http://www.care2.com/greenliving/meatless-monday-8-delicious-uses-for-tofu.html
8 Delicious Uses for Tofu
, Green Options
Tofu. For those of us who have learned to master this culinary chameleon, its sort of miraculous. Tofu takes on the flavor of whatever its seasoned or marinated with, while its texture can vary depending on the mode of preparation. I always keep a couple of blocks of the stuff on-hand for quick stir-fries or sandwiches, but really, that’s just the beginning of what tofu can do.
There are two main different types of tofu: Silken and firm. The silken variety is Japanese in origin, and is soft, delicate, and creamy. It doesn’t hold it’s shape too well, so is best used in its pureed form for smoothies, eggless/dairyless pies, dips, or soups. Firm, or Chinese-style tofu, is (as its name implies) much firmer, and holds its shape when sliced for marinating and baking, cubing, or crumbling.
If you’re seeking to expand your tofu repertoire, look no further than this list:
- Marinate firm tofu in a mix of tamari, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and a little water for a tangy flavor. Slice into slabs at bake at 400 degrees until firm. Use as an alternative protein for sandwiches, or serve with brown rice and steamed or sauteed greens for an easy macrobiotic meal.
- Make easy tofu meatballs by combining crumbled, firm tofu with chopped onion, soy sauce, peanut butter, and bread crumbs. Sounds strange, right? Its delicious. For specifics, check out the recipe. Perfect on top of a plate of whole wheat spaghetti with red sauce.
- Continuing with the Italian trend, tofu ricotta is great tossed with pasta, used as a filling for stuffed shells, or in between layers of lasagna. Use your food processor to whip up a batch in no-time flat using a block of firm tofu, some basil, salt, and toasted pine nuts and olive oil for richness.
- Silken tofu adds protein and creaminess to a fresh fruit smoothie. I like to go tropical with pineapple, banana, and orange juice, but any fruit will work.
- If you’re looking for a healthier pie, turn to silken tofu. It works beautifully to make a creamy, custard-y filling for pumpkin or coconut cream pie, and makes a mean chocolate peanut butter silk pie.
- I mentioned it in my 10 Vegan Breakfast Ideas post, but its so good that it bears repeating: Golden tofu scram(ble)!
- Use 1/4 cup of pureed silken tofu as a low-fat, cholesterol-free egg replacer when baking your favorite cookies, muffins, and quickbreads.
- Use firm tofu as the base for a vegan quiche. This recipe from 101 Cookbooks utilizes spinach, but I’m also a fan of asparagus and leek.
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13 comments
add your comment »Great article and comments. I've only used tofu a few times, but after reading this am going to have to expand my cooking to include it. After reading the comment by another poster about soybeans being one of the top modified foods, I'm also wondering if tofu from un modified soy can be found.
Kristine, beano does work for foods like beans, not sure about tofu.
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Kabin
Konteyner
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I'm always looking for ways to fix tofu. Thanks for the recipes.
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I have a terrible time digesting tofu. It gives me the worst gas that's embarrassing. Does anyone know what works for digesting
tofu and beans ect.... Does beano really work or is there something better.
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A trick that I use when working with firm tofu is to freeze it (I even STORE it frozen), then rapidly thaw it in hot water, remove it from the package, and press it (with weights) between paper towels to remove moisture. Freezing breaks the cell walls, allowing release of moisture, which can then be removed. Dried tofu of this nature accepts marinades more readily, and is generally firmer. One thing I like to do with this product is marinate it wuth tamari, lemon juice, grated ginger and garlic, then dredge it in a mixture of cornstarch, dried ground ginger, and garlic powder, and lightly deep-fry it in olive or peanut oil. I then drain it between paper towels and serve it on salads. I call this "tofoutons", a tasty, protein-rich, low-carb alternative to croutons. These are great with a sesame-ginger salad dressing!
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These ideas and recipes sound wonderfully tempting! I have been wanting to give tofu a try, and these recipes are eye-catching enough to try. What concerns me, however, is that I recently read that soy is one of the top Genetically Modified (Monsanto) crops being in the world by commercial farms. I don't want my family to eat something like that due to potential health risks. Does anyone know of certain brands that guarantee using only non-gmo soy in their tofu? I would buy it in a heart beat!
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Thanks for the tips! I have been a bit worried that I am being to reliant on Tofurky and Boca. I love them, but they are, after all, processed food. Will try some of the tofu recipes!
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I've tried cooking with firm tofu without much success. There is so much tofu in a package it spoils faster than I can use it once opened. After reading this I think I'd like to try tofu for making dips and desserts. Thanks for the tips!
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Melissa,
Your posts on wellness are always in depth and thought provoking, like the Caffeine Myths and Facts, which gave me some backing to counter the ‘caffeine addict’ label I seemed to have acquired. And these ideas to use tofu are crucial because they reveal that going meatless can be a vacation for the heart and the taste buds- a difficult concept to digest in the era of packaged health foods and protein bars. As an intern with Meatless Monday, I think you would be interested in the efforts of this nonprofit, which works with Johns Hopkins University to encourage a reduction in meat consumption to improve personal health and reduce environmental impact. The Meatless Monday website is rich with recipes, health facts and nutrition news: www.meatlessmonday.com. For instance, the Creamy Sun-dried Tomato Ziti uses a variation on idea number 4 by replacing heavy cream with silken tofu. For the history and science behind the campaign, please check out the Youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpnKeYmR1NM.
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I am the world's worst cook, but I have been using tofu, I slice it,dip it in seasoned bread crumbs, fry it in olive oil,and top it with teriaki sauce or barbequie sauce, It's fast and satisfying, it even tastes good!
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