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Happy Spring! We’re excited for farmers’ markets, BBQs, backyard herb gardens, and new opportunities to eat fresh plant-based meals!
We’re glad you’re part of our growing Meatless Monday Needham community. As of this week, 178 households, representing 437 individuals, have taken the pledge to eat meatless one day a week for 12 weeks. Encourage your friends and neighbors to join us. It’s good for their health and the health of the planet! |
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INGREDIENT AND GADGET FOCUS: TOFU & PRESS |
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Meatless Monday Needham’s Karen Price shares her experience with a tofu press. Want Crispy Tofu? Try a tofu press!
Have you tried to get your tofu crispy, but it just doesn’t seem to get a nice sear on it? That’s probably because it has too much water in it. One solution is to assemble a stack of heavy books on top of your firm tofu lined with paper towels and let it sit, but there is a better way—the right tool for the right job!
That tool is the tofu press, which is specifically designed to remove the water from tofu so you can get a crispy exterior.
There are many types available—google it! Here’s mine. |
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Compared with the towels and heavy object method, the tofu press allows you to apply a lot more pressure and therefore remove more water. It is also more convenient and less messy.
The photos below show how much water the tofu press can remove in about 10 minutes. The photo on the left shows firm tofu sitting in the press prior to turning the wing nuts. On the right, after turning the nuts, the tofu is compressed by nearly an inch, and the water is collected in the tray below. |
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It seems odd that after removing the water you would then marinate the tofu, but you can, and it adds great flavor. See this recipe and tips for cooking crispy tofu at www.noracooks.com. The author does not have a tofu press, but the recipe and tips are helpful. The photos below show my first dish after using the tofu press—the first of many! |
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LOCAL NEWS AND EVENTS
Sierra Club - Our Sustainable Kitchen The Sierra Club of Massachusetts offers free plant-based cooking classes with professional vegan chef Diana Goldman. The next class is Tuesday, March 23, at 6:30pm. To attend, register here. You’ll receive a list of ingredients so you can cook along with Diana, if you’d like. Classes last about 45 minutes. |
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Needham Community Farm Produce CSA The Needham Community Farm has a limited number of shares left in its produce CSA. When you subscribe to the CSA, you pay upfront for a full season of fresh vegetables. Beginning in early June, you will get a box of seasonal vegetables grown at the farm using sustainable methods. The CSA runs for 20 weeks, from late spring to early fall. Click here to sign up or for more information! |
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Once you have your seeds planted, you can shift to the website’s page on caring for seedlings, which covers light, temperature, watering, transplanting or thinning, “hardening off”, and when to plant the seedlings outdoors in the garden. According to the website, we should all be thinking about our tomatoes and peppers right now! |
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CHECK OUT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE... to see dishes prepared by your Needham neighbors and to share yours! |
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