Tausi Insider

Photo : casanisa ( Shutterstock ) D ense meatballs got you down? Despite your attempts at rolling well-mixed yet tender meatballs, do you end up with rubber super balls every time? All that’s about to change, and it starts with the mix. To help encourage a crumbly blend, use tofu. Tough meatballs are a result of over- mixing and too much binding agent. Your first order of business is to be light-handed as you mix. That’s why most chefs recommend using your hands instead of a spoon and avoiding food processors. After that, it comes down to reducing the binding ingredients in your mix (like eggs and bread crumbs) or adding elements to break up the meat— and t ofu is a grea t option for the latter . As the proteins in the meat cook , they tighten up and squeeze out moisture, which can lead to dryness. Not only will the tofu crumbles break up the tightening proteins throughout your mixture, they’ll add moisture to keep the meatballs from becoming dry as they cook. If you’re con...

Photo : Jose A. Bernat Bacete ( Getty Images ) There have never been more different types of vegan milk to choose from, which is great news for people who don’t (or can’t) drink cow’s milk, and it’s a double-edged sword for vegan cooks and bakers. Variety is great, but it means every new alt milk is a gamble; I’ve had oat milk with the texture of half and half, almond milk that was basically off-white water, and everything in between. If you mainly consume vegan milks in coffee, with cereal, or on their own, an unexpected texture (or flavor) situation might be annoying, but not a complete dealbreaker. When you’re baking and cooking, however, the wrong milk substitute can and will ruin your recipe. This is why I keep soy milk in my fridge or pantry at all times: It’s a known quantity. Unless you’re allergic to soy, it won’t let you down. Here’s why. Soy milk is easy to find, consistent across brands, and chemically quite similar to cow’s milk, all of which make it a reliable ingred...

Photo : A.A. Newton Tofu scrambles are often the only vegan option on a brunch menu, and to be perfectly honest, they don’t do that much for me. A pile of barely-cooked tofu rubble seasoned with nutritional yeast, turmeric, way too much dried oregano (why is it always oregano?), and nowhere near enough salt may be a nutritionally complete meal—but it’s not good . Vegan food can (should) taste good too. If your experience with tofu scrambles has been underwhelming thus far, you may be under the impression that making your own isn’t worth the effort. It absolutely is: Just like scrambled eggs, an excellent tofu scramble is savory, creamy, and packed with protein, which vegan breakfasts all too often lack. All you need to make your own is a hot pan, the right kind of tofu, and a little help from a flavorful slurry. The first secret to making a good tofu scramble is choosing the right tofu. You want firm or medium, not extra-firm. Extra-firm tofu can be spongy and rubbery; while I’ve...

Photo : Sergey Ryzhov ( Shutterstock ) Eggs used to be one of the cheapest protein sources out there. Back when they cost $2 a dozen, the 84 grams of protein in a carton of extra-large eggs worked out to just 48 cents per 20 grams of protein. But thanks to the recent bird flu outbreak and various other economic factors, egg prices have skyrocketed. Some other protein sources, like whey powder, are more expensive than they used to be as well. So we figured it’s time to calculate the price you pay for a serving of protein, across a variety of grocery items. We’re including the classic meat, eggs, and protein powder, as well as a few underrated options like tofu and peanuts. Methodology The following calculations are not from an exhaustive national survey of prices. After failing to find a good source of up-to-date prices that could be fairly compared to each other on deadline, we used non-sale prices from a chain grocery store in Pittsburgh , checking on Amazon as well for a few i...