Tofu and Veggie Skewers

If you're looking for a simple summer dish that doesn't requite a lot of prep work, cooks quickly on the grill, and tastes fresh and delicious, this recipe is for you.  Brian and I made it a few weeks ago.  It was a really hot day and our grand plans for grilled pizzas with homemade dough didn't exactly happen.  I was feeling lazy and wanted to make something super easy, like a frozen veggie stir-fry, but Brian was pushing for something a little more unique than that.  I think he came up with the idea of veggie skewers.  That seemed simple enough, plus he would be the one to do the actual grilling.  Bonus!

We had this new Black Soybean Tofuplus in the fridge that I'd picked up from Whole Foods.  I only bought it because it was new, not because I knew about any health benefits of black soybean over yellow soybeans.  After doing some research online, however, it does appear that black soybeans may be more effective at cutting cholesterol than yellow soybeans.  But I don't really know.  Honestly, I sort of just thought that this tofu looked cool with the little specks of black in it!  Plus it's made with organic non-GMO soybeans.

Anyway, I threw the tofu in the TofuXpress (one of my must-have gadgets!) while Brian and I ran out to the store to grab a few veggies for our skewers.  You can get whatever you like to skewer and the amount you get totally depends on how much you want to eat. If you use tomatoes, keep them separate - they need a shorter grilling time. We have fancy-schmancy metal skewers.  I think if you have wooden ones you'll need to soak them first.

We ate this with a side of Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend, which is a mix of Israeli style couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans, and red quinoa.  Yum!

Tofu and Veggie Skewers
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

1/2 package extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 sweet onion (such as Vidalia), cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 green pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 yellow or red pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks
Small zucchini squash, cut into 1-inch rounds
8 oz. whole button mushrooms, stems trimmed
8 oz. package cherry or grape tomatoes
Balsamic vinegar 
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
Olive oil spray

2 servings cooked rice or other grain

Directions:

1. Press the tofu for about an hour to make sure all excess moisture has been removed.  Cut into 1-inch chunks and place in a bowl.  Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and toss to coat.  Set aside.

2. Skewer your veggies however you'd like.  If using tomatoes, however, place them all on the same skewer.  They will require a shorter grilling time than the rest of the vegetables.

3. Place the skewers on a cookie sheet or in a pan and drizzle with balsamic vinegar, turning to coat.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Set aside to marinate for a bit.

4. Skewer your tofu chunks separately from your veggies, spritz with olive oil spray, and set aside.  Do not drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

5. Preheat gas grill to medium-high heat.  When it's ready, grill both the veggie and tofu skewers for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until evenly grilled on all sides.  The tomatoes should only take about 6 minutes so add those to the grill after the veggies and tofu have been on for about 5 minutes.

6. When everything is done, combine it all on two plates over cooked grain of choice and serve immediately.

Serves 2.

Have you ever eaten black soybeans?