The Truth About Tofu

What is Tofu? Simply, it is cheese made from soy milk.

• You like cheese, right? This "soy cheese" is safe for those with cow's milk or dairy allergies, known as lactose intolerance.

Why should I eat tofu and other soy foods?

• Heart disease- Soy plus a low fat diet may decrease your LDL (bad) cholesterol.
• Weight loss- The protein in soy helps curb appetite.
• Cancer- Soy contains cancer fighting agents (called phytochemicals and isoflavons).
• Diabetes- Soy has a little effect on blood sugar.

What does tofu taste like? Tofu tastes however you want it to taste!

• Tofu takes on the flavor of whatever it is cooked with, such as sauces, spices, and vegetables. Tofu is most well known for being used in stir-fry dishes.

How much soy or tofu should I eat?

• 1 serving, or 3 ounces, of tofu per day is recommended for healthy adults.
• The FDA recommends 25 grams per day of soy protein and a low fat diet to help reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and the risk for heart disease.

Where can I find tofu?

• Tofu is found in the refrigerated health- food section of the grocery store
• Morning star products in the freezer section (soy burgers, etc.)

How do I warm- up my family to tofu? My tofu-ranch dressing/ dip recipe has been loved by even the pickiest of eaters (Just let them think its regular ranch dressing first).

Tofu- ranch dressing/ dip:

• 1 packet of powdered ranch dressing mix
• 1 package/ box of tofu
• Optional- add 1 package of light cream cheese to thicken up the dip. You may need to do this by hand.

Use a blender to combine the above ingredients.

Enjoy your soy!

Game day dips and appetizers

Light Pimiento Cheese-Stuffed Celery

Prep: 15 min. Don't be tempted to use preshredded cheese. It takes a few more minutes to shred your own, but you'll be much more pleased with the creamy texture.

YIELD: Makes about 3 cups pimiento cheese (serving size: 4-inch piece of celery with 1 tablespoon pimiento cheese)

COURSE: Side Dishes/Vegetables

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups light mayonnaise

1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimiento, drained

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon finely grated onion

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

2 (8-ounce) blocks 2% reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese, finely shredded

6 celery ribs, cut into 4-inch pieces

Garnish: paprika

Preparation

Stir together light mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in cheese.

Spread 1 tablespoon cheese mixture into each celery rib. Garnish, if desired.

Note: Store remaining pimiento cheese mixture in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week.

Nutritional Information

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• Amount per serving (serving size: 4-inch piece of celery with 1 tablespoon pimiento cheese)
• Calories: 54
• Calories from fat: 68%
• Fat: 4.1g
• Saturated fat: 1.8g
• Monounsaturated fat: 0.0g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 0.0g
• Protein: 2.5g
• Carbohydrate: 1.5g
• Fiber: 0.4g
• Cholesterol: 9mg
• Iron: 0.1mg
• Sodium: 147mg
• Calcium: 75mg

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Southern Living JUNE 2005

Grilled Pepper Poppers

Photo by: Photo: Randy Mayor; Stylist: Cindy Barr

The three-cheese filling is a nice complement for the spicy peppers. You can also use a milder chile, such as a cherry pepper. Shredded cheddar cheese can take the place of Parmesan, if you like.

Photo by: Photo: Randy Mayor; Stylist: Cindy Barr

YIELD: 16 servings (serving size: 2 pepper halves)

COURSE: Appetizers, Hors d'Oeuvres

Ingredients

1/2 cup (4 ounces) soft goat cheese

1/2 cup (4 ounces) fat-free cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup finely chopped seeded tomato

2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

16 jalapeño peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded (about 1 1/2 pounds)

Cooking spray

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

2. Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl, stirring well. Spoon about 2 teaspoons cheese mixture into each pepper half. Place pepper halves, cheese side up, on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill peppers 5 minutes or until bottoms of peppers are charred and cheese mixture is lightly browned. Carefully place peppers on a serving platter. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Nutritional Information

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• Amount per serving
• Calories: 84
• Fat: 4.8g
• Saturated fat: 3.1g
• Monounsaturated fat: 1.2g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 0.2g
• Protein: 7.1g
• Carbohydrate: 3.5g
• Fiber: 0.9g
• Cholesterol: 11mg
• Iron: 0.6mg
• Sodium: 334mg
• Calcium: 117mg

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Cooking Light JUNE 2009

Bruschetta with Peach Salsa and Melted Brie

Photo by: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr

Place the cheese in the freezer for about 20 minutes for easier cutting. To make this appetizer in advance, you can prepare and refrigerate the salsa up to a day ahead. Toast bread and assemble just before serving.

YIELD: 12 servings (serving size: 2 topped bread slices)

COURSE: Appetizers, Hors d'Oeuvres

Ingredients

2 cups chopped peeled peaches (about 4)

3/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper (about 1)

1/4 cup chopped green onions

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Dash of ground red pepper

1 (8-ounce) French bread baguette, cut into 24 slices

4 ounces chilled Brie cheese, cut into 24 pieces

Preparation

Preheat broiler.

Combine first 7 ingredients; set aside.

Arrange bread slices in an even layer on a baking sheet. Top each bread slice with 1 piece of cheese; broil 3 minutes or until cheese melts and bread is toasted. Remove pan from oven. Top each bread slice with about 1 1/2 tablespoons salsa; serve immediately.

Nutritional Information

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• Amount per serving
• Calories: 100
• Calories from fat: 24%
• Fat: 2.7g
• Saturated fat: 1.7g
• Monounsaturated fat: 0.8g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 0.1g
• Protein: 4g
• Carbohydrate: 15.9g
• Fiber: 1g
• Cholesterol: 9mg
• Iron: 0.8mg
• Sodium: 183mg
• Calcium: 22mg

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Cooking Light JULY 2007

For more recipes visit cookinglight.com and search for appetizers under 100 calories or click here

Crab stuffed mushrooms

Ingredients:

• 2 Crab sticks
• 1/4 cup Red onion (or less, to taste) 
• Fresh sage or basil to taste
• 2 wedges laughing cow cheese (swiss or garlic herb) 
• 2 Portabello mushrooms (or white mushrooms with stems removed) 
• Optional- add 1/8 to 1/4 cup fiber one cereal to enhance the fiber

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cut crab sticks, red onion, and sage (or basil) into large chunks and place in blender. Pulse blender about 5-10 times or until shredded and blended. 
3. Place mixture in a bowl and stir in cheese wedges until combined. 
4. Place the 2 Portabello mushrooms, tops down, on cookie sheet. Fill each with half of the mixture. Cook for 30 minutes. 
5. Enjoy!!!

Healthy Breaded Mozzarella Cheese Sticks

Creating this recipe took some trial and error. You may want to do a test run before you really need them.

This recipe adds heart healthy fiber and removes tons of calories and fat!


Ingredients:

• 4 mozzarella cheese sticks (as in string cheese) or cut sticks out of a block of mozzarella cheese. 
• You may be able to make more than just 4 sticks with the same amount of ingredients. 
• about 1/4 cup Fiber One Original cereal crumbs, a mix of fine and chunky crumbs will give a texture more similar to traditional cheese sticks (use 1/2 cup cereal and a blender to make crumbs)
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Cooking spray
• Italian seasoning and garlic powder to taste
• Marinara sauce for dipping
• 2 chilled plates and 1-2 chilled cookie sheets

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and use cooking spray to oil cookie sheet. Put 2 medium to large plates in the freezer. Put cookie sheets in the freezer or fridge. 
2. Mix seasoning and garlic powder with bread crumbs
3. Spread crumbs out on cookie sheet, lightly spray crumbs with cooking spray, and bake for 10-15 minutes. Stir crumbs halfway through. Meanwhile mix milk and egg white together. Unwrap string cheese from packages and set aside.
4. Once crumbs look toasted, remove from oven and let cool on a cooled plate for about 10 minutes.
5. Once crumbs are cool to touch, dunk cheese stick in egg mixture then coat cheese stick with crumbs and repeat for all cheese sticks. Place sticks on chilled cookie sheet. Bake cheese sticks for 3-5 minutes. (keep an eye on them to make sure they don't melt). 
6. Remove from cookie sheet and let them cool for about 5 minutes on chilled plate.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 (with second chilled cookie sheet) at least 1 more time. 

Serve with warm marinara sauce. Let me know how it goes!

Leah Lunch: Happy Healthy Hannuka Latkes (Potato pancakes) With Apple Sauce

HAPPY

 

We cut the recipe in half and it fed 6 people here at Cynergy. 

 

Latkes

Traditionally latkes are cooked by frying in oil. This version uses zucchini and cuts back some of the frying in order to lighten up the calories and sneak in a serving of veggies at the same time. You honestly can not taste the zucchini and don't miss the extra oil!

Yield 32, cook time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• Vegetable cooking spray
• 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and grated
• 2 medium zucchini, grated
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup reduced fat Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup Fiber One bread crumbs (about 1/2 cup pre-blenderized cereal)
• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Serve with apple sauce, no sugar added or homemade

 

When I cook I always leave out the salt and tell people to add their own salt. Salt tends to lose some of its power during cooking. You can use less salt and get more flavor by adding it sparingly after cooking.

I encourage those with high blood pressure to omit salt both during cooking and at the table.

 

Directions

1. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet, liberally, with vegetable cooking spray. Set aside
2. Lay the potatoes and zucchini on 2 kitchen towels. Bring the corners of the towels together and squeeze out the moisture from the vegetables. Place the vegetables in a large bowl. Add the garlic, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, egg whites, salt, and pepper. Mix well until all ingredients are combined.
3. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the vegetable mixture to the pan. Using a spatula, press the mixture evenly into the pan. 
4. Cook for 8 minutes or until the edges of the mixture begin to brown. Slide the pancake, cooked side down, onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the top of the pancake starts to brown and the edges are crispy.

Giada's version includes a cheese sauce, see below link on how to make sauce. I substituted applesauce for the cheese sauce to make it more like a traditional Jewish meal.

Sources: This recipe was modified from Food Network (Giada's recipe)

Make Your Own Holiday Cheese Dip

All you need is

• Non-fat or low fat plain yogurt
• 5 coffee filters or 5 paper towels
• Mesh pasta strainer
• Large bowl
• Seasoning options:
• 2 TBSP Dill
• Powdered Ranch Dressing Packet
• Serve with Special K Crackers (19 crackers for 100 calories)

Tip: Pimentos can add red color and nice flavor to the cheese mix so that it has both red and green flakes in the dip, making it festive for Christmas.

Directions:

Put coffee filters in a strainer. Place the strainer over a bowl. Put the yogurt in the coffee filters (see picture below). Cover with cloth or paper towel and leave in fridge for 24-48 hours.

Will be creamy and spreadable by 24 hours. Remove from coffee filters and put in a bowl. Mix seasoning of choice into cheese. Serve with whole wheat crackers.