Use soymilk as a replacement to milk in any dish. Try the sweetened varieties when baking, and unsweetened milks in creamy dishes such as soup or mashed potatoes. Soymilk can be found in the refrigerated section, or in shelf-stable cartons. But don't let the date on the carton fool you. Once opened, soymilk must be refrigerated and used within 5-7 days. Soy Yogurt This cultured soy product is much like regular yogurt, containing all of the beneficial cultures that make yogurt so good for you. For those of you with a sweet tooth, there's also soy "ice cream," and although it's delicious and perhaps lower in fat than regular ice cream, don't fool yourself into thinking it's a health food. Tofu To describe tofu as soybean curd turns many people off, so try this analogy: Cheese is to cow's milk what tofu is to soymilk. Although the flavor is not at all the same as cheese, a similar process is used to make it. You can get plain tofu, smoked tofu, firm tofu, silky tofu, low-fat tofu?are you getting flashbacks of Bubba's shrimp monologue? And the cooking possibilities are as copious as the varieties. You can marinate, saute, or stir-fry, blend it into a smoothie, or just slice it up and eat it right out of the package. Just think of it as the other white meat, and use it accordingly. Like soymilk, tofu can be found in both refrigerated and shelf-stable packages. Firm tofu is best for stir-fries, or for replacing meat in a recipe. Soft or silken tofu is good for making smoothies, pudding, mock egg salad, or any other creamy dish. Tofu will take on the flavor of anything it is cooked in, or you can buy flavored tofu that has already been marinated. After opening a package, keep leftovers tightly sealed and use within 4-5 days or according to package instructions. Tempeh Using that cheese analogy again, blue cheese is to cheddar what tempeh is to tofu. It's an aged, fermented food that can be used in many of the same ways as regular tofu. Tempeh has a nuttier, chewier texture that many people prefer to tofu. Because it's fermented, you should not eat it raw. Cook thoroughly, according to package directions, and use within a couple of days. Meat Analogs These include items like soy dogs, soy burgers, textured vegetable protein (TVP), soy sausage, soy bacon - the list goes on and on. Nowadays, you can find a soy replacement for just about any meat, including barbecue ribs, chicken nuggets, and even fish, mostly in the frozen foods section. These foods are perhaps the easiest to incorporate into your diet, albeit the most processed. We all know that Mother Nature usually knows best, meaning that the least processed foods are the healthiest, but these analogs are a much healthier way to satisfy your craving for, say, a greasy burger. Continued › |
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Liza Barnes Liza received her bachelor's degree in health promotion and education from the University of Cincinnati and is pursuing a master's degree in nurse midwifery. She is the proud mother of one daughter. |
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