Island Tofu

Like I said previously, I love tofu. It is the absolute most versatile ingredient and favorite meat substitute. I know some people, especially those new to plant based eating, who don't like it, and I can guarantee it's not the tofu, but the way it's prepared. Try this and you'll change your mind!

Island Tofu

1/2 c. cornstarch
1/4 t. dried thyme
1/4 t. dried marjoram
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. cayenne
1/4 t. paprika
1/4 t. brown sugar
1/8 t. ground allspice
One package extra firm tofu, frozen, boiled, pressed, cut into rectangles or triangles
One green bell pepper, cut into strips
3 green onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
One jalapeno, seeded and chopped
Two tomatoes, chopped
One can of pineapple chunks, about 1 c., drained
2 T. soy sauce
1/4 c. water
2 t. lime juice

Mix the cornstarch, thyme, marjoram, salt, cayenne, paprika, brown sugar, and allspice in a bowl. Coat the sliced tofu in the mixture thoroughly, and cook in oil over medium heat until a nice golden b brown. Set aside.
In the same skillet, saute the bell pepper, green onions, garlic, and jalapeno in oil until softened. Add the tomatoes, pineapple chunks, soy sauce, water, and lime juice and simmer until flavors blend.
To serve, spoon the mixture over the tofu. Enjoy!

Lemon Tofu with Green Beans

I love tofu. Sometimes I think I can't say that enough. With so much bad press being put out using bad research, I like to openly express how much I like tofu, as an attempt to counter the misinformation. And by the way, this is really delicious!

Lemon Tofu with Green Beans

Zest and juice from two lemons
One can of coconut milk
4 or more garlic cloves, minced
2 t. lemon pepper seasoning
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. thyme
1/2 t. salt
Black pepper
One package extra firm tofu, frozen, boiled, pressed, cut into cubes
One package frozen cut green beans

Mix everything together in a large pot and stir to coat well. Heat to almost boiling, cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for about 20 minutes. Serve. Enjoy!

Five Spice Tofu

I've said several times before how much my family loves to grill, and how I often try to get them to expand their grilling repertoire. This is one of those times, and the results were delicious!

Five Spice Tofu

3 T. tamari
2 T. lime juice
2 T. mirin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. sriracha (check ingredients, some brands aren't vegan)
1-1/2 t. dark brown sugar
1 t. five spice powder
One package extra firm tofu, frozen, thawed in boiling water, pressed, and sliced

Add all the ingredients to a gallon sized ziploc baggie and wiggle around the coat the tofu well. Refrigerate overnight. Grill on a lightly oiled grill, cooking about 5 minutes per side.

Make an extra batch of the marinade to brush over the tofu as it grills.

Serve. Enjoy!

Grilled Tofu with Mango

If you've never grilled tofu, you really need to try it. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!

Grilled Tofu with Mango

One package extra firm tofu, frozen, thawed in boiling water, pressed dry, sliced into triangles
1 T. dark sesame oil
2 T. tamari
1/2 t. black pepper

Place tofu in a shallow dish and rub both sides with black pepper and brush both sides with the tamari and the sesame oil. Cover and let marinate overnight. Over a medium hot grill, grill the tofu about 3-4 minutes each side. Serve with a mango slaw.

Mango Slaw

1/3 c. rice vinegar
3 T. tamari
3 T. sugar
1 T. sambal oelek
1 t. mirin
2-3 mangoes, peeled and sliced into strips
1/4 c. chopped cilantro

Mix the vinegar, tamari, sugar, sambal oelek, and mirin together until blended. Let set about five minutes for flavors to blend. Add mangoes and cilantro and mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve alongside grilled tofu.

Herb Marinated Tofu

As the weather continues to warm, we get more in the mood to grill. I love convincing my family to try new recipes on the grill. Now I just need to learn to do the grilling myself!

Herb Marinated Tofu

3 T. lemon juice
2 T. olive oil
3 or more cloves garlic, minced
1 t. basil
1 t. rosemary
Extra firm tofu, frozen, thawed, pressed, sliced 1/2 inch, then cut into triangles

Mix all the ingredients together in a ziploc baggie and marinate the tofu overnight. Season with salt and pepper and grill over medium heat about 5 minutes each side. Serve. Enjoy!

Chicken Fried Tofu in Paradise!

The challenge for Day 15 of Vegan Mofo is: OMG, Barack Obama is coming over because he knows you make awesome vegan food! What are you going to make?

Lol!

Well, the last time the President was in Texas, he had barbecue. Texans are very proud of their barbecue, that's for sure. So, I wouldn't want to bore him by serving that to him. Instead I will go with another commonly served dish here. Chicken Fried Steak...er Tofu! The man has to know he won't get steak from any vegans, you know. And right now, with the temps dropping, it is kind of paradise here!

Chicken Fried Tofu

1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. cornmeal
3/4 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
pinch of ground red pepper
1/4 t. garlic powder
One package extra firm tofu, frozen, boiled, pressed, sliced into triangles
2 T. vegan bacon drippings
Non dairy milk

In a shallow bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, salt, black pepper, red pepper, and garlic powder. Pour milk into a second shallow bowl.

In a frying pan, heat some oil with the vegan bacon drippings.

Dip the sliced tofu first into the milk, then into the dry mixture, making sure all sides are coated. Lay slices in the heated oil, and fry on medium, until golden. Remove to paper towels to soak up oil.

Pour out all but a couple of tablespoons of the oil. Stir in a couple of tablespoons of the flour mixture, and some of the milk and stir, stir, stir, until thickened.

Pour some of the gravy over your tofu steak. I like to serve mine with garlic mashed potatoes and green beans. Which, of course, is exactly what I would serve up to President Obama on this momentous occasion.

Enjoy!

Oh, and if you are curious about the vegan bacon drippings, this is what I used:

Finally I get to try it! And, by the way, it's delicious!

Tofu in Pecan Sauce

If you aren't a fan of tofu, it's probably because you've never had it made well. Those squishy, marshmallowy squares really aren't very enticing, I gotta admit. I never make it that way.

Tofu in Pecan Sauce

One package extra firm tofu, frozen, boiled, pressed, sliced
One onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. thyme
1/4 t. oregano
1/4 c. chopped pecans
Vegan butter
3 T. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. vegan sour cream

In a frying pan, sauté the onion and garlic in the butter until softened. Add the pecans. Into the sour cream, mix the flour and seasonings. Add this to the onion mixture. Lay the tofu on top of this sauce, cover, reduce heat and let simmer for a few minutes. Turn the tofu over to get sauce on the other side. Cover again and let simmer a few more minutes. Watch the sauce doesn't burn. Serve over noodles. Enjoy!

I admit I was a little worried the tofu would be bland, not having marinated beforehand, but it absorbed this sauce readily and was absolutely delicious! The only thing I would do differently is to double the sauce.

Herbed Tofu Cutlets

It's been awhile since we've had tofu. I needed to correct that.

Herbed Tofu Cutlets

One block of extra firm tofu, frozen, boiled, pressed, sliced into triangles
1 c. soy sauce
3/4 c. dry white wine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. oregano
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. panko bread crumbs
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1/2 t. basil
Non dairy milk

Marinate the tofu triangles in the soy sauce, wine, garlic and oregano for at least an hour. In a plastic ziplock bag add the flour. In a separate ziplock bag, add both types of bread crumbs and the basil. Pour the milk into a shallow bowl.

In a frying pan, heat olive oil.

One at a time, add a tofu triangle to the flour and shake to coat. Dip it in the milk, then add it to the breadcrumb mixture and shake again, to coat. Place in frying pan and cook until nicely browned.

Repeat until all of the tofu is done.

Serve. Enjoy!

Barbecued Tofu Steak

If you weren't always vegan, you probably at some point in your life have had steak. I have yet to find a vegan substitute for it that makes me think *steak*. This intrigues me because chicken, fish and ground meat all have excellent vegan substitutes. I've had delicious vegan ham. But steak?

This recipe is in no way like those steaks you may remember. It is, however, juicy and delicious.

Barbecue Tofu Steak

One package extra firm tofu, frozen in the package, boiled, pressed, sliced
1/4 c. ketchup
1/4 c. chili sauce
1-1/2 T. soy sauce
3 T. agave nectar
3 T. hoisin sauce
3 green onions, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Place the sliced tofu in a gallon sized Ziploc baggie. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and stir to mix well. Pour this mixture into the baggie with the tofu, and smoosh it around to make sure all sides of each slice of tofu is well coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.

Lay the slices on a cookie sheet and pour the remaining marinade on top. Broil the tofu until the marinade starts to bubble. Turn the slices over and allow to broil again until everything is sizzling again. Serve. Enjoy!

Meat(less)loaf

There is something definitely homey about meatloaf. It makes such a perfect sit down kind of meal. I always hear how the leftovers make for good sandwiches, but we never manage to have any leftover. Go figure.

Meat(less)loaf

Olive oil
One onion, chopped
3 celery sticks, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
One can pinto beans, drained (or cooked from dried if you have the time)
One package extra firm tofu, crumbled (see note)
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. tomato paste
1 T. mustard
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped fine
1/2 c. old fashioned oats (not quick)
1/2 c. panko bread crumbs
1/2 c. vital wheat gluten
1 T. parsley
1 T. basil
1 T. thyme
1 T. savory
Salt and pepper

Saute in oil the onion, celery, carrots and garlic until softened. In a food processer, add the tofu, soy sauce, tomato paste, mustard and walnuts. Whir until a paste. In a large bowl, add the oats, panko crumbs and vital wheat gluten. Add the herbs and salt and pepper. Now stir in the tofu paste and the sautéed vegetables until mixed well. Pour this into an oiled or sprayed loaf pan, and bake at 375 for 45 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool slightly before removing from pan and slicing.

We topped our with a spicy ketchup and served it with mashed sweet potatoes and green beans.

Okay, about the tofu. You may have noticed that when it comes to tofu I typically say to freeze it in the package, boil to thaw and press to remove liquid. This is an excellent process to go through if you are sautéing or frying the tofu. But for this recipe, I do something a little different. I take the tofu out of the package before freezing. I put it in a Ziploc sandwich bag without the liquid from the package and freeze it. It does turn yellow, but that's okay. I don't boil it, just remove it from the freezer and let it thaw. I do squeeze out the excess liquid. I have found that freezing tofu this way makes it ideally crumbly for things like meatloaves or using in place of eggs in egg salad.

Spicy Country Fried Tofu

I used to love my mom's fried chicken. She quit making it years ago, and now that I'm vegan, this pleases me enormously. However, only she could get the flavors just right. Which makes me realize it wasn't the chicken, actually, but the seasonings. I have tried to explain this to the meat eaters I know, that more often than not it is not the meat they like so much, but the flavors.

I've made several fried chick'n recipes over the years. I almost always use tofu, because it lends itself so well. Some of my various versions have included Fried Chick'n for National Fried Chicken Day and Southern Fried Tofu. I guess I really should find some kind of copycat recipes for some local fried chicken places and try them out. At any rate, this is yet another version of fried chick'n, using tofu.

Spicy Country Fried Tofu

1 c. flour
2 t. garlic salt
2 t. pepper
1 t. paprika
1/2 t. poultry seasoning
Non-dairy milk
One package of extra firm tofu, frozen, boiled, pressed, sliced
Olive oil

Combine the seasonings in a large Ziploc baggie and shake to mix well. Pour the milk in a shallow bowl. Dip each slice of tofu in the milk, then add to the spice baggie and shake to coat evenly and well. Do this until each slice of tofu has been coated. Heat the oil in a frying pan. You want enough oil to come up the sides of the tofu. Fry each piece until a beautiful golden brown. Serve. Enjoy!

Pecan Fried Tofish

I am one of those types of people who loves, loves, loves nuts. I like to cook with them, add them to salads, bake them into desserts. I eat them raw by the handful. Did I mention how much I love nuts? My family has become accustomed to my adding them to as many dishes as possible, and humor me by eating them.

Pecan Fried Tofish

One package extra firm tofu, frozen, thawed, pressed, sliced
Flour
1 c. bread crumbs
1 c. chopped pecans
Non-dairy milk
Olive oil

Place some flour in a Ziploc baggie and add the tofu slices, two at a time. Give a good but gentle shake to coat the tofu. Repeat until all slices have been dusted with flour. Pour plain, non-dairy milk into a shallow bowl. Dump the flour from the baggie and add the bread crumbs and pecans. Lay slices of tofu in the milk to coat, then add to the baggie and give another good but gentle shake to coat with breadcrumb mixture. Fry these coated pieces in olive oil until nicely golden brown. Serve alone or with vegan tartar sauce.

Half my family thought they were a little bland, but the other half loved them as is. Play around with seasonings to find a mix you like.

I served mine up with cole slaw and French fries.

Tofu Steaks

Tofu and steak aren't two words that anyone generally associates with one another. And, let's face it, if you are trying to convince a steak eater that tofu is an exact substitute, you will fail miserably. That does not, however, in any way, shape or form imply that tofu steaks aren't delicious. They are! And cruelty-free, to boot. But while many meat eaters can be fooled by many of the meatless products out there, calling your tofu steak to them doesn't pass muster. I don't even know why we call them tofu steaks. What we really should just say is they are delicious, and here! Try one!

When we first went vegan, one of the first recipes we tried were tofu steaks. Not bad, but my son, who cooked them, went a little heavy on the soy sauce. Needless to say, they were a little on the salty side. I toned that down a bit when I made these.

Tofu Steaks

One package extra-firm tofu, frozen, thawed, boiled, pressed, sliced
One package sliced mushrooms
Lite soy sauce

Saute the tofu and the mushrooms in olive oil. Season with the lite soy sauce and sprinkle with salt and pepper. The trick is using enough soy sauce to flavor, but not overwhelm. Serve the steaks and mushrooms over a bed of organic spinach leaves and sprinkled with sliced green onions. Take a bite of the tofu along with the mushrooms and spinach and enjoy the blending of flavors in your mouth!

Serve alongside mashed potatoes made with rosemary, and green beans seasoned with Braggs aminos.

Enjoy!

Virtual Vegan Potluck - Black Pepper Tofu

Today I am participating in a very exciting project - The Virtual Vegan Potluck! This is my first time and I am so thrilled to be a part of it.

Thank you, Annie, at An Unrefined Vegan, for holding my hand as I prepared for the big event! There will be everything from appetizers to desserts. I'm bringing a main dish to this shindig. So bring your plate and help yourself!

Black Pepper Tofu

 

One package extra firm tofu, frozen in package, boiled, pressed and sliced into thin squares 

Olive oil

Cornstarch

Vegan butter

One shallot, diced

3 cloves garlic, diced

1 T. fresh ginger, diced

Crushed red pepper flakes

2 T. kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)

2 T. soy sauce

2 T. dark soy sauce (recipe follows)

Crushed black peppercorns

Green onions, chopped

 

Place the tofu squares in a ziploc baggie and sprinkle in some cornstarch. Zip the baggie closed and shake it to coat the tofu in the cornstarch. Heat the oil in a skillet and add the tofu. Cook the tofu until it is crispy and golden, and put on paper towels to drain. Set aside.

Drain any leftover oil and put the skillet back on the burner. Add some vegan butter and let it melt. Add the shallots, garlic, ginger and a few shakes of crushed red pepper flakes and saute until softened. Add the tofu back to the skillet with the three different soy sauces and a few twists of the peppercorns. Stir to evenly coat the tofu.

Serve the tofu on top of steamed white rice and sprinkle on some of the green onions. Enjoy!

Dark Soy Sauce

1/4 c. water
1 c. dark brown sugar
1/2 c. soy sauce

Mix the water and brown sugar together in a pot over high heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium low. When the brown sugar has all dissolved, pour in the soy sauce, stirring again to mix well. When heated through, remove from heat and let cool. Store in the refrigerator.

I cannot say how delicious this was! Even my non-vegan non-tofu loving husband had two servings and told me this was a keeper! High praise from him for tofu, I have to say!

Make sure you sample the other offerings on the potluck!

You can travel backward and forward through the blogs to see what everyone is bringing!

Chicken Fried Tofu

Growing up in Texas, there are two dishes you can find served at a restaurant within a stone's throw, no matter where you are. Barbecue and chicken fried steak.

And if you are in Texas, never, ever, ever, refer to chicken fried steak as country fried steak. Trust me on this.

As I have tried to explain to many meat eaters, I bet nine times out of ten it is not the meat they like so much as it is the flavors of the food. To that end I like to make dishes that even I-will-never-be-vegan folks will eat and proclaim it delicious.

Chicken Fried Tofu

One package extra firm tofu, frozen, thawed, pressed, sliced into 1/4" slices
3 T. nutritional yeast
2 T. panko breadcrumbs
2 T. soy sauce
Old Bay seasoning
Salt

In one shallow bowl, combine the nutritional yeast and breadcrumbs and mix well. In another shallow bowl, pour in the soy sauce. Dip the tofu slices in the soy sauce and place in the breadcrumbs mixture, coat well on both sides. Place coated pieces on a sprayed baking pan. Sprinkle on some Old Bay and salt. Bake for 15 minutes, turn over, season and bake for another 15 minutes until golden brown. Serve. Enjoy!

I served mine with some peppered cream gravy, garlic mashed potatoes and green beans. Delish!

What I like most about this recipe is it is baked, not deep fried. Yummy, healthy AND cruelty-free!

Oven Fried Tofish Sandwiches

Maybe it was a commercial, I don't know, but I got a fierce craving for a fish sandwich the other day. Being vegan, a fast food fish sandwich is unthinkable, and well, gross. Needing to satisfy this craving, I pulled some tofu from my freezer and sliced it up. What came next was close to amazing.

Oven Fried Tofish Sandwiches

One package extra firm tofu, frozen, thawed, pressed, sliced thin

1 c. breadcrumbs

1 t. kelp powder
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 t. paprika
1 t. salt
Olive oil
 
Mix everything but the tofu and olive oil together. Pour some of the olive oil in a separate bowl. Dip the tofu slices first in the olive oil, then into the breadcrumb mixture, coating evenly and well. Place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, turning the tofu over after 15 minutes.

Serve on buns with some lettuce and vegan tartar sauce. Enjoy!

I have made tofish sandwiches before, but fried them. I much better like making them this way. They were crispy, tasty and omg good. My son and I had two sandwiches each, we couldn't get enough! Even my non-vegan husband agreed they were good. Success!

I served it with potato chips since we seem to have had fries several times lately.

Kung Pao

Before I became vegan, my favorite dish at any Chinese restaurant was Kung Pao. Usually Kung Pao chicken, but sometimes even one with three different meats. Now, of course, that thought horrifies me, but I had begun to wonder why in so many Chinese restaurants the only dish available to me was steamed mixed vegetables.  Boring. Bland. Why couldn't they do a vegan Kung Pao?

I have since found some excellent Chinese restaurants that offer a variety of dishes for the non-meat eater, and this pleases me enormously. But I also make it at home. This recipe can be made with either tofu or seitan.

Kung Pao Tofu

4 c. cooked rice
Sesame oil
One onion, chopped
5-6 ribs of celery, diced
One package extra firm tofu, frozen, thawed, pressed, cut into bite sized cubes
1/4 c. peanut butter
1/3 c. soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/8 t. red pepper flakes
1-1/4 c. water
2 T. cornstarch
Dry roasted peanuts
Green onions, chopped

Saute the onion and the celery in the sesame oil until softened. Add the tofu, peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic and red pepper flakes. Mix well. Whisk together the water with the cornstarch and add to the frying pan. Simmer over medium until slightly thickened. Serve over the rice and sprinkle the peanuts and greens onions on top. Enjoy!

Kung Pao Seitan

Substitute seitan for the tofu.

You can also substitute Braggs Aminos for the soy sauce, and can use a different nut butter if you prefer.

Also, remember to check the ingredients on your dry roasted peanuts. Some name brands contain gelatin.

Cajun Fried Tofu, Horseradish Mashed Potatoes and Creole Green Beans

In my pre-vegan days, it was not unusual for my husband to stop off at a local chicken place and bring home dinner. I was actually often grossed out by it, and tended to consume more of the rice and beans and biscuits than anything else. The spicy flavors, however, I did like.

I decided the other day I wanted some crispy fried tofu. Remembering those days of spicy goodness, I decided to try out something new.

Cajun Fried Tofu

One package extra firm tofu, frozen, thawed, pressed, sliced
1 T. Dijon mustard
1/2 c. hot sauce
1/4 c. water
1 c. flour
1 t. salt
Oil for frying

Combine mustard, hot sauce and water in a large ziploc baggie. Add the tofu pieces and let marinate overnight.
Combine flour and salt in another ziploc baggie. Add the marinated tofu pieces and shake until the tofu is well covered.
Fry in the hot oil until nicely browned on both sides.

My kids loved this, but I'll admit to it being much spicier than I like.

Horseradish Mashed Potatoes

9 potatoes, baked
1/4 c. vegan butter
3 T. horseradish
2 T. vegan sour cream
2 T. non-dairy milk
1/2 c. Daiya cheddar shreds
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

When potatoes have cooled, cut in half and remove the pulp. In a large bowl, mix the potato pulp with the remaining ingredients and mix well until it resembles mashed potatoes. Serve with a sprinkle of fake bacon bits.

Don't worry about the horseradish - it is very mild in this and you might not even really notice it.

Creole Green Beans

1/2 of an onion, chopped
1/2 of a green bell pepper, chopped
2 T. flour
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/8 t. dry mustard
One can diced tomatoes
One can cut green beans, drained

Saute onion and green pepper in olive oil until soft. Add remaining ingredients and stir until dry ingredients are dissolved and everything is well mixed. Cook until sauce is thickened.

To Tofu or Not Tofu, That is the Question!

Years ago when I became a La Leche League Leader, I remember telling someone that tofu was a reason for divorce in my home. It was a joke, of course, but underlines for me today how different things can turn out.

My husband didn't like tofu because his limited exposure to it demonstrated it to be bland and boring stuff. And, really, it was. I never made it back then, but get togethers we attended often had at least one dish that had tofu, and often it was more like a brick of cream cheese with something dumped on top and eaten spread on crackers. Yeah, bland and boring.

We arrive now years later, and the tofu that I once eschewed I now adore. I did have to learn how to use it, though, and that has made all the difference. Trust me, those chewy cubes you've gotten in a dish at a Chinese restaurant are NOT what tofu can be.

So you are still reading and you've been to the grocery store and seen the various packages and are utterly confused. Silken? Soft? Extra firm? What does it all mean?!?!?!?!?!

Ah, my little chickadees, I can help you navigate the grocery aisle!

Silken is a Japanese style of tofu, is best used in dessert style dishes. Silken does come in soft all the way to firm, and does not need to be frozen or pressed, but may need to be drained. Most recipes will specifically state silken in their ingredients, so don't worry about trying to figure out what to buy.

Soft, Medium, firm and extra firm (NOT Silken) are Chinese style. Soft is best for dessert dishes. Medium is good for things that call for cottage cheese, like lasagna. Firm and extra firm are best for dishes that need something chewier, and hold up well to sauteing or frying.

Some tricks:

I prefer extra firm over firm. It's a personal choice, but I like the chewiness of it. I ALWAYS freeze mine first. I get home from the grocery store and put the package directly in the freezer. When I am ready to use it, I pull it out, let it thaw just a bit, then boil it to finish off the thawing process. After it cools a bit, I wrap it in a bath towel and press, press, press to get as much water out as possible.

Why press it? The drier you can make it, the better it will be at absorbing the flavors you will be using when you make your dish. That is the beauty of tofu - it beautifully soaks up whatever is used on it, be it a marinade, a sauce or a coating.

Once pressed and cooled, you can slice the tofu for your recipe.

The one thing I do different with the freezing is if I want to use tofu to make an eggless salad for sandwiches. In that case, I remove the tofu from the package and put it in a freezer baggie. It freezes without the water in the this case, and does turn a yellowish color. Once thawed (and boiled) and cooled, I've found it crumbles very much like hardboiled eggs.

ALWAYS buy organic tofu.

Some delicious tofu dishes:

Fried Chick'n
Tofu Turkey and Chick'n Fried Tofu
Blackened Tofu
Asian Barbecued Tofu

Don't fear the tofu! I substitute tofu now for any recipe calling for chicken or fish and have found that it works very well. Enjoy!