Disclosure: I serve as a Brand Ambassador for the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board helping to share the story of our Arkansas soybean farmers. All opinions are my own. #ARSoyFoods #ARSoyStory #giveaway
It’s National Soy Foods Month, a time when I like to highlight the many ways soy products are used in our everyday meals. And there are many.
Soybean Oil:
Take a look at that bottle of vegetable oil in your pantry. It’s highly likely that the first ingredient listed will be soybean oil, the number one source for cooking oil and the most widely used edible oil in the US. Because soybean oil has a neutral flavor profile, it is widely used throughout the food products industry. Check out the labels on your favorite snacks, baked goods and salad dressings. Chances are some form of soy, especially soybean oil, will be listed there.
Soybean oil is low in saturated fat, contains no trans-fat and is high in poly and monounsaturated fats.
Soy foods products:
(to name only a few)
- tofu
- soy burgers
- soy veggie hot dogs
- soy cheese
- soymilk
- soy chips
- soy trail mix
- soy frozen yogurt
- soy nut butter
- soy nut creamer
- nondairy frozen desserts
- soy sauce
- miso
- dried soybeans
- edamame
Soyfoods are:
- nutrient rich with no cholesterol
- packed with protein
- contain all essential amino acids
- low in saturated fat
Edamame:
One of our favorite soy foods products is edamame, green soybean pods or seeds, whether as a snack by themselves or used in recipes. Edamame are definitely real stars in the legume family as they pack a powerful nutritional punch. Just 1/2 cup of edamame contains
- 120 calories
- 9 grams fiber
- 2.5 grams fat
- 1.5 grams polyunsaturated fat (0.3 grams plant omega-3 fatty acids)
- 0.5 gram monounsaturated fat
- 11 grams protein
- 13 grams carbohydrate
- 15 mg sodium
- 10% of the Daily Value for vitamin C
- 10% Daily Value for iron
- 8% Daily Value for vitamin A
- 4% Daily Value for calcium
Did you know that Mulberry, Arkansas is home to the first edamame processing plant in the United States?
Edamame are a different variety than the field variety of soybeans, Arkansas’ second-highest-valued agricultural commodity behind poultry and its most valuable crop at nearly $1.5 billion in 2011, according to a report from the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Research and Extension. Typically 3.5 million acres of soybeans are planted each year in our state.
Edamame Salad:
We love this versatile salad. It’s delicious served chilled or at room temperature making it a perfect dish for your spring and summer potlucks and picnics. It improves with age so making it ahead is preferable. It’s easy to make it to suit your own personal tastes, but I suggest you start with my basic recipe and go from there. Plus, it keeps for several days.
It’s the featured recipe on my THV11 segment this week.
Ingredients
- 3 baby cucumbers, halved and sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices
- 1 small red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 package shelled edamame, cooked in microwave
- 2 cups frozen whole kernel corn
- 1/4 cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- in a resealable bowl, place cucumber slices, red onion, red bell pepper and kosher salt. Allow to stand at room temperature for 1-2 hours. Rinse; drain well and return to bowl,
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn and allow to slightly char, stirring 1-2 times, about 5-8 minutes.
- Cook edamame in the package in the microwave; allow to cool.
- In a small bowl, combine rice wine vinegar, oil, sugar, salt and pepper. Whisk well.
- Add corn and edamame to cucumber mixture, stirring to combine. Pour dressing over all and adjust seasonings.
- Stir in parsley.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
