Tofu Scramble: The Perfect Egg Alternative

I have been thinking about breakfast.  Not just any breakfast, but a good, hot meal that I can enjoy in the company of others.  I am getting tired of feeling left out at every breakfast meeting/brunch/”breakfast for dinner” night because I have an egg intolerance.  It was time to find something worth eating other than fruit salad, which always sparks a conversation about my food issues.  This week, my kids wanted breakfast for dinner; scrambled eggs, half a bagel and red pepper sticks.  That left me with the task of cooking something separate for myself or resolving to eat only red pepper sticks (so not happening).  Typically, I don’t like to eat the “replacement” food for my food intolerance if it doesn’t provide similar nutrients as the original, or if it is highly processed to resemble the food, but doesn’t actually contain any nutrients.  Most egg replacements on the market are meant to be used in baking and not as a breakfast protein – for example, mixing ground flax seeds and water or using Ener-G Egg Replacer.  There really isn’t a “tofurky” of eggs.  Or is there?

Enter tofu:  A whole protein like eggs?  Check.  Low in carbohydrates like eggs? Check.  Contains a moderate amount of fat necessary for satiety like eggs? Check.  Unfortunately, plain tofu doesn’t taste like eggs, it doesn’t have a flavor at all, but it will absorb the flavors of other ingredients during cooking, so it a good candidate for a breakfast protein replacement.  There are levels of firmness in tofu products; silken is very soft and can be used in sauces or to replace ricotta cheese, while firm tofu can be sliced and baked or cubed and stir-fried.  Firm tofu can also be torn into small pieces resembling a scrambled egg.  So tofu it is!

I purchased a package of the lite firm tofu – the only difference between the lite and the regular was the amount of fat, but there were no fillers added to replace the fat, so I went with it.  There was really no plan to this recipe other than to use vegetables I had on hand and flavors that I enjoyed.  But I also wanted to trick my brain by making the tofu the color of eggs, so I used turmeric.  Turmeric is a mild cousin to ginger that has been used by many cultures for cooking, and is currently being studied for its ability to battle inflammation, diabetes, and possibly Alzheimer’s disease.  Not bad for a little yellow spice!

I gathered some odds and ends from around my kitchen and got cooking.  The result:  A fabulous, flavorful, vegan, gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free dinner just for me!  Well, everyone else can eat it too, but I’m not great with sharing what’s on my plate, but I will share the recipe with you…

Turmeric Vegetable Tofu Scramble

Serves one hungry me, but probably two regular people.  Double or triple as needed.

4 oz Lite firm tofu, cubed into 1/2″ pieces

1/2 cup minced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon peanut oil (or olive oil if you have a peanut allergy)

1/4 cup cilantro (measure while leaves are whole and then chop)

1/4 cup red pepper, cut into 1/2″ pieces

1/2 cup grape tomato, halved

1/2 cup cooked/frozen spinach or 1 cup raw spinach

1 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
(spicy stuff so use less if you can’t handle it)

2 teaspoons turmeric

1/2 teaspoon salt

cooking oil spray

 

If you don’t have all of the ingredients, use the vegetables you have on hand.  You can swap out the cilantro for basil as well.

Gather all the ingredients and start chopping!

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, spray the pan with cooking spray, and add the peanut oil.  Swirl to coat.  Add the onion to the pan and cook until translucent.  Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.  Combine all of the other vegetables and the cilantro with the garlic and onion and cook for two minutes to soften the vegetables.  If you are using raw spinach, add the spinach first and give it a minute to wilt and then add the rest of the vegetables.

Add the turmeric and salt and stir to coat for one to two minutes and then transfer the completed tofu scramble to a plate.  Serve while hot!

If you choose to make one serving, take the leftover tofu and place it in a container and fill it with water to cover the tofu.  If you change the water everyday, it will last for five days in the refrigerator.  The leftover tofu didn’t last long in my house; I was so pleasantly surprised at just how delicious this dish turned out, that I made a second batch for the following night’s dinner.  And I didn’t share that either!

xo

B