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A Reader Recipe: Low-Cal French Silk Pie

Fit Community — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:44:07 PDT

FitSugar reader Connoisseur4TheCure shared this low-cal recipe for chocolate cream pie in our Healthy Recipe group.

This no-bake chocolate pie is fantastic! You won't know it's healthy while you are eating it! This recipe contains tofu, which is high in protein. One slice of this pie has about 230 calories, which is about half of the calories in a regular chocolate pie.

Chocolate is believed to have many health benefits from its antioxidant properties. Go here for more on the research of chocolate and its anti-cancer properties.

Learn more about the recipe after the break!

Go Meatless Today With 1 of 10 Tasty Tofu Recipes

Michele Foley — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 03:08:41 PDT

Protein-packed tofu makes for a great meal whether you're vegetarian or vegan or love the occasional steak. Here are 10 healthy tofu recipes that will fuel your day, taking you from breakfast to dinner.

3 Things I Wish I Knew Before Cooking Tofu

Jenny Sugar — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 11:49:06 PST

If you haven't had properly cooked tofu, I can understand why you wouldn't be a fan of the sometimes squishy, flavorless, white chunks. Even if you're not a vegetarian, it's time for you to fall in love with this meat alternative, since it's an inexpensive, low-fat, and low-calorie way to get protein into your diet without adding cholesterol.

1. Tofu Doesn't Have to Be Soft, Squishy, and Flavorless
Tofu comes in many varieties: silken, soft, firm, extra firm, and super extra firm. If you're turned off by the gelatinous texture, choose super firm or super extra firm. Another plus to buying a denser consistency is that it's higher in protein per serving (10 grams compared to six grams for soft tofu). Make sure to press out the excess water in tofu before using it to reduce the mushy texture. Pressing out excess water also makes it easier for tofu to absorb sauces or marinades, making for a tastier dish.

2. Tofu Isn't Like Other Meat Alternatives
If you've tried tempeh or seitan before and were not a fan of the grainy, chewy texture and the slightly earthy flavor, know that tofu is completely different. Made from soy milk, tofu has a smooth, spongy texture, and virtually no taste whatsoever. What you might like better about tofu is that it'll take on the flavor of whatever you add to it.

3. Tofu Doesn't Have to Be Cooked
What makes tofu such an easy source of protein is the fact that it can be eaten raw. Keep marinated tofu stored in the fridge to add to fresh salads or sandwiches, or add diced tofu to soups, quiches, tomato sauce, or pasta. Use a salad dressing as an easy marinade, or soak in soy sauce, ginger, and cumin. If you want a drier, chewier consistency, bake or panfry the marinated tofu (here's one of my favorite tofu recipes: cucumber tofu rolls).

A Reader Recipe: Spaghetti Squash and "Meatballs"

Fit Community — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:34:16 PDT

Get ready to eat! FitSugar reader Sprint2theTable shared this recipe for vegetarian "spaghetti and meatballs" in our Healthy Recipe group.

Spaghetti squash. It blew my mind. Who knew you could make a vegetable act like a pasta?! The best part is that you can make it in the microwave in under 10 minutes.

Tofu-lentil "meatballs" are the vegetarian's (or the person-who-recently-watched-Forks-Over-Knives) answer to meatballs. These aren't a perfect match for the red meat version, but they are good! I used plenty of red pepper flakes, fresh parsley, and garlic to make it feel more Italian. The addition of liquid smoke (found at Whole Foods) was awesome too.

Read the recipe after the break.

Meat Alternatives Explained: Tofu, Tempeh, and Seitan

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 01:46:16 PDT

I've been a vegetarian for over 20 years, so tofu, tempeh, and seitan are always stocked in my fridge. If you're new to the meat-free world, preparing and eating these new foods can be really intimidating. I'm here to break down the basics so you know how to choose the right one for your nutritional needs and what to expect from your first bite.

	Firm Tofu (1/2 cup)	Tempeh (1/2 cup)	Seitan (1/2 cup)
Calories	88	160	240
Fat (g)	5	9	3
Sodium (mg)	15	7.5	705
Carbs (g)	2	8	12
Fiber (g)	1	3.8	1.5
Protein (g)	10	15.5	36

Now that you know the nutritional stats, learn how these meat alternatives are made, what they taste like, and discover yummy recipes for preparing them after the break.

Soy by Any Other Name: A Nutritional Comparison

FitSugar — Fri, 20 May 2011 13:05:01 PDT

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

Savory Sight: Yellow Curry

Yum Community — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 03:11:46 PDT

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!

Name That Dish!

YumSugar — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 12:15:45 PST

Exactly one week from today, millions of people will be commemorating the start of another lunar year with close family and friends. In honor of the biggest Chinese holiday, can you name this well-known spicy Sichuan tofu dish?

Savory Sight: Pan-Seared Tofu

Yum Community — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 03:58:47 PST

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.

Broccoli Tofu Stir-Fry

OnSugar Blog — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 04:31:14 PST

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!