vegetarian chili

This vegetarian chili is a favorite of my boyfriend and I cook big batches so I always have some ready in the freezer! Of course, I use my favorite bean, black bean, but I also use crumble tofu so I get a delicious healthy comforting meal!

.Vegetarian chili

12 servings
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2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
1 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 zucchini, diced
2 x 28 oz canned diced tomatoes
1 pound tofu, crumbled
6 cups cooked black beans
2 cups frozen corn kernels
2 tablespoons chili powder
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil.
   
2. Add the onions and cook until transparent.
3. Add the bell pepper and zucchini. Cook 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes, tofu, black beans, corn, and seasonings.
5. Simmer at medium intensity about 30 minutes.
6. Serve with corn tortilla chips and garnish with a little cheese!
   

Nutrition facts
[for 1 serving]
269 calories, 5 g fat, 0.8 g saturated,
44 g carbs, 11 g fiber, 15 g protein

vegetarian spring rolls

This is a taste of Asian cuisine without all the clogging-artery fat of deep-frying. I made a vegetarian mixture composed of cabbage, carrots, celery, green onions, and peanut-ginger marinated tofu. The result is just yummy, especially when dipped in plum sauce!

Vegetarian spring rolls

18 spring rolls

1 tablespoon canola oil

3 green onions, chopped

1 cup shredded cabbage

1 carrot, shredded

1 celery rib, chopped

1/2 pound marinated tofu, crumbled

2 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

6 phyllo sheets

1. In a wok, heat the oil and cook the green onions, cabbage, carrot, and celery for 5 minutes.
2. In another bowl, mix the soy sauce with the sugar until disolved.
3. Add to the cooked veggies.
4. Add the tofu and mix well.
5. On a work surface, place 1 phyllo sheet. Cut crosswise into 3 strips. Place about 2 tablespoons of the filling at the short end of the strip. Roll up the strip and filling once. Fold the left and right sides of the pyllo over the filling and continue rolling to the end.
6. Place the roll, seam side dowon, on a baking sheet.
7. Repeat with the reamining filling.
8. Bake for 15 minutes at 375F, until golden.
9. Serve with plum sauce.

Nutrition facts

[for 1 spring roll]

55 calories, 0.7 g fat, 0.1 g saturated,

8 g carbs, 0.7 g fiber, 4 g protein

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tofu with coconut and peach salsa

You said tofu? This simple word can make many people shiver... But, it shouldn't be this way! Soy, which tofu is made from, has so much to offer. Besides containing omega-3 fatty acids and isoflavones, tofu provides all the proteins you need to enjoy a meatless meal. Moreover, by having tofu instead of meat, you get far less arteries-clogging saturated fat.

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Even if tofu is quite flavorless on its own, it can taste really good depending on the food you cook it with! Try this fruity recipe to sneak tofu into your menu.

Tofu with coconut and peach salsa

4 servings.

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2 tablespoons canola oil

1 pound firm tofu

1/3 cup unsweetened grated coconut

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 fresh or canned peaches, diced

1 teaspoon dried lemongrass

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Mix the coconut and flour.
3. Cut the tofu block into 8 "steaks".
4. Press the tofu "steaks" into the coconut mixture on each side.
5. Heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Add half of the tofu "steaks" and cook until brown on each side. Put the grilled tofu "steaks" in the oven and repeat with the remaining tofu.
6. To prepare the salsa, mix the peaches, lemongrass, basil, rice vinegar, and brown sugar in a small bowl.
7. Serve the over the tofu.

* Make it a meal by serving it with basmati rice and sautéed vegetables!

Nutrition facts
[for 1 serving]
251 calories, 16 g fat, 4 g saturated,
19 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 11 g protein

silken tofu

Do you shudder at the thought of eating tofu? Well, you shouldn’t! This uninspiring white block made of soy is a true chameleon because it just absorbs the flavor of the ingredients you cook it with. Moreover, even if there have been a lot of controversies about the real benefits of isoflavones and soy proteins, there's one thing that remain sure: it is not harmful! Indeed, even if we'd learn that tofu's protective benefits only come from its low saturated fat and cholesterol content compared to meat, which it can easily substitute, it would still be a marvelous food to include in one's diet.Therefore, if you have a sweet tooth, why not begin by a tofu-based chocolate dessert…? You can actually buy one of these at the grocery store, but it’s so easy to do that it'd be a shame no to do it yourself!

Soy-chocolate pudding

1. First, you’ll need 1 silken tofu block.
2. Then, puree it in a blender.
3. Add about ¼ cup sugar and ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder.
4. Mix until the texture is smooth.
5. Refrigerate and serve cold (makes 4 sevings).

Nutrition facts for ¼ recipe (about ½ cup): 113 calories, 3 g fat, 0.8 g saturated, 0.7 g monounsaturated fat, 1.3 polyunsaturated fat, 17.6 g carbohydrate, 1.9 g fiber, 6.9 g protein, 1.6 mg iron, 34 mg calcium. My comment: What a nice delicious little treat! It’s packed with protein and nobody could guess there’s tofu in it. If you want to boost the calcium content, you can add 2 tbsp per serving, and you’ll benefit from about 100 mg extra calcium, 3 g protein as well as vitamin D for only 31 calories!