have been eating at a health food store and have learned to love kale and chard, which is like spinach, I like most greens, collard, turnip, mustard and we steam them here. we get them frozen and ready to cook. can't deal with them fresh, have to wash them off...too much effort/time.
love the spagetti squash, that takes strenght to cut through the squash, hubby does that for me usually.
bizi

Bizi,

Hubby cooks swiss chard but I don't buy it often because it is expensive.
Tonight he is making a stir fry with onion, garlic, broccoli, red cabbage,
carrots, red pepper, tomato, and tofu. . . . lots of dark color foods for the root chakra (!).

M

oh that sounds good!I have never cooked with tofu before...I like it in hot sour soup or miso soup but that is the only way I have ever had it.
is that how it "cooks" up in the stir fry?
bizi

Bizi,

Yes. . . . . .it pretty much has the same texture and taste in the soup and stirfry.
We buy the blocks labeled "firm" or "extra firm."

Here is a recipe that calls for some breading before cooking. The breading browns it a bit.
How to cook tofu.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhQTbow7VmI


How to cook with tofu easy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeIwt...eature=related

These recipes say to drain it. We NEVER bother draining it to the degree that they show in the videos. We use medium sized chunks . . . .bigger than what you have seen in a soup. We take it out of the container, cut it up, and add it to a dish. Sometimes, I slice it fresh and put it on toasted bread for a sandwich. I've taken it to work completely plain -- cut up and put in a container for lunch. When it is fresh it has not much taste.

Tofu is versatile.

M

so you are a rocker?:)
thanks for the links
so you don't drain i like they do?
Is it a brind that they package it in? salty?
bizi

i used to buy that too
 

i don't think they add salt bizi if that is the concern... the fluid has something to do with keeping the curd in it's "own juices" ... tofu is kind of like milk curd. also fresh cheeses are kept in a watery state to maintain texture.

i have had things packed in brine though, like some olives... again preserves taste and texture.

silken tofu is the finer grain, softer kind... i have had this in chinese restaurants... very good eaten raw, cut into big cubes with a strong hot sauce liberally smothering it. as Mari says though not much taste in and of itself - you add whatever taste you want to it. it makes an interesting combination with their hot sauce.

i used to love to get "tofu crumbles" ... this is fairly dry tofu that has been processed in a way as to resemble loose hamburger meat, cooked.... i used to use it to make vegan ragu. that has a little more flavor but still quite bland. i used to add soy sauce to help...

~ waves ~ oh love a slice of the firm stuff with avocado and tomato and seeded or sprouted bread/wrap of some kind

spaghetti with tofu and peanuts
 

i have cooked it in cubes 1/2" ish, strips, and tried little "steaks" once - whole slab. no breading. but i did use a dab of butter with the oil. to combine or to eat by itself... usually some combination.

i used to make spaghetti with tofu and crushed peanuts. you saute the tofu and until the edges turn golden... add crushed peanuts... saute till the tofu browns... drain the spaghetti and toss it with everything else for a minute. i use fine spaghetti btw, i don't like the regular kind.

my parents do not like tofu. or any animal related to it.

~ waves ~

Bizi,

That video is loud, but I thought it did a good job explaining. :D

I looked at the ingredients in the tofu in the fridge. It says "nigari" (sea water extract). According to Wikipeida, nigari is Magnesium chloride. Weird. It's a coagulant. http://www.soymilkmaker.com/coagulant.html

I'm going to let the soak in filtered water and then drain it next time.
. . . .or maybe see if the organic brands are better.

M.

Thanks.
 

Waves,

These are good recipes.
We should all get together some time to hang out.

:idea: :Cowgirl: :Writting: :Music 2: :cowboy2: :Cowgirl:


Hubby only likes the firm tofu for his way of cooking.
Maybe I'll try to silken for myself sometime.

M

great idea mari!
waves did you use spagetti sauce when you used the tofu?
bizi