A few years ago a few friends and I signed up for a tofu cooking class at SOY. The cooking class was held in the restaurant’s diminutive kitchen and run by the infectiously effervescent owner Etsko Kizawa. Before I took that class, tofu was something I might order out but I had no idea what to do with it in my own kitchen. I learned so much about the versatility of tofu from Etsko's fun little class and have incorporated much of what I learned that lovely spring day into the meals I prepare for our buttercup.
We introduced our daughter to plain, silken tofu when she was 6 1/2 months old. I chose silken tofu for the texture which is similar to custard. While there is slightly more protein, fiber, fat and calories in firm tofu, I felt that the the texture of firm tofu was too dense for an infant just starting out on solids. Tofu of all varieties is usually found in the refrigerated aisle at the market near dairy or it may be shelved (in shelf-stable packages) in the ethnic food section.
The unique silken texture and flavorlessness of tofu qualifies it as an ideal first stage food. After all, it is hard to reject something that doesn't smell, taste or look like anything suspicious! It looks a lot a lot like plain yogurt but tofu lacks yogurt's goopiness which makes it a “tidy food” for when you are out and about. Bettina RD shares that it's a great substitute for yogurt for children who are allergic to milk.* If your baby is eating purees and you want to introduce tofu, start with silken. If your baby is chewing or you have moved on to chops, then soft or medium tofu is ideal. I buy organic tofu and when I’m feeling motivated, I trek to the Japanese market where there are bountiful options in a wide variety of sizes offered in cute and clever bento-style packages. I love having small stacks of individual-meal-sized packages of fresh tofu available in our refrigerator. I find that single-serve tofu packages store more efficiently than opened, partially consumed packages and they also pack into the zippered compartment of a bag easily. There are usually many tofu options available at a Japanese market. Resist the strong urge to buy the cutest package. Instead check the nutritional information and select the one with the highest calcium content. Not all tofu is created equal!
Our daughter is 23 months old and she still loves to eat plain silken tofu. When I have the single-serve packages on hand, I simply open one, drain the excess water and let her take her best shot at the contents with a spoon. If we only have a larger package on the shelf, I drain the water out of the package each time I open it and simply spoon out her portion into a small bowl. Parents and grandparents alike are incredulous at the sight of our daughter happily gobbling up spoonful after spoonful of plain tofu even at parties when pizza and cake is abundantly available. Oh, don't despair, I don't deprive her of her fun -- she eats her pizza and cake too but only after she's filled up a little with her nutritious sugar-free pre-meal!
I learned how to make a tofu scramble at the SOY cooking class. We introduced tofu scrambles to our daughter once the little imp moved past purees and into mashes and chops. A tofu scramble is similar to an egg scramble, but it is a leaner source of protein. One large egg (50g) has 72 calories, 6g protein, 5g fat and 212mg of cholesterol while a single 3 oz (84g) serving of Mori-Nu organic silken firm tofu is 60 calories, 6g protein, 2.5g fat, and 0mg of cholesterol. Not only is the soy protein complete which is important for growing wee ones, it may also help fight obesity.
You don’t need a wok to make a tofu scramble but it helps if you are making a scramble for the whole family or a small brunch crowd. I'm outlining the basics here, but like an egg scramble these types of dishes are usually best when improvisational and you’ll achieve great results based upon what you like and what’s in the fridge.
*Milk allergies, like all allergies are protein-based. They usually disappear by 3 years of age yet, unlike those who are lactose intolerant and can eat some dairy products like yogurt, no dairy products should be reintroduced until then.
Tofu Scramble
Equipment:
- Medium-to-large nonstick frying pan (or wok)
- Spatula (I can’t live without my silicone spatulas)
- Fork or whisk
- Spoon
- Bowl
Ingredients:
- A pat of butter
- One egg
- 1/2 cup silken tofu -- obviously these portions can be scaled larger to feed a bigger crowd.
- Vegetable chop or chops. We had some kale leftover from a dinner party this week. I used that plus carrots.
Instructions:
- Melt the pat of butter in the frying pan on medium. Be sure to coat the surface of the pan or wok.
- Beat one egg in the bowl as the butter melts.
- Pour the egg into the pan.
- Scoop 1-3 spoonfuls of silken tofu out of the container and crumble tofu into the cooking egg.
- Mix the tofu and eggs together with the spatula.
- Add 1-2 spoonfuls of your chops.
- Continue to mix the ingredients together until fully cooked.
- Slide the scramble onto a plate and allow to cool. It should have the consistency of fluffy scrambled eggs and the eggs should be fully cooked.
I add all types of vegetables to tofu scrambles. Chops are easy because I usually have them on hand, but coarsely chopped spinach works great and so does minced zucchini. Shallots and mushrooms complement each other nicely. These items will cook quickly in the scramble and do not need to be pre-cooked, but feel free to add practically anything green like asparagus, peas, broccoli or diced green beans.
Tofu scrambles are simple to scale to a bigger crowd for brunch or even dinner. I usually add one egg and 3-4 tablespoons of tofu per person. If you have some left-over, you can toss it and re-heat it up with with quinoa or rice the next day. A tofu scramble is a healthy, hearty and flavorful way to start or end the day no matter how many teeth you have!
