366 Healthful Ways to Cook Tofu and Other Meat Alternatives

Although health is the main impetus behind this collection, strangely, there's no mention of studies this past summer (reported in the New York Times) showing that a diet including soy protein (according to one, a mere 47 grams or less than two ounces per day) can significantly lower cholesterol. Chef and cooking teacher Robertson has organized her recipes for tofu, tempeh, seitan and TVP (texturized vegetable protein) into chapters on soups and stews, pasta dishes, appetizers, main dish salads, one-dish meals (not to be confused with another section on ""Casseroles, Gratins, and Risottos""), burgers and a catch-all called ""Under Wraps, Stuffed and Skewered"" Best sections are ""Sauteed, Seared, and Grilled"" with recipes like Ginger-marinated Seitan or Lemon Tofu with Almond-Mint Pesto, and ""Stir-Fries"" with Shiitake-Tofu Stir-Fry. Less convincing are those dishes that try to hard to imitate meat standbys (Seitan Pot Roast) or Cassoulet, made with seitan and poached tempeh. Recipes for desserts, a course in which tofu can be made truly delicious, are sorely missed. Because many people have ignored meat substitutes, which have been around since the early '70s, Robertson's scanty introductory materials also seem to be a lost opportunity. (Apr.)