Guest guest Posted April 5, 2008 Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 All: I am fairly new to vegetarianism and have never tasted tofu. I bought some and now I don't know what to do with it. Honestly, it does not look very appetizing. Can I use tofu in place of ground beef to make a pot of chili or bean soup? Would I need to use any seasonings I don't normally use when I make these dishes with ground beef? What about spaghetti? I need ideas and please - nothing exotic. Thanks! Sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2008 Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 Hi Sandy, Tofu is VERY versatile. However, remember that it has little flavor of it's own, but will absorb whatever flavors it is combined with. How you choose to use your purchase will depend on the type of tofu you bought (silken, firm, etc.) Firm and ex-firm tofus are good for grilling, salads, frying, etc. Medium consistency tofus are better for scrambling w/veggies, replacing meat in soups and spaghetti and so forth. Silken and soft tofus are best used in smoothies, as egg replacers in baking, in " cream " pies, etc. There are literally countless ways to use tofu. If you use a firm or extra firm type, you can slice it or cube it, remove it from the water bath it comes in, freeze at least 24 hours, then thaw. Gently squeeze out any remaining water between layers of paper toweling and you have a wonderfully firm and chewy consistency. Tofu is a main staple of my diet, and I'm sure with a little imagination and research, you will enjoy the benefits of it too. Hope this information helps! Debbie Sandy Cobb <sandysue9 wrote: All: I am fairly new to vegetarianism and have never tasted tofu. I bought some and now I don't know what to do with it. Honestly, it does not look very appetizing. Can I use tofu in place of ground beef to make a pot of chili or bean soup? Would I need to use any seasonings I don't normally use when I make these dishes with ground beef? What about spaghetti? I need ideas and please - nothing exotic. Thanks! Sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2008 Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 I use a lot of tofu, but when it comes to chili or spaghetti I use TVP, or some of the other ground beef subs, which for the life of me I can not remember the names of. But you can find them in the produce section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2008 Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 You don'yt know if you haven't tried it. Get some firm or extra firm and try out a few recipes from the tofu folder. tempeh I didn't like at first but after experimenting with the posted recipes from the group, made me a tempeh-fan now. Brad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2008 Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 I just made the recipe " unchicken salad " with Tempeh Tempeh steamed for 20 mins, crumbled veganaise relish celery green onion salt YUM! kathleen - surfboard_bedboard Saturday, April 05, 2008 4:38 PM Re: questions about cooking with tofu You don'yt know if you haven't tried it. Get some firm or extra firm and try out a few recipes from the tofu folder. tempeh I didn't like at first but after experimenting with the posted recipes from the group, made me a tempeh-fan now. Brad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 You could use the tofu in bean or chili soup--preferably the firm or extra firm type; you can use regular seasonings. If cooked long enough, the tofu will be more like the texture of chicken (if I remember it correctly). For spaghetti, I'd be inclined to fry/saute the tofu so that it's golden & firm on the outside, then do whatever you want sauce-wise; tofu *works* with just about everything, I think. Some people like raw silken tofu in salads, but I only like it baked or fried or cooked in something. Sandy wrote: Can I use tofu in place of ground beef to make a pot of chili or bean soup? Would I need to use any seasonings I don't normally use when I make these dishes with ground beef? What about spaghetti? I need ideas and please - nothing exotic. Thanks! **************Planning your summer road trip? Check out AOL Travel Guides. (http://travel.aol.com/travel-guide/united-states?ncid=aoltrv00030000000016) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 Hi, I did a quick search on what TVP meant and found that harmony house site and was looking at the products, and wondering... is that like what Bacos (salad topping) is made of? Sorry if this sounds stupid, just trying to figure out what tvp is like. , SinYounger <sindiyounger wrote: > > I use a lot of tofu, but when it comes to chili or spaghetti I use TVP, or some of the other ground beef subs, which for the life of me I can not remember the names of. But you can find them in the produce section. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 Not stupid The dry tvp kind of does look like bacos but not as dark and doesn't taste like anything. When I rehydrate it I use spices that match what I'm going to use it for and if it's a dish where I'm going to see it, like tacos, I also add some kitchen bouquet for coloring. hth, Peace, Diane , " cozyhomelife " <cozyhomelife wrote: > > Hi, I did a quick search on what TVP meant and found that harmony house > site and was looking at the products, and wondering... is that like > what Bacos (salad topping) is made of? Sorry if this sounds stupid, > just trying to figure out what tvp is like. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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