Game 16 Buffalo Tofu Packers @ Lions

Game 16

Buffalo Tofu

Packers @ Lions

 

Pregame

It's finally here!  The last game of the year holds the Packers and the Lions playoff futures.  Whoever wins this game will win the Division and will play the Giants at home.  The loser will be the last seed in the playoffs and travel to Seattle.  If the Pack can just win and hit the playoffs as the hottest team in the league, anything is possible 

The Packers are relatively healthy going into the last game.  Only Randall Cobb will be held out with his bad ankle.  The Lions will be without their main running back but their best corner, Darius Slay, will be available.

Recipe

Buffalo Tofu with Rice, Greens, & Beans

By Debra Byczek

Ingredients:

14 ounce package firm organic tofu (drained and pressed)

1 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce

1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke

2 bunches kale, sliced with stems removed

Two 15 ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

4 cups cooked brown rice

Vegan Ranch dressing (see recipe below)

Directions: 

Drain and press the tofu to remove as much liquid as possible.  Marinate the tofu in the Frank's Red Hot Sauce and liquid smoke for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Slice the kale into small pieces and steam in a small amount of water.  When the kale is soft, drain the water and add the pinto beans.  Warm the beans and kale over low heat until warmed.  

Cook the brown rice according to the package.

Slice the tofu into strips and bake in the oven on the parchment lined pan for 20 minutes.  Turn the strips once during baking.  When cooked cut into chunks or leave in strips.

In a bowl place a portion of rice, beans and kale mixture, tofu strips or chunks, and drizzle with dressing.

Ranch Dressing (Mexican Style)

1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in cold water for at least 2 hours

1 T. apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp. dried dill

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup oil free salsa

Drain cashews.  Place all of the ingredients into a high speed blender and blend until smooth.

Health Tip

Tofu is a minimally processed form of the soybean.  Fresh tofu is usually packaged in 1 lb containers with water to keep it moist.  For most recipes, tofu should be pressed to remove the excess water.  The easiest way to do this is with a Tofu Press.  When buying tofu, ALWAYS buy organic.  One reason soy gets a bad name is from it's GMO(genetically modified organism) version that's in a lot of processed foods or fed to livestock.  

Tofu can be used as a meat replacement in many dishes or like scrambled eggs in a tofu scramble.  It is very high in protein but also in fat.  One half cup serving is 94 calories, 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fat.  It also gives 40% of your iron and calcium requirement for day.  When you're asked "Where do you get your calcium?"  Now you can say tofu.

Another way soy gets a bad name is from it's estrogen content.   Organic non-GMO soy contains good phytoestrogens.  These plant phytoestrogens actually replace the human estrogens in our body.  This is a good thing.  Reduced estrogen in males and females significantly reduces cancer risks.  Eastern Asia eats the most soy and also has one of the lowest cancer rates.

Game Recap

Packers WIN!!! 31-24 is the final.  It was a very close game until they scored with about 3 minutes to go.  Then the Lions made it a little interesting with a hail mary TD with 13 seconds to go.

Once again the Packers don't turn the ball over and get a late interception to seal the game.  Clay Matthews had a ball thrown right at him and perhaps they could have taken the game over a lot earlier.

Aaron Rodgers had 4 touchdowns passes to Ripkowski, Allison, and 2 to Adams. He finishes with the season with the most TD's of any quarterback. His prediction of "Run the Table" came true.  He doesn't always seem like a team guy but he has been this team's undisputed leader in the 2nd half of the season.

Next week they get the Giants at home on Sunday afternoon at 3:40 Central time.  Game temperature is showing to be in the single digits.  Brrr!!


Happy New Year,

The Byczeks