Hi Amy

Tofu is versatile and can be delicious (don't worry about how it looks!). I have found this web site to be informative and useful. Hope you do too. Enjoy the tofu!

Here is a link that might be useful: Tofu is for You

Hello Amy,
I'm new too.Been a vegetarian for a month now.
Tofu does look strange doesn't it?
I found out that by freezing it, it will become up firmer.
I buy the firm tofu,drain it, crumble it up and freeze it. when frozen, it turns yellow,but goes back to white when thawed.Then I drain again.
I fry up peppers and onions in some olive oil,then add mushrooms,the tofu and soy sauce.
I serve it with brown rice.My 16 yr old DS loves it, but 19 yr old DD won't touch it!

Enjoy!!

Hi Amy,
Here's a very simple recipe that my dh and children actually eat and like! You only need 2 ingredients: extra-firm tofu and barbecue sauce.
Slice a pound of tofu into 12 slices. Place slices in a rectangular dish with a layer of bbq sauce on bottom. Add a little more sauce on top of tofu. Cook @ 350 for 20-30 min. If desired, you can turn slices once & add more bbq sauce. Also, increasing the cooking time will lessen the slippery texture. Be sure to have a familiar side dish along with it, e.g. salad and mac'n cheese. Hope you BOTH like it.

Amy, I must admit we still don't like most tofu recipes. I do try new ones every once and a while. The best recipes marinate tofu for a spicy dish because tofu by itself has basically no flavor - that's why Gina's BBQ sauce recipe sounds good to me.

For frajita's, slice firm tofu into small rectangles shaped like french fries. Marinate tofu and veggies in lemon, lime, garlic and paprika for a few hours. Saute onion slices, green pepper slivers and sliced mushrooms along with marinated tofu. Serve the sauted ingredients with frajita shells, shredded lettuce, salsa and what ever else you like in your frajitas.

Another favorite - but I don't make it often, is fried tofu with satay sauce (Thai peanut dipping sauce). I freeze tofu, then thaw and drain excess moisture. Fry in oil until crispy and serve with satay sauce (in many recipe books). This is really good - just that I don't like frying food - hate the greasy mess - like the food, hate the grease.

Amy - I've been eating a vegetarian diet for almost 9 years now (wow, I can't believe it's that long) and I still have a problem with tofu! You'd think by now I'd have a full repertoire of tofu recipes but that old bean curd and I just don't see eye-to-eye. But I did have a wonderful Japanese meal about a month ago and would love to re-create it because the tofu was delicious. It was a fairly large block of soft tofu coated with tempura batter and deep fried (along with a variety of vegetables) and served with a teriyaki sauce. I'm not much into deep fried foods but this was very light and the flavour exquisite. I'm sure any good Japanese cook book would have a recipe but I haven't gotten around to looking yet. When I find a recipe I will post it here for all.

Oops, I forgot to explain the size of the triangles for frying with the satay sauce. They should be about the same size and thickness as a slice of white bread if you cut it up into triangles - or you could cut them a little smaller if you want daintier dipping hors d'oeurves.

Amy, here is a website that I have found useful. There is a lot about tofu and soy out there on the web, so just do a little surfing. I am new to this, too, so I maybe we can all share our "Tofu experiences."

Here is a link that might be useful: Iowa Soy

Sorry, I just CAN'T seem to get tofu down. I have tried 1/2 doz times. In soups seems to be the easiest ways it it is cubed up really really small. Lots of seasoning and lots of big chunky garden veggies to hide it with.
I know, I know, I am no help at all.....
:)

I agree, Sherry! PUHLEEZE!
Amy: Don't feel that you have to eat tofu to be a vegetarian! Tofu is a protein, and you can get plenty of that from rice and beans in your diet. Faageddabbouddit! I can't stand the stuff! Just make up a healthy menu that suits you and your family. It does not...I repeat, does not need to include tofu! (Personally, I think it was a marketing ploy,...those soybean growers have a strong union!) Diana ;D
(As an expert in the field, I can attest that dog food has TONS of protein and tastes way, way better than tofu! Slurpy, slurp-slurp! Pugsly)

I've been vege now for about 25 years and have only managed to get the taste for tofu in the last 5 (so there is hope for you all!) My favourite is to cube it, marinate it in BBQ sauce, or Terriaki, or anything else tasty, then BBQ it on the grill. You have to be very careful with it, but it's worth it as it goes nice and crisp on the outside and still soft on the inside - yummy!

I also blend it with yoghurt, a banana, a little water to make it more liquid, and some honey for a power drink. Lovely thirst quencher with crushed ice on a hot summers day.

I haven't tried freezing it yet, but I will now!

Keep trying, I can guarantee you'll grow to love it and it's worth it.

Cut the firm tofu up into small pieces and put in a stir fry. Add plenty of soy sauce. Yum!

Did anyone watch Iron Chef Sunday? They did a Tofu challenge, and did some really neat stuff with it. A couple of the tasters said that their favorite way to eat tofu is fresh with salt. This leads me to believe that they have much fresher and therefore better tofu in Japan. I am working on making my own right now, just because I found a recipe on Planet Veggie, and it looked pretty easy. I will let you know how it turns out.

Thanks everyone for some great ideas and websites! Looking forward to lots of great recipes from this forum!

Tofu is a tricky food to use.
Freezining the tofu letting it thaw out and refreezs it again then use it makes the tofu Much firmer.

You can mash tofu with a fork and ANY seasoning you like and fry it. And I am let if cook until its dry. Tastes MUCH better dry then wet.

Slice the tofu as thin as you can lay it in a baking pan. Put soy sauce or any liquid flavoring you like on it and bake it for 45 minutes again until its not wet any more. I use this tofu for sandwishes very good.

This way tofu is wet but I like it. I cube the tofu, bread the cubes and fry in oil to make the out sides crispy. Dip them in sweet and sour sauce.

Amy,
Don't let the anti-tofu vegetarians deter you. I've been a vegetarian for 17 years and have just started to cook with tofu. I usually bbq or stir fry it, as previously mentioned. Served this way, many hard-core anti-tofu people have eaten and enjoyed tofu from my kitchen.
Happy cooking!
Kristi

One of my favorite tofu recipes is for a "no-fredo" sauce (credit, www.vegweb.com). Use 1 cube of silken tofu, blend with a little water or soymilk until the texture is thick and creamy, add garlic and italian spices, then heat it in a skillet with some sauted mushrooms until bubbly. Pour it over pasta and you'd swear it was the real thing. Try finely chopping some almonds and sprinkling it on top for a parmesean cheese flavor.

Another way I really love tofu is on the grill. I mix some large chunks of veggies with cubes of extra firm tofu, then add olive oil, vinegar and spices (or some dry white wine) and grill it in a foil pocket, turning after 5 minutes or so. The tofu gets very flavorful and loses it's "slimy" texture.

Hope this helps, good luck to you and congrats on becoming vegetarian!

Here is a link that might be useful: VegWeb

I have an easy but tasty scrambled tofu recipe.

Silken soft tofu - mash it up with your fingers. For one block, use 2 big onions, chop them really fine, cut green chillies fine, a big bunch of coriander chopped fine, salt, fresh ground pepper - saute onions, chillies in oil, then add tofu, sal, pepper, coriander - heat everything for 10 minutes, until tofu is cooked.
Eat it for bkfast

I cube or mash 8 oz. of tofu, it doesn't matter if firm or soft, and mix it with pasta sauce. I think about a pint. Then cut up some broccoli in pieces and throw that in. Some tomato chunks are good too. Let it cook for a while, till the broccili is soft. That's the basic recipes. But be creative. The tofu takes on the pasta sauce flavor.

Barb, I believe the recipe you are talking about is called "age tofu" or "age dofu." pronounced "Ah Gay" or "ah gee" (like Augie)

Well, I grew up with tofu and love it. I'm Japanese so naturally, I've only had Japanese or Chinese style tofu. But when I went up to San Francisco 2 weeks ago, I had non-Asian style tofu for the first time and could not believe it was the same thing. It tasted, um, yucky. The texture, taste, everything about it was so unpleasing. So I know how "foreign" any type of tofu can be.

Anyway, my point is, one of the simplest way to have tofu is to get a block of tofu (you can heat in microwave if you like or have it cold) and eat with plain rice. You dress up the tofu by grating fresh ginger, lay it on the tofu block, cut up some green onions (green and white part), and add soy sauce on top. OR you can mix a little soy sauce, sesame oil and a wee bit of rice vinegar and top the tofu with this mixture along with the ginger/green onion. Some people also like to grate daikon.

And there is always Tofu Helper. It's in the same vein as Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper and Chicken Helper but much better. Tofu helper is made by MoriNu and they have an "egg" salad and pasta mix.

Gee, I really like Tofu.

If you get the Âfresh (not the vacuum packed) kind it tastes like scrambled eggs to me. Anyone who doubts this may scramble an egg without seasonings to compare.

Though not vegetarian I eat very little meat. So, I have learned to use tofu and other soy products. A few books you may want to look at are:

ÂThis CanÂt Be Tofu by Deborah Madison (lots of Âwestern recipes.)

ÂTofu & Soyfoods Cookery by Peter Golbitz (many Asian and Âwestern recipes.)

These books feature everything from appetizers to desserts.

Almost any Asian cook book will have some recipes for tofu.

I like to use tofu as a meat substitute. Use 1/4 pound of meat and the rest tofu in a recipe such as chili. No one will be able to tell, since the tofu just Âmelts away. I promise.

You might want to try soy milks too. ÂSo Nice and ÂSilk are two very good brands. Make a cream not unlike creme fraiche by mixing 1/2 soy milk and 1/2 yoghurt. Use in pasta sauces, gravies, soups, etc.

I am particularly fond or cream soups. Using soy milk really cuts down on the fat at very little loss in flavor. Be sure to sauté your veggies in olive oil first.

Frozen bananas, soy milk, yoghurt and a bit of (quick) oatmeal makes for a very nice smoothie.

I figure, millions of Asians canÂt be wrong! They are typically much healthier than we are and usually not overweight either.

Good luck!

One of my favorite homegrown recipes is for tofu and spinach lasagna. The tofu replaces the traditional cheese and it makes lasagna a healthy but tasty meal.

I start out by taking a brick of tofu (the Chinese kind, not the Japanese kind) and mashing it in a bowl with lots of garlic and Italian herbs (basil and/or oregano are best). I then take a casserole dish and create several layers of cooked lasagna noodles, frozen spinach (thawed), the tofu mixture, and any type of spaghetti sauce. Cover it with foil and bake for 45 minutes to an hour at 350.

Hi All... just found this forum & it looks like a good one!

I agree with Jennifer's take on tofu - after freezing remove as much liquid as possible (I wrap mine in a tea towel & press for an hour or so with the food processor base) then crumble it and use it as a replacement for ricotta in any italian dish calling for that. Lasagne's a great one to try.

It took a while before I figured out the freezing, defrosting, and pressing tack; makes the whole experience much more agreeable.

Good luck!

CJ

We use tofu often--in pasta, lazagna, stews, calzones, miso soup.... There are several brands available here, but I didn't know there are Japanese and Chinese types. Are there other types (I mean, other than soft, firm, silken)? Could someone explain the differences? Maybe give some brand names of really good one?

I buy White Wave's extra firm - tastes a bit like cooked egg white to me, only w/ a nutty flavour.It's delicious simply pressed, sliced & dipped in a mixture of shoyu or tamari soy sauce, water, garlic, rosemary & black pepper.I bake it in this seasoning mixture as well - you can cut it into sticks or slices.It's good on sandwiches or in casseroles.

Baked, Pressed Tofu

Slice :

1# extra firm tofu, drained, wrapped in a clean towel & pressed w/ a heavy can for @ least 1hour

Mix together:

5 Tablespoons water
2-3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed or minced
1/2 teaspoon dried *or* 1 tsp. fresh rosemary - crushed/minced
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

To Bake:

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Oil an enamelled shallow baking pan or use spray coating
3. Arrange slices of tofu in pan, very close together & pour liquid over slices.Turn slices several times to coat evenly w/ mixture, then spread out so they don't touch.
4. Bake in oven 15 minutes, turn & bake for 10 - 15 minutes more, until browned.

Variation - you can, if you wish dip the slices in the liquid, then roll in seasoned flour before baking as above.This gives a crust & if you cut the tofu into stick shapes, they resemble fish sticks in flavour & appearance.

Here is a link that might be useful: Soar - Tofu

The benefits of using soy far outweigh our opinions of it.
I use it in almost everything. For the most part, it has gone unnoticed.It is especially good in recipies calling for soft cheese such as lasagna.It does have to be drained so that the dish you are cooking is not watery.
I have five grown sons and they are proud to say they do not use it,nor have they ever tried it-right!
These same fellows love my cooking and always want to know how I make this or that
I use grated zucchini much the same way.Although I'm not sure the benefits are in any way similiar-just that some days you have so much of the darn stuff!!

I make curried tofu salad sandwiches-

a block of tofu drain as much water out as possible.
mash it or cut it into chunks.
add mayo and curry powder to your liking.
I always put this in wheat pita with sprouts and cukes.

I like it :-)

Mori Nu also has flavoring mixes to add to tofu that will make amazing desserts. Chocolate, lemon and vanilla. You whirl it up in a food processor. Doesn't get as smooth in a blender or with a mixer. Use food processor for best results. You end up with the most amazing smooth pudding-like dessert. You don't have to use a mix of course. There are plenty of soy cookbooks and soy products are very popular in my area. I know this won't be the case everywhere, but it would be worth a look through your local groceries and natural food places for soy products to introduce to your family. If you find something you like, you might try experimenting and trying to duplicate the product. It will certainly be educational. I am not a total vegetarian, but working towards it. Good luck.

Mary

I know people have already said this, but i have to add that I think baking it for a long time makes a big difference! The first time I ever had tofu and liked it, it was baked for a long time with BBQ (like someone above mentioned) and it was SOOOOOOOOOOO good. Another way I've had it that i like it is coated with a fake chicken boullion and some shake and bake and then baked (for a long time) yum yum yum, never thought i would say that i love tofu!

BTW, I was a vegetarian for seven years, quit for five, and now I am back. I am glad to be back!

whaHow much is a daily serving of tofu for a 65 year old woman?

The only way I like it (so far) is in stir fry. I get white wave extra firm, or something similar if I can't find that, but never silken. I cut that into cubes and marinate in soy sauce for a while. While it's marinating I cook up a cup of brown rice and when that's about done I start frying the tofu. Then I add a bag of stir fry vegetables, I like the ones with the snow peas and broccoli, and cook those over high heat just until they're hot. Then I add it all to the rice and maybe add soy sauce to taste.

After all these years of being a vegetarian, I still don't have many tofu recipes that I find satisfying. I know it can be done, since I've eaten some pretty good tofu dishes at vegetarian cafes in health food stores. (Some of those stores actually do have good good, and some have terrible food.) Baking definitely seems to be helpful. Here are two recipes that work for me:

Hot Spicy Bean Curd

2 Tbs. cooking oil
2 green onions, chopped
1 clove of garlic or a little more to taste
1 or more green chillis, seeded and chopped
1 Tbs. salted black beans
2 bean curd cakes, cut in cubes [I think this would actually be the equivalent of one of the large bean curd cakes packed in water. I think this refers to the some what smaller tofu cakes that you see sitting loose in bins of water in Chinese food stores. The cookbook is not explicit.]
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 c. stock
1 tsp. cornflour dissolved in 1 Tbs. water [or whatever the equivalent in arrow-root or kudzu would be]

Press tofu. The way I usually do this is to put tofu in a collander, place a tupperware lid on top of it, then place something heavy, say a can of something, on top of that. Let it sit for about 20 minutes. This probably won't be as necessary if you use pre-pressed Chinese tofu.

Chop black beans. Put garlic on top of black beans and mince garlic.

Heat oil in a wok or pan and sautee the garlic and black beans 30 seconds. Add chili pepper and green onions and sautee briefly. Add bean curd cubes until bean curd begins to turn golden. Add remaining ingredients and cook until sauce thickens. Serve hot sprinkled with freshly ground Sichuan pepper [I never do that.]

NOTE--In the cousre of writing this out, I realized that I had made more changes to the recipe than I realized. The original can be found in "Chinese Vegetarian Cookery" by Jack Santa Maria, not great but worth a look.

Canadian Tofu Pie

[A modification of one of my mom's meat pie recipes that actually worked, though it does take some time.]

1 lb. Tofu
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
pinch mace
pinch cayenne
1/2 c. water
Pastry for 1 8" double-crust pies [you're on your own]

Chop tofu very fine with a sharp knife. [Basically, make it as small as you can without either it falling apart or you losing your sanity. It should be smaller than 1/2". Probably go for something approaching 1/4" cubes.] Place in a saucepan with onion, garlic, salt, nutmeg, mace, cayenne, and water; cover. Simmer, stirring frequently, about 1 hour. When cooked, the mixture should be thick. Cool.

Line 8" pie plate with pastry; spoon tofu mixture into pastry-lined plate; cover with top crust; flute edges. Cut slits in top crusts to let steam escape.

Bake 10 minutes. Lover oven temperature to moderate (350 degrees). Bake 40 to 45 minutes longer, or until pastry is golden brown. [No initial oven temperature is given in the copy of the original...

I've been a vegetarian all my life and discovered tofu only about a year ago. Indian cuisine offers a great variety of vegetarian food.
I like tofu best when fried and esp. in chinese food(General Tso's sauce is simply awesome!). Also, many chinese restaurants substitute tofu for meat in
most of their dishes.
In Indian food, I use it instead of 'paneer' which is made by boiling milk and pouring some lime/lemon
juice(about 1tbsp to 4 cups of milk), and letting it seperate as it boils. This is then tied up in a couple layers of cheese cloth and allowed to hang overnight so all the water is drained off (the water can be used in gravies). This is all the good, fatty stuff. In India, many
dishes are made using this. Tofu is a great tasting, healthier substitute for 'paneer'.
For Indian recipes, you can just search over the net. Or try the following links : sanjeevkapoor.com, bawarchi.com

Rajashree,

I agree that fried tofu, especially deep-fried tofu, is good.

I don't do any deep-frying at home because it seems too messy for me, but one of my favorite dishes at a nearby Chinese vegetarian restaurant is a simple deep-fried tofu in a spicey sauce. (I usually ask for extra shredded ginger.)

Thai Broccoli and Tofu

2 large crowns broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
1 lb. firm or extra-firm tofu, well-drained and cut into thin strips
3/4 cup spicy Thai peanut sauce, preferably reduced-fat
salt to taste

Steam broccoli florets in a stir-fry pan or wok with about 1/2 inch of water, covered, until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Gently stir in tofu and peanut sauce. Cook, stirring often, over medium heat until heated through. Season with salt and serve right away. I serve this over rice.
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Blueberry "Yogurt"
Posted on Veggies Unite

2-10 oz pkgs Mori-Nu firm tofu
1/2 c water
2/3 c sweetener-maple syrup, brown rice syrup, etc
2 c frozen blueberries
1 tsp blueberry extract
1 tsp raspberry extract
Directions:

Combine all ingredients in blender, process until smooth.

I sometimes will keep some of the blueberries whole, and stir them through when I am done blending, but before serving.

You can vary this with just about any fresh or frozen fruit and extracts to match.
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Berry Yogurt
Posted on Veggies Unite

1/2 cup silken tofu
1/4 - 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries
sugar to taste (about 1/4 cup) or any other sweetener would work
few drops of vanilla extract

Put all ingredients into a blender, but put the tofu in first. Blend together until smooth. It's really easy and really good. Makes a nice dessert.

Serves: 2-4
To make it "real" yogurt Add 1/4 - 1/2 tsp nondairy acidophilus powder
(the ready-to take kind, not the kind used to make yogurt).
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Tofu Salad in Pitas
Posted by Shannon-Marie on Vegsource

Mash drained, firm tofu with a fork (you may want to steam and cool it first). Add a couple of tablespoons of soy mayo and a couple of teaspoons of dijon mustard. (Add more if needed) Add salt and pepper and diced veggies - onion, carrot, celery, pickles or relish and minced garlic if you like. Sometimes I add a little nutritional yeast as well. You can change it up with whatever veggies you have. Or for a sweeter salad, add halved grapes and diced granny smith apple.
Stuff a pita with lettuce leaves and tofu salad. Yum!
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Taco Salad

1 pound (16 ounces) Baked Jalapeno Mexican Style Tofu (like White Wave brand)
1 tablespoon oil
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 small head of lettuce, torn into bite size pieces
1 small onion, chopped
1 ripe avocado, cubed
1/2 cup black olives, chopped
8 ounces corn chips

Crumble the Mexican Baked Tofu into a bowl. Heat the oil in a skillet
over medium heat, add the tofu, and sauté until brown. Arrange the tomatoes,
lettuce, onion, avocado and olives in a large salad bowl. Right before
serving, toss with the baked tofu and corn chips. Serve immediately to
prevent chips from getting soggy.
*******************************************
Baked...

My fav tofu recipe is fajitas. I had them at my cousin's place a few months ago. You use the firmest tofu you can find. Cut it into strips, not too thin. Marinate in usual fajita seasoning. (follow directions on package) I prepare in the a.m. To cook use non-stick frying pan, with a dab of oil. As it cooks, I add some of the marinade. Serve with Tortillas & fav fajita toppings. Guacamole, refried beans. Yumm-Yumm.

Regards;)
Shan

I've heard that crumbled tofu that has been frozen is an excellent substitute for ground meat in chili and sloppy joes, and both those meals are sufficiently seasoned to add some taste.

I was very excited about frozen tofu for a while, but I decided I really didn't like the texture. It turns into something kind of spongey, and yet not terribly absorptive.

Chaosmonaut, that was my view until I try the tofu nuggets found in this forum.

I don't recall where I got this recipe, but the following recipe is meant to be a sandwich spread.

Tofu Eggless Salad
1/2 lb. extra-firm or firm tofu drained and patted dry
1/4 tsp. turmeric (for color)
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise or vegan-type mayo
1 Tbsp. finely diced red onion

Place the tofu in a medium bowl and mash it with a fork until crumbs the size of small peas are formed. Stir in the turmeric and mix well. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Let sit for 30 minutes before using.
***
I make it with homegrown white onions, homegrown red sweet peppers, salt & pepper. It's great on a sandwich with sprouts and tomato.

I like to make Tofu Stuff Pasta Shells:

Mash up a pound of firm tofu, then add some crushed garlic, salt and basil (or whatever you want -- BUT DON'T ADD CRUSHED OLIVES LIKE MY HUSBAND DID -- YUKKK!). Cook about 20 large pasta shells until tender, but not soft. Drain the pasta shells. Stuff with the tofu mixture and arrange in a glass baking dish. Pour marinara sauce over the whole thing and then sprinkle with sliced olives. Bake at 350 until hot. Yum yum! The tofu has the consistency of ricotta cheese and is delicious! The only thing about this recipe is that you may need to make it 2 or 3 times until you get the right blend of seasonings in the tofu mixture -- experiment and be creative!

The key to un-mushy tofu is to get the non-silken kind, wrap in a paper towl, and squeeze all of the water out. This makes it much more stable for cooking. If you get a nice firm one, you can cook it like chicken, I have modified lots of chicken recipes for tofu. When I was little, my mom would make a tofu scramble with tumeric, salt, pepper, green peppers, and canned tomatoes. Also good with cheese! I was a veggie kid, so tell yours that she will survive.

Mash firm tofu with bruchetta ingredients;

Olive oil/basamic
Basil
Chopped Tomsto
Garlic
Onion

slab it on some bread and bake. Looks just like feta, tastes wonderful.

Oh, as well as...

Slices of firm tofu into thin bread like layers..you know like processed cheese. Fry it with some onions, mushrooms and garlic. TAke a bagel..or whatever bread suits your fancy...put on some lettuce, nayonaisse(soy) mustard(gotta be dijon)tomato, cucumber..sandwich stuff...lots of it...plop on the tofu mixture, salt pepper to taste. fold and enjoy! Oh, the best is with avocado smeared in there...uhh, yum!

Tofu is great.

I had a wonderful taco salad yrs ago that a friend made wiht tofu instead of ground beef. Even the kids loved it. She drained then froze extra firm tofu. after thawing she croulbed it and added a liquid yeast product she said was often used to add a beefy flavor to veg dishes. I haven o idea what is was called, and I have lost touch wiith her since. She then added the usual taco seasonings. I think she browned/cooked it in the oven.

It's a constant search for tofu alone, but this works for me. Extra firm tofu, slice in 1/2 inch layers. Marinade in soy sauce both sides. Now the good part. After my husband finishes with the salmon on the grill, [no meat has touched this grill], I place the tofu slices around, not over the hottest part. And put the lid down for the evening. In the morning, I have tofu, smoked and even has the grill marks on it. Eat plain, or slice and add to salad or soups.

Do you allow a non-vegetarian's opinion? I am not a vegetarian, but after my Dad's quadruple bypass and my yearly cholesterol level check, I've been leaning a lot toward that lifestyle. My favorite tofu recipe? Hot and sour soup made with vegetable broth.

I found something called "smartground" that is a crumbled hamburger substitute. They even have one already "taco" flavored. I use that as a ground beef substitute instead of tofu. My husband and kids didn't realize it wasn't regular ground beef (I'm the only one in the house that doesn't eat meat).

As far as regular tofu goes, I do like it alot. I usually mix up a marinade of equal parts soy sauce and orange juice, then add fresh minced garlic and freshly grated ginger root, sesame oil, black pepper and sometimes a touch of five spice powder. I let the tofu cubes marinate and then stir fry with whatever veggies I happen to have. I like spicy food, so I usually stir fry a couple hot peppers to flavor the oil to start with, then I continue on with the recipi. I usually put a weight ontop of the block of tofu and let it sit awhile to get some of the water out of it too. I'm the opposite way as far as the texture goes - I've frozen it but I don't like the change in texture. It doesn't "feel" right in my mouth. I prefer it's natural texture.