Pesto Tofu Scramble with Roasted Pine Nuts - Super Easy

Pesto Tofu Scramble with Roasted Pine Nuts
4.5 STARS

We woke up this morning rested and excited about the new year filled with new beginnings. We decided to reel back some of our food celebrations and get back to healthy eating for breakfast. Mind you, we stayed on a vegetarian diet, but just because it's vegetarian, doesn't mean it's healthy. (I confess I got a little amped up about the holidays and used them as an excuse for excess sweets and fats).

This dish is one of our favorite-quick stand-by's. It varies based on what we have in the fridge, but the idea is the same. It's a quick scramble sure to warm you up and please the tummy. If for no other reason than to have your house smelling INCREDIBLE, give this dish a try.


First a word about my recipes and my personal rating scale. I believe that cooking should be an art, rather than a science. While there are basic rules to cooking, it should be fun and it should appeal to your individual taste. 


Therefore, my recipes are open for modification. If you do make changes, let me know! You may hit on the winning formula. Most of the recipes will also be for two people (unless otherwise noted). Just increase accordingly if you are cooking for more than two.


Also, my husband Larry is a self-proclaimed foodie so he has a great palate for the subtle nuances of food. I've asked him to be the judge on the recipes I post. We'll use a common five star rating with his commentary, just for fun. He's given this recipe 4.5 stars. I asked what would make it better and he said that he felt the dish lacked color and texture variety. Although the pine nuts gave it some nice crunch, he thought adding carrots would give it additional texture and some nice color. I would julienne the carrots and agree with him. Sounds yummy. You could also try roasted red peppers for a nice pop of color.


For those of you new to using tofu in your recipes, I thought I'd throw in a couple of tips that took me a while to figure out. First, when making scrambles, stir fry's or otherwise frying the tofu, use firm or extra firm organic tofu. Also, tofu is very wet, therefore you must extract some of the moisture before attempting to cook with it. There are tofu extractors out in the market, but I don't currently have one. I've referenced one in the link, so you have an idea what they look like.


However, because I don't have one, I cut the loaf into several thin slices and compress the slices between a paper towel and extract as much liquid as possible. Then, you'll want to brown the tofu in a dry skillet over medium-medium high heat. This will continue to dry out the tofu, while giving it a nice brown color. Any remaining tofu should be put in a container with water and stored in the refrigerator.


OK - here's the recipe. I hope you enjoy it!


Pesto Tofu Scramble with Roasted Pine Nuts
1/4 slice of extra firm tofu - drained, browned and cubed
Small handful of roasted pine nuts (these babies are expensive so increase to your budget!)
1/4 c. sliced mushrooms
1 clove of garlic-chopped or pressed
1 small cubed red potato, ready for frying (I throw mine in the microwave for three minutes)
1/4 of a sliced medium-sized yellow onion
2 T. pesto
Enough olive oil to wet pan before cooking (you could also use vegetable stock if you want to cut the oil)
Salt and pepper to taste


1. Drain, slice and brown tofu in dry skillet over medium-high heat.
2. In separate skillet, roast pine nuts over medium heat. Cook until they give up their fragrance and start to brown.
3. Add onion, garlic and stir until they start to glisten.
4. Add diced potato, mushrooms, browned and cubed tofu and stir until potato starts to brown.


Here's a quick shot of these ingredients in the pan just before adding the pesto;

5. Stir in the pesto and let it cover all of the goodies and has a chance to warm up in the skillet!
6. Add salt and pepper (if needed) to taste.


Again, make the dish your own and have fun experimenting with different ingredients. Please share if you have a variation you think others would enjoy.


On a final note, there are only a few more days until we start the 21 day diet with friends around the world. It's not too late to sign up and join in the journey. I've provided the link once again should you like to learn more.


Thanks for reading!


Jan