Tone It Up is NOT anti-meat.* In fact its not anti anything. Wine, cheese, chocolate and carbs are all fine in moderation. However, as the diet is high in protein** they recommend substituting alternate protein sources whenever possible.
I am totally fine substituting chicken, fish and tempeh (which I had never even heard of pre-Tone It Up) for red meat. But tofu has always grossed me out. It's slimy, squishy, and soggy. Yuck.
However, I hated that I was missing out on Tone It Up recipes like the Zesty Tofu Garden Scramble and Thai Coconut Tofu. So I went looking for a "good" way to cook tofu . . and stumbled upon the dry-fry method:
Take a block of super firm tofu (Trader Joe's brand is the best!) and cut it into thin slices. Place each slice in a dish cloth and press all the moisture out of it. Then place the slices on a Teflon frying pan with NO oil or cooking spray. As you cook continue to press moisture out with a spatula. Once the tofu is browned on both sides cut into cubes and place in a ziploc bag with a marinade. My favorite is Bella's Organic Asian Wing Glaze from Whole Foods. (20 cal per tbsp)
This morning I combined 4 oz tofu (10 grams protein) and mixed vegetables in a ziploc bag with the wing glaze and added it to a container with quinoa (another great source of protein at 11 grams per 1/2 cup). Two minutes in the microwave and I had a delicious and healthy lunch:)
*There are vegan, vegetarian and pescatarian versions of the plan available.
**Studies show that people who consume more protein have a lower body fat percentage and maintain their weight better. Maintaining blood sugar levels promotes a lean abdomen and helps you hold onto lean muscle tissue. Tone It Up
No comments:
Post a Comment