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Tofu “Meatballs”

written by Parita 14 Comments

I’ve mentioned before that we are a mixed family when it comes to eating preferences.  I am a vegetarian while Vishnu is a [white] meat/seafood guy.  Sadly for him though, I’m not big into cooking meat at home.  Quite honestly, it grosses me out.  Plain and simple.  He does get his fill with turkey sandwiches, any meals we eat out, and lunches served at school. 

But before y’all feel too bad for him, you should know that he eats plenty of delicious (or at least I think so) and protein filled veggie meals.  In fact, just today he asked me to make the tofu meatballs from the other night again next week.  That’s how I know something is good.  And just so y’all know, I have about a 95% success rate when it comes to Vishnu’s taste buds.  Not bad!

So I found this recipe while searching for vegetarian meal ideas.  It looked easy enough, was something different from our normal dinner eats, and sounded tasty.  So I gave it a shot. 

tofu meatballs 003

It was in fact different and delicious and easy, however the process in getting to all of that was a messy one.  Messy and fun I should say!  Don’t say I didn’t warn you…

As you can see from the picture above, I used quinoa as the base and topped it all off with some goat cheese.  Next time I may use spaghetti squash and mozzarella to change things up a bit.  Also, I didn’t have time to make the sauce from scratch, so I used a store bought Bertolli sauce. 

And I’m just going to warn all my meat loving friends – the tofu meatballs taste nothing like the real deal.  They tasted more like little ricotta veggie burgers.  All I have to say is yum. 

So without further ado, here’s my version of this great recipe.

Tofu Meatballs
Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 cup diced onion
1 teaspoon sea salt + black pepper to taste
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon hot sauce
1 package of extra firm tofu (drained, pressed, and crumbled)
1 large egg
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

For the sauce – 3/4 of a store bought pasta sauce and 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil.
2. Add the onion, salt, and pepper.  Cook until the onion is just starting to look transparent.
3. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the soy sauce and hot sauce.  Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms start to soften up.
5. With a slotted spoon, transfer the veggies to a blender/food processor.  Save the liquid.
6. Add the tofu, egg, bread crumbs, and Italian seasoning to the veggie mixture.  Blend until combined. 
7. Place the tofu mixture in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to harden.
8. Mix the jar of pasta sauce with the reserved liquid from the veggie mixture over medium heat.
9. Place a large skillet over medium heat.  Add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and also spray with a little bit of cooking spray.
*10. Sprinkle flour on a plate.  Wet your hands with a little bit of water and scoop out 1 – 2 inch tofu balls. 
*11. Roll the balls in the flour.
12. Once ready, transfer balls to skillet and cook on each side for a few minutes or until brown.  (You’ll likely have to do two large batches).
13. Place the tofu balls in the sauce and let marinate for 10-15 minutes.

*The messy part of the process.

When ready to serve, spoon some quinoa (or whatever base you choose) on a plate and top with tofu meatballs and sauce.  Sprinkle your favorite cheese on top and enjoy!

tofu meatballs 004

This recipe definitely got two thumbs up from both me and my meat eating husband!  And as an added bonus, these tofu meatballs make great leftovers. 

See, I told you guys not to feel too bad for Vishnu!!

If you have any delicious vegetarian recipes you’d like to share, PLEASE do so.  I’m always on the lookout for new ones to try.

Written on October 19, 2012 Related:Family, Food, Marriage, Recipe, Relationships

When Two Ways of Eating Collide

written by Parita 17 Comments

*I’m going to preface this post with a little disclaimer.  I think of myself as a strong, independent woman and always will.  However, I also have a very nurturing side.  I love to take care of people, namely Vishnu.  And one of the ways I take care of him is by cooking healthy and (hopefully) tasty meals.  After reading this post, you may be inclined to think that after June my life will revolve around cooking for my husband, but that is not true at all.  In fact, he is more than capable of doing this himself, but I genuinely love to cook, and he doesn’t. I love planning healthy meals, while he’d rather just eat the healthy meal. And this works for us.

A topic that has been frequently making its way into recent conversation is how marriage is going to change mine and Vishnu’s eating habits.  The short answer is that marriage is not going to change anything.  I’ll still be a vegetarian, and he’ll continue to eat white meat and fish.  I’ll still be somewhat of a health nut, and he’ll take on some of my healthy habits while still eating the things he wants.

I think one of the reasons why people ask me about this is because I have been an on again off again vegetarian for years.  However, back in August 2010, I made the decision to give up meat…forever.  Trust be told, it grosses me out – more then ever.  And thinking about it makes me sad.

When we first got engaged, Vishnu stubbornly stated that no meat would be cooked at home.  He wanted to respect my way of eating.  Instead, he would resort to eating non-veg things when dining out.  Over time, as we talked more about this, I convinced him that having meat in the house won’t bother me.  I don’t want him to change his way because of me.  I even offered to cook him meat dishes, as long as he prepped everything beforehand.  For example, if I was making an Indian vegetable curry, we could very easily add chicken to his portion.  No big deal!  I honestly have no intention of converting Vishnu into a vegetarian, and I know with 100% certainty that it will never happen. 

meat-vs-vegetables

Story of our lives!

I think another reason the question comes up often is because of my focus on eating clean and healthy.  People who know me understand that about me, and again, while I don’t want to lure Vishnu over to my sometimes crazy ways, I do want to introduce him to a healthier way of eating.  Luckily, he’s already made some awesome changes to his diet this past year.  He and his roommate make dinner at home most nights of the week – lasagna, sandwiches, stir-frys, grilled chicken and veggies, etc.  He’s a fruit fiend – blueberries, bananas, and apples are his favorite.  And he now prefers wheat pasta over white (this is HUGE because a couple of years ago he absolutely hated wheat anything).

As far as changes go, I’d like for us to pay more attention to the quality of the meat we purchase.  If he’s going to eat it, might as well make sure it’s coming from a good source.  I also want to make sure Vishnu eats a good, filling breakfast.  I know, I know – he’s not a child, but with his busy class schedule, breakfast often goes to the wayside.  He loves green protein smoothies and protein cereal and has said himself that he’s very much looking forward to breakfast after the wedding!  Having a variety of healthy snacks around will also be key for us.  We both love granola, Greek yogurt, hummus + veggies, peanut butter, cheese, etc.  We’ll just have to make sure these things are readily available.

healthy eating someecard

Vishnu’s not the only one that’s going to have to be adaptable.  I too am going to have to be more thoughtful about our meals.  For example, there are days every now and then where I don’t feel like cooking, and when that happens, I eat a couple of bowls of cereal and call it a night.  However, I know that cereal would never satisfy my hubby-to-be.  And me being me, I know I would feel guilty if he went to bed on an “empty stomach.”  Also, I could honestly eat the same dinner three to four times a week.  It’s easy and convenient.  Vishnu, on the other hand, likes variety.  So, I think we’re both going to have to compromise a little and be a bit more flexible.  Finally, I know I’m going to have to kick it up a notch when it comes to making Indian meals.  Vishnu and I both grew up in families where our moms made Indian food for dinner five to six times a week.  And by no means is Vishnu demanding I cook certain kinds of food, but I do want to continue with that tradition, but it’ll probably be a three times week thing for us.

It’s funny how food is one of my major marriage “concerns.”  It’s just that Vishnu and I have different views on food and what we like and don’t like.  I know this isn’t abnormal for a couple, but it’ll be interesting to see how we adjust over time. 

Do you find yourself adjusting to the eating habits of those around you, or do you use your influencing skills to get others to adapt to you?

Written on March 19, 2012 Related:Food, Health, Marriage, Relationships

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