As I’ve discussed in prior posts, I have been making a conscious effort as of late to reduce my overall egg consumption. My daily omelet or scrambled eggs ritual is a thing of the past. Subsequently, I have been trying loads of new breakfast recipes in an effort to get the perfect marriage between tasty, high protein, filling and fast. This quest has of course led me to the vegetarian/vegan rite of passage:

the Tofu Scramble.

If you google the words “tofu scramble” you will get thousands upon thousands of results. Chefs and home cooks around the globe have been scrambling tofu like mad it seems. My main issue with most of the recipes I saw and tried was turmeric. Don’t get me wrong, turmeric is great for flavoring Caribbean and Indian style dishes and it has been shown to have many health benefits as well, however, something about tasting it with my breakfast was not familiar and off putting. While turmeric does a fine job of coloring the tofu yellow to give it the appearance of eggs, it is just too strong of a flavor and really overpowering.

I do not lay any claims to the originality or invention of this recipe. I simply tried about a dozen variations of the recipes I found online, cobbled together what I liked best about each one until I found what I felt was the best technique and spice combination that resulted in a breakfast dish that is as close as possible to the flavor and texture of the scrambled eggs I knew and loved.

Tofu by itself can be very bland and flavorless. The vegetables, cilantro and spices really give this recipe a savory delicious flavor, plus the cayenne and smoked paprika work to color the scramble to a color you’re accustomed to as well. If you currently eat a lot of eggs, I encourage you to give this recipe a try. It may take a few extra moments to press out the tofu, but the reduction in your overall cholesterol consumption will be worth it. I make a double batch of this recipe on Sunday, portion it out, and I have the perfect breakfast for the whole week. One serving has as much protein as 5 egg whites or 2 1/2 whole eggs. The nutritional yeast provides 100% of your recommended daily dose of B6 and a quarter of your recommended B12 intake.

Save yourself and help to save the planet. I guarantee that you won’t miss your regular breakfast and will be singing the praises of tofu scramble just like thousands of other people have already discovered. Buen provecho!

Makes 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

14 oz package of tofu, pressed and dehydrated using the method listed below

2 TB Nutritional yeast (Nooch)

1-2 TB of hemp seeds

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/8 – 1/4 tsp smoked paprika (depending on how spicy you like)

1/8 – 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper (depending on how spicy you like)

1 TB Olive Oil

3-4 large leaves of Lacinato kale, shredded or cut into ribbons

1 Medium red bell pepper, diced or julienned (cut into long thin strips)

1/8 medium sweet onion, diced or julienned (cut into long thin strips)

1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

This first step takes the longest amount of time and is probably the most difficult thing about the entire recipe. Slice the block of tofu in half lengthwise (parallel to the counter top.) Lay a clean kitchen towel over a chopping board. Place the tofu on the towel. Lay another clean kitchen towel over the tofu. Then lay another chopping board on top of the towel. Then place your heaviest pot on top of the chopping board (or several heavy cans, or several pasta sauce containers or heavy books.) You are essentially creating a press, feel free to improvise with whatever materials you have lying around your house and/or kitchen. Let the tofu sit for about 15 – 30 minutes in the press while the towel pulls the water out of it.

In the meantime, chop all your vegetables. Combine the nutritional yeast, hemp seeds, garlic powder, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl and stir. Unwrap the tofu from the press and place in the mixing bowl with the spices. Using a fork, shred the tofu into scrambled bits and and combine with the spices.

Heat a large skillet to medium heat. Add olive oil and bring to temperature. Add onions and red pepper and saute for 2 minutes. Then add the kale and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until kale begins to wilt. Then add the tofu and salt combining all the ingredients in the pan. Cook for about 5 -7 minutes. Tofu should be heated through and onions should be translucent. Finally add the chopped cilantro, give it a quick stir and remove pan from heat. Serve with a side of whole wheat toast, Field Roast sausage and/or your favorite breakfast beverage. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts per serving (3 servings)

Calories: 245

Fat: 15 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Potassium: 286 mg

Carbs: 12 g

Fiber: 3.6 g

Sugars: 3 g

Protein: 16.6 g

Vitamin A: 75%

Vitamin C: 150%

Calcium: 13.5%

Iron: 17%

[metacook type=”name” display=”none”]Tofu Scramble[/metacook][metacook type=”description” display=”none”]The vegetables, herbs and spices really give this recipe a savory and delicious flavor, plus it’s high in protein and iron.[/metacook][metacook type=”prepTime” display=”none”]20 min[/metacook][metacook type=”cookTime” display=”none”]15 min[/metacook][metacook type=”totalTime” display=”none”]35 min[/metacook][metacook type=”yield” display=”none”]3 servings[/metacook][metacook type=”calories” display=”none”]245[/metacook]