Fruit Tofucotta

We're enjoying a bit of a cold snap here in the desert, but it won't be long before summer's here. When the morning low is in the 80s, a cool, sweet breakfast is the perfect way to start the day. Tofu's mild flavor makes it a perfect dairy-free stand-in for cottage or ricotta cheese. Its high protein content provides a perfect counterbalance for fresh fruit. And, of course, tofu is loaded with isoflavones, the phytochemicals in soy that offer a wide variety of health benefits. All my family cares about is that it's delicious and easy to prepare!

Some of our favorite fruit combinations are canned, drained pineapple (fast and easy!); fresh mango and strawberries; halved grapes (especially pretty if you use two colors of grapes); or frozen berry mix.

Fruit Tofucotta

If you prefer the texture of ricotta cheese, drain the tofu overnight. The easiest way to do this is by using the inner bowl of a coffee maker and coffee filters, balanced on a large mug. You can also secure several layers of cheesecloth to the top of a small bowl with a rubber band or string. Place tofu on the cheesecloth, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator at least 12 hours, or overnight. Reserve the drained tofu and discard the whey. This process makes the tofu drier, and the final product more like ricotta cheese.

Ingredients:

1 (12-ounce) package Mori-Nu tofu, chilled overnight
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons sugar or sugar substitute
2 cups fresh fruit, as desired

Directions:

Place tofu in large bowl. Using a fork, crumble tofu until it resembles cottage cheese or ricotta cheese. Add vanilla and sugar, and stir well to combine. Add fruit and mix to combine.