The Food Detectives’ Top Tips To Baking Foolproof With Soy

(PRWEB) September 27, 2005

"It seems like everyone is eating more soy these days, and recipes for soy are at high demand, says Shirleen Sando, The Food Detective and author of the first soyfoods baking book on the market, Beyond Low Fat Baking: Cancer Fighting Foods for the Millennium (Skyward Publishing, http://www.skywardpublishing.com).

And, according to a recent news release from The United Soybean Board suggesting that "emerging research points to the beneficial role soy can play in a woman's diet, potentially protecting her from breast cancer and bone loss, alleviating hot flashes associated with menopause and even helping in weight management," it is no wonder soy continues to play a vital role in the American diet. The Food Detective shares these soy cooking tips.

Tip # 1: When baking with tofu, it is best to use low-fat silken tofu, especially to replace part of the fat with tofu. Silken tofu is creamy in texture and mixes in better than firm. Tofu contains no trans fats.

Tip # 2: Don't go overboard. A little tofu is high in protein and other nutrients, so a little goes a long way toward improving nutrition in baked goods. If too much tofu is used in a baked item, the product will be less than desirable. As a rule of thumb, you can replace from 2 tablespoons to ¼ of the fat in traditional baked items such as cakes and breads with an equal amount of blended tofu. Cookies are another matter. It is generally best to replace less than ¼ of the fat in a cookie recipe with tofu. The best approach is to follow kitchen tested recipes such as those found in Beyond Low Fat Baking: Cancer Fighting Foods for the Millennium, a top selling soyfoods baking book. Other books are available as well.

Tip # 3: Soy flour adds a tremendous amount of nutrients to baked items such as breads, cakes, cookies, and muffins. Soy flour is high protein and potassium and other healthy nutrients, and it is lower in carbs. Soy is a main ingredient in the the Atkin's Diet baking mix. But, be careful and avoid replacing too much traditional flour with soy flour. Soy flour is low in gluten and baked goods will not rise without additions of higher gluten flours such as white or wheat and/or vital wheat gluten. Try replacing from 1-3 tablespoons of regular flour with an equal amount of soy flour. Though a small addition, the benefit will pay off in better health.

Tip # 4: Baked goods with additions of tofu to replace part of the fat will generally brown less than regular items, so be careful and do not over bake. Tofu baked muffins, cakes, and quick breads are moist and will not dry out as quickly as traditional baked goods.

Tip # 5: Do not store fresh baked items in high heat areas such as the backseat of a car in the summer. If in a warm room, it would be preferable to wrap tofu baked items in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Do not keep more than a few days. All fresh items spoil quickly.

Tip # 6: Tofu laced breads are moist and delicious. Try replacing from ¼ to 1/3 of the oil or shortening with silken tofu. Breads will keep longer because they will retain moistness for a longer period of time.

Tip # 7: Tofu can be used to replace up to 1/4 of the cream cheese in many recipes that call for cream cheese, including cheesecake. Simply use a food processor and blend silken tofu and cream cheese until creamy.

Author Resource Box:

Beyond Low-Fat Baking-ISBN 1-881554-03-1 (Skyward Publishing) has easy step-by-step methods for making the best-of-the-best soy-laced baked goods. Every triple-tested recipe passed the taste test of prize-winning cook, Shirleen Sando, a columnist and Founder of Living Healthy Foods, and is one of the Food Detectives, who keep watch on your health. Her mouth-popping gourmet muffins and all-American breads, pies, and pizza are winners. Each recipe speaks TASTE! Order at your favorite bookstore or from all major Internet sites.

###

Follow @lowcarbbread1