I can be pretty adventurous—whether that be with food and
recipes, travel, outdoor activities-- you name it… That being said, I have made it my life’s
mission to make those who might be slightly less adventurous face their fears
and try something new.
My parents are two of these people when it comes to certain
foods. Growing up, the Pawlowski diet
didn’t generally include things like tofu, quinoa, seitan, etc. Mostly because growing up in a small rural
area, you don’t have access to some of these items at the local grocery. A few years ago when I found that I loved
tofu, I decided that they should love it too! (Especially since my dad, a
farmer, grows soybeans!) I set out to
make this happen—although I didn’t realize at the time how difficult that
seemingly simple goal would be to accomplish.
I have tried a variety of different recipes with the hope
that they will love the dish (many of which I sneak in the tofu, in some way, shape or form without them knowing), just waiting for the day that I will finally have the satisfaction of being
able to shout
“Gotcha! You just said you
liked this and GUESS WHAT?!?! It has tofu
in it!!”. Unfortunately, I still haven’t had the opportunity to do that. I have put it in dips, soups, stir-frys with
no luck. After all these years trying to
convince them to enjoy my tofu recipes, I have
FINALLY found a winner: Tofu Lettuce Wraps by the Pioneer Woman. It’s easy, only takes a few ingredients and
can be whipped up in a flash with the help of my handy dandy tofu press.
First thing’s first… the TOFU XPRESS! It is by far the best “unnecessary” kitchen gadget
that I’ve ever purchased! I used to go
through rolls of paper towels and would have to create ridiculous ways to press
the tofu with things like pots and pans, soup cans for weights or whatever else
I could find. NOT ANYMORE! Introducing—the
Tofu Xpress:
So easy-- just put it
in and walk away. Perfectly pressed
tofu every time! I cannot sing it’s
praises enough!
Anyways, back to the “Pawlowski Tofu Challenge”. When I announced on a recent trip home that I
would be making tofu there was a considerable amount of grumbling. Although skeptical
they both gave it a fair shot and my efforts FINALLY paid off!! They truly liked it and between the 3 of us,
finished the entire recipe!
This is a great recipe for anyone who isn't quite sure about tofu yet and wants to try it.
Come on-- I dare
you! TRY IT!!
Thanks Ree Drummond for the recipe
that finally won my parents over!
RECIPE LINK
Labels: Tofu, Vegetarian