A Tofu Virgin & A TofuXpress Giveaway

This past weekend, I took a leap of faith and tried something I had never tried before…Tofu! Not only did I set my sights on trying it for the first time, I also decided to make it for myself too!

Thinking back on that, it might not have been the best decision to try to make something I didn’t really know how it was supposed to taste, but I powered on like a brave little solider!

Jackson was skeptical, but he supported me as usual.

I picked up this little packet of Organic Tofu for my maiden voyage into Tofu Town.

Doesn’t look so scary, does it?

I wanted to try out tofu mainly because I am not the biggest meat eater anymore. I haven’t had a taste for meat these days and don’t really like preparing meat dishes so I am always looking for other vegetarian options.

Disclaimer – I am not saying I am a vegetarian, I am just saying that lately I haven’t been eating much meat and I haven’t prepared meat for myself in a while. We will see where this goes.

Anywho, I have been meaning to try out Tofu because I have been seeing lots of great recipes for it on various blogs that look tasty. I also know how nutritious it can be – great source of protein, low in fat, high in calcium! All that sounds good to me!

My inspiration for trying out Tofu for the first time (and making it for myself) was that I was recently sent a TofuXpress to review on the blog. I didn’t feel right about posting about it using something other than tofu, so I went head first into trying out tofu for myself!

The TofuXpress improves tofu:

Removes water easily!
It fries better!
Bakes better!
Grills better!
Add flavor by marinating!

Pretty nifty little device we got here, right?

This little cube of Tofu was ready to be Xpressed!

Into the container we go.

The container was a perfect height for this block of tofu which worked out quite nicely.

I put the lid on top and gave the top a little twist to begin the process to get the moisture out.

Once the lid was in place and tightly secured on top of the tofu, I put the entire TofuXpress into the fridge and let it press out the water for about 20-30 minutes.

I had some time to spare when making my dish so leaving it to press out any additional water worked for me. But I was able to see that just after sitting for a few minutes, I believed the majority of the moisture was pushed out!

While I waited for my tofu to get ready I read a little instruction booklet about the product, which also included some vegetarian recipes as well.

I love when products include fun recipes to try!

I spent a lot of time tweeting for tofu recipe suggestions but I decided to go with a classic favorite – Gliding Calm’s Tofu

Gliding Calm’s Tofu recipe includes:

ginger powder, brown sugar/honey (or another sweetening agent!), sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, chili sauce and onion or garlic powder may also be added

I used a little bit of each of the ingredients above and seasoned the marinade to taste.

After I crafted my seasoning, it was time to check on my tofu and drain the water that had collected at the bottom after its press.

This bad boy got lots of water out of the tofu!

After the water was drained I decided to chop up my tofu cube.

I didn’t really know what was the ‘right’ way to cut the tofu. I just cut it into little cubes and thought these looked right.

Any suggestions on how to cut tofu correctly? Is there one specific way to cut it that’s better than others?

Then I dropped the cut up cubes into the marinade and gave it a little bath in the both.

I made sure to cover all the sides of the tofu!

Then it was time to go into the oven! I pre-heated the oven to around 400 – 425 degrees (somewhere in the middle) and I baked the tofu for 30-40 minutes, or until sides are brown & crispy!

Side Note – I need a new baking pan! If you are one of my friends reading this and are thinking about getting me something off my bridal registry I need a new baking pan! These pictures are so embarrassing to post on the blog! Ahh!

After a while in the oven, it was time to take out my first batch of tofu. Seriously, I need a new pan! – Mom!? Take pity on your only daughter! 🙂

Onto a pretty plate my first batch of tofu went!

Then I took that pretty plate and put it on top of a prettier placemat, because if you don’t have pretty pictures on the blog, you don’t have much to show for yourself now do ya?

It turned out to be quite a lovely first tofu experience. The marinade was amazing and the tofu had a nice taste.

I burned a few pieces, but I enjoy the burn! It turned out to be a great dish. I am glad I tried it – it wasn’t something that was on my 2010 resolutions, (like brussel sprouts were), but it has always been on my must-try list, and I am glad I finally made it!

The wonderful people at TofuXpress sent a second package for one lucky And Her Little Dog Too reader!

Want to win one for yourself?

Leave a comment with your favorite tofu recipe or let me know what else you would use the TofuXpress for, since it can be used to press vegetables and cheeses too!

Also, follow @TofuXpress on twitter or like them on Facebook!

To enter to win you must also vote for And Her Little Dog Too for the MyPHL Best of Philly Best Local Blogger! I would love your vote and your support!