Tofu-rific!

Just got home from dinner with my dietitian pal, Jess, and in true dietitian fashion, we had plenty of veggies and tofu! Now, I hear what you're thinking.... tofu? eww! And for the most part, I would've agreed with you, however, it really is dependent on how you cook/prepare it as to how palatable it ends up being. I've tried this soybean-derived food in all shapes and consistencies, but for the most part, it seems that extra firm tofu seems to be best at absorbing other flavors and has an agreeable texture. Try tofu in egg scrambles, stir fry's, soups, casseroles, etc! the list goes on and on! I've had a hard time with tofu just on its own and in the block-like shape, however, if you like it, great! Kudos to you! If you haven't tried it, google a recipe and give it a go! You've got nothing to lose! In comparison to meat, it is cheaper, incredibly versatile, low in the bad saturated fats, and lower in calories, while adding a great bulk to your meal, plus you're helping out the environment because the production costs are much lower.

Super creepy facts: It takes about 16lbs of grain to make one pound of beef and livestock are responsible for 18% of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming. That's more than cars, planes, and other transport combined! Now, I realize I just posted a grass-fed beef recipe two posts ago, so let me explain. By buying locally and grass-fed, there was much less production that went into my cut of meat. Lean beef and other meats are also excellent sources of protein, iron, riboflavin, and vitamin B12 (lacking in vegetarian foods).

Tofu is an excellent source of vegetarian protein with 1/2 cup firm (or 4 oz) tofu providing 10g protein, 94 calories, 5g fat (can find low-fat versions), and is naturally, cholesterol free since it is not animal derived. Other mentionables are the calcium- 227mg or 22% of the RDA, and iron- 1.8mg (although iron found in red meat will be more bioavailable).