Monday, October 3, 2011

Fresh Pistachios and a Tofu XPress Giveaway!


Look: these are fresh pistachios that I purchased at Barbur World Foods. The outer covering is soft and wrinkly (obviously wrinkly). You pull it off to reveal a pale shell. The shells separate pretty easily to reveal the gorgeous nut inside. So fresh pistachios taste pistachio-ey, but really intensely so, and they are kind of soft. I love them. I can imagine making an Indian pilau and scattering fresh pistachios over it. For me for now, though, they are lovely on their own.

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My post is pretty short today because I want to get to the awesome giveaway! I have for you, in my possession and ready to send out . . . a Tofu XPress! No longer will you require makeshift presses of cast iron pans and heavy canned goods. The Tofu XPress presses excess water out in less than an hour, is easy to clean, is dishwasher safe, and doubles as a marinating dish. It can also be used to press other foods such as tomatoes or eggplant.


To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment below, and Tofu XPress would also ask that you either like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, or sign up for their newsletter. Tell me what you'd make with your shiny Tofu XPress, im-press me with some vegan knowledge, or just tell me you'd like to win! This giveaway is open to residents of the US. Others throughout the month will be open to everyone everywhere. The winner will be chosen by a random number generator and posted in one week's time below that day's giveaway. Yes, that's a full week to enter this giveaway! If you win a giveaway on this blog at some point this month, please be kind and don't enter further giveaways--I'd love as many people to win something as possible!

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The winner of yesterday's Thrive Foods giveaway is Lorelei! Congratulations! Please send your name and address to me at miso...@yahoo.com. (<---make sure to click on the . . . link for the rest of the email address. This is a spam avoidance thing.)





51 comments:

  1. Hey there, I've wanted one of these since they've been available (:

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  2. OMG! I want a Tofu Xpress! I've been so jealous of everyone who has one.

    And those pistashios look yummy too. I've never had fresh ones!

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  3. Don't count this as an entry, because I already have one, but I wanted to share how much I LOVE my tofu xpress. I remember thinking "plates and heavy objects work fine, why do I need a gizmo? But it's awesome, works great and super convenient.

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  4. these pistachios are fascinating! I need to check if they're available here in town.

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  5. Everyone who has one thinks it's the most amazing thing ever.

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  6. Rats, I'm not in the US! LIked them on FB anyhow.

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  7. I'm not entering this contest but I wanted to say that I love your pistachio photo. I've never seen fresh ones before. Thanks for posting.

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  8. Oh I want one of those Xpress thingies so badly! I love tofu...I'm not sure what I would make first, probably some sort of marinated and broiled tofu because that's my favourite way to eat it. :)

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  9. Ooooh I love pistas! I bet these fresh ones would be perfect for my pista ice creams. YUM!

    Can the soft outer covering be eaten too?

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  10. okay, first of all, yesterday's post about barbur foods made me so envious. I MUST GO THERE. You are so lucky to have a cool store like that nearby. Also, fresh pistachios!!?? Do you have Silk Road Cooking? There are recipes in there for fresh pistachios, and I never had any idea you could actually get them in the US. Amazing.

    I was on the fence, but I'll enter this giveaway. People who have this gadget really seem to love it, so maybe I will too if I win it. :) I signed up for their newsletter, btw.

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  11. Oh man do I need one of these! My last makeshift tofu press ended up toppling a head on into my roommates glass coffee carafe--shattered!

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  12. I've wanted one of these ever since I first saw them - pretty please!!!! My towers of soya milk cartons usually end up falling over!

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  13. Wow, I have never seen pistachios in their natural state! Makes me want to go seek some out...
    Crossing my fingers for the giveaway - I've long wondered about the XPress, but haven't wanted to invest sight unseen. :)

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  14. Oh!! I've been lusting after this gadget for a while! I'd love to enter this giveaway.

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  15. Ooh, I would love to win this great prize! I can think of any number of tofu dishes that this tool would great for!

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  16. i would LOOOOVE a tofu xpress! (i've liked them on facebook)

    those pistachios sound fascinating. i bet they'd be great for ice cream.

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  17. I have wanted a tofu press for a long time now!

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  18. These are amazing! One of these has been on my "want list" for such a long time! Id use it to press the tofu and make faux fried fish fingers! Yum! I happen to already follow and like Tofu XPres ;)

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  19. I've been dying to get a Tofu Xpress for a while now! I just rededicated myself to veganness (been just veggie lately) and this would really help me along!

    thanks!

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  20. I'd like to win. My sisters and I really like tofu but there is only one place to get it around here and it's really expensive there. It would be nice to be able to make it instead.
    P.s. I also liked them on Facebook.

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  21. these tofu xpress things intrigue me...

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  22. I think I would make some pistachio crusted tofu with golden raisin and pumpkin couscous:)

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  23. I would LOVE to get this tofu press! I love just eating extremely pressed tofu cubed on green salads and in tofu salad (like chicken salad)

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  24. I would love to start pressing my tofu!

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  25. I've always wanted one of theeeeeeeeese!! I'd totally make some baked tofu cutlets with these... nom!

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  26. I could definitely use a tofu express!!!

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  27. This is definitely one of those things I've always wanted but couldn't really justify because I've been doing okay not pressing my tofu...umm, what would I make? EVERYTHING! And it would probably taste a lot better and be easier to cook with!

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  28. haha awesome! i just blogged yesterday about using a stack of big ol books to press some tofu (and the resulting crash) :)

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  29. Oh my. What wouldn't I do with one of those things? I remember that whole soy free tofu thread on the PPK. I'd probably make one of those.

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  30. How exciting! I'd totally love to make some quiche using some tofu this fall.. Mmm.. Also, I followed Tofu Xpress on twitter!

    Thanks for having the giveaway,
    Fellow PPKer Jackie @ Vegan Yack Attack!

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  31. Oh man, I've wanted one of these for ages! I'd use it to avoid getting little pieces of towel on my tofu... :)

    (I follow them on Twitter already!)

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  32. I'd definitely make some glazed tofu for baking, oh no wait, some vegan feta. NO wait, ok a stir fry. Heck, I'd make ALL my tofu dishes with it!

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  33. I have wanted one of these forever. My partner has this ridiculous tofu pressing system that involves the cast iron skilled at my 15 pound hand weights and it takes over the entire kitchen. I would use it to make Southern Fried Tofu because I have a new recipe I want to try :)

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  34. I would love to win a Tofu XPress because I've never actually tried to press my tofu before (I usually just dry fry my tofu to get rid of the extra moisture) and so this would open up all kinds of new recipe options to me. Thanks for offering such a great giveaway!

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  35. I would love a Tofu Xpress! I generally avoid cooking with tofu as I struggle with pressing it effectively, and I would love to be able to marinate it as well!

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  36. I would actually bother to press my tofu more often! I love marinated tofu, but I can never get enough moisture out first. I'm thinking a marinade with this amazing cherry balsamic vinegar I have...

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  37. I have been drooling over this kitchen gadget for months! I already like them on Facebook, and I love their suggestions for other uses, like pressing the water out of veggies like eggplant or zucchini. I would definitely be eating way more tofu if I had this thing.

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  38. I have been wanting a TofuXpress for years! I am also "liking" the company on FB and will follow on Twitter :).

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  39. OH, that would be AWESOME! Following on Twitter and Facebook like. For a special veganized meal with Southern roots we like to make the "chicken fried" tofu from the Vegan Meat and Potatoes cookbook (I forget the exact recipe title). It's a little work intensive because you have to freeze and press the tofu, then make the patties and freeze them. But it's a nice treat. And we press tofu often in our house so this would be fab!

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  40. I would love a Tofu Xpress! I Have wanted one for a while. I would love to press my tofu and then make "meat" crumbles out of it for a vegan chili (maybe a pumpkin chili!) or press the tofu and then coat it in seasonings and cook it in a frying pan. So delicious!

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  41. I've seen this gadget before. I would save many trees with this thing, I wouldn't have to use so many paper towels to drain my tofu! If I was in possession of an object as fine as the Tofu Xpress, I would make smoky tofu strips!

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  42. I would love to avoid using the two books and two cans of diced tomatoes I always have to pile on top of my tofu! I hope I win this tofu xpress so I can actually keep the pressed tofu in the fridge as well. Sometimes fending off the cats from the kitchen table gets a little annoying...

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  43. OMG I would LOVE to have this! Please, please pick me!!!!!

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  44. I've always wanted to make a really good Spicy Fried Tofu, like the restaurant down the street. I seem to avoid using tofu because its a pain to get all the moisture out. I have always thought, if I had a TofuXpress I would be a tofu making maniac.

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  45. I'm a huge fan of the TofuXpress. I don't want to be part of the giveaway, because I already have one, but I wanted to comment on how much I totally love it! If I am selected for some reason, please pick a second number so someone else can know its awesomeness.

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  46. Okay, I friended them on FB and Twit, but can't find how to sign up for the newsletter, but it could be this early hour. I want! :)

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  47. I would love love love to win. There is no limit to what I would make! The days of precarious book balancing would be open.

    The spines of thousands will thank you.

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  48. Following on Twitter. I've had this thing Amazon wishlisted forever!

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  49. I liked them on facebook!

    There is a girl who sells the most fabulous tofu tacos at the Farmer's Market, and i'm pretty sure she uses a tofu press, so I would try to recreate her tacos!

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