Fried green tomatoes vegan-style (and tofu!)

Got a craving to try this after getting some beautiful little green tomatoes at the farmers market that refused to get soft.  We decided they were begging to be fried!

I decided to try and come up with a tasty egg-free version of this southern favorite, and use less oil than the typical deep fried recipes.  The maple syrup adds a delicious subtle sweetness is a great contrast to the spice of the cayenne pepper and together they really bring out the flavor of the tomatoes!

Ingredients

• green tomatoes, sliced
• super firm tofu, thinly sliced
• maple syrup (1 tablespoon per tomato)
• bread crumbs (start with a few tablespoons- add more/less depending on amount of tomatoes/tofu)
• whole wheat flour or flour of choice (a little less than amount of bread crumbs)
• salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
• olive oil (enough to coat bottom of pan when hot, may need to add additional oil while cooking depending on how much you are making)
• garlic, finely diced
• fresh sage, cut into small pieces

To prepare

Mix together bread crumbs, flour, salt, peppers in bowl or on plate.  Coat tofu/tomatoes in syrup in separate bowl, then roll/dredge in flour/crumb mixture until evenly coated.  Heat oil in pan add pinch of garlic to sizzle, then sage just before adding tomoatoes/tofu.  Fry each side for a few minutes, until golden brown.

Allow to cool briefly, then savor!