Teriyaki Tofu & Pineapple Skewers

In honor of my parents move to Hawaii this week, I made a little tropical dish to pretend I was there with them. This simple 5 ingredient main dish is ready in no time! Marinated and grilled is absolutely the best way to have tofu. It is flavorful and not at all mushy. And combined with sweet grilled pineapple, it is a little vegetarian taste of the islands.... did I mention is snowed here today? Sigh.....

Teriyaki Tofu & Pineapple Skewers

1 Package extra-firm tofu

1/2 pineapple

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon hot sauce

Start with slicing your tofu into 1 inch by 1 inch squares. You can make them smaller, just be sure they are able to be skewered. Place diced tofu between paper towels or a clean dish towel, and place a heavy pan or cutting board on top. Leave for 10-20 minutes, or until tofu is as dry as you wish. 

- Heat a pan to medium heat and add tofu. No oil or water necessary, just add the tofu and turn every 2 minutes to brown on each side. Once every side is browned, transfer from pan into a bowl and set aside.

 - In another bowl, mix soy sauce, brown sugar, and hot sauce until sugar is dissolved. Pour over tofu and toss to coat. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, tossing every 30 minutes.

-Remove core from pineapple and slice into chunks similar in size to tofu. Set aside.

Once tofu has marinated remove from fridge and get ready to skewer. Alternating between tofu and pineapple skewer all pieces leaving about 1/4 inch between pieces. 

Heat grill to medium heat and spray with non-stick spray. Place each skewer on grill and cook for 3-4 minutes, until pineapple and tofu have a nice char. Remove from heat and enjoy immediately!

Vegetarian Tacos

Tacos are super easy to make vegetarian, throw in some refried beans and you are good to go! But if you want a more complete protein, with a little more "meat" to each bite, this recipe is for you. The first time I made this, I could have sworn it was a regular taco. The pieces of tofu actually have a little crunch to them, not just mush. If you ever need to convince someone to try tofu, I would suggest starting with this recipe.

Vegetarian Tacos

1 block extra firm tofu, cute into cubes

2-3 tablespoons taco seasoning (recipe below)

2 tablespoons of vegetable stock

Tortillas

Favorite taco toppings

As far as making your own taco seasoning goes, it doesn't get much easier than this. I don't usually measure out my spices, just thrown in what you think would taste good. I use garlic and onion powder, chili powder and ground cumin, cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and oregano.  I have also made this before with Cajun seasoning, paprika, curry powder...the possibilities are endless. 



One day I will get matching spices....



Cut your extra firm tofu into 1/4 inch slices, then cut into small cubes. No need to press out the extra water in this recipe, just throw the slices into a medium heat dry pan, and let brown. Yay for not having to wait 1 hour for dry tofu!

 After your tofu is brown and slightly crispy on all sides, add your desired amount of seasoning, along with vegetable stock. Stir until the liquid is absorbed and tofu is coated in taco seasoning. 

 Serve on warm tortillas with your favorite toppings. 

Yummy :)