Get Baked

I've had this idea floating around in my head for a while. It was just as amazing in my mouth as it was in my mind.


Lemon (blueberry) baked tofu

Ingredients
- 1 block extra firm tofu, pressed
Marinade
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1-2 tbsp blueberry balsamic vinegar (optional, it'd just be a lemon marinade without)
- 2 small garlic cloves or 1 large, minced
- 1/2 tbsp parsley
- S&P, to taste

Instructions
- In bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients.
- Slice tofu in 1/2" slices. Place in a container (I used a shallow tupperware container) and pour marinade on top of tofu. Turn tofu pieces a few times until marinade is coated on both sides.
- Marinate for at least 30 minutes. The longer it sits, the more flavorful it gets.
- In a 350 oven, bake for 30-45 minutes, turning every 10-15 minutes. Tofu is done when it's golden brown and a nice crust forms on both sides. Top with crunchy pieces of lemon zest and enjoy!

Before going into the oven:


Half baked:

Don't mind the caramelized marinade on the side. It was around this time that the house became filled with the aromas of lemon and garlic.


Come here, my pretty.

I served this on a bed of Lundberg Jubilee rice blend and steamed asparagus.

My dad asked me how it tasted and I responded (full-mouthed) with "IT'S SO GOOD" and then continued shoveling. The lemon flavor was perfectly pronounced with a slight note of blueberries that wasn't overwhelming. It was tangy, sweet and the tofu had a great texture - chewy outside and slightly creamy inside. The crunchy lemon zest was a great burst of flavor and was an awesome element to the dish. I want to make this again!

Today I also had an awesome work out. I ran a quick mile and then biked 11.2 miles in 30 minutes. I need to start working on my endurance, though. I was literally dripping sweat while pedaling and it felt so great.

I'm hoping to save up for this beauty so I can get into road biking and possibly racing. I really, really want to get involved in the racing world.