Easy Ways to Incorporate Soy into Your Menu

Tofu
Tofu is made of curdled soy milk and can be used in many different ways. It tastes a little bland when eaten on its own, but it absorbs the flavors of foods it is mixed with. Tofu comes in four varieties: silken, soft, firm, and extra firm.

• Silken tofu is creamy in texture and can be used in:
  • Dressings- Use it as a substitute for mayonnaise or sour cream by mixing it with a dried onion soup or ranch dressing mix.
  • Dips/Sauces- Use it instead of cream for a low-fat Alfredo Sauce
  • Desserts- It can easily be used to make a pie filling, custard or cheesecake.  Chocolate icing could be made with silken tofu by mixing it with a chocolate instant pudding mix
  • Baked Dishes, Waffles and Pancake Batters – Use pureed silken tofu instead of eggs in these recipes.
• Soft tofu is slightly firmer than silken tofu but is still moist.  Some ideas for using soft tofu are:
  • Toss it into a pasta dish in place of soft Italian cheeses.
  • Mash and blend it with Italian herbs and spices and use it to stuff large shells.  Pour your favorite sauce on top and bake.
  • Make a shake by blending it with mixed fruit and low-fat milk and top it with dry cereal.
• Firm and extra-firm tofu hold their shape and are therefore good for:
  • Salads- Make an imitation egg salad by cutting the soy into small pieces and adding celery, onion, black pepper, low-fat mayonnaise and a little mustard.
  • Stir frys- Try using it in place of chicken in a stir fry or a fajita dish; or grill with some vegetables and make a shish-ka-bob.

Tempeh
Tempeh is made of fermented soybeans and is smoky in flavor with a chewy texture. It can be marinated in BBQ sauce and put on the grill or cut up and mixed into casseroles, chili, or soup. A grilled tempeh, cheese and tomato sandwich is another great use of tempeh.

Soymilk
Soymilk is the milk of the soybean and can be used just like milk; try using it to make pudding, hot chocolate, and cream soups. Pour on top of your favorite cereal or just enjoy a nice tall cold glass. Soymilk comes in lowfat and nonfat versions.

Soy Protein
Soy protein has similar characteristics to meat. It can be flavored to mimic chicken, beef and other meats. Some examples are vegetable burgers, soy hotdogs, and meatless meat.

Soybeans
Add canned soybeans to any recipe. Try Edamame, which is a green soybean in the shell. They are typically packaged and sold frozen and can be added to any vegetable dish.

Soy Flour
Soy flour is made from roasted soybeans and is ground into flour. You can replace ¼ of the total flour in a recipe with soy flour to make muffins, cookies and cakes.

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