Meatless May Challenge: How To Grill Tofu

Even when I was a vegetarian, I absolutely hated tofu, but over the years I’ve come to realize that this was probably because I never learned how to properly season or cook it.

Thanks to this challenge, I decided to re-visit my hatred for tofu, and combine it with something I love–GRILLING!

First things first though…pit stop at Trader Joe’s…..

Ingredients (serves two):

• 1 package of Trader Joe’s Organic Extra Firm Tofu
• 1 bottle of Trader Joe’s Island Soyaki marinade
• 3 Bell Peppers (assorted colors)
• 1 large Zucchini
• olive oil
• kale and brown rice (the side dishes I served with this meal, but feel free to serve whatever side dishes you want)

Tip: No matter what brand of Tofu you decide on, always make sure it’s “Extra Firm” if you want to grill it. Also be sure to get as much water out of the tofu as possible before you marinade it. I use paper towels, and press them into the tofu to get out extra moisture.

Directions: Slice tofu into 4 or 5 even pieces, and then coat them with Soyaki marinade inside a ziplock bag. Let sit in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes (I just did 30 minutes, but some people marinade their tofu overnight).

While waiting for tofu to marinade, cut bell peppers into thirds, and cut zucchini into long slices for grilling. I like to brush olive oil and balsamic vinegar on my vegetables before grilling.

When grill is ready (keep heat on low), brush a generous amount of olive oil on the area where you will be grilling the tofu. If you don’t, the tofu will stick.

Place tofu and vegetables on the grill, and cook for about 6 minutes on each side.

Look at how pretty the grilled tofu looks. The grilled vegetables came out nice also….

And now for the final product….

…..A beyond simple vegetarian meal that took only about 5 minutes of prep, and 12 minutes of cooking time. Did I mention it tasted INCREDIBLE also? The only thing not pictured is the kale and brown rice I paired with this meal (always pair some sort of grain with such a low-carb meal, especially if you’re active!).

I was honestly shocked by how much I loved this meal, and I already have plans to throw together a tofu burrito to bring to lunch tomorrow.

I think I’m going to enjoy the Meatless May Challenge a lot more than I thought.