Ode to Tofu

I love the way a bit of oil in the pan can crisp the edges of slices of tofu and make the quintessential "health food" taste like such a guilty pleasure. I made tofu with peanut sauce and spinach last night and felt like I was totally getting away with something. I've always eaten tofu, as long as I can remember, and I have always liked it. I never understood the people who say, "Tofu doesn't taste like anything, so you can do whatever you want with it." I disagree completely. Not only does tofu have a distinct taste, different brands have their own flavors and textures.

Last night I had some Wildwood Sprouted Tofu. I like this brand for a couple reasons.
1. The flavor and texture are more toothsome and rich. I like a tofu that has a more savory flavor and not the sour/acidic flavor some tofus have.
2. The handy two pack design of the packaging means I don't have to eat an entire block of tofu at once (or figure out how to store the other). Whenever I have leftover raw tofu to use, I always end up over marinating it in something salty or sweet (or a combination of the two). I like salty and sweet, but tofu soaks up that marinate like a sponge and usually leaves the tofu over-salty/sweet. It's better for me to season it just an hour before cooking at the most.

I usually stick to firm tofu for all my savory delights, but I do buy silken tofu occasionally. I like to make pudding from the silken tofu, and actually really like a good mousse. I either like the chocolate mousse recipe from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World or I get the Mori Nu pack that you mix in with your tofu (I like to add about a 1/4 cup of melted chocolate chips to this for added richness).

Since I'm a meat free mom, I get to share all my tofu goodness with my little girl. Tofu is a great first food because it's soft and easy to moosh in the mouth. My daughter Violet has taken an early interest to spices and diverse flavors, so I have been able to just share whatever I am eating with her. She has enjoyed some BBQ tofu, miso soup with tofu, and bits of tofu from stir fries.

Tofu is not a staple in our meat free diet, and actually ends up being more like red meat for omnis- a special treat to have once or twice a week. With so many great protein sources in whole foods, we don't live off tofu, as I think some of my friends and family imagine, but we do enjoy our yummy blocks of white goodness.