Pink Tofu Salad Wrap

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When I was in college, I was friends with some boys who were in a fraternity and had their own chef.  The chef’s specialty was chicken salad sandwiches, which I had never eaten before but promptly became OBSESSED with – I would sneak into the kitchen and steal entire Ziploc bags of chicken salad mix!  Don’t tell! 

 

When I went vegetarian, chicken salad sandwiches were one of the meat dishes that I missed the most.  One day, I figured out that you can easily sub out the chicken with plain baked tofu and make a vegetarian version of this awesome dish.

 

Here’s a fun twist on my favorite sandwich stuffer!

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Instead of celery, this tofu salad contains chilled beets, which gives the dish a pinkish hue.  Yum!

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Pink Tofu Salad

 

Ingredients (makes three servings):

 

  • 1 block tofu
  • 4 chilled beets (I bought pre-cooked beets from produce section; not canned)
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped and loosely packed basil
  • 1/3 cup plain yogurt
  • Sprinkle salt and pepper

 

Directions:

 

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  • Slice tofu into tiny square.  No need to drain.

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  • Place tofu on greased cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, chop carrots and beets.  Rinse to remove excess beet juice.
  • Remove tofu from oven and let cool (or stick it in the freezer for 5 minutes).
  • Combine carrots, beets, basil, salt and pepper, tofu, and yogurt in a small bowl.
  • Scoop onto bread or wrap and serve!

 

I really loved this tofu salad twist.  The beets were SO delicious!

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In addition to plowing through my To Do list, I stopped by Omega Sports, a Girls on the Run supporter, to pick up our team’s packets for this Saturday’s 5K!

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I cannot BELIEVE the race is this Saturday.  I know the girls are ready to have fun!  I just hope I can keep up.

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Off to our last meeting… So sad.

{ 70 comments }

 

  • Miranda @ Working Mom Works Out May 5, 2011, 1:05 pm

    So excited about your run!!

    And chicken salad is one of my faves, too.

    I make a fake tuna salad with mashed chickpeas. you could probably do fake chicken salad, too. Yum!

  • Leanne (Bride to Mrs,) May 5, 2011, 1:15 pm

    When will the new GOTR season begin? Is the hubby and you going to be coaches again?

    • Caitlin May 5, 2011, 8:12 pm

      YuP! 🙂 We are so excited.

      Season begins in September I think. So far away!

  • Freya May 5, 2011, 1:17 pm

    Oohh good luck on the 5k! No doubt you’ll rock it!
    That wrap looks SO good. Beets and tofu go incredibly well together.

  • Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat May 5, 2011, 1:19 pm

    This sounds yummy!! I love anything pink, including food! Tofu has been a huge staple in my fridge lately and I’m not even vegetarian, but I can’t seem to get enough of baked tofu! Have fun at your last meeting! 🙂

  • Sarena (The Non Dairy Queen) May 5, 2011, 1:20 pm

    The beets made that such a pretty color! I can’t believe the run is this weekend! Good luck to the girls!

  • monicanelsonfitness May 5, 2011, 1:22 pm

    You will do great!

    I can only laugh, I am on a beet kick too and it is turning all my food pink, my clothes are getting stained, my teeth(temporarily, of course). etc. So worth it though, your wrap looks great. 🙂

  • Holly @ The Runny Egg May 5, 2011, 1:22 pm

    That wrap looks delicious — I wonder what I could sub for the yogurt to make it dairy free.

    • Abby May 5, 2011, 4:19 pm

      I’ve seen coconut milk yogurt…maybe that would work?

      • Caitlin May 5, 2011, 8:07 pm

        Or soy plain yogurt!

        Or white bean hummus? Maybe.

  • Erin May 5, 2011, 1:23 pm

    Looks good! Here’s another sandwich filling I make that can satisfy the same kinda craving…

    http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Vegetarian-Chickpea-Sandwich-Filling/Detail.aspx

    i also sub mayo with yogurt:)

    • Caitlin May 5, 2011, 8:06 pm

      oh that looks GOOD.

  • Donna @ Love, Run & Travel May 5, 2011, 1:23 pm

    Beets are such a great idea for sandwiches!
    Have fun with the girls this weekend, i’m sure you have made such a difference in their lives 🙂

  • Kiran @ KiranTarun.com May 5, 2011, 1:29 pm

    I love this combo! And what a great way to incorporate beets 🙂

  • McKella May 5, 2011, 1:30 pm

    I love beets and I have a block of tofu in my fridge right now! Great idea.

  • Michelle (your girlfriend for fitness) May 5, 2011, 1:41 pm

    Good luck on the 5k! I think that is such an awesome program and hope to do a GOTR 5k locally one day to support. I also have this sudden craving for watermelon 🙂

  • Amanda- The Nutritionist Reviews May 5, 2011, 1:46 pm

    Man you are lucky! My husband was in a frat and they had the worst food ever. Like all the food that they were given for a weekend would be waffles and hot pockets.

  • Paige (Running Around Normal) May 5, 2011, 1:52 pm

    I like to make egg salad in lieu of chicken salad now…yum! Hope the last meeting goes well!! 🙂

  • Christine May 5, 2011, 1:55 pm

    Never liked chicken salad BUT I make a vegetarian version with tempeh. I also like to add chopped walnuts for a fun texture!

    Never tried to do it with tofu, though!

  • Gavi @ GaviGetsGoing! May 5, 2011, 1:56 pm

    Good luck with the 5k–I’m sure it will be an amazing experience! This salad looks great, except that I just cannot stomach beets. Do you think anything else would work well in place of the beets? Thanks so much for sharing the recipe. P.S. Did you see this new Peter Hollens video? It’s such a beautiful song! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaJ3adMgsbY

    • Caitlin May 5, 2011, 8:05 pm

      Love it! Going to blog about it tonight!

  • Katy (The Singing Runner) May 5, 2011, 2:02 pm

    Looks delicious!!!

    I hear you about GOTR! We have our 5K next Saturday (the 14th)! Ahhh I don’t know what I am going to do without my girls! 🙁

  • Marina May 5, 2011, 2:05 pm

    Lovely wrap, what a great idea to put some beets in there too!

  • Sarah for Real May 5, 2011, 2:19 pm

    If someone had asked me, “what do you think Caitlin swiped from a college fraternity?” chicken salad would not have been my first guess. Or my second… Lol!

    • Caitlin May 5, 2011, 8:05 pm

      hahaha i swiped a LOT of things from that fraternity house.

  • Jenny @ Fitness Health and Food May 5, 2011, 2:27 pm

    mmm I love this recipe! I am not a huge chicken fan but chicken salad (particularly in a whole wheat pita) is one of my favorite lunches. I love the addition of beets mm mmm! 🙂

    Best wishes for the 5K! 🙂

  • Ash @ Good Taste Healthy Me May 5, 2011, 2:41 pm

    I absolutely love chicken salad. I like making it at home. My fiance used to eat the canned chicken (ew!) but since he had my homemade version he hasn’t looked back! 🙂

  • Katherine: Unemployed May 5, 2011, 2:56 pm

    I like the mayo substitute of yogurt but does it taste weird with beets and tofu?

    • Caitlin May 5, 2011, 8:05 pm

      Nope it tastes great!

  • Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope May 5, 2011, 2:58 pm

    What an awesome non-meat recipe! Great idea!

  • Erin @ Big Girl Feats May 5, 2011, 3:06 pm

    Awww, I ran an after school program in college and you really do become so attached to the kids (maybe even more so than they do to you!) Have a great last class!

  • Kacy May 5, 2011, 3:14 pm

    Looks delicious. I love beets!

  • Dana May 5, 2011, 3:20 pm

    Thanks for all the info you posted a few weeks ago about GOTR. I’m volunteering as a course marshall for a GOTR 5k race here in Maryland now. I hope to get more involved in the future!

    • Caitlin May 5, 2011, 8:04 pm

      Yay! I am so excited for you 🙂 Have fun! Bring funny signs! LOL

  • Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin May 5, 2011, 3:23 pm

    What a fun twist on tofu salad! I love that it’s pink! 😀

  • chelsey @ clean eating chelsey May 5, 2011, 3:37 pm

    I love chicken salad/egg salad – I don’t know why I’ve never made it with tofu!

  • Kate (What Kate is Cooking) May 5, 2011, 3:37 pm

    I hate beets, but this actually looks really good!

  • Lauren May 5, 2011, 3:44 pm

    I SOO didn’t realize until now that you were near Charlotte. I have followed your blog for a few weeks and really love it! I am doing the Run Like a Girl 5K this weekend at the USNWWC. I hope you have a great time with Girls on the Run this weekend!

    • Caitlin May 5, 2011, 8:04 pm

      Aw I wish it wasn’t this weekend because I would love to do that race! i hope you have fun, I hear it’s challenging. Thanks for reading!

  • Paige May 5, 2011, 3:55 pm

    I have been reading your blog for a few months now and I have a general running question that im hoping you can help me with! I have recently started a beginner running program with a friend (walk 10 min, run 1, walk 1, repeat kind of thing) but now that we are at run 4 min walk 2 ive started to get really slow. I mean really slow. Do you have any advice on how I can speed up? Im a 20 yr old college student and im starting to get down on myself that I cant run for 4 minutes 4 times at a decent pace to a) keep up with my friend and b) not feel like im about to die. Any advice you have would be great!!

  • The Teenage Taste May 5, 2011, 4:04 pm

    That tofu salad wrap looks fabulous. I swear, colorful food just tastes better! 😛

  • Ellie @ The Mommyist May 5, 2011, 4:05 pm

    Yogurt instead of mayo? I may have to try this. I never eat egg or chicken salad because I can’t stand mayo…

  • Natalia - a side of simple May 5, 2011, 4:08 pm

    Tuna salad is my ultimate favorite, but I think I’m going to have to try your tofu twist!!

  • Baking 'n' Books May 5, 2011, 4:14 pm

    What was your degree in?

    So you don’t have to cook the beets? I love beets – so fun! But they always turn my tongue super purple 😉

    • Caitlin May 5, 2011, 8:01 pm

      I have a double major in English Writing non fiction and Political Science… and a minor in awesomesauceness.

      • Baking 'n' Books May 5, 2011, 8:55 pm

        Oh my God…that’s my dream…both degress 😉

        Wow – I feel majorly *naive* to think I could be an Author or any type of journalist.

        • Caitlin May 6, 2011, 8:59 am

          If it makes you feel better, I think my degrees are useful but unnecessary 🙂

  • bonnie May 5, 2011, 4:29 pm

    yum that looks delish! Have fun this saturday! enjoy every minute of it!!

  • Sarah @ The Pajama Chef May 5, 2011, 4:42 pm

    soounds yummy!

  • Elena @ GagaForGrapefruit May 5, 2011, 5:14 pm

    i’ve never had beets! i’m nervous to try, but it sounds good!

    • Caitlin May 5, 2011, 8:00 pm

      omg you will love them. get them from trader joes!

  • Sarah May 5, 2011, 5:21 pm

    I just love beetroot on any type of sandwich or wrap. Sweet, bitter and pink. What more could you want!

  • Lisa (bakebikeblog) May 5, 2011, 5:40 pm

    what a lovely new take on an ol’ favourite!

  • Emma (Namaste Everyday) May 5, 2011, 5:51 pm

    I love that there is yoghurt instead of mayo. I love chicken salad too, but I am also a vegetarian and a mayo-hater! sounds totally YUM!

  • amy the aussie May 5, 2011, 6:18 pm

    looks delicious!

  • Molly @ RDexposed May 5, 2011, 6:20 pm

    They’re doing a 5K? They rock. I wish I had been that cool at their age.

    • Caitlin May 5, 2011, 8:00 pm

      hehe i’ll tell them you said that!

  • Cait @ Beyond Bananas May 5, 2011, 6:32 pm

    The race is going to be amazing…you have truly touched these girls.. you are awesome!

  • Amanda (Eating Up) May 5, 2011, 7:12 pm

    I love chicken salad! That recipe sounds awesome. Also can’t believe the race is this weekend. I feel like I just read your coach’s training meeting recap!

  • Liv @ The Salty n' Sweet May 5, 2011, 7:16 pm

    I’ve never been a fan of traditional chicken salad with the mayo, but I know I’ll love this version. Thanks for the recipe! And I hope your leg feels awesome come Saturday 🙂

  • Liv @ The Salty n' Sweet May 5, 2011, 7:16 pm

    I’ve never been a fan of traditional chicken salad with the mayo, but I know I’ll love this version. Thanks for the recipe! And I hope your leg feels awesome come Saturday 🙂

  • Morgan @ Endorphaholic May 5, 2011, 7:42 pm

    Holy yum! Forget fiesta food, I want this for dinner!

    I’m definitely going to miss my sorority’s chef, he makes the best tortilla soup!

  • kristinp May 5, 2011, 9:12 pm

    I just had the most amazing dinner and in my creepy-blog-stalkerdom, all I could think of was sharing it with the veg/vegans I communicate with, namely blog folk. Anyway, saute veggies, add curry powder and coconut milk. Put over spinach with generous globs of hummus – DIVINE!! Like curry salad, in the best of all possible ways. Hope you like it!

    • Caitlin May 6, 2011, 8:59 am

      Best.comment.ever.

  • Lu @ A Mix of it All May 5, 2011, 9:30 pm

    That is an awesome idea. I’m iffy about chicken so this would be a great substitute. I love beets, too. Those can only make this dish ridiculously good.

  • Paige May 5, 2011, 11:15 pm

    Thank you!! The post on sluggish runs was very helpful! More than one of those sounds like it could be the reason for my sluggishness, ill have to play around with a few things to see if I can figure it out!

  • Khushboo May 6, 2011, 12:19 am

    Everything tastes better when pink! Hahah wow that comment must make me sound like a major bimbo :)!

  • Amber K May 6, 2011, 11:51 am

    Looks good! I recently made this for Easter and was a great tuna salad swap. Although I don’t like chicken or tuna, so I guess I’m not the best judge. But my meat-loving husband loved it too, so it must be good!
    http://newlywednewlyveg.com/2010/03/06/southern-sun/

  • Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca) May 6, 2011, 7:02 pm

    Fraternity’s confuse me … I don’t even really know what they are. We don’t have them in Canada!

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