Are you against eating tofu? This week’s newsletter discusses some potential dangers compared to potential health benefits of tofu. Where do you stand with tofu?

Plus…

🍽️ White Asparagus with Smoked Salmon and Garlic Aioli

🍽️ The Gut-brain connection

🍽️ Mustard-Roasted Cauliflower!

Healthy News Dose

Can You Eat Too Much Tofu?

I am on the fence about tofu.

Have you heard concerns that tofu contains relatively high quantities of isoflavones, which are compounds that are structurally similar to estrogen?

Have you also heard that tofu serves as a high-protein source of nutrition which includes all nine of the essential amino acids that humans need for survival?

What gives--Is tofu good for us, or not?

The New York Times recently published a summary of the health benefits associated with consuming tofu.

With regards to isoflavones, this finding fueled some earlier claims that the consumption of tofu negatively affects fertility, and can even promote the development of female characteristics in men…The article notes that there little direct evidence that the regular consumption of tofu does either of these things.

For example, some cultures have been eating tofu since it was invented during the Chinese Han dynasty, or roughly 2000 years ago!

On the positive side, tofu might have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that further benefit your health. Even the American Cancer Society includes soy-based foods like tofu as a healthy part of a balanced diet!

In any event, let us know where you stand with tofu! Do you eat tofu regularly?

What Happens to Your Brain on Fermented Foods?

Have you heard of the “microbiota gut-brain axis”?

This refers to the multi-directional signaling system and links that exist between your gastrointestinal tract and your nervous system!

A recent study from Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews highlights the potential benefits that fermented foods might have on mental health, given their ability to impact this microbiota gut-brain axis.

So, your gut microbiome can really impact your mental health, and fermented foods may have the potential to reduce feelings like depression of anxiety by modulating the microbiota gut-brain axis signals.

Sounds like a ‘no-brainer’ right?

If you are curious about fermenting foods at home but aren’t quite sure where to start try our Easy Fermentation Kits TODAY!

The Cooking Corner

White Asparagus with Smoked Salmon and Garlic Aioli 

I came across this dish on a restaurant menu and decided to make it for a fancy side dish at home. You can skip the smoked salmon if you don’t eat fish!

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch white asparagus, ends trimmed and peeled

• 4 oz smoked salmon, finely-sliced

• A few fresh dill fronds

• 1 whole egg

• Zest of 1 lemon

• Juice of ½ lemon

• ¼ tsp Kosher salt

• 2 raw garlic cloves

• 1 cup sunflower seed oil

Instructions:

1. Trim the ends off the asparagus, and peel the ends of the stalks with a vegetable peeler.

2. Boil the asparagus in salted water.

3. When the asparagus are tender and cooked-through completely, set them aside.

4. Prepare your garlic aioli by blending together the whole egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, Kosher salt, garlic cloves, and sunflower seed oil, until you reach a mayonnaise consistency.

5. Spread the aioli on the bottom of the plate, in addition to a piece of the cooked asparagus.

6. Top the asparagus with a slice or two of smoked salmon, in addition to some fresh fill fronds.

Chef’s Word of the Week:

Do you know what the “Chalazae” is in an egg? This white-colored string connects the egg yolk to the top and bottom of the shell membrane, essentially anchoring the yolk in the center of the white.

The chalazae are especially notable in fresh eggs, and can make separating your egg yolks from the whites much more difficult.

When separating eggs, I’ll often use my hands, transferring the yolks gently back and forth between each hand. You can pinch the chalazae in between your fingers as you pass the egg from one hand to another, and it should pull away from the yolk, leaving you with perfectly-separated eggs.

I learned this technique from a gluten-free chef in Spain who had me crack about 200 eggs for a GF souffle recipe into a giant bowl, and then separate all the yolks by hand—this chef would not tolerate any chalazae attached to the separated egg yolks!

Upgrade your plate…

Mustard-Roasted Cauliflower!

I love a simple roasted cauliflower, cooked in the oven with a bit of oil, and seasoned with Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper.

Once in a while, I like to mix things up with my roasted vegetables. For this recipe, try mixing one head of cauliflower florets with a few Tablespoons of sunflower seed oil and a few Tablespoons of yellow mustard, some Kosher salt, and a dash of sweet pimentón or paprika.

Roast in the oven under high heat until the cauliflower takes on some color, or about 25 minutes!

Ready to try something new for spring? How about joining our 30-day gluten-free challenge. We’ve made gluten-free easy for you with meal plans, shopping lists and a TON of recipes to indulge in!

Try it here today 🙂 

Andy G

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