TOFU!

Today, I took a step out of my taste bud's comfort zone and bought a tub of tofu on a whim. As soon as I got home and put it into the fridge, my reason came back to me. Why on earth did you buy tofu?! You don't even know how to cook it! And it looks like this block of weird, veggie-smelling cheese...you're going to eat that? My imagination, however, was undaunted by the protests of my reason (another fact that proves I am definitely not Vulcan. ;). I Googled "How to Cook Tofu", and learned as much about the subject as I could. Did you know that tofu can be used in virtually everything, from soups to stir-fries to puddings to cakes? I didn't..."This block of weird, veggie-smelling cheese does have some virtue after all! I wasn't completely crazy when I bought it...

After browsing through hundreds of recipes for dinners with tofu in them, I finally created my own that catered to my taste buds...and what I had in the fridge. :)

8 oz tofu (firm to extra firm)

2 tsp extra virgin oil

2 small diced onions

1 clove garlic, minced

1 stick celery, diced

1/2 small zucchini, diced

2 small onions, diced

2 tbs teriyaki sauce (I used Trader Joe's "Soyaki", a mix of soy sauce and teriyaki sauce)

Drain and rinse the tofu, patting it dry. Slice into eight 1/2 in slabs.

Heat the oil in a skillet, then add the tofu and cook in a single layer without stirring, until the bottoms are golden brown. (about 5 minutes) Gently stir , flip over, and continue cooking for about 6 minutes, or until all the sides are golden-brown. Add the veggies and terriaki sauce, stirring until the veggies are done. (I check to see whether the onions are translucent. That's usually a good sign that they're done) You can serve this on a bed of brown rice if you want to...I was too hungry to wait for the rice to cook, so I just ate it like it was :) The tofu acts as a flavor-absorber, so in this recipe it absorbed the garlic and the teriyaki sauce...and tasted fantastic. I would recommend it to any first-time tofu tryer! :) It makes about 2 servings.