You Won't Be Blue with Tofu

Are you averse to using tofu?  Have you actually tried it or just don't like the image that comes to mind when you hear the word?  Despite what flavor you think tofu imparts, it is actually pretty neutral and will take on the taste of whatever you pair it with.

I'm not a vegetarian by any means, but I try to make most of my diet plant based incorporating high quality, farmer-raised meat as a complement.  Tofu is a great source of high quality plant-based protein and can be found in the refrigerated (fresh) and grocery sections (aseptic package).  You can buy it anywhere from extra firm, to use in stir-fry recipes, to silken, to use in blending smoothies or as a healthy alternative to mayo, cream cheese, oil, and other creamy products.

Why use tofu?  As I mentioned already, you get high quality protein with little fat, and it is rich in B-vitamins and iron.  Tofu is also a low sodium food for anyone watching their sodium intake.  Tofu is one of the foods with the highest content of Tryptophan, which is an essential (our body can't produce it) amino-acid enabling the body to release serotonin and meltonin.  This, in turn, help us relax and feel more at ease.....this is a benefit very welcome to me.

What do you do with it?  Here is a quick list of great ideas to get you started:

Add chunks of firm tofu to soups and stews.

Mix crumbled tofu into a meatloaf for a pleasant light dish.

Mash tofu with cottage cheese and seasoning to make a sandwich spread.

Create your own tofu burgers with mashed tofu, rolled oats, chopped onion and your favorite seasonings.

Marinate extra firm tofu in barbecue sauce, char it on the grill and serve on crusty Italian bread.

Add a package of taco seasoning to pan-fried, crumbled tofu, or a mixture of tofu and ground beef to tofu tacos.

Blend dried onion soup mix into soft or silken tofu for a cholesterol-free onion dip.

Stir silken tofu into sour cream for a reduced-fat baked potato topper.

Blend tofu with melted chocolate chips and a little sweetener to make a chocolate cream pie.

Replace all or part of the cream in creamed soups with silken tofu.

Make missing egg salad with tofu chunks, diced celery, mayonnaise and a dab of prepared mustard.

Scramble soft tofu together with your favorite vegetables and the spice turmeric to give it a yellow "egg-like" coloring. This delicious dish can be served as is or can be used as the basis for "tofu rancheros" by being wrapped in a tortilla and served with black beans and salsa.

Substitute pureed silken tofu for part of the mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese or ricotta cheese in a recipe. Use it in dips and creamy salad dressings.

My favorite is using lite silken tofu to blend with frozen fruit and squash for a nutritious and flavorful smoothie you can eat with a spoon! 

For a quick pudding fix, follow this healthy recipe:
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Is This Healthy Chocolate Mousse

(serves one)

• 4oz (1/3 of 12oz package) silken firm tofu (I use Mori-Nu)
• 1/8 tsp vanilla stevia
• 1 tablespoon dark cocoa powder
• dash of salt
• up to 2 tsp liquid (such as water or non-dairy milk)
• optional: almond or mint extract, instant coffee or espresso, peanut butter, flakes of coconut, or another fun flavoring– be creative!  I love using pumpkin puree with the tofu and adding pumpkin pie spice for a an excellent pumpkin pudding.

Add all ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth and creamy...or puddingy...y?

Something I've recently been using in my blender creations are steamed carrots.  For vegetables, they do offer a nice sugar content for a healthy sweet treat, and when cooked, they taste even better.  Here's what I do, you must try at least once...

Carrot Cake Milkshake

• 1 extremely-ripe, large banana (frozen)
• 1/4 cup dair or non-dairy milk (use more or less, depending on desired thickness.)
• 4oz lite silken tofu
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 6 drops of regular or vanilla stevia
• heaping 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 small carrot (50g or so), peeled and steamed
• a very small dash (about 1/16) tsp salt to bring out sweetness

Blend all of the ingredients together in your blender, food processor, or even a Magic Bullet.

Using any vegetables mild in taste are great for adding healthy volume to frozen treats. Obviously, I like to use the tofu in sweet treat creations, but here are a few links to savory applications:

Healthy Spinach Dip

Tofu and Vegetable Stir-Fry

More great recipes found here

Really, any favorite dip of yours can be recreated using tofu as an alternative to a fatty, cream-based dip.  Try a few of your own creations using some favorite spices and veggies to see what you can make.

Something to note - with the abundance of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that are grown and sold in stores, I always buy organic soy products or make sure they state "Non-GMO" on the package.  It's not proven there are any side-effects to GMO products, but I prefer to keep it safe with the food I put in my body.

Put Baaaaack the Cheddar, Choose Goat Cheese Instead

Are you a cheese lover? I enjoy a variety of cheeses, both hard types like cheddar and soft kinds like brie are great all on their own. But, when it comes to picking favorites, the creamy tanginess of soft goat cheese (know as chevre) is at the top of my list. Kelley, admittedly, has a love far greater than I do for the cheese, and she has even been upset with me b/c I took a little of hers one time.

What’s so great about chevre anyway? To start, goat cheese (the soft type found in log form) has less fat (6 g vs. an avg. of10 g) and calories (70 – 80 calories vs. 100 calories) per ounce than cow’s milk cheese. You will not lose out on protein and calcium when switching to goat cheese as the numbers are comparable for both; but with lower fat and calories, you get more for less! Another plus is for anyone with a lactose intolerance as goat cheese has been found to be more easily digestible than cow’s milk cheese.

Goat’s milk and cheese also provide a number of other vital nutrients and vitamins like:

- Tryptophan: an amino acid that occurs in proteins; is essential for growth and normal metabolism; a precursor of niacin

- Phosphorus

- Riboflavin (vitamin B2): plays important roles in the body's energy production

- Potassium: helps prevent high blood pressure and protects against arteriosclerosis

- Contains 25% more vitamin B-6 and is 47% higher in vitamin A than cow's milk

- It has three times the amount of niacin and is four times higher in copper than cow’s milk

To enjoy this wonderful cheese, all you need is a fork. Kelley enjoys relaxing with a glass of wine, a fork, and an open package of goat cheese very frequently; if I’m quick enough, I can get a few crumbles for myself! It’s nice to know that if I am ever in trouble with the wife (Kelley), a quick trip for some champagne and goat cheese will usually get me out of whatever hole I’m in at the time.

Other ways to enjoy chevre include topping a mixed salad with crumbles; spreading on carrots, apple slices, crackers, or anything really; topping on a thin crust pizza; filling celery sticks as you would peanut butter or cream cheese, or using as a spread for sandwiches and wraps. The tanginess contrasts well with the sweetness of grapes and apples, and it really stands out when mixed into salads. But, there are plenty of ways to add goat cheese to cooked meals too.

Some of my favorite ways to incorporate goat cheese into my meals is to use it in soup purees to instantly boost flavor, mixed into a tomato sauce for a new twist on pasta, and mixed into creamy mashed potatoes. The cheese even has its place in sweets like brownies; here’s a recipe similar to the one that beat Bobby Flay on his Throwdown with Bobby Flay TV show. The recipe is very rich, and if you know me, I alter the recipe to use stevia instead of sugar, 2 whole eggs and 4 egg whites, whole wheat or spelt flour, and applesauce in place of most of the butter. It takes a lot of trial and error; I’ll report back once I find the right amount for each ingredient.

If you prefer to stay on the savory side for goat cheese applications, give this simple goat cheese mashed potatoes recipe a try:

Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

2 pounds Yukon Gold, Red, or Sweet Potatoes, cut into chunks

6 cloves garlic, peeled

1/4 cup skim milk

1/4 cup fat free, plain yogurt

1/2 low sodium chicken stock
4 ounces goat cheese (chevre), cut into small pieces

1 tablespoon Paprika

1 ½ tablespoons parsley, dried

Salt to taste

Freshly ground white or black pepper, to taste

 Preparation

1. Place potatoes and garlic in a large heavy saucepan. Add water to cover and season with salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until potatoes are very tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. When potatoes are done, drain in a colander and return to the pan. Place pan over low heat and shake for about 1 minute to dry potatoes.

3. Mash the potatoes and garlic with a potato masher, an electric hand-held mixer, or by working through a ricer. Add milk, yogurt, and chicken stock to make a smooth puree. Stir in the goat cheese, paprika, parsley, and season with salt and pepper and serve.

This is a simple recipe for a side dish to get everyone raving. Serve with grilled asparagus and boneless, skinless chicken breast or salmon for a healthy meal everyone can enjoy.

Goat cheese has become a staple for our family of two, I recommend you try swapping out the usual block of cheddar and see if you ever want to go back.

How do you savor the texture and flavor goat cheese?