[kvixen]

Is light silken tofu SBD legal? And if so, any suggestions on how to prepare? Thx!

[sarahyu]

Yes, it is allowed. Have you tried it before? It takes a little getting used to. silken tofu comes in hard, soft and silken-which is softer then soft, but sometimes silken doesn't really mean softer then soft. It's sort of a description of the tofu. Check the label.

Tofu will adsorb the flavors of what it is cooked with, needs to simmer in some sort of flavoring for several minutes to get rid of the raw soy bean taste.

Hard is good for stir frying, it won't crumble as badly. You still need to be gentle when stiring.

Soft crumbles very easy, it's often added to soups. And silken is really soft, almost spoonable, depending on the brand. Silken tends to be added to shakes, make sauces and such with it. Check out the links below.

http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshel...23,136,00.html

Salad dressing: Drain soft silken tofu then puree with herbs and blanched garlic for a creamy salad dressing. This tofu dressing works well as a substitute for ranch-style dressing. You can also puree soft silken tofu and use it a substitute for mayonnaise or sour cream dip.

Desserts: Use drained soft silken tofu as a substitute for cream cheese in cheesecake, as a base to add flavoring for a pudding, or as a sweetened topping for fruit. Puree the tofu along with sweeteners and flavorings. The soft silken tofu will be smooth and silky.

This web site has many tofu recipes:

http://www.morinu.com/recipes/catego...ion=categories

[kvixen]

Thank you so much, Sarah! I made it with soy sauce and frozen oriental veggies. It definitely fell apart a little, but I am gonna try the hard tofu for stirfry. I did use it in my guacamole the other day- soooooo good! I am gonna try it in dressings too, perhaps a mock caesar or ranch! Yum! I will definitely check out the website. I am so excited that I am trying new things because of SBD. Thanks again!

[sarahyu]

No problem, my dh is Chinese. I've had to learn how to use it. If you have any questions give me a buzz.

This is a great program to learn new veggies/foods. I go to the asian market every week now to try something new. Sometimes it's a complete failure-like toasted whole unhulled barley, tastes like you are eating straw. And it scratches your throat on the way down as you make yourself eat it because it's healthy!

[edieschmedie]

Thanks for the tofu ideas.

I will definitely be using them in the future.
Especially like the moch ranch idea.

I have eaten allot of tofu, but just normally in stir fry and cubed on salad in lieu of chicken.

Edie

[susancsals]

If you freeze tofu, then thaw it before cooking it, it has a more durable (dare I say rubbery or meat like) texture. I keep some in the freezer all the time because I prefer it this way in stir-fry, etc.

Susan

[solarmama]

HI there,

Good suggestion about freezing tofu - the freezer is a good idea if you're trying to introduce tofu to someone who has not tried it - it's less gooshy and foreign that way. Start with Extra-firm tofu (not silken) freeze it and squeeze out the water after thawing, and the texture gets to be like a sponge. The tofu acts just like a sponge, so if you're using it in a soup or a lot of sauce, expect to have a lot of sauce squish out when you bite it. My DH and I particularly like it this way, and the DH was NOT excited by the idea of tofu before I started cooking it like this. After having it like this, he gradually came to like tofu in many forms.

I like tofu sliced thinnish (1/2-3/4 inch slices) and grilled in a George Forman or other tabletop grill, especially if it's been marinated in something ahead of time - BBQ sauce, or teryaki sauce (make your own with soy sauce/shoyu, garlic, ginger, a little sherry for bite, and sugar substitute) or lowfat ginger dressing. Throw it on salad after that, or eat with stir fry.

Hope that helps! I have also used silken tofu in dips and sauces, but mostly I save it for delicate cubes in my miso soup. Mmmm.

Solarmama