"soy" news and stories

Nothing on this plate is intensely complicated to make, yet everything has wonderfully layered and nuanced flavors. Soy-maple glaze gives a salty-sweet boost to mild tilapia, and a side of udon noodles keep the Asian riff going, especially when tossed with a spicy yuzu dressing. (Yuzu is a tangy, aromatic Japanese citrus fruit; you don't often see it fresh here in the U.S., but you can buy the bottled juice in Asian markets and some health food stores.)

The author used a recipe from Gourmet as his creative springboard but didn't worry about following the instructions to the letter. We encourage you to follow his lead whenever you encounter an interesting recipe: Play with flavor combinations, swap out ingredients, change the cooking method, experiment and explore. Make it your own.

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As one of New York City's most well-appointed concert venues, the Highline Ballroom gets its share of long lines. But the 180 people milling outside its entrance yesterday afternoon hadn't come for the music. They'd come for the soy.

Soy doesn't exactly scream "ruthless fight to the finish," or summon images of a marauding vegetarians. Yet the stakes at the first-ever Tofu Takedown were high enough to inspire even committed bacon lovers to attend the spirited competition, which was organized by Matt Timms, the hungry genius behind the chili, salsa, fondue, cookie and bacon takedowns.

Seventeen amateur cooks gathered in the ballroom to battle it out for tofu supremacy with entries that ranged from so-called "Ethiopian empanadas" to salted caramel tofu gelato. Somewhat surprisingly, sweet far outnumbered savory, demonstrating just how far tofu has come in its role as an ingredient for dessert.

If you know someone who has suffered a stroke, now might be the time to parley the wonders of soy and chickpeas. The BBC reports that a new study conducted at the University of Hong Kong might have found a new stroke fighter -- isoflavone.

The chemical, which is found in soy products and chickpeas, was used in a new trial studying 102 stroke patients. They were split into two groups -- one getting isoflavone in a dietary supplement and one getting merely a placebo. The flow-mediated dilatation of the brachial artery (in the arm) was studied, and after 12 weeks, they found that there was significant improvement in those taking the supplement.

Lead researcher Professor Hung-Fat Tse said it was too early to recommend taking supplements, but it certainly sounds like another reason to add some soy and chickpeas into your diet. Anti-cancer benefits, nutrients ... they're good stuff.

I've always been thankful that I'm not allergic to anything. I breathe a sigh of relief every time I get to say "not that I know of" when the doctor asks if I'm allergic to anything. At the same time, I've always felt really bad for people who do suffer from food allergies. Lactose intolerance? You poor thing! What? You can't eat wheat/bread? I just don't think I could make it.

I realize that if you are one of the people who can't eat certain foods you get used to it and take it in stride. And of course, food labels are enormously useful in helping people avoid those dangerous foods. Even though there are more, manufacturers are required to list the top eight, which are responsible for 90% of allergic reactions. I'm sure all of these look familiar to any careful label reader!

1. wheat
2. soy
3. peanuts
4. tree nuts (almonds, walnuts, etc)
5, milk
6. eggs
7. fish
8. shellfish