Lemon Pepper Tofu (Air-Fryer, Vegan)

Recipe from LiveEatLearn 

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 3-4 servings

When you need something quick and satisfying to eat, make up this easy, tasty tofu.  Serve it up with some steamed veggies and your favorite whole grains or starchy vegetables.  Drizzle with a bit of sauce (some great sauce ideas in the notes) and serve it up with a whole fruit and some sauerkraut or kimchi and you’ve got one heck of a nutrient dense meal.  The original recipe uses the oven, but I didn’t want to heat up the kitchen, so I used the air fryer.  Directions for both methods are included.

1 (16 oz.) package super firm or extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning
½ teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt

½ teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

½ teaspoon onion powder (optional)
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional addition that I put in that I though tasted great!)

Preheat the oven to 425F.  (If using the air-fryer, set it to 400F.) Tear the tofu into bite sized pieces.  (If you tear the tofu rather than cut the tofu, each piece will have craggy edges for the seasoning to adhere to.) In a large bowl, whisk together all of the rest of the ingredients.  Add the tofu pieces and toss to coat each piece evenly.
If using the oven, arrange the tofu pieces on a greased baking sheet (or use parchment paper) and bake for about 25 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking until gold brown and crispy. 
If using the air-fryer, put the tofu pieces in the basket and air-fry for 5 minutes.  Then shake the basket and air-fry another 5 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
Serve warm with rice or other grain and a veggie, like broccoli or asparagus.  
If you like, drizzle with 2 Tablespoons of your favorite yogurt that has been mixed with 2 teaspoons of vegan pesto or even salsa.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container.  To reheat, pop them in the microwave or air-fryer to heat through.

Nutritional Information: (1 of 4 servings) 104 calories; 34 g carbohydrates; 11.3 g protein; 6.6 g fat; 0.6 g saturated fat; 0 g cholesterol; 305 mg sodium; 150 mg potassium; 0.5 g fiber; 0.6 g sugars; 199 mg calcium; 2mg iron

Crispy Air Fryer Tofu

Recipe from Jessica in the Kitchen

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 4 servings

When we first began eating no meat, we weren't too thrilled with tofu.  It took some getting used to.  It helped to learn how to cook it for certain.  There are several types of tofu and each one has a purpose.  Here's a link to one of many different tofu how-to guides out there for you to read up on if you are a newbie.  Now that I've gotten the hang of preparing tofu, we love it.  I always have tofu in the fridge.  This recipe is a keeper and perfect for those meal prep days.  Use it in Nourish Bowls/Buddha Bowls, in salads or serve it over brown rice with a favorite sauce.  

1 (1 lb.) block extra firm tofu, pressed for at least 30 minutes, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil or sesame oil

2 teaspoons soy sauce, tamari sauce or liquid aminos (I used Bragg's Liquid Aminos.)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon sea salt or Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Measure the oil and soy sauce into a medium bowl.  Add the tofu cubes and gently toss to coat every cube.  Sprinkle on the rest of the ingredients and gently toss the tofu until all the cubes are completely coated.  Place the cubes in the air fryer in a single row so that there is a bit of space between each cube.  (You may need to do this in batches.)  Set the air fryer to 400F and cook for 5 minutes.  Open the air fryer and toss the cubes (or shake the basket).  Continue to cook another 5 minutes or until crispy.  Allow the cubes to cool a bit before serving.  

Note:  

You can switch up the seasoning mix.  Try Italian seasoning, BBQ seasoning, Cajun seasoning, etc...  

After they've been in the fridge, you may want to crisp them up a bit.  You can bring them back to crispy life by popping them back in the air fryer at 375F for 3-5 minutes.

Nutritional Information: (1 of 4 servings) 110 calories; 5 g carbohydrates; 11 g protein; 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat); 416 mg sodium (this is with regular soy sauce); 20 mg potassium; 1 g fiber; 1 g sugars; 246 IU vitamin A; 142 mg calcium; 1 mg iron

Air Fried Extraordinary Grilled Cheese (Vegan)

From Monson Made This

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 1 Sandwich 

I had some Roasted Tomato Soup from veggies I bought at the local farmers market that I needed to use up.  And what goes with tomato soup?  Grilled cheese, of course.  This is no ordinary grilled cheese, I can tell you that.  When I first saw the YouTube video showing how to make it, I thought to myself, this is either going to taste fantastic or horrid.  Well, we tested it and it definitely is fantastic!  Whoever thought of putting cheddar cheese, fig jam and nut butter together was a genius.  My husband said I could keep these sandwiches coming. ;-) I just purchased an air fryer and made this recipe using it.  But, I’m sure these would work perfectly fine on a griddle.

Thick Sliced Sourdough Bread

Vegan Mayonnaise 

Cashew Butter (I used Kirkland’s Mixed Nut Butter with Seeds because that’s what I had on hand.)

Fig Jam

Vegan Cheddar Cheese (I used Violife Cheddar Shreds.)

Spread a generous layer of nut butter onto one slice of bread. Flip the bread over and spread a thin layer of the mayo on the other side of that slice of bread.  (Mayo works well because it’s easier to spread than butter and it browns up nicely.) Place the mayo side down on the air fryer basket.  (I use a silicone mat on the bottom of the air fryer basket to help with clean-up.) Sprinkle a generous helping of the vegan cheese onto the nut buttered bread that’s in the air fryer.  Spread a layer of fig jam on the remaining slice of bread.  Flip it over and spread a thin layer of mayo on the opposite side.  Place the fig jam side down onto the cheese/nut buttered bread so that you have a complete sandwich.  There should be a mayo side down against the bottom of the air fryer and a mayo side facing up at you.  Air fry at 390F or 400F for about 4-5 minutes or until toasty brown on top.  Carefully flip the sandwich over and air fry for another 4-5 minutes or until toasty brown.  Remove the sandwich from the air fryer.  Be careful, because the jam inside gets really hot.  Allow to cool just a bit before slicing the sandwich in half for serving.