Tofu BLT

This is the vegetarian version of a BLT.  While it doesn't have bacon, it's bursting with tons of other flavors!


Photo Courtesy of EatingWell

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 clove garlic, minced

14 ounces water-packed extra-firm tofu, drained and rinsed*

4 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise

8 slices crusty whole-wheat bread, toasted

4 pieces green-leaf lettuce

2 medium tomatoes, sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475°F. Coat a baking sheet (liberally) with cooking spray.

Combine mustard, soy sauce, garlic, and crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Slice tofu crosswise into eight 1/2-inch-thick pieces. Pat dry with a paper towel and place on the prepared baking sheet. Using a spoon, spread half the mustard mixture on one side of the tofu. Turn the slices over and spread the remaining mixture on the other side.  Bake the tofu for 20 minutes.  Spread the mayo on toasted bread. Divide the tofu, lettuce and tomato among 4 slices of toast and top with the remaining toast to make 4 sandwiches. Cut in half to serve.

* New to tofu?  There are two main types of tofu: silken (which comes in a cardboard container), and regular (which comes in a plastic carton that is usually sealed with clear plastic).  Silken tofu breaks apart easily and is great for soups and sauces.  Regular tofu tends to hold its shape better and is slightly firmer to the touch.  For this recipe, I would recommend using regular tofu.  To prepare tofu, drain any water from the tofu and place the block of tofu on a stack of kitchen towels.  Squeeze any moisture out of the tofu (this will help the tofu absorb the sauce) and let rest for 20-30 minutes to drain.  You can store your tofu in the fridge for 2-3 days, or can freeze it for later use.  

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Econo Foods (2/24/2013-3/2/2013)
Bread	Sara Lee Honey Wheat Bread (20 oz. loaf) on sale 2 for $5.00
Cooking Spray	Our Family Cooking Spray (5-6 oz) on sale for $2.49

  

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Cub Foods (2/24/2013-3/2/2013)
Tomatoes	Roma Tomatoes on Sale for $1.00/lb
Bread	Pepperidge Farm Whole Grain Bread on sale for $3.29
Lettuce	Wild Harvest Organic Salad Blend (5 oz.) on sale 2 for $6.00