I love tofu. I love baked tofu. I love Twin Oaks brand organic extra firm baked tofu. It’s delicious, quick, and nutritious. I am anything but a genius in the kitchen so I rely on quick & easy recipes to eat well and enjoy my food. Here’s one that fits my requirements.
Twin Oaks is an intentional community in rural central Virginia, made up of around 90 adult members and 15 children. Since the community’s beginning in 1967, their way of life has reflected the values of cooperation, sharing, nonviolence, equality, and ecology.
Since 1991 Twin Oaks has produced fresh tofu and other soyfoods for sale in their region and for their own consumption. The brand is Twin Oaks Community Foods.
I find Twin Oaks tofu at Whole Foods.
This is what you’ll need to make the easiest baked tofu ever: tofu, spray coconut oil, garlic powder, and sea salt.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Unpackage the tofu and drain any bit of liquid into the sink.
Blot it with a cloth to dry off the water.
Cut the length of the tofu block in half and then slice the width into slices 1/4 thick or less. The thinner the slices, the crisper the baked tofu will be.
Spray a light mist of coconut oil (here’s why you want to use as little oil as possible) on the baking tray and then lay out the slices. I prefer using a slotted tray (designed for pizza crusts) so that the undersides of the tofu slices don’t get soggy. However I think you can use a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and it’ll do fine. You may or may not need a mist of coconut oil on the parchment when using this method.
Spray a light mist of coconut oil (again, as little as possible to get the job done) on the top of the tofu so that the seasonings will stick. Sprinkle sea salt and garlic powder on all the slices.
Seasoning is needed only on one side.
Bake in oven for 10 minutes at 325 degrees. After 10 minutes, flip each slice then bake for another 10 minutes.
This is the easiest baked tofu recipe ever and it’s sure to please. Serve with brown rice, salad, in a sandwich, or as a finger snack. It will pair well with just about anything. Tofu offers an excellent source of plant-based protein and calcium. Try dipping it in some tamari sauce.
Baked tofu is a great replacement for grilled or broiled chicken. If a chicken is someone you’ve enjoyed eating in the past and are now making kinder food choices, baked tofu will keep you happy. It also has a similar texture and density of hardboiled egg whites so you can get your fix for that too with baked tofu.
If you are concerned about phytoestrogens in soy foods, I encourage you to read these articles to quell your fears:
• A Vegan Doctor Addresses Soy Myths and Misinformation
• Soy Isoflavones and Estrogen
If ingesting hormones is a concern, consider that ingesting the hormones of animals is far more relative to human health than ingesting the hormones of plants. Animal milk comes from recently pregnant female mammals, eggs come from recently ovulating birds, and meat comes from males and females who are subject to their own normal hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone which are required for development, growth, and reproduction as well as injected hormones such as growth hormones (rBGH), zeranol, trenbolone, and melengestrol. I think a mild dose of estrogen-like chemicals in plants pales in comparison to the animal/mammal hormones in meat, dairy, and eggs that are very similar to human hormones.
Interestingly enough the largest consumer of commercially grown GMO soybeans, both in the US and globally, is farmed animals: 81% of the global soybean crop is genetically modified, and approximately 85% of all GMO soybeans end up in farmed animal feed. (source) So if you’re concerned about GMO soy or soy in general, skip eating meat, milk products, and eggs. If you’re concerned about GMO soy, purchase only organic soy products like Twin Oaks tofu.
Additional Resources
• Nutrition Only in Animal-Based Foods
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