Marmalade Tofu with Kale and Lemon Pearl Couscous (from VeganYumYum)

I saw this recipe on VeganYumYum yesterday and I absolutely HAD to make it that night. I even went to the grocery store during my lunch break so that I could start asap when I got home that night.

Anyway, here’s the obligatory (pretentious? ) close up shot:

The recipes for the three ingredients can be found on the VeganYumYum site (I linked to the post above), so I won’t post it here (It’s kinda long, too). Also, don’t hate because my pictures aren’t as good as hers. She must have a professional photography studio or some shit–all I have is my digital camera (which is good enough for me!).

My critique:

I must admit, though I’ve been vegan for a while, I have never bothered with preparing tofu in such a manner (marinating/baking). Usually I just stir fry it. So this recipe was definitely an experiment for me. The verdict on the tofu: I was apprehensive at the first bite because maybe I was expecting it to be crustier, I dunno. But after I got over that, I really enjoyed it! The marmalade was delicious (I didn’t make the marmalade from VeganYumYum, I bought some from the store) and citrus-y and a little tangy.

As for the kale… I have only cooked kale at one other point–in some dish from Simply Vegan. I was left a little jaded. But obviously I was willing to try it another way before dismissing it altogether! The verdict on the kale: Oh my god! So tender, salty, and delicious! I am going to buy kale like every time I go to the store and cook it this way!

And the couscous! I’ve had israeli (or pearl) couscous before in a VCon dish, Isreali Couscous, so I know how delicious it is. I actually had some in my pantry because I wanted to make it again. That’s another reason why I was so drawn to this recipe. Anyway, the verdict on the couscous risotto: I loved it! It wasn’t quite as creamy as I thought risottos typically were, but it did have a creamy-ish texture. And the lemon was very subtle.

All in all–this recipe is going into my repertoire! Seriously–it was that easy and that tasty to make!–The only thing is that it makes way more tofu as far as proportions go. If you plan on feeding more than two people, I would recommend doubling the kale and couscous risotto recipes (there are about four portions of tofu, so doubling the sides would yield four nice-sized servings).

Thanks, VeganYumYum, for an awesome recipe!