A lot of folks are intimidated by tofu. Hell, a lot of folks are intimidated by anything that is vegetarian or vegan. As more and more people are battling diet related diseases, I’d like to believe the general health benefits alone are slowly encouraging people to try cooking meat free, at least, on occasion. Being from Texas, omnivorism is deeply etched in the essence of who I am. I tried cold turkey vegetarianism for about a year and half before finding a compromise that worked for me and decided to shift gears towards the locavore movement. So even though chicken, pork, beef, or fish/seafood are amongst my weekly dinner rotations now, I make certain to include a variety of vegan and vegetarian entrees for the majority of my menu. Variety, moderation, and compromise I believe are essential for a healthy kitchen. So I often find myself falling back on my usual tried and true stir fry or taco tofu dinners, but wanting to step outside the box a little I decided on a totally different flavor profile with the recipe below. Lemon pepper is one of my favorite flavor combinations and I am still crazy about Trader Joe’s new Everything seasoning and look for ways to incorporate it in my dishes. So I went with both seasonings for this dish and it was nice to shake things up a bit. As a bonus, I only had to hand wash one skillet, one mixing bowl, and one roasting pan afterwards.

Lemon Pepper Tofu Nuggets 

Ingredients:

1 pkg good quality Tofu, water pressed out and cubed

1 tablespoon Cornstarch

1/4 cup Masa Flour

3 to 4 tablespoons Lemon Pepper Seasoning

2 to 3 tablespoons Grapeseed or Coconut Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste (tofu needs a lot of seasoning)

Method:

In a med mixing bowl, combine the cornstarch, Masa flour, lemon pepper seasoning, and salt and black pepper to taste. Mix to combine. Gently toss in the cubed tofu until well coated. Set aside. Heat the oil over med high flame in a skillet until it’s shimmering. Pan fry the tofu in batches on all sides until it is crisp and golden brown. Set aside on paper towels. Finish with additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve with roast veggies.

Everything Roast Veggies 

Ingredients:

1 head Broccoli, cored and trimmed

1 lg Red Bell pepper, stem, seeds, and membrane removed then thick sliced

1 to 2 cups fresh Green Beans, trimmed

1 to 2 Carrots, washed, trimmed and cut into rounds

1 tablespoon TJ’s Everything Seasoning

1 to 2 tablespoons Grapeseed or Coconut oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large roasting pan, toss all the veggies with the seasonings and EVO until evenly coated. Spread veggies as evenly as possible across the pan. Roast for 20 to 45 minutes until desired caramelization is reached. Adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately.