Saints Preserve Us, That Food is Good and Healthy
By The Soyfoods Council
Whether you’re looking for recipe ideas to go green for St. Patrick’s Day or healthy snacks to indulge in during National Nutrition Month, the Soyfoods Council can help take your eating habits to the next level.
National Nutrition Month, sponsored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, promotes making informed food choices and developing healthful eating habits.
For St. Patrick’s Day gatherings, plant-based dips featuring sustainably grown U.S. soybeans, help you go green in every sense of the word. Add a splash of green to your table, with recipes like Edamame Garbanzo Bean Hummus Dip, Silken Green Goddess Dressing or Vegan Napa Cabbage Rolls.
For Edamame Garbanzo Bean Hummus, add a 10-ounce package of cooked, shelled edamame to a blender, with 3/4 c. garbanzo beans, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 2 Tbsp. of soybean oil, 3 Tbsp. lemon juice and half a tsp. onion powder. Pulse and blend until smooth.
Serve with raw vegetables or pretzel sticks. One cup of frozen prepared edamame provides 18 grams of complete protein.
Silken Green Goddess Dressing is made in a blender, with silken tofu, two avocados, the juice of a lemon and a 1/4 c. soybean oil. Serve over mixed greens. In recipes, cholesterol-free silken tofu can replace sour cream, ricotta or heavy cream.
Vegan Napa Cabbage Rolls are a shareable finger food, made with blanched cabbage leaves, filled with extra firm water-packed tofu and cooked brown rice, as well as scallions, mushrooms and carrots. The rolls are briefly sauteed in a tablespoon of soybean oil and served with a sweetened soy sauce of with rice vinegar, soybean oil, cornstarch and warm water.
Extra-firm water-packed tofu supplies about 8 grams of protein, per 3-ounce serving.
Healthy snacking is simple with soyfoods, not just for National Nutrition Month, but also all year long.
For complete recipes and a downloadable cookbook, visit thesoyfoodscouncil.com.
The Soyfoods Council is a non-profit organization, created and funded by Iowa soybean farmers, providing a complete resource to increase awareness of soyfoods, educate and inform media, healthcare professionals, consumers, and the retail and foodservice market, about the many benefits of soyfoods.
Sustainability is a soy tradition. U. S. soybean farmers have practiced sustainable agriculture methods for decades. Currently, 95 percent of U.S. soy growers are committed to sustainable farming practices and partner with the USDA, to implement conservation programs. Soyfoods may play a significant role as a source of protein that minimally contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, in comparison to other protein sources.
