SoyMilk Crossroads

What can you do with that pot of soymilk you just made?  I personally make four pots of soymilk each week.  That’s for a household of two.  And the other person isn’t into the whole soy thing as much as I am.

 Great Soymilk Uses 

Soymilk:  Two of the pots are just for the milk.  We use it for cereal, smoothies, and whatever cooking we do that calls for milk.  I love to experiment with different flavors.  But I always come back to the vanilla for some reason.  Addicted, I guess.
 

Tofu:  One pot of milk made in the Soyabella Soymilk Maker can in turn be used to make one block of tofu with the Soyabella Tofu Kit.  It’s a small mold and when you look at it, you just don’t think the tofu mixture will fit.  But it does.  Again, I experiment each week to see what I can with that tofu.
 

Yogurt:  One pot of milk is a liter (about a quart), which is exactly the amount that fills the seven yogurt jars in the Yolife Yogurt Maker.  But then if you want more than that, you can use whatever jars you like.  Some weeks I have to break down an make a second batch of yogurt.  When I use it in the smoothies, it can go fast.
 

Okara:  This is the wonderful by-product that you get with each pot of soymilk that you make.  It’s the bean pulp that’s left in the milk screen.  Each pot yields about 3/4 cup.  You can use it much the same way that you use tofu.  It’s loaded with protein.  Those of you throwing it away, well, you may want to look at other options.  There are some wonderful Okara recipes available.  My favorite is the Okara Burger Recipe.
 

Choices!  If you get tired of just drinking the soymilk, you may want to branch out and start experimenting with these other delights. 

Over the years, the numerous health benefits of soymilk have been published.  Aside from the fact that it is a great calcium and protein source alternative for those who are lactose-intolerant, it also provides a great deal of other health benefits to your body.

Here’s a quick look into the health benefits of soymilk:

• It can help reduce the risks of prostate cancer.
• It can help reduce the negative effects of menopause.
• It can help lower your cholesterol level.
• Soymilk is a great alternative for those who have milk allergies.

Watch the Carbs

You can include diabetes in the above list – because recent studies show that soymilk actually helps with this ailment.  If you are diabetic, you have to keep close watch of the carbohydrate content of the foods that you are eating.  When you compare soymilk to non-fat milk, the latter contains more carbs. 
 

Regular drinking of soymilk has been shown to improve the blood glucose level of those who are suffering from diabetes.  If you have any concerns, of course, talk to your physician.  More doctors are recommending soy everyday.
 

Then when you’re ready for a new adventure start making your own soymilk.  It’s fresher, contains only the sweeteners and flavors you want to add, and costs so much less than the store bought.

It’s back to school time now for most of the United States. If you have dairy-free kids going into school for the first time, you should be prepared for the issues that may come up with school lunches.

The Food Pyramid at Work

In nearly every school in America, milk is a standard part of the lunches that are served in the cafeteria. Because of USDA regulations, schools are required to provide foods from all of the standard food groups - including dairy. That means that in addition to the dairy-heavy food (think pizza, macaroni and cheese, and yogurt), your child’s school lunches will probably be required to have a small carton of milk included.

Come With a Note

Some schools are more progressive than others and offer the option to substitute soy milk for dairy milk. In order to take advantage of this option, you will more than likely need a note from your child’s doctor stating that they are not allowed to have dairy. However, it is still difficult to get dairy-free food from a school cafeteria that consists of anything more than a tossed salad.

If All Else Fails, Pack a Lunch

In our school district, soy substitutions are not offered. If we provide the school with a doctor’s note, our lactose intolerant daughter would be allowed to drink juice instead of milk with lunch. However, they do not offer any accommodations for the food in the lunches.
 

In order to keep our daughter safe and healthy, we’ve opted to send her to school with a packed lunch every day. We invested in a good-quality insulated drink container, and she takes it to school every day full of delicious homemade soy milk.

A Happy Ending

Although lactose intolerant kids can’t share in a lot of the school treats that other kids will have, they can bring along their own treats. Packing a lunch every morning with your child can be a great opportunity to spend some extra time with them. Give your child some input into their lunch and they won’t feel cheated because they can’t eat what the other kids are eating.

 
Every morning, I remind my daughter that she is very special because she gets to choose what to take to school instead of eating what’s on the menu. She loves showing off her tasty dairy-free food to all of her new school friends!

For the busy person, there are few beverages that are as easy to make that pack the punch and taste of a smoothie.

Love These Nutritious Drinks

Smoothies are nutritious on all fronts since fruits contain lots of vitamins and minerals, and soymilk is a great low-carb source of protein. In addition, using soymilk and/or soy yogurt in a fruit smoothie can help to lower your cholesterol.

Ingredients

• 2 cups soymilk
• 1 ripe banana
• 2 or 3 strawberries (if available)
•  ½ cup pineapple juice
• 1 small mango (or even less since the taste is strong)
• A pinch of cinnamon powder

Method

Combine all the fruits in a blender, add the soymilk and blend until you have a nice think, smooth drink.   Serve with ice if you wish, or you can use cold soymilk and serve right away.

 
Note: You can add any tropical fruit in season that you want. The quantity of fruits used depends on whether or not you want that fruit taste to dominate.  Also, you can opt to have a very, thick smoothie or one that is more liquid in texture depending on your preference.

By now, you’ve read plenty of information about how great soy is for your health. But did you know that soy may also be great for the millions of people living in hunger all around the world?

Fast-Growing Food

Soybeans are a fast-growing food that can often be grown as a double crop in the same season as another crop in the same field, such as wheat. This means that the owner of the field can double their output and their income. For impoverished areas, this can bring much-needed additional income or food that goes directly from the field to feed the farmer’s family.

Nutritionally Dense

Soybeans take little energy to grow but pack a powerful nutritional punch. They contain fiber, protein, and unsaturated fatty acids. The nutrition that humans gain from eating soybeans is greater than the nutrition we would gain from eating the animals raised on the same amount of land. However, family farm animals can be fed with a soybean crop, and it is an efficient and affordable food for them.

Versatile Crop

The sheer number of products that can be made from soybeans means that there is always a market for farmers to sell their crop. It can be processed into a multitude of food products for humans, used as animal feed, made into fiber, and used in such varied products as cosmetics, fuel, ink, and stain removers.

Gentle on the Earth

A crop full of soybeans does not produce the methane gas and waste products that would be produced by raising animals on the same amount of land. The solid waste from farm cows and pigs can eventually make its way into our water supply, which is very bad news.

A Wise Choice

For many reasons, soybeans are a wise choice for farmers in impoverished areas. While soy may not exactly save the world, it can go a long way toward reducing world hunger and improving the living situations of farmers and their families around the world.

For nearly two decades, scientists have suspected that a link exists between soy and cancer prevention. Thousands of studies have been conducted to find out what effects, if any, the consumption of soy has on the incidence of cancer.

It’s the Isoflavones

So far, the results have been promising. It appears that isoflavones provide an anti-carcinogenic effect, and soy foods are the best source of isoflavones in the human diet.

Phytoestrogens and Cancer

Isoflavones are a type of phytoestrogens, compounds that are similar to estrogen. Phytoestrogens bind with the receptors that are normally used by estrogen, blocking some of the effects of estrogen. This action can reduce some of the ill effects of estrogen in both men and women.

Cancer-Blocking or Not, Soy is Great for Your Health

The result of this estrogen blocking may be the inhibition of certain cancers. Although the potential link between soy and cancer prevention is promising, it requires a lot of additional research. Regardless of whether soy proves to be cancer prohibitive in the end, it does carry other proven health benefits. So until science decides whether soy can prevent or inhibit cancer, we can continue to enjoy a multitude of delicious soy products and experience improved health.

Oh yes, I’m back with another Okara (soybean pulp) recipe.  I really want to hit home with these okara ideas because it’s a free by-product for those of you making your own soymilk. 
 

Okara is high in protein and so many people are just throwing it away, but it can be used in a multitude of recipes.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Tbsp oil
• 1/4 cup diced carrot
• 2 onions or leeks, thinly sliced or diced
• 1/2 cup diced lotus root (optional)
• 2/3 cup okara, lightly roasted (Okara Flour)
• 2 cups cook brown rice
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2/3 tsp salt
• Minced parsley

Putting it together:

Heat a wok or skillet and add the oil.  Add the carrot and onion and saute until the onions are transparent.  If using lotus root, add and saute for another minute.  Add the rice, okara, soy sauce, and salt, mix together.  Cook for about 3 minutes more, be sure to stir constantly.  You want to heat it, not fry it.  When well heated, serve hot garnished with the parsley.
 

That’s the basic recipe.  I rarely follow recipes exactly, but we all like to have starting places.  I never have these exact amounts and I often chop up other veggies to saute and add to the mixture.  Try various peppers, broccoli or whatever vegetables you like for stir fry.
 

Have fun with it and increase your protein at the same time!

When you make soymilk there is a wonderful by-product called Okara.  It’s the bean pulp left in the milk screen. 

Soymilk By-Product

Most people that are new to making soymilk just throw this away.  But it contains about 17% of the protein of the soybeans that you started with to make your soymilk.  This is good stuff people are throwing away. 

Dry-Roast Okara and Use as a Flour

One of the great things you can do with okara is dry-roast it for other recipes.  Roasting okara is a necessary step to reduce the water content and give it a light fluffy texture.  Then you can add it to breads, muffins and even cookies to not only save on flour but to also give much lighter results to the baking.
 

To roast your okara, heat it in a skillet or wok.  Do not use oil.  You want it to dry.  Roast over a low heat and stir it constantly with a wooden spoon for about 3 minutes or until it looks light and dry but not browned.
 

 Drying okara also works well in the open.  Spread it out on a large baking ban.  Heat it for 5 to 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

A Great Addition to Baking 

By combining soy protein with that of grains, the okara can boost the total protein content by as much as 32 percent.  You can use it in muffins, waffles and with all yeasted breads.  Change your recipes to use 2 parts flour to 1 part packed okara.

If you are avoiding dairy products for health reasons or for strict religious or ethical reasons, identifying and avoiding hidden sources of dairy becomes a very big issue. While some dairy products are easy to spot (like milk, cheese, and butter), others are a bit more cryptic.

Not What They Seem

Anyone who is serious about avoiding dairy should invest in a pocket guide that lists the most common hidden dairy ingredients. Having this information with you when you shop will help you choose the products that are safe for you to eat. Here is just a short list of the most common ingredients that sound innocent enough, but actually contain dairy.

• Artificial Butter Flavor
• Casein/Caseinates
• Hydrolysates
• Lactalbumin
• Lactulose

When in Doubt, Go to the Source

If you run across an ingredient that you’re not sure about and don’t want to take a chance, you can always call the manufacturer of the item. Most companies are happy to communicate with consumers about what’s in their products.
 

With new packaging conventions calling for companies to list common allergens on product labels, we may someday be able to identify dairy-containing products with just a glance. Until then, staying away from dairy requires a little bit of effort on your part.

Plain soy milk is great for making smoothies and using in baked goods, but sometimes you just want something different.
 

For a slightly sweeter “milk” that’s perfect for smoothies and all of your baked goodies, try making this brown rice and almond milk in your Soyabella Soymilk Maker.

Ingredients

1/2 cup almonds, shelled
1/2 cup long-grain brown rice
8 dried, unsulphered pitted dates

Instructions

Soak almonds and rice overnight. Drain and rinse, then run through your Soyabella machine like normal. When the cycle is complete, pour the milk into a clean container and add the dates. Let cool for about an hour, then pour into a blender and process until smooth.
 

This delicious milk is very thick and can be used in nearly any way you would use milk or cream. Try it hot with a splash of vanilla and a shake of cinnamon on top.