I think that’s a mistake that many of us have made. I’m not a huge fan of tofu but will cook with it once or twice a year. I like it pressed and frozen, then defrosted and marinated in teriyaki sauce for awhile. Then grill or broil and make a sandwich out of it or a stir fry. Sometimes I make tofu bacon but it’s never all that good. Ttrockwood convinced me to try it with tempeh next time instead of tofu by posting this recipe http://www.veganpeace.com/recipe_pages/recipes/TempehBacon.htm I plan to experiment with it.
I’d love to hear about your favourite uses for tofu!
I like chinese salt and pepper tofu when out at restaurants. I also like it in hot and sour soup.
I also like tofu with broccoli in black bean or oyster sauce. I didn’t mention these because you had indicated the girl didn’t like any type of “Asian” food.
Tofu always needs a strong sauce if not a broth to cook it.
One dish I like particularly is the Japanese cold tofu Hiyayakko. You can see the recipe here : http://www.thekitchn.com/hiyayakko-japanese-cold-tofu-150547
Personally, I add much more soy sauce. Use silken tofu, firm tofu is for other purposes.
I also like Mapo tofu, it’s not a vegetarian dish, although I think you can just ignored the minced meat, the dish calls for chilli sauce, fermented black beans, onions…
I’d be interested to see a list of her favorite foods and flavors exclusive of desserts or junk food, or at least foods she has no complaints about.
Of her “no-go” list, I’m right there with her on polenta, raw onions, spicy food, bbq sauce, smoked flavors in vegetable dishes, butter except directly on bread or in sweet pastry, Thai, most Indian and Chinese as served in American restaurants, and I am not crazy about tofu or radishes. None of these things have been in my kitchen for years.
Regarding tofu, despite not eating that I do eat a lot of beans, either straight up as a warm dish, or as a room-temp salad, or pureed into a dip. I like white beans and black beans best, and chickpeas for dips (or with pasta). For soups, I like lentil, pea and pinkish/tan beans.
Since she likes feta, maybe a Greek pie or turnovers? If she doesn’t like spinach (I’m so-so about it), chard is much milder, and if she lives in an area where it is possible to get rainbow colored chard, could be fun. But any green she likes will do.
I don’t like green bell pepper, especially cooked, but I do like both red “bell” pepper and yellow “bell” pepper, either raw or grilled or roasted or long-cooked. It’s sweeter and milder, even when raw. Plus, more beautiful to look at.
I think of barley as a very kid-friendly grain, fluffy and rather sweet. What’s known as Israeli couscous is also popular with kids, and really simple to make (as is the more familiar small grain couscous).
I have found that kids are often happier with grain dishes or vegetable dishes if they include raisins or other dried fruits, and nuts, all of which is good for them if they don’t have allergies. Fresh fruit like grapes is also a nice addition to many otherwise savory dishes.
If she is still a vegetarian by summertime, the Spanish in Andalucia eat a delicious cold almond soup, to which they add fresh grapes. It could not be simpler to make so long as there is a blender in the house:
It really sounds like she would like a lot of the things you suggest. I just so happen to have a list of what she likes. I’m sure she has left many things off of it. It’s not always easy to think of a complete list on demand. I may have already mentioned this, I’ve shared a private pinterest board with her and have posted many recipe links of things that aren’t too far off from her lists, along with notes on how to adapt them to her liking and to the meat eaters in the family. Hopefully looking at the food porn will help her think of things she might want to have. I know it always helps me.
Likes:
spinach (her favourite meal is spanakopita)
peanut butter (just starting to experiment with it)
vinaigrettes
broccoli
cauliflower
white rice
oats
seaweed
avocado (if served as guacamole)
eggs
fall squashes (sometimes)
lettuce
peas
corn
green beans
all beans -except whole garbanzo beans
hummus
mild cheese and feta
celery
pasta
cucumbers
tomato sauce with no chunks
pesto sauce
pickles
mustard (likes Tjs spicy brown – lots of flavour no heat)
cream cheese
carrots
all fruits except for pears and blueberries
green onions
finely chopped onions
garlic
sourdough bread
couscous
raviolis
basil
nuts: cashews, peanuts, almonds -sometimes
some seeds
dill
rosemary (sometimes)
black pepper (sometimes)
What a promising list! She definitely sounds like an interesting girl with an interesting palate. She doesn’t seem a “picky eater” in the sense of being “safe” or only wanting familiar foods. It’s that she apparently has some definite reactions yay or nay. She’s an attentive eater.
But there is so much there to work with in terms of good nutrition. And if she (or her dad) doesn’t have time to shop and cook, a pantry full of staples – like nuts, eggs, pickles, seaweed, canned beans (including green!) and dried fruit will go a long way toward making sure dinner is not french fries.
I wonder if some her “no” foods are based on having tasted a type she didn’t like. For instance, I like bosc pears but really don’t care for Bartlett or seckel. And I almost never like biting into a whole pear. I much prefer thin slices, or poached pears.
But anyway, the “yes” foods list is an excellent foundation to build on and expand upon. It goes all across the seasons, and there is lots of room there to create her own dishes. If she likes spinach and feta, no reason not to mix it up with beans, or add those to couscous. She might go for a bulghur tabbouleh if it’s loaded with cucumbers, carrots and green onions rather than tomatoes and parsley. Spicy brown mustard added to beans cooked in a thin tomato sauce was a childhood favorite of mine.
Hope you have a great time together working this out!
[Edited to add: If she enjoys doing things with her hands, maybe she would enjoy making wonton ravioli. Fillings can be very simple, like this one with cream cheese & basil
If she hasn’t had kabocha (a.k.a. butterCUP squash), it’s worth a shot. It tastes like the love child of a sweet potato and a butternut squash. It is drier than the latter, so the texture seems creamier. The cavity is large. Eviscerate the halves, bake them cut side down until tender. Or fill the raw halves with a stuffing of bread crumbs, diced, apple, and egg with sauteed onion and mushrooms. Oil the cut edges, bake cut side up till golden-brown.
Has she tried roasted soy nuts? I am hooked on this Soynut butter- it’s basically a school friendly version of peanut butter made with roasted soy nuts instead. I actually like it better than peanut butter!
More for me! You’re right, Gourmanda. Every Christmas, a friend of mine (who’s otherwise an adventurous eater) receives a dried fruit/nut tray from a relative - and gives the fruits to me. I reciprocate with the unwanted smoked salmon I often receive from a different friend.
I don’t think any posting about food ever assumes that anything mentioned is a ‘universal like.’ And why single out one item? Nuts are far from a universal like, eggs are far from a universal like, soy is far from a universal like, carrots… fill in the rest…
Note that if the family shops at trader joe’s they sell a “high protein tofu” that is very firm and dense- no need to press it. I slice the tofu into chunks and saute in a bit of oil until golden on the sides, then use in a “grain bowl” with whatever steamed or stir fried veggies, rice/quinoa/etc, and a sauce- i love a peanut butter/soy/lime juice sauce but it could be nearly anything from marinara to salad dressing.
This kind of meal format would work very well alongside family meals so she can incorporate the same sides and just switch up the protein to anything from a veggie burger patty to cuban black beans to sauteed tempeh. This is a great article with lots of ideas and a basic how to for her and her dad- obviously would be incorporating ingredients and flavors she likes
Thanks!
