Hemp Crusted Tofu

Easy, Versatile Hemp Crusted Tofu can be made under an hour! Packed with protein, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, and other nutrients, Hemp Crusted Tofu can be enjoyed with salad, rice, or noodles, both hot or cold. 

If you have been following Food, Pleasure, and Health for a while, you know that I love tofu. Case in point –> fries, curry, more curry, and fudge. Recently, Manitoba Harvest sent me their Hemp Hearts to try..and besides using them for my morning oats, I made Hemp Crusted Tofu.

It’s a pretty versatile recipe as it can be enjoyed alone, with salad, over rice, both hold or cold. Besides being vegetarian, Hemp Crusted Tofu is vegan & gluten-free if you follow that lifestyle.. Hemp hearts are basically raw, shelled hemp seeds that are nutritional powerhouse for nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids (considered essential as our bodies can’t make them), iron, and vitamin E. It has a slightly nutty taste, kind of reminds me of pine nuts or sunflower seeds.

Hemp hearts are basically raw, shelled hemp seeds that are nutritional powerhouse for nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids (considered essential as our bodies can’t make them), iron, and vitamin E. It has a slightly nutty taste, kind of reminds me of pine nuts or sunflower seeds.

Most people either love tofu or don’t…and I totally get the whole texture thing because I am the same way with goopy oatmeal (which is why I love the steel cuts variety). From years of trial and error, I know for fact that you need to drain/squeeze as much water as possible from tofu to get that crispy texture.

Also, the type of tofu you use for specific recipes will matter..I always get the firm/medium firm/extra firm variety to  make baked tofu because it holds it’s shape really well. Soft/silken tofu are better suited for dessert/smoothie-based recipes as it blends well.I am no way trying to convince you to start loving tofu if you already don’t.

If you don’t like tofu, you don’t like tofu..simple. But if you have never tried it before, you totally should. Tofu is a great plant-based protein with other nutrients such as calcium, iron, and magnesium. If you are vegan/vegetarian – it is probably worth looking into fortified tofu as they have additional B vitamins, vitamin D, and calcium.

Tofu is made from soybeans, a very controversial topic..and my super RD/blogger friend Alexis from Hummusapien explains that in her recent article “Is Soy Safe?”. As if you couldn’t already tell, I am obsessed with Hemp Crusted Tofu – it’s a texture, the taste, and versatility you guys. I hope you will get on it ASAP. Here are some ways you can enjoy Hemp Crusted Tofu:

•  Kimchi Fried Rice
• Peanut Butter Sriracha Noodles
• Salad (or whatever greens, veggies) & used dressing from

Hemp Crusted Tofu

Author: Dixya @Food, Pleasure, and Health

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

• 1-16 oz firm, tofu block
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil (or use olive, canola oil)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari for GF)
• 2 tablespoon almond flour (or use corn starch)
• 3 tablespoon hemp hearts (I used Manitoba)

Instructions

1. Drain water from the tofu and gently squeeze as much water as possible using your palms.
2. Place tofu on a plate then place another plate over it. Then place a heavy object such as book, canned goods, or a skillet to help squeeze additional water for 30 minutes or so. Drain water in between that accumulates on the plate.
3. Cut tofu into cubes and use a paper towel to absorb additional moisture and pat dry. I repeated the process 2-3 times.
4. Preheat the oven to 400F.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon mat.
6. In a medium bowl, combine tofu with sesame oil, soy sauce (or tamari) and combine well.
7. Mix in almond flour and hemp seeds until it evenly coats tofu.
8. Arrange the tofu in a even layer on a baking sheet.
9. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Toss it half way and continue baking until it looks golden.

Thank you Manitoba Harvest for the sample; however, I was not compensated to write this post and as always, all opinions are 100% mine!