One of them is using tofu, which can be prepared in a variety of ways. The good thing about tofu is its flexibility. And it’s also very cost-efficient, averaging about $3 for a block that can easily feed 4-6 people - depending on their appetites – when mixed with vegetables.

It took years for me to like tofu, which is basically curdled soy milk that comes from the soybean. Sounds yucky, right? It’s really not bad at all. In fact, tofu is one of the few foods that my picky daughter number four loves and will eat consistently.

I’ve eaten tofu prepared as chicken salad or made to taste exactly like tuna. However, I prefer it seared in olive oil and garlic, then mixed with stir-fried vegetables, served over brown rice.

But because tofu is so bland, you have to work with it to get it to taste really good. Tofu comes in a block, packed in water and I’ve found that there’s a big debate over how to press out the excess water, which will make it hold seasoning better and easier to cook. There are tofu presses but they really aren’t necessary.

I simply sit my tofu between two plates underneath my cast-iron frying pan to squeeze out the excess water. Then I season it and sear it in that same pan with garlic and olive or sesame oil.

Stir-fried veggies with tofu (feeds 6)

Best prepared in a wok

Ingredients

1 package of firm tofu

½ head broccoli (florets only)

¼ head cauliflower (florets only)

4 large button mushroom caps (sliced)

½ yellow pepper (seeded and sliced lengthwise)

1 small yellow onion (sliced)

½ cup baby carrots (halved lengthwise)

¼ cup virgin olive oil or sesame oil

3 cloves fresh garlic (diced)

1 pinch sea salt

1/8  cup Tamari or soy sauce

1tbs cornstarch

Directions

• Drain off water and place tofu in between two plates, and then under a cast-iron frying pan or something heavy to squeeze out excess water. Half the tofu lengthwise and slice about ¼ inch thick
• Heat ½ of olive oil in a wok or cast-iron pan
• Fry pieces of tofu until golden brown on each side and set aside
• Add remaining oil and sauté garlic and then vegetables until the broccoli is just bright green.Lay tofu into the veggies.
• Mix Tamari sauce and cornstarch into a paste and then stir into vegetables.
• Season with salt at serving time

Note : Sesame oil is lighter and heats much faster than olive oil. Be careful not to burn it.

Serve over brown rice

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During my 53 years on earth, I’ve been blessed to have access to many fine and life-altering teachers, and  their  important lessons continue to unfold long after  I‘ve  been in their company. Life’s most important lessons are those that permanently enhance us, and one of my most important teachers was Philadelphia’s former health czar, Gwen Foster.

Gwen, appointed by then-Mayor John Street, taught Philadelphians how to lose weight and lead healthier lives by making lasting lifestyle changes. And although I took her 10-week media-awareness course called “Fun, Fit and Free” nearly a decade ago, her teachings still have a  profound impact on me.                                                                                                                                   

One essential component to her plan for healthier living was to not just go on a diet, but to make changes that keep the weight off.

“Diets don’t work,” says my mate Imhotep Natu Ali, an alternative health practitioner, master massage therapist and reflexologist. He encourages his clients to do a “live-it” instead of  a diet, and like Gwen, Natu teaches them to incorporate healthy lifestyle changes into their daily routines. He advises them to limit or eliminate red meat, sugar and dairy; drink plenty of spring water, and incorporate exercise into regular routines. (Photo credit: Tofu star by Riebschleger).

Both say that discipline is key to making these healthy changes and that we should  replace things that are bad for us.  So in doing this, if you choose to become a vegetarian, it’s essential to eat enough protein. One good source is tofu.

Tofu for protein

One of the most widely misunderstood foods is tofu, which is also a very good source of iron.

Tofu is one of those foods that gets a bad rap among hard-core meat-eaters. You either love it or hate it, but how tofu is prepared makes a huge difference in that choice. Tofu is one of the few sources of protein besides chicken that my youngest and pickiest child will eat, which really surprises me.  Although tofu can be made many different ways - including a dish that resembles chicken salad – my “baby girl” prefers it prepared simply in a skillet.

 Pan-fried tofu with baby spinach

Ingredients

One package firm tofu

Olive-oil flavored spray coating

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

½  tsp paprika

1 envelope Sazon

1 handful sesame seeds

1 cup of fresh baby spinach

Directions 

• Sift spices together and set aside.

• Squeeze  out excess water from tofu either by putting it in a tofu press or placing it in a shallow dish underneath something with some weight, such as a cast iron skillet.

           You  should  be able to take out at least 1/3 cup of water.

• Slice tofu down the middle and then into ½ inch-thick squares, and set aside until pan is hot.

• Heat skillet until a drop of water sizzles on it, and then coat evenly with olive oil spray coating.

• Pan-fry tofu on both sides until light brown, then dust all over with seasonings.

• Sprinkle sesame seeds on both sides and then place baby spinach on top.

• Turn off pan and cover until heat wilts the spinach (about three minutes).

• Serve with a side of tamari sauce for dipping.

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