Blackened Jerk Tofu

Blackened Jerk Tofu is a creative new way to prepare tofu. In this spicy dish, tofu is marinated in an amazing mixture that's bursting with flavors of the Caribbean, and then broiled until crispy perfection. The ingredient list may look daunting, however, 98% of the ingredients are for the marinade which couldn't be easier to prepare- just purée all the ingredients together. Furthermore, the marinade can easily be prepared a day ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to use. This marinade is also great to use on pork or chicken. In fact, this recipe was actually based on a recipe for Jerk Chicken from Clean Eating Magazine.

Blackened Jerk Tofu
Gluten Free
Serves 4

Ingredients--
1 (12.3 oz) package extra-firm light tofu (like the kind by Mori-Nu), cut into 4 slabs,
1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

Marinade:
1 small shallot, cut into chunks
3 jalapeno peppers, cut into chunks (remove seeds from jalapenos for a milder dish)
3 tbsp. scallions, cut into 1 inch spears
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp. canola or grape seed oil
1.5 tbsp soy sauce
1.5 tbsp Truvia sweetener
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1.5 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1. Place all marinade ingredients in a food processor or blender. Blend into a puree, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. Transfer 3 tbsp of the mixture to a small container, cover, and place in refrigerator (this will become part of the dipping sauce when serving).

2. Pour remaining marinade mixture in a tupperware container, large enough to hold the tofu pieces in a single layer.

3. Cut tofu width wise into 4 even slabs then cut each piece diagonally, so you are left with 8 triangular pieces. Pierce each piece a few times with a fork. Gently place tofu pieces in marinade and use a spoon to cover all sides of tofu in marinade. Cover container and place in fridge for 15-20 minutes. Flip tofu and continue marinating for 15-20 minutes.

4. Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray.

5. Remove tofu from fridge and place on baking sheet. Discard any leftover marinade.

6. Broil tofu, 12-15 minutes or until slightly crisp and blackened. Flip tofu halfway through cooking.

7. Meanwhile, remove the 3 tbsp of reserved marinade from fridge to finish the dipping sauce. Pour mixture into a small bowl and stir in yogurt. Set aside.

8. Plate blackened tofu and serve with dipping sauce on the side.

Nutrition Information--approximately 105 calories per serving