Well is More Plant-Based Thanksgiving, Pt. IV

Menu

I. Garlic Smashed Sweet Potatoes, V, GF

II. A Healthier Thanksgiving Stuffing, V, GF

III. A Healthier Mushroom Gravy, V, GF

IV. Crispy Oven-Baked Tofu Nuggets, V, GF

V. No-Sugar-Added Cranberry Sauce, V, GF

Tofu, Not Tofurky

I personally have never been a big fan of imitation meats, Tofurky being one of them. Well, to be fair, I never tried Tofurky, but I don’t imagine I would like it very much.

For one, imitation meats are often highly processed. For two, if you’re gluten-free it can be hard to find a gluten-free option. For three, I stopped eating meat because I don’t like the idea of eating animals, and I don’t really love the idea of eating fake animals either.

So, if you’re like me and want an alternative vegan option to the fake turkey, this tofu recipe might be for you! Or, if you have a family member in the household who wants a vegan option, this will be great for them too.

Recipe Notes

1. Firm or Extra Firm Tofu - Make sure to get firm or extra firm tofu so that it will hold its shape and not be mushy or break apart too easily. I always recommend buying organic soy products and if you can find sprouted tofu, even better.

2. Vegan Chickenless Seasoning - This seasoning is available at Trader Joe’s, but if you don’t have access to it or prefer not to buy a new seasoning, you can surely concoct your own rendition. Here are the ingredients: sea salt, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, celery seed, ginger powder, and black pepper. Keep in mind this already has salt in it so you may not need to add additional salt if using this seasoning.

3. Granulated Garlic - I used granulated garlic in this recipe but feel free to sub with garlic powder. You can try using minced garlic as well, but you’ll want to add it in the second half of baking to avoid burning it.

4. Additional herbs & spices - This recipe is super versatile. You can switch up the spices and herbs with whichever you please. I used oregano because I didn’t have any fun holiday herbs on hand, but using herbs like rosemary, sage, and thyme would be great for the holiday occasion as well. If using fresh herbs, I would wait to add them until the last 10-15 minutes of baking to avoid burning.

5. Cornstarch - This step is optional but it will definitely help add the crisp factor to your tofu nuggets. If you prefer just simple oven-baked tofu, non-nugget style, you can skip this ingredient. If you only have cornmeal at home and no cornstarch (like I did) you can add the cornmeal to a blender and blend it on up until it forms a starchy powder.

Step By Step

Crispy Oven-Baked Tofu Nuggets, Vegan, Gluten-Free

Recipe adapted from Love and Lemons tofu recipe

Makes roughly 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 14 ounces organic extra-firm tofu, cubed

• 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tsp vegan chickenless seasoning, see recipe notes

• 1 tsp oregano, see recipe notes

• 1 tsp granulated garlic, see recipe notes

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 tsp salt (if using), see recipe notes

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch, optional, see recipe notes

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425°F

• Add olive oil, chickenless seasoning, garlic, salt (if using), and pepper to a medium mixing bowl. Stir to mix. Add the tofu and toss to coat evenly.

• Optional - Add 1 tablespoon cornstarch or ground cornmeal and toss to coat evenly.

• Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Spread tofu out evenly across baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

• Serve hot and enjoy!