About Tofu Patties in Green Sauce and an Important Tip for Iron Absorption

Last week, during one of the cooking workshops I led for my fitness challenge, a participant asked me how to increase iron absorption from the meals we eat.

First of all, I was very happy about the question. Although my workshop is called a fitness challenge and is designed for people who want to make a physical change like toning up or gaining muscle mass, it's also important for me to talk about minerals and absorption efficiency in the workshops.

So, here's a little tip you should write down: iron is better absorbed in a vitamin C environment.

What does that mean?

Combining a food rich in vitamin C, like lemon juice, tomato, or bell pepper, with a food rich in iron, like spinach or parsley, will help with iron absorption.

All we need to do is squeeze a little lemon juice on our food, and voilà, we've helped our body absorb the important mineral – iron.

It's important for me to note that if there is a significant iron deficiency that leads to anemia, it is important to take an external supplement.

That's why this recipe for tofu patties in a green sauce of spinach, cilantro, broccoli, peas, and green beans is so beloved by me.

On one hand, it's a really easy dish to prepare: just like making a green smoothie in a blender. Seriously, it's that easy.

And on the other hand: it's a dish rich in iron and vitamin C, protein, high-quality fatty acids, dietary fiber, and lots of antioxidants.

And no less important: it's very tasty.

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How to Eat It

One serving of tofu patties and green sauce combined with a small portion of carbohydrates can be a wonderful solution for a satisfying and nutritious lunch.

Alternatively, it can be a great dinner / post-workout meal when you want to impress someone special.

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Nutritional values by Noam Bachar, nutritionist and fitness trainer:

A 120-gram serving of patties - without the sauce, will contain:

250 calories

18 grams of protein

12 grams of carbohydrates

16 grams of fat (of which 2 grams are saturated fat)

1 gram of dietary fiber

289 mg of calcium

1 mg of iron

A 200-gram serving of green sauce will contain:

100 calories

5 grams of protein

16 grams of carbohydrates

3 grams of fat (1 gram of saturated fat)

5 grams of dietary fiber

73 mg of calcium

2 mg of iron

In this recipe, I insisted on keeping the calorie and fat levels low, so I didn't thicken the sauce with cashew cream or coconut cream.

If you want, you can upgrade the sauce by adding these ingredients, but be aware that it will dramatically increase the caloric value.

Tofu Patties in Green Sauce

Prep time 10 minutes

Cook time 15 minutes

Total time 25 minutes

Servings 3 servings

Calories 250 kcal

Ingredients

Patties

• 300 g tofu
• 3 tbsp buckwheat flour (40 g)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (20 ml)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 onion
• 1 handful chopped parsley
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 crushed garlic clove

Green Sauce

• 1 bunch kale
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 2 cups fresh spinach (80 g (2.8 oz))
• 1/2 head broccoli - separated into florets (170 g (6.0 oz))
• 2 tbsp coconut oil (10 ml (1 tbsp))
• 8 garlic cloves
• 1 thumb-sized piece crushed ginger
• 1/4 hot pepper for spice lovers - optional
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 level tsp salt
• a little vegan yogurt for garnish
• a little lemon juice

Instructions

1. Start with the patties

2. In a food processor, blend the tofu until it has a grainy texture.

3. Transfer the tofu mixture to a deep bowl and add the rest of the patty ingredients.

4. Grease a baking sheet with a little olive oil.

5. With wet hands, form ping-pong sized patties from the tofu mixture.

6. Place them on the baking sheet and drizzle a little olive oil on top.
7. Bake at medium-high heat (180°C (355°F)) on the top grill setting for about 15 minutes, until the patties are browned.
8. Prepare the sauce

9. In a blender, blend the greens and broccoli with a cup of water until you get a smooth green smoothie without lumps.

10. In a flat pan that can hold both the patties and the sauce, heat the coconut oil.

11. Add the coriander and cumin seeds and fry for a few seconds on low heat just to release their flavors.

12. Add the crushed garlic, ginger, hot pepper, and salt and fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring, over low heat (be careful not to burn the garlic).

13. When a pleasant aroma spreads, add the green smoothie, stir, and bring to a gentle boil.

14. Cook the sauce for 2-3 minutes until it thickens slightly.

15. Add the patties to the sauce and remove from the heat.

16. Serve with chopped cilantro, a generous squeeze of lemon juice, and a little vegan yogurt on top.