Tofu Tower

I don't know about you, but I love the feeling I get when I present food I've prepared for family/friends (even just one person)--and their initial reaction upon seeing it is "Wow!" Although I enjoy making delicious things to eat for myself, there's something wonderful about sharing tasty food. We all like affirmation and compliments, let's face it. And when it's beautiful or otherwise impressive to the eye--it's especially delightful to have someone besides yourself  notice and comment, right? 

Now I doubt that you could put this 'Tofu Tower' on the table without a fair amount of oohs and aaahs from everyone gathered there. But maybe the only way to really find out is to give it a try.

This dazzling recipe was published on care2.com and came from Sara, from Institute of HeartMath.

(Note: Although any of the tofus made by Tofu Yu would work well for this recipe, I personally recommend the plain or the pepper, so that the surrounding flavors can dominate.  - fs)

photo via glutenfreewithjudee.blogspot.com

What you'll need:

1/2 cup brown rice
1 cup water
1 ½ lb. tofu, firm
3 ½ cup mushrooms, sliced
12 baby carrots, sliced lengthwise
1 bunch green onions, cut in 3” lengths
¾ cup soy sauce [you can use the low-sodium version and use less as well - fs]
3 tablespoons agave syrup, or sweetener of choice
3 tablespoons olive oil

How to make:

• Cook brown rice by adding water and rice to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to very low simmer and cook covered until water evaporates, about 40-45 minutes. Remove from heat and let it come to room temperature.
• Sautee mushrooms on medium heat in 2 tablespoons olive oil until crisp tender, about 10 to fifteen minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
• In same saucepan heat soy sauce and heat on medium low until it reduces to half, about 10 minutes. Add agave, then transfer sauce to small measuring cup or pitcher.
• Cut tofu in 8 to 10  ½ inch slabs. Bake in oiled or sprayed pans along with carrots and green onions (will most likely need two pans.) Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
• Assemble towers by first pressing brown rice into ½ cup round measuring cup (½ cup measurement gives you a wider base to stack upon.) Pop the rice out of the measuring cup and then place the baby carrots in a star pattern. Place a tofu slab on top of carrots, then one onion on each side. Place second tofu slab and top with a small mound of mushrooms. Repeat to make another three portions.
• Drizzle sauce on top of mushrooms and to the corners of the tofu allowing it to drizzle down the stack.
• Top with a sprig of cilantro.

Serves: 4

Cooking time: 1 hour