One of my many favorite things about traveling and exploring different cultures is getting inspired to create traditional dishes in a new way. Don't get me wrong here, I deeply appreciate a classic dish that has been passed down through generations but I also enjoy embracing our own desire to modify and adjust a recipe to what we feel our bodies need and taste buds desire.
While in Athens recently, I went on a super fun food tour and discovered many classic Greek dishes that make their cuisine famous. Think Greek salad (and a big hunk of feta, always), mashed fava beans (yes, please!), and (omg) fresh Greek olives.
One of my favorite dishes was what they called "Spiced Cheese." The Greeks call this classic dish Tirokafteri and it's made with a base of Greek feta cheese, red bell pepper and hot pepper flakes. Some versions add a small amount (100 grams) of Greek yogurt which we’ve replaced with lemon juice/vinegar. If you prefer, you could use Greek yogurt instead of lemon.
Our version swaps the feta with organic tofu which gives a boost of protein and minerals and fiber not found in feta versions. If you are a fan of feta (umm, who isn't?), you could also try a mixture of feta and tofu which we haven't tested but could yield a yummy "flexitarian" result.
Tofu gets a bad wrap mostly because it is made from soy beans and most of the soy grown in the U.S. is genetically modified (GMO), which could lead to a host of unwanted issues. For this reason, we recommend using organic, sprouted (if possible for maximum nutrient absorption), non-GMO tofu for this recipe.
What many people I encounter don't appreciate is that tofu is a nutrient-dense food, rich in protein, vitamins and minerals, while also low in calories. Tofu contains all essential amino acids and, unlike animal protein, is very low in saturated fat. Tofu also boasts a modest amount of fiber, none of which you'll get from animal protein. Just one serving contains 53% of the daily recommended value of calcium, as well as generous amounts of manganese, copper, selenium, iron, magnesium and zinc, just to name a few. Tofu is a staple of one or more of the Blue Zones and you can learn more about it in this article from the Food Revolution network, and this 8-minute video by Dr. Michael Greger on soy milk (same base ingredient as tofu).
So let's get this tofu party started...
For this dish, you'll need the following few ingredients:
organic or freshly made tofu (can be firm or silken - see notes)
extra virgin olive oil (preferably single-source)
garlic
lemon (see recipe notes)
nutritional yeast
red pepper flakes (for spice)
roasted red pepper
After gathering your ingredients, drain the tofu (no need to press), roughly crumble, and add to your food processor along with the other ingredients except the bell pepper.
Process the "cheese" base until smooth.
Finally, add the red bell pepper and roughly process so you can still see small pits of red pepper. Taste and adjust if needed. Add filtered water or plant milk for consistency if desired.
Now you're ready to plate and enjoy!
We used a silken tofu to make this delicious spaghetti squash version. We served it on a bed of wilted kale and topped with broccoli sprouts (in honor of our gut-health month) and roasted cherry tomatoes.
Or simply serve as a side dip for your next get together...
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