Tofu

Soy is one of the most versatile ingredients; it can be eaten whole or ground, fermented, and formed into various ingredients for nutritious and healthy cooking. Not only that, but it's also high in protein and fiber and contains less fat than its animal counterparts, so it's a no-brainer for people who want to eat less meat. Want to know how different forms of soy compare in both taste and nutrition? Read on for four forms of soy and how they work in your diet!

• Edamame: Edamame are baby soy beans that are harvested when ripe and sold either frozen, cooked, or shelled. The nutty-flavored beans are great for snacking or in anything from stir fries to soups. A 1/2 cup of edamame has 95 calories, 4 grams of fat, 8.5 grams of protein, and 4 grams of fiber. Try shelled edamame in a super easy side like this brown rice and edamame dish.
• Soy milk: Soy milk is the liquid extracted from ground cooked soybeans. It also has a mild nutty flavor but can be sweetened with other flavors like vanilla as well as made into other dairy-like products like soy yogurt. A cup of plain soy milk has 100 calories, 4 grams of fat, 7 grams of protein, and 1 gram of fiber. Substitute soy milk for regular milk in anything from cereal to smoothies to pancakes (like these vegan pineapple pancakes with citrus cream).
• Tofu: Tofu is made by curdling soy milk with a coagulant to form thick white blocks. There are four types of tofu to use in various dishes: silken, soft, firm, and extra firm. Since tofu has little flavor, it works with many different kinds of dishes (it'll just take on the flavor of your ingredients). A 1/2 cup of tofu has 97 calories, 5.3 grams of fat, 10.1 grams of protein, and 0.5 grams of fiber. Firm and extra firm tofus are great in stir fries, or even healthier baked, like in this spicy mango veggie rice bowl.
• Tempeh: This form of soy is made by fermenting cooked soybeans with a mold. It is sold in dry, brown blocks and has a firm and chewy texture. A 1/2 cup of tempeh has 160 calories, 9 grams of fat, 15.4 grams of protein, and 3.5 grams of fiber. Many people think tempeh makes the perfect meat substitute, so try it out instead of bacon in a TLT — tempeh, lettuce, and tomato sandwich.

Source: Flickr User adactio

We're dying to know the recipe that Lauren's friends used to make this amazing-looking curry.

Our friends recently treated us to a delicious yellow curry served over rice! Scrumptious and full of a ton of flavor!

Do you have a delicious photo to share? Put it in the Savory Sights group in the community. It could be featured here on YumSugar!

Think tofu can't shine as an entrée? Here, reader GraceDickinson proves you wrong!

Getting tofu to become an entrée as delicious as any main seafood/meat entrée is all in the cooking method. Here, tofu becomes a star centerpiece.

Want the technique? Check out Grace's blog. If you've made or enjoyed something delicious, start participating in the community! You can upload photos, recipes, tips, and questions.

In need of a healthy vegetarian dinner idea? OnSugar blogger Fresh Tart recommends a delicious-looking broccoli tofu stir-fry.

I posted this recipe a few weeks ago at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly magazine.  As lovely as lighter fare was sounding then, it is even truer now — right?  No worries, this dish still packs a big flavor punch.

Feeling weighed down?  Yeah. I offer this palate cleanser of a dish. I like this recipe for the tips on dry-frying the tofu, imparting a nice chewiness and intensifying the quick marinade.  The original recipe calls for asparagus, but I substituted broccoli since my kids prefer it.  You'll be glad to know that this dish comes together quickly enough to satisfy tired, hungry family members.

Read on for her recipe!

I used to think breakfast wasn't breakfast unless there were eggs on my plate. Not anymore. A few years ago, I had a game changing tofu scramble. And even though a tofu scramble doesn't taste exactly like farm fresh eggs, it has a creamy consistency that scramble egg lovers will enjoy.

If you're looking to change things up for breakfast, and save on fat and calories, try making this garden tofu scramble. Like a savory frittata, it'll taste just as good for lunch or dinner.

To see the recipe and nutrition stats, read more

Besides eating well at the Nasoya Tofu and Skinny Bitch party, I also learned a thing or two about cooking with tofu. Listen, I totally get why some people don't like tofu. It comes off as tasteless, slimy, and just hard to work with — and it's no juicy burger. But it is a great alternative to meat, and does taste good, as long as you know how to cook with it.

The new Nasoya Tofu U website is all about teaching people that tofu deserves a place in the kitchen. The site's tofu chili recipe still retains all the spicy and smokey flavors of chili, but the absence of meat makes it low in fat and calories, but still high in protein. With Fall and football season underway, this chili has the makings of a perfect party dish.

Check out the recipe when you read more

In need of a healthy vegetarian dinner idea? Tara Sharp has you covered! She shared her recipe for spicy tofu and veggies over quinoa in the Kitchen Goddess group.

This is a dish I've made several different ways, depending on the veggies and type of rice I have on hand. The sauce always has the three main elements — red chili paste, soy sauce, and sesame oil — but the measurements aren't exact, it depends on what you like. This was the first time I put the tofu/vegetables over quinoa (ran out of Calrose rice), and I have to say the grain paired nicely with the spicy dish. Thanks to some of the prepackaged elements, can't-screw-it-up tofu, and rice-cooker-made quinoa, this recipe is about as uncomplicated as it gets.

Here's the recipe!

At the Nasoya Tofu U party, I enjoyed a meal fit for a vegan queen — thank you, The Plant Cafe Organic — and met Kim Barnouin, co-author of the popular Skinny Bitch book series.

Kim has made a career of teaching women the ins and outs of healthy eating in basic no-nonsense terms: if you eat crap, you're going to feel and look like crap, too. And for Kim, avoiding crap means sticking to a vegan diet. But that doesn't mean you can't eat well. In her new cookbook, Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook ($20), Kim keeps her familiar chick-lit tone to engage audiences in how to cook and live a healthy, happy vegan lifestyle.

At the demo, Kim showed us creative ways to turn tofu into tasty dishes; my faves were the spicy tofu tacos and tofu brownie bites. She also shared the items she always keeps stocked in her kitchen:

• Good olive oil is essential. It works in salad dressings, marinades, stir-frys, and adds flavor to bread.
• Legumes like beans and lentils are staples. Filling, full of protein, and perfect for main dishes.
• Spices and garlic are must haves. They add zest and flavor to all dishes, eliminating the need for a ton of salt, butter, or oil.
• Tofu — at least two varieties. Keep a silken tofu handy for sauces, soups, and desserts, and a firmer tofu for main courses.
• Whole wheat pastry flour is a go-to ingredient in desserts.

Vegan or not, I think Kim's list is full of must haves; what things do you always keep stocked in your kitchen?