Tofu and Mushroom Stroganoff

Baked Tofu Experiment

Tofu is a really versatile food.  It takes on the flavor of whatever it is cooked with.  It also takes on different textures, depending on how you prepare it.  If you bake it, it gets crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.  It makes a delicious protein addition to salads, or works well as a meat substitute.  When I baked the tofu for this recipe, I had to stop myself from eating it all so I would have something to add to the recipe.  You can read more about baked tofu here. 

It is important to press the tofu well before baking it.  The Mori Nu brand tofu that is allowed on the Medifast meatless options guide doesn't seem to be very wet when you take it out of the package.  However, you will be surprised how much water you will press out of it.  To press tofu, place several thicknesses of paper towels on a dinner plate or cutting board.  Place the tofu on the paper towels.  Place more paper towels over the tofu.  Place an inverted dinner plate on top of the pile, and weight it with something heavy, like a large can of food.  Let it sit at least 30 minutes, up to overnight. 

Ingredients

12 oz package of Mori Nu extra-firm silken tofu, pressed
1/2 tsp cooking oil
1 1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup reduced-sodium beef broth or vegetable broth
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 cup Fage Total 0% Greek yogurt, plain
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, or 1 tsp dried parsley

Instructions

After pressing tofu, slice into cubes.  Bake at 400 degrees on parchment-covered baking sheet for 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes.  This step can be completed ahead of time.  Set tofu aside while mushrooms are cooking.

Saute the mushrooms and garlic in the oil, until the mushrooms have released their liquid, about 5-10 minutes.  Add beef broth, onion powder, and paprika.  If using dried parsley, add that as well.  Cook 2-3 minutes more.  Add baked tofu and stir in Greek yogurt.  Also add fresh parsley, if using.  Cook until tofu is heated through.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Makes 1 serving
Per serving, 1 lean and 3 greens
285 calories, 9.6 grams fat, 435 mg sodium, 15.5 grams carbohydrates, 36.2 grams protein

Mushroom and Jalapeno Burgers with Pimento Cheese

Burger Deluxe!

When I saw this recipe on Food Done Light, I knew I had to modify it for Medifast.  It combines a lot of great flavors and textures, with the earthiness of the mushrooms, the slightly sour spiciness of the pickled jalapenos, the meaty goodness of the beef, and the creamy, cheesy topping. 

When I first tasted this burger, I was a bit underwhelmed. Then when I grilled up another one the next day, wowza!  The flavors had time to blend and develop, so I would definitely recommend mixing these up the day before.  The first two times I made this burger, I put it on an Oopsie Roll.  Tonight for a change of pace, I put it on top of a spinach salad tossed with Walden Farms Bacon and Ranch dressing.  This was a definite improvement.  The strong flavor of the spinach contrasted nicely with the flavors in the burger.  The Oopsie Roll doesn't have a strong taste, so it didn't work as well.  Maybe next time I will try adding some garlic powder to the Oopsie Rolls.

The original recipe calls for two slices of center cut bacon, which aren't allowed on the weight loss phase of the Medifast plan.  Next time I make these, I will add a little liquid smoke to imitate the smokiness of the bacon.  I also omitted the diced onion called for in the original recipe and substituted onion powder.  Next time I will try adding the diced onion, because I think it will improve the texture of the burger.  I will also increase the amount of jalapenos, or try Serrano peppers.  It wasn't spicy enough for my taste.  The yogurt-cheese topping was tasty, but I think a bleu cheese topping would also work well with these burgers.  Stay tuned for version two!

Ingredients

1 lb 93/7 ground beef
2 cups mushrooms
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 tbsp pickled jalapenos, diced
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp fat-free Greek yogurt
2 tbsp diced pimento
1/4 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp onion powder

Instructions

Dice mushrooms.  Saute mushrooms in a nonstick skillet (use a little pan spray if needed) until the mushrooms release their liquid.  Drain off liquid from mushrooms.  In a large bowl, combine ground beef, mushrooms, onion powder, pickled jalapenos, salt and pepper.  Mix well, and divide into four portions.  Form into patties.

In a small bowl, combine yogurt, pimento, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, and onion powder to make the cheese topping. 

Grill burgers to desired degree of doneness.  Top each burger with a quarter of the cheese topping and allow cheese to melt slightly.  I found it easiest to microwave the burger for 20 seconds to melt the cheese.

Serve on an Oopsie Roll with two more green servings, or on top of two cups of greens with some additional protein (to bring calorie total for lean to 250-350 calories) for a complete lean and green meal.

Makes 4 servings
Per serving, 194 calories, 9.9 grams fat, 787 mg sodium, 1.8 grams carbohydrates, 25.1 grams protein

Cheesy Layered Taco Bake

Hotdish Adventures

This is one of my favorite make-ahead Lean and Green recipes, based on a very popular recipe from Sandy's Kitchen.  This dish provides about 2/3 of a lean serving and about 1/2 of a green serving, so I like to use it as a base for a taco salad, or top it with an over-easy egg for breakfast.  If you're in Maintenance, you could add some black or pinto beans into the meat mixture. 

If you are making this ahead of time, bake the base layer and top it with the meat and cheese.  Bake it again to melt the cheese and heat everything through when you are ready to serve.  I haven't tried freezing it yet, but it should freeze well.

Ingredients

1/2 cup 1% milkfat cottage cheese, blended (1/3 lean)
1/4 cup Eggbeaters (1/8 lean)
1/4 cup milk (4 condiments)
3 cups reduced fat shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese, divided (3 leans)
1 lb 93% lean ground beef - about 11 oz cooked (2.2 leans)
1 packet taco seasoning mix
2 cans Rotel diced tomatoes and chiles, drained (about 4 greens)

Directions

Brown ground beef and drain fat. For a fine, even texture, mash the beef with a potato masher while it is cooking.  Add taco seasoning and prepare as directed on package.  We usually do this ahead of time, and make multiple batches of taco beef for other dishes or for the freezer. 

Blend cottage cheese until smooth.  Mix in Eggbeaters and milk.  Spray 9 by 13 pan with cooking spray.  Spread 2 cups of shredded cheese over the bottom of the pan.  Pour the cottage cheese mixture over the shredded cheese, covering the bottom of the pan evenly.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, until lightly browned.

Mix Rotel tomatoes with the taco beef. If the chiles in the Rotel tomatoes are too spicy for your taste, you can use petite diced tomatoes instead.  Spread meat/tomato mixture over the baked cheese layer.  Top with remaining cup of cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes until the meat filling is hot and the cheese topping is melted.

Serves 8
Per serving, 2/3 lean, 1/2 green, 2 1/2 condiments
247 calories, 13.3 grams fat, 904 mg sodium, 5.5 grams carbohydrates, 0.6 grams fiber, 27 grams protein