Here are three Asian style vegan weight loss recipes. They each include tofu and vegetables as well as oriental sauces that are fat free.
Tofu Recipes Designed for Vegan Weight Loss Menu Planning
1. Asian tofu recipes are the best in the world because they’re really simple to prepare, contain almost no calories while being rich in protein and vitamins, and are flavorful – which is important to those on restrictive vegan weight loss plans that eliminate cheese, eggs, fish and meat products. Here’s the simplest dish that’s served in Buddhist and/or Chinese restaurants as a starter ,or in place of meat, with rice and a small bowl of veggie soup. Take extra firm smoked tofu or almost dry tempeh and slice an entire block as though it were cheese. (The tofu should be dry and may even have a brownish skin). Adjust the slices to separate them a little without losing the shape while placing them in the center of a plate. Add a generous amount of shredded ginger, finely shredded green onion, and a smattering of garlic. Dribble a thickened mushroom or soy sauce over the tofu, or choose a teriyaki or tepanyaki sauce and dribble it like you would chocolate syrup over gourmet cake. In a small side-dish serve some chili-garlic sauce. This tofu recipe can be served with a cup of steaming broth and a bowl of rice.
2. Although many Asian cooks aren’t thinking about vegan weight loss programs, but about Buddhist meat-free recipes, most of their dishes include tofu. One that’s really easy consists of whole baby corn, whole baby pea pods and tiny mushroom buttons, sautéed with long thin slices of firm smoked tofu or tempeh. Small broccoli spears or baby asparagus tips can be added for extra pizzazz, but keep all the veggies whole and or appearing to be babies. Sautee for only a few minutes, just so the corn becomes soft enough to eat, not soggy. Again the key to this vegan tofu recipe is in the sauce – choose an orange sauce (any recipe for oriental duck, or a sweet and sour sauce – either Chinese or Thai). The orange sauce or sweet and sour sauce can be bought ready to serve.
3. For individuals on a vegan diet the best way to lose weight is one that prohibits fried or sautéed foods due to the oil content, one alternative is to make tofu balls. This requires firm tofu that can be crumbled. Add garlic, onion, wheat germ (bread crumbs, may be used also), soy sauce, finely chopped parsley, celery and carrot. Mix everything in a food processor, slowly adding the soy sauce and a bit of water as required to create dough. Form the dough into golf-sized balls and let stand for about an hour. Then stick the firm tofu balls onto wooden skewers and grill with a fat free oriental mushroom / soy sauce, or drop into boiling veggie broth for soup.
Great Tips for BBQ on Home Gas Grills
Summer and barbecue are synonymous and you really can’t have one without the other. Some people are intimidated by the barbecue process because it seems like things can get hectic. But you don’t have to be a professional chef in order to bring delicious barbecue meals to life in your own backyard. All you need is a quality grill and the willingness to take a few risks. Barbecue is all about throwing caution to the wind while being extremely organized at the same time. Eventually you will build up your experience to the point where you can handle more types of food on the grill at the same time. But you have to start somewhere, and here are some great tips to make sure that your barbecue eating experience is stellar.
Talk to Your Butcher – some people play it safe when they barbecue by choosing frozen foods that already come packaged and maybe even flavored. Keep in mind that these options may be more convenient but you really depriving yourself of the real barbecue experience. Whenever possible, go down to your local butcher and try to get quality cuts of meat based on his recommendations. You might even be able to get some specials on great cuts that work wonderfully for direct grilling or maybe even has a slow roast. When it comes to produce and meat for your gas grills, you should never settle for anything less than something that is absolutely fresh.
Flavor Before, During, and After – for some people the extent of barbecue flavor ends with pouring a generic sauce onto their food. This is one of the biggest mistakes to avoid because barbecue sauce can actually be quite overpowering. You might end up canceling a lot of the natural flavor while losing an opportunity to really explore different types of tastes. Try to come up with your own marinade that you can use to flavor your food beforehand. You might also like to incorporate a dry rub or a selection of fresh herbs and spices while letting your gas or charcoal grill do the rest.
The Whole Meal Deal – a barbecue meal is so much more than the various cuts of meat you serve such as hamburgers or chicken wings. It’s all about a comprehensive experience that starts from side dishes, extends to main meets, and includes beverages as well. Take the time to plan an overall meal where you can interject some health with your side dishes as well. And don’t forget about setting up your dining area to create a nice atmosphere where all of your guests can enjoy your delicious food.