Need to know everything about tofu.

[dazed_edee]

With all the food scares I’m trying to feed my family more organic (of course who knows if it’s really organic, faith!)

Anyway, I want to cut a lot of the meat out of our diet. Organic meat puts our grocery bill well over $200. and I’m not working and baby #2 is due in about 7 weeks.
My husband is a home town boy. Fried eggplant isn’t going to cut it. I need something that actually tastes like meat.
I have been told that if you prepare it correctly tofu can taste like meat. Tofu with bean curd and sprouts is NOT going to pass as actual food in my home. I need to be able to break it up and put it into the organic version of hamburger helper.
I need like a honest to goodness Red Neck version of a Tofu cookbook. Maybe “Tofu for Dummies who need to convince their husbands it’s meat”.
I know nothing about tofu, I don’t know where to get it, if you have to keep it cold, if you can grind it up, how many different ways/forms it comes in – nothing!

Every website is more and more confusing. HELP!!!

[MommyKore]

Actually, relying completely on tofu for protein is not suggested (well, I wouldn't suggest it, anyway), and some men tend to have trouble digesting soyfoods more than women (read:  invest in Beano).  It would be ideal to mix it with the meat you buy for hubby rather than completely "fooling" him into a fully meatless meal.  I really can't think of any books or sites to suggest at the moment, but I'll get back to you about that one.  Often, you just need to experiment.  Back in the early 80s when I first played around with  tofu, I couldn't get round the stuff.  Weird, white mushy stuff..."what do you do with this??"  After many years of trying different recipes, it's not such a big deal now.

I prefer White Wave extra firm.  I freeze it, then thaw it (which gives it a more "meaty" texture to it), squeeze the liquid out of it, slice it, then I let it sit in a marinade (I just use a watered down liquid aminos with onion and garlic, but you can use whatever you fancy) for a day or so in the fridge.  You can bake it, pan fry it, grill it, or just eat as is, chopped into cubes and tossed in a salad.

Mori-Nu is not my fave brand, but it's okay for smoothies.

As a said, I'll look around the house and see if I can suggest a good book.  If you have any other questions about tofu, feel free to message me.   

Happy Cooking!

[campgroundmama]

I make tofu tacos often.  If you get the firmest tofu you can find (don't use the boxed stuff-the texture is terrible).  Wildwood is the best brand but not available everywhere.  I just cut the tofu in cubes and saute it in olive oil over medium heat until browned.  Then add a little water and taco seasoning and cook until the liquid is absorbed.  Next, I put the taco tofu in taco shells and heat in oven for a few minutes.  With toppings and the tofu being in shells, they'll never know it's tofu.  It's similar to chicken tacos.

Also, I make black bean burgers all the time and many meat eaters have loved them.  Mix 1 can of black beans (with mexican spices if you can find it), with one egg and one can of green chilies.  I use my hand held blender and blend a few seconds to mix and chop up beans.  Then I add breadcrumbs until a meat like texture.  Then I coat with corn meal and brown in a skillet with olive oil for about 8 to 10 minutes per side.  They are so good!

We have a ton of meat eaters in our extended family and these recipes work for us.  I hope they help you too!  Good luck...I know how hard it is.  :)

[dietcokehed]

Tofu is tough, and I don't have a handle on it quite yet. But I do know it can be really good when marinaded first, because it soaks flavor up like a sponge. You can probably mash it up really good, into "crumbles" for anything you'd put ground beef in. Maybe soak it first in a mix with some Liquid Smoke (use sparingly though...it gives a really good "BBQ'd" taste) And freezing then thawing is very good for making it absorb more. If crumbled in a sauce, maybe let the sauce sit or simmer longer than normal to absorb more flavor.

Also check book stores for tofu cookbooks. Then just practice. Trial and error will eventually get you there :)

As for "organic", I believe the regulations to get that status are pretty strict (I could be wrong). I think if it's stamped organic, it really has to be. If you want to use real meat to mix in with tofu, I'd suggest a local butcher or (if they have it) organic meat. Do they have organic meat?? I don't even know :)
Where I live, we have a health food shop that has a butcher shop attached, and I think they only sell the local, non-factory farmed meat. I can only imagine those animals are healthier, therefore a healthier meat, than a factory farm.

Oh, and as mentioned above, yes, men will definitely go though a MAJOR farty stage when eating tofu. My ex once ate a homemade pizza with a lot of spinach, and OMG, that night while he was asleep, I was gagging. Actually had to sleep on the couch. I thought it was funny though :) And my BF had a veg. burger once (he's very supportive and generally avoids meat when with me) Well, let's just say he was in the bathroom a lot. And that was our "first date", teehee ^_^ (though we've been good friends for many years)

So yes, get Beano!!

[dietcokehed]

Some books links for ya :)
Libraries may even carry some of them, so you don't have to buy it to see if you like it.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/101-Things-to-Do-with-Tofu/Donna-Kelly/e/9781423601111/?itm=5

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=tofu+cookbook - Stir frys are great!!

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/How-to-Cook-Everything-Vegetarian/Mark-Bittman/e/9780764524837/?itm=1

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=everything+tofu

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Tofu-Quick-and-Easy/Louise-Hagler/e/9781570671128/?itm=4

[IronzNtheFire]

You might give Morningstar brand products a shot - found in the freezer section of many stores.  They have "chicken" strips, buffalo "wings," "steak" strips, hot dogs, different sandwich patties..... and recipes on most of their packages.  There are vegetarian crumbles that are used like ground beef, and vegetarian sausage - which my whole family likes better than pork, turkey, or ham sausage.  Tofu by itsself is usually found in the produce section, but we don't really use it much.  The hubby here just isn't interested in trying it - LOL

[mom2lukethomas]

I second this - also Boca & Smart Deli brand products work well in our household.  Best of luck to you.

Quoting IronzNtheFire:

You might give Morningstar brand products a shot - found in the freezer section of many stores.  They have "chicken" strips, buffalo "wings," "steak" strips, hot dogs, different sandwich patties..... and recipes on most of their packages.  There are vegetarian crumbles that are used like ground beef, and vegetarian sausage - which my whole family likes better than pork, turkey, or ham sausage.  Tofu by itsself is usually found in the produce section, but we don't really use it much.  The hubby here just isn't interested in trying it - LOL

[MalhotraFamily]

I've tried these products and the chicken nuggets were really good.  However, they had a lot of chemicals in them which I avoid with my family.

Quoting mom2lukethomas:

I second this - also Boca & Smart Deli brand products work well in our household.  Best of luck to you.

Quoting IronzNtheFire:

You might give Morningstar brand products a shot - found in the freezer section of many stores.  They have "chicken" strips, buffalo "wings," "steak" strips, hot dogs, different sandwich patties..... and recipes on most of their packages.  There are vegetarian crumbles that are used like ground beef, and vegetarian sausage - which my whole family likes better than pork, turkey, or ham sausage.  Tofu by itsself is usually found in the produce section, but we don't really use it much.  The hubby here just isn't interested in trying it - LOL

[MrsGurt]

101 Things to do With Tofu is like, the best cookbook ever. They have a recipe in it for making fake ground beef that can be used in just about everything. There are a lot of tricks to cooking tofu certain ways. To get the best tasting tofu without the slimy feel, extra firm tofu needs to be frozen, then thawed, then pressed free of juices (lay a paper towel or two on a plate, lay the tofu down on that, put another paper towel or two on top, then another plate, bottom down, and then something semi-heavy on top of that...leave it for 20-30 minutes, then flip it and do it again with fresh paper towels). Then you can slice it, marinate it and bake it to make it whatever flavor you'd like, and the texture is great. This is the best way to prepare it for stir-fry's, salads, etc.

I love most of the morning star foods...but I don't know about the rest of the country...here in southern CA they're expensive. A bag of vegetarian protein crumbles...the equivalent of a pound of ground beef...is about $6. A box of the soy chicken nuggets is also $6...a four pack of the gardenburgers sometimes goes on sale 2 for $8. Tofu is a great alternative.

[ceemuhreeashbee]

I have never actually cooked tofu- DH is the vegetarian in this house. But he swears that tofu takes on the flavoring of whatever you cook it with. His favorite is cooking it with Teryaki & Soy Sauce and putting it over Jasmine rice. He used to be a BIG meat eater, but read it's not supposed to be so great for his blood-type so he switched and has been completely happy with his diet.

[rkoloms]

You can freeze and defrost tofu before you use it; it will give it a chewy (meatier) texture.  Honestly, Americans eat too much protein (even some vegetarians) and not enough whole grains, fruits and vegetables. 

This is one of my favorite tofu recipes:

General Tsao's Tofu
Ingredients:
1 box of firm or extra firm tofu
1 egg or egg substitute
3/4 cup cornstarch
vegetable oil for frying
3 chopped green onions
1 Tablespoon minced ginger
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2/3 cup vegetable stock
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
4 Tablespoons sugar
red pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon sherry (optional)
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
steamed broccoli
cooked brown rice
Drain, dry and cut tofu into 1 inch chunks. You can freeze tofu the night before to get a more chicken-like consistency, but it isn't necessary. Add 3 tablespoons water to the egg and mix. Dip tofu in egg/water mixture and coat completely. Sprinkle 3/4 cup cornstarch over tofu and coat completely. Watch out that the cornstarch doesn't clump up at the bottom of the bowl.
Heat oil in pan and fry tofu pieces until golden. Drain oil. Heat 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil in pan on medium heat. Add green onions, ginger and garlic, cook for about 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn garlic. Add vegetable stock, soy sauce, sugar, red pepper and vinegar. Mix 2 Tablespoons water with 1 Tablespoon cornstarch and pour into mixture stirring well. Add fried tofu and coat evenly. Serve immediately with steamed broccoli over your choice of rice.

This is a new favorite in our house:

LENTIL TACOS

Ingredients
1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
8 ounce can tomato sauce (or home made)
corn tortillas (for fun, use a mix of white, yellow and blue; you can also use whole wheat tortillas, taco shells, lettuce leaves, whatever is around)
1 packet dry taco seasoning mix (or make your own with the recipe below)
handful of textured soy protein, optional (I leave this out); you could also use tofu that has been frozen and defrosted
lettuce (shredded)
cucumber (seeded, peeled, sliced)
tomatoes (chopped)
lemon or lime wedges (optional)

Directions
Cover the lentils with water in a large saucepan. They expand tremendously so use a large pot. Add tomato sauce, textured soy protein, and taco seasoning. Bring to high heat until boiling. Simmer at low heat until the mixture thickens. Add more water if necessary
and stir often so that the bottom does not burn. This process will take about an hour. You want to cook it until it's about the  consistency of cooked oatmeal. Taste the mixture and add more seasonings if necessary. Add more textured soy protein if you want more texture and continue to heat until the textured soy protein is fully hydrated. In the meantime, heat the tortillas in the oven, directly on the oven rack for about 5 minutes at 350 degrees.  Assemble the tacos as desired. Squeeze the lemon wedges over the tacos.

This recipes makes a large quantity (it freezes well) and is very flexible with the garnishes. Experiment by adding chopped avocado, cilantro, onion, salsa, etc.

Taco Seasoning:
4.5 tsp. paprika;
1 tsp. cumin powder;
0.5 tsp. oregano;
1 tsp. chili powder;
1 tsp. onion powder;
0.25 tsp. lemon powder (optional, I've never used it);
1 tsp. salt;
1 tsp. sugar;
0.5 tsp. garlic powder;
1 tsp. flour;
0.5 tsp. cocoa powder

Mix all together and store in airtight container. Makes approx. 4 tablespoonful - the equivalent of 1 package of seasoning (enough to season 1 pound of meat or a substitute). This mix is very mild.

 

The other options:

 1) puree a can of diced green mild chilies and add that to the sauce pot.

 2) use a 6 oz. can of  tomato paste and just add enough water to cover lentils by about an inch, and cook for an hour. Pretty simple.

Preparation time: 1 hour

- Robin in Chicago