Vegetarian Tofu Haters...........

[npmommie]

are you out there??

I try and I try to like it, but I just hate it. Can't stand it.
unless it is masked very very well.

I just made those little wonton wrappers with tofu, my kids LOVE these. they dip them in duck sauce ( I know unhealthy!)

but I just hate the taste of the tofu, I can taste it even masked by the spices and sauce.
blech.

so any other tofu haters?

 

[Imzadi]

unless it is masked very very well.

they dip them in duck sauce ( I know unhealthy!)

but I just hate the taste of the tofu, I can taste it even masked by the spices and sauce.
blech.

That's the whole point to eating tofu. You use it to create dishes by using tasty sauces, spices, meat vegetables, etc.

It would be equivalent to you asking the question, "Does anyone else hate pasta/noodles? It is as bland as can be - unless I add a sauce to it.

Or: "Why do people like bread? You have to add meat, veggies or a condiment to the sandwich before you can eat it. And forget a plain pizza crust, it always needs sauce, veggies or meat."

Get it?

Tofu is like bland, white flour. You have to make it into something else.

Perhaps you are using the wrong sauces? Don't try making it yourself. Go to a good Chinese restaurant, and order a dish with one of their garlic or brown sauces. Yum! If you don't like the tofu fried, order it in the dish soft/steamed.


ETA two more things: Tofu isn't just for vegetarians. As a hypoglycemic/pre-diabetic, I am always looking for alternate, easily digestible proteins instead of, or in addition to meats & dairy proteins. Unless one has a thyroid problem and should avoid soy products (in the same way a diabetic needs to avoid too many carbs/sugar,) tofu is an excellent source of protein.

For women in perimenopause or menopause, the latest research has been showing that it helps curtail or lesson many perimenopause or menopause symptoms. If you are female and heading into perimenopause or menopause, my suggestion is to learn to like tofu.

 

[npmommie]

That's the whole point to eating tofu. You use it to create dishes by using tasty sauces, spices, meat vegetables, etc.

It would be equivalent to you asking the question, "Does anyone else hate pasta/noodles? It is as bland as can be - unless I add a sauce to it.

Or: "Why do people like bread? You have to add meat, veggies or a condiment to the sandwich before you can eat it. And forget a plain pizza crust, it always needs sauce, veggies or meat."

Get it?

Tofu is like bland, white flour. You have to make it into something else.

Perhaps you are using the wrong sauces? Don't try making it yourself. Go to a good Chinese restaurant, and order a dish with one of their garlic or brown sauces. Yum! If you don't like the tofu fried, order it in the dish soft/steamed.


ETA two more things: Tofu isn't just for vegetarians. As a hypoglycemic/pre-diabetic, I am always looking for alternate, easily digestible proteins instead of, or in addition to meats & dairy proteins. Unless one has a thyroid problem and should avoid soy products (in the same way a diabetic needs to avoid too many carbs/sugar,) tofu is an excellent source of protein.

For women in perimenopause or menopause, the latest research has been showing that it helps curtail or lesson many perimenopause or menopause symptoms. If you are female and heading into perimenopause or menopause, my suggestion is to learn to like tofu.

LOL, I have been a vegetarian since college days..........have tried to mask it many many different ways.........LOL.....I can taste it no matter how I mask it. it has an aftertaste to me, and i have tried many different brands.
I have more veg cookbooks than you can imagine.......hehe.......so I have tried it many ways.
I know it isn't just for vegetarians, but most vegetarians rely on it for a protein source. so I was wondering if other vegetarians/vegans hate it as much as I do

and I don't think menopausal women should have to learn to like it
I think the fermented soy products like tempeh or miso are better choices for putting soy in the diet.
all the processed soy isn't good.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I can't stand it either. I am not really a vegetarian as I will eat poultry and fish, but I eat meatless most days.

I agree that no amount of sauce or spice can mask the icky tofu flavour. Sorry Imzadi, but it is not bland to me. If it were bland that would be easy--but it had a weird taste I just can;t manage to escape when I eat it.

 

[fluffernutter]

I hated tofu when I cooked it myself ..and I tried many many ways of making it ..but when I had baked tofu alreayu marinated in the fridge section like from trader joes..etc I was in heaven. To each his own..dont feel you have to like it..lol
one other way of getting tofu in your diet if you really wanted to was to buy the silken tofu aspetic boxes on the shelves and they are great for making spinach dips for baked chips or sliced veggies and you can even make it into a fruit mousse with some agave and frozen berries.

 

[npmommie]

I hated tofu when I cooked it myself ..and I tried many many ways of making it ..but when I had baked tofu alreayu marinated in the fridge section like from trader joes..etc I was in heaven. To each his own..dont feel you have to like it..lol
one other way of getting tofu in your diet if you really wanted to was to buy the silken tofu aspetic boxes on the shelves and they are great for making spinach dips for baked chips or sliced veggies and you can even make it into a fruit mousse with some agave and frozen berries.

good idea for the dips. I may try that.
I tried the baked tofu from TJ's.....TJ's used to have a spinach and tofu eggroll in their frozen section that was sooooooo good, but they don't have them anymore
of course it wasn't a "healthy" choice, but it was good

I do get tofu when I go to Moe's. can't taste it in the burrito .......LOL. so there I can tolerate it.

 

[barkley]

That's the whole point to eating tofu. You use it to create dishes by using tasty sauces, spices, meat vegetables, etc.

It would be equivalent to you asking the question, "Does anyone else hate pasta/noodles? It is as bland as can be - unless I add a sauce to it.

Or: "Why do people like bread? You have to add meat, veggies or a condiment to the sandwich before you can eat it. And forget a plain pizza crust, it always needs sauce, veggies or meat."

Get it?

Tofu is like bland, white flour. You have to make it into something else.

Perhaps you are using the wrong sauces? Don't try making it yourself. Go to a good Chinese restaurant, and order a dish with one of their garlic or brown sauces. Yum! If you don't like the tofu fried, order it in the dish soft/steamed.


ETA two more things: Tofu isn't just for vegetarians. As a hypoglycemic/pre-diabetic, I am always looking for alternate, easily digestible proteins instead of, or in addition to meats & dairy proteins. Unless one has a thyroid problem and should avoid soy products (in the same way a diabetic needs to avoid too many carbs/sugar,) tofu is an excellent source of protein.

For women in perimenopause or menopause, the latest research has been showing that it helps curtail or lesson many perimenopause or menopause symptoms. If you are female and heading into perimenopause or menopause, my suggestion is to learn to like tofu.

i don't particularly care for it, but there are plenty of people who enjoy tofu just plain. my kid's school is strictly vegetarian and at the cafeteria you will find just plan tofu as a regular feature. some kids put it on top of salads like a crouton, some put it in soup (in the fashion of miso), some eat it as a side plain (like eating a berry dish of cottage cheese). for breakfast kids and staff will often opt for it grilled.

i think it's an aquired taste, kind of like straight gluten. i can't stand it, but since dh was raised eating it he loves the potlucks where there are gluten casseroles, gluten loaf (think meat loaf but all gluten), gluten "steaks"...

 

[bicker]

There are a few keys we've learned.

"Healthy tofu" is often mutually-exclusive with "yummy tofu". Tofu cooks-up great if you deep fry it! But heck, you could deep fry most anything and it'll cook-up great.

We have been able to get some of that kind of goodness by starting with extra firm tofu, and then purging it. To purge tofu, cut it into strips, place on a pan in a single layer between tea towels, with another pan on top, and weigh down the top pan with an iron skillet, thereby pressing the tofu. Do this for at least an hour. The tea towels should be very wet, reflecting a lot of water purged from the tofu.

Next step is to bake it before cooking it. Again, the point is to push the tofu down the path it would go if deep fried, without actually deep frying it. Purging removed a lot of water from inside; baking will remove even more from the surface of the strips. Place it on a rack (sprayed with cooking spray) so that top and bottom are enhanced.

Next, skip the marinating. You marinate meats, and perhaps some vegetables, but marinating tofu seems to just corrupt it. You can brush it with a marinade just before cooking, I suppose, or perhaps remove all the liquid from the marinade recipe, making it into a thick paste or perhaps just a dry rub. Or perhaps change the marinate into a sauce you put on top of the tofu after it is cooked.

I hope this helps.

 

[npmommie]

There are a few keys we've learned.

"Healthy tofu" is often mutually-exclusive with "yummy tofu". Tofu cooks-up great if you deep fry it! But heck, you could deep fry most anything and it'll cook-up great.

We have been able to get some of that kind of goodness by starting with extra firm tofu, and then purging it. To purge tofu, cut it into strips, place on a pan in a single layer between tea towels, with another pan on top, and weigh down the top pan with an iron skillet, thereby pressing the tofu. Do this for at least an hour. The tea towels should be very wet, reflecting a lot of water purged from the tofu.

Next step is to bake it before cooking it. Again, the point is to push the tofu down the path it would go if deep fried, without actually deep frying it. Purging removed a lot of water from inside; baking will remove even more from the surface of the strips. Place it on a rack (sprayed with cooking spray) so that top and bottom are enhanced.

Next, skip the marinating. You marinate meats, and perhaps some vegetables, but marinating tofu seems to just corrupt it. You can brush it with a marinade just before cooking, I suppose, or perhaps remove all the liquid from the marinade recipe, making it into a thick paste or perhaps just a dry rub. Or perhaps change the marinate into a sauce you put on top of the tofu after it is cooked.

I hope this helps.

I usually do the iron skillet thing to get water out, but have never thought to bake it prior to using it.
that may help. I think I will try that.