FitSugar

Healthy Eating Tip: Add Tofu to Your Salad

FitSugar — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Salads are one of my favorite meals because they're low in calories, full of vitamins, nutrients, and fiber, and they taste so fresh. Veggies aren't terribly high in protein though, so I like to add tofu to mine. A half a block of tofu contains 22.5 grams of protein. Plus it's so easy to cook up, you can make a bunch and store it in the fridge for the week.

To see my simple recipe continue reading

Healthy How To: Press Tofu

FitSugar — Mon, 04 May 2009 09:00:00 -0700

I have been working on eating lower on the food chain. One meatless protein my family of four all agrees on is tofu. One great tip I learned from the cookbook Almost Meatless was to press tofu before cooking it. Since it is packed in water, tofu can be awfully mushy (even the firm style) if you don't press out some of the excess liquid. Plus the less liquid in the tofu, the more flavor or marinade it can absorb making it tastier.

Find out how to press your tofu when you read more.

Slice your bock of tofu into two equal slabs, about one inch each.
Place slabs side-by-side on two clean dish towels. Paper towels are not absorbent enough, so if you use them you have to use plenty, which is just not very eco.

Place your tofu and towels on top of a cutting board, then place another cutting board on top of them. Then place your heaviest post on top of that. It is a little like building a castle with Legos.

Press your tofu for about an hour, and then it is ready to marinate, bake, stir fry, or grill.

Healthy Recipe: Sesame Maple Roasted Tofu

FitSugar — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 03:30:00 -0700

Spring weather not only encourages us to exercise outdoors, but it also brings new foods to our plates. One of my favorites is fresh maple syrup (a friend from Vermont sends me a bottle every year). Pouring it on pancakes and French toast is always a favorite weekend treat in my house, but I also like to cook with it. This vegetarian dish is flavored with mother nature's sweetener, so it tastes savory yet sweet, and because it's made with tofu and quinoa, it's full of protein and fiber.

To see my recipe read more.

Healthy Recipe: Sesame Maple Roasted Tofu
Inspired by recipe from Eating Well

Ingredients

1 8-ounce block of tofu, cubed
1 red pepper, sliced
2 tsp canola oil
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 cup shredded carrots
1 tbsp tahini (or use ginger salad dressing)
1 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp fresh ginger
1 clove fresh garlic, minced

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F.
Toss tofu, red peppers, canola oil, sesame oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Spread on a large baking sheet and roast until the tofu is lightly golden on top and the red peppers are browning in spots, 15 to 20 minutes.
While the tofu and peppers are roasting, make the quinoa. Put one cup of quinoa and two cups of water in a covered pot. Cook on high, and once it starts boiling, lower the heat to simmer. Cook for 10 minutes. Then stir in the carrots and cook for another five to 10 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy.
Whisk tahini, soy sauce, maple syrup, and vinegar in a small dish until combined.
Remove the tofu from the oven, drizzle with the maple sauce, and stir to combine. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Return to the oven and continue roasting 8 to 12 minutes more.
Add the fresh ginger and garlic to the quinoa and stir completely.
Remove the tofu and peppers from the oven. Scoop out quinoa onto a plate and top with the maple sesame tofu and peppers. Enjoy!

Makes 3 servings.

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Healthy Eating Tip: Add Tofu to Your Mashed Potatoes

FitSugar — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:00:00 -0800

Mashed potatoes are my number one comfort food, but in the past couple years, they've gotten a bad reputation for being high in carbs. So I've figured out a way to add some protein without changing the flavor or texture. Add some silken tofu to your cooked taters before you mash them (one package per 10 cooked russet potatoes). Not only does the tofu increase the amount of protein, but it also adds creaminess so I don't have to include butter, which helps reduce the fat content. Just be sure to mix the tofu and potatoes thoroughly. Since tofu has no taste, not even my husband knows there's tofu in his garlic mashed potatoes.

Source

Tofu vs. Sprouted Tofu

FitSugar — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:30:00 -0700

Even though I am not a vegetarian, I am still trying to eat less meat. So it makes me happy to see tofu becoming more popular. There is high blood pressure and high cholesterol in my family, this soy product is a great alternative to meat being that it's cholesterol free, low in sodium, and high in protein. Tofu is such a wonderful ingredient because it's so versatile. Since it naturally tastes very plain, you can add diced or crumbled up tofu to soups, tomato sauce, and casseroles for some added protein. You won't even know it's there because it takes on the flavor of whatever it's mixed with.

If you enjoy cooking this soy product at home, you may have noticed a new tofu on the scene - sprouted tofu. To find out how it compares with regular tofu read more.

The big difference is in the name. Regular tofu is made from whole soybeans, but sprouted tofu is made with sprouted soybeans. When beans or seeds are sprouted, they're more nutritious and easier to digest than the regular beans or seeds. Wildwood Organics is the only company is the US to make their tofu with sprouted soybeans. As you can see from the chart below, the sprouted tofu contains more calcium, iron, and protein. However, it also contains more fat and calories as compared to regular tofu. I didn't notice much of a difference in taste and texture, so choose between the two based on your dietary needs. If you're trying to lose weight, you may want to choose the lower-calorie regular tofu. If you're a vegan and protein is on your mind, then I'd go for the sprouted tofu.

	Super Firm Tofu (79g)	Super Firm Sprouted Tofu (85g)
Calories	80	130
Total Fat	4g	8g
Saturated Fat	.5g	1g
Cholesterol	0mg	0mg
Sodium	0mg	5mg
Carbs	2g	1g
Fiber	1g	less than 1g
Sugars	0g	0g
Protein	8g	14g
Calcium	6%	15%
Iron	8%	10%
Ingredients	Water, Organic Whole Soybeans, Magnesium Chloride	Filtered Water, Sprouted Organic Non-GMO Soybeans, Calcium Sulfate, Magnesium Chloride

Fit's Tip: Sprouted tofu can be hard to find so call around to all the nearby health food stores and supermarkets to see who carries it. If you can't find this kind, see if one of those stores would consider special ordering it.

Food Review: Tofu Spaghetti

FitSugar — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:00:00 -0700

The carb-free diet craze has given pasta a horrible reputation. People think they have to ditch pasta if they are trying to lose weight, and it's just not true. Companies are even making pasta alternatives like this Tofu Shirataki ($4).

The package says it's a "spaghetti shaped noodle substitute." Mmm, sounds delicious. What's it really taste like? To find out read more.

I've got to say I was pretty disappointed when I read the nutritional info. This spaghetti substitute is made with tofu and yam flour, so I thought it'd be super healthy. Yes it's low in calories, but I thought it would have more protein per serving. Two grams of fiber per serving is just barely more than regular spaghetti, and for those watching their carbs, as you can see it does contain significantly less than regular pasta. As for taste, I'd rather go without pasta than eat this stuff. It had a really bizarre rubbery consistency, and the worst part is that when I opened the package, all I smelled was stinky fish, when there's no fish in this spaghetti whatsoever. I'm sorry to say that while I am a fan of tofu, I am not a fan of this tofu spaghetti.

	Tofu spaghetti	Regular Spaghetti	Whole Wheat spaghetti
Serving Size	1/2 cup cooked	1/2 cup cooked	1/2 cup cooked
Calories	20	110	87
Total Fat	.5g	.65g	.4g
Saturated Fat	0g	.1g	.2g
Cholesterol	0mg	0mg	0mg
Sodium	15mg	.5mg	2mg
Carbs	3g	21.6g	18.6g
Fiber	2g	1.25g	4.25g
Sugar	0g	.4g	.5g
Protein	1g	5g	3.8g

5 Things: Highest Sources of Vegan Protein

FitSugar — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 09:30:00 -0700

Whether you are cutting back on meat and dairy products for health or moral reasons, it's good to remind ourselves that there are other forms of protein out there besides cheeseburgers, steak, and chicken satay. Check out these vegan sources.

Tempeh: 4 ounces gives you 22g of protein
Tofu: 1/2 cup serving equals 19.9g of protein.
Seitan: If you eat 3 ounces, you'll have consumed 19g of protein.
Plain soy milk: 1 cup of soymilk has 11g of protein.
Edamame: You'll get 10g of protein by eating 1/2 a cup of these beans.

Incorporating these foods into your meals will not only give you cholesterol and saturated fat free sources of protein, but since many of them contain fiber as well, they're even healthier.

Fit's Tips: Not sure how much protein you should be getting in a day? Then check out this chart.

Source

Soba, Tofu Stir Fry With Peanut Sauce

FitSugar — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 03:30:00 -0800

What is not to love about a stir fry? This recipe calls for tofu, which makes cooking this meal easy since you can just add it at the end. To make this meal work for the whole family (read picky five-year-old), I pull out broccoli, tofu and noodles to serve my girls before adding the spicy sauce. It worked out well; everyone was fed and happy.

To see the recipe, just read more.

Soba, Tofu Stir Fry with Peanut Sauce
adapted from Body+Soul

I saw this recipe in Body and Soul and knew I wanted to try it, but I changed things around a bit. I used peanut butter instead of the original almond butter (just didn't have any in the house) and I chose not to fry the tofu – too much time and added fat.

Ingredients

8 ounces soba noodles
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 package extra firm tofu, drained and cute into 1/2 inch cubes
1 red bell pepper cut into thin strips
1 1/2 pounds of broccoli, broken into florets
1 pound bok choy
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon garlic chili sauce
3 tablespoons peanut butter
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

Directions

Cook soba noodles in a large pot of salted water, for 10 minutes.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Sauté veggies and garlic with lid on until veggies, stirring occasionally until they are crisp tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile make sauce by whisking together peanut butter, vinegar soy sauce, and chili garlic sauce. If sauce seems too thick you can thin with water.
Add noodles, tofu and sauce to pan. Toss and cook until heated through.

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Try it! It is easy to make and tasty.

Soy Wars: Tofu vs. Tempeh

FitSugar — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 03:00:00 -0800

Whether you're a vegetarian or not, everyone can benefit from adding a little soy to their diet. Although there's some talk about a connection between soy and breast cancer, there's no evidence to back up the claim. Since soy products are a healthy source of protein they're a great alternative for people trying to cut back on meat and dairy products that are high in cholesterol.

Tofu and tempeh are both made from soybeans, but what's the difference between the two? Is one healthier than the other? To find out read more

Check out this chart comparing tofu and tempeh.

	Tofu	Tempeh
How it's made	By curdling fresh hot soymilk with a coagulant.	By fermenting cooked soybeans with a mold.
How it's sold	It comes in five inch sized blocks, and you can buy it in four varieties: silken (used for creamy dishes), soft (great for soups), firm, and extra firm (the last two are great for stir fries). It's usually packaged in water to help it stay moist.	It's sold in flat rectangular pieces about eight inches long.
Appearance	White, smooth, and wet.	Brownish in color and dry. You can see the whole soybeans.
Consistency	Soft, smooth, and spongy.	Firm and chewy.
Flavor	Has hardly any taste on its own, but when added to recipes, takes on the flavor of whatever you're making.	Has a slight earthy sweet taste.
Protein in 1/2 cup	10.1g	15.4g
Fiber in 1/2 cup	.5g	3.5g
Calories in 1/2 cup	97	160

Since tempeh is less processed than tofu, it's healthier in general, so that's why it has more protein and fiber than tofu. If you've never tried tempeh, you can find it at most health food stores (it's refrigerated). Start to incorporate this soy product into your recipes by crumbling it up and adding it to soups, casseroles, and your pasta sauce. It'll add a chewy consistency and some extra protein and fiber.

Baked Tofu: Full of Protein and Flavor

FitSugar — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 13:30:00 -0700

Since we know that eating soy is a great way to get protein without cholesterol or saturated fat, I'm always looking for new and delicious ways to eat it. Buying pre-made meat alternatives that contain soy such as Tofu Pups and Wildwood Burgers is great, but sometimes I want to make it myself.

Here's a great recipe for Baked Tofu. Since tofu tastes rather bland, you can always flavor it anyway you want. Plus when you bake tofu, it gets a firm and chewy consistency similar to chicken, so many meat eaters may even appreciate it.

You can eat this Baked Tofu alone, on salads, in sandwiches, as a pizza topping, or on crackers. It's a great way to get a healthy source of protein, especially if you are a vegetarian.

To see the recipe and a detailed "how to" just read more

What you need:

1 block of extra firm tofu
honey
tamari
olive oil
dried thyme, dill and cumin

What to do:

Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
Get rid of the excess water in the tofu by pressing it between your hands over the sink.
Place the tofu on a cutting board and slice it into 1/4 inch slabs. Then cut those in half.

Now grease a mini cookie sheet with the olive oil and lay the pieces of tofu flat.

Pour a generous amount of tamari on each piece of tofu. You can flip the pieces over to make sure both sides are brown.
Now you're ready for the honey. Drop a dab on each individual piece.

Sprinkle each piece with thyme...
...dill...

...and cumin.

Place it in the oven and bake for 20 or so minutes. How do you know it's ready? When you touch it, the tofu should be firm but not wet and mushy, and the edges should be slightly toasted. Take it out of the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. You can eat it right away or store it in the fridge - it tastes delicious hot or cold.

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