green meatloaf made from homemade edamame tofu

This video is actually a viewer-suggested recipe by blug on YouTube. Thank you, blug for this amazing idea! 

St. Patrick's Day is coming up and one of the things I associate St. Patrick's Day with is the color green. 

I've wondered for the longest time why people don't make tofu made from edamame. Tofu is made from soybeans and edamame is just young soybeans. 

Of course, I have some experience making tofu, from my homemade chocolate tofu semi-fail. But this time I had a new appliance on my hands that made the process of making tofu a million times easier: a soymilk maker, namely the Soyajoy G4. By using a soymilk maker, you can skip the process of bringing homemade soymilk to a boil and letting it simmer for 10 minutes three times. Because let's face it, soymilk can overflow your saucepot in a matter of seconds. 

Not so with a soymilk maker! The soymilk maker grinds and heats the beans and water for you, and in just 26 minutes, you get soymilk that doesn't need to be brought to a boil! 

The good thing about using edamame to make tofu is that you don't have to soak it in water overnight. All you have to do is heat it up in the microwave and voila! Cooked edamame that's ready to be turned into tofu. 

By using nigari(tofu coagulant), the milk actually curdled this time, thus yielding more material for the tofu, because tofu is made from soymilk curds. 

I ended up with 8 ounces of edamame tofu that resembled more like silken tofu you'd put into a smoothie than something you'd use in a meatloaf. But that's why I got store-bought tofu to put into the meatloaf as well! 

In making the actual meatloaf, I actually forgot several green ingredients, like lime peel and dill weed. Nevertheless the meatloaf was still flavorful, especially since I covered the white extra-firm tofu bits with pesto after the meatloaf was done cooking(pesto burns quickly in the oven). 

I managed to find green (pistachio) bread in my local supermarket(they were probably selling it because of the impending St. Patrick's Day) that tastes like the green part of a rainbow cookie! If i couldn't find green bread, I either would've used crushed kale chips(yuck!) or made my own green bread. 

So how does edamame tofu taste different from store-bought tofu? The big thing is that the former is sweeter than the latter type. 

HELPFUL LINKS: 

Soyajoy G4: https://www.amazon.com/SoyaJoy-G4-Maker-Stainless-Inside/dp/B00ALM5ZFM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1489246181&sr=8-1&

Nigari: https://www.amazon.com/Premium-Nigari-Natural-Tofu-Coagulant/dp/B00NS4FEH4/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1489250764&sr=8-1&

Tofu Mold: https://www.amazon.com/Mangocore-Maker-Cheese-Pressing-Kitchen/dp/B01HTKIO3I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1489252326&sr=8-1&

Matcha Green Tea Powder: https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Spirit-Organic-Premium-Culinary/dp/B01G0S3Y44/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1489250824&sr=1-4&


You will need: 

Green Edamame Tofu

For the cooking equipment: 

Soyajoy G4(see HELPFUL LINKS)
Aluminum foil
A slotted spoon
Tofu mold(see HELPFUL LINKS)
Cheesecloth
A small bowl

For the tofu: 

1500 mL(6.3 cups) water
1 1/2 cups cooked, shelled, edamame
1 tsp. nigari(see HELPFUL LINKS)
1 cup warm water

1. Put the water and edamame into the bowl of the soymilk maker. Put a lid on the container and plug it in. Press the "soaked beans" button. 
2. Let the machine run for 26-30 minutes but unplug it if it overflows. You'll know when it's done when either you hear 2 beeps or don't hear the machine heating and grinding anymore. 
3. Unplug the machine and remove the lid. Pour the soymilk into a pitcher topped with a strainer(both the strainer and pitcher come with the Soyajoy G4). 
4. Press the back of a spoon onto the strainer to squeeze milk out. Dispose of the frothy pulp(okara). 
5. Dissolve 1 tsp. nigari in 1 cup warm water. Slowly pour 3/4 of the nigari mixture into the soymilk, then wait 2-3 minutes. 
6. After 2-3 minutes, sprinkle and stir the rest of the nigari mixture in. Put aluminum foil on top of the pitcher. Let the milk mixture sit for 25 minutes, undisturbed. 
7. Retrieve the curds(which are in the bottom of the pitcher) with a slotted spoon. Line a tofu mold with cheesecloth. Put the curds into the lined tofu mold. Push the milk out of the curds in the slotted spoon with the back of a spoon. 
8. Put the lid on the tofu mold. Place a 1-lb. weight(like a can) on top of the lid. Let the tofu be weighed down for 50 minutes. You should do this step in the sink! 
9. Take the cheesecloth out of the tofu mold and turn the cheesecloth upside down to release the tofu into a small bowl. Put aluminum foil over the bowl and place the tofu in the fridge until you're ready to use it. 

Green Meatloaf

You will need: 

For the cooking equipment: 

A large bowl
A lasagna pan
Nonstick cooking spray

For the meatloaf: 

2/3 tbsp. onion powder
2 beaten and whisked eggs
1/2 cup bread and butter pickles
1/2 cup guacamole
1 tsp. matcha green tea powder(see HELPFUL LINKS)
Pinch of cilantro
Pinch of parsley
Pinch of black pepper
Pinch of salt
1 cup crumbled up, green pistachio bread
Green Edamame Tofu
8 ounces drained, crumbled up, extra firm tofu
Pesto to cover any white tofu bits

1. Put all the ingredients except for the pesto in a large bowl. Mix all the ingredients up until you get a firm mixture that is green in color. 
2. Spray a lasagna pan with nonstick cooking spray. 
3. Form 2 loaves from the meatloaf mixture. 
4. Bake the meatloaves in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 40-45 minutes. 
5. Take the lasagna pan out of the oven and cover the white tofu bits with pesto. Bon appetit!


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