Simplified Holiday Cooking for a Crowd
By The Soyfoods Council
Try out some seasonal recipes consisting of soyfoods, that simplify home entertaining for holiday small gatherings or larger parties. Versatile soyfoods are convenient, high-quality plant protein ingredients, that streamline your time in the kitchen.
Keep soyfoods, such as tofu, soymilk, miso and frozen edamame (fresh green soybeans), on hand during the holidays. They are cholesterolfree, and offer shortcuts for making everything from sauces and dressings, to salads and desserts.
Apricot Miso Sauce is a one-minute wonder, that elevates the simplest no-fuss proteins, such as roasted turkey tenderloin, chicken or pork roast. Make the sauce, by combining a jar of apricot preserves, with two tablespoons of red miso, in a microwavable bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, to make a memorable sauce for drizzling over roasts.
Chafing Dish Meatballs are an updated blastfrom-the past for holiday buffets. Make the meatballs, by combining equal amounts of soy crumbles and ground beef, with breadcrumbs, egg, minced onion and unsweetened soymilk. Soy crumbles lower the cholesterol of the traditional version of these meatballs. The sauce is made with a 12-ounce bottle of chili sauce and a 10-ounce jar of grape jelly.
Nobody goes hungry, when Roasted Cauliflower, Butter Bean and Edamame Salad is part of your party menu. This standout salad is an abundant blend of roasted cauliflower, canned butter beans, frozen shelled edamame, pitted green olives, celery, fresh greens and sliced almonds. If desired, top the salad with grilled salmon or shrimp, beef, chicken, slices of hardboiled eggs or feta cheese crumbles.
Sweet Potatoes with Miso Butter, are the epitome of side dish savvy. They’re high on the presentation scale, but require minimal effort to create. Pierce whole sweet potatoes and microwave them. In a bowl, combine two teaspoons of red or white miso, and two to three tablespoons of butter, for each cooked sweet potato. Microwave the miso butter for 20 to 30 seconds; stir to mix. Microwave for another 10 to 15 seconds, before drizzling over cut sweet potatoes.
Chocolate Soynut Butter Pie and Citrus Tofu Tarts are conversation-starting sweets. They exhibit the holiday spirit, while blazing a new trail of low-effort desserts. Make the Citrus Tofu Tarts with refrigerated, prepared pie crust. The filling is a combination of marshmallow fluff, silken tofu, fresh lemon or orange juice, powdered sugar and egg whites.
For no-bake Chocolate Soynut Butter Pie, start with a pre-made graham cracker pie crust. For filling, blend a package of firm silken tofu, half a cup of soynut butter and half a cup soymilk together. In a microwavable bowl, melt 12 ounces of semisweet chocolate chips, a quarter cup dark chocolate chips and half a tablespoon of butter. Blend melted chocolate into the tofu soynut butter mixture. Pour filling into the pie crust and chill for 12 to 24 hours.
Find the complete recipes in the free new digital cookbook, Just Add Soy, available at thesoyfoodscouncil.com. The website also offers soy cooking tips, more free digital cookbooks to download, updates on soyfoods and your health, and a wide range of easy recipes to simplify your life.
The Soyfoods Council is a non-profit organization, created and funded by Iowa soybean farmers, providing a complete resource to increase awareness of soyfoods, educate and inform media, healthcare professionals, consumers, and the retail and foodservice market, about the many benefits of soyfoods.
Sustainability is a soy tradition. U. S. soybean farmers have practiced sustainable agriculture methods for decades. Currently, 95 percent of U.S. soy growers are committed to sustainable farming practices and partner with the USDA, to implement conservation programs. Soyfoods may play a significant role as a source of protein that minimally contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, in comparison to other protein sources.
