The Soyfoods Council

Celebrate Plant Protein with Soy-Enriched Holiday Cookies and Beverages

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Ankeny, Iowa, November 9, 2018—This year, discover how easy it is to eat healthfully, yet luxuriously, during the holidays with soyfoods. Soy is a plant protein that provides all the essential amino acids, with a protein quality that is comparable to animal protein. Soyfoods such as soy flour and soymilk also have the advantage of being low in saturated fat and contain no cholesterol.

            Soymilk makes it simple to create warm, welcoming beverages during the holidays, with regular, vanilla or chocolate soymilk. One cup of soymilk is a nutrition powerhouse, providing approximately 8 grams of plant protein. According to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, soy beverages like soymilk — fortified with calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin D— are included as part of the dairy group because they are similar to milk in nutrient composition and use.

            Baking with soy flour adds plant protein to your favorite holiday cookie recipes. Soy flour, made from defatted and lightly toasted soy flakes, contains an average of 50 percent protein. By contrast, high protein wheat flour contains 15 percent protein. Because soy flour does not contain gluten, which is necessary for dough elasticity, it should be combined with wheat flour for baking cookies. (For gluten-free baking tips, visit The Soyfoods Council website at www.thesoyfoodscouncil.com.)

            You can replace up to 40 percent of the wheat flour in a recipe with soy flour. Proportions will vary, depending on the desired texture of the finished product. For example, recipes might call for equal amounts of soy flour and wheat flour, ¼ cup or ½ cup soy flour to 1 cup of wheat flour, or ½ cup soy flour to 1½ cups wheat flour. The Soyfoods Council offers the following two cookie recipe ideas, paired with holiday-worthy drinks to complement them.

            Toffee Bars: You might have to hide these bar cookies from your family until it’s time to serve them. They are made with protein-rich soy flour, and layered with rich flavors and textures. Toffee bars are made by spreading toffee over cookie dough that is baked and then topped with melted milk chocolate and a sprinkling of chopped soy nuts. To make the dough, combine ½ cup soy flour with 1½ cups wheat flour. Serve toffee bars with kid-friendly soymilk hot chocolate.

            Luxurious Soymilk Hot Chocolate: Make this rich but simple hot chocolate in a small pan on the stovetop, or in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt a 1.5 oz. milk chocolate or dark chocolate candy bar in enough vanilla soymilk to fill a mug.

            Busy day alternative: On truly busy days, especially snowy ones where children are playing outside, make a quick but festive warm chocolate drink by heating chocolate soymilk in the microwave. Serve warmed chocolate soymilk in a mug garnished with a candy cane.

            Holiday Apricot Oatmeal Cookies: These cookies are ideal for seasonal celebrations. They’re a break from the usual cookie tray selections, too. Filled with dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, coconut, slivered almonds, oatmeal and Textured Soy Protein (TSP), apricot oatmeal cookies are like the pastry version of an energy bar. The recipe calls for a mixture of ½ cup of soy flour and 1 cup of wheat flour. Pair these cookies with soymilk-rich eggnog.

            Soymilk Eggnog: This no-cook and no-egg spin on the classic holiday drink is made in a blender. Combine extra-firm silken tofu, soymilk, honey, water and vanilla extract with ice cubes. Flavor this rich beverage with rum, brandy, or apple juice with rum flavoring added. Garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg and you’re ready to celebrate.

            Busy day alternative: Keep ready-made soy eggnog on hand to serve to last-minute guests. It is available in cartons, sold in the dairy section of your supermarket.

Find recipes for these easy cookies and drinks on The Soyfoods Council website at www.thesoyfoodscouncil.com. You’ll also find more tips for cooking with soy flour, recipes for holiday entertaining, and information about the health benefits of eating soyfoods.

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About the Soyfoods Council: 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.  Iowa is the country’s number one grower of soybeans and is the Soyfoods Capital of the world.

About the Role of Soyfoods in a Healthful Diet: Soyfoods have played an important role in Asian cuisines for centuries.  In recent years they have become popular in Western countries because of their nutrition and health properties.  Soyfoods are excellent sources of high-quality protein and provide a healthy mix of polyunsaturated fat.  In addition, independent of their nutrient content, there is very intriguing evidence indicating soyfoods reduce risk of several chronic diseases including coronary heart disease, osteoporosis and certain forms of cancer.  All individuals are well advised to eat a couple of servings of soyfoods every day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart

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Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake Tart
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Crust Ingredients
  1. 2 cups graham crumbs
  2. ½ cup soy nuts – roasted / salted
  3. ½ cup butter
  4. ¾ teaspoon salt
  5. ¼ cup sugar
Filling Ingredients
  1. 8 ounces cream cheese
  2. 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
  3. 2 teaspoons vanilla
  4. 1 cup sugar
  5. 1 cup canned pumpkin
  6. ⅛ teaspoon ground clove
  7. 1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon, ground
  8. Dash of cardamom, ground
  9. ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  10. 4 medium eggs
  11. ¼ teaspoon salt
Topping Ingredients
  1. 1 cup whipping cream mixed with 2 tablespoons maple syrup for topping
  2. 16 ounces silken tofu
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. To prepare crust, mix graham crackers, soy nuts, and butter in a food processor until it resembles moist crumbs.
  3. Press into small tart pans or larger tart pans.
  4. Reverse ½ cup of crumb mixture to sprinkle on top of cheesecake.
  5. Bake in over for 4 minutes.
  6. Remove and cool.
  7. Use the food processor to mix the cream cheese and the next 11 ingredients.
  8. When adding the eggs add them one at a time.
  9. Process until blended.
  10. Pour into the crumb lined pans.
  11. Bake 30 – 35 minutes for small pans or 50 to 55 minutes for large pans or until center is almost set.
  12. Cool before removing bottom of the pan.
  13. Refrigerate for 4 hours.
The Soyfoods Council http://thesoyfoodscouncil.com/

Pumpkin Tofu Fruit Dip

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Pumpkin Tofu Fruit Dip
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Ingredients
  1. 1/2 cup silken tofu
  2. 1/2 cup 100 pumpkin puree
  3. 1/4 cup fat free greek yogurt
  4. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  5. 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  6. 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  7. 1 tablespoon honey
  8. 2 tablespoons warm water
  9. 1 sliced apple
  10. 1 sliced pear
  11. 1 tablespoon sliced almonds
Instructions
  1. Blend first 8 ingredients together in a blender and pour into a bowl.
  2. Sprinkle almonds on top of dip.
  3. Enjoy with sliced apples and pears.
Adapted from Lori Walker Nutrition
Adapted from Lori Walker Nutrition
The Soyfoods Council http://thesoyfoodscouncil.com/

Linda’s Easy Cabbage Soup in the Instant Pot

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Happy April is Soyfoods Month!

This week in Wisconsin it was still snowing…so I decided to make a pot of soup. I went to my refrigerator and found a head of cabbage and head of cauliflower – cabbage soup it was! It was so easy to put together in the Instant Pot and then let simmer for 4 hours.  And I have to tell you it was delish for lunch! And my guess it will be even better tomorrow after marrying in the refrigerator overnight. Give it a whirl in your Instant Pot for a great meal instantly – well,  almost!

(And don’t forget to enter to win your own Instant Pot “mini” HERE.)

Easy Cabbage Soup in the Instant Pot
Yields 6
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Ingredients
  1. 1 tablespoon soybean oil
  2. 1 medium onion, diced
  3. 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  4. 1 pound of ground beef, ground turkey, ground pork OR 2 cups  dry TSP/TVP ( or a combo of meat and TVP)
  5. 1 1/2  teaspoon dried thyme
  6. 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  7. 2 to 3 tablespoons miso
  8. 1/2 cup rough chopped fresh parsley (optional)
  9. 1 – 16-ounce jar of pasta sauce
  10. 5 cups water
  11. 1/2 head of cauliflower, diced small or already riced (about 2 cups)
  12. 1/2 medium cabbage, rough cut
Instructions
  1. Turn Instant pot to Sauté function. Add first 4 ingredients; sauté until nicely browned.
  2. Add remaining ingredients; stir to combine.
  3. Change to slow cook function; cook for 4 hours.
  4. Taste before adding salt and pepper (optional and to taste).
  5. Serve hot.
The Soyfoods Council http://thesoyfoodscouncil.com/
 

 

 

Win big during Soyfoods Month!

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As you know, we have a giveaway for an Instant Pot running this month. 

But good news! We have five other giveaways all month long. Right now you can enter to win every single item in this photo:

on Facebook. Enter here by April 9, 8 a.m. CST! One winner will be selected and then we’ll run the giveaway four more times (on Instagram, Twitter, here on our website and back on Facebook). So follow us everywhere and you won’t miss a chance! 

Easy Stuffed Shells for the Instant Pot (recipe + video)

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The National Soyfoods Month celebration continues and today we’re sharing a fun recipe using the “pot in pot” method in the Instant Pot. (Don’t’ forget: You can still enter to win an Instant Pot “mini” (3-qt) through April. Enter here.)

Check out Linda’s video and then try the recipe (below) yourself! 

Don’t miss our giveaways this month on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! And be sure to download The Definitive Guide to Cooking Soyfoods in the Instant Pot! 

Easy Stuffed Shells for the Instant Pot
This recipe comes from Barb Overlie, of Lake Crystal, Minnesota. Barb is a VSP or volunteer soy promoter, and has been doing cooking demonstrations with soy since 1982. She finds that Midwesterners are most receptive to soy when it’s combined with familiar foods. Here, tofu replaces ricotta cheese for the filling in the shells. With the Instant Pot technique, we save 20 minutes!
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Ingredients
  1. 18 large pasta shells
  2. 1 26-ounce jar of your favorite pasta sauce
  3. 1 egg (or egg replacer such as ground flaxseed and warm water or VeganEgg)
  4. 1 (12.3-ounce) package silken soft tofu (mashed)
  5. 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided (or grated Follow Your Heart vegan gourmet mozzarella)
  6. 3/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided (or vegan Parmesan-style shreds)
  7. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
  1. Cook pasta shells according to package directions; drain.
  2. In large bowl, beat egg or egg replacement. Stir in tofu, 1 3/4 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese and the parsley.
  3. Spray or lightly coat a 7-inch spring form pan or round oven-safe dish* with oil.
  4. Pour 1 cup of water in the Instant Pot. Place a trivet in the pot. Uncovered, select “sauté” and then use the “adjust” button to toggle to low.
  5. To assemble the shells, spread 1 cup of the sauce in the pan or dish. Fill cooked shells with tofu/cheese mixture. Arrange filled shells in the pan or dish. Pour remaining sauce over shells. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover with foil and place on the trivet in the pot.
  6. Cover the Instant Pot, set the valve to “sealing” and select manual (default of high pressure) for 20 minutes. Allow for a natural release (release after 10 minutes).
  7. Carefully remove the pan or dish from the Instant Pot, remove the foil (away from you to avoid the steam).
  8. Serve immediately or place under a broiler for just a few minutes until brown.
Notes
  1. You need enough room between the side of the pan and the Instant Pot liner to retrieve the hot pan once done cooking. You can use a nonstick casserole dish with a handle or use stretch cooking bands around the pot.
  2. If making the entire recipe, you need a large Instant Pot and/or should do so in batches - but this recipe is ideal halved or quartered, serving one or two quickly with the Instant Pot.
  3. Add crumbled and sautéed (drained) turkey, beef, pork or soy crumbles to the tofu mixture if you want to add more protein (about 1 cup).
The Soyfoods Council http://thesoyfoodscouncil.com/

ABOUT

The Soyfoods Council is an affiliate of the Iowa Soybean Association. The mission of The Soyfoods Council is to serve as a catalyst, leader and facilitator to mainstream soy-based foods into the global marketplace—America and beyond. To mainstream soyfoods: to build the category of soyfoods products by making action-prompting connections between edible soybean growers and food producers, foods distributors, chefs, retailers and eventually consumers.

CONNECT WITH US

The Soyfoods Council is your resource for information about soyfoods including how easy and delicious they are to prepare and consume.