Tofu Scramble

I'm tired of looking at that vegan mac and cheese...so even though I've been cooking plenty of new things and just couldn't be chuffed to take quick photos, I did manage to snap one the other night, if only to banish the mac and cheese from the top of my blog!

Can't believe I just got around to making this vegan standard. Found Isa Chandra's basic recipe in my search for something "new to us" to do with tofu the other night and this recipe will be a keeper. I served it for dinner with a coconut oil slathered piece of toasted Brown Soda Bread for a very satisfying meal.

Basic Tofu Scramble:
(Isa Chandra Moskowitz)

2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme, crushed with your fingers (I used less and used fresh)
1/4 tsp ground tumeric
1 tsp salt (used less)
3 Tbsp water
1 lb firm or extra firm tofu, crumbled (used extra-firm and our pkg was only 14oz. so I didn't use as much of the spices as listed above)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Fresh black pepper to taste
1 sliced red pepper
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets, stems chopped small and lightly steamed
couple of green onions, sliced
extra water

First blend the spices and salt together in a small cup. Add the water and mix. Set aside.
Preheat a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Not non-stick.
Sauté the sliced red pepper, in olive oil for about 4 minutes, add garlic for 1 more minute.
Break the tofu apart into bite-size pieces and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring often.
Get under the tofu when you are stirring, scrape the bottom, and don’t let it stick to the pan; that is where the good crispy stuff is.
Use a thin metal spatula to get the job done; a wooden or plastic one won’t really cut it
The tofu should brown on at least one side, but you don’t need to be too precise about it
The water should cook out of it and not collect too much at the bottom of the pan. If that is happening, turn the heat up and let the water evaporate. Conversely, if the scramble seems dry add splashes of water until it’s nice and moist.
Add the spice blend and mix to incorporate. Add the nutritional yeast and pepper (I had to add splashes of water at this point). Add broccoli, cook for about 5 more minutes. Serve warm.