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" If the word tofu brings to mind hippies and tasteless health food, you&amp;#039;re not alone\u2014but you are missing out on one of the most versatile, good-for-you ingredients. Made from soybeans, water and a coagulant, tofu is high in protein and calcium, and is an all-star at absorbing spices and marinades. Its chameleon-like qualities and nutritional value has made tofu a staple in Asian cuisine for hundreds of years, and popular in vegetarian cooking the world over. Still thinking tofu isn&amp;#039;t for you? We&amp;#039;ve enlisted the help of experts and nutritionists to convince you otherwise.   Myth #1: Tofu is bland. &amp;quot;Probably the biggest misconception about tofu is that it&amp;#039;s bland,&amp;quot; says Megan Tempest, RD, LDN, from the University of Chicago Medical Center. &amp;quot;You can do anything with it; it takes on the flavor of whatever you cook it with.&amp;quot; The key to getting the most flavor, Tempest advises, &amp;quot;is to get out most of the water before you cook it.&amp;quot; Today shownutrition expert Joy Bauer, RD, says that tofu wouldn&amp;#039;t be tasty only &amp;quot;if you didn&amp;#039;t cook it well. It has an odd consistency for those used to meats like pork and chicken, but everyone should give it a shot.&amp;quot;   Myth #2: Tofu doesn&amp;#039;t provide enough nutrients. Don&amp;#039;t worry about losing protein when you leave out the meat. Vegetarians turn to tofu because it&amp;#039;s packed with 10 grams of protein per half-cup serving. Tofu is also a great source of calcium and iron (especially important for women). On average, every 4 ounces offers 35 percent of your daily recommended dose of iron and 10 percent of calcium. Aside from the nutritional benefits, tofu can be a major boost to your weight-loss plan. A half-cup of tofu contains only 94 calories\u2014the same amount of ground beef contains 331 calories; cheese, 320 calories. &amp;quot;Tofu contains no saturated fat and is very low in fat overall,&amp;quot; Tempest says. &amp;quot;It&amp;#039;s high in plant-based soy isoflavones, which have anti-cancer benefits. People in Japan eat tofu almost every day and the country has one of the lowest cancer rates in the world.&amp;quot;   Myth #3: Tofu isn&amp;#039;t good for women. Until recently, soy wasn&amp;#039;t recommended for women with breast cancer or those at high risk of the disease, because of the estrogen-like effect of isoflavones. But Bauer points to the Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study, which found that soy food consumption significantly decreased the risk of death and cancer recurrence among women with breast cancer. Bauer stresses that it&amp;#039;s important to eat whole soy foods (such as tofu and soy milk) rather than isolated soy foods, like soy snack bars.   Myth #4: Tofu is all the same. There are two main kinds of tofu: silken (soft tofu) and regular (which comes in soft, firm and extra-firm varieties). They are made from the same ingredients, but processed slightly differently, and are not interchangeable in a recipe. Tempest says silken tofu has slightly less nutritional value compared to regular tofu, but it&amp;#039;s still good for you. In general, silken tofu has a softer consistency than regular tofu and falls apart more easily. Regular tofu, also called Chinese-style tofu or bean curd, is the most common type; it&amp;#039;s best to cook with the firm or extra-firm varieties. To drain it before cooking, set the tofu in a bowl between paper towels. Press it gently to squeeze out the excess water, or place a lightweight plate on top, allowing it to sit for 15 minutes.   Myth # 5: There aren&amp;#039;t a lot of recipe options. Tofu is one of the most versatile foods you can cook with. Firm tofu can substitute for meats and poultry in most recipes, or can be the star of the meal with the right seasoning and preparation. Here are 10 quick ideas for using both kinds of tofu:   Regular Tofu 1. Stir-fry with veggies and soy sauce and serve over brown rice. 2. Crumble it for a tofu scramble (with or without eggs). 3. Bread it and panfry with oil like a chicken cutlet. 4. Panfry crumbled tofu with taco seasoning to substitute for beef in tacos. 5. For a summer BBQ, marinate extra-firm tofu with barbecue sauce or soy sauce and grill it along with bell peppers, red onion and pineapple.   Silken Tofu 1. Blend dried onion soup mix into it for a healthier version of onion dip. 2. Use it to replace all or part of the cream in cream-based soups. 3. Pur\u00E9e it and substitute for part of the mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese or ricotta cheese in any recipe. 4. Mix it with other ingredients in a food processor to make a salad dressing. 5. Use it to substitute for milk or yogurt in a smoothie.   Recipes to Try: 1. Orange-Soy Tofu Stir-Fry 2. Linguine with Fresh Tomatoes and Tofu 3. Summer Chili 4. Curried Tofu "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips/tips/a4706/the-truth-about-tofu-top-5-myths-dispelled-104586/>