A New Chapter

the truth about my creator journey

This might be the most honest I’ve been on the internet, and I’m going to get right into it. For the past year, I’ve been focused on returning to the professional workforce: navigating interviews, working on case studies, and rebuilding my LinkedIn network. Yes, that explains the lighter posting schedule on social media. Through it all, I’ve stayed committed to Tiff’s Table because I genuinely love this community and developing recipes for you. And it’s why I want you guys to be the first to hear this news.

I’ve been building Tiff Loves Tofu since 2020 and even quit my corporate job in the summer of 2023 to pursue my big dreams. So I know this news might surprise some of you. But a lot can change in two years. I’m proud of what I accomplished, and I feel grateful that I took the leap (which I could not have done without the support of my loving husband). This experience taught me I could redesign my life on my own terms. Along the way, though, I learned three crucial lessons that I want to share with you with the help of my favorite TV show, The Bear:

1. “You found something that you love. And it’s completely 100% okay if you don’t love it anymore. Because the most special part is that you are capable of that love.”

   What I learned and accepted is that people change, and that’s okay. Life happened. I lost a sibling and got married. I made new friends and reconnected with people from my past. Through these milestones and the moments in between, I evolved, and what mattered most to me shifted.

2. “You can spend all the time in the world in here, but if you don’t spend enough time out there...”

   I’m all for discipline and working hard to get what you want in life, but I realized how much I needed balance. Creating content and developing recipes will always bring me joy, but so does saying yes to spontaneous outings with friends and experiencing everything NYC has to offer.

3. “You have no idea what you’re doing, and therefore, you’re invincible.”

   Not knowing everything has opened up many unexpected doors over the years. That early naivety led me to fearlessly start posting (oftentimes cringey) videos, find my voice, grow to 300K+ followers across social media, and unlock opportunities beyond my wildest dreams.

So why return to the workforce? In short, I miss collaborating with people, and I’m ready for more stability. And honestly, there’s a lot more to say, but I’ll save that for another time.

Here’s what’s happening: Tiff’s Table and Tiff Loves Tofu aren’t going anywhere. I’m pressing pause while I focus on my new role at a startup, still in social media & content strategy, just in a different niche that matters now more than ever. You’ll still see occasional public posts from me, because I love this community too much to disappear completely.

For paid subscribers: I’ve processed refunds for the remainder of your subscription. You should have received an email last night, and the refund will appear on your statement within 5-10 business days.

Thank you for being here. This isn’t a goodbye, but it’s a see you later. I also want to wish you guys happy holidays! Please feel free to respond to this email to let me know what your plans are for this month.

On that note, I want to end this newsletter with a simple tofu recipe, so let’s dive in. 😊

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Recipe

Serves: 2

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 25 min

Ingredients

For the tofu

• 450g extra firm tofu, torn into bite-sized pieces

• 2 tbsp avocado oil

• 1 tbsp cornstarch

• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 1 tbsp vegan oyster sauce

• 1 tbsp light soy sauce

• 1 tsp dark soy sauce

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 1/2 tsp white pepper

• 1 tbsp red chili pepper flakes

• salt and black pepper, to taste

• 1/4 cup vegetable broth or water

For the snow peas

• 10oz snow peas

• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 1 tbsp avocado oil

• 2 tsp vegan oyster sauce

• 1/4 tsp white pepper

• 1 tsp sugar

• salt, to taste

For the rice

• 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice

• 1 1/4 cups of water

Method

1. Begin by rinsing the rice several times until the water runs mostly clear. Transfer the rice and water to a rice cooker and cook according to the machine’s instructions.

   1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice; 1 1/4 cups of water

2. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Drain the tofu and pat it dry with a paper towel. Use your fingers to tear it into bite-sized pieces. Dust the cornstarch over the tofu and coat with 1 tbsp of oil. Transfer the tofu to the air fryer and cook for 10 minutes.

   450g extra firm tofu, torn into bite-sized pieces; 1 tbsp avocado oil; 1 tbsp cornstarch

   

3. Trim off the fibrous ends from the snow peas. Slice the garlic for both the snow peas and tofu. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat and add half the garlic. Sauté for about 30 seconds, then add the snow peas along with the vegan oyster sauce, white pepper, sugar, and salt. Stir continuously for 2-3 minutes until the snow peas are bright green and tender. Remove from heat and set aside.

   10oz snow peas; 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 1 tbsp avocado oil

   

4. Quickly rinse the pan with hot water and dry with a paper towel if needed. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in the pan over medium-high heat and add the remaining garlic. Cook for 30 seconds before tossing in the air-fried tofu. Add the vegetable broth or water, vegan oyster sauce, light and dark soy sauce, sugar, white pepper, chili flakes, salt, and black pepper. Stir the tofu until it’s completely coated in the sauce and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat.

   1/4 cup vegetable broth or water; 1 tbsp vegan oyster sauce; 1 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tsp dark soy sauce; 1 tbsp sugar; 1/2 tsp white pepper; 1 tbsp red chili pepper flakes; salt and black pepper, to taste

   

5. Serve the tofu with rice and snow peas. Optionally, sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle with sriracha.

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