Tofu

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MissJenova
MissJenova Posts: 258
in Food and Nutrition
I bought a package of tofu for a vegan plan I am trying to follow and I HATE IT. Anyone have any recipes or suggestions on how to cook it?

I put it in a pan with some mushrooms, garlic, basil, and lime juice. It wouldn't be so bad, but there's just something about tofu that I do not like.

Help? I don't want to waste the rest of this block of poop ^_^
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Replies

  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
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    Tofu is something you have to learn to cook or you're not going to like it. I like it best made crispy style fried up with alittle oil and green beans and teriyaki sauce, I also like it breaded with panko crumbs or baked on pizza with bbq sauce
  • fultimers
    fultimers Posts: 153 Member
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    Tofu is definitely an acquired taste but it's full of protein and relatively low in calories. I like to sprinkle tamari sauce or soy sauce on the slices and then saute them in a little oil until slightly crispy. You can also blend it and make desserts. Google tofu for recipes.
  • ladylaume
    ladylaume Posts: 81 Member
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    A chocolate pie made with tofu is great ive never used it out side of smoothies or pies, but i have some to try just to afraid....
  • therunninghippie
    therunninghippie Posts: 53 Member
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    Oil is your friend. I just fry it and then add it to my stir-fries. Marinating the tofu in your stir-fry sauce will also help!
  • SailorKnightWing
    SailorKnightWing Posts: 875 Member
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    What kind of food do you like? That's a pretty good place to start.
  • marniesworld
    marniesworld Posts: 74 Member
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    I don't have any recipes, unfortunately, but I just wanted to pop on and show some solidarity because I, too, HATE Tofu.

    I've been a vegetarian for 9 years and and have given it a fair shot numerous times, and I can't get past the feeling that it's like eating pieces of flip flop. Not cool.

    That being said, silken tofu, often found in desserts (like the kickass vegan Coconut Cream Pie a restaurant near me makes) is good, but regular old Tofu sucks. I'm with you.

    I know that's not very helpful, but sometimes it's nice to just have someone agree! :-)

    *edited to fix a grammatically awful sentence!
  • Dazzleyes
    Dazzleyes Posts: 8 Member
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    Try this Filipino recipe for Tofu ,you will smack your lips ! http://michellestinykitchen.blogspot.ca/2013/01/luntiang-lunes-tofu-adobo.html
  • Gdeeaz
    Gdeeaz Posts: 60
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    First you should press the tofu to get out as much liquid as possible. Put it on a plate with paper towels below it and on top. Set a pan on top of it or something heavy and let it sit for 15-30 mins. I like to pan fry it with a little oil and let it get really crispy. Here are some recipes I like. Obviously I substitute tofu for the chicken in the kung pao recipe.

    http://www.food.com/recipe/soy-glazed-tofu-and-asparagus-64829
    http://www.food.com/recipe/pan-fried-tofu-with-spicy-peanut-sauce-69191
    http://chinese.food.com/recipe/general-tsos-tofu-96563
    http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kung-pao-chicken/
  • JuantonBliss
    JuantonBliss Posts: 245 Member
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    mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm tofu <3 My favorite is frying it and eating it with peanut sauce :) Look on this website called The Flaming Vegan, they have tons of recipes. I don't use it alot so I don't really have any recipes, just kind of through things together when I cook haha
  • hauntao
    hauntao Posts: 130 Member
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    Any kind of battered or glazed is usually easier to do. I love the stuff and eat it right out of the package, but I can understand it being challenging.

    Also try different types, I find people like the softer texture better.
  • bigdaddyrobb
    bigdaddyrobb Posts: 18 Member
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    Press it for a bit to remove some of the liquid, cube it, then marinate it for a bit in anything, hot sauce, bbq sauce, whatever, then saute it with veggies. Definitely an acquired taste but it can be very good.
  • perrinjoshua
    perrinjoshua Posts: 286 Member
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    I like tofu and one thing I have been planning (for years) on making is vegan scrambled eggs using firm tofu. It's not hard to do, basically you are supposed to crumble it in a bowl with salt, garlic, lots of nutritional yeast, some turmeric and a bit of Braggs and then stir fry it with lots of veggies. I have had this at restaurants and loved it, I just have to make myself some soon. I have the stuff in the fridge, just seem unable to produce. Oh well. I do agree though that some people find tofu a challenge in which case smoothies and desserts would be a great starting place.
  • jonsey_s
    jonsey_s Posts: 222
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    1. Take tofu out of packaging

    2. open bin

    3. throw said tofu in bin

    4. Close bin

    5. slap yourself for buying it in first place.


    Hope this helps :smile:
  • SkepticallyFit
    SkepticallyFit Posts: 71
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    Avoid tofu if you can or any soy-based product if you can. The environmental impact of soybean production is fairly negative. You can get your protein from lentils, nuts, seeds, and grains. If you're ovo-lacto vegetarian, then you should be able to get plenty of protein from dairy and eggs.
  • MissJenova
    MissJenova Posts: 258
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    Thank you all! All the responses (even the funny ones) have been really helpful.
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
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    I always get extra firm tofu, freeze it, thaw it, press the water out, and then soak it in a marinade of some type. Sometimes I toss the marinated tofu with nutritional yeast, bread crumbs, and poultry seasoning and pan fry it. Tofu really isn't all that good plain, but you can marinate it or crispy cook it and glaze it with sauces.
  • Morn66
    Morn66 Posts: 96
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    The thing to remember is that tofu is meant to absorb the flavors of what you surround it with, be it a marinade or a spice blend or whatever. If you don't surround it with rich flavors, it's just not going to taste like anything because it is really a texture, not a flavor.

    That said, I like Good Old Tofu Scramble, which is basically making tofu scrambled "eggs." Google "tofu scramble" and you'll probably get a billion recipes, as tofu scramble is a vegan staple. If I'm in a tofu mood, I'll eat tofu scramble for any meal, often as burrito filling. Or, here's one of my favorite weekend breakfast/lunch recipes: http://www.theppk.com/2011/09/blackened-scrambled-tofu-garlicky-grits/ I'm not Southern, but I likes me some grits. :) Now that I think about it, I haven't had that in a long while. Need to go buy some grits...
  • Mslmesq
    Mslmesq Posts: 1,001 Member
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    I like tofu. Usually get it at a restaurant cooked for me and it tastes good. That said, I buy it almost never for the house. Only when I'm making miso soup.

    Fwiw, I'm not vegan,but eat vegan food or at vegan restaurants a lot. I do not have tofu more than once a month. Just because you are going vegan doesn't mean you have to eat tofu. Were you looking for protein? Or why did you decide to experiment with tofu?
  • jayjay12345654321
    jayjay12345654321 Posts: 653 Member
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    Google recipes for tofu.

    I love the stuff. I had my allotted 1/5 portion tonight straight out of the fridge. The extra firm doesn't take too well to marinade since it's so dense, but I hear some people like to coat cubes in a sweet honey mustard glaze and toss with crisp peppers into a pan.
  • ssavage76
    ssavage76 Posts: 15 Member
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    http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/tofu-and-black-bean-tacos

    I'm a vegetarian who is hesitant about tofu, but I found this recipe to be fabulous.

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