Appetite for Reduction (24 page)

PER SERVING

(⅛ RECIPE):
Calories: 200
Calories from fat: 15
Total fat: 2 g
Saturated fat: 0 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Total carb: 36 g
Fiber: 12 g
Sugars: 3 g
Protein: 11 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 200 mg
Vitamin A: 4%
Vitamin C: 15%
Calcium: 8%
Iron: 15%

PER SERVING

(⅛ OF RECIPE)
Calories: 60
Calories from fat: 20
Total fat: 2.5 g
Saturated fat: 0 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Total Carb: 9 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sugars: <1 g
Protein: 4 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 260 mg
Vitamin A: 0%
Vitamin C: 4%
Calcium: 0%
Iron: 4%

BASIC RECIPE:

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, liquid reserved
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon paprika (optional)

PER SERVING (⅛ OF RECIPE) The nutritional info is the same as for the main recipe.

The Great Soy Scare

There’s a lot of scare mongering (soy mongering?) all over the place lately. I asked Matt to clear up some misconceptions about soy and here is what he had to say. He even cited a few sources to make it easier for you to do your own research and fact checking!

 

Soybeans have been a part of people’s diets for thousands of years. It’s a bean, so it’s full of plant protein, healthy fats, and phytochemicals. In the last thirty years we’ve seen a lot of research on its ability to reduce cholesterol, lower cancer risk, and possibly even help prevent obesity.
²

After the FDA approved the statement that soy is healthy for your heart,
³
even more research came out. We are talking dozens of studies in research journals every month. Food companies jumped on the soy bandwagon and started putting it in everything from potato chips to pasta. Soon enough the backlash came, challenging it as a “superfood.” I hate to say
smear campaign
, but suddenly antisoy propaganda appeared everywhere. “It’s unsafe for kids!” “There’s estrogen in it, so it gives men boobs!” None of this is true.
⁴
There is no estrogen in soy like the estrogen our body produces, thankfully. Some of the phytochemicals have the unfortunate name of phytoestrogens, but they act against estrogen mostly and are the compounds that have the benefits!

The research says that soy is safe for everyone. People have been eating it for a long time and the people who eat the most it have lower rates of cancer, and heart disease, even when we take other factors into consideration. Try to eat it in its most whole form—think more edamame and less textured vegetable protein. And don’t worry about your sperm count decreasing or your breasts growing because of a simple bean. That just doesn’t happen!

Tofu & Tempeh in Training

Some of these recipes assume you know a couple of things about tofu, but just in case you don’t, here is where you report for tofu basic training.

 

HOW TO PRESS TOFU (AND WHY, FOR GOODNESS’ SAKE?)

With the exception of a few brands, extra-firm tofu, the kind I most often call for, usually comes packed in water. If you would like your tofu to absorb more flavor, you press it first to get rid of some of the water and make room for more marinade. There are expensive tofu-pressing gadgets out there, but really, all you need are a flat surface, a clean kitchen towel, and a really heavy book. You can also add a couple of cans of beans for good measure.

Remove the tofu from the package and press it lightly with your hands over the sink to remove some of the water. Wrap it in a kitchen towel and set it on a counter. Balance a superheavy, hardcover book on the tofu. Place a few cans of beans on the book. Let the tofu rest for half an hour, then flip and press for another half hour. Change the kitchen towel if it appears excessively soaked. Your tofu is now pressed and ready to use!

 

HOW TO TAME YOUR TEMPEH

Tempeh can have a bitter flavor, but not necessarily in a bad way, more like in an arugula way. If you’re easing into the world of tempeh, have something against arugula, or just want the other flavors you’re using to stand out more, steaming the tempeh is the way to go. First slice the tempeh into the desired shape, then steam for about 10 minutes. Another benefit of steaming is that it loosens up the tempeh and gets it ready to soak up more marinade. Can’t go wrong there.