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Recipes for Health: Tofu
Though you might not know it from reading the labels at your local market, the health benefits of soy are the subject of some controversy. Numerous studies examining the links between soy consumption and such ailments as heart disease and cancer have produced contradictory results, according to Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition at New York University and the author of "What to Eat," while the science behind many of the studies has been less than compelling.
Still, my favorite soy food, tofu, has a lot to recommend it, wonder food or not. Light and easily digestible, tofu is a fine source of protein, magnesium, iron, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, selenium and copper. This delicate white curd (made from soy milk, in much the way ricotta cheese is made from dairy milk) is a longtime staple of Asian diets. I like the texture, particularly of firm tofu, and the way it absorbs flavors.
For the most part, I use traditional Asian seasonings - ginger and garlic, soy sauce and chile - and stir-fry it. But I love doing novel things with tofu, too, including the marinated grilled tofu below. Later in the week, I'll be scrambling tofu with Mexican ingredients and filling a taco with it. My son and I often eat a simple tofu sandwich on whole grain bread for lunch - the bread spread with mustard, the firm tofu sprinkled with soy sauce and topped with sliced avocado.
Seek out organic tofu. These days, most soybeans are genetically modified, but those varieties generally are not used to make organic tofu.