Vegalicious

“Mommy,” she begs, as she is looking at me with those lovely brown, poppy-like eyes, “can you make me tofu, ple-e-e-e-a-a-a-se?” The way she asks leaves no wiggle room for saying no. It is more of a command than a request.  And even if I attempt to deny her request, begging turns into nagging as she follows me around the house.

“Sprout, we have other food we need to eat today (and I list it).”

“No, Mommy! I want cheesy tofu. PLEASE!”

“Mommy does not have tofu at home.”

“No, Mommy, you do! Just look in the fridge.  Please, please, look…just for a second.”

“Sweetheart, we don’t have tofu,” I try to fight as my will crumbles. “We will have to go buy it.”

“Ok, let’s go, Mommy!  PLEASE!!!”

I don’t know when, how or why, but both, Sprout and Hubby, fell head over heels (or would it be mouth over heels?) for my cheesy tofu scramble–a look-alike of scrambled eggs–dish Hubby loved before our vegan days, in our previous life.

Even my 86-young mother developed taste for this dish.  That’s serious, because my Mom loves eggs; yet she never refused my scrambled tofu!

I personally never fell for tofu. Never found a good reason to gobble it up by the pound, like my two beloved creatures.  I’m not scared of it–it’s not bad for our health, contrary to the anti-tofu propaganda–I simply never developed taste for it.  The extent of my love for tofu goes to my delicious (all vegan) Ranch dressing, and an occasional dessert made with silken tofu, especially if it includes chocolate :). 

But, whether I love it or not, who am I to judge my family for loving my cooking? Isn’t it every cook’s dream?

So, I oblige their desire.  And, at times, pressured by Sprout, I even get in my minivan, with her in tow, to get the missing ingredient.

This recipe, while tofu will never replace the taste of real eggs, comes very close to “faking” scrambled eggs.  It is creamy, fluffy, and, thanks to the trick of my trade, it’s yellow, just like scrambled eggs! (Warning: if you are planning to make it to feed your kid, who might slobber all over herself, make sure to cover her with a bib or an apron, because turmeric–the spice I use to give color to scrambled tofu–is next to impossible to stain remove if it ends up as much as touching your clothes.  I’ve learned it the hard way, so, heed my advice :).)

The best feature of my cheesy tofu scramble is that it’s easy to whip up.  All you need is 4 ingredients and about 5 minutes of your time and your got yourself a meal.

The finished product can be enjoyed by itself (Sprout loves to eat it this way–I put it on a plate, so it cools off, surrounding her favorite cheesy tofu scramble with grapes, apple slices, broccoli and other plant goodness, and serve it up with a glass of green smoothie, tea or water.)

It can always accompany an eggless, gluten free frittata (or climb on top of it for a happier ride to its final destination).  Fresh or sauteed veggies and hash browns are also a great addition to this dish.

And, one of Hubby’s favorites–a cheesy tofu wrap.  He goes bananas for it, because each time I make it, it comes out different.  I always change up the ingredients–greens, sauteed or raw bell peppers and onions, tomatoes, cucumbers or pickles, hot sauce, etc.–anything you like can be wrapped with this gooey tofu goodness. 

The result is a perfect meal for any time of day–breakfast, lunch or dinner.