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| Forums: September 2011 Kickstart Forum: Help me like tofu | |||
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| 3faithful
Joined: 09/14/11 Posts: 8 |
Help me like tofu Posted Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 9:37 AM This morning I had tofu scramble for breakfast and honestly, while edible, I won't be rushing to make it again anytime soon. In my enthusiasm to embrace this wonderful lifestyle (I'm on day 11 and feel fantastic!) I purchase a 3-pack of tofu at Costco yesterday. Previous to the tofu scramble the only other thing I've made with tofu is General Tso's Tofu (recipe from vegweb). My kids love it but it's certainly not a healthy recipe and it's labor intensive. Can you tell me your favorite, easy recipes that use tofu, so that I can learn to love it? Thanks! |
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| donnamae
Joined: 09/01/11 Posts: 35 |
RE: Help me like tofu Posted Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 9:44 AM Oh I am totally with you! I will be watching this thread for hints/ideas as well. You're braver than me - you not only bought it, you've eaten it!! Tofu and tempheh are two things that for some reason just make me belch to think of them!!! Hoping I can get past that, or that I can be plant based without those two things!!! It's enough learning about kale, swiss chard, blending spinach, and lots of other things right now, but will wait a bit on the tofu. Thanks for posting this, and again, I will wait to see some of the hints and maybe I'll change my ways!! |
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| Susan Levin
Joined: 12/26/09 Posts: 1191 |
RE: Help me like tofu Posted Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 9:49 AM Different tofus have different tastes. I'm somewhat picky about mine. I don't like soft, wet tofu; I like it to be pretty tough and dry. There is a local brand here in DC that satisfies my criteria, but before I discovered it, I tried some other tricks. Here's a good one: Buy the extra firm from the refrigerator section (not the shelf stable silken-type). Then throw it in the freezer, packaging and all. Let it freeze. Then thaw. Remove from packaging and squeeze out excess water (this is impossible if it's still frozen). Suddenly you have a tougher, dryer, type of tofu that has a much different mouthfeel and soaks up all sorts of flavor. I refer to this as my Freeze Thaw Squeeze method. Before I discovered my local brand, I used to keep a good cycle of tofu going - some in the freezer and some thawed in the refrigerator. Always prepared for a delicious tofu sauté, tofu bake, "raw" cubes on a salad, etc. Susan Levin, MS, RD |
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| donnamae
Joined: 09/01/11 Posts: 35 |
RE: Help me like tofu Posted Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 10:12 AM Susan, I'm in No VA so what's the DC brand, we probably have it here. |
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gryphonpro
 Location: Cape Breton, NS, Canada Posts: 239 |
RE: Help me like tofu Posted Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 11:01 AM Oh no, the tofu scramble is my current favourite, so our tastes might just be different. I do make it with my own spice combination... what I use to use with scrambled eggs with veggies in the past, and I use my usual veggies too, including the zucchini of the PCRM recipe but I also add mushrooms and bell pepper. Are you a scrambled egg with veggies kind of person? Tofu chocolate mousse is also nice, and much lower in fat than the avocado alternative. I often slow fry chunks until crispy and add it to heavy veggie stews such as ratatouilli. It is also good done this way with any primavera sauce, or with any stirfry. Don't dispair, maybe you just don't like tofu. I find that I have been eating it less often since I started experimenting with the PCRM and NutritionMD recipes, since they don't call for it much. - madeline madeline yakimchuk
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| DianeJ
Joined: 01/01/10 Posts: 134 |
RE: Help me like tofu Posted Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 12:04 PM Tofu is wonderful!!! But not "as is"! Its like, say, flour.... you must make something with it. As said above, there are different kinds- silken, soft, firm, etc. The softer versions are generally used to make sauces, dressings, puddings, etc. I'm not a big fan. But the extra firm is the one I use- as above, frozen then thawed, OR drained well. (YOu must get it as dry as possible...slice in 4-5 thick slices, then lay on a towel, cover with a handful of paper towels or another clean tea towel, and press- do this till the slices seem pretty dry. This is important). Then prepare as follows, and let me preface this by saying this does require some oil, not a lot, but for "new" tofu eaters, this is the best way. There are many great recipes for baked, grilled, etc, tofu, but this kind of saute will provide the crispness, that you cannot get otherwise. Wipe a few spoonfuls of canola or olive oil over the bottom of a heavy non-stick pan. Cut tofu "slices" longwise, and then across, making little squares. Add to the pre-heated pan (med to med-hi). Let the tofu sit and sizzle until it begins to turn golden-brown. This will take longer than you think, then gently turn with spatula, to begin browning on the other sides. Again, this will take a while, let the tofu sit, rather than continual stirring as it will fall apart. Once it is all browned, it may be removed to a platter with paper towel, then added back to a recipe that has some sort of sauce included. But my favorite, is to add to tofu in pan, a good quality bar-b-que sauce and let simmer until hot and all tofu is covered- use like regular bbq, on a sandwich, or on brn rice, etc. Or add a mixture of soy sauce, maple syrup, lime juice, and red chili paste and let simmer, to make a sweet and spicy thai tofu, great with noodles, or rice. Any kind of sauce, a peanut sauce, or even marinara, is great with this basic tofu. Even taking these little squares ( think of almost like a little crouton, that is crispy hot on the outside, and slightly soft on the inside) and just offering them on a platter with a one of sauces to dip, is great. |
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mollyhorn
 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 582 |
RE: Help me like tofu Posted Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 12:10 PM FatFreeVegan.com has some good recipes for tofu – her Chickenless Chicken Salad is particularly excellent. I'm also in agreement with Susan – you have to freeze and then squeeze the extra firm tofu in order to get a good texture. I usually then marinate mine in a mixture of soy sauce + whatever other seasonings I want to use. Also, tofu is good on pizza if you dice it thinly and add to a crust that is just marinara, veggies and seasonings. To be honest, I don't use tofu unless a recipe specifically calls for it. In my daily eating, I'm much more likely to use beans or packaged crumbles. However, I *love* Mori-Nu Light Silken Tofu, and use it in place of yogurt/milk/cream/anything. I usually blend it up with cocoa powder or Walden Farms Chocolate or Caramel Syrup, some Splenda or Stevia, a little almond milk, dash of salt, and then let it set in the fridge overnight. The result is like chocolate mousse and it is wonderful! Molly Horn |
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| veg4life
Joined: 09/05/11 Posts: 34 |
RE: Help me like tofu Posted Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 3:33 PM Try baked tofu - it's great to use in stir-fries, on top of salads, or just eat it hot from the oven! Here's one easy recipe:
Ingredients:
Drain tofu on slanted cutting board with a weight on top for 20 – 30 minutes. Cut the tofu into rectangles about 1 1/2 in. by 3/4 in. by 1/2 in. thick (I get 32 out of a pound block). Mix the other ingredients and pour over the tofu in a mixing bowl. You can either let the tofu marinate for 30 minutes or bake it right away. The best way to mix it up is to gently toss between 2 bowls until evenly covered. If you have a wire cooling rack, lay out the tofu on the rack with a tray underneath to catch the excess liquid. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, then remove the tray and put the rack back in for another 15 - 20 minutes or until it starts to get golden brown edges. This will keep in the fridge for at least a couple of days, and you can throw them in stir frys or salads or whatever. When they are warm, the flavor comes out better, but even cold, they are quite tasty. And of course, experiment with seasonings. Serves: 2-4 |
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Wild4Stars
 Location: Florida Posts: 832 |
RE: Help me like tofu Posted Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 7:36 PM I haven't tried this yet, but the reports from people I know who have is excellent. Would love to hear from anyone who tries it. Vikki ~ Wild4Stars@gmail.com |
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| Susan Levin
Joined: 12/26/09 Posts: 1191 |
RE: Help me like tofu Posted Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 7:38 PM
Susan, I'm in No VA so what's the DC brand, we probably have it here. The one I like is called Twin Oaks. It is actually from somewhere in Virginia. Susan Levin, MS, RD |
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| kiwi
Joined: 01/03/11 Location: New Zealand Posts: 405 |
RE: Help me like tofu Posted Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 9:06 PM This is one of my favourite recipes from Spinach Quiche Serves 4 Time: 20 minutes to prepare; 40 minutes to bake 1 single unbaked 71/2 inch whole wheat pie crust 1. prepare the pie crust 2. Wash, drain and chop the spinach. place in a large pot, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes or unitl it is wilted. Drain the spinach well and press it with the back of a spoon to expel any excess liquid. Place the drained spinach in a large bowl. Set aside. 3. Place the tofu and miso in a blender or a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Scrape the sides of the blender or food processor occasionally with a rubber spatula so that all the tofu is well blended. 4. Add the tofu mixture to the cooked spinach. Add the onion flakes. basil, oregano, nutmeg and cayenne pepper. Mix well. 5. Fill the pie crust with the spinach tofu mixture. Top with the soy cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is firm. let it cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Variations Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food - Hippocrates. |
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| magda
Joined: 09/09/11 Posts: 10 |
RE: Help me like tofu Posted Sunday, September 18, 2011 at 8:27 AM I used to hate tofu I also sometimes add it (plain, just out of the box) to smoothies to make them creamier and add some protein. In that case you can't feel the taste, the consistence just gets thicker which I like, because I don't like to drink my food - I don't feel like it's actually food then Tofu is also great for quiches - when you would normally add egg/cream/cheese mixture, you add tofu blended with some unsweetened non-dairy milk and seasonings. I find that adding bit of tahini and mustard to the mix gives it cheesy taste. And don't forget tofu cheezecakes - use tofu mixed with non dairy milk, lemon juice and sugar/agave/maple syrup in place of cream cheese. That's actually how I felt in love with it. While I was blending the batter for tofu cheesecake, I more or less ate half of it before actually baking the cake |
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| Nyssa23
Joined: 04/03/11 Location: Athens, Ohio Posts: 35 |
RE: Help me like tofu Posted Sunday, September 18, 2011 at 9:45 AM I agree with the people who said to use the refrigerated, water-packed tofu instead of the silken tofu in a tofu scramble. I, however, do not like it frozen. It does change the texture, and I prefer the pre-frozen texture. That said, I also agree that it depends on the brand. The kind we have where I live is also a very dry, dense texture, which I prefer. It's so easy, you don't even have to squeeze it. I went to my mom's house across the state a few years ago and got whatever brand they had at their health food store, and I didn't realize it needed to be squeezed, and it was awful. And I've been loving tofu for nearly twenty years now. The kind I use is Spring Creek Organic Tofu. I'm not sure how widely spread it is in availability, but it is the best kind I've tried. In fact, I like it so much I just heat up slices of it on the stove and put it on bread with some mustard and fake cheese and have a sandwich out of it. I'm sure that most people wouldn't like that, though. It is kind of bland that way. Also, about the freezing, I work in a restaurant where we make a vegetarian chili and use Spring Creek Tofu as the base. We do freeze it first, but we crumble it and put it in a zip lock baggie before we freeze it. So if you want to try that for scrambles, it may give it a better texture. Just squeeze out all the water when (or maybe before?) you crumble it, then freeze, thaw, and cook it like veggie crumbles you would get in the store. You may not even need to thaw it first depending on what you're doing with it I suppose. |
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| 3faithful
Joined: 09/14/11 Posts: 8 |
RE: Help me like tofu Posted Sunday, September 18, 2011 at 10:03 AM Thanks for all the awesome suggestions! I now have tofu in the freezer so that I can use it in a recipe later. The General's tofu recipe also recommends the freeze/thaw method to change the texture (I forgot about that until I read everyone's suggestion). I think this is what was wrong with my tofu scramble. Getting the texture right will make all the difference! |
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cch22
 Location: New York State Posts: 1000 |
RE: Help me like tofu Posted Sunday, September 18, 2011 at 1:40 PM hi.. one day a week or two ago.. i had a big salad and then put the protien in the dessert.. wow! it came out just like on the website..it was delish for sure.. Chocolate Fudge Pie Melt the chocolate either on the stove or in microwave. |
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| Sherismiley
Joined: 09/18/11 Posts: 6 |
RE: Help me like tofu Posted Sunday, September 18, 2011 at 4:20 PM O...that pie sounds wonderful!! I am printing that one out right now!! Thanks for sharing!!!! |
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| Sherismiley
Joined: 09/18/11 Posts: 6 |
RE: Help me like tofu Posted Sunday, September 18, 2011 at 4:20 PM O...that pie sounds wonderful!! I am printing that one out right now!! Thanks for sharing!!!! |
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| Sherismiley
Joined: 09/18/11 Posts: 6 |
RE: Help me like tofu Posted Sunday, September 18, 2011 at 4:21 PM O...that pie sounds wonderful!! I am printing that one out right now!! Thanks for sharing!!!! |
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| Sherismiley
Joined: 09/18/11 Posts: 6 |
RE: Help me like tofu Posted Sunday, September 18, 2011 at 4:21 PM O...that pie sounds wonderful!! I am printing that one out right now!! Thanks for sharing!!!! |
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sis11
 Posts: 30 |
RE: Help me like tofu Posted Sunday, September 18, 2011 at 9:41 PM Just the other day I was thinking about how I used to dislike tofu (and tempeh! but that was before I learned to poach tempeh in water, or even steam it, for 10-20 minutes before cooking with it, to take out the bitterness). Our tastebuds really do change over time, eating only plant-based foods. But if you'd told me I'd ever crave tofu or tempeh, I'd have thought you were from Mars. And all scrambled tofus are DEFINITELY not created equal. So I don't know if this is an acquired taste, but Isa Chandra Moskowitz's scrambled tofu recipes in Vegan Brunch (an amazing cookbook -- lemon poppyseed muffins! Chesapeake Tempeh cakes you'd swear were crab!) are amazing. I found a result online for the pesto scrambled tofu with grape tomatoes. http://tinyurl.com/3o445yz This is from the Google scan, just to give the idea, but it's worth getting the book, though you'll have to adjust things to make them lower-fat. A few of the recipes seem to overlaps with Vegan with a Vengeance, but I think this is the later book, and the versions in here are usually even better. Sarah |
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