WHAT'S COOKING...All about Tofu!

This week’s main ingredient is tofu, a food which is particularly popular in Asian and vegetarian cooking.  Read all about this versatile and nutritious ingredient.

Also, check out this week's recipe, and read about Dolores and her interest in singing and art.  

Perhaps because of its association as a meat alternative for vegetarians, tofu is sometimes considered to be bland and boring.  This means it can be a little overlooked as an ingredient.  However, the great thing about tofu is that it will take on the flavor of whatever you cook it with.  So as long as you cook it alongside other flavorsome ingredients like spices and marinades, you certainly won’t end up with a bland tasting meal.  This means it’s incredibly versatile and can go with pretty much any flavors you want it to, and it can be used to create both sweet and savory dishes.  It can be crumbled, mashed, sliced, baked, friend, braised or diced almost any way you like for some really great tasting results. 

Tofu boasts some great health benefits.  It is very low in fat and does not contain any saturated fats.  It is low in calories compared to meats and cheese which makes it a good choice for people who are trying to lose weight.  Tofu is also a great source of protein, calcium and iron.  Iron is important in maintaining healthy blood, and protein is essential for energy and growth.  The calcium found in tofu has several benefits, particularly for women.  Calcium is mainly associated with healthy bones and the calcium in tofu may help prevent the risk of speedier bone loss during the menopause.  It is also effective in helping with rheumatoid arthritis.  Eating tofu has also been found to be useful in preventing hot flushes.  As for men, consuming high quantities of tofu has been found to help reduce the risk of prostate cancer.  Soybean peptides have also been found to slow down cancerous growths, a study found it effective in slowing colon, liver and lung cancer cell growths.

If all these healthy benefits combined with its versatility aren’t enough to convince you to try tofu, why not take a look at these tasty sweet and savory recipes and give it a go…

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/healthy_tofu_recipes

http://www.wholeliving.com/142637/healthy-tofu-main-course-recipes/@center/144884/healthy-dinners

http://www.cookinglight.com/food/vegetarian/tofu-recipes-00412000071937/page15.html

http://www.yummly.com/recipes/healthy-tofu-dessert