Coriander, Curry, and Yogurt-Crusted Tofu

by Francine

photo via womenshealthmag.com

My mom first gave me yogurt when I was a little girl. She put sugar in it, so how couldn't I like it? In French the word is pronounced yah-ooort (pronounced with that very French gutteral sound for the "r"). I love that sound, even now. When I was a kid I was quite the mimic and used to act out my mother's French friends talking--with what seemed to me to be a rather peculiar way of speaking. In retrospect I understand that it was simply so animated compared to the way most Americans speak English. In any cases--it was words like "yogurt" that I particularly liked, because of the seeming exagerration in pronunciation. Anyway, I suppose I'm digressing at this point, so let's get back to yogurt (also spelled "yogourt"). 

The care2 website published an informative little piece recently which is a good reminder of why yogurt is so healthy for us:

• "If you are taking antibiotics, yogurt will help you replenish the friendly bacteria that is killed by the drugs’ actions.
• Regular intake of yogurt keeps yeast infections away.
• Served as delicious dips and smoothies, yogurt is an excellent protein-rich for young children.
• It is easy to digest and promotes the bioavailability of key nutrients.
• The proteins, vitamins and other vital nutrients in yogurt make it a powerful immunity-boosting food.
• Yogurt is helpful in settling the stomach after a bout of diarrhea or constipation. It also reduces bloating and gas.
• Yogurt is a time-tested beauty aid. That is because the lactic acid in it lightens blemishes and hydrates skin beautifully. Mix yogurt with olive oil and a little turmeric powder, and apply on skin. Wash off with warm water after a few minutes, and watch the fresh, dewy glow on your face!"

Yogurt is commonly used in Middle Eastern cooking. I often use it as a substitute for sour cream (in salad dressings or baked potato, for instance.) All kinds of yogurt these days--from Greek to flavored to non-fat, etc. To each his or her own, of course. But I highly recommend sticking to organic, because of where dairy is on the food chain. You're getting quite a bit of pesticide saturation in non-organic dairy products because of where dairy is on the food chain. Definitely worth the extra price for organic. 

So here's an interesting Middle-Eastern inspired recipe using our dear old favorite--that would be tofu, and yogurt. 

3/4 cup plain yogurt

1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon whole coriander seed, crushed

2 teaspoons mild curry powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 -2 tablespoon olive oil

4 pieces tofu, fillets, about 6 ounces each

chopped mint (to garnish)

Directions:

1

In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, garlic and cumin. In a separate bowl combine the coriander seeds, curry, salt and pepper.

2

In a very large nonstick skillet or sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, dip the tofu into the yogurt mixture to lightly coat each side, then sprinkle each side with the curry mixture, dividing the seasoning evenly among all the tofu.

3

Immediately place tofu in the hot pan and cook until just done, about 2½ minutes on each side. Serve with a light sprinkling of chopped mint.

Resources:

food.com
care2.com

Go Quinoa

by Francine

photo via queensubewell.blogspot.com

Jam-packed with goodness and protein - from the tofu and the quinoa, this dish is sure to please. And you can add your creativity by customizing it differently each time you make it. (Which in itself is one of the supreme joys of cooking.) Make a large batch and store what's left in the refrigerator. Stays delicious for several days. In fact, the flavors blend and the overall experience is enhanced!

i cup quinoa, rinsed once or twice through a sieve 

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (for the quinoa) or just plain water

about 3 or 4 cups of fresh spinach, chopped fine

a couple handfuls of parsley, chopped fine

2 to 4 cloves of garlic, minced fine (if you're like me--you'll want at least 4)

6 or so tbs of olive oil

juice of a whole lemon (or more--i.e. to taste)

i block of flavored tofu (i.e pesto, pepper, smoked, etc. )

2 or 3 Roma tomatoes

oregano (to taste)

basil (to taste)

black pepper

salsa (as hot as you like it)

onion (optional)

1 or 2 lemons

Make the quinoa (bring to a boil with 2 cups of liquid and then simmer for 20 minutes) and let it sit at room temperature. Chop the spinach and parsley together as fine as you can manage. Dice the tomatoes. If you use onion, chop it fine. Dice the tofu into small bites. 

Add all the ingredients to the quinoa and mix. Add the oil-lemon mixture and mix in. If it seems that there isn't enough to distribute generously throughout the mixture, add more oil, lemon, and garlic accordingly.

Serve with the salsa. 

In a small jar, add the oil, lemon juice, garlic, and herbs. Mix in vigorously. Dish out into pretty bowls or plates. Season with salsa to taste.

Jam-packed in macronutrients

photo via infiniteunknown.net

Soybeans are rich in nutrients. But have you ever heard of macronutrients? Since those in soybeans differ in some important ways from most other legumes, it's important to know what macronutrients are nutrients that provide calories or energy. Nutrients are substances needed for growth, metabolism, and for other body functions. Since “macro” means large, then by now you've probably figured out that macronutrients are nutrients needed in large amounts. The three macronutrients are: Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. As it turns out, soybeans are higher in both protein and fat than other beans and are relatively low in carbohydrate.

According to soyconnection.com, soybeans get about 35 to 38 % of their calories from protein compared to approximately 20 to 30 % in other legumes. That's pretty significant when you consider that legumes are known as a high source of protein anyway.  The aforementioned article also states that under guidelines adopted by the FDA and the World Health Organization for evaluating protein quality for children and adults, soy protein isolate receives a rating of 1, which is the highest possible score. To put it in perspective, the quality of soy protein is equal to that of meat and milk proteins, which everyone recognizes as top sources of protein. But many people don't want or can't from a health standpoint get their protein that way.

Approximately 40 % of the calories in soy come from fat; most legumes (with the exception of peanuts) contain between two and 14 % fat.  Now keep in mind that the fat in soybeans is primarily unsaturated. The polyunsaturated fat content of soybeans contains linolenic acid (7% of the total fat content), an omega-3 fatty acid. This is important, because omega-3 fatty acids may be essential nutrients for infants and they may also help to reduce risk of both heart disease and cancer.

What's In There, Anyway?

via thevegetariantree.blogspot.com

Tofu--white, bland, weird, fabulous. . . the chameleon, the wonder, the blob. You name it. I was looking around for an article that discussed all the nutritional aspects of tofu and came up with something you may find interesting via About.com:

Protein content in tofu:

One half-cup serving of raw firm tofu contains 10.1 grams of protein. The recommended daily intake is 56 grams for most men and 46 for most women. A half-cup of tofu is approximately 4 oz by weight, or just under 1/3 of the average sized 14 oz package of tofu. By comparison, 1/2 cup dairy milk contains 5.1 grams of protein, one 3 oz egg contains 6 grams and 4 oz ground beef contains about 26 grams of protein. Tofu is an excellent source of vegetarian protein.

Calories in tofu:

One half-cup serving of raw firm tofu contains 94 calories. By comparison, 4 oz ground beef contains 331 calories, 1/2 cup of 2% milk has 60 calories and 4 oz of cheese packs 320 calories.

Protein versus calories in tofu:

Tofu is low in calories for the vegetarian protein it packs in. Here's how it compares to a few other foods. For each 100 calorie serving, tofu contains 11 grams of protein. By comparison, 100 calories of ground beef provides 8.9 grams of protein, and a 100 calorie serving of cheese contains 6.2 grams.

Fat and cholesterol content in tofu:

One half-cup serving of raw firm tofu contains 5 grams of fat. Low fat tofu is also commercially available, and contains 1.5 grams of fat perserving. 4 oz of beef packs a whopping 15 grams of fat, and one egg contains 5.5 grams of fat. Tofu is a cholesterol-free food , as are all plant-based foods. By comparison, a half-cup of 2% milk contains 9 mg of cholesterol, 4 oz of fish contains 75-100 mg of cholesterol and 4 oz ground beef contains about 113 mg cholesterol.

Calcium:

One half-cup serving of firm tofu contains about 227 mg of calcium or about 22% of the RDA. Tofu may contain a little bit less calcium depending on the brand and the way it was made so be sure to read the label if you're concerned. Silken tofu contains approximately 133 mg, again depending on the brand.

Iron:

One half-cup serving of firm tofu contains about 1.82 mg of iron, though this can vary greatly, depending on the brand. The RDA for women is 18 mg, and 8 mg for men.

It's About Quinoa

Once called "the gold of the Incas," quinoa is high in protein. And that's not all--it's a complete protein, meaning that it has all nine of the essential amino acids. It's especially loaded with the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair. It's a very good source of manganese as well as magnesium, iron, copper, and phosphorus. So indications are that it can help people with migraine headaches, diabetes, and arterioscelerosis.

Quinoa is also a good source of riboflavin (also known as B2), which is necessary for proper energy production within cells.

Quinoa is gluten-free and easy to digest.

Look for red quinoa salad from Tofu Yu at the Farmers Market and other local markets!