Turmeric Tofu
Turmeric has become a buzzword these days, and for good reason! So what is Turmeric? Turmeric comes from the Curcuma longa plant, and grows in India and countries across Southeast Asia. We commonly see it ground up in a vibrant yellow powder.
Turmeric is said by many to be the most powerful herb on the planet at fighting and possibly reversing disease. As a result, products have been loading up on the shelves (turmeric tea, golden milk, turmeric supplements, turmeric shakes). While all of those are great, I believe it is best to get turmeric straight from the source and eat it with food.
Benefits:
The compound known for its amazing healing benefits in Turmeric is called Curcumin. Curcumin is what makes Turmeric a “functional food” (as said by the Mayo clinic). In order to activate Curcumin, we must add a dash of black pepper. I can actually taste the difference in the dish before and after adding pepper. When the pepper is added, the Turmeric has a bit of a bite in my opinion. That bite is the healing power ;).
- Anticoagulant
- Antidepressant
- Anti-inflammatory
- Skin health
- Arthritis
- Cancer treatment
- Diabetes management
- Helps obesity
- GI issues
- Cholesterol regulator
- Painkiller
- Steroid
Dinner ideas:
- Turmeric tofu
- Brown rice
- Sautéed kale in garlic and olive oil
- ½ sweet potato
- Sauerkraut
Recipe:
This recipe is one that was passed down to me by my mother, and it was a staple in our house growing up. While this is not our food by heritage, my parents are both holistic, and raised us to eat healthy and wholesome food. I make this dish usually about once a week to keep my inflammation down and get all the healing benefits. I also take a curcumin supplement as prescribed by my natropath daily. I will explain how to pair this to make a full dinner, but the leftovers are also delicious in a salad, in a Buddha bowl, even for breakfast as a “scrambled tofu”. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 1 cake of tofu
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 – 2 tbsp soy sauce
- Crack of black pepper
Instructions:
- Cut extra firm tofu into a 1inch dice
- Heat the olive oil on medium heat in a shallow pan
- Add the tofu and sauté until golden
- Sprinkle in Turmeric and toss tofu so each piece is coated
- Add a grind of black pepper to activate the curcumin
- Add a dash of organic low sodium soy sauce at the end
- Add more salt if needed (usually the soy sauce is enough salt for me)
- Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds and serve
