Bacon Ranch Tofu Salad
The year was 1983, and as I sat on the cusp of manhood, numerous exciting events were happening all around the globe:
- The “A-Team” premiered on NBC
- The first mini-van was produced
- The Chicken McNugget was born
- Flashdance hit the big screen
- Clorox launched the first bottles of shelf-stable Ranch dressing
Yes sir, parents could now feed their children chickenesque breaded meat cubes in the new car/van on the way home from soccer, karate, ballet, jazz, and swimming. And with Mr. T coming into our homes every week and girls sporting off-the-shoulder sweatshirts, it was an exhilarating time to be alive… “What a feeling” – Irene Cara. However, shelf stable dressing would change the world as we knew it.
With Clorox providing the directions to the hidden valley, Americans in their newly minted mini-vans found their way to a new condiment of choice. Ranch dressing started popping up everywhere: chain restaurants used it as sandwich toppings and dipping sauces and snack foods began flavoring chips and tortillas with it. And Ranch dressing provides the inspiration for my next dish.
As I mentioned, I wanted to post a few easy and versatile lunch recipes. So, let me present my version of BACON RANCH TOFU. This stuff is great on a salad or wrapped up in a tortilla. The list of ingredients is a touch long but the whole dish comes together very quickly. So pack this one up and take it to work or eat it in the mini-van during carpool. Because “I pity the fool” who doesn’t like this recipe.
Ingredients Instructions Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together the spices, liquid smoke, soy sauce, syrup, and water. Add in your coconut flakes and using your well-cleaned hands or a spoon, stir the mix thoroughly to make sure each piece of coconut is coated. Spread the coconut out on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray and bake for at least 35 minutes. However, stir after the first 10 minutes, then stir after the second 10 minutes. Then stir every 5 minutes just to make sure the coconut doesn’t burn. Cook until the coconut develops a dark amber color and is nice and crispy.
While the coconut bacon cooks, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing and sit it in the frig. This will let all the flavors combine. After making the dressing, slice the tofu into 8 even-sized planks. Place these on a cookie sheet coated with cooking spray and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, flipping once, or until the tofu is golden brown on both sides. Remove from the oven, and when cool enough to handle, chop or crumble the tofu into bite-size pieces.
Coconut Bacon
Put the tofu pieces into a bowl and ladle on a generous serving of the ranch dressing. Mix to combine and coat all the tofu pieces. From here you can evenly divide the tofu onto some salad greens or into a tortilla. Sprinkle a tablespoon or more of the coconut bacon over the tofu. Finish the salad or wrap with your favorite salad fixings like carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, and avocados. And voila, your lunch is ready. Plus, you will have extra bacon and dressing left over for another time. So, feel free to put on the leg warmers and dance around the house with wanton abandon. Longer Letter Later.
Love, Bob aka The Grassfed Carnivore
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