The TOFUTTI Challenge and a special Ravioli Sauce

Delicious and healthy at the same…who’d say “NO” to that!   Well, my email exchanges with Tofutti agent/PR John McCook didn’t really start with the mention of sampling delicious and healthy products.  The subject in the initial email I received was in bold print, “DAIRY-FREE FOOD OPTIONS FOR MILLIONS OF LACTOSE INTOLERANT AMERICANS”.   I promptly replied and thanked John for sharing the press release on Tout Brands, Inc, a line of dairy-free food products, “…pretty interesting and really helpful for people with lactose-intolerance.”   The press release also offered THE TOFUTTI CHALLENGE, an opportunity to try out delicious (mmm, I’d be honest, I was, of course, skeptical, but I’m willing to try out any food, at least once) but dairy-free (healthy alternatives)…to which John replied, “We’d be happy to send you some products.”

“Two boxes” delivery surprised me after a few days  — full of frozen desserts (ice cream bars, blintzes, etc.), cheese products and prepared frozen dishes (ravioli and pizza).  My, my, my…I could only speak word, “WOW”.

Right away I set my eyes on the pan pizza…really looked yummm and tasted yummy as well.  I received most of these Tofutti products (took snapshots of individual products and shown below), and here’s the complete fact sheet:

Tofutti Brands, Inc. develops and distributes a complete line of delicious dairy-free foods including frozen desserts, cheese products and prepared dishes. Available throughout the United States and in more than 30 countries, Tofutti Brands answers the call of millions of people who do are allergic to dairy, as well as those who choose a healthy, dairy-free, cholesterol-free lifestyle. Today the company offers a complete line of more than 60 dairy-free products.

     FROZEN DESSERTS:

TOFUTTI CUTIES
The company’s best selling product, Tofutti Cuties are bite size frozen dairy-free ice cream sandwiches. Free of butterfat cholesterol and non-hydrogenated fat, they have the same great taste people love about ice cream sandwiches. Half the size of traditional ice cream sandwiches, Tofutti Cuties offer consumers a portion control treat. They currently come in Vanilla, Cookies and Cream, Chocolate, Mint Chocolate Chip, and Wild Berry flavors, filling between two chocolate wafers. There are also non-chocolate options with Totally Vanilla Tofutti Cutie (vanilla Tofutti between two vanilla wafers), and Key Lime Cutie (combines tangy Key lime flavored Tofutti between two vanilla wafers).

PREMIUM TOFUTTI FROZEN DESSERT
The first non-dairy frozen dessert to be marketed to the general public through supermarkets, Tofutti is available in pre-packed pints, three-gallon cans and soft serve mix. Pre-packed pints currently come in seven flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate Supreme, Wildberry Supreme, Vanilla Almond BarkÒ, Vanilla Fudge, Chocolate Cookie Crunch, and Better Pecan®. The three gallon bulk cans are available in Vanilla, Chocolate Supreme, and Vanilla Almond Bark. Soft serve mix is available in Vanilla flavor.

YOURS TRULY
Yours Truly are ice cream cones that come with a healthy scoop of creamy vanilla Tofutti inside a chocolate coated crispy cone, then covered in deep, rich chocolate, topped off with a crispy chocolate cookie crunch.    As well as the Caramel Sundae cone with Vanilla Tofutti, creamy caramel inside a chocolate coated crispy cone, then covered in deep, rich chocolate and chocolate cookie crunch.

TOTALLY FUDGE POPS, CHOCOLATE FUDGE TREATS & COFFEE BREAK TREATS
These three products are stick novelties offering consumers the same taste as real fudge or coffee bars.   The Totally Fudge Pops, made with organic sugar and with no gluten added, have 95 calories and 1 gram of fat per bar. The fat free, no sugar added Chocolate Fudge Treats and Coffee Break Treats have only 30 calories per bar and ideal for anyone on a low fat or low carb diet.

MINT BY MINTZ
Shaped just like the treats, Mint by Mintz is an ideal snack for individuals on a low carb diet. They are stick novelties with a mint flavored Tofutti center, and each one covered in a thick, dark chocolate coating.

MARRY ME BARS 
These stick novelties feature creamy vanilla Tofutti surrounded with a dark chocolate coating.   Made with organic sugar and with no gluten added, Marry Me Bars has the same great Tofutti taste while meeting important diet requirements of certain consumers.

CHOCOLATE COVERED FLOWERS
A unique frozen dessert stick novelty, the Chocolate Covered Flowers combine Tofutti’s deep, dark chocolate coating that covers a delicious blend of flower and fruit nectars, offering the consumers a new type of healthy, portion controlled treat.

     CHEESE PRODUCTS

BETTER THAN CREAM CHEESE
Similar in taste and texture to traditional cream cheese, Better Than Cream Cheese is milk free, butterfat free and contains no cholesterol. It is as versatile as real cream cheese, whether spread on a bagel, used as a dip for snack items, such as crackers or chips, or used in any favorite recipe. The original plain flavor is available in 8 oz. retail packages and 30 lb. bulk boxes for food service customers.

Better Than Cream Cheese also comes in herb & chives, French Onion and garlic and herb flavors, which are free of hydrogenated fat.

SOUR SUPREME
Similar in taste and texture to traditional sour cream, Sour Supreme is milk free, butterfat free and contains no cholesterol. It has the versatility of sour cream with the added benefit of being dairy free. The original flavor is available in 12 oz. retail packages and 30 lb. bulk boxes for food service customers.

TOFUTTI SOY-CHEESE SLICES
Offering consumers a delicious non-dairy, vegan alternative to regular cheese slices, Tofutti Soy-Cheese Slices are available in two flavors: Mozzarella and American. Available in individually wrapped 8 oz. packages, Tofutti Soy-Cheese Slices are free of cholesterol and hydrogenated fat.

     PREPARED DISHES

TOFUTTI PIZZA PIZZAZ
Using Tofutti’s dairy free mozzarella cheese, combined with a delicious pan crust, Tofutti Pizza Pizzaz offers an authentic yet healthy pizza. Great for adults and children who love the taste of pizza but are allergic or looking for a healthier alternative, Tofutti Pizza Pizzaz is sold three squared slices to a package.

TOFUTTI BLINTZES
Frozen crepes filled with Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, Tofutti Blintzes are dairy and cholesterol free, yet taste just like real cheese blintzes. The blintzes can be served hot, warm or slightly chilled as a main meal or a snack.

Tofutti delights are soy-based products.  Back home, you’d be awakened every morning by a male vendor screaming, “TAHO”.  Taho is a delicacy in the Philippines with its main ingredient, the fresh soft/silken Tofu.  Taho vendors scoops up taho (or soybean curd) in a cup and top it with Sago pearls and caramel syrup.  And what I gathered from taho vendors was you couldn’t get the curd consistency if the process wasn’t done right or if taho has impurities, it will not coagulate.  That simply spells “healthy”.

I am certain many are unable to enjoy dairy products due to health issues or lifestyle choices.  But now there is Tofutti, and there’s no reason why one has to be deprived of ice cream, cheeses and other frozen treats.   A big “thank you” to Founder David Mintz, for making dairy-free products.

Now, let me share with you my experiences with Tofutti products…remember the TOFUTTI CHALLENGE, I’ve got to try it!

For someone who loves sweet and have no lactose issues, I truly enjoyed Tofutii wonderful creations and products.  The packaging is sooo “funny/silly” wonderful, you’ve all got them right.  Of course I started with the ice cream treats (my weakness), and they were all good, made me less guilty that is dairy free.

CUTIES/ICE CREAM SANDWICHES
Bite-size rummies that didn’t last long…they were delicious!

CHOCOLATE COVERED FLOWERS (FLEURS)
This is my favorite…each bite of cute ice cream pops sends an explosion of chocolatey-fruity goodness in my mouth.  I thought ice cream drumstick is the best…not anymore!

MARRY ME BARS
They didn’t last long…I meant the dessert bars…my marriage is still one happy marriage and we got to share the 6 bars.  Wondering if this could be used one day in a movie about a handsome guy offering these bars to his girlfriend before revealing the engagement ring, mmm.

RAVIOLI
One night, I cooked the ravioli.  I was curious if the perforations would give way to separate raviolis in salted boiling water, they didn’t.  I simply fished ‘em out with a tong and cut with kitchen shears.  Chanced upon a recipe of  Tofutti ravioli sauce, but since I didn’t have a soft silken tofu, I opted for another sauce — 1/4 cup of sour cream, 1/4 cup of better than cream cheese, 1 cup of milk, canned mushroom soup and salt and pepper…it was indeed delicioso.

INDIVIDUAL CHEESES
Tasted like the real cheeses…the grilled cheese sandwiches were devoured.

SOUR SUPREME
I was working on chocolate cupcakes and when I checked my fridge for sour cream chocolate frosting ingredients, I didn’t have the regular sour cream.  So I decided to just mix Tofutti Sour Supreme with store-bought chocolate frosting.  The taste was a bit strange.  My hubby brought the frosted cupcakes to work and his buddies didn’t like the flavor either.  So they all scrapped the frosting and just ate the cupcakes.

BLINTZES
This one is awesome…gotta have it for breakfast.  It only takes 30 seconds to warm one in a microwave.  When it comes out, the filling oozes out a bit, it simply looks like a restaurant dessert plate item.  I ate it plain for breakfast, and I survived the whole morning with eating just one piece and a cup of hot coffee.  Morning oatmeal takes many minutes to cook…these blintzes only seconds.  And they really tasted “yummm” even with no fruit syrup drizzles.  Next time I’d top one with chopped crunchy homemade granola and chunks of fresh fruits.

OTHERS

Now I’d pass on the TOFUTTI challenge to you my dear readers.  Look for these delicious and healthy (dairy-free) Tofutti products next time you shop at Dominick’s, Meijer or Whole Foods Market.  For a complete listing of stores and nondairy Tofutti products, visit website, www.Tofutti.com.  Click around the website for recipes, FAQs and company history.

Time for another Tofutti blintze!

Read more at Celebr-eat-y By Sarah Lee