When I was a kid, most of our family dinners consisted of a protein (chicken or steak — sometimes salmon), a hot green vegetable (steamed broccoli, asparagus, artichoke, or Brussels sprouts — yuck!), and a starch (usually a baked potato, rice, or quartered red potatoes).
Sound familiar?
Now that I’m older — and a wee bit wiser — eating meat happens rarely in my household. I’ve learned to get creative in the kitchen and I must say, I love what we eat. So does my husband. Unfortunately, our kids don’t always agree with our taste buds. In all fairness, we do eat some strange things. But I was always under the impression kids just ate what parents ate. This is false. Don’t fall into this same trap. Kids still like to eat garbage, regardless of what they’re born into or what they’ve been raised to eat since they were teeny tiny people.
70% of the time, the kids love our meals. But the other 30% of the time is downright impossible to digest at the dinner table — pun intended. Tantrums, drama, the agony of having to eat a sweet potato!!! HOW COULD I POSSIBLY MAKE SOMETHING WITH A SWEET POTATO?!
{worst mother ever}
To combat the kid vs. adult meal issue, I’ve gone back to my roots. I needed to create a simple and satisfying meal that wouldn’t be intimidating to the kids but would also please the adults. My mom used to make baked chicken with this phenomenal teriyaki-like marinade. I took the basis of my mama’s recipe and tweaked it just a little bit. I had to dial down the flavors just a touch as the original was intended for chicken which doesn’t absorb nearly as much of the flavor as tofu.
What I created is a win-win-win. We get to eat a vegetarian meal, the kids enjoy it, and the grownups don’t have to hear the complaining and kvetching at the dinner table. Score!!!
Sesame Crusted Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 package of tofu, pressed and sliced into 1/4″ thick pieces
- 1/4 C Tamari
- 1/4 C ketchup
- 1/4 C honey**
- 3 tsp Nektar Naturals honey crystals**
- 3 tsp water**
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
**if you don’t have Nektar Naturals honey crystals, use 3/4 C honey and eliminate 3 tsp water.
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375˚F and lightly grease an 8×8 glass baking dish.
Remove the water from the tofu. Wrap tofu block in paper towels, and then stack a large can or two on top to press as much water out as possible.
While tofu is being pressed, prepare the marinade. In a small bowl, combine Tamari, ketchup, honey AND/OR Nektar Naturals/water, and minced garlic. Whisk until well combined.
After the marinade is made, slice the tofu into 1/4″ thick pieces for a total of approximately 10-12 slices. Spread 1-2 Tbsp of the marinade in the bottom of the prepared 8×8 dish. Place the tofu slices in the pan — don’t worry if they overlap a bit. Pour the remaining marinade on top of the tofu, coating each individual piece. Sprinkle the tofu with toasted sesame seeds.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until crisped to personal tastes. Some of us like our tofu soft while others prefer an extra crispy outside. Once the tofu is baked to your liking, remove and serve!
To make it a complete meal, serve with cooked spelt berries or brown rice, and your favorite steamed vegetable.
How did this turn out for my family? My kids LOVE it. They can’t get enough of it. Although we’ve moved away from the protein-centric meal for most of our dinners, I highly recommend this marinade, particularly if you have a picky eater or two at home.
Don’t forget to link up with us this week. We want to see the amazing recipes you’ve got in your meatless arsenal!
xo
TALK TO ME!
What’s your favorite kid-friendly vegetarian meal?
Did you grow up with the protein-heavy, vegetable and starch plate, too?
This post is also linked up with Confessions of a Mother Runner and A Whisk and Two Wands for their Meatless Monday link up!
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