There is nothing quite like a crispy just fried french fry. No fast food meal is complete without them. If you are ordering a burger, hot dog or cheesy slice of pizza you had best include a side order of fries with that! The only thing better than french fries, is what you dip them into. Ketchup, spicy mayo, ranch and dill sauce are all great options. There is something so satisfying about biting into crispy fries smothered in a delicious creamy sauce that makes me want to say skip the diet and just go for it! Wanting something crispy and creamy minus the calories, I decided to recreate everyones favorite potato appetizer and make it a dish to indulge in without the guilt. Behold, you have Tofu French fries (or breaded tofu sticks) served up with creamy avocado cilantro dipping sauce. I am crazy about this recipe! I cook them up about twice a week, sometimes more. It’s affordable, easy to make, healthy and insanely addicting. If you have not cooked these up yet, please do so now. Seriously, get off the computer and make them now. Then, leave a comment below letting me know if you like them as much as I do. Probably not but you might come close.
Breaded Tofu Sticks:
Ingredients:
1 container of extra firm tofu
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup of bread crumbs
Directions:
Remove tofu from container and drain water. Wrap tofu in paper towel and leave on counter to drain for 20 minutes. Pat tofu dry with a paper towel. Slice tofu in half, across the middle to make two thinner pieces. Then cut tofu into french fry sticks. Coat the tofu sticks in egg then dip into crumbs. Place on a lightly greased baking pan (I use cooking oil spray) and bake in oven on 400′ for 20-25 minutes until crispy. Serve with avocado cilantro dipping sauce.
Avocado Cilantro Dipping Sauce:
Ingredients:
1 avocado
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons mayo
salt & pepper to taste
chili powder (optional)
Directions:
Blend ingredients together until smooth.
Ingredients:
1 sweet onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 cup of frozen spinach
1 lb. ground beef
2 eggs
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. montreal steak seasoning
Directions:
Saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add spinach and saute until cooked through. Remove from heat and combine with beef in large mixing bowl. Add eggs, bread crumbs and spices to beef mixture. Using wet hands, form 1 inch balls using a tablespoon scooper. Place in oven on greased baking sheet on 400’ for 20 minutes until slightly browned. Once cooked, serve over quinoa or rice with Pomegranate Glaze. You can serve this as the main dish or as an appetizer by sticking a toothpick in each meatball and placing pomegranate glaze on the side for dipping.
Pomegranate Glaze:
1 cup pomegranate juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. corn starch + 1 tsp. water
Bring ingredients to a boil then simmer and stir until a glaze forms and thickens. Serve over meatballs.
Ingredients:
1 head of lettuce, chopped up
1 avocado, diced
1 lb. of grilled chicken cut into pices
Pomegranate Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon djon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
Place lettuce in a large serving bowl. Layer chicken and avocado on top. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds over salad. Combine dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until blended. Dress the salad right before serving.
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/2 cup of mayo
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. montreal steak seasoning
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
6 sticks of fake crab
Directions:
Mix ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Shape into balls about the size of 1 tablespoon. Place on lightly greased baking sheet and cook in oven on 400′ for 15-20 minutes. Serve with Cilantro Lime Dipping Sauce.
Cilantro Lime Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cup of mayo
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh!)
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 tsp. chile powder
Dill Sauce:
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
2 cubes dill
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions:
Place salmon, skin side down, on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Drizzle olive oil over salmon. Season with spices, making sure to rub it in. Place in oven on 450′ for about 12 minutes, until salmon is cooked through and flakes easily. Prepare dill sauce by combining ingredients. Serve over salmon or on the side.
Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
1 cup corn flake crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped lemon basil
1/2 tsp. Montreal Steak Seasoning
1/2 tsp. Salt
3/4 cup mayo
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Directions:
Combine corn flake crumbs, salt, pepper and lemon basil in a shallow dish. Combine mayo and mustard in a large bowl. Coat chicken with mayo mixture then dip in the crumb mixture so it’s coated on both sides. Place on lightly greased baking sheet and cook in oven on 350 for 25 – 30 minutes.
