TOFU SCRAMBLE, the Breakfast of Champions

Tofu Scramble

Sleeping in!

When Sunday comes and we get to sleep in a little and start the day more slowly, we usually feel a bit more hungry than usual. And the one thing that everyone seems to agree on is a nice tofu scramble. You can serve it with toasted bread (rye is great with it), some fresh vegetables on the side or if you have more time, make some pan-fried potatoes for a true American classic. And if you really want to be decadent, serve both bread and potatoes!

This is truly the easiest dish you can put together without even being fully awake. Which could easily happen on a Sunday morning... There is no way you can mess this one up.

Pretty much any vegetable you have in your refrigerator can be added to it (with the exception of root vegetables like carrots that would need a little tenderizing first). The trick is to dice everything pretty small so that you barely cook your vegetables, get a nice crisp texture and get most of the nutrients in the process. I like to have different kinds of greens and red veggies for the visual effect and whatever fresh herbs I have on hand (dried will work fine too). The usual culprits we have at home are zucchinis, snow and snap peas, green onions, green beans, mushrooms, tomatoes... we usually stay away from bell peppers because a lot of people don't digest them well.

BASIC INGREDIENTS:

•    1 package of organic* firm tofu drained on a towel
•    2-4 Tbl nutritional yeast
•    1 tsp or more of turmeric** for color (turmeric does have a unique flavor, so experiment with a little at first,  then add more if you want a deeper yellow color).  
•    1 tsp or more of garlic and onion powder
•    1/2 cup green onions minced
•    1 tsp ground flax seed (optional)
•    Vegan cheese like Daiya (optional)
•    Combination of vegetables finely diced
•    Fresh herbs (Basil or cilantro) optional 

PREPARATION:

1. With clean hands, break the tofu in a bowl to loosen up the pieces.
2. I prefer not leaving large chunks as they tend to not absorb as much flavor and come out bland. We like all our bites to be equally flavored!
3. Sprinkle the yeast first and mix,  then the turmeric, garlic and onion powder and salt, mix some more.
4. Add the green onions and other dried herbs of your liking.
5. Heat up a large frying pan with 1 tsp of oil, making sure the oil is evenly coating the pan
6. Pour the tofu mixture and gently stir over medium heat.
7. You can start toasting the bread or preparing the salad while this is cooking because it doesn't take much time to finish the scramble at this point.
8. Now add the finely diced vegetables, mix well and cook a few more minutes. Taste and add seasonings if you want. Sprinkle some vegan cheese, turn of the heat and cover with a lidd.
9. Serve as mentioned at the top. Chop from fresh herbs available and place on top.

Bon appétit! So, this isn't a Julia Child fancy dish but it does the trick every time.

SOME VARIATIONS:
If you are in a Mexican mood, add some salsa and chilis and serve with corn chips or a warmed tortilla and a side of black beans.
If you feel like adding an Indian touch, you could add some curry to the spices and eat with chapattis.

* Organic tofu is really important because a good part of the soy grown today is fed to livestock along with the all-pervasive corn (I swear, a cob of corn should be added to the American flag for the amount we are growing and consuming). So much of these two crops have been genetically modified and no serious clinical study was ever done on human population prior to introducing these new seeds. The reason being that since it would 'mostly' be given to animals and they seem to handle it just fine! I love the FDA's logic. If they can take it, why shouldn't we! The problem with GMO corn and Soy, but mostly corn is that it is in so many by-products today, that if the manufacturers were to label GMO ingredients on their products, the vast majority of the products sold in stores would have to list GMO ingredients and traces on their packaging. So Stick to organic when it comes to soy/tofu and for corn, good luck, this may be a little more difficult.
If you want to find out more about the largest producer of GMO products and how to protect yourself, click here.


** The active ingredient in turmeric is called curcumin. It is known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, stomach-soothing, and liver-and heart-protecting effects.
In India, it is used to aid for digestive disturbances and as a treatment for fever, infections, dysentery, arthritis, jaundice and other liver problems
In China it is used to treat liver and gallbladder problems, stop bleeding, and relieve chest congestion and menstrual discomforts
Given that it not only improves blood circulation but also helps prevent blood clot, turmeric offers some protection against heart attacks and strokes, the biggest killers in the US.
For more information on this herb and how to use it, go to: http://www.nutritional-supplement-educational-centre.com/turmeric-benefits.html

Tofu scramble delivers an impressive 4.8g of dietary Fiber and 24.2g of protein per serving. Not bad!