Making Tofu
[Update: Comments are now closed. Expect a winner to be announced soon!]
Happy World Vegetarian Day! Keep reading if you're interested in winning a new soymilk maker! See the end of this post for details.
I never thought tofu had a flavor until a few years ago when I first made my own. Up until then, I thought of it as a blank slate, something to suck up the flavors of whatever it was cooked with. But the first time I made my own tofu I discovered that though it also has a mild taste, it's somehow creamier, richer, and better-tasting than packaged tofu.
Making tofu is really not as difficult as you might think, especially if you use a soymilk maker to make the soymilk first. The soymilk machine heats the milk to just the right temperature; from there you need only to mix in a coagulant, which causes the soymilk to curdle, and pour the curds into a cheesecloth-lined container that has holes punched in it to allow the whey to drain off. You can even make tofu in a strainer or colander, if you're not a stickler about having a rectangular block of tofu.
With food prices so high, I've been trying to save money anywhere I can, and making my own soymilk and tofu make a big difference in my weekly grocery bill. I buy organic soybeans for $1.19 a pound at my local natural food store. From that pound of beans, I can make six 1.5-liter batches of soymilk or three 8-ounce batches of tofu. That's the equivalent of 9 of those aseptic boxes of soymilk for $1.19! Besides the obvious savings, making my own soymilk and tofu reduces waste and is better for the environment because there are no packages to throw away. I keep my homemade soymilk in reusable glass pitchers similar to these; my homemade tofu gets used so quickly that there's no need to store it in anything other than the press I use to make it.
I'd like to show you the steps I go through when making tofu, but this isn't really a recipe. If you'd like more info about the process--particularly for making tofu without a soymilk machine--there are lots of websites that give you more of the nitty gritty details. Check the end of this post for a couple of links--and for a chance to win your own SoyQuick!
I begin by making soymilk with twice the usual amount of soybeans and the minimal amount of water. The night before, I start the soybeans soaking in enough water to cover by a couple of inches. In the morning, I drain and rinse the beans well. If I'm making soymilk, I often remove the beans' skins by rubbing them between my fingers in a pan of water, but I skip this step if I'm making tofu.
In the new filterless SoyQuick, the beans and water go straight into the bottom of the machine together. I add water to the lower line and then put in the beans and press the "Soymilk" button. The machine grinds the soybeans while cooking them.
Once the machine beeps and the soymilk is ready, I pour the soymilk through the strainer into the transfer jug (both included with the machine). The okara (soy pulp) collects in the strainer, and I set it aside to use later. If I were making soymilk, I could either stop here or strain the soymilk one more time through cheesecloth as I'm transferring it into the glass container I store it in.
But since I'm making tofu, I add a packet of coagulant to the soymilk in the transfer jug and cover the top with a plate to rest for about 20 minutes. I used the SoyQuick brand coagulant (magnesium chloride), but you can also buy nigari and gypsum to use as coagulants.
After about 20 minutes I check to see that the soymilk has coagulated and separated into curds and whey. I pour it back through the strainer, which I set over a bowl to catch the whey. (I use the whey to water my plants; it contains nutrients that are beneficial to them.)
Once the curds are all in the strainer, I pour them into the cheesecloth-lined tofu press, which I've set in a colander inside a bowl.
When the curds are all in the cheesecloth, I fold up all sides of the cloth, making a neat package.
I put the cover onto the tofu press and gently press down to remove the remaining whey. To make it extra firm, I put a weight, such as a large can of tomatoes, on top of the press and leave it for about 15 minutes. When it's finished pressing, I leave the tofu in the press and put it into the refrigerator.
After a couple of hours in the refrigerator, I unwrap the tofu and it is ready to use. If I don't plan to use it that same day, I put it into a container and cover it with water to keep up to three days. But fresh tofu tastes best that same day, so I rarely store it overnight.
Freshly made tofu has such a great taste that I like to prepare it in simple ways with few ingredients to hide its taste. In my next post I'll show you what I did with this batch of tofu.
Some Questions I've Been Asked about Homemade Soymilk and Tofu:
I only like Silk brand soymilk. Does homemade soymilk taste like Silk?
In a word, no. Homemade soymilk doesn't really taste like any of the brands you buy in the store, and it can take a little getting used to. Some people describe its taste as "beany." But there are a few things you can do to lessen the beany taste.
Okay, so what can you do to get rid of the beany taste?
For one, remove the bean skins. That's not as hard as it sounds, although it does make soymilk making a little more tedious. After the soybeans have soaked for at least 8 hours, drain and rinse them, put them in a large bowl, and fill the bowl with water. Rub the beans between your fingers to remove the skins. When the skins float away from the beans, scoop them up and discard them.
You can also add grains to your soymilk to lessen the beany taste. I've only used oatmeal, but other people include rice and other grains. Personally, I add 3 tablespoons of rolled oats (regular Quaker oatmeal) to the machine along with the soybeans; it makes the milk thicker and less likely to separate (but don't add it if you're making tofu).
Finally, I find that adding sweetener and salt make the milk taste a lot more like packaged soymilk. For vanilla soymilk, I add 2 to 3 tablespoons of agave nectar and 1/4 teaspoon of salt after the final straining. (To make vanilla soymilk, I break up two vanilla beans and add them along with the soybeans; unfortunately, this creates vanilla okara, which means I have to make cookies. Oh, well!)
If you make soymilk at home, aren't you missing out on the vitamins and minerals that are added to the packaged products?
I figure it this way: Those nutrients are just supplements that someone else has added. I think my family and I are better off drinking freshly made soymilk, without thickeners and preservatives, and taking our own supplements, such as calcium and vitamin B-12. I'm actually happier buying vitamins and minerals in pill form because I can get them from a source that I trust to be vegan.
For more information, particularly about making tofu without a soymilk maker, check out How to Make Tofu on the Just Hungry blog and Making Homemade Tofu on Bryanna Clark Grogan's website.
If you've read this far, good for you! Or, wait...did you just skip down here to find out how you can win a free machine? Hmmm. I guess I'll tell you, but you have to promise to go up and read the whole post--or at least look at the pictures!
Here's the situation: the nice people at SoyQuick sent me one of their new filterless machines for free, hoping that I'd like it and talk about it here. And they were right! I do like it and I did want to talk about it here. I'd planned to try it and then give it away because I already have one of their regular models, only I didn't expect to like it so much more than my old one. So I'm keeping it! Sorry!
But wait! I won't give you mine but I will order one lucky reader a brand new one. If you live in the continental U.S. or Canada, leave a comment below, and I'll have the random number generator choose one of you to win a filterless SoyQuick Premier that I'll order straight from the company. I'll even throw in a tofu kit like the one I use, so that you can experience the taste of fresh tofu. In the comments, be sure to leave your name (first and last for those of you with common first names) and tell me why you want a soymilk maker (that's just for fun--the winner is random and not based on your answer, so you can be honest and say if you just want to sell it on ebay!)
One comment per person, please. Comments will close at 10:00 AM Central Time on Sunday, October 5, and I'll announce the winner later that day.
Sorry--this contest is open only to those of you in the continental U.S. and Canada.
Good luck!
[Note about comments: Only the first 200 show up below this post. Click on Post a Comment in order to see all of them. Please submit your comment only once. Though you may not see it at first, it will show up.]
Happy World Vegetarian Day! Keep reading if you're interested in winning a new soymilk maker! See the end of this post for details.
I never thought tofu had a flavor until a few years ago when I first made my own. Up until then, I thought of it as a blank slate, something to suck up the flavors of whatever it was cooked with. But the first time I made my own tofu I discovered that though it also has a mild taste, it's somehow creamier, richer, and better-tasting than packaged tofu.
Making tofu is really not as difficult as you might think, especially if you use a soymilk maker to make the soymilk first. The soymilk machine heats the milk to just the right temperature; from there you need only to mix in a coagulant, which causes the soymilk to curdle, and pour the curds into a cheesecloth-lined container that has holes punched in it to allow the whey to drain off. You can even make tofu in a strainer or colander, if you're not a stickler about having a rectangular block of tofu.
With food prices so high, I've been trying to save money anywhere I can, and making my own soymilk and tofu make a big difference in my weekly grocery bill. I buy organic soybeans for $1.19 a pound at my local natural food store. From that pound of beans, I can make six 1.5-liter batches of soymilk or three 8-ounce batches of tofu. That's the equivalent of 9 of those aseptic boxes of soymilk for $1.19! Besides the obvious savings, making my own soymilk and tofu reduces waste and is better for the environment because there are no packages to throw away. I keep my homemade soymilk in reusable glass pitchers similar to these; my homemade tofu gets used so quickly that there's no need to store it in anything other than the press I use to make it.
I'd like to show you the steps I go through when making tofu, but this isn't really a recipe. If you'd like more info about the process--particularly for making tofu without a soymilk machine--there are lots of websites that give you more of the nitty gritty details. Check the end of this post for a couple of links--and for a chance to win your own SoyQuick!
I begin by making soymilk with twice the usual amount of soybeans and the minimal amount of water. The night before, I start the soybeans soaking in enough water to cover by a couple of inches. In the morning, I drain and rinse the beans well. If I'm making soymilk, I often remove the beans' skins by rubbing them between my fingers in a pan of water, but I skip this step if I'm making tofu.
In the new filterless SoyQuick, the beans and water go straight into the bottom of the machine together. I add water to the lower line and then put in the beans and press the "Soymilk" button. The machine grinds the soybeans while cooking them.
Once the machine beeps and the soymilk is ready, I pour the soymilk through the strainer into the transfer jug (both included with the machine). The okara (soy pulp) collects in the strainer, and I set it aside to use later. If I were making soymilk, I could either stop here or strain the soymilk one more time through cheesecloth as I'm transferring it into the glass container I store it in.
But since I'm making tofu, I add a packet of coagulant to the soymilk in the transfer jug and cover the top with a plate to rest for about 20 minutes. I used the SoyQuick brand coagulant (magnesium chloride), but you can also buy nigari and gypsum to use as coagulants.
After about 20 minutes I check to see that the soymilk has coagulated and separated into curds and whey. I pour it back through the strainer, which I set over a bowl to catch the whey. (I use the whey to water my plants; it contains nutrients that are beneficial to them.)
When the curds are all in the cheesecloth, I fold up all sides of the cloth, making a neat package.
I put the cover onto the tofu press and gently press down to remove the remaining whey. To make it extra firm, I put a weight, such as a large can of tomatoes, on top of the press and leave it for about 15 minutes. When it's finished pressing, I leave the tofu in the press and put it into the refrigerator.
After a couple of hours in the refrigerator, I unwrap the tofu and it is ready to use. If I don't plan to use it that same day, I put it into a container and cover it with water to keep up to three days. But fresh tofu tastes best that same day, so I rarely store it overnight.
Freshly made tofu has such a great taste that I like to prepare it in simple ways with few ingredients to hide its taste. In my next post I'll show you what I did with this batch of tofu.
Some Questions I've Been Asked about Homemade Soymilk and Tofu:
I only like Silk brand soymilk. Does homemade soymilk taste like Silk?
In a word, no. Homemade soymilk doesn't really taste like any of the brands you buy in the store, and it can take a little getting used to. Some people describe its taste as "beany." But there are a few things you can do to lessen the beany taste.
Okay, so what can you do to get rid of the beany taste?
For one, remove the bean skins. That's not as hard as it sounds, although it does make soymilk making a little more tedious. After the soybeans have soaked for at least 8 hours, drain and rinse them, put them in a large bowl, and fill the bowl with water. Rub the beans between your fingers to remove the skins. When the skins float away from the beans, scoop them up and discard them.
You can also add grains to your soymilk to lessen the beany taste. I've only used oatmeal, but other people include rice and other grains. Personally, I add 3 tablespoons of rolled oats (regular Quaker oatmeal) to the machine along with the soybeans; it makes the milk thicker and less likely to separate (but don't add it if you're making tofu).
Finally, I find that adding sweetener and salt make the milk taste a lot more like packaged soymilk. For vanilla soymilk, I add 2 to 3 tablespoons of agave nectar and 1/4 teaspoon of salt after the final straining. (To make vanilla soymilk, I break up two vanilla beans and add them along with the soybeans; unfortunately, this creates vanilla okara, which means I have to make cookies. Oh, well!)
If you make soymilk at home, aren't you missing out on the vitamins and minerals that are added to the packaged products?
I figure it this way: Those nutrients are just supplements that someone else has added. I think my family and I are better off drinking freshly made soymilk, without thickeners and preservatives, and taking our own supplements, such as calcium and vitamin B-12. I'm actually happier buying vitamins and minerals in pill form because I can get them from a source that I trust to be vegan.
For more information, particularly about making tofu without a soymilk maker, check out How to Make Tofu on the Just Hungry blog and Making Homemade Tofu on Bryanna Clark Grogan's website.
If you've read this far, good for you! Or, wait...did you just skip down here to find out how you can win a free machine? Hmmm. I guess I'll tell you, but you have to promise to go up and read the whole post--or at least look at the pictures!
Here's the situation: the nice people at SoyQuick sent me one of their new filterless machines for free, hoping that I'd like it and talk about it here. And they were right! I do like it and I did want to talk about it here. I'd planned to try it and then give it away because I already have one of their regular models, only I didn't expect to like it so much more than my old one. So I'm keeping it! Sorry!
But wait! I won't give you mine but I will order one lucky reader a brand new one. If you live in the continental U.S. or Canada, leave a comment below, and I'll have the random number generator choose one of you to win a filterless SoyQuick Premier that I'll order straight from the company. I'll even throw in a tofu kit like the one I use, so that you can experience the taste of fresh tofu. In the comments, be sure to leave your name (first and last for those of you with common first names) and tell me why you want a soymilk maker (that's just for fun--the winner is random and not based on your answer, so you can be honest and say if you just want to sell it on ebay!)
One comment per person, please. Comments will close at 10:00 AM Central Time on Sunday, October 5, and I'll announce the winner later that day.
Sorry--this contest is open only to those of you in the continental U.S. and Canada.
Good luck!
[Note about comments: Only the first 200 show up below this post. Click on Post a Comment in order to see all of them. Please submit your comment only once. Though you may not see it at first, it will show up.]
Labels: soy
posted by SusanV at 10:18 AM
751 Comments:
I've been thinking about getting a soymilk maker to make tofu for months! So I'd love to win one, of course.
Thanks for the photographs of the process - when you've never made something before, it is so very helpful to see what things should actually look like at each step.
Hi Susan!
I must say, this post got me very excited. I lived in Southern Belize a few years ago. My house was just a short bike ride from a fantastic vegan restaurant, where I used to purchase fresh tofu and okara burgers. My reaction to fresh tofu was pretty similar to yours -- who knew it could taste so delicious!?! I always planned to pair it with fresh vegetables and beans, but often ended up snacking on slices cut straight from the block.
I have very little free time at this point in my life, but your post inspired me to aspire to making my own tofu... someday.
You rock. Thanks!
p.s. If I actually won a soymilk maker, I would FIND time. :)
I think making your own soy milk would be a great way to become a bigger part of your food process! And it looks like fun experimenting :)
Shawna Kennedy
I would also love to win a Soymilk Maker. As a student on a tight budget, and as someone who has recently shifted her diet strongly towards whole foods, this would be perfect.
Additionally, I'm about a month away from moving into an eco-house with a few friends who are always looking for ways to minimize waste. As four long-time vegans, we would be delighted to make use of such a machine.
Thanks for the blog!
Lauren C.
My boyfriend and I have been trying to eat more things that we make ourselves, and this is a great place to start! And soymilk at the store has gotten really expensive in the last year!
Thanks for a great blog!
-Megan Kanagy
I definitely want one if it will provide me with fresh OKARA!!
I'd love to have a soymilk maker! My parents used to make soy milk and tofu using a blender and a pot! LOL So... having a soymilk maker would be amazing!
Thanks,
Naomi Thompson
I am an engineer and love nifty processes. Since this process looks very interesting, I would like to try this out. What better way to do so than with a brand new prize?
We go through a LOT of soy milk at my house for only two people! It would be great to be able to make it myself!
Rebecca Hartong
I would love a Soymilk maker because then I can make my own healthy versions of tofu and milk.
Oooh! I'd love to win one! I've been looking at them for a while.
We go through an awful lot of tofu and soymilk and I hate that I can't make it.
I just think it would be better to feed my family fresh, rather than packaged with preservatives!
I would love a soymilk maker to help reduce the costs of food and have fresher ingredients.
-Cate Dudek
I'd love to learn how to make my own soymilk as a recent vegan convert! Thanks!
I would love this soymilk maker since we could make flavored soy milks - almond, coconut, vanilla, etc. - which means lots of cookies! YUM! Also, I wouldn't have to worry about cross-contamination issues re: gluten :)
Tofu is my favorite food, it can be used in a million different ways. It would be awesome to make my own!
This post was so helpful and fascinating! I try to avoid prepackaged foods as much as possible, but tofu is one of the few things I can't seem to get around. I'd love a Soymilk Maker (though more for the tofu than soymilk, to be honest)!
Sara Steenbergh
HAPPY WORLD VEGETARIAN DAY!! :0)
This post has been removed by the author.
I would love a soymilk maker! I go through cases of the stuff and would love to try making my own tofu as well. Love your blog!
I was planning on getting the soymilk maker after you talked about it in the cookie post to save money on milk. If I win that will save me some $$$
Thanks for all the great posts
Ok, you've convinced me. I've been looking at soymilk makers for over a year without buying one--always afraid that I just wouldn't use it. But, if making my own tofu is that easy, I'm in. I love the fresh tofu from the Asian market and the idea of making it at home floors me.
Megan B.
Hi Susan,
My mom has stage IV melanoma, and she's been doing great on a macrobiotic diet since November. I am doing the diet too so we can share recipes and be healthy together. Anyway, I would love to win this and make fresh soy milk and tofu for me and my mom. I think it would be so much better for her than store-bought soy milk and tofu.
I've been enjoying your blog for several months now! Thanks for all of the great tips and recipes!
Carissa DiCindio
Exciting!
Why would I love to win a soymilk maker? I am a bit of a foodie, and a lot of an environmental scientist so the less packaging/transportation etc. for my food, the better. I find the idea of making my own tofu really exciting. I'm also a student, so saving monies is totally awesome!
Can't wait to see what you made with this batch of tofu!
Altaira Northe
I would love to try this out! I was hoping to try it out with my juice machine, but this looks way more efficient.
I have been thinking about getting a soymilk maker and also about trying to make my own tofu, and this post has convinced me that I really should! Of course I'd love to win one for free - but even if I don't, I think I may just splurge and get one myself! Thanks for the inspiration.
-Stephanie Roy
Well, I'll be honest. I'm not vegan. That being confessed,I would LOVE to win this machine! My husband really loves Soy milk and I am a HUGE tofu fan! I have been getting more and more into cooking and baking the vegan way and I love how much healthier it can be! Thanks so much for doing this little tutorial and the giveaway! My fingers are crossed!
Jennifer Ingle
This is pretty neat. I drink a lot of soymilk, but never thought you could make your own! I love being able to control a process from beginning to end, and reducing waste is an added bonus!
Such an informative post! I'd love a soymlk maker to cut down on food costs (I just recently bought 25lb bags of dried beans and rice), plus it'd be fun to tell people I make it myself!
I would be so thrilled to win the soymilk maker! I just started the chef's training program at the Natural Gourmet Institute here in NY and I'm so excited about my culinary adventure!
This September I celebrated my 20th year as a vegetarian and I'm very happy and proud!
-Molly Neuman
HAPPY WORLD VEGETARIAN DAY!!
My husband and I have been vegetarians for almost 19 years now and we LOVE tofu and soymilk. Even though we have grown our own soybeans I've never tried making our own. Your blog today has inspired me!
I'd love to save money and reduce my waste by making my own soy milk and tofu! Also, since I'm a student I don't have much money to begin with, so every little bit helps.
Hey Susan, I would love a new soymilk makin' machine. The biggest reason is that the nearest natural food store that I know is almost an hour away from my house by train and buying a few pounds of beans to make my own milk and tofu with would save me so much time over that trek!
Wow! I had no idea that it was that easy! Of course I'm sure it's a lot easier with the right equipment. I love your blog, I love soymilk, and I love tofu, so of course I would love to be able to make my own and taste what fresh tofu tastes like!
Thanks!
Alex Reith a.k.a. Auntie X
Thanks for the tips on making tofu at home... I have been wanting to try this for a long time and now I'm less scared to!
-- Esther White
Oh my - I love plain tofu, I love soymilk, and I love experimenting in the kitchen! I would love to make my own tofu from my own soymilk.
We buy a lot of tofu and soymilk, so it would be great to make our own!
Susan-
Great post! I have everything to make my own tofu ever since I got my soy milk maker, but haven’t. This post will get me going on that. Especially your comments on the taste. (Yes, I buy my tofu at the store—I am ashamed to say). I will definitely give it a try now. I don’t need another soy milk maker, but have a friend that would put it to good use, so go ahead and throw my name into the give-away. This might be a silly question, but does one batch of soy milk make one block of tofu?
Jonathan De Luca....
I want a soymilk maker and a tofu press because i am completely obsessed with making everything homemade.
I think tofu and soymilk is about the only thing left!
I'm lactose intolerant, and I've been using soy/rice milk. It's so expensive though, and I've been thinking about getting one of these for a while. Plus, I love tofu, and I'd be psyched to make my own.
I would like to enter to win, please! I make homemade soymilk but have never tried homemade tofu. I need to get on that!! Thanks!
Count me among the people who would love to win a soy milk maker, and would use it regularly!
Darla S.
Hello Susan, I have been visiting your site very often but havent commented before :D ..Love all your recipes...I am a lacto-vegetarian ...but still enjoy soy products like soymilk and tofu...I have never tried making soymilk at home, would love to have a maker !
Also, could you please tell me where to get the vegan vitamins from ??
I've been trying to convince my husband that we should get a soymilk maker for awhile, so that we can enjoy fresh soymilk as we did when we visited south east asia . . . one of my favorite parts about the trip was those daily glasses of soy milk purchased from a neighbor.
I have one of the older models,but found the milk always had a lot of residue and separated in hot foods and drinks so I gave up. I buy soy and almond milk, but they are getting more expensive and I would love to make my own again.The new filterless one looks ideal. I have never tried to make my own tofu, but you make it look relatively easy.
Hi! This is a great idea and not something I ever had thought of doing myself before. I would love to try it - much cheaper and tastier, I'm sure!
Rebecca Hass
I have been thinking about getting a soymilk maker and am making my soymilk with pots and a colander.It would be nice to win a maker....especially for making fresh tofu.....
Thanks for taking time to write wonderful recipes for vegans...
MAni
I would like a soymilk maker because I would love to reduce waste from buying packaged tofu and soymilk.
My name is Jennifer H.
I really need to start making our soy milk again, but I really don't like the time it takes to make it without a soymilk maker. I chronically burn any type of milk on the stove. :( And I would love to be able to make tofu as well!
I have been wanting to make my own soy milk and tofu forever... I didn't have any idea that there are machines out there for such things!
So exciting!
Hi Susan, I too would love a soymilk machine! I love making anything I can with the bare minimum ingredients instead of buying it pre-packaged (like soymilk) -- It just looks too daunting to try without a machine, though ....
Jason Moore (a fellow Jacksonian who loves your blog!)
oh wow, i would love to win this, making tofu might get my guys to come around to a meatless diet!
Kristina
Nice post. I want the soy milk maker after hearing you describe the fresh-made tofu taste, of course.
Thanks for the blog!
Yasmin
I've gotta say, I'd love a soyumilk maker... It would save a ton, plus cut down on packaging as you said... I buy the silk 2 packs because they are cheaper but it drives me crazy because they package them in yet ANOTHER cardboard box! so wasteful!
But anyway, being able to easily make my own soymilk and tofu would be totally AWESOME! So count me in...
TJ E...
Oh gosh! This is weird! just yesterday I was trying to convince my Mom to buy me a soy-milk maker! It'd be fantastic if I won. :)
Name: Heather E.
What a great review! I've been thinking about getting a soy milk maker for awhile for the money saving thing, and also to test out some of the other "milks" out there like almond and oat. That soy/oat concoction sounds delicious!
Thanks for all the wonderful vegan blogging...
trista b.
Jennifer S.
I would love to win a soy milk maker! My whole family is vegetarian - almost completely vegan - and we use a ton of soy product. I have a 1 year old daughter who loves tofu and think she'd REALLY love some that was homemade!
Fresh tofu would be great - and you make it sound so manageable!
My name is Kathy Applebaum.
I'm allergic to a number of foods, so I try to make as much of my own stuff as possible. Always safer to know what's going in my food, instead of relying on a factory worker. :)
What a great post! I really appreciate the step-by-step instructions with photos. I have been considering getting a soymilk maker for a while now for several reasons. Food prices going up is a good one, but also I've noticed that since Whole Foods took over my local Wild Oats, I can't get the smaller brand of tofu that I like anymore. (SoyBoy, for anyone whose interested.) I love to cook and this seems like a fun cooking challenge. Plus, I'd love to try to make your okara crab-cakes.
Thanks!
Mary Golosinski
From one Mississippi vegan to another - thanks for the delicious tofu recipe!
What a good idea!! This is my favorite vegan blog for a good reason. I don't have tofu as often as I would like. There is actually a market in Pittsburgh, where I live, that makes fresh tofu on a daily basis, so I know how good it can be! I'd love to try to make it on my own. Thanks Susan!
Ashley Kelley
To be perfectly honest, I had no idea such a thing existed. I'm really excited by the idea. More and more, I've been moving away from even slightly processed foods and moving toward making things from their fundamental states, but I've always been a bit intimidated at working with fresh soy. A soymilk/tofu maker would really open up the world of freshly home-processed soybeans, and would really give me an opportunity to play with flavors and treat soymilk and tofu as an artisanal food.
-Stacie Nagy
Cool beans! ;) Hmm I pretty much want a soy milk maker for the same reasons that you wanted one! Save on the grocery and overall it's better for the health of my family. I'm also a Silk fan but it's waned since I found out they're actually run by a dairy company. Talk about conflict of interest!
Loved this post. Can't wait to see what you've made with the tofu.
I've wanted a soymilk maker for forever! And winning one for free is just so much better...
My husband and I don't eat anything that is man-made, has been processed or has additives, even though we are not vegan our diet is very similar. I would love to have something that makes the process of making healthy, additive free milk and tofu easier.
PS - Susan, you have a wonderful blog. It has helped me so much, as we don't use any added oil in our food. Sometimes being creative with recipes is the last thing on my mind, I love having your blog as my guide.
Thanks, Irene B.
Nice post - I love the idea of making homemade tofu. For some reason where I live its hard to find asceptic containers of tofu (the silken kind). Is it possible to make that kind of tofu with this system?
Thanks, Christian
I'd like to win this for my husband-he started drinking soy milk last year due to a heath problem and I'm always trying to find the freshest source of food for him. (I know he wants a soy milk maker but would never buy one for himself.)
Plus his birthday is later this month, he would get a cool gift that he really wants!
I would love to have a soymilk maker to continue exploring new ways to make my own vegan goodies. I have just started making my own sausages and it has been awesome! No more pre-made sausages for our family. So let's add to the DIY of veganism, and win us a soymilk maker!!!
I have had many unsuccessful, in fact horrendous attempts at homemade soymilk and especially tofu... I would love a soymilk maker
I would love to have a soy milk maker, I am a new vegan and between the tofu and the whole family drinking soy milk it is certainly a drain on the budget.
Thanks for the low fat options-they are so helpful!
Shana
Please add my name to the hat! I've recently decided that I will not buy packaged tofu or seitan -- I hate the amount of wasteful packaging. As a vegan, it would be nice to have those protein foods (since I am allergic to legumes - I can tolerate tofu but can't eat beans) but I refuse to believe that all that plastic packaging is required.
thanks,
Jenn Conspiracy (ok, I'll give you my real last name later but I just don't want it to turn up in search engines)
I would love to make my own tofu and soymilk! I don't like how much sugar goes into the sweetened commercial soymilk but the "plain" is a bit too much to handle. I would love to cut down on packaging too!
Kelly C.
Wow! I had no idea that making your own soymilk could be so easy! Being a certified soymilk consuming fiend and eco-geek, I'd be remiss not to try my hand at winning one. Thank you so much for your wonderful blog!!!
I never even considered making homemade tofu or soy milk - it seemed way too hard! I would love to win the soy milk maker so my daughters and I could have fun making it from scratch. Thanks for the great post!
Thanks for the blog! Fresh tofu sounds so delicious!
You are so amazing! I've been dreaming about a soymilk maker for ages and it seems to keep getting pushed to the bottom of the list as other things become more important. I think it's an incredible money saver and you know that whatever your making with it is fresh and only contains what you put into it. Thanks for sharing the process in written and photo form, very helpful!!
-Ashley Tosca
I would love to be able to make my own soy milk and tofu - ecologically, financially, and health-wise, it sounds so wonderful!
I'd like it mostly for reasons you gave - I buy soy milk and it's getting expensive and it's wasteful. I have it on my cereal and in my coffee every morning, so I go through quite a bit.
Hey susan!
I saw your post on twitter and I had to check it out.
I was so pleased to see all the steps to making homemade tofu! I have actually been searching all day for a good soymilk maker. I was looking for something small and easy to use so I can teach family members to use it. Looks like I got my answer!
I enjoy drinking soymilk but I feel that the carbon footprint of commercial products is too much. I'm really trying to become more mindful of my use as well. I don't like buying soymilk or tofu in large amounts because I hate to have it go to waste if I don't use it. Making both of them myself means a fresher product and I'm excited about the possibilities.
Making soymilk sounds like fun. I'd love to try it.
i would LOVE a soymilk maker! i've learned to love making my own food over the years and soymilk is something we buy like crazy for cooking and drinking. the idea of making my own for us to enjoy? i already have ideas for flavors and awesome things to do with it. and i'd never *dreamed* of being able to make my own tofu! i would squeal with joy if i won :)
Oh, oh! I would love to have a soymilk maker! When I read your last post about cookies made from leftovers of the soymilk process, I was *so* envious of your soymilk maker. It does seem like such a great way to save money, and I would love me some home-made tofu!
A SoyQuick! I have wanted one of these for YEARS, and always wanted to see steps of how they work. We go through a LOT of non-dairy milk in my household. The machine makes more than just soymilk, which is good for me because I have a slight intolerance and nut and oat milks are often super pricey at the store. What an awesome post.