Tofu Challenge

I'm all about finding Vegan alternatives to traditional meat and dairy dishes. But I never expected to find a replacement for Insalata Caprese. Is there anything remotely close to the flavor and texture of traditional fresh mozzarella?

The answer is yes! I made Marinated Italian Tofu, determined to fool myself. It worked! The marinade was perfect to recreated marinated mozzarella, and quality olive oil drizzled overtop gave the rich flavor. I got to use the first leaves of basil from my garden, and served it with fresh a baguette and roma tomatoes. (I'd recommend skipping the healthy whole wheat baguettes. Go authentic with italian round or a sourdough loaf.)

I was expecting a balsamic based marinade, but the lemon/garlic/tamari additions were delicious. Baking the tofu lent some crispiness, and slicing it into small slivers gave the look I was going for. It'd make a great dish to pass, or appetizer for my next Italian dinner night.

This tofu challenge was inspired by Carmen's (non-Vegan) creation, below. She told me to try to use the concept for my blog, so I did. Now I have to share the credit with her, but it was so yummy that it is completely worth it.