Something changes in us when we become parents. We aim to provide the best for our children. We want to offer our children comfort and shelter and nourish their bodies with good foods.
Like many of us, Melinda wanted to fill her daughter’s body with fresh fruits and vegetables without worrying about pesticides or GMOs. As a vegan, Melinda fills her family’s plate with lots of organic fruits and vegetables to avoid undoing her healthy lifestyle with harmful chemicals.
Melinda’s book L.I.V².E. (Latin-Inspired Vegan and Vegetarian Eats) outlines why GMO foods should be avoided and explains the importance of shopping farmers markets for local grown organic foods to bring farm fresh to your kitchen table. In L.I.V².E., she offers weekly meal plans and exercise plans to guide her readers towards a healthier lifestyle. With meal plans and Latin-inspired recipes, she demonstrates how to adapt and prepare our favorite Latin comfort foods using vegan methods.
As an anthropologist and an artist, Melinda visited many countries to understand ways to make healthy ingredients accessible and affordable. In L.I.V².E., she lists ingredients that every pantry should store and the health benefits for each one.
Melinda strives to make L.I.V².E. possible for everyone. To purchase L.I.V².E., visit organicmelinda.com.
I had the opportunity to review an abridged version of L.I.V².E and test out a few recipes. Today, I share my spin on her vegan Quezo Frito (found on page 24). I liked the recipe but I wanted to make it less savory and bit sweeter so my children (and Iron Chef Allan) would eat it. We love Latin foods but tofu for breakfast would be a hard sell.
I decided to omit the garlic powder and added a half teaspoon of sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon.
I sliced the extra firm tofu into ¼ slices and then sautéed tofu in coconut oil on my electric skillet until golden brown. (I love the aroma of heated coconut oil filling my home!) As the tofu sautéed, I sprinkled it with the cinnamon, sugar, salt and a pinch of cayenne.
Then, I flipped the tofu and seasoned the other side. Once a crusty golden color appeared, I served the dish to Little Lion Man with a side of maple syrup to dip the tofu in it. He loved it!
A Latin-inspired sweetened Tofu Frito that tastes like French Toast!
- 2 Tbsp Puritan’s Pride Coconut Oil
- Extra Firm Tofu
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- A pinch of cayenne powder
- Maple syrup
- Preheat an electric griddle to 300 degrees.
- Remove and drain tofu. Pat tofu dry with paper towels to remove excess liquid. Slice tofu into ¼ inch slices.
- Prepare electric griddle with coconut oil. Using a basting brush, grease the electric griddle with approximately 2 Tbsp of coconut oil.
- Lay slices of tofu on warmed griddle. Combine spices in a small bowl; sprinkle tops of tofu with spices. Sautee tofu for about 5-10 minutes or until golden brown. Flip, season and sautee until both sides are golden brown in color.
- Serve with a side of maple syrup.
On October 15, join Melidna, the Tampa Bay Bloggers and me for a L.I.V².E. Twitter party at 9:00 pm EST. Follow @OrganicMelinda, @denisermt , @TBbloggers and #healthyLatin for a conversation about a healthy, vegetarian and organic lifestyle and prizes!
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Hmm…This sounds interesting! Will try to do this for my kids. Never have I tried to do anything with tofu except to fry it, but without sweetening it.
Sounds like a really interesting book. My kids love tofu it was one of the first foods I gave to them. (Marinated in apple juice) I will show this recipe to my daughter. She will probably make it herself. Thanks for sharing it on foodie friday.
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