I vowed to improve my tofu scramble after having one that I loved at a restaurant a couple of weeks ago . I started with some of my favorite vegetables which is key to making a scramble you will enjoy. I chose onions, shiitake mushrooms and collard greens sliced into strips:
I didn’t plan well enough ahead to press my tofu in the fridge, so I used my handy-dandy Tofu Xpress :
I water-sauteed my veggies until they were soft and then piled the crumbled tofu on top:
I like adding spices that turn the tofu yellow at this point because a. they taste good and b. they make the dish more appetizing to my husband who doesn’t quite believe that tofu is a substitute for eggs in a scramble. So, I added about 1/2 teaspoon each of turmeric and curry. I also sprinkled another 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder.
So, this might seem minor, but the biggest trick I learned from the restaurant was to serve avocado on top of the scramble. The avo adds richness and flavor that otherwise might be missing because there is no other fat in the dish other than that in the tofu. I also served the dish with some roasted kambocha squash and a sliced kiwi:
This dish was so good! The scramble made enough for dinner for my husband and me with a little leftover that I will probably eat with my salad for lunch today. Other tips that I got from the restaurant that I might try in the future include serving the scramble with salsa and serving it on top of a sprouted corn tortilla (I’m thinking some black beans and cilantro might make this a whole new dish).
On a separate note, I got a really thoughtful question and comment from Adrienne recently regarding my ongoing discussion about eating disorders and finding my ideal weight. Here is what Adrienne said:
“Hey Carrie!
I really want to ask this question but I am not sure how to do it without sounding offensive, so please know first that I am trying not to be offensive! I don’t want to be hurtful, but I am very curious: reading through some of your older posts, especially ones about disordered eating and every one since November’s “this is not a diet blog” post, I am wondering about your ideal weight. It is just very surprising to read that you feel you have “pounds to lose” or that you can get excited over the loss of one pound, when you already look so thin, strong, healthy and vibrant. Perhaps since you are a nutrition student you have special insight, but what are you using as a guide for what you “should” weigh? Personally I have a hard time with such charts – ESPECIALLY the BMI one, which is the biggest load of bull ever – because I don’t think you can chart people so neatly. What are you putting your faith in, and why?
Thanks in advance for your thoughtfulness!!
adrienne”
I was really happy to receive a question like this because I think it gave me the opportunity to think through and express my feelings about some of these issues. Here is how I responded to that question:
“Hi Adrienne! I take absolutely no offense by your question. In fact, I welcome it! I agree with you that I look and feel healthy and vibrant. Before I became a follower of Dr. Fuhrman’s plan (Eat to Live), I would have considered where I am to be a very healthy weight. Dr. Fuhrman’s recommendations for weight are stricter than what might be considered “normal” for Americans based on his clinical experience and the science showing that lower body mass individuals experience less disease. So, while I am very close to his recommendations, but still not quite there. In fact, I still experience medical issues that could be related to still being 5-10% above what he considers my “ideal weight.” Of course, his recommendations are broad and not individualized, it is up to each person to find what works for him or her. I have had such a wonderful health transformation following the Eat to Live program that I believe Dr. Fuhrman is right that I am still not quite there in terms of my weight.
In regards to eating disorders, that is a bit trickier. My personal experience was with binge eating which was a way of comforting myself with food. My weight wasn’t really the focus of that problem, it was emotional vulnerability. While I grew out of that problem that I experienced during adolescence, the instinct to use food for comfort stays with me and it’s something I try to be aware of. I haven’t experienced any emotional distress since trying to lose weight for health reasons. In fact, I’ve had the opposite experience where I have felt stronger, more in tune with my body’s needs and overall more balanced.
I hope this answers your questions and perhaps makes my perspective clearer. I will try to do a better job in the future explaining my rationale for watching my weight because I would hate for the message to be misinterpreted.”
What do you guys think about this interchange? Does it make sense why I discuss weight loss on my blog and emphasize a dietary approach with little to no added sugar, salt or fat?
I vowed to improve my tofu scramble after having one that I loved at a restaurant a couple of weeks ago . I started with some of my favorite vegetables which is key to making a scramble you will enjoy. I chose onions, shiitake mushrooms and collard greens sliced into strips:
I didn’t plan well enough ahead to press my tofu in the fridge, so I used my handy-dandy Tofu Xpress :
I water-sauteed my veggies until they were soft and then piled the crumbled tofu on top:
I like adding spices that turn the tofu yellow at this point because a. they taste good and b. they make the dish more appetizing to my husband who doesn’t quite believe that tofu is a substitute for eggs in a scramble. So, I added about 1/2 teaspoon each of turmeric and curry. I also sprinkled another 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder.
So, this might seem minor, but the biggest trick I learned from the restaurant was to serve avocado on top of the scramble. The avo adds richness and flavor that otherwise might be missing because there is no other fat in the dish other than that in the tofu. I also served the dish with some roasted kambocha squash and a sliced kiwi:
This dish was so good! The scramble made enough for dinner for my husband and me with a little leftover that I will probably eat with my salad for lunch today. Other tips that I got from the restaurant that I might try in the future include serving the scramble with salsa and serving it on top of a sprouted corn tortilla (I’m thinking some black beans and cilantro might make this a whole new dish).
On a separate note, I got a really thoughtful question and comment from Adrienne recently regarding my ongoing discussion about eating disorders and finding my ideal weight. Here is what Adrienne said:
“Hey Carrie!
I really want to ask this question but I am not sure how to do it without sounding offensive, so please know first that I am trying not to be offensive! I don’t want to be hurtful, but I am very curious: reading through some of your older posts, especially ones about disordered eating and every one since November’s “this is not a diet blog” post, I am wondering about your ideal weight. It is just very surprising to read that you feel you have “pounds to lose” or that you can get excited over the loss of one pound, when you already look so thin, strong, healthy and vibrant. Perhaps since you are a nutrition student you have special insight, but what are you using as a guide for what you “should” weigh? Personally I have a hard time with such charts – ESPECIALLY the BMI one, which is the biggest load of bull ever – because I don’t think you can chart people so neatly. What are you putting your faith in, and why?
Thanks in advance for your thoughtfulness!!
adrienne”
I was really happy to receive a question like this because I think it gave me the opportunity to think through and express my feelings about some of these issues. Here is how I responded to that question:
“Hi Adrienne! I take absolutely no offense by your question. In fact, I welcome it! I agree with you that I look and feel healthy and vibrant. Before I became a follower of Dr. Fuhrman’s plan (Eat to Live), I would have considered where I am to be a very healthy weight. Dr. Fuhrman’s recommendations for weight are stricter than what might be considered “normal” for Americans based on his clinical experience and the science showing that lower body mass individuals experience less disease. So, while I am very close to his recommendations, but still not quite there. In fact, I still experience medical issues that could be related to still being 5-10% above what he considers my “ideal weight.” Of course, his recommendations are broad and not individualized, it is up to each person to find what works for him or her. I have had such a wonderful health transformation following the Eat to Live program that I believe Dr. Fuhrman is right that I am still not quite there in terms of my weight.
In regards to eating disorders, that is a bit trickier. My personal experience was with binge eating which was a way of comforting myself with food. My weight wasn’t really the focus of that problem, it was emotional vulnerability. While I grew out of that problem that I experienced during adolescence, the instinct to use food for comfort stays with me and it’s something I try to be aware of. I haven’t experienced any emotional distress since trying to lose weight for health reasons. In fact, I’ve had the opposite experience where I have felt stronger, more in tune with my body’s needs and overall more balanced.
I hope this answers your questions and perhaps makes my perspective clearer. I will try to do a better job in the future explaining my rationale for watching my weight because I would hate for the message to be misinterpreted.”
What do you guys think about this interchange? Does it make sense why I discuss weight loss on my blog and emphasize a dietary approach with little to no added sugar, salt or fat?