Tag: tofu

Tofu and Kale Bowl With Maple Mustard Dressing

A quinoa bowl with crisp tofu, kale, and maple mustard dressing in a wide bowl.

Nutrition Snapshot

  • About 26 grams of protein and 921 milligrams of calcium in one bowl, from calcium-set tofu and kale, with no dairy in it.
  • Kale and quinoa bring about 7 grams of fiber, and the protein and fiber together slow the quinoa’s carbohydrate, which keeps blood sugar level after the meal.
  • The trade-off: the dressing carries about a teaspoon of maple syrup a bowl. The card shows the figures, and the calcium in tofu varies by brand, so the label is the number to trust.

A block of firm tofu, pressed and cubed, crisped in a hot skillet, and a bag of frozen kale cooked down in the same pan with garlic. Both go over quinoa that was cooked earlier in the week, and a dressing of Dijon, cider vinegar, olive oil, and a little maple syrup goes over everything. Four bowls in twenty-five minutes.

Why This Bowl Is Great for Calcium in a Dairy-Free Pregnancy

A pregnancy builds a skeleton out of about 30 grams of calcium, and if the mother’s food does not supply it, her own bones do. Dairy is the way most people get calcium without thinking about it. Without dairy the mineral takes planning, because most plant foods carry little and some, like spinach, carry calcium the body cannot absorb.

Three dairy-free foods carry a real amount: fortified plant milks, canned fish with bones, and tofu that has been set with calcium.

This bowl is built on the third. Tofu is made by setting soy milk into a curd, and the setting agent decides its calcium. A block set with calcium sulfate carries several times the calcium of one set with magnesium chloride, called nigari, and the ingredient list says which. Kale adds calcium in a form the body absorbs well.

A bowl carries about 921 milligrams by the USDA figure, roughly three glasses of milk, along with about 26 grams of protein. The quinoa’s carbohydrate arrives with that protein and fiber, the pairing that keeps blood sugar level, which matters more in pregnancy than at any other time.

Which nutrients are hardest to get in pregnancy, dairy or not, and which foods carry them, is in The Pregnancy Plate: Choline, Iron, Folate, and DHA From Food. How pairing protein and fiber with carbohydrate works at every meal is in The Blood-Sugar-Friendly Plate: Pairing, Order, and Portion.

A quinoa bowl with crisp tofu, kale, and maple mustard dressing in a wide bowl.
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Tofu and Kale Bowl With Maple Mustard Dressing

Pressed calcium-set tofu crisped in a hot skillet, frozen kale cooked down with garlic in the same pan, both over cooled quinoa with a Dijon, cider vinegar, olive oil, and maple dressing. Four dairy-free bowls with about 26 grams of protein and about three glasses of milk’s worth of calcium each.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: dinner, lunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: calcium-set tofu, dairy free calcium, maple mustard dressing, pregnancy dinner, tofu and kale, tofu bowl, vegan quinoa bowl
Servings: 4 bowl (with 1/2 cup quinoa)
Calories: 440kcal

Equipment

  • Large skillet
  • Two clean kitchen towels for pressing the tofu
  • Jar with a lid for the dressing

Ingredients

Bowl

  • 1 block (16 ounces) firm or extra-firm tofu set with calcium sulfate (check the ingredient list), pressed 10 minutes and cut in 3/4-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
  • 1 bag (12 ounces) frozen chopped kale
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups cooked quinoa cooked ahead and chilled, reheated
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • black pepper to taste

Maple mustard dressing

  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

  • Shake the dressing ingredients together in a jar.
  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu cubes in a single layer with the salt and leave them alone 4 minutes, until deep brown underneath. Turn and brown another 4 minutes. Move to a plate.
  • Add the frozen kale and garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring, until thawed, hot, and the water has cooked off, about 5 minutes. Add pepper.
  • Divide the warm quinoa among 4 bowls. Top with the kale and tofu and spoon the dressing over. Keeps 3 days in the refrigerator; dress at the table.

Notes

The label matters: tofu set with calcium sulfate carries several times the calcium of tofu set with magnesium chloride (nigari), and the ingredient list says which. The USDA calcium figure is high for calcium-set tofu; brands vary, so the number on the package is the one to trust. Frozen collards work in place of kale and carry more calcium; spinach carries calcium the body cannot absorb well. Pressing the tofu is what makes it brown. For more protein, a cup of edamame stirred into the kale adds about 4 grams a bowl. A glass of fortified soy milk with the meal adds another 300 milligrams of calcium.

Nutrition

Calories: 440kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 3.6g | Sodium: 265mg | Potassium: 748mg | Fiber: 7.2g | Sugar: 4.7g | Calcium: 921mg | Iron: 5.4mg | Magnesium: 146mg | Phosphorus: 393mg | Choline: 24mg

Gluten Free

Tofu, kale, quinoa, garlic, olive oil, cider vinegar, and maple syrup are naturally free of gluten. For people with celiac disease, check the quinoa for a gluten-free label, since some is processed on shared lines, and the Dijon mustard for malt vinegar or wheat. People who avoid gluten by preference can use any brand.

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Tofu and Edamame Wrap With Cabbage Slaw

A tofu and edamame wrap cut in half showing the cabbage slaw filling in a plate.

Nutrition Snapshot

  • About 32 grams of protein in one wrap, from tofu and edamame, the two plant proteins closest to meat in leucine.
  • Cabbage, edamame, and the whole-wheat tortilla bring about 9 grams of fiber, and the sesame oil and tofu carry heart-protective fats.
  • The trade-off: soy sauce and the tortilla make this a moderately salty dinner. The card shows the amount, and the notes show how to lower it.

A block of extra-firm tofu, pressed and cut into strips, crisped in a hot skillet with a splash of soy sauce, and a cup of frozen edamame warmed in the same pan. The slaw is shredded cabbage and carrot tossed with rice vinegar, lime, sesame oil, and a little ginger. Both go into a warm whole-wheat tortilla with a spoon of the slaw’s dressing, rolled tight, and cut in half.

Four wraps in twenty-five minutes, and they hold together cold for tomorrow’s lunch.

Why This Wrap Is Great for a Plant-Based Athlete

Muscle rebuilds after training in response to a dose of protein, and the size of the response is set mostly by one amino acid, leucine. Plant proteins carry less leucine per gram than meat, eggs, or dairy, and less of their protein is absorbed.

So a plant-based athlete needs about 20 to 30 percent more total protein at a meal to trigger the same rebuilding. A dinner that would be enough for a meat eater at 25 grams needs to reach about 30 to 35 grams on a plant-based plate.

Soy is the plant protein that comes closest to closing the gap on its own. Tofu and edamame carry more leucine than beans, lentils, or grains, and their protein is absorbed nearly as well as milk’s. This wrap uses both, in a larger amount than a recipe would usually call for, and lands at about 32 grams a wrap.

A second wrap, or a glass of soy milk with it, brings a bigger athlete to the full dose.

How much more protein a plant-based athlete needs, and which plant foods carry the most leucine, is in Plant Protein That Builds Muscle: Leucine, Pairing, and How Much More You Need.

A tofu and edamame wrap cut in half showing the cabbage slaw filling in a plate.
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Tofu and Edamame Wrap With Cabbage Slaw

Pressed extra-firm tofu crisped in a skillet with soy sauce, frozen edamame warmed alongside, and a sesame-lime cabbage and carrot slaw, rolled in warm whole-wheat tortillas. Four wraps in 25 minutes, about 32 grams of protein each, good cold the next day.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time27 minutes
Course: dinner, lunch
Cuisine: Asian-American
Keyword: cabbage slaw wrap, edamame wrap, high protein vegan dinner, meal prep wrap, plant-based athlete dinner, tofu wrap, vegan wrap
Servings: 4 wrap
Calories: 531kcal

Equipment

  • Large skillet
  • Two clean kitchen towels for pressing the tofu
  • Box Grater

Ingredients

Slaw

  • 4 cups shredded green cabbage
  • 1 carrot grated
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Tofu and wraps

  • 1 block (16 ounces) extra-firm tofu pressed 10 minutes and cut in 1/2-inch strips
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil or canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 cup frozen shelled edamame
  • 4 large (10-inch) whole-wheat tortillas
  • sriracha or hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

  • Toss the slaw ingredients together in a bowl and set aside; it softens a little while the tofu cooks.
  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu strips in a single layer and cook without moving them until deep brown underneath, about 4 minutes. Turn and brown the other side, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Add the edamame and the soy sauce and toss for 2 minutes, until the edamame is hot and the tofu is glazed.
  • Warm the tortillas in a dry pan or the microwave for 20 seconds so they roll without cracking.
  • Lay a quarter of the tofu and edamame down the middle of each tortilla, top with a quarter of the slaw and a spoon of its dressing, and hot sauce if you like. Fold the sides in and roll tight. Cut in half. Keeps wrapped in the refrigerator 2 days.

Notes

For a bigger dose, eat two wraps or add a glass of soy milk, which adds 8 grams of protein. Lower-sodium version: use 1 tablespoon soy sauce and skip the salt in the slaw, which cuts the sodium by about a third. Pressing the tofu is what makes it brown; skip it and the strips steam. Frozen edamame straight from the bag works; it thaws in the pan. Cabbage slaw keeps 3 days on its own and is the side for the next night’s dinner.

Nutrition

Calories: 531kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 3.9g | Sodium: 738mg | Potassium: 941mg | Fiber: 9.2g | Sugar: 4.3g | Calcium: 862mg | Iron: 6.7mg | Magnesium: 122mg | Phosphorus: 399mg | Choline: 33mg

Gluten Free

This wrap uses whole-wheat tortillas and regular soy sauce, which is brewed with wheat, so it is not gluten-free as written. Two swaps make it so: a gluten-free tortilla or a large cabbage leaf, and tamari labeled gluten-free in place of the soy sauce.

Tofu, edamame, cabbage, carrot, rice vinegar, lime, sesame oil, and ginger are naturally free of gluten. For people with celiac disease, also check the rice vinegar for added malt.

People who avoid gluten by preference can use any gluten-free tortilla.

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Tofu and Kale Stir-Fry With Ginger-Scallion Sauce

A plate of crisp tofu and kale stir-fry with ginger-scallion sauce over brown rice in a dinner plate.

Nutrition Snapshot

  • About 35 grams of protein and about 1226 milligrams of calcium in one plate, from calcium-set tofu and kale.
  • Kale brings vitamin K, which bone needs alongside calcium, and kale and brown rice together bring about 8 grams of fiber.
  • The trade-off: soy sauce makes this a moderately salty dinner even with the low-sodium kind. The card shows the amount, and the notes show how to lower it.

Two blocks of firm tofu, pressed and cut into cubes, go into a hot skillet with oil and are left alone until they are brown and crisp on two sides. A bag of frozen kale goes in straight from the freezer and cooks down in five minutes.

The sauce is stirred in a cup, low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, grated ginger, garlic, a spoon of cornstarch, and a handful of sliced scallions, and it thickens over everything in a minute. It goes over brown rice, cooked earlier in the week.

Why This Stir-Fry Is Great for Bone After Menopause

Bone loss speeds up in the years around menopause, when estrogen falls, and a woman can lose a tenth of her bone in the first five years. Calcium is the mineral that bone is made of, and most advice stops there.

Bone also needs vitamin D to absorb the calcium from food, and vitamin K to steer that calcium into bone rather than into arteries. The three work as a set, and a meal that carries two of them does more than a supplement that carries one.

This plate carries two. Tofu set with calcium sulfate is one of the richest food sources of calcium there is, about 1226 milligrams a plate here by the USDA figure, more than three glasses of milk. Brands vary, so the label is the number to trust. Kale is one of the richest sources of vitamin K.

Where Vitamin D Comes From

Vitamin D is the one that food rarely supplies in a day’s worth, and it is the reason a blood test and a supplement are often part of the plan after menopause. Which foods carry each of the three, how much a day calls for, and where a supplement fits, is in The Menopause Kitchen: Protein, Calcium, and Fiber When Estrogen Falls.

The plate also carries about 35 grams of protein, which matters for bone as much as for muscle, since the two are lost together. Why plant protein like tofu needs a slightly larger serving to do the same work as meat is in Plant Protein That Builds Muscle: Leucine, Pairing, and How Much More You Need.

The Word on the Tofu Label That Matters

Tofu is soy milk set into a curd, and the setting agent decides its calcium. Tofu set with calcium sulfate carries several times the calcium of tofu set with magnesium chloride, called nigari, and the label lists which one was used. For bone, buy the calcium one; the taste and texture are the same.

Firm or extra-firm tofu, pressed for ten minutes between towels under a heavy pan, browns instead of steaming. Skipping the press is the most common reason tofu comes out pale and soft.

Kale From the Freezer

Frozen chopped kale is already washed, stemmed, and cut, and it costs less than a bunch. It goes into the pan frozen and cooks in five minutes, and it carries the same vitamin K and calcium as fresh. Frozen spinach or collards work the same way; spinach carries less usable calcium, because a compound in it binds the mineral, and collards carry more.

A plate of crisp tofu and kale stir-fry with ginger-scallion sauce over brown rice in a dinner plate.
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Tofu and Kale Stir-Fry With Ginger-Scallion Sauce

Pressed calcium-set tofu crisped in a hot skillet, frozen kale cooked down in the same pan, and a one-minute sauce of low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and scallions, over cooled brown rice. Twenty minutes, five plates, about 34 grams of protein and a large dose of calcium each.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: dinner, lunch
Cuisine: Asian-American, Chinese
Keyword: bone health recipe, calcium rich dinner, ginger scallion sauce, menopause dinner, tofu and kale, tofu stir-fry, vegan high protein dinner
Servings: 5 plate (with 3/4 cup rice)
Calories: 507kcal

Equipment

  • Large skillet or wok
  • Two clean kitchen towels for pressing the tofu

Ingredients

Stir-fry

  • 2 blocks (14 ounces each) firm or extra-firm tofu set with calcium sulfate, pressed and cut in 3/4-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil or canola oil
  • 1 bag (16 ounces) frozen chopped kale
  • 3 3/4 cups cooked brown rice cooked ahead and chilled, reheated

Ginger-scallion sauce

  • 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 4 scallions sliced
  • red pepper flakes to taste

Instructions

  • Press the tofu: wrap the blocks in towels and set a heavy pan on top for 10 minutes. Cut in cubes. Stir the sauce ingredients together in a cup, holding back half the scallions.
  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the tofu in a single layer and leave it alone 4 minutes, until deep brown underneath. Turn the cubes and brown another 4 minutes. Move to a plate.
  • Add the frozen kale to the skillet and cook, stirring, until thawed, hot, and the water has cooked off, about 5 minutes.
  • Return the tofu, pour in the sauce, and stir for about 1 minute until it thickens and coats everything.
  • Serve over the reheated rice with the rest of the scallions on top. Keeps 4 days.

Notes

Lower-sodium version: use 3 tablespoons soy sauce and make up the difference with water and a squeeze of lime, which cuts the sodium by a quarter. The rice is cooked ahead and cooled on purpose; cooled rice forms resistant starch, which is gentler on blood sugar and is not undone by reheating. Frozen collards work in place of kale and carry even more calcium; frozen spinach works but carries less that the body can use. For a chicken version, 1 1/2 pounds boneless thighs in place of one block of tofu, cooked through before the kale goes in, which drops the calcium by about half.

Nutrition

Calories: 507kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3.2g | Sodium: 391mg | Potassium: 1226mg | Fiber: 8.2g | Sugar: 2.1g | Calcium: 1226mg | Iron: 6.2mg | Magnesium: 173mg | Phosphorus: 497mg | Choline: 19mg

Gluten Free

Regular soy sauce is brewed with wheat, so this stir-fry needs one swap to be gluten-free: tamari labeled gluten-free, or Bragg’s liquid aminos, in the same amount. Tofu, kale, rice, ginger, garlic, scallions, rice vinegar, and cornstarch are naturally free of gluten. For people with celiac disease, check the cornstarch for a gluten-free label and the rice vinegar for added malt.

People who avoid gluten by preference can use the low-sodium soy sauce as written.

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Smooth Tofu and Spinach Puree

A smooth white tofu and bean puree dome beside a green spinach puree on a plate in a deep bowl.

Nutrition Snapshot

  • About 24 grams of protein in one plate, from tofu and white beans, blended smooth.
  • The spinach puree adds iron, folate, and about 8 grams of fiber for the plate, and its color is the point.
  • The trade-off: olive oil makes the white puree smooth, so this is a higher-fat plate, and canned beans make it moderately salty. The card shows the amounts, and the notes show how to lower the salt.

Two purees, made in the same blender one after the other. The white one is firm tofu and white beans blended with olive oil, lemon, and garlic until it is as smooth as hummus. The green one is frozen spinach cooked with onion and blended creamy. They go on the plate side by side, and both freeze well in half-cup portions.

Why Two Colors on One Plate Is Great for Pureed Meals

Most pureed meals are made by blending the whole plate together, and the result is a single bowl the color of cardboard. It is nutritionally complete and it goes uneaten, because appetite begins with the eyes. A person who has never been told what is in the bowl has no reason to want it.

Keeping the components separate changes that. A white dome and a bright green puree beside it look like food that was cooked, and the person eating can taste each one on its own. Care homes that plate purees separately and mold them report that residents eat more. The recipe here does the same thing in a home kitchen with a blender and a small cup.

The Protein Is in the White Puree

Blending vegetables alone gives a puree with almost no protein, which is why pureed meals so often fall short on it. Here the protein is built into the white puree. Tofu and white beans together carry about 24 grams in a plate, with no texture to manage. Why pureed meals lose protein, and how to add it back to other dishes, is in Soft and Pureed Without Losing the Protein.

Getting the Texture Right

This recipe fits IDDSI Level 4, the pureed level. IDDSI is a standard set of texture levels used by speech therapists and hospitals. It exists so that everyone means the same thing by “pureed.” Level 4 food holds its shape on a spoon and does not run off when the spoon is tilted. It has no lumps, skins, or seeds.

Two tests tell you the puree is right. Tilt a spoonful: it should slide off slowly in one piece, and a little may stay on the spoon. Press a fork into it: the tines should leave a clear mark that holds.

If it runs, blend in more tofu or beans. If it will not spread, add liquid a tablespoon at a time. Squeeze the spinach hard before cooking and blend it for a full two minutes so no leaf fibers remain.

A speech therapist or the person’s care team sets the level for each person. Check the finished texture against their instructions.

Flavor Carries the Meal

Without texture, flavor is what is left, and pureed food is usually under-seasoned. The white puree needs the lemon, the garlic, and enough salt to taste like something; the spinach needs the onion cooked soft and sweet. Taste both before plating. A little grated Parmesan on the white puree, for anyone eating dairy, adds flavor and protein at once.

A smooth white tofu and bean puree dome beside a green spinach puree on a plate in a deep bowl.
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Smooth Tofu and Spinach Puree

Two smooth purees served side by side: firm tofu and white beans blended with olive oil, lemon, and garlic, and frozen spinach cooked with onion and blended creamy. IDDSI Level 4. About 24 grams of protein a plate.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: dinner, lunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dysphagia recipe, high protein puree, IDDSI level 4, pureed meal, spinach puree, tofu puree
Servings: 4 plate (about 3/4 cup white, 1/2 cup green)
Calories: 366kcal

Equipment

  • High-speed blender
  • Small ramekin or cup for molding

Ingredients

White puree

  • 1 package (14 ounces) firm tofu drained
  • 1 can (15 ounces) low-sodium white beans such as cannellini or great northern, with 1/4 cup of the liquid reserved
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Green puree

  • 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons of the white puree for creaminess

Instructions

  • White puree: put the tofu, drained beans, 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the blender with 2 tablespoons of the reserved bean liquid. Blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes until completely smooth, adding more bean liquid a tablespoon at a time if it will not move. Taste for salt and lemon. Scrape into a bowl.
  • Green puree: cook the onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat until soft and sweet, about 6 minutes. Add the frozen spinach and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until thawed and hot, about 6 minutes. Tip the pan and press out any liquid.
  • Put the spinach mixture in the blender with 2 tablespoons of the white puree and blend on high for a full 2 minutes, until no leaf fibers remain. Add water a teaspoon at a time only if needed.
  • Check the texture of both: a spoonful tilted should slide off slowly in one piece, and a fork pressed in should leave a clear mark. Blend in more tofu or beans if a puree runs; add liquid by the tablespoon if it will not spread.
  • To serve, press about 3/4 cup of the white puree into a small oiled cup and turn it out onto a warm plate, then spoon about 1/2 cup of the green puree beside it. Serve warm.
  • Refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze in 1/2-cup portions up to 2 months. Reheat gently, stir, and recheck the texture before serving.

Notes

This recipe is written to IDDSI Level 4 (pureed); the person’s speech therapist or care team sets the level, so check the finished texture against their instructions. For a warm meal, heat both purees gently in the microwave and stir well. Lower-sodium version: use no-salt-added beans and halve the salt in both purees. For anyone eating dairy, a tablespoon of grated Parmesan stirred into the white puree adds flavor and protein. Canned beans are convenient; a pound of dried white beans cooked ahead and frozen in 1 3/4-cup portions replaces the can, costs less, and skips the can lining.

Nutrition

Calories: 366kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 3.3g | Sodium: 727mg | Potassium: 739mg | Fiber: 7.8g | Sugar: 1.5g | Calcium: 817mg | Iron: 5.8mg | Magnesium: 139mg | Phosphorus: 283mg | Choline: 15mg

Gluten Free

Tofu, beans, spinach, olive oil, and lemon are naturally free of gluten. For people with celiac disease, check the tofu label, since a few flavored or baked varieties list soy sauce made with wheat; plain firm tofu lists only soybeans, water, and a coagulant. Canned white beans should list no wheat-based thickener. People who avoid gluten by preference can use any plain tofu and any canned beans.

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