Breaking the speed limit with tofu - quick meals - includes recipes and related articles on history of tofu and removing moisture from tofu

Vegetarian Times, August, 1996 by Joyce Dodson Piotrowki

1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes (see glossary, p. 102) 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari (see glossary, p. 102) 1 Tbs. rice vinegar 1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger 2 tsp. brown sugar 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 tsp. sesame oil 1 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder (see glossary, p 102) 1/2 tsp. Chinese chili oil (see glossary. p.102)

Mix all ingredients. Makes PER TABLESPOON: 19 CAL.; 2G PROT.; 0.4G TOTAL FAT (0. 1G SAT. FAT. ); 2G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 320MG SOD.; 0 FIBER. VEGAN

Sunflower and Sprout Sandwich

10 1/2-oz. pkg. "lite" firm Japanese-style silken tofu or "lite" soft Chinese-style tofu 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, toasted and ground 2 Tbs. peanut butter or tahini (see glossary, p. 102) 1/4 fat-free mayonnaise or vegan mayonnaise Juice of 1 lemon 1 clove garlic, mashed Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 8 slices whole wheat bread 2 tomatoes, sliced 4 oz. alfalfa sprouts (see glossary, p. 102)

Mash tofu with fork. Add sun flower seeds, peanut butter or tahini, mayonnaise, lemon juice and garlic; mix well. Adjust seasonings.

Spread tofu mixture on 4 slices of bread. Top with sliced tomato and sprouts. Top with second slice. Makes 4 sandwiches. PER SANDWICH: 372 CAL.; 17G PROT.; 18G TOTAL FAT (2G SAT. FAT.); 41G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 693MG SOD.; 8G FIBER. OVO-LACTO/VEGAN

Golden Carrot and Cashew Cakes

These main-dish cakes are so good and so fast that you will want to serve them often. I like to top each one with a teaspoon of mango chutney and serve with an Indian basmati rice.

1/2 lb. frozen sliced carrots, thawed (see note) 1 cup ground cashews 8 oz. extra-firm Japanese-style silken tofu or hard Chinese-style tofu 2 scallions, minced 1 tsp. ground coriander seed 1/2 tsp. salt 1 Tbs. canola oil for frying

Puree carrots in a blender or food processor; place in bowl. Add cashews. Drain tofu; squeeze out as much water as possible. Mash tofu with fork; add to carrots. Add scallions, coriander and salt; mix well. Form mixture into 6 cakes. Heat griddle; brush with oil. Fry cakes over medium heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Makes 6 main-dish servings.

NOTE: If you use fresh carrots, they must be cooked in boiling water until very soft. Frozen carrots usually are soft enough to not require cooking after thawing. PER CAKE 200 CAL.; 7G PROT.; 15 TOTAL FAT (2G SAT. FAT.); 13G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 227MG SOD.; 2G FIBER. VEGAN

Italian Tofu and Spinach Patties

1 lb. soft Chinese-style tofu, crumbled 10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 1 cup shredded smoked mozzarella cheese 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 2 cloves garlic, mashed 1 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. black pepper 2 cups dry bread crumbs 3 Tbs. olive oil 2 cups prepared marinara sauce

Mix together tofu, spinach, cheeses, nutmeg, garlic, salt and pepper in medium bowl. Divide into 8 equal patties. Dip each patty in bread crumbs. In medium fry pan, heat oil. Saute patties until golden on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Serve in pool of marinara sauce. Makes 8 servings. PER PATTY WITH 1/4 CUP SAUCE: 282 CAL; 13G PROT.; 1 3G TOTAL FAT (3G SAT. FAT.); 30G CARB.; 10MG CHOL.; 1,034MG SOD.; 4G FIBER. LACTO