Tasty Tofu: 5 Yummy Ways to Include More Tofu Into Your Diet

Hey guys! Below is a guest post for you from Virginia Cunningham, all about the different ways you can ease tofu into your diet! I think she's got some pretty nifty ideas, so check it out!

When many think of tofu, they may not see it as having much personality, but it's bland appearance makes it deceptive!

Pressed curd extracted from ground soy beans, tofu has an almost endless variety of applications. It's high in protein -- more than 2 grams per ounce -- for some varieties, and contains an abundance of healthy fats. Besides the more common dishes tofu can be used in, like stir fry, it can be used in salad dressings, tacos and quesadillas, pesto, curry, marinade, desserts, smoothies and so much more! It's also an effective thickening agent, which makes it a great substitute for cream, eggs and cheese.

{Wanna learn a cool way to press tofu? Click here to see the pressed tofu I made!}

Here are some unique and simple ways to incorporate tofu into your diet:

Pumpkin Tofu Curry

I absolutely love pumpkin season and this recipe is delicious! To make this dish, saute an onion in olive oil then add 2 cups of vegetable broth, a can of coconut milk, a can of pumpkin (15 ounces), 2 tsps of both cumin and curry and pepper to taste.

Afterwards, mix up the cubed, sauteed tofu and enjoy. You can also add carrots and potatoes or any other veggie you’d like and serve over rice. Mmm delicious! This looks gorgeous, and really yummy, especially presented in an empty pumpkin shell, and it's also amazingly simple.  

Tofu Quesadillas

 No matter what time of the day it is, a warm quesadilla is a meal or snack I always crave. To make this, marinate strips of tofu for several hours (the marinade can be anything you like; I prefer to use olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, pepper and a splash of soy sauce), then broil (flipping once) until the edges are crispy. Throw them into a tortilla and add your favorite cheese, heated black beans (add some cumin and hot sauce to heat things up), then fold it all up and heat in an unoiled frying pan until the tortilla gets crispy and the cheese is melted! Absolutely delicious, and loaded with protein and fiber!  

As an alternative to marinating strips of tofu, try chopping it up into tiny tiny pieces, then saute at high temperature with onions, garlic and other spices. The consistency will end up resembling taco meat, which works incredibly well in a quesadilla or burrito.

Marinade

 Another one of my favorite ways to add tofu into my diet is to use extra firm tofu. Once you have pressed all of the water out, you can then make your own marinade with fresh pressed ginger and garlic, soy sauce, and a splash of spicy szechuan sauce. An easy way is to just pan fry it with veggies and sometimes veggie dumplings (I like the ones from Trader Joes... but will learn to make my own someday).

Tofu Fingers 

(similar to chicken fingers)

 For this snack, I use tofu that's been frozen. Once it’s thawed, slice it into triangles, rectangles or whatever shape you prefer. Next I dip them in egg, cover them with bread crumbs, cumin, garlic and onion powder, or whatever flavor I'm in the mood for, then bake them in the oven until the edges turn into a nice brown.

They taste great dipped in barbeque or honey mustard sauce or whatever you prefer. They have the texture of chicken fingers and are extremely tasty!

Salad Dressing

 This is one of the easiest ways I've found to use tofu. Purée silken tofu with basil and a clove of garlic, then drizzle on your salad and you're done!

The examples used above are great ways to incorporate this protein packed food into your diet. It absorbs the flavors of the ingredients it’s paired with, and works in a variety of cooking methods. It's amazingly versatile and adaptable nature makes it one of my favorite foods!

Virginia Cunningham is a health enthusiast and mother of three living in Southern California. As a health writer, and in collaboration with NorthWest, she loves being able to share recipes, fitness tips and educate others about their personal wellness. 

Guest Post: Career Opportunities in Nutrition

Hi everyone! Today I have another guest post for you from Heather! Heather will be talking to you about some different career opportunities you can take within the health & nutrition field today - something I definitely think is important to know. This is perfect for anyone interested in pursuing nutrition as a full time job. Take it away, Shana!

If you're someone who enjoys looking and feeling good and helping others to do the same, a career in wellness may be right up your alley. Whether you are into eating nutritious food, helping to get the kinks out of someone's sore muscles or pushing people to the peak of physical endurance, you can find an outlet for your interests in an alternative health care career. There are also plenty of career opportunities in the world of traditional health care.

Nutritionist
As a nutritionist, your main job function is to get people to think about the relationship between what they put into their bodies and how they typically feel. Anyone can catch a cold or be down with the flu, but when someone is feeling tired and sluggish most of the time, it's a pretty sure bet their diet is suspect. Most of the time, you will work with clients who seek out your services, such as those who want to lose weight. You may also encounter people in the hospital who don't want to hear what you have to say. In either case, talking to someone about their diet can be a sensitive topic, so the perfect blend between light-heartedness and firmness will be essential in this career.

If you're really into the food and body connection, consider taking your career further and becoming a registered dietician. In this role, you would be responsible for planning menus for schools, hospitals, nursing homes, child care centers or other large institutions.

Personal Trainer

Working as a personal trainer gives you the opportunity to develop close relationships with your clients. They come to you because they want to get in shape and need your help to do it. As you push them to reach their fitness goals, they may claim that they hate you for it, but you should never take such an admonishment seriously. Personal trainers help to hold people accountable for their health and fitness goals when all they may want to do is curl up with a bag of potato chips.

As a personal trainer, you will most likely work for a commercial workout facility, although self-employment is a distinct possibility. With the second option, you may meet clients at your own fitness facility or travel to work with them at their homes.

Massage Therapist
When people get sore from the strains of everyday life or from following an exercise plan, a massage therapist is just the person they want to see. As a massage therapist, you will use a variety of different techniques to help alleviate pain and pressure for your clients. You may be employed in private practice, as a member of a sports organization or in a hospital or nursing home. In order to obtain the best results from massage, your patients typically meet with you on a regular schedule that the two of you determine together.

As a trained massage therapist, you need to be comfortable working with people in an intimate setting. After all, your patients won't feel the effect of a massage very well dressed in a suit and tie.

Traditional Health Care
If you're really into the health field, you don't have to limit yourself to only alternative health practices. There are plenty of opportunities available in traditional health care settings for people who have a desire to help others feel better. Some of the options available to you include becoming a doctor or registered nurse, a nurse's assistant, going into a specialty field like radiology or ultrasound technician and numerous other possibilities.


About Heather

Heather Physioc is the Website Manager for Beauty Schools Directory, a site that matches aspiring cosmetology students with the school of their dreams. Contact Heather or Beauty Schools Directory for all your cosmetology education, licensing and career needs.

Guest Post: Work It Out!

Hi everyone! Today we have a guest post from Carolina over at Peas in a Blog! I was happy when she contacted me about guest posting, and guess what? I'm guest posting over at her blog today as well, so head on over and check it out! Meanwhile, enjoy her lovely post about working out on a time crunch! Thanks Carolina!

Hello there Passing Daisies readers! My name is Carolina & I co-write Peas in a Blog with my best friend Katie. Our blog focuses on vegetarian food & fitness. Both Katie & I love to work out, so when Rachael asked me to write a post about my favorite workouts I jumped at the chance.

I know what you’re thinking, sometimes we don’t have the time a lot of time to work out. Whether we’re working long hours, going to grad school or taking care of a family, time can be tough to come by most days. The good news is that you don’t need a lot of time to get a great workout – if you have 30 minutes you can squeeze in a good work out session. Below are our favorite workouts to do when we’re crunched for time:

CrossFit

Have you seen the Reebok CrossFit commercials on TV lately? It seems everywhere you turn there’s a new CrossFit gym popping up, what’s with the craze? I’ll tell you: All CrossFit workouts are 25 minutes or less. They are high intensity, work your entire body & always have modifications so no matter your fitness level you can enjoy Crossfit. I’ve been doing CrossFit for about 8 months now & love it – it’s made me stronger, pushes me to go all out during work outs & I’m seeing results. Below is a quick 15 minute CrossFit workout you can do at home, I call it the Kacie after one of the girls I do CrossFit with. It’s quick but makes you work up a sweat, you feel pumped after you’re done!

Running

What’s so great about running? For starters, it’s free & you can’t beat that. It’s great for your heart, keeps you fit & in shape year round. All you need is running shoes & you’re good to go! I’m an outdoor runner but whenever I’m trying to squeeze in a short but challenging run I hit the treadmill. By controlling the incline & the speed you can get a great interval workout in just 20 minutes.  Wake up a little early & knock out this run before work:

Yoga

When you think of yoga you think of one hour long classes at a studio right? That doesn’t have to be the case, truth is you can do yoga for 30 minutes & still reap all its benefits. Whenever I don’t have time to hit my local yoga studio I pull out my yoga mat at home & do either an Exercise TV free yoga class (most are 30 minutes or less) or a yoga class from Fitness Class, an app available for iPads with several yoga classes (also great for arms, legs & core classes). I love starting or ending my day with yoga, workout & relaxation in one – talk about a time saver!

These are just a few of my favorite workouts but you get the idea: If you have 30 minutes in the day you can find a way to incorporate workouts. I hope this post has inspired you to give something new a try (like CrossFit) & discover you’re stronger than you are. Or to lace up your shoes & head out for a run. Or perhaps to set time aside to clear your mind & stretch your body with yoga. I would love to hear what are your favorite workouts? Do you have any tips to squeeze in a workout when you’re crunched for time? Let’s hear them!

About Carolina

Carolina is a marketing professional and a graduate student. She is a fitness and vegetarian food connoisseur who loves to cook, run & practice yoga. Along with her best friend, she writes about vegetarian fare and fitness adventures at Peas in a Blog. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook or contact Carolina by email at thecooks@peasinablog.com

Guest Post: Apricot Oat Bars

Hey guys! Today I have a guest post for you from Annie over at Naturally Sweet Recipes - she and her sisters have the most ADORABLE site! They only post recipes that are sugar free, so for those of you who want to watch your sugar, be sure to check their blog out! Now, without further ado... please welcome Annie!

Hello, Passing Daisies readers! I’m Annie from Naturally Sweet Recipes and I’m so happy to guest post for Rachael! She’s got an amazing blog and I’m thrilled to have the chance to be a part of it!

I share Naturally Sweet Recipes with my 2 lovely sisters, Holly and Chelsea.  We share a common love of good food, but more particularly delicious sweets and desserts! As we’ve experienced some health challenges and learned about healthy eating, we’ve adapted lifestyle habits for better health and well being. This has led us to cook with whole, natural ingredients and bake with natural sweeteners. Naturally Sweet Recipes was born out of a love of baking and cooking and a passion for natural clean eating.

Today, I wanted to share a recipe I made when I first started going sugar free and eating more natural foods. It’s a recipe that was inspired by the food network star Giada De Laurentiis.  Apricot bars are a delicious sweet treat that are loaded with nuts, grains and fruit. Using natural sweeteners, they become pretty healthy! Add a good measure of cinnamon and vanilla and these bars are scrumptious and a bit addicting too!

Apricot Oat Bars
(adapted from Giada De Laurentiis)

Filling:
1 1/4 cups (13-ounces) sugar free or naturally sweetened Apricot Jam
10 Dried Apricots, chopped coarsely
1 teaspoon Honey

Crust:
1 3/4 cups Spelt Flour
3/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon (divided) Coconut Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon Sea or Pink Salt
3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 3/4 cups plus 1 Tablespoon Oats
3/4 cup coarsely Chopped Walnuts
2/3 cup Honey
1 cup Coconut Oil or unsalted Butter, melted
1 beaten Large Egg, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
Optional: 1 Tablespoon flax seed

1. Start by mixing your filling of the apricots, jam and honey in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
2.For the crust, mix together your flour, 3/4 cup coconut sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, oats and walnuts. Stir in your honey. 
3. Add the melted coconut oil or butter, beaten egg and vanilla and stir until well combined. 
4. Spray a 7 by 11 or a 9 by 13 baking dish. With clean fingers, press half of the crust mixture firmly in the bottom of your baking dish. Spread your apricot jam filling all over the crust.
5. Cover the apricot filling with the remaining crust mixture and press lightly to flatten and firm. Sprinkle on bars 1 teaspoon of coconut sugar. 
6. Bake at 350 for 28-30 minutes. Let cool for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Thanks so much, Annie!

If anyone else is interested in writing a guest post for me, or would like me to write a guest post for them. please email me at rachael[at]passingdaisies[dot]net! I can't wait to hear from you all and I would love to feature as many of you as possible!

Much love, 

[Guest Post] International Flare: Quick Easy Dinner Ideas for the Winter Table

Hey everyone! I was recently contacted by a reader about writing a guest post for the site - of course I said yes! Please welcome Melissa C, she writes about about food for the Blog Content Guild. Enjoy her post!

Winter is finally here and nothing comforts like a warm plate of hearty root vegetables. This season let them shine as a main course and not just a side dish by giving them some international flavor with this quick easy dinner recipe.

If the house is a little nippy and you want to make it toasty, roast root vegetables in the oven with herbs and oil for a lovely vegan side dish. If you have extra time, though, slow cooking in a crock-pot is a great way to yield the perfect consistency and robust flavors of your ingredients. And, as a bonus, they both save for leftovers nicely.

Maybe you’re planning something special and you want to incorporate an exotic zing, try this recipe for winter root vegetable curry.

Note: This image is not a replica of the recipe below. Image source.

Winter Root Vegetable Curry
6 cloves of garlic
1 (2-inch) chunk, peeled fresh ginger
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
4 tbs. coconut oil
2 tsp. Madras-style curry powder
1 c. canned, diced tomatoes
1 1/2 c. plain coconut yogurt
1 c. water
2 turnips, cubed
2 large carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 butternut squash, seeded and cubed
1 sweet potato, cubed
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 lemon, juiced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Serve with favorite rice, maybe Basmati or Jasmine

Puree the garlic and ginger in a mortar and pestle or mini food processor and set aside. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet and add onion, stir till golden and translucent. Stir in bay leaf, curry powder, cinnamon, ginger-garlic paste and let combine for about a minute then add tomatoes and yogurt. Let this cook, while stirring for a good 7-9 minutes. Now it’s time to add the vegetables, water and salt and pepper, bring to a boil, then cover and lower a tad to a simmer, stirring occasionally for another 10 minutes. Go ahead and add the chickpeas, bring to a boil again and season the dish with curry and lemon juice. Serve over cooked rice and enjoy!

There are any number of variations you can make to this dish with different winter veggies based on availability. Just note to add them for the appropriate cook time. Quick easy dinner recipes like this one are fun and great crowd pleasers; try this one tonight!
-----
Thanks again, Melissa!

I think the idea of hosting guest bloggers is a fabulous idea, and recently I have been under so much stress from school that I have barely had time to keep up with the site. Because of that, I am currently looking for some people to write some guest blogs for me! Topics can be anything you want, although seeing as it is nearing Christmas, holiday/seasonal posts would be great! Please email me if you are interested in writing! Thanks so much!

Much love,