Fake Fish Sticks

Something that kind of sucks about eating relatively healthy is that sometimes you just miss that processed foods flavor (or texture? or comfort?).  Because for most of us growing up in the 80s and 90s fast food and convenience foods were major treats.  Going to MacDonald's after soccer games, eating frozen dinners with the baby sitter and my personal favorite Kraft Mac 'n Cheese in the Blue Box.

When I was young my parents split up and their food choices were as different as night and day.  Whenever he had us, my father took my sister and me to MacDonald's for the now non-existent breakfast buffet.  Ashley and I munched down on food we knew was "bad" and enjoyed it mostly for that reason.  It was such a change from my mothers more health savvy (and delicious!) breakfasts of Oatmeal and pancakes which she would labor to make every morning before school.  I ate so well under my Mother's regime that the once-in-a-while cheat-eat didn't have too bad of an effect on my overall health.

Now that I am in charge of my own breakfast I usually opt for the more labor intensive Mother-Inspired breakfast.  I make either oatmeal (with Salt!), or yogurt and granola, or an omelet of some kind.  But once in a while I feel the need to indulge the naughty side of my stomach (Father-inspired) and that is when I go ahead and make hash browns, bacon, buttery toast ect.

I realize I have been rambling...so get to the point!

I found a recipe that is pretty healthy--but reminded me SO MUCH of childhood "bad" foods that I cracked out the ketchup and dug on in.

It is what I dubbed Fake Fish Sticks...because to me that is what they reminded me of....  In fact I got the original recipe from the TYFPC cookbook added by none-other but a college street cook Hannah Lewis. 

What you will need is
- 1 Firm block of tofu
- 3 tbsp of soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2-4 garlic cloves (recipe calls for 2...but i like it extra garlicky so I added extra--it is up to you)
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp of fresh coriander (the recipe called for parsley...but I had coriander so ahead with it I went)
- 1 tsp paprika (did you know that Paprika is Hungary's biggest export?)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (the more the merrier!)
- 3 tbsp whole wheat flour
- 6 tbsp cold water

 

1. Cut the tofu into finger sized pieces.

2. Prepare marinate sauce by mixing together the soy sauce, garlic and rice vinegar.  Coat the tofu very well and allow to soak for up to 30 minutes. Now Preheat the oven to 400 F

3. Prepare the batter by mixing together the whole wheat flour and the cold water

4. In a separate bowl mix together the bread crumbs, spices and coriander (or parsley)

5. Now take those recently flavored tofu fingers and dip them into the flour/batter and then dip them into the spiced bread crumbs. Make sure that they are coated well--the thicker the better!

6.   Place on a cooking sheet that has been lightly oiled to prevent sticking. Make sure that each tofu finger has its own personal space and they are not impeding on the tofu finger next to them.  

7. Bake for 30 minutes...until they are nice and crispy.

8. allow to cool and enjoy! 

I enjoyed these sticks several ways.  I added them to a sandwich, I topped a salad with them and I dipped them in ketchup and ate them as finger food.  The lasted in my fridge several days and to reheat i just threw them into the toaster oven for a couple minutes until they were heated through and regained some of their crunchiness.

I really enjoyed this recipe!  It brought back a lot of memories of being a kid.  Before this I hadn't been able to really enjoy eating ketchup since I learned how much sugar was in it (I think in an Environmental class at U of T the day we saw a movie on the evil of Sugar).  But a trip to the organic store allowed me to get some semi-guilt free ketchup in the meantime until I learn to make my own (anyone have a good recipe out there??).

Also if you like THIS recipe you should pick up your own copy of the "So You(th) Think You Can Cook" Recipe book recently published by the Toronto Youth Food Policy Council by attending a meeting or event. Only five bucks!