Sesame Tofu with Red Swiss Chard

I am fully aware that many people dislike tofu. In fact, I think people are under the misconceived notion that they dislike tofu before they even try it. Yes, it doesn't have much flavor alone, but similarly to chicken, it soaks up whatever flavor you give it. It’s like a blank canvas and it’s so much fun to experiment cooking with it. 

I have to say, I haven’t cooked a lot of tofu at home. Mostly, I order it when I’m out for Chinese food, or sometimes I buy prepared in Whole Foods. I recently went to Costco, however, and they had a huge sale on three, 1.5 lb boxes, so I had no choice but to buy it. 

This is another recipe that I’m a little ashamed to be posting, because it is SO simple. In fact, I realized I had nothing to bring to work for lunch tomorrow, so I whipped it up after the gym in 15 minutes!

Tofu is a super food for a variety of reasons.  It is said to lower bad cholesterol and provide the good cholesterol your body needs. It also is loaded with omega 3 acids which can help stop clogged arteries and prevent heart attacks. In addition, it is a great source of lean protein.

I served this dish over brown rice, but you can make it over anything you’d like. I’d recommend rice, quinoa, or egg noodles.

Ingredients:

1 lb-1.5lb Firm Tofu

1 tbsp. Sesame Seeds

1/4 Cup Trader Joe Soyaki sauce or any other terraki sauce

1 cup frozen broccoli 

3 Cups Torn Swiss Chard- I used red but you can use whatever you like

1/4 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

1 tbsp. Vegetable or Canola Oil

Directions:

1) Pat tofu dry, draining excess moisture

2) Cut tofu into bite size chunks

3) Place tofu in bowl and stir in sesame seeds and "Soyaki" sauce. Let marinade in the fridge for at least a half hour

4) Defrost broccoli by running it under cold water for 2 minutes

5) Stem Swiss chard and tear leaves into bite size pieces

6) Heat large skillet with vegetable oil over medium high heat and add tofu

7) Cook tofu until slightly brown, stirring occasionally

8) Add broccoli and cook for 3 minutes

9) Stir in swiss chard, sprinkle in red pepper flakes and cook until chard is wilted

10) Serve over grain of your choosing and enjoy!