Looking for some healthy foods to add to your diet? Check out soy!

Did you know that soy is one of the only plant sources of Omega-3 fatty acids and that using soy meat alternatives will reduce your daily calorie intake? Fortified soy milk also contains calcium and vitamins A and D – just like cow’s milk – but comes without the cholesterol and saturated fat.

These were just some of the things we learned when we took part in a teleconference on the facts and science of soy nutrition. One of the guest speakers was Stacey L. Krawczyk, a Registered Dietician with the National Soybean Research Laboratory, who gave these tips on how to add more soy to your families’ diet.

Substitute the meat: try making a pizza with soy pepperoni, sausage crumbles or bacon. Use soy crumble for tacos, burritos or sloppy joes and try out soy pigs in a blanket. Even simply blending soy meat alternatives with regular meat is a healthier option and is a good source of protein, B vitamins and iron.

Substitute the nut: if you have a peanut allergy, try making soy nut butter sandwiches or spreading it on top of celery. It is made from fresh roasted whole soybeans and each serving contains seven grams of soy protein. Soy nut trail mix is also a delicious alternative to the real thing.

Want to give soy a chance? Try these tasty CF recipes:
• Mini Tacos
• Skillet Meatless Shepherds Pie with Crispy Hash Brown Crust
• Cowboy Sloppy Joes
• Honey Spiced Nut Mix

Or try soy-based products in place of meat in these recipes:
• Ground Pork Burritos with Cheddar and Chipotle
• Delicious Egg Pizza with Pepperoni and Cheese
• Quick Tex-Mex Chili