Recipe ideas come from everywhere for me: the seasons and holidays, other blogs, random magazine articles, and books. And no, I don’t mean cookbooks. I mead regular books! The most recent series I read (and I hope it isn’t over, that is the worst thing a writer can ever do – end a series!) is by Krista Davis and is the Domestic Diva series. It is an awesome mystery series, based around food and is set in Alexandria, Virginia. So I totally connect with it. But even better are the recipes at the end of every book! Tons of them. Here is my version of this vegan and gluten- and sugar-free Sweet and Savory Glazed Tofu and Veggies.

I love reading, a lot. It’s what I do in my spare time like everyone else, but I love series books. I love getting into the lives of others and reading about what they go through and have fun living vicariously through them. That may seem dumb, but I love it. And this author is one of the best I have read in a while. I’m not normally a mystery book reader, but the cover of the book jumped out at me while I was at Barnes and Noble perusing the books. Not only did I buy it on a whim, and love the entire series, but I gave it to my mom to read and she loves them too. Really, everyone should read these books – and no, I don’t know the author or receive anything from them. This recipe was in the Diva Haunts the House and was meant for ribs – but no ribs here, just tofu and veg, and I changed the quantities and used sugar-free jam and gluten-free soy sauce. Oh so good, I’m telling you!

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Start by draining the liquid from the tofu. Cut open the package and drain the liquid out; set two plates out and fold about four paper towels half and place on one plate, put tofu on paper towels, then fold four more towels and put on top of tofu then put the second plate on top. Fill a bowl with water then place the bowl carefully on top of the plates / tofu – this is because I don’t have a tofu press and is the easiest way for me to press the liquid out. Press about an hour. In a bowl place all sauce ingredients then chop tofu into small pieces and dump tofu into the bowl and mix. Put in fridge for an hour. Wash veggies then slice carrots into smallish pieces; snap ends off green beans then break them in half. In a saute pan pour about a 1/4 cup water and dump in veggies, put lid on and turn burner to medium-low and let veggies steam. When there is just a little water left pour in tofu and sauce and mix. The sauce will coat everything; saute until browned.

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Sweet and Savory Glazed Tofu and Veggies,

4 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/2 C Smuckers Sugar-Free Apricot Jam
3 Tbsp Kikkoman Gluten-Free Soy Sauce
1/2 Tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 Block Nasoya Extra Firm Tofu
1 lbs Green Beans
4 Carrots, sliced

1. Drain and press liquid from tofu – press liquid by either using a tofu press if you have one, or press between two plates covered with paper towels and using something heavy on the top plate.
2. Mix sauce ingredients in a bowl then dice tofu into small pieces and mix in sauce. Let sit in fridge for one hour.
3. Slice carrots into smaller pieces and break ends off green beans and halve them then dump in a saute pan with a quarter cup water and put the lid on. Turn burner to medium and let veggies steam.
4. When just a little water left dump tofu and sauce into the pan and saute everything until browned.
5. Enjoy!