Bubby and Bean ::: Living Creatively: The Tales of Tofu: Encouraging My Kids To Be Whatever They Want to Be

Thank you House Foods for sponsoring this post.

My kids are always talking about what they want to be when they grow up. My three year old son mostly just wants to be a dinosaur, but my daughter has several career paths in mind: a dance teacher, a horticulturist, and a chef. My husband and I are very big on encouraging them, even from a very young age, to follow whatever paths they desire (and that includes in the present too). Whether we're talking about their dreams for adult years or what activities they want to try this summer, it's important to us that they know they can be whatever they want to be.

Recently my daughter and I were having one of our "deep talks" about hopes, dreams, and how we define ourselves (or, in preschool terms, "what makes us us"), which led to a specific discussion about her ability to be whatever she chooses. To better explain to her what I meant, I likened it to one of our favorites foods: tofu. I had just gotten a copy of the children's ebook The Tales of Tofu from House Foods, which is the most endearing story about a superfood named Tofu who learns about how he can be anything he wants to be (by easily mixing with other foods), and it really did seem like the perfect comparison. As we read the book together, I watched her reactions and could see how the story made sense to her. She told me it "an-spired" (inspired) her, and immediately asked if we could make one of the book's super easy-to-prepare recipes recipes. I was in!

We decided to go with the Strawberry Papaya Tofu Smoothie, and ran to the store to pick up the ingredients (see recipe below for full list). When we got home, my daughter got to experience one of her future careers dreams of being chef as we made the smoothie together. And man was it delicious. Here is the recipe so you can see for yourself!

Strawberry Papaya Tofu Smoothie

SERVES: 2 | PREP TIME: 5 min | TOTAL TIME: 5 min

INGREDIENTS
½ pkg. House Foods Tofu Soft
3/4 cup papaya; peeled — seeded, and chopped
1 cup fresh strawberries
1 cup frozen mango, chopped
1/2 banana

In a blender, combine all the ingredients. Cover and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds or so. Enjoy!

One of the things I love most about The Tales of Tofu is how it helps kids and their families eat healthier by focusing on good ingredients like fruits, veggies, and tofu. (When House Foods partnered with Melissa Rauch to to create the ebook, this was part of it's purpose, which is so great!) I also love how the ebook finds a creative way to introduce kids to tofu, which is a food they might normally be less familiar with. Even though both of my kids eat tofu often, the ebook shows them the endless ways tofu can be prepared and combined with other foods. (Just like my kids, tofu can be anything it wants to be!)

Next up, according to my daughter, is Tofu Tacos, another delicious recipe included in The Tales of Tofu. I can't wait! You can download your own digital copy of The Tales of Tofu from www.house-foods.com right here. It's such a wonderful way to not only encourage your little ones to be whatever they want to be, but also to introduce them to tofu and create discussion on the importance of eating healthy foods. And of course, it's a great way to make food together, which in our house, is one of our favorite ways to bond.