a can of bean) for 30 minutes
*mix together the marinade and pour into a shallow pie plate of baking dish
*cut the block of tofu width wise into 1/4" thick slices (about 12)
*place the slices in the marinade for 2-8 hours and stir occasionally if possible
(reserve leftover marinade)

*preheat oven to 450
*place tofu slices in a single layer on greased cookie sheet or parchment paper
*bake for 15 minutes
*flip tofu and spoon more marinade on top, bake for 10 more minutes
*flip tofu again and spoon remaining marinade on top, bake for 10 minutes
*let rest before cutting up

serving suggestions:
*serve in salads, wraps, and rice dishes for added protein and deliciousness

cauliflower + kimchi 'fried rice'

Also from It's All Easy, this 'fried rice' is a creative way to have all the flavors of good fried rice, without all the carbs. By substituting cauliflower you get to add much more nutrition and fewer calories. To make this a meal, I added marinated, baked tofu from Thug Kitchen. This meal was pretty quick to make, with the tofu taking more time to prep (1 hour +) and bake (30 minutes) than the cauliflower. This dish served three as a main course, but would have served four as a side item.

adapted from It's All Easy's Recipe

serves 3 or 4

1 small head cauliflower
2 Tbsp safflower oil
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 small bunch lacinato kale, ribs removed sliced into ribbons
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped kimchi
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp tamari

to make your 'fried rice':

*cut the cauliflower into small florets and pulse in a food processor until the pieces are the size of couscous (about 2 cups)
*heat the safflower and sesame oil in large pan over high heat
*add cauliflower and kale and saute until the kale is wilted and cauliflower browned (about 5 minutes)
*mix in the remaining ingredients

serving suggestions:
*we had our 'fried rice' with a side of marinated, baked tofu.