Have I told you this already? Desmond has gotten picky. I suppose it was inevitable - he is a child. But even so, it seems bad. For example, here's a conversation that he had with his pal in the sandbox on Friday:
Mauro: I'm cooking rice and peas.
Desmond: I don't like peas.
Mauro: I won't put peas in yours. I'll make you rice and corn.
Desmond: I don't like corn.
Mauro: Okay, you can cook your own.
Seriously, if the other almost four-year-old has already given up on him, how am I supposed to get a varied diet into this little body? Yesterday, on the way home from the store, when he and I were discussing what we were eating for dinner. (Barbecued seitan sandwiches with cole slaw.) And I waited for his predictable response, wondering whether he was going to go with, "I don't like seitan," or "I don't like cole slaw," he surprised me. He didn't say either of those things.
His response? "I don't like barbecue sauce."
I had to laugh. And ask him what he does like. Apparently at this point in his career, the boy likes peanut butter and jelly, and tofu. Here's how we eat it most often -
House Tofu
This is the basic way that I prepare tofu to use in sandwiches or serve with rice, and greens, and savory sauce.
- 1 pound extra firm tofu
- 3 tablespoons Bragg's Liquid Aminos or soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (that's the juice of your average lemon)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, smashed and peeled
Slice tofu into cubes or slabs for sandwiches. Whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour over tofu. Toss to somewhat evenly coat and set aside to marinate for an hour or two or even better, overnight. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium, and cook the tofu for about three minutes on each side until lightly browned.