What Ingredients You Need for Healthy Tofu Chocolate Pudding

You need only 5 ingredients for this healthy Tofu Chocolate Pudding (and no cooking!):

• soft silken tofu, 12-ounce package
• cocoa powder, ¼ cup 
• maple syrup, 3-4 tablespoons 
• vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons 
• sea salt, ½ teaspoon plus more to taste if needed

Optional garnishes:

• big flaky sea salt, like Maldon
• chocolate shavings
• fresh mint

Additional Ingredients Notes and Resources

1. Cocoa Powder. For this healthy Tofu Chocolate Pudding and any and all other chocolate products that come out of my kitchen, I use organic, unsweetened natural cocoa powder. Make sure it's cOcOA powder, not cAcAO powder. Both cocoa powder and cacao powder come from the cacao plant, but cocoa powder is made from beans roasted at a higher temperature so it's a little more palatable. Cacao powder is made from beans roasted at a lower temperature, so it's more bitter, but retains more of the nutritional content. Cocoa powder usually costs less than cacao powder.
2. Maple Syrup: A little bit of maple syrup adds a boost of natural sweetness. I use this organic maple syrup that is amber in color and more robust in flavor than lighter colored maple syrups. You can substitute with honey, though the recipe will not be vegan.
3. Vanilla extract. You really do need a drop or two of vanilla in the recipe to bring out the "chocolate." I use this organic brand of pure vanilla extract. Don't use imitation vanilla flavoring.
4. Salt. Adding salt to sweet dishes isn't meant to make them taste salty. Salt not only brings out the natural sweetness of other ingredients, it balances the sweetness, too. You can use kosher salt (I use this brand) or coarse sea salt in the Chocolate Pudding itself
5. Flaky Sea Salt. Use sea salt with big crunchy flakes like this brand for garnish.

Instructions for How to Make Tofu Chocolate Pudding

Tofu Chocolate Pudding requires nothing more than blending all the ingredients together in a food processor or blender.

The most "difficult" step of making Tofu Chocolate Pudding is draining some of the excess water from the container of tofu.

Drain off excess water from tofu by slowly tilting the container over the sink. Be careful not to let the tofu slip out of the container into the sink! You can also do this over a bowl to catch the tofu in case it does come out!

Place the silken tofu, coca powder, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

Taste, and blend in more maple syrup a teaspoon at a time if needed.

Transfer the Tofu Chocolate Pudding to small serving bowls. Garnish with chocolate curls, berries, fresh herbs like mint, and big sea salt flakes.

To store leftover or advance-prepped Tofu Chocolate Pudding, place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Some liquid may naturally separate out from the pudding. You can just drain it off, or stir it back into the pudding before serving again.

Healthy-ish Chocolate Dessert Recipes

• Chocolate Chia Pudding
• Avocado Chocolate Pudding
• Brownie Baked Oatmeal, oatmeal in a portable brownie format
• Healthy Chocolate Spread "No-tella", like Nutella, but without the chemicals and less desirable oils

Print

Tofu Chocolate Pudding Recipe

Ingredients

• 12 ounce silken tofu
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt

Garnishes for Serving (optional)

• flaky sea salt for garnish optional
• chocolate curls
• fresh berries or herbs like mint for garnish optional

Food for Afterthoughts

Pudding is a not a dessert.

Chocolate cake. Apple pie. Brownie hot fudge sundae. These are desserts. But "pudding" in any context never sounded like a deliciously decadent dessert treat to me. I

For a very long time, I thought bread pudding was nasty. I had no basis for this opinion, since I don't recall ever actually eating bread pudding. I suppose it just comes from perceptions, then drawing unfounded conclusions. I'm not a fan of any type of pudding or custard as desserts, whether it's creme brulee or flan or panna cotta - that is a fact. Then, adding "bread" makes it even worse. All I could ever think of when I heard "bread pudding" was Jell-o instant pudding slapped between two slices of Wonder White - "dessert" for the Bible belt trailer park.

But then someone ordered bread pudding at some ooh-la-la restaurant somewhere, I can't remember where, and I thought to myself, "Oh, fine, order your back asswards country bumpkin trailer treat, since I'm not paying for it anyway." But I can't have dinner without dessert so I took a reluctant bite and holy shiitake, this is bread pudding?!?! I've been shunning this deliciously soft, sometimes lightly crispy and chewy on top, studded with chocolate chips or white chocolate chunks or dried fruit (but never raisins because those are gross)?!? Have I been missing out all ths time?!?!

Yes, my child, you have. Come to Jesus.

I found bread pudding!!

Now I'm not one of those bread-thumping pudding freaks that goes out on a mission to convert the masses by proclaiming that there is no other dessert and if you believe, it'll taste like Heaven. No, I'm just a quiet believer in how delicious certain foods are, and rather than just talking the talk, I wok the wok. Or bake the bake. Or something like that.

I made bread pudding for the first time on Christmas eve (after the kimchee jji-gae) to have for dessert the next day after Christmas dinner. I wanted to show my family. Hey guys, can I share something with you that has changed my Delicious Life? This is bread pudding. Now, I know what you're thinking. Bread pudding is for those people who have nothing else. Bread pudding is for people who don't have a culinary education, who don't know anything else, who are down to their last crumb of stale bread and the only thing they can turn to is page 333 of their cooking Bible and make...bread pudding. Sure, that's true some times, but not all the time. Try this bread pudding.

What the? Mom surprised me. She told me she loves bread pudding. She said that she's loved bread pudding since...Cincinnati. Cincinnati? Since I was in elementary school? She even remembers the exact moment - dinner with my Dad's boss's wife at the Montgomery Inn. I asked her why she never told me about it and she shrugged. She didn't want to force anything on me; bread pudding is something you have to find on your own.

Mom tried the cranberry bread pudding I made and she loved it. She ate some on Christmas Eve when it came out of the oven. She ate a sliver of it as breakfast on Christmas morning, because according to Mom, it may not have coffee in it like a Bailey's Irish Cream Cheesecake, but it's just like French toast; never mind that she put a tiny little scoop of vanilla ice cream on top because really, vanilla ice cream on bread pudding isn't any worse than maple syrup on French toast anyway.

We reheated it in the oven at a smooth 250 degrees whilst we ate our Christmas dinner. When we finished our ham and green beans and macaroni and cheese (details on those dinner details later), the bread pudding, minus a couple of pieces a la Mom, was ready to eat. A la mode, of course. It wasn't too sweet, and it was a little drier than I would have liked, but it was still good.

There are some recipes that have a lot more sugar or use at least twice as many eggs, but I can only imagine that it would make the bread pudding way too sweet or way too hard. The only thing that I might change for next time is perhaps adding white chocolate chunks. But that's sort of the beauty of bread pudding, isnt it? It doesn't require all that much work, all you have to do is believe. And once you're comfortable with the basics, it becomes very personal.

The post Healthy Chocolate Pudding, Fast and Delicious with Silken Tofu appeared first on The Delicious Life.

What Ingredients You Need for Silken Tofu with Spicy Sauce

Silken Tofu fresh/refrigerator ingredients:

• silken tofu, 1 package (14-16 ounces)
• garlic, 2 cloves minced
• green onion, 1 stalk finely sliced
• jalapeño pepper, 1, finely sliced - optional

Silken Tofu dry/pantry ingredients:

• tamari/soy sauce, 2 tablespoons
• gochugaru, 1 teaspoon
• sesame oil, 1 teaspoon
• toasted sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon

What is Silken Tofu

Silken tofu is the softest, silkiest textured version of tofu, almost like a custard.

All tofu is made by coagulating soy milk. It is the few steps after that create the various types and textures of tofu. Regular tofus from soft to firm to extra firm are curdled then pressed to varying degrees to remove excess moisture which shapes them into their characteristic blocks.

Silken tofu, on the other hand, is not curdled and pressed at all. It is made directly in its container, allowing the coagulated soy milk to set without pressing. The result is an incredibly smooth, creamy texture similar to a custard.

Because silken tofu's soft consistency is somewhat fragile, it is best used in recipes where it's blended or gently folded into a dish rather than cubed and cooked in an aggressive method like sauteeing.

Ingredients Notes and Resources

Soy sauce or tamari: Tamari is Japanese-style soy sauce very often brewed without the use of wheat so it is gluten-free. I use this brand, which is organic. Buy organic or non-GMO soy-based products (soy sauce, tofu, soy milk, etc), since soy beans are one of the crops that are more often sprayed with harmful weed-killing chemicals.

Rice vinegar. I use this brand organic brown rice vinegar. If you don't have rice vinegar, use any other light/mild vinegar like apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.

Gochugaru is a chili pepper powder made from an actual Korean variety of chili pepper. Its heat level ranges, but is generally considered medium spicy. You can find gochugaru in Korean grocery stores like H-Mart, other Asian groceries, and even some independent spice companies like this and this at Whole Foods. This organic brand purchased at HMart, is what I have in my pantry.

Sesame oil. Look for toasted sesame oil, which is darker and has deeper umami flavor. As a finishing oil rather than a cooking oil, it is added to dishes in small amounts just before serving. This is Japanese brand I've been using since I was a kid. There are now many brands of toasted sesame seed oil available, even organic, at regular grocery stores.

Toasted Sesame Seeds add texture and a layer of umami in addition to the toasted sesame oil. You can buy sesame seeds plain or toasted. Make sure the seeds are toasted. Otherwise, toss them in a hot, dry skillet over medium heat for about 90 seconds or until they are fragrant.

Garlic, ginger, green onions and all other fresh herbs and produce from either the Santa Monica Farmers' Market on Wednesday, Mar Vista Farmers Market on Sunday, or Whole Foods Market.

Instructions for How to Make Silken Tofu

Drain and Prep the Tofu

Carefully open package of tofu, and while holding the tofu in place with one hand, tilt the package over the sink to drain some of the excess water out.

Invert the tofu onto a plate with high sides or into a shallow bowl. Tilt the plate or bowl to allow extra liquid drain away from tofu and soak up excess water with a clean paper towel.

Make Sauce and Serve Silken Tofu

Whisk the tamari, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger in a bowl to blend. Pour over silken tofu.

Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, extra sliced green onions, and serve.

Serve the Silken Tofu with Sauce chilled, warmed, or room temperature. Silken Tofu with sauce will keep for 1 day, covered and refrigerated. We never have leftovers.

Pro Tips and Techniques for Silken Tofu

1. Make double or triple the sauce! The sauce tastes so good, you will probably want to eat Silken Tofu a few more times the same week so make extra! It will keep in an airtight container in the frig for up to a week. You can also use the sauce as a marinade for firmer tofu similar to this, tossed with stir-fried vegetables or noodles.
2. Cut holes in the bottom of the tofu package to help the tofu slip out of the package. It works like letting air into a sealed package to release the vacuum.
3. Let the silken tofu drain for 5-10 minutes. This step in the recipe is not absolutely required, but draining the silken tofu whether in the package or on the plate to let some more liquid drain out will keep the sauce flavor concentrated.
4. Leave the tofu block whole! Silken Tofu has the texture of a custard, so if you leave the tofu block whole, you can simply use a spoon to scoop out little wiggly blobs with some of the sauce.
5. On tofu serving sizes: I generally allot 6-8 oz (half a pound) of tofu for each serving, which amounts to half a block of tofu.

Is Silken Tofu Healthy?

Depending on your health needs and dietary considerations, Silken Tofu with Spicy Sauce can be healthy! To be honest, I can't really think of a case in which Silken Tofu would not be healthy, unless maybe the gentle acid in the vinegar causes heartburn or other gastric issue for you, or you are sensitive to the sodium in tamari/soy sauce.

Health and Dietary Considerations of Silken Tofu

As published, this recipe for Silken Tofu is:

• 100% plant-based, suitable for vegans
• vegetarian
• dairy-free
• gluten-free/wheat-free if using tamari or gluten-free soy sauce
• grain-free
• sugar-free

This recipe as presented is gluten-free, wheat-free and grain-free because I use tamari, which is a gluten-free Japanese soy sauce. If you cook and eat gluten-/grain-/wheat-free, make sure to read the label of your tamari and/or soy sauce.

Tools and Equipment

 

Storage

Once dressed with sauce, Silken Tofu, will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Tofu does not freeze well as leftovers, as it's textures changes. However, freezing tofu with the intention

FAQ

baked marinated tofu shiitake mushroom lettuce cups

pan-fried marinated tofu and avocado in lettuce cups

marinated tofu in cabbage and lettuce cups with kimchi salsa

Other Ideas to Top Silken Tofu

Many Asian cuisines have versions of silken tofu served chilled like Japanese hiyayakko and Chinese liangban tofu. The tofu blocks are left whole or sliced, sometimes cut artfully with shaped cutters. Specific toppings vary, but they all have one thing in common: high degree of flavor. This recipe relies on umami from soy sauce, heat, and flavor from garlic and green onions, but there are so many other ways to customize this sauce by adding ingredients. Or, abandon the sauce completely in favor of something totally different. Tofu is, after all, a blank canvas.

Here are some ideas:

• julienned aromatic herbs like Thai basil, cilantro, mint, and shiso
• seaweed like crumbled toasted nori
• furikake
• hot sauces like sriracha or sambal oelek
• chili crisp
• finely chopped kimchi or radish kimchi
• fermented pickled Chinese vegetables
• hoisin and chopped peanuts

The tofu is so awesome, it now has a permanent position on The Delicious Life List.

Print

Silken Tofu with Sauce Recipe

Makes 1 block of marinated tofu, enough for 2 as a light meal or snack

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine asian, Japanese, korean

Keyword silken tofu, soft tofu, tofu

Prep Time 4 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 2 servings

Ingredients

• 1 14-ounce package of silken soft tofu some brands' packages may be 12 or 16 ounces, which is totally fine

Silken Tofu Sauce Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic grated
• 1 green onion chopped
• 1 teaspoon gochugaru or other hot chile flakes
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1 jalapeño pepper finely chopped or sliced

Instructions

Prep Silken Tofu

• Drain the tofu over the sink. Invert tofu onto a plate with high sides. Slice tofu if preferred.
• Soak up any excess water from plate with paper towels. It's ok if there is some liquid.

Make Silken Tofu Sauce and Serve

• Whisk 2 tablespoons tamari, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, minced garlic, sliced green onion, 1 teaspoon gochugaru, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, and chopped jalapeño pepper if using in a small bowl or glass measuring cup to blend. Pour the sauce over the tofu.
• Serve the Silken Tofu lightly chilled or at room temeprature.

The post Silken Tofu with Spicy Sauce, the Best Five Minute Recipe appeared first on The Delicious Life.

Check out the "holidays" below, calendar format first, list after. Some fun recipes included to help you celebr-eat!

Happy September!

And when you're ready and set, go plan ahead with the October Food Holidays calendar!

September Food Holidays Google Calendar

I made this a PUBLIC calendar, so you can add it to your own google calendar!

Use the blue arrows < > on the calendar to click month-to-month for more.

Month-long Celebrations in September

• California Wine Month-the most important month of the year, obvs!
  • Anderson Valley/Mendocino County wines
  • Monterey Wines
  • Paso Robles Wines
  • Santa Ynez wines
  • Santa Barbara Wines
• National Biscuit Month
• National Bourbon Heritage Month
  • check out this Bourbon Maple Glazed Ham
• National Breakfast Month
• National Cannoli Month
• National Chicken Month
• National Fruits & Veggies Month
• National Honey Month
• National Italian Cheese Month
• National Mushroom Month
• National Organic Harvest Month
• National Papaya Month
• National Potato Month
• National Rice Month
• National Whole Grains Month

Week-long Celebrations in September

• 2nd Week: Biscuit & Gravy Week
• 2nd Week: National Waffle Week
• 2nd Week: The Banana Festival
• 2nd Week: Vegetarian Awareness Week
• 4th Week: National Wild Rice Week

September Holidays, Day-by-Day

Labor Day is observed the first Monday of September. It is unofficially the end of summer, and often spent "grilling out." This year, Labor Day is Monday, September 7, 2026.

Fist Day of Fall, Autumn Equinox is Tuesday, September 22, 2026.

Mid-Autumn Festival (aka Chuseok in Korean) is held on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunisolar calendar with a full moon at night, corresponding to mid-September to early October of the Gregorian calendar. This year, Mid-Autumn Festival falls on Friday, Deptember 25, 2026.

• 1st Saturday of September: International Bacon Day
• 2nd Tuesday of September: National Ants On A Log Day
• 3rd Friday of September: International Chateauneuf-Du-Pape Day
• 3rd Sunday of September: National Brunch Day

• September 1: National Cherry Popover Day
  September 1: National Gyro Day
• September 2: National Blueberry Popsicle Day
  September 2: National Grits For Breakfast Day
  September 2: World Coconut Day
• September 3: National Baby Back Ribs Day
  September 3: National Welsh Rarebit Day
• September 4: National Macadamia Nut Day
  September 4: National Spice Blend Day
• September 5: National Cheese Pizza Day
  September 5: World Samosa Day
• September 6: National Coffee Ice Cream Day
  • make Chocolate Chip Cookie Coffee Ice Cream Sandwiches
  • if you have an ice cream maker: Coffee Frozen Yogurt recipe
• September 7: Labor Day Holiday
  September 7: National Acorn Squash Day
  September 7: National Salami Day
• September 8: National Date Nut Bread Day
• September 9: National Wiener Schnitzel Day
• September 10: National TV Dinner Day
• September 11: National Hot Cross Bun Day
• September 12: National Chocolate Milkshake Day
• September 13: National Peanut Day
  September 13: Snack A Pickle Time
• September 14: National Black & White Cookie Day
  September 14: National Cream-Filled Donut Day
  September 14: Eat A Hoagie Day
• September 15: National Crème de Menthe Day
  September 15: National Linguine Day
  September 15: National Thank You Day
• September 16: Mexican Independence Day
  September 16: National Guacamole Day
• September 17: National Apple Dumpling Day
  September 17: National Monte Cristo Day
• September 18: National Cheeseburger Day
  September 18: National Red Velvet Cake Day
  September 18: National Rice Krispie Treats Day
• September 19: National Butterscotch Pudding Day
• September 20: National Fried Rice Day
  September 20: National Pepperoni Pizza Day
  September 20: National Rum Punch Day
  September 20: National Queso Day
  September 20: National String Cheese Day
  September 20: World Paella Day
• September 21: National Beef Stroganoff Day
  September 21: National Chai Day
  September 21: National Pecan Cookie Day
  September 21: National Sponge Candy Day
• September 22: First Day of Fall, Autumn Equinox
  September 22: National Eat Local Day
  September 22: National Ice Cream Cone Day
• September 23: National Great American Pot Pie Day
  September 23: National White Chocolate Day
• September 24: National Cherries Jubilee Day
  September 24: National Horchata Day
• September 25: Mid-Autumn Festival - eat mooncakes!
  September 25: National Crab Meat Newburg Day
  September 25: National Lobster Day
  September 25: National Quesadilla Day
• September 26: National Dumpling Day
  September 26: National Eat Dinner With Your Kids Day
  September 26: National Key Lime Pie Day
  September 26: National Pancake Day
• September 27: National Chocolate Milk Day
  September 27: National Corned Beef Hash Day
  September 28: National Strawberry Cream Pie Day
  September 28: National Drink Beer Day
• September 29: National Bakery Day
  September 29: National Biscotti Day
  September 29: National Coffee Day
  September 29: National Maize Day (Corn Day) In Mexico
• September 30: National Hot Mulled Cider Day
  September 30: National Soufflé Potato Day

Food Holiday Calendars for the Entire Year

• January Food Holidays
• February Food Holidays
• March Food Holidays
• April Food Holidays
• May Food Holidays
• June Food Holidays
• July Food Holidays
• August Food Holidays
• September Food Holidays- you're here!
• October Food Holidays
• November Food Holidays
• December Food Holidays

The post SEPTEMBER FOOD HOLIDAYS Complete Calendar 2026 appeared first on The Delicious Life.