Veg*n Help with Tofu!

[Rhinos_mom]

Ok, so i'm not so much trying to eat less meat, as i am trying to eat more veggies. I want to eat healthier and i was noticing just how much meat Americans seem to eat!


i mean looking at the food pyramid i should take in substantially more veggies than i do!

I've been looking over the recipes in this discussion board, and a few of them have tofu

I'm soooo picky about tofu...

Is there any tofu that you all highly recommend? I really don't like mushrooms either, is there something i could substitute for those? I've only encountered one tofu i liked but i have no freaking clue what it was because it was so long ago. Though i do like tofu when it's in egg drop soup...

anyway i guess my questions are, what brands to do suggest for someone picky? and what can i use instead of mushrooms?

 

[kananaka]

I personally like Nasoya brand tofu. The extra firm is amazing in texture and really holds a marinade well. The trick is to drain the tofu then wrap in a paper towel for an hour or so then marinade, this way you get out the liquid its packed it and then replace it with your marinade.

As far as mushrooms go, I hate them, lol. I do not even try to replace them with anything, I just do not eat them at all.

 

[madelineelaine]

I don't really like ANY tofu I have used. The texture puts me off really badly. And as for mushrooms, I've never liked those either.

I realized that makes me sound picky but I'm really not.

 

[Agrimony]

This may sounds weird but I like my tofu slightly overcooked, I find it gives it a better texture. and (broken link removed)'s suggestion about draining the tofu and replacing with marinade is great! Though I usually only drain and do not marinade because I usually cook it in a sauce, like a curry. One of my favorite meals ever is tofu, taste of India's mashed vegetable curry, and chickpeas. yum!

 

[Rhinos_mom]

Yay I'm not a weirdo picky person! haha thanks guys, I'll try your suggestions.

 

[Lovecraft]

Remember that tofu has basically no flavor of it's own. It gets all it's flavor from whatever seasoning you put on it. It's a sponge. If you're using a marinade, make sure it's a nice strong one. If you're using a dry rub, like what carnivores put on their steak, use a LOT. Season it until you think it's enough...then add more.

You can use tofu for more than just a meat-replacement, too! Silken tofu can be used to make anything from smoothies to chocolate pudding to macaroni and "cheese"!

Also, please don't forget that while tofu isn't a meat...it's still raw protein. You can't sit it out on your kitchen counter at room temperature for hours and hours at a time. You can't keep it in your fridge for months or years. I know this might sound silly but I have known folks who treat tofu like it's some sort of magical paste that can sit in the trunk of a hot car for 6 hours and still be safe to eat, just because it's not meat. Those folks got sick. Please don't get sick! Treat tofu like you'd treat any other protein; chicken, beef, or raw egg!

PS. Is it the flavor of mushrooms you dislike, or the texture? If it's a texture thing but you like the flavor, you can take your mushrooms and boil them in hot water with a little salt...then drain out the mushrooms themselves and have a nice mushroom broth you can use as a base to cook rice in or add to soup or put in your mix for a tofu marinade.

 

[Rhinos_mom]

I think it's more the texture that bothers me more than anything else, that's a good idea, i'll have to try it! Thanks!

And good tip about Tofu! Thanks

 

[Sorcha]

Have you tried Tempeh? It's kind of like tofu. According to wikipdia (I wasn't too sure how to describe it) "it is a whole soybean product with different nutritional characteristics and textural qualities."
I know a few people who aren't big fans of Tofu and they like this better.

 

[pinky]

I'm not a big meat eater but I like it. I just cut down on the amount of meat I eat but I do add some to most dishes. My husband is a big meat eater so I buy porterhouse steaks that have a small fillet and I have that part and he gets the strip steak. I make things like chop suey with mostly vegetables and small bits of meat. I love mushrooms but am picky about what type I eat. Portabella mushrooms are firmer and meatier. I saute them in onions, garlic and soy sauce and they seem very meat like. Look up umami foods that give dishes a heartiness that satisfy you without adding meat. I've noticed that a salad with crumbled walnuts is as good as when I add grilled chicken to it.

 

[xXMaggieXx]

I have recently become vegetarian about 2 months ago. Turns out my doctor is one too, so she sends me tips. Here was the last one that had tips about tofu in it:
"Let the tofu sit so all of the liquid runs out. After that marinade it. Tofu will absorb anything you flavor it with" Also textured vegetable protein is a great substitue for ground meat. I agree with you on not liking tofu or mushrooms. Most stores have it you just have to ask around. I reccomend cooking it in vegetable broth to add flavor

 

[kananaka]

Have you tried Tempeh? It's kind of like tofu. According to wikipdia (I wasn't too sure how to describe it) "it is a whole soybean product with different nutritional characteristics and textural qualities."
I know a few people who aren't big fans of Tofu and they like this better.

I love tempeh! It has a great texture and I love the taste! As far as a meat replacement, it's the way to go imo, but tofu is more readily available in most places.

 

[Sorcha]

That's true. I usually only get it in restaurants or something. I think Publix might sell it though. I'm going to look it up on their website.
I prefer the texture of it as well, though I'm fine with Tofu too.

 

[Sorcha]

Just wanted to say that while I was at Publix yesterday I saw that they have several types of Tofu and Tempeh.