There is no need to be "terrified" of tofu. It's just a squishy white
block of stuff, and you're stronger. Even your stomach is stronger :)
Our family started using tofu about 20 years ago when it only came fresh
into Chinatown in Thursdays, and you had to grab it out of a bucket of
water. Now, we prefer silken tofu - the kind that comes in tetra
packs.; it has a less "beany" taste.Firm or extra firm lite are best for
stir-frying. Just sprinkle with
some of your seasoning or soy sauce, let sit while you prepare the rest of
the vegetables, and add to the stif-fry. If you cut the pieces small,
they don't seem so squishy. Or you can freeze them the day before.
Defrost and marinate, and they will be much chewier.
One of the first ways we started using tofu was to cut it up small and
slip it into meat-free spaghetti sauce. The sauce covers up the
"whiteness".
Japanese tofu pudding: I bought some very soft tofu at a Japanese grocery
store - clerk told me they eat it for snacks right from the package
sprinkled with soy sauce, and sometimes sesame seeds. Might be a
challenge for a new tofu eater. But you could add this soft tofu to a
smoothy (blended fruit drink).
Hope this helps a bit. Perhaps someone can suggest a good tofu book. I
think there's one called something like Estrogen the Natural Way which has
a lot of tofu receipes.
Barb b