Running Scared
It started out as your typical gorgeous day in Suburbia…
then we realized what day it was.
Some of us were excited…
Some of us were not.
The backpack and hydration should have given it away.
I had a runner on my hands.
To avoid tofu, there was no distance she wouldn’t go…
no terrain to rugged.
Luckily, I had the manpower to bring her in,
and a few tricks up my sleeve. Namely this:
Incredible. The makers of Tofu Xpress sent me their tofu press to try and honestly, I will never make tofu without it again. If you are a tofu eater, you will want this. And if you’ve got a tofu runner on your hands, you’ll want this too. It gets every last drop of moisture out of the tofu and gives it such a chewy, amazing texture. We ate the whole block. Gigi and I ate some straight from the cutting board. Let me say that again: my five year-old ate uncooked tofu straight from the cutting board. I think I threw out my back doing a cartwheel into the breakfast nook.
My second strategy? Oh, just a little of this:
Honey Lime Tofu with Strawberry Peach Salsa
- One 16 oz. package of tofu, drained, pressed and cut into slabs
- 2 T. lime juice
- 1 T. honey or agave
- 2 T. tamari or reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 T. freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/2 t. cumin
- 1/2 t. coriander
Salsa:
- 1 organic peach, chopped
- 1 c. strawberries, chopped
- 2 T. red onion, minced
- 2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 T. lime juice
- 1/2 t. salt
- 1/2 t. cumin
- 1/2 t. chili powder
For tofu, mix all marinade ingredients together in a shallow dish or pie plate.
Add tofu and let marinate from 30 minutes to overnight.
Preheat the broiler. Place marinated tofu on a baking sheet that has been coated with cooking spray.
Bake for 6-7 minutes on each side.
For salsa, combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, and refrigerate until serving.
Served alongside some Spanish Quinoa,
it was a meal that no one could resist.
It’s what I do people. I guide hearts. I mold lives. I put an end to the runs.
Adorable and delicious! And I think those adjectives apply to all the pictures.
I want a tofu press! Just when I think you have every cooking gadget imaginable, you outdo yourself!
And I thought my spiral slicer was cool!
My tofu trick is to freeze it first and then thaw it out. Makes it chewier. Then what would happen if you pressed it?! It might be more than I could handle!
I need that tofu press. I am currently using old college textbooks to press my tofu.
I have one of those on its way! I have wanted one for about a year (and in the last year I have made tofu precisely ONE TIME b/c if it doesnt have the texture of WFs tofu I dont want it). So, point being, anything that will help guide me to the promised land and free me of $8.99/lb tofu, I am there. I cant afford that so you know how much tofu I eat (zero!).
Anyway, love that you got them done in 6-7 mins per side…whoa?! wow! Skylar actually loves tofu in any form, so I know she will be in tofu hog heaven.
Great recipe, too!
oooooooooo i want one of those!!! i dont need it to eat tofu straight off the c-board though!
Which kind of runs are we talking about there at the end, Mama Pea?
Hahaha I love the intense stinky eye from the wagon. That made my night complete.
Yet again you had me laughing out loud!! I love that the title of that picture is stink eye. hahaha too cute! And that dish sounds awesome, so light and summery.
Omg, this is the cutest little story ever. Your girls are the most adorable kids ever.
And yes, I’ve been meaning to try that tofu press. Cant get myself to buy it…
Can you please come and make me this for dinner? I swear, I won’t run in fear.
PS – the “I put a stop to the runs” made me think of something completely different than a toddler escaping tofu. Especially since poop is a popular topic in Peaville.
Ahh, Marianne…you know me so well…
I love this post and I LOVE that recipe!! I need to try that
Your posts are so dang creative! I can’t imagine how GRAND your book is gonna be!
& I’ve never seen tofu look so good – mmm. Why didn’t I think of salsa + tofu?
Just curious…do Gigi & Lulu know about your blog/why they must feel like their mom is paparazzi? =)
They do know about the blog/the book and they love it! Gigi keeps making plans on how she is going to spend my book advance. They actually love getting their pictures taken and fight over it like only sisters could.
omg.. this was ADORABLE. is lulu REALLY THAT afraid of tofu? she actually cried!?!?
too cute
No, she wasn’t really upset about tofu. She was upset because I explained that chewing sugarless gum was not a good substitute for brushing one’s teeth. I’m a mean and horrible mother.
LMAO!!! Lulu makes the most hilarious expressions! I laughed out loud at the one she made in the wagon with Gigi hauling it. You always brighten up my day with your adorable girls, Mama Pea!
OMG! Mama Pea, homerun once again. loved it!
I’d love to see Lulu when you were snapping that picture of her crying! I’m sure she was thrilled…lol.
That looks so amazing! That is my next tofu recipe! After I finish this scramble I’m eating now, of course. I want a tofu xpress but they’re kinda pricey
I’m glad your recovery team was able to get the situation under control!
I am loving my tofu press! Okay, that might be one of the best looking tofu recipes I have seen. You make tofu look so glamours!
OH MAN…that IS awesome…
I can’t tell you how freaked out L-sell would get walking into the kitchen to find a stack of various books and pans perched precariously atop a chunk of tofu wrapped in paper towels…needless to say it didn’t go over well.
If this recipe doesn’t tempt a non-tofu lover, I don’t know what would. I must get my hands on the TofuXpress… in the meantime, I’m going to make a double batch of that amazing-looking salsa, plop myself down on the couch with a soup spoon, and call it a day.
Oh, and that last picture of Lulu is priceless!
Yay! I got one a few months ago, and I LOVE it. It’s true– I never make tofu without it now!
I loved this post today. I was cracking up! Thanks for showing us this Tofu Press too – I think it’s just what my hubs needs to try tofu!
Once again I love this post!!! This is quickly becoming a favorite blog of mine
Jen
http://jenslosinit.blogspot.com/
hmm…is there gonna be a tofu xpress giveaway in the future??? If not..I’m busting out my pigtails, backpack, and sippy cup and running away!
The tofu looks delicious…how I miss it! Enjoy a piece for those of us who can’t have it any more!
After seeing that tofu press on Janetha’s blog I want one SO BADLY!!! Of course I never make tofu so I hesitate on buying one – but my reason for never making tofu is because I HATE the draining/drying process! Now if that thing sliced the tofu as well…I’d be all set.
I love “the runs” jokes…heheheh
I have been eating way more tofu lately and the tofu press looks like it definitely works better than the cutting board and 40 pounds of books I’ve been using!
I made tofu brownies once and took them to work about 10 years ago and everyone loved them ( not knowing they were tofu) after I told them and I brought brownies in after that no one would eat them… WTH people??? haha
I used to eat alot of tofu but haven’t in a long time, no one else would eat it but me
I was thinking what everyone else was about the runs~haha
I had a double-MamaPea night last night. For dinner, I made lasagna with your tofu ricotta. My fillings were similar to yours – homemade tomato sauce (super-easy) and spinach with leftover crumbled Curried Lentil Loaf. Delicious! My husband said it was great until I told him the ricotta was made with tofu. Then he begrudgingly admitted it tasted decent.
I also made your brownies from yesterday. They were fabulous. I did add a few extra chocolate chips. We ate them right out of the oven, so they were more like brownie goo. Yummmmm…
Also, I’d love to see a post with interesting ideas for vegan toppings for Corn on the Cob. I’ve always gone with the dripping butter topping. I’d like to see what other ideas you have.
Oh gosh, Earth Balance and salt? Chili powder? Nutritional yeast? I don’t really eat a lot of corn on the cob, so I don’t really have a lot of creative ideas…but I’ll get thinking on that one!
Mama Pea,
Your kitchen creations are getting more and more amazing every time I read your blog. That tofu dish + quinoa looks absolutely beautiful, and I only hope my kid(s) eat as well as yours do someday!
That tofu press is genius. I used to hate pressing water from my tofu. I always used 2 phone books and tons of paper towels. What a mess!
This looks delicious, I may make this tonight for dinner
Oh my goodness, that salsa sounds delicious! And that picture of Lulu in the wagon? Priceless!
Oh my God, this post was priceless. I think Lulu needs to be put in movies(silent movies? do they still make those?) after seeing her saga throughout this post
The second picture of Lulu is priceless. So much emotion under those terribly cute pigtails!! And that salsa screams summer. Can’t wait for the peaches to start showing up here!
OMG your girls crack me up!!!! Great pictures of them in this post!
That tofu looks so gorgeous – I need to come out and confess – I’d be a permanent vegan if you would always cook for me. There. I said it.
I don’t eat tofu because I can’t tolerate soy, but I have to say this looks SO fabulous. I especially love the salsa recipe…who knew it was so easy??
Wow. Maybe I need one of those! I press it, but can never get it the texture I really want.
It looks awesome with that salsa, too.
Her expressions are hilarious. So darn cute!
i freaking love your posts
I want one!!!
I don’t eat a lot of tofu, it’s true, but when I do I always have to sandwich it between various editions of Merriam Webster. No fun.
I’ve lately grown tired of all the planning, shopping, cooking and dirty dishes involved in making nutritious, homemade meals for my family every day. I was starting to wonder if all our fast-food/frozen dinner eating friends were on to something.
Your posts this week were just what I needed – fresh new recipes to try and lots of laughs – to keep me on the right path.
Ahh, Julie. I love it! Thank you!
Thank you.
i can totally empathize with little lulu on the tofu-run…i’m much the same way! i don’t know if i’ve ever had tofu that i’ve liked, but i’d totally be willing to try my hand at it if i had that tofu press!
This recipe ROCKS MP!!! I loooooove tofu. I chuckled when I read that G ate it ‘raw’. I totally sneak a few peices whenever I make tofu. Thought I was the only one
That tofu press looks pretty darn cool. Been seeing it all over the ‘sphere. I think I remember looking at their website and thinking… WHOA that’s way too much money for that… But, do you think it’s worth it ?? Curious. I end up not pressing my tofu bc I’m lazy and bc I hate dragging out huge books to get the job done… no bueno.
I do think it is worth the money. We will definitely eat tofu more often now, and it is really well made, so it will last forever.
That Lulu gets me EVERY TIME with those faces!
Ohhh yummmm!! I’m making this for sure this weekend.
Just found your blog a few days ago and I have to say your post crack me up everytime and your recipes sound really awesome too! Glad I found you!
Thanks, Kim. Glad you found me too!
A tofu press? YUM! That’s what I need… tofu is never firm enough when store bought.
Anyway, that strawberry salsa atop the warm baked tofu sounds amazing, simple, delicious, wonderful! Thank you for the recipe!
Love it! I used to sneak my hand in when my mom was cutting tofu and eat it raw, too
This recipe has me convinced I need a press. Growing up in a Chinese family, no one ever pressed tofu. So when I read about it in blog world, I thought it was silly and unnecessary. Now I am starting to see the possibility with changing the texture and I’d be willing to try it
(Ya hear that, TofuExpress?!) 
HA. guess freaking what?! i used my tofu press yesterday. i pressed the tofu for a full 30 hours. yep. 30. because i forgot about it. and then when i used the tofu it was the most glorious texture EVER. and.. had i had time to post yesterday (which i did not).. i was going to name my post “tofu tuesday”! great minds. that, or alliteration is just an easy title generator for us bloggers.
LOVE the sequence of photos of lulu. i laughed out loud at my desk. so funny.
i agree, everyone should have a tofuXpress.
<3
Hahahahahahahaha!!!! Tofu Tuesday, hilarious!! Love the picture of the tofu, “I’m yummy!”
And “I had a runner on my hands.” 
You make me laugh, Mama Pea!! 
haha i put a pot on my tofu to press it!! i would LOVE that tofu xpress! and that marinade sounds like NOTHING I have ever had before! ia m def trying this! its amazing for summer!!
THAT. LOOKS. SO. GOOD!!!!!!! I was just telling my husband I wanted one of those presses and I wanted to start incorporating tofu into our meals. You have inspired me to go “meatless” a few nights a week (I make lentils one night and a bean dish another), and this recipe is going to be the first for our “tofu night!”. Thanks!
Wow, what a beautiful looking dinner.
It’s funny how some people don’t like tofu. I’m from SE Asia and have eaten tofu my entire life. I don’t ever remember my mom having to convince me to eat it. I guess that was a different time and place. It’s weird but I will try and eat anything once and my bf who grew up here in the states is afraid to eat anything not a hamburger or pizza. You should see the look of horror in his eyes when I ask him to try my seaweed salad. Sometimes when he accidently orders something with tofu in it, he takes great care in picking the pieces out, like they were ticking time bombs. He amuses me.
I feel the same way about my tofu press! LOVE IT!
I need a tofu press NOW! I currently use several big cans of garbanzos and a strainer
CANNOT wait to try this recipe! And you take the BEST pictures ever- everything is perfectly captured on camera
Long time reader, first time commenter. I just have to say you really put a ray of sunshine into my day- your awesome sense of humour, delicious food and gorgeous girls are always appreciated on a study break or rainy winter day (it’s winter in my world at the moment)!
Keep up the good work
Thanks, Amy. I’m so glad you delurked to stroke my ego
Usually your blog gives me food and life envy, but not product envy (which is a good thing!) but I’m pretty sure I NEED that tofu press!
hi there! i’ve been reading your blog and i’m hooked! i have a 2 yr old daughter who refuse to eat meat!!!! she eats tofu in a soup, i wonder she would eat tofu like this…hmmmm….i must try this recipe….i’m trying to incorporate meatless recipes so i’m getting tips/recipes from your site!!!! your kids are adorable!
I bet she would love tofu like this. Lulu especially loves it dipped in ketchup. I have a tofu nugget recipe too that is going to be in the book. My girls love it!
haha nice. She’s got quite the little personality!! LOVE the look of that topping.
She is unbelievably adorable! And you should be Mother of the Year for getting your kids to eat so healthy. Amazing! I always liked tofu, too, and my mom did the same thing, she just gave us healthy foods right from the start.
Confession: I’ve had one of those tofu presses in my possession for several months, but I have yet to use it, despite my frequent consumption of tofu. Guess i need to dig it out of the cabinet?
I don’t eat tofu regularly enough to get a tofu press, but I can see how that would be almost life changing
poor lulu!!! haha, its not funny but i dont know what it is, shes so cute when she cries!! or at least when theres pictures without sound..lol.. u definitely get some great pics of the girls!
Oh how cute that last pic is
)
That’s one amazing recipe, I love tofu and can’t wait to try this! Tnx