SoyMilk Crossroads

We have this small raspberry patch in our back yard.  It’s going crazy this year, we’ve never seen it produce so many raspberries.  So we’re doing raspberries on our cereal, in pancakes, on yogurt, they are everywhere. 
 

My favorite use for them is in my smoothies.  This isn’t the greatest picture.  I took it fast so I could get on with making my breakfast.
 

Next to the glass of raspberries is a jar of plain soymilk yogurt.  I make a new batch of yogurt each week. Mostly so I can add them to my smoothies.  They are loaded with all those wonderful bacteria cultures.  And of course, the banana.  I prefer my mine on the rip side, thus the development of dark spots on the skin.  Then the large container is what’s left of my soymilk.  Time to make another quart.
 

So, I pour about one cup of soymilk into the blender, throw in the other three items and blend away until I have a smooth drink.  If I want it a little colder and with some crunch, I’ll add 3 or 4 ice cubes.
 

Every once in a while I’ll be evil and sneak in a little chocolate to the mix.  Everyone knows how well raspberries and chocolate goes together! 

If you enjoyed the Homemade Grilled Tofu but it wasn’t such a hit with the younger members of your family, there’s a simple way to make tofu chunks look more like the junk food that most kids love.
 
After pressing your tofu to remove excess liquid and cutting it into 2″ chunks, dip it into a bowl containing a beaten egg. If you don’t eat eggs, soy milk works well also. Immediately roll the chunks in seasoned bread crumbs, taking care to coat them well.
 
Meanwhile, heat some cooking oil in a heavy skillet. When it has reached cooking temperature, carefully place the breaded tofu chunks in the skillet. Cook until brown on one side, then flip and cook the other side until brown.

A Simple, Tasty and Nutritious Lunch

Fried tofu is less healthy than grilled tofu, but as a once-in-a-while treat it’s delicious and kids love it. You can serve fried tofu chunks just like chicken nuggets. Dip them in honey, barbecue sauce, or ketchup. Add a side of baby carrots and broccoli florets for a filling and nutritious lunch your kids will gobble up.

Tempeh/Tempe is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form.
 

It originated from Indonesia, invented by the Javanese, where it is most popular, although it is common in other parts of Southeast Asia as well, introduced by migrated Javanese.
 

It is especially popular on the island of Java, where it is a staple source of protein. Like tofu, tempeh is made from soybeans, but tempeh is a whole soybean product with different nutritional characteristics and textural qualities.
 

Tempeh’s fermentation process and its retention of the whole bean give it a higher content of protein, dietary fiber and vitamins compared to tofu, as well as firmer texture and stronger flavor.
 

Tofu, however, is thought to be more versatile in dishes. Because of its nutritional value, tempeh is used worldwide in vegetarian cuisine; some consider it to be a meat analogue. Even long before people found and realized the rich nutritional value of tempeh, tempeh was referred to as “Javanese meat.”

This quick, easy, kid-friendly vegetarian tofu recipe is a sure way to get your kids or anyone else to eat tofu. Tofu burgers are a favorite with all our family and friends.
 
Half the tofu burger recipe if you’re a small family, or save the leftover mix for sloppy joes, or scambled tofu. Improvise freely with the seasonings and the grains. But if you want onions, use them on the outside, not the inside - too wet.
 

Add all your favorite veggie burger fixings, fries, corn on the cob, whatever you like. Or go healthy, and serve the patties with steamed veggies and brown rice.
 

Ingredients:
1 lb tofu
1/4 c each whole wheat flour, corn flour, & rolled oats
1/2 c parsley tops or fresh basil leaves, washed & dried
1 tsp each paprika, coriander, cumin
1/2 tsp dried basil or thyme
1/4 tsp ginger
pinch cayenne
1/2 tsp salt and/or 1 Tbsp liquid aminos or soy sauce
 

Instructions:
Heat a non-stick frying pan on medium with olive oil, or your favorite cooking oil. I add a pinch of asefetida (hing) to the oil for extra flavor. Garlic works too if you like it.
 

Cut tofu into 1 inch chunks, and add to food processor. If you don’t have one, mash by hand or with a potato masher, and finely chop the parsley or basil first.
 

Throw in everything else and mix well by hand, or on low in the food processor just until it all clumps up.
 

Form into thin patties, and fry in small amount of oil, on medium heat, 5-7 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

I made a block of soft tofu yesterday and decided to try out this recipe that was passed along to me in an email.  I just put all of these ingredients into a blender and let it run on the medium setting until it looked smooth and creamy.  Then transferred it to a container and put it in the frig to chill until supper salad time.

• 1/2 lb. tofu
• 1/2 cup oil
• 3 Tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp sweet pickle relish with juice
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

Now, I’m not real big on following recipes to the tee.  So, my batch was give and take on these amounts.  For the oil, I use Olive.  For the vinegar, this time I used white, next time I might try apple cider.  And I didn’t have any red pepper flakes, so I just sprinkled in some cayenne pepper (which I love and use on a multitude of foods).
 

I didn’t measure my tofu either.  I just threw in the block that I made.  But if you’re making your own and want to know how much you have, here’s a little trick you can do if you have a 4 cup measuring cup.  Or use a bowl and make note of where 3 cups and 4 cups would be on it. 
 

Fill it with water up to 3 cups and float the block of tofu in it.  The water level will read 4 cups when you have a 1/2 lb of tofu.  In this case, since you’re blending it anyway, just crumble it into pieces.  When you fill 1 cup, that equals 1/2 lb of tofu.
 

Anyway, this dressing tastes great.  And it adds some wonderful protein to the veggie salad of your choice.

My mornings generally start with a bowl of oatmeal and a cup of coffee, which I refuse to give up.  And while I’m getting into gear, the Today show is playing on the boob tube. 
 

I couldn’t believe my ears this morning when they did their little health section.  The topic was kids and cholesterol.  They were saying that some physicians want to start cholesterol testing as early as age 2.  There is even discussion of starting children on cholesterol medication, such as statins, at the young age of 8. 
 

Do we have a high cholesterol epidemic in this country or what?  Thank you fast food, burger and fry restaurants, processed foods, chips, cheese, milk shakes, etc., etc.

Time for Food Changes 

Bring on the fresh fruits and vegetables, cut back on the dairy, meats and sugars, and of course, get more exercise.  Reducing the portion sizes of meals is also a plus.
 

Using more soymilk and tofu as an alternative to cow’s milk and meat would also be a great start.   Soy makes better use of protein and calcium without the cholesterol side effects of animal products.

Do you start off each day with a toaster pastry or bowl of sugary cereal? Do you wonder why you have trouble keeping your eyes open by mid-morning? Maybe your diet is making you sluggish. A soy and fruit smoothie is the perfect way to start your day.

The Science of Breakfast

To keep your energy level consistent, it’s important to keep your blood sugar level stable throughout the day. How do you do that? Eat carbs and protein together. Carbs are burned before anything else as fast fuel for your body. Proteins are used more slowly and give you sustained energy. A slice of whole-wheat toast with peanut butter is a great example of an effective carb/protein mix.
 
Even better (and tastier!) is a fresh smoothie. Soy milk is an excellent source of protein, and fruits provide plenty of carbs. Bananas are especially rich in carbohydrates. Try our peanut butter and banana smoothie in the morning to get you moving and keep you going strong all the way to lunch time!

Peanut Butter and Banana Breakfast Smoothie

1 cup fresh soymilk
1 frozen banana (slice and freeze fresh bananas ahead of time for easy smoothie making)
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon wheat germ (optional)
Combine ingredients in blender. Blend until all chunks are gone. For an occasional treat, add a generous squeeze of chocolate syrup.

Not Just for Breakfast!

This smoothie is a simple and very quick breakfast or snack - not to mention how lip-smackingly tasty it is. It has healthy doses of protein and carbs to keep you feeling energized for hours and hours. Just blend one up, pour it into your favorite travel cup, and get your morning energy boost on the way to work each morning!

This is the very basic, bare bones recipe for homemade plain yogurt.  There are so many variations to this, the adventure is just beginning.
 

Ingredients

• 1 liter (about 34 oz.) Milk or Soymilk
• 1/4 tsp. Yolife Starter Culture or other cultures
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup powdered milk (optional)

Directions

1. Heat milk or soymilk slowly while stirring.  If desired, stir in powdered milk.
2. Turn off heat before milk reaches boiling point. (175-185 degrees F.)
3. Let milk cool to 104-113 degrees F. (lukewarm)
4. Add yogurt cultures. 
5. Place mixture in Yogurt Maker, let stand until a firm curd is formed.
6. Refrigerate Yogurt until ready to eat.

Note:  Incubation time in the Yogurt Maker can vary anywhere from 4 to 10 hours depending on the type of milk and yogurt cultures used.  Many yogurt markers recommend 8 hours.  Some yogurt starters ferment faster than that.  Check out the Yogurt FAQ page for more details and tips.