So, my meat-loving friends out there, the title of this post probably just made you roll your eyes, huh? I know because I totally rolled my eyes at myself while typing it. I’ll be honest, making tofu sound appealing, especially when all you have to work with is numbers and letters, is no easy feat. Sucking as much as I do at food photography certainly doesn’t help. However, tofu happens to have the potential to be delicious—and healthy, offering up protein and calcium while also being low in fat (saturated fat, in particular).

For those of us born with an “earthy” tooth (which sometimes goes hand-in-hand with the mushroom/umami tooth), it seems perfectly logical to crave tofu on occasion. Like mushrooms, tofu takes on the flavor of whatever you cook and serve it with, so it helps to keep that in mind when figuring out what the hell to do with it.

While cleaning out old photo files, I found myself salivating over some of the tofu dishes I’d prepared in years past. Consider the source, obviously. As a flexitarian-friendly dietitian, I’m probably more likely than some to go, “I want to put that weird, white block of soy in my mouth,” but hey.

Ingredients: 

• 2 tbsp blackstrap molasses
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp garlic powder or 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 block extra-firm tofu

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Wrap tofu in a small towel (paper towel is fine) to squeeze out excess moisture. Cut into cubes and place in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Whisk together molasses, olive oil, soy sauce,and spices. Pour over tofu and toss well.
3. Spread tofu on a foil-lined baking sheet and cook until crispy on the outside,  about 40-45 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
4. Enjoy hot or cold with whatever you damn well please.

Do you like tofu? If yes, what’s your favorite way to eat it?