Better Than Real Eggs

We have tried tofu recently and to our surprise we have really enjoyed it! You are right, you just need to dress it up - no different than chicken in that respect. My kids even gobbled it up as if it were chicken - bonus! I really liked this post because there is a ton of versatility with this recipe. We are trying to reduce our meat consumption so the tofu alternative is great and having lots of options is key.

Becki's Whole Life

Interesting idea. Eggs are the one thing that science,or creative thinking can't replace. I might give it a try. Im not a big meat eater as it is,I view eggs as fair game for vegetarians. An unfertilized egg is not, nor will ever be a chicken.

lance

I like this post and the ideas it brought. I would like to try it. However, Tofu is really expensive, and I don't think I would stop eating eggs for this reason..the price. :(

Carissa Helsdon

i love tofu!! i usually marinate it and bake it though.....where did you find an entire block for 82 calories? my block of extra firm has 5 servings 80 cals each

karina

I know very little about tofu. Isn't it a long (read: processed and processed) way from a soy bean to tofu?

E

I have a tofu scramble every morning for breakfast! Mine has black beans and tons of veggies!

http://smithbakeaholic.blogspot.com/2011/08/tofu-scramble-b…

I am interested in E's question though. I never thought about tofu being a processed food.

Stephanie @ Vegetarian Bakeaholic

My mom would make scrambled tofu all the time when I was kid..I'd completely forgotten about it until I read this article! Soy proteins are so good for females, too. Looks like I need to hit up the market and grab some tofu!

Nova

I like how you used curry to make the tofu look yellow!

I will have to disagree with Nova though, they've recently found soy protein doesn't aid in menopause , unfortunately.

Katie @ Nutrition in a peanut shell

We just started buying farm fresh eggs. My husband actually has a problem digesting normal eggs but the farm fresh eggs don't give him any problems. It's nice to know that you're supporting local farmers. Not to mention the farm fresh eggs make the best scrambled eggs I've ever had!

Michelle

Eggs are ethically sketchy. First, the chickens endure hardships such as close confinement, debeaking, and questionable feeding practices. In fact, some labels will proudly tout that their chickens are vegetarian fed (as opposed to what, exactly?). The health conscious out there would also point out the immense amount of disease that chickens in close proximity face, and the disgusting way in which the facilities are kept.

That being said, I eat eggs, sometimes, but I try my best to be careful about the source. We eat scrambled tofu too and love it!

Courtney

tofu is awesome! I love its versatility. Those who think tofu is bland need to find some better recipes. The soft Mori-nu type is also great to cook with, it makes excellent puddings and smoothies.

Tanya

I love this dish too. but you do not want to eat tofu too much. It is a processed food and not meant to be eaten in large quantities. The only kind of soy you should eat on a regular basis is fermented soy like miso and tempeh. This recipe is great for a great though or if you are vegan. for anyone else grass fed hen eggs are an amazing source of protein and omega fatty acids. They are a super food--great for kids grains and mommies mood and skin.

Dawn

snackingoutsidethebox.blogspot.com

Dawn lerman

here's my fave tofu recipe:

http://theactorsdiet.wordpress.com/2009/12/01/lynn-the-powe…

lynn @ the actor's diet

Great recipe, but I agree with Dawn that soy unless fermented shouldn't really be eaten on a regular basis. Most soy products in the American diet are processed and GMO, two things which I would always recommend any client of mine stay away from. Also, if soy is not processed properly, which many store bought varieties aren't, then any health benefits you might reap from soy would be negated because of the anti-nutrients in the soy.

Also eggs are good for you. I would say everything should be eaten in moderation, but eggs got a bad rap for a long time for having too much fat and cholesterol, but these actually aren't the real culprits in most of our nations health problems.

Nicole Peoples

I don't have any problems with eggs. It was not fertilized and I consider them a gift, not something to shy away from. They are packed with nutrition and are cheap, easy and fantastic. Someone gave me "tofu scrambler" one time and it was the most disgusting thing I had ever tried to eat. One bite was enough for a lifetime. YUCK. Perhaps it was how it was made. I try to stay away from unfermented soy. I've read a lot about it and want nothing to do with it. Unfortunately, it is in practically everything. It kills me that I had to use soy baby formula 16 years ago because my son could not physically nurse. They say it is SO bad for the hormones, etc.

Marcy K

Mmm this looks like a good recipe.

For those who want to make it themselves, here's a recipe I ran across once.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Tofu/

Amand Tharp

I totally agree with Nicole on the "moderation" bit. There's not much out there that you can eat a ton of every day for months and can claim to be "healthier" at the end...it just doesn't work like that.

i love tofu and i love eggs, so i'll just mix 'em up :D

and i've been buying eggs from my local farmer's market. he said they're cage free but not free range...what does that mean? O__o

Shannon

tofu "chicken nuggets or fingers"

slice extra firm tofu into strips
coat with bread crumbs
spray pan with cooking spray

place coated strips on pan spray top with cooking spray

bake for 20-30 minutes or till crispy

dip in low fat ranch or sauce of your choice

karen

I do not understand why someone would choose a higly processed food made with chemical additives(tofu) over something natural that god gave us(eggs). I run a small free-range egg farm. The health benefits of eggs are amazing. Cholesterol isn't an issue unless you are eating excess amounts of eggs. Additionally eggs that are not fertilized by a rooster have NO CHANCE of ever becoming a chick.

Julie

Shannon cage free mean they have a coop with a yard attached that is fenced in. They can choose the coop or the yard. Free range means they are loose and can go anywhere they see fit to go!

Julie

Ooh! Forgot to mention. In order for tofu to not be jiggly and disgusting you have to press it first. Put the tofu on a plate, put a plate on top, put a heavy book on that (we use the complete Cronicles of Narnia), and let it sit 30 min to an hour. Then cook it how you see fit. It's much better to get all that extra water out!

And for those of us who can't really get to a farm, it's easier to go with a minimally processed, non gmo food, than the crap they pass as eggs at the mega chain supermarkets we have. Eggs from the farmers market are wonderful, but at my grocer I'd rather take my chances with tofu.

Courtney

Will have to investigate what/how soy is made. Just finished feeding the chickens and collecting eggs, for now I'll stick with these beautiful little gifts. Me and my "girls" are happy with our arrangement, they have a great area to roam around & find bugs, then bless me with these little treasures.

Kudos for trying something new though!

Sally

I'm not a tofu girl - I tried. I know someone mentioned it but apparently soy isn't good for you or for breast cancer but everyone that says it's bad, then someone has a study that says it's good for you! I spend the extra money and buy organic eggs now!

Lisa

I also get my farm fresh eggs from my local farmers' market and love them. The yolks are so bright and beautiful.

95% of soybeans (and soybean products) are made from GMO seeds. If you must eat soy products, your best bet is to go organic. That, along with many other reasons, I avoid soy altogether.

Cristina @ An Organic Wife

Soy and Eggs. Two very politically-charged food items. Great job getting both of them in one post, Lisa.

Just kidding. Interesting comments, for sure.

Nancy

Although I'm not a vegan, and is 95% of the time a vegetarian, I really do support eating tofu more than eggs. Tofu is eaten in the Asian cuisine for many years and is very good. Since tofu is made from soybeans, make sure it isn't genetically engineered soybeans...or something...along those lines.

Kathy

I love this post. I started as a vegetarian simply because I did not like the way meat tasted. I did eat eggs and dairy, but after eliminating them as an experiment, I discovered how good I felt without it. Now I am a vegan but I don't find it necessary to eat egg and meat replacers. (soy burgers, etc) I enjoy them once in a while, but I won't search them out. I do like a good tofu scramble on occasion, and it is pretty easily available at most veg restaurants. I do agree that the conditions commercial chickens are kept in is torturous, but as for local and/or farm fresh, as long as they are compassionately raised, it would be fine.

mary

Love tofu! I love it any and every way, even straight from package. What kind of tofu did you use that was 82 cal for entire block. Thanks for all your great posts.

Jill

Hmm, add me to the list of those curious about this 82 calorie block of tofu. I love the adaptability of tofu, never actually tried it as a scramble yet.

Katie Ann

I am loving these posts!! I don't classify myself as a vegan, but I cook vegan dinners for my family. My son has a ton of food allergies and it's just easier that way. I very rarely eat eggs and cheese, but that's it for animal products. Tofu scramble is great!!!

Alicen

Hi. I'm of Japanese descent. I was raised on tofu--it was a side dish at dinner almost every night. I would avoid GMO soy products, certainly, but I think soy is overly hyped positively AND negatively. I've never had thyroid issues from eating soy in an Asian way (or for that matter incorporating the occasional soy burger) but then I have the natural balance for that in my diet too--it's rare that a day goes by that I don't eat seaweed.

Also, I'm not a vegetarian. Soy is not my only source of protein. I do have friends who went what I call "unhealthy vegan" to lose weight, and they did but the hubby developed what bodybuilders call "bitch tits" from all the processed soy they were eating. Yikes.

So it DOES indeed have estrogen like properties...

But I plan to continue to eat soy foods like I always have. Additionally, I think my body type EVOLVED on soy... just like my friends of British descent can guzzle fluid milk products with no gastric upset because they evolved with cows around when there weren't any in Japan...

Anyway, here is an interesting study for you: caveat: It's CHINESE women breast cancer survivors so odds are that they are eating more traditional soy products in a more traditional way....

http://green.yahoo.com/blog/ecomii_healthy_living/120/incre…

Sue

Looks like it's best to avoid tofu: http://www.naturalhealthstrategies.com/dangers-of-soy.html

E

I love tofu scrambles, but I noticed something you might want to rely to your readers.

Tofu should not be eaten raw because the production process leaves some not-so-fun bacteria behind. If you want plain tofu, you can always boil/steam it (which will get rid of the bacteria in the process). An exception to this rule is purchasing tofu that is pre-cooked and ready to eat... but those are usually full of sodium and artificial flavors, so it kind of knocks the "eat it raw" mentality :\.

P.S. sun dried tomatoes in a tofu scramble is divine!

kuro