Soy Health Articles . . .

Home : Book & Order Info : Author Bio : Health Benefits : Soy Foods : Soy FAQs : Soy Articles : Soy Recipes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3 REASONS TO TRY TEMPEH - SOY'S SUPER FOOD
includes Tempeh Strips with
Roasted Green Peppers and Sauteed Onions recipe
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By Monique N. Gilbert, B.Sc.

When most people hear soy, they usually think of tofu and soymilk. Soon tempeh (pronounced tem-PAY) will be one of the first soy products to come to mind. It is fast becoming the most popular soy food on the market because it is highly nutritious, easy to digest, and deliciously simple to prepare. In the past five years tempeh has grown so much in popularity that it is now available in the refrigerated section of many supermarkets. Ten years ago it could only be found at health food stores and Asian food markets. While tempeh may be considered new for many, it actually has a long and extensive history dating back more than 2,000 years. Originally developed in Indonesia, it is a traditional fermented soybean product made from cracked, cooked soybeans inoculated with beneficial bacteria to give it a chewy and meaty consistency. It comes in several varieties, either 100 percent soybeans or soybeans combined with one or more grains like rice, millet, or barley.

1. Tempeh is a nutritional super hero. It is high in protein, dietary fiber, iron, potassium, calcium, and phytochemicals like isoflavones. It has been shown to lower cholesterol, high blood pressure and the risk of heart attack and stroke; reduce the risk of some cancers, like colon, breast, ovarian and prostate; ease certain menopausal symptoms; prevent and possibly even reverse the effects of osteoporosis and diabetes. To obtain these protective properties, researchers recommend consuming a minimum of 25 grams soy protein and 30-50 milligrams isoflavones daily. This works out to about 1-2 servings a day. One serving of tempeh, which is 1/2 cup (4 ounces), provides on average 19 grams soy protein, 60 milligrams isoflavones and 7 grams dietary fiber (28% RDA). Tempeh made with only soybeans has more soy protein and isoflavones than those with added grain. Whatever variety you choose, tempeh is the best source and easiest way to get lots of high quality protein, isoflavones and fiber in a minimally processed soy food. Each serving also supplies about 100 milligrams calcium (10% RDA), 550 milligrams potassium (16% RDA), and 5 milligrams iron (30% RDA).

2. Tempeh is a great choice for people who have difficulty digesting plant-based high-protein foods like beans and legumes or soy foods such as tofu. Because tempeh is a fermented soy product, its enzymes are partially broken down, making it easier to metabolize. It does not produce the unpleasant gastrointestinal discomfort and gas that some other plant-based proteins do. This fermentation process actually allows your body to more easily assimilate and absorb tempeh's nutrients. Besides being a terrific cholesterol-free easy-to-digest meat alternative, it is also ideal for people on low sodium diets. Unlike other fermented soy products, like miso which is very salty, tempeh is extremely low in sodium.

3. Tempeh has a pleasant, wonderfully unique nutty/mushroom flavor. It's rich and savory taste and firm texture makes it easy to create fantastic meals without a lot of fuss. It does not need much preparation or cooking time, making it a marvelously healthy fast food. Just add a little soy sauce or liquid hickory smoke seasoning to enhance its flavor. Then stir-fry, saute, microwave, stew or bake it to make a variety of delightful dishes and sandwiches. To make a hearty entree in a short amount of time, all you need is tempeh, onions, mushrooms, peppers, olive oil, liquid seasoning, and some cooked brown rice or pasta. Thinly slice the tempeh. Sprinkle some soy sauce or liquid hickory (or mesquite) smoke seasoning on both sides of the slices. Slice the onions, mushrooms and peppers, and saute in a little olive oil for a few minutes. Add the seasoned tempeh slices and saute until lightly browned. Salt and pepper to taste. Then place everything on a bed of brown rice or pasta, and enjoy!

Copyright © Monique N. Gilbert - All Rights Reserved.


So give tempeh a try. Your body and taste buds will thank you for choosing this delicious and nutritious soy food.

TEMPEH STRIPS WITH
ROASTED GREEN PEPPERS AND SAUTEED ONIONS
___________________________

Tempeh Strips:
4 ounces tempeh (1/2 of an 8-ounce package)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Roasted Green Peppers and Sauteed Onions:
2 roasted green bell peppers cut into strips
2 cups sliced onions (2 large)
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
___________________________

1. Roast the green peppers. Cut peppers in half and remove the seeds and inner membrane. Place peppers on a broiler pan in a toaster-oven and broil until the skin begins to blister and starts to blacken. Place in a covered dish and let peppers steam for about 10 minutes. Then carefully peel away skin and slice into strips. Set peppers aside.
2. While peppers are roasting, cut tempeh into strips 1/4 inch thick and 2 inches long. Sprinkle soy sauce over strips, let sit for 1-2 minutes.
3. Heat 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil in a skillet. Add the seasoned tempeh strips and saute for 1-2 minutes. Flip strips over and saute for another 1-2 minutes or until all sides are lightly browned. Set aside.
4. Heat 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil. Add onions and salt. Saute until onions are slightly translucent. Stir in paprika and roasted pepper strips. Saute for 2 minutes. Then toss in tempeh strips and take off heat. Serve with pasta, couscous or brown rice.
Makes 2-4 servings

This recipe is from Monique N. Gilbert's book
Virtues of Soy: A Practical Health Guide and Cookbook
(Universal Publishers, 2001, p. 130).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Monique N. Gilbert, B.Sc.
_______________________________________________________
 Natural Health Advocate,
 Certified Personal Trainer/Fitness Counselor,
 Vegetarian and Vegan Recipe Developer,
Soy Food Connoisseur,
 Author, Artist and Freelance Writer

Monique began eating a whole grain, vegetable-rich diet as a child. This introduced her to a healthier way of eating and became the foundation of her dietary choices as an adult. She became a full-fledged vegetarian on Earth Day 1990. Over the years she has increased her knowledge and understanding about health and fitness, and the important role diet plays in a person's strength, vitality and longevity. Monique feels it is her mission to educate and enlighten everyone about the benefits of healthy eating and living.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you're serious about enhancing your health and diet,
order your copy of
Virtues of Soy:
A Practical Health Guide and Cookbook

Click here to go to the
Book Description and Ordering Information page
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Copyright © 2000-2011 by Monique N. Gilbert. All Rights Reserved.

Permission must be obtained to use information from this blog.

This blog is only intended to offer health information to help you understand the benefits of a healthy diet and lifestyle. It is not intended to diagnose, dispense medical advise or prescribe the use of diet as a form of treatment for illness without medical approval. In the event you use this information without a health practitioner's approval, you are prescribing for yourself, which is your right. However, the publisher and author assume no responsibility.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~