Who would have thought that tofu could be a colorful and healthy option for a Valentine’s treat? 

Japan has made it a tradition to go crazy for chocolate during Valentine’s season. But if your significant other isn’t particularly fond of chocolates or simply tired of the sweet (although such a condition is hard to imagine for this writer), what should you get? Well, how about a tofu product designed specifically for Valentine’s?

Yes, tofu! And we’re not talking about the standard white kind, either. These just may be the most eye-catching tofu we’ve ever seen!

▼ Even the package is cute:

The Valentine’s tofu is being offered by Japanese soy product manufacturer Yamaki Jozo through its specialty tofu factory Tōan, and comes in two flavors.

The first is a beet-flavored tofu containing red beet, which gives the tofu a vibrant pink color. Having it simply with a dash of salt should enhance the flavor of soy and the subtle sweetness of the red beet.

They also recommend having it with salt and Japanese green onions, or for something more creative and dessert-like, you can try mixing it with granola-type cereal.

We haven’t tried the tofu ourselves, but the red beet certainly makes it sound healthy!

The second flavor they have is — you guessed it — chocolate! It contains Belgian chocolate, but they’ve made sure not to make it too sweet.

You can try it with roasted walnuts on top, or they also recommend removing some of the moisture from the tofu and mixing it with raisins and nuts. Yup, that sounds like a good idea for a guilt-free (but chocolate-flavored) snack.

They sell the tofu as a set of the two flavors, perfectly gift-wrapped for Valentine’s Day. But hey, there’s no rule against buying it for yourself, is there?

Yamaki Jozo are now taking orders for the Valentine’s Tofu by phone or on their online shop for 640 yen (US$6) a set, with shipment scheduled for February 5 (for orders placed by February 5) and February 13 (for orders placed by noon on February 10). They’ll also be selling the tofu at their cafe and shop Kōjian from February 8 to 14.

We’ve already seen tofu turned into McDonald’s nuggets, used as a cheese replacement and even shaped into anime mecha heads, so we can’t say we’re surprised, but we certainly continue to be impressed with the versatility of this traditional Japanese food. Why not give it a try this year as a healthier Valentine’s Day snack option?

Source: @Press, Yamaki Jozo online shop
Top image: Yamaki Jozo online shop
Insert image: @Press
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