I think most people who read my food blog or my posts on BlogHer regard me as a fairly health-conscious cook, but I'm going to start this out with a big confession. The truth is that even though I love it in restaurants, and I realize that soy is one of the Superfoods we should be eating plenty of, I've never cooked tofu. Not even once. I've decided it's time for me to get over my tofu timidness, and I thought I'd invite BlogHer readers to join me.

Let's start by learning a little about tofu, also called bean curd or soy bean curd. It's high in protein, low in calories and saturated fat, contains no sodium or cholesterol, and is one of the world's healthiest foods. It's a common ingredient in Asian cooking, and because plain tofu has little flavor or smell on its own, it can be paired with many ingredients. There are three general types of tofu, and it's important to choose the right type for your recipe. Finally, if you don't know anything at all about cooking with tofu, you might want to watch the "how to cook with tofu" video listed in the resources below.

Of course there are probably hundreds of thousands of good tofu recipes on the web, and this is a subjective list at best, but here are ten tofu recipes I thought looked delicious, presented in the order I found them. I focused on main dishes, but you can find lots of other tasty tofu recipes on most of these blogs as well. (If you have a great tofu recipe or tips, be sure to leave them in the comments.)

1. Cumin-Spiked Tofu from 101 Cookbooks is marinated and then cooked in a grill pan. This recipe uses extra-firm tofu, and there are links in this post to some other great-sounding tofu recipes.

2. Honey Walnut Tofu from Cook and Eat is deep fried and served over rice with a honey-sweetened sauce. This recipe uses medium-firm tofu.

3. Sichuan Tofu with Garlic Sauce from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen uses firm or extra firm tofu which is marinated and then cooked in a tasty-looking garlic sauce. (That's Susan's fantastic photo shown above.)

4. Tofu Broccoli and Asparagus from Love and Olive Oil uses firm tofu, marinated and then stir-fried with veggies.

5. Tofu with An Asian Twist from I am Gluten Free uses extra-firm tofu that's sauteed until it's crisp, then cooked a bit longer with a spicy Asian-style sauce.

6. Curry Tofu Noodle Stir Fry from Sunday Nite Dinner can be made with soft of medium tofu which is sauteed with tomatoes, hot curry powder, and coconut cream, and then served with noodles.

7. Mapo Tofu is a classic Chinese dish, and I thought the version from Amy at Nook and Pantry looked just fantastic. This recipe uses soft (but not silken) tofu fried with ground beef or pork, fermented black beans, and chilis.

8. Spicy Tofu and Zucchini with Lemongrass, Lime, and Basil from Cookthink uses extra-firm tofu sauteed with veggies and served over brown rice.

9. Matthew's Delicious Tofu from Eat Me, Delicious is rated as "one of the best Tofu experiences ever" by the blog author. This dish uses medium firm tofu sauteed with a spicy sauce that includes maple syrup.

10. Miso-Slathered Tofu and Eggplant from One Hot Stove features eggplant and extra firm tofu brushed with a spicy miso-tahini sauce and then broiled. There are also other tofu links here that look tasty.

More Resources:
More about tofu at The World's Healthiest Foods
Tofu Tips from Savvy Vegetarian
How to Cook Tofu Video from About.com

BlogHer food editor Kalyn Denny also blogs at Kalyn's Kitchen, where the only tofu recipe in her collection of Vegetarian Dishes is Grilled Tofu Satay with Peanut Sauce, cooked and blogged by Kalyn's uber-talented brother Rand.