Bean and Soyfood Recipes
While beans are best known as a high protein superfood, they are also high in fiber and antioxidants. The protein in soybeans provides all of the essential amino acids needed in humans. Tofu, a soybean product, is high in iron and low in fat, and is consumed in many parts of the world by vegans as an important protein source.
Some shy away from beans because of digestibility concerns. Soaking most kinds of beans for up to 8 hours helps to soften them and reduce cooking time. Adding sea salt (approximately 1 tsp. per cup of dried beans) when the beans are 75% cooked helps to "diffuse" beans, making them more digestible. Below are some fantastic bean and soyfood recipes provided by Adventist Food Buying club members.
Tofu Scrambled Eggs
a vegan recipe contributed by Mike Echemendia
1 block 16 oz. firm or xtra firm tofu (Soy Boy Firm Tofu is perfect for this)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt or 1 tablespoon shoyu sauce (or soy sauce)
1-2 tablespoons finely chopped onion or 1/4 teaspoon granulated onion
1 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Chop onion. Mash tofu block into a consistency that somewhat resembles cooked scrambled eggs while adding in shoyu sauce, chopped onion, garlic and turmeric. Heat oil in skillet on medium-high. When hot, add tofu with other ingredients mixed in. Stir rather frequently and cook until tofu begins to brown and moisture from tofu is has evaporated. The turmeric turns the tofu yellow, helping to give the final product the look of scrambled eggs. Serve with other breakfast foods, such as fried potatoes, grits, apple sauce, and biscuits, and you can have a great American-style breakfast completely meat and dairy-free!
Lemony Chickpeas
a vegan recipe contributed by Steve and Toni Roberts
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
1 chopped carrot
1 zucchini squash
3 cups cooked chickpeas (or two 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed)
1 cup water
Sea salt to taste
1 tablespoon shoyu sauce (or soy sauce or tamari sauce)
Juice of 1 lemon or some lemon juice
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
a handful of mushrooms (optional) (once we used wild chanterelles, and they turned out great!)
1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat, then cook the onions for a minute, add the carrots and cook together with onions, then add the zucchini squash and cook all together for 2-3 more minutes, or until some onion pieces begin to turn brown. Add the shoyu sauce and stir occasionally. Add the drained, rinsed chickpeas and water and season with salt, then cook for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and flour until well blended and smooth. Whisk several tablespoons of the hot liquid from the chickpeas into the lemon-flour mixture until well-blended. Pour into the chickpeas, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the water is nearly evaporated and the sauce is thickened. Turn the heat off and allow the chickpeas to cool in the skillet. Serve warm or room temperature. Serves 4. Great served over udon noodles or other pasta. Adapted from Little Foods of the Mediterranean, by Clifford A. Wright (Harvard Common Press, 2003).
Tofu Sweet Cream
a vegan recipe contributed by Donna Blankenship
1 block soft tofu
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon agave nectar
½ tsp sea salt
⅓ cup water, about
Blend together tofu, vanilla, agave, water, juice, salt. Chill till thick. Can be used in cooking to substitute for canned milk or as a topping on a desert.