Celebrate Soyfoods Month with Your Favorite Soy Dish

MANKATO, MN (04/05/2010)(readMedia)-- Minnesotans have good reason to celebrate National Soyfoods Month (April) as the state ranks third in national soybean production. Approximately 264 million bushels of soybeans were produced in 2008, translating to about $2.8 billion in cash receipts and another $1.7 billion from exports. Minnesota agriculture is the second largest employer in the state; each production job supports another 1.5 jobs in other economic sectors.

In this spirit, let's raise a toast to our state soyfood producers. Whether it's with a chilled soy smoothie or a mug of hot chocolate soymilk is up to you. Fortunately, soyfoods are versatile, providing many options for every season.

Soybeans, for instance, can be cooked into chili, stews, or hot dishes. Yet, they can also be tossed into bean salads or pureed into bean dips. Edamame, sweet green soybeans, are especially at home in layered pasta and vegetable salads, but they are good in hot pasta dishes or casseroles, too. Soynuts-roasted, salted soybeans-are equally at home sprinkled over salads or soups. They are also a tasty, nutritious addition to morning bowls of oatmeal or a lighter fruit-and-yogurt parfait.

Soymilk-the liquid that is drained from cooked and pressed soybeans-is a cool and refreshing drink on its own. It also adds creaminess (without the cream) to a warming spring soup or cool summer smoothie. Tofu, another soybean byproduct, can be blended into a no-cook pudding, dip, or salad dressing or chopped and tossed into a satisfying stir-fry.

Second-generation soyfoods such as soy "burgers," "hot dogs," and "sausages" easily adapt to changing weather. Grilling a soy burger can be a great way to kick off grilling season, but cooler days may call for soy "crumbles" layered in lasagna.

So with a variety of options available at your local grocery store, be sure to serve soyfoods this April however you enjoy them best.

The Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council is made up of an elected board of 15 soybean producers from across the state. The mission of the council is to invest soybean checkoff dollars in well-defined research, marketing, education and commercialization programs designed to increase demand and thereby improve the profitability of Minnesota's soybean farmers.