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December 1, 2000/Kislev 10, 5761, Vol. 53, No.10
Soy delicious
Chef, author spreads message about benefits of 'dream product'
TAMI BICKLEY
Associate Editor
Patricia Greenberg |
Want to sink your teeth into a juicy cheeseburger? Or enjoy cream in your coffee following a fleishig (meat) meal?
If you observe kashrut, you may balk at the thought. But, according to dietician, chef and author Patricia Greenberg, the incorporation of soy into the diet is the secret to expanding kosher culinary possibilities.
"Soy is like a dream product for anyone who is kosher," says Greenberg, who has published two books, "The Whole Soy Cookbook" (Random House, $16 paperback), and most recently, "Soy Desserts: Fresh, Fun & Fabulously Healthy Recipes" (Regan Books, $25 hardcover).
"A wide variety of milk, meat and cheese substitutes made from soy (are pareve)."
Greenberg, a former Phoenician who now lives in Los Angeles, has been a dietician for 15 years. In 1990, she delved into vegetarian nutrition and became aware of the health benefits, convenience and versatility of soy food products.
Now she travels throughout the country to promote awareness of the benefits of soy. Wednesday, Dec. 6, Greenberg will visit Phoenix to talk about soy and teach a soy cooking class at Sweet Basil's Gourmet (see event box for details).
Soy, Greenberg says, has not only helped to broaden choices for those who keep kosher, but has opened doors for vegetarians and people who want to better their health through eating less animal protein, saturated fat and cholesterol.
Although certain areas of the world are slower to embrace soy, she notes, its proliferation in the United States has been "explosive" over the past several years.
"Both coasts ... seem to be more receptive to using vegetarian alternatives to meat products (than the Midwest)," she explains. "What I find fascinating is that Illinois is the largest producer of soybeans in the world ... yet they eat the least amount of soy food."
Substituting soy for animal protein, or at least incorporating soy into the diet, has been shown to decrease the risk of heart disease, cancer, digestive disorders, diabetes, and can reduce side effects of menopause, says Greenberg. She recommends that adults consume seven to 10 servings of soy each week, and that the soy come from food rather than artificial products such as pills and powders, which are not proven to be safe.
Although soy has been touted as a miracle food for people with myriad health concerns, certain sources allege that it can be unsafe for children and cause infertility in women. Greenberg disputes those reports, adding that soy intake, if kept under 10 servings a week and consumed in food form, is not harmful.
"When (people) say soy is bad for children or fertility, it's actually the amount that's the problem," she says. "If you eat soy protein powder, soy pills or baby formulas that have huge amounts of isoflavones (derivative of soy), you may be consuming anywhere from three to four times the recommended dosage for adults - or when given to a child, can be 10 or 15 times the recommended amount. Then it can potentially be a problem, as with any other food product.
"If a child or adult is eating soy foods (within recommended limits), there is absolutely no danger in it."
Consumers can fit soy into their diets through soy meats (called "analogs"), soy milk, soy nuts and butters, soy "dairy" products, tofu and tempeh.
In "Soy Desserts," Greenberg provides recipes for baked goods and other sweets, all which include variations of soy products. The introduction explains the pros of soy substitution, plus soy-based products that can substitute for foods such as cream, white flour and eggs. The book also includes names, addresses, phone numbers and Web sites of companies throughout the country that specialize in soy and vegetarian food products. All of the companies listed are certified kosher.
Most soy-based products are kosher naturally, says Greenberg, but not every company pays for a hechsher (stamp of kosher certification).
"Tofu, for example, doesn't need a hechsher, but it's nice to have one," she explains. "Someone who is very strict will not buy anything without one. There is some concern that the soy product was made on (machinery) that (came in contact with non-kosher products)."
Greenberg - a longtime vegetarian - has kept a kosher home since marrying her husband, Aaron Grunfeld, more than two years ago. Soy has "played a huge role" in helping the couple adhere to both dietary lifestyles, she says.
Food and its preparation are Greenberg's lifelong passion. She earned a bachelor's degree in nutrition and food science at Queen's College in New York. In 1985, she moved to Phoenix, where she taught nutrition at Scottsdale Community College. In 1993, she moved to Los Angeles to teach at the Los Angeles Culinary Institute.
Now a national spokeswoman for the soy industry, Greenberg owns and operates the Fitness Gourmet, a catering and consulting firm that focuses on vegetarian and low-fat cooking classes.
As she travels around the nation to offer tips on cooking and baking with soy, she receives an outpour of positive feedback, she says.
"People say soy has opened up a new world for them."
In the works for Greenberg now is a third book, a comprehensive vegetarian cookbook that will focus on "foods that heal and that focus on preventative medicine."
If you go...
Patricia Greenberg will talk about the benefits of soy and demonstrate soy-based recipes at a cooking class 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, at Sweet Basil's Gourmet, 10701 N. Scottsdale Road, #101, Scottsdale.
The class, which is open to the public, includes instructions on how to shop, store, plan and cook meals around soy. Participants may sample recipes and purchase Greenberg's books. For reservations, call 480-596-5628. |
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