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It’s time for some Doctor Who food! If you’ve been feeling like your mealtime isn’t nearly geeky enough, I’ve got the solution for you. Adipose tofu with bowtie pasta salad. (Bowties are cool!)
This Doctor Who themed meal is sure to delight the Whovians in your life.
What is adipose?
To non Doctor Who fans, adipose tissue is what is found beneath the skin and around internal organs. But Doctor Who enthusiasts know it to be an alien creature from David Tennant’s time on the show.
I don’t want to give any spoilers away, but let’s just say they had a symbiotic relationship with human dieters.
Doctor Who food
For this Doctor Who themed meal, I’ve cut tofu into the shape of Adipose and baked them in a lemon marinade. Then I added capers for eyes and sliced kalamata olives for mouths.
These lemony tofu figures are almost too cute to eat.
I served them on top of bowtie pasta salad, which is another Doctor Who reference – this time to the eleventh doctor, Matt Smith, who had a particular fondness for bowties.
The pasta salad is dotted with roasted chickpeas and Castelvetrano olives. If you wanted to pretend that the sliced cherry tomatoes in the salad are little fezzes, I wouldn’t hold it against you.
Oh, and artichoke hearts, of course. The Doctor insists on at least two of them. 😉
And on the side, kale chips served in a Dalek soufflé dish.
Fans of the show may remember when Clara Oswald, who was at one time trapped inside of a Dalek, later went on to save a species by offering up a very special leaf, dubbed the most important leaf in human history.
As far as leaves go, it doesn’t get much more special than kale, am I right?
This meal of Doctor Who food would be perfect for a lunch, dinner, birthday party or picnic for fans of the show.
Adipose tofu with bowtie pasta salad
Ingredients
- 10 ounces vacuum packed super firm tofu*
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons tamari
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- A few grinds of black pepper
- 1 batch bowtie pasta salad
- Few kalamata olives sliced and then cut each circle in half for mouths
- 8 capers
Instructions
To make lemon tofu - Adipose style
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut the tofu into about 4 even slices. Cut those slices into Adipose shapes with two legs, arms, and rounded head.
- Drizzle extra virgin olive oil and tamari into an 8 x 8 inch baking dish. Tilt the dish, so that the bottom is evenly coated. Put the tofu slices into the dish, making sure each side gets coated.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven, and flip the tofu slices. Pour lemon juice into the dish. Grind black pepper evenly over the slices.
- Bake the tofu for 20 more minutes.
- Remove from oven and move to a serving plate or on top of bowtie pasta salad. Top each Adipose tofu slice with 2 capers for eyes and a kalamata slice mouth.
Andrea says
I won’t be able to watch the special because I’m only on episode 6 but I could eat the food!
Cadry says
You’ll have a long time to plan your anniversary special menu then! 😉
Kylie @ FotV says
I have never watched a single episode of Dr. Who! I feel so out of the loop, but I’ve never been a fan of sci-fi in general. I have a lot of friends who are gaga for it though!
And thank you so much for your kind words and letting me interrogate you 😀
Cadry says
You should check out an episode or two sometime, Kylie! You might be surprised. I have never been into science fiction either. In fact, a guy broke up with me in high school because I mocked Doctor Who! Oh, irony of ironies! 🙂 The draw of the show for me is all about the relationships. It’s a serialized show, where they keep building on the story, relationships, and interactions. It’s easy to get caught up in it!
Jackie at Vegan Yack Attack says
I don’t watch Dr. Who, but have SO many friends that are obsessed! I love your creative interpretation of it with food!
Cadry says
Thanks, Jackie!
gaiantlc says
You are awesome. That is all.
Cadry says
Yay! Love this comment! 🙂
acookinthemaking says
I remember watching Dr. Who with my dad (who is British) when I was a kid, but unfortunately I don’t really remember much about it at all. I love how you’ve managed to combine your love for the show with your creative talents (both food and pottery!) for this occasion though. It’s very inspiring 🙂
Cadry says
Aw, what a sweet thing to say! Thank you!
Becky Striepe says
That bowl of adipose tofu is the first thing that I showed Dave this morning. I seriously squealed when it showed up on my phone! We don’t have cable, so we will buy the episode from Amazon or iTunes the next day and watch. I can’t waaaaaiiiittttt!
Cadry says
That’s so awesome! Thanks, Becky! So what did you think of the episode? I’ve seen it twice now. (They showed it at a theatre closer to home last night.) I think I enjoyed it even more the second time around when I could just relax and watch without wondering who might be making cameo appearances and what surprises would be coming at us.
Bianca- Vegan Crunk says
Haha. I have no idea what any of this is about! But I love your dedication to theme. 🙂 I’m such a nerd for a theme. One day, maybe I’ll finally watch Doctor Who. I keep thinking I wouldn’t like it, but I bet I’d get sucked in.
Cadry says
You should totally check it out, Bianca! I wouldn’t consider myself a science fiction fan, but Doctor Who totally sucked me in. Do you like Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Sherlock? If so, you’d probably like Doctor Who.
Cheerfully Vegan says
I have recently joined the masses who watch Dr. Who and it captivated me. When I saw your post I just laughed with delight! What an amazing job you did recreating the little adipose creatures. lol Love your pottery, too. I sent a link to several family members and friends who also enjoy Dr. Who. 🙂
Cadry says
How sweet! Thanks! Have you watched the anniversary special yet, or are you waiting until you reach that point in the series?
Hannah says
You are spectacularly the best. Amazing. Dying over the Adipose Tofu.
Cadry says
Aw, shucks. Thanks, Hannah! xoxo
luminousvegans says
The tofu in this salad is seriously the cutest!
Cadry says
Thanks, Ketty!
Hannah says
I can’t even handle this post right now! So amazing and cute. I’ve never watched Dr. Who (I KNOW), but I’m pretty familiar with the ins and outs of the imagery. Your Dalek dish is amazing.
Cadry says
Thank you, Hannah! So lovely of you to say!
thepeacepatch says
Happy Dr. Who-iversary! I’m all a-swoon over your delicious delights and your Dalek soufflé dish…supercoolness! Cheers! 🙂
Cadry says
Wow, that is crazy cool! Thanks for sharing!
Veggietorials says
I’m hanging my head in shame because I have never watched an episode of Dr. Who! Those Adipose tofu guys are so cute 🙂
Cadry says
No worries, Cobi! There’s still time! (Ha! Get it? He’s a time traveler? *cue crickets*)
Maggie Muggins says
Cutest. Salad. Ever.
I’ve actually never seen Doctor Who, I know, crazy right? I know everyone is gaga for it but I’ve never seen it come on tv. I really should just download a couple episodes, but with 50 years to catch up on, that’s one show I don’t know if I can risk becoming addicted to.
Cadry says
I started with the series reboot in 2005. I know that’s still 8 years of TV, but it’s not quite as daunting as 50 years. Plus, if you like it, that means all the more TV to love! 🙂 David has been watching since he was a child, and so because of him, I’ve seen quite a bit of the classic series now too.