One of my children has been complaining endlessly that I don't make tofu enough, which, uhhhhh, WHAT? How did that happen? How did I end up with a kid that whines for tofu instead of, say, chocolate?
I still don't understand that Alexis creature. She's fantastic and all, but her preference for healthy foods still baffles me. It's a wonderful thing, it just doesn't originate from my DNA.
At all.
Still, I am a fan of tofu. It's in my top 10 favorite foods, right below pizza and ice cream and chocolate and ... you get the idea.
This is a vegetarian adaptation of Beef and Broccoli. No real surprises in the recipe, but it does come with a warning. That low sodium soy sauce thing? Yeah. That's a literal sort of thing. If you were to maybe use regular soy sauce, you might realize that there is such a thing as too much salt.
Don't ask how I know. I just do. Ahem.
Quick (Not) Beef and Broccoli
White rice, prepared per package instructions
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 package extra firm tofu, pressed and cubed
1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar, firmly packed
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 teaspoons Siracha (or more, if you're tougher than me)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more, if you're still tougher than me)
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1. Grab a large skillet. Heat the olive oil in it and then start frying the tofu. Use medium to high heat. Keep an eye on it and turn as needed while you make the sauce. Which brings us to step 2.
2. Hi! Welcome to step 2! Now you're going to toss everything except the broccoli into a mixing bowl. Use a fork to mix it up really well.
3. Once the tofu is lightly browned on all sides, you get to add the sauce to your pan. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes and then add the broccoli. Keep simmering until the sauce thickens and you are happy with how cooked the broccoli is. (Note: if you need to add more cornstarch to get the sauce to thicken faster because you like the broccoli a little crunchy, that's cool.)
4. Serve over rice.
5. Prepare to fight the nine year-old for the tofu an the one year-old for the broccoli.
6. Wonder again how it is that your children like healthy foods so much.