Tofu Jambalaya

So as you all know i am a pescatarian and eat no meat but only Seafood.  There are days where I am just not feeling like making Seafood.  This was one of those days, or rather the other day I was not feeling like I was in a cooking mood!  So i gathered the stuff for Jambalaya.  Normally it calls for some sort of Sausage or Shrimp.  In this case, I was not interested in using Seafood so i grabbed the tofu!  Here is how you do it: 

1 lb extra-firm tofu, frozen and defrosted
1 lg. onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped (green and/or red)
2 ribs celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup white rice
1 lg. can diced tomatoes (28 ounces)
1/2 cup tomato juice or water
2 1/2 tsp chili powder (may use part chipotle chili powder)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp Liquid Smoke seasoning (optional)
red (cayenne) and black pepper to taste


Prepare the tofu by gently squeezing out the excess water and cutting it into 1/2-inch cubes. Set aside.
Oil or spray a large, non-stick pot with a light coating of olive oil. Over medium-high heat, saute onion, bell pepper, and celery until soft. Add rice and garlic and cook, stirring, until it browns slightly. Add tomatoes, water, chili powder and other seasonings, and stir. (It’s the cayenne pepper that makes this spicy, so be sure to add plenty!) Gently stir in tofu, cover tightly and put on low heat. Cook for 30 minutes or until rice is done and liquid is absorbed.
This makes about 4-6 servings. Once you’ve had this recipe, you’ll do like I do and keep a package of tofu in the freezer at all times!
Note: You can do this with brown rice, but it takes about twice as long to cook and requires at least a cup more liquid. And, to tell you the truth, it doesn’t taste as good. But feel free to try it that way.