CREAMY, SEEDY TOFU "GOAT CHEESE" SPREAD

I make alot of hummus for snacks, but one day I wanted a change of pace-- a spread that is easy and fast to make, with what I had in the house.  I came up with this cheese-y spread and my husband went nuts over it and some omnivore guests did, too.  It is very yummy!

Ordinarily, I would have made this with extra-firm silken tofu, but I didn't have any in the house, so I used medium-firm ordinary tofu, which I pressed in my tofu press.  When there was about 3/4-inch of liquid on top the the tofu, I weighed it and it weighed 12.3 ounces, exactly as much as a box of silken tofu.  It worked just fine in the recipe and costs quite a bit less than silken tofu.

There are a few tofu presses on the market-- I have a Tofu Xpress, which takes a 1 lb. block of tofu:
 

For pressing more tofu at once, I have a small (1.6 L) inexpensive Japanese pickle press, similar to this one, which can press 700g/1.5 lbs of tofu at a time.  

This is the model I have:

I know it looks flimsy, and, when I posted once about this on Facebook, people had a hard time believing that it could handle pressing tofu-- but it does just fine! I've seen a picture (which I cannot locate now) of a pile of tofu squares being pressed in a large round Japanese pickle press.

See also  TOFU PRESS (Canada) OR USA Amazon link)

NOTE: If you don't have a tofu press, here's a link with three other methods to extract some of the liquid from tofu.  Oh, and don't pay attention to any advice that says you can only press firm tofu.  I press medium-firm tofu all the time.

This is what medium-firm tofu looks like:

"Medium-firm tofu has a rougher texture than soft—curds are visible—but will still crack with handling. It can have a droopy appearance due to its moderate moisture content, and it's a good choice for dishes that don't require much manipulation, like braising or boiling. Because there is more whey in medium-firm tofu, it may break up during vigorous stir-frying, and pan-frying can lead to sad, deflated tofu planks."  Photo and quote from http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/06/shopping-cooking-guide-different-tofu-types.html

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S CREAMY, SEEDY TOFU "GOAT CHEESE" SPREAD

Servings: 6

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

 This is a rich tasting, nutritious and inexpensive spread, enjoyed by vegans and visiting omnivores alike. It's even better after refrigerating for a day or two, so you may want to double or triple the recipe. We love it with flat breads, celery sticks, rye crisp crackers, or pita crisps.

1 lb. of medium-firm tofu, pressed down to 12- 12.5 oz. and drained

OR 1 box (12.3 oz.)    extra-firm SILKEN tofu

1/2 cup raw shelled sunflower seeds, soaked in boiling water for 5 minutes and well-drained

2 tablespoons raw sesame seeds, soaked with the sunflower seeds (see line above)
OR 1 heaping tablespoon tahini

1 tablespoon    light brown miso  (or a little more to your liking)

1 tablespoon    lemon juice  (or a little more to your liking)

1/2 tablespoon    nutritional yeast flakes  

1 large clove    garlic, crushed  

1/2- 3/4 teaspoon    salt  

 OPTIONALS (1 or both):

2-3 large sun-dried tomatoes in oil, rinsed, drained and chopped  

2 tablespoons    minced chives or green onions (just the green part)  

Place everything except the Optionals in a food processor and process for several minutes, or until the mixture is VERY smooth. You may have to stop the machine and loosen the mixture from the outside walls of the processor bowl towards the middle with a spatula once or twice. If using, pulse in the sun-dried tomatoes and chives briefly, just to distribute. Scrape into a covered container and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition (per 1/4 cup serving): 154 calories, 93 calories from fat, 11.3g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 305.3mg sodium, 214.7mg potassium, 6g carbohydrates, 2.2g fiber, less than 1g sugar, 10.2g protein, 4.6 points.

Enjoy!