So what is #ProteinNovember? In attempt to encourage more Asians to eat more protein, I will be coming out with four different recipes on how you can have your protein. I will also give a little tell-a-story on why this protein source is awesome for you on a separate video together with my other brand, 1-Habit Nutrition.
Why am I doing this? Because protein rocks. It’s important for your body but sadly as Asians we just don’t get enough of it or we don’t get enough of the better quality ones (yes, cik, ayam goreng does not count).
The government is doing quite a lot to push healthy eating — so this is my bit in contributing to the society. You got to know your protein to eat protein.
Last week I made Honey Garlic Soy Chicken. This week, I made something vegetarian that is super low in calories and yet high in nutrition. Say hello to Baked Tofu and Mushrooms! It goes really well with a fresh batch of mesclun salad or you can have it with some udon noodles to make it ‘nearly’ Japanese! If you missed part one of Assam (Tamarind) Prawns, click here.
One of the biggest problems my vegetarian clients and friends face is this – not getting enough high quality protein. It’s bad enough we live in Singapore where it’s already tough as hell to get good quality protein, I can feel my vegetarian friends and their sentiments.
But here’s the thing — it’s not completely impossible. Especially if you cook yourself. One of my biggest goals when I started Asian Meal Prep is to inspire more younger Asians to cook so if you’re vegetarian and you wanna make sure you get your nutrients sorted, start getting comfy in the kitchen.
There are lots of foods you can have for protein, tofu and tempeh is common but the less thought off food includes dark leafy veggies (think spinach, kale and even Kai Lan!), beans and even quinoa. Yes, most have slightly higher carbs then chicken but carbs are friends!
This week, I made Baked Tofu and Mushrooms and to my surprise, it tasted so good. I had it three days in a row and gave my last one to my little sister who is a crazy fussy eater but somehow love this one. The combination of soy, garlic and ginger goes so well to bring the happy buds on our Asian tastebuds.
Make a batch, prep your meals or feed your family. Give it a go and let me know how it is for you! 🙂
Protein Prep: Baked Tofu and Mushrooms
Makes – 4
Time needed – 30 mins
Cost – ~$1.40 per serve
Here’s what you need:
- 800g firm tau kwa
- 4 tbsp liquid aminos or low sodium soy sauce
- 4 tbsp black rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3cm ginger, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 400g shimeiji mushrooms, stalk removed
Here’s how you do it:
- In a bowl, mix up the liquid aminos, vinegar, olive oil, honey, ginger and garlic.
- Add in mushrooms to the mixture and stir it up with your hands.
- Arrange the tofu in a baking tray and pour the marinade on it and spread the mushrooms.
- Bake at 190 degrees for 20-25 mins and remove from heat. Serve or let it cool and use this to prep your meals!
How much this costs:
*Keep in mind that this numbers are a rough guide. It depends on where you buy it and when. At the end of the day it’s possible to eat healthy without breaking the bank. Also, ~ denotes the items that should already be in your pantry for a long time or it’s a very small amount.
- 800g firm tau kwa – $2.00
- 4 tbsp liquid aminos or low sodium soy sauce – $0.80
- 4 tbsp black rice vinegar – $0.80
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil – $0.40
- 1 tbsp honey – $0.20
- 3cm ginger, minced ~
- 2 cloves garlic, minced ~
- 400g shimeiji mushrooms, stalk removed $1.50
Total price = ~$5.70
Price per serve = ~ $1.40
Nutrition Information
Per 1 200g tofu —290 calories, 8.3g fats, 9.6g carbohydrates, 26.9g protein
