Tofu: Should I eat it?

Soy products are now being highly criticized as being unhealthy for you when just a short time ago soy milk, soy formula and almost any soy product was touted as being a healthy option. Now it is bad for you. So confusing, right? So what is the deal? Do I eat soy products? I do, but in moderation. I eat tofu about once a week, miso, tempeh, and tamari soy sauce. The biggest issue with soy is that over 90% of soy is GM (genetically modified) and is heavily sprayed with pesticides. When I buy tofu, I choose organic and one that has been labeled as not containing any GMO ingredients. Miso, tempeh and soy sauce are all fermented soy products, which is very different from the processed products that contain TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) or soy lecithin. The products you want to avoid are: soybean oil, soy milk, soy cheese, soy "meat", soy protein, edamame and soy infant formula. You can read more information at: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/09/18/soy-can-damage-your-health.aspx


Here is my new favorite tofu salad. The dressing is zesty and delicious and I love the spicy arugula with the avocado, probably one of my favorite foods on the planet! Enjoy.

Tofu Avocado Salad

2 T Brown Rice Syrup or Honey

1 T soy sauce

14 oz. extra firm tofu

1 t seeded jalapeno

Zest of one lemon

1 T lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

2 T olive oil

1 t red wine vinegar

¼ t salt

½ t ground pepper

½ cup  parsley

2 cups baby Arugula

 1 avocado

½ cup sunflower seeds

Combine brown rice syrup and soy sauce in a small bowl. Whisk well to combine. Lay the tofu cubes in a single layer in a casserole dish. Pour soy mixture over tofu, cover and marinate in fridge for 30 minutes. Flip cubes over with spatula and marinate for 30 minutes.

Combine jalapeno, lemon zest and juice, garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and black pepper in medium bowl. Whisk together well to combine and set aside so flavors combine well.

After tofu is done marinating, remove from fridge and drain off any liquid. Toss together arugula and parsley. Place arugula on plates and drizzle with dressing. Top with tofu, avocado and sunflower seeds.