Totally Tofu

By Kristen Thorpe

There was a time I could never imagine a meal that wasnt based on meat and potatoes. But as I began to eat healthier over the years I would make more dishes that didnt involve meat like pasta or eggplant. A sister once remarked that one day Id serve Tofurkey for Thanksgiving. I laughed it off at the time though now I see that its not that implausible to me anymore.

It seems the healthier I eat the more I move toward less meat in my diet. I simply crave it less and less. Seems that happens for a lot of people. While some people make an overnight change to vegetarian diets, others grow towards it gradually.

Now I cant swear that I will ever be completely vegetarian since I still enjoy a good steak now and again, or a dish of chicken parmigiana over a bed of linguini. And I cant imagine ever becoming vegan since that would mean giving up cheese, one of my favorite foods. But never say never I guess. The bottom line is I find myself eating a mostly vegetarian diet these days.

Of course one of the easiest foods to substitute for meat is tofu. I recently made some excellent tofu sausages in a sausage and pepper dish over a bed of basmati wild rice that was delicious. The texture of the sausage was a little different, but its a small price to pay for the relief of not wondering exactly what animal body parts I might be eating in the old days.

Now I know some vegetarians that have never taken a liking to tofu. They prefer beans and other dishes for their protein intake. But if youve never tried tofu you might be surprised at how good it can taste. My personal favorite is a sesame soy tofu served with Asian noodles.

You can also buy Tofurkey as to use on for your sandwiches. The taste mimics turkey quite well and a Tofurkey on rye with mustard, lettuce, and tomato is a pretty impressive sandwich. Even kids enjoy the taste. So youll find there are numerous tasty ways to add tofu into your diet.

If youre evaluating your diet and your health but have not tried tofu yet maybe its something worth checking out. You can start small, with something at your local supermarket or salad bar, like roasted sesame tofu over Asian noodles. Its a great way to get a sample taste at a small price.

Visit a local grocer or health food supermarket and see if they have Tofurkey. You can pick up a package to make sandwiches " like a Tofurkey sandwich with salad greens, mustard, and tomato grilled on your indoor electric grill or panini sandwich maker. The taste might surprise you " and your body will thank you for the healthy choice. - 17273

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