Molly M asked:


hello everyone and happy thanksgiving! I was wondering whats the difference between firm tofu, and silken tofu? Im trying to make a vegan-friendly chocolate mousse for my family so they are more open minded towards my vegan choice.

Adam

MN Nikk asked:


Everybody likes a snack. And it’s not just that you’re hungry between meals and you need a bite to eat, but also because snacks can be a treat for yourself. Treats help make you feel better and raise your spirits. So here’s a list of snacks that can get your heart pumping, both literally and figuratively. They’re delicious alternatives to the traditional bag of chips or candy bar that are not part of a healthy diet. So instead of dropping by the drive-through or heading straight for the candy aisle, you can and load up on some heart-healthy snacks.

1. Vegetables Dipped in Hummus – Fresh vegetables are low in calories and have many antioxidants. Many of them have no fat whatsoever and instead give you plenty of fiber to make your stomach feel full. Hummus, made from ***** peas, is a great alternative protein without saturated fat.

2. Fruit Skewered on a Stick with a Little Dark Chocolate for Dipping – Fruit has a variety of antioxidants to fight cancer and heart disease. Dark chocolate has a high concentration of flavinols, which is a type of antioxidant that helps fight heart disease, and is in fact recommended by doctors for this very purpose.

3. Half of a Cantaloupe Filled with Fat Free Cottage Cheese, a Dash of Cinnamon and Some Berries – The cantaloupe and berries are rich in antioxidants, and the fat-free cottage cheese counts as a serving of dairy, while avoiding the saturated fat.

4. Fat-free Yogurt with Fruit and a Sprinkle of Nuts – Here’s a chance of getting another serving of dairy that contains no saturated fat, but plenty of antioxidants from fruit and, on top of that, a bit of healthy, unsaturated fat from the nuts.

5. Smoothies with Silken Tofu and Berries plus a Dash of Grape Juice or Pomegranate Juice As most dieters know, tofu is an excellent alternative protein source without saturated fat. Berries, grape juice and pomegranate juice have a high concentration of antioxidants and are very good for you.

6. Homemade Soup – Start with a vegetable base in order to load up on antioxidants and fiber. Make sure you don’t buy something that’s rich in sodium because that’s something you definitely don’t want for your heart. Add a bag of frozen vegetables and mix in a couple of cups of beans. Canned beans are rich in sodium, so make sure to rinse them thoroughly before use. Season it with fresh herbs.

7. Pureed Prunes — Sneak Them into your Brownies – Pureed fruit is an excellent addition to chocolate brownies because it helps strengthen the taste of chocolate. Another good thing is that you’ve put in something that use less oil or less butter and you’ve also added antioxidants because of the pureed fruit. Also fruit has fiber to lower your cholesterol.

8. Silken Tofu or Soy Milk — Substitute for Regular Milk in Recipes – Using tofu or soy milk instead of regular milk is a good way of adding heart healthy protein, while at the same time cutting down on the heart-clogging calories of the other oils you might have used.

9. Applesauce or Apple Butter — Use in Place of Oil for Muffins – Apple butter is one of best ingredients you can add to moisture the mix and to give it that pleasant fruit flavor that won’t combat your other ingredients.

10. Nuts and Small Chunks of Fruit — Sprinkle on Top of Muffins – If you substitute applesauce for the oil, you’ll be making a muffin low in fat, chock-full of antioxidants from fruit, fiber from nuts, and heart-healthy protein from the nuts.

11. Meatloaf — Use Tofu and Chopped White Chicken Meat Instead of Red Meat – This combination is absolutely great. The result will feel and taste just like meatloaf, but without the downside of eating red meat.



Rachel

Abhishek Agarwal asked:


Dropping meat in your menu ingredients often times alter the taste even as what would normally a mouth-watering recipe turns out to be “just another dish on your buffet table”.

Amid an age when people tent to be health conscious, the idea of replacing meat as an ingredient in a recipe has been a growing practice among people who may want to adopt into what is popularly known as healthy living — less alcohol, drop smoking, regular exercise, dropping high-cholesterol foods and more vegetable on the menu.

But what would be a wise alternative to meat? Plant meat, veggie burgers, tofu, Tempeh, Seitan (wheat gluten) and beans make up the list of suggestions that may fit as substitute to the high-cholesterol meat products.

Plant meat, which is usually made to form what could be bought from the supermarket as veggie burgers is a good alternative to meat for ovo lacto vegetaqrian cooking.

Another is Tofu, which makes a great meal if accompanied by sauces because of its porous texture and nature. There is another type of such meat replacement, the wet Tofu which is recommended for baking, grilling, sautéing, and frying. Another type of this form is the Silken Tofu which could be as sumptuous as it could be when mixed with creamy sauces, desserts, marinades, and dressings. It is however a must that water is drained by way of putting pressure on it for about 15-20 minutes.

Tempeh, which comes from whole fermented soybeans, is another ideal meat substitute. Simply braise it in a flavored liquid before cooking it. Cooking of Tempeh usually takes an hour.

Seitan or wheat gluten for its part would best replace chicken meat products, while beans are at good alternatives for protein-conscious people who may want their ovo lacto vegetarian recipes in the preparation of soups, salads, stews and rice dishes.

But how does an individual create an ovo lacto vegetarian cooking pantry? Here are some tips and suggestions.

NON-PERISHABLE DRY GOODS

• Beans, canned

• Black beans

• Black-eyed peas

• Chickpeas (garbanzos)

• Great northern beans (cannellini)

• Pink beans

• Pinto beans

• Red or kidney beans

Grains:

• Barley

• Bulgur

• Couscous

• Rice (long-grain brown, basmati, arborio, quick-cooking, etc.)

• Quinoa

• Wild rice

Oils:

• Dark sesame oil

• Extra-virgin olive oil

• Light olive oil

Tomato products, canned:

• Diced, in 14- to 16-ounce cans

• Crushed or pureed, in 14, 16, and 28-ounce cans

• Tomato sauce

Vinegars:

• Balsamic (dark and/or white)

• Red wine or white wine vinegar

• Rice vinegar (for Asian-style cooking)

PREPARED CONDIMENTS, SAUCES, AND SUCH

• Barbecue sauce (great for broiling or stir-frying tofu, tempeh, or seitan)

• Pasta (marinara) sauce

• Pizza sauce

• Salad dressings (choose natural, low-fat varieties of your favorites)

• Salsa, tomato-based, mild to hot as you prefer

• Salsa, tomatillo

• Thai peanut sauce

• Stir-fry sauce

PANTRY VEGETABLES

• Garlic

• Onions (yellow, red, or both)

• Potatoes, white (red-skinned are an excellent all-purpose potato)

• Potatoes, sweet (for fall and winter)

REFRIGERATOR STAPLES

• Butter or margarine (both to be used quite sparingly; look for a brand that is free of hydrogenated oils and trans-fatty acids)

• Cheeses, shredded (low-fat if preferred, or soy cheese)

• Parmesan cheese, grated fresh (or if you prefer, try Parmesan-style soy cheese)

• Ketchup

• Lemons

• Mayonnaise (preferably commercially prepared tofu mayonnaise)

• Milk, low-fat, or soy milk

• Mustard, prepared

• Tofu

• Yogurts, plain and flavored



Edward