Last week we got the last “big” purchase for our new place in Colorado. A grill! We bought it on a 70-degree day, believing spring was here. Today, as I write this, we’re under a blizzard watch and I’m working near a lit fireplace.Anyway…

I was excited to whip up a marinade for grilled tofu. I was thinking about a barbecue sauce, but my eyes kept wandering toward a section of the cupboard with some of my Asian ingredients: mirin, tamari sauce, rice vinegar. Hmm, with a liquid smoke, I could make an Asian barbecue sauce! An idea was born but I will get to the recipe in a moment because I have to explain why the grilling didn’t happen.

We purchased the grill at Home Depot on Thursday but needed them to remove one of the side shelves so it would fit in the car. They said it would be done in an hour. That didn’t happen. We decided to pick it up Friday – which is the morning I made the Tamari, Mirin and Date Marinade – but we both got way caught up in our work and didn’t make it to Home Depot. Lucky for me, I read lots of blogs. Thursday Ginny Messina posted Iron Nutrition: Why the Rules are Different for Vegans and after reading the post I was a wee-bit obsessed about using my cast iron skillet both for it’s iron properties and because Isa convinced me I could make amazing browned tofu. There was one problem. I had already marinaded the tofu! So instead of browning it according to Isa’s instructions, I simply chose to bake the marinated tofu on a cast iron grill skillet.

This is the best baked tofu I have ever made!

The cast iron skillet is my new tofu baking method of choice! I removed the tofu from the skillet, placed it stove top on medium heat and quickly “grilled” bok choy for three minutes.

We picked up the grill Saturday morning and later that day I made the exact same marinade – halving the recipe – this time for tempeh.

On tempeh: I’m mentioned here before that I have found soaking tempeh

Scrambled Tempeh

Tempeh Patties

or steaming tempeh

Sweet Tempeh Bacon Sandwich

to be an important first step because the texture can be a little “tough” and it really helps absorb the sauce or marinade that you may be using to prepare it. So Saturday I steamed the tempeh and let it marinade for an hour before placing it on the grill.

I chopped up that grilled romaine and onion and served it was a warm salad with the tempeh.

This marinade is absolutely delicious and is omnivore approved because my husband says I should use it anytime we have guests over and are making tofu. Hmmm, maybe it’s the umami?

Both the tofu and tempeh made for great meals over the next several days.

Tofu leftovers:

Tofu Breakfast Sandwich

Tofu and Black Bean Salad

Tempeh leftovers:

Green beans and arugula sautéed in salsa verde with almond slivers and reheated tempeh

Oh, before I finally give you the recipe, I want to remind you that if you Go Vegan for 7 Days and You Could Win a Free Vegan Lifestyle Coaching Session! Enter today!

And now, the recipe!