Tofu Tuesday!

I like to make at least one veggie dish per week. Tuesday is usually that day. This is from Eating Well magazine, so I take no credit. Look for my ingredient note add-ons below.

* Tofu with Thai Curry Sauce*

Makes 4 servings, generous 3/4 cup each

Ingredients

Sauce
1 cup "lite" coconut milk (see Ingredient notes)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon red curry paste, or to taste (see Ingredient notes)
½ teaspoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

Tofu & vegetables
14 ounces extra-firm tofu, preferably water-packed
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups baby spinach (6 ounces)
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced (1 ½ cups)

1. To prepare sauce: Whisk coconut milk, cilantro, curry paste, brown sugar and salt in a small bowl.
2. To prepare tofu: Drain and rinse tofu; pat dry. Slice the block crosswise into eight 1/2-inch-thick slabs. Coarsely crumble each slice into smaller, uneven pieces.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add tofu and cook in a single layer, without stirring, until the pieces begin to turn golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Then gently stir and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until all sides are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes more.
4. Add spinach, bell pepper and the curry sauce and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are just cooked, 1 to 2 minutes more.

Tips (and a few of my own in this lovely green)

Ingredient Notes: Look for reduced-fat coconut milk (labeled "lite") in the Asian section of your market. Lite coconut milk is fine, but if you really want to cut back on the fat, buy coconut milk powder. It comes in a can, like a tuna can, and you can find it at Asian stores. You mix it yourself adding water (it calls for a 1T to 1T ratio...but I use 1T of powder with 2T water and get a lighter, but equally tasty, result)

Red curry paste is a convenient way to add heat and complexity to a recipe. Look for it in small jars in the Asian section of the supermarket. The one I use comes in a can, like a tuna can. It will keep in the fridge for a month after opening! There are several red curries like this, I recommend either "Panang" Curry Paste or just Red Curry Paste.

Nutrition Information

Per serving: 179 calories; 11 g fat (4 g sat, 3 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 13 g carbohydrate; 10 g protein; 4 g fiber; 405 mg sodium.

Add 120 calories for that half cup of rice I know you want. I want it too!

Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (90% daily value), Calcium (20% dv).

2 Carbohydrate Serving (With rice)