Calling All Vegetarians...

[endurancerider]

W
I still would like a specific "How to Cook with Tofu" cookbook suggestion that would be appropriate for a true beginner, written in very simple terms. With tips in it like Eden's post about putting tofu between paper towels to dry it out before cooking it.

Well for really simple, buy the baked tofu at Trader Joe's, and fry it in a pan with some spinach and salt. If you want more complex, add garlic.

I also like the Soy Chorizo they sell at Trader Joe's. I cook it with onion and tomato. Don't put in too much, a little goes a long way. I know you're avoiding dairy--I often add this to an egg and a little cheese--but you could add a little soy cheese to cut the chorizo. Good on a tortilla with guacamole.

[Over50Newbie]

Wow - these are all great ideas!!

Thank you so much, everyone!

And I do have a Trader Joe's about a half hour from my house, although I have to admit that I have never gone shopping there.

But I will go now, and with my shopping list in hand.

Thanks again, everyone!

And a special thanks to divingbiker for lending me those cookbooks. She won't even let me pay for the shipping. What a sweetheart!

That's what I love about this TE community - we all help each other out!

Lynette

[Blueberry]

Well for really simple, buy the baked tofu at Trader Joe's, and fry it in a pan with some spinach and salt. If you want more complex, add garlic.

I also like the Soy Chorizo they sell at Trader Joe's. I cook it with onion and tomato. Don't put in too much, a little goes a long way. I know you're avoiding dairy--I often add this to an egg and a little cheese--but you could add a little soy cheese to cut the chorizo. Good on a tortilla with guacamole.

Oh...the Soy Chorizo is fabulous!!! We cook it and put it and corn salsa over a potato. Yummy!!!

[msincredible]

Trader Joe's has a nice selection of vegetarian and vegan foods at very reasonable prices.

[NbyNW]

I'm an omnivore who happens to love vegetables.

I have "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone" by Deborah Madison, and it's a pretty reliable one to have.

Is salt an issue for you at all?

Like a few others have mentioned, I'm not a fan of trying to get soy to masquerade as something else. Other cultures have been using soy in their cuisine for centuries without trying to market it as a meat substitute.

One of my favorite things to do with silken tofu is to just put it on a plate, and slice it into cubes, but leave the whole block intact. Then sprinkle some chopped scallions, and bonito flakes if I have them. Drizzle soy sauce (the really good thick stuff) and sesame oil. Makes a nice appetizer.

You can also add a few cubes of silken tofu to miso soup, to change things up a bit.

Soy yogurt is also not bad. I was skeptical, then a co-worker brought some in to go with some berries. Quite tasty.