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I will shamelessly admit that I love Cinco de Mayo because it is the day before my birthday! I prefer to spend my birthday drinking tequila and eating Mexican-inspired food, so it all works out really well. Plus, Baltimore VegFest is this weekend! The next few days are gonna be awesome. As part of the whole celebration, I decided to make a little bit of fusion food. This tequila lime baked tofu is what I came up with.

{get the pin}

Freezing the tofu makes all the difference in this particular recipe – without that step, the tofu wouldn’t soak up nearly enough of this mouthwatering tequila lime marinade. So, if you’re making these for Taco Tuesday, you’ll want to get started on Monday. Through trial and error I have learned that the water-packed tofu works better for this particular thing than the vacuum-packed tofu. That’s good news for me because the latter is significantly more expensive here.

As my self-birthday gift I am strongly considering getting a tofu press (any recommendations?). For now, I press it out by folding up a clean kitchen towel, placing the tofu on top, placing another folded up towel on top of that, and finally, weighing down the whole thing with my mini cast iron pan or something else at least as heavy. I mentioned this in my sweet & sour tofu nuggets post, but I was a tofu newbie only a few short months ago. I’m starting to really get the hang of it, though! Tofu is really easy once you ascend the learning curve!

I consulted Wikipedia and up to 35% of the alcohol from the tequila may remain in the finished tofu. In other words, eating the entire batch of tofu is like taking 1/3 of a shot (since the original marinade has about 1 shot in it). So that’s probably not a big concern for the under-21 crowd. I just thought I would mention it =]

Though it requires a day of planning ahead, this recipe is otherwise as easy as can be! I can make it faster than I can walk to the closest Mexican restaurant. While this isn’t saying much because it’s kind of a crappy Mexican restaurant, I would much rather eat these delicious non-authentic tacos 🙂

5 from 2 votes Print Baked Tequila Lime Tofu Tacos with Chipotle Crema Tofu is marinated in a tasty, savory blend of tequila, lime juice, garlic, shallots, and soy sauce; baked to perfection; and then served in a warm tortilla with refried beans and chipotle crema to make these tequila lime tofu tacos. *Total time does not include inactive time to freeze and thaw the tofu. Prep Time 20 minutes Cook Time 35 minutes Total Time 55 minutes Total Yield 6 tacos Calories Per Serving 211 kcal Author Yup, it's Vegan Ingredients For the marinade: 1 shallot diced

2 cloves garlic minced

1 tsp lime zest

4 tbsp freshly-squeezed lime juice (somewhere between 1 and 2 limes)

4 tbsp freshly-squeezed orange juice (about half an orange)

1/4 cup cilantro leaves finely chopped

1 tbsp + 1 tsp soy sauce divided (or tamari for GF)

2 and 1/2 tbsp coconut nectar divided (or use coconut sugar, agave nectar, maple syrup, etc.)

1/4 tsp ground coriander seed

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/8 tsp ancho chili powder (or regular chili powder)

3 tbsp tequila (any color) For cooking: 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar For the chipotle crema: 6 oz silken tofu drained

1 and 1/2 tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo sauce finely chopped

1 tbsp + 1 tsp lime juice

salt and pepper to taste For the tacos: 16 oz. extra-firm tofu

6 corn tortillas (or tortillas of choice)

2/3 cup refried beans (I use Trader Joe's brand - check labels for lard)

baked tequila lime tofu (above)

chipotle crema (above)

chopped green onions and cilantro for serving Instructions Prep the tofu: Slice open the package of tofu and drain out the water. Place in the freezer for at least 8 hours. Remove the tofu from the freezer and set at room temperature to thaw, or thaw it by cooking on low in the microwave or submerging it (inside its container) in hot water. Once thawed, use towels and a heavy object to press the tofu for at least 20 minutes. Slice it into about 10 equal slices. Prepare the marinade: Prepare a large, flat container or bowl. Using 1 and 1/2 tbsp of the coconut nectar and 1 tbsp of the soy sauce, whisk together all of the marinade ingredients except for the tequila, and taste for seasoning. Stir in the tequila. Prepare the baked tequila lime tofu: Add the tofu pieces to the bowl with the marinade and toss to coat thoroughly. Leave the tofu submerged in the marinade while the oven preheats. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. Spread out the marinated tofu slices on the baking sheet. To the excess marinade, add the additional coconut nectar, balsamic vinegar, and liquid aminos, and whisk together. Spoon this mixture over the tofu, reserving about 2 tbsp. Bake the tofu for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and drizzle the reserved marinade mixture over it. Return to the oven. Bake for another 15 minutes, until the tofu is slightly firmed up. Optionally broil for 2-3 minutes for a slightly crispier result. Remove from the oven. Prepare the chipotle crema: Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor until completely smooth. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Set aside. Assemble tacos: Spread a thin layer of refried beans on a tortilla, chop up one of the tofu slices into smaller pieces and place on top, and finish with a drizzle of chipotle crema, green onions, and cilantro. Recipe Notes To substitute regular limes for the key limes: A regular lime is a little more than twice as big as the key limes that I used. For the marinade, start with the juice of 1 and 1/2 limes and the zest of 1. The coconut nectar adds a rich sweetness and beautiful dark color to this marinade. But if you don't have it on hand, you can definitely substitute another 'sticky' sweetener like maple syrup (which tastes the closest), brown rice syrup, or agave nectar, and add a dab of molasses if you have it. If you want to bake the tofu right when you're done pressing it, then make the marinade in advance. Whisk it together when you put the tofu in the freezer. This gives the flavors time to meld before baking. Nutrition facts include half of the chipotle crema. Nutrition Facts Baked Tequila Lime Tofu Tacos with Chipotle Crema Amount Per Serving (1 taco) Calories 211 Calories from Fat 45 % Daily Value* Fat 5g 8% Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 1g Sodium 504mg 22% Potassium 281mg 8% Carbohydrates 27g 9% Fiber 5g 21% Sugar 3g 3% Protein 12g 24% Vitamin A 50IU 1% Vitamin C 14mg 17% Calcium 170mg 17% Iron 2.5mg 14% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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