Spring into Soyfoods Month in April with salads and soy

Madison - April is not only National Soyfoods Month, it’s also the leading edge of salad season.  This year, expand your salad repertoire with main course salad ideas from The Soyfoods Council. Vegetables have stepped into the spotlight as the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that half of our plate be filled with fruits and vegetables. Another of the dietary recommendations is to eat a variety of proteins, including soy products, so what could be better than salad recipes in which vegetables share the bright spot with soy?

Protein-rich Southwest Chopped Chicken Salad combines tofu, edamame, rotisserie chicken, bacon and cheese. The salad also incorporates a rainbow of fruits and vegetables, including avocado, tomato, pineapple and chopped greens. The silken tofu and mayonnaise-based dressing is flavored with barbecue sauce, turmeric, paprika, cider vinegar, liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard.

The Mediterranean Veggie Salad features marinated vegetables—including corn, broccoli, cauliflower, grape tomatoes, celery and red onions—with protein added by a combination of black soybeans and edamame. The salad will also introduce you to a dressing made by combining your favorite Italian dressing mix and soybean oil.

Salad dressings made with soybean oil offer the benefits of soy’s healthy profile. With its low saturated fat content and high polyunsaturated fat content, soybean oil is a perfect fit for heart-healthy diets. Saturated fat raises blood levels of LDL-cholesterol (which is linked to increased heart disease risk) while polyunsaturated fat lowers LDL-cholesterol. In addition to providing the health benefits of consuming oils high in polyunsaturated fat, soybean oil offers the culinary advantages of a neutral taste and higher smoke point.

For more recipe ideas and health information to help you celebrate National Soyfoods Month, visit The Soyfoods Council website at www.thesoyfoodscouncil.com. You’ll also find tips for cooking with soyfoods, new research studies and family-friendly meal ideas.

The Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board (WSMB) is a grassroots, farmer-led organization that leads efforts in soybean research and the expansion of soybean market opportunities. Established in 1983 as part of a Wisconsin-mandated checkoff, the board works every day to maximize the profitability of Wisconsin soybean producers. It builds soybean demand, creates new uses for soybeans, and focuses on soybean disease research. WSMB is committed to providing statewide soy education and outreach programs that inform consumers about the benefits of soy. It offers a comprehensive soy curriculum for educators, and partners with the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom to provide Soybean Science Kits and lessons that increase agricultural literacy.

Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad

Chef Scott Stroud

Dressing:
2 tablespoons Silken Tofu
½ teaspoon Dijon Mustard
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
Dash of liquid smoke
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons barbeque sauce
½ teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon paprika
1 cup mayonnaise

Salad:
8 cups chopped greens
½ cup edamame
¼ cup diced tofu
2 tomatoes, diced
2 avocados, peeled and diced
¼ cup cheddar cheese
¼ cup black olives
¼ cup bacon, fried and crispy
½ cup pineapple
2 cups rotisserie chicken, cooked

For Dressing:
In a blender, add all ingredients except mayonnaise, purée until smooth. Add mayonnaise, pulse to combine. Set aside.

For Salad:
On a cutting board, separately chop all ingredients. In a large salad bowl, add all ingredients. Directly before serving, toss with dressing.

Yield: 8 servings

Mediterranean Veggie Salad

1- 12 ounce package frozen corn, prepared according to package directions
1 cup diced celery
½ cup diced red onion
½ cup sliced black olives
1 cup broccoli florettes
1 cup cauliflowerettes
1- 15oz. can black soybeans, rinsed and drained 
2 cups grape tomatoes cut in half
1-16 ounce package shelled edamame, prepared according to package directions

1 package of zesty Italian dressing mix, prepared according to directions on package, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add all the vegetables, toss together. Add dressing, toss lightly. Cover, place in in refrigerator, to marinate overnight.
Yield: 6-8 servings