Soy Curls: Who Knew?

Soy Curls with Cashew Milk

A few months ago Joy and I attended a vegan cooking class, where we were introduced to a delightful new food, soy curls.  Living in a vegan food dessert as we do, we have been unable to find these locally, so recently I ordered a bag of Butler Soy Curls from Amazon.com so we could try the recipe that we had been served that day.  The recipe -- Soy Curls with Cashew Milk -- made a strong first impression on us at the cooking class, and we were pleasantly surprised that we were able to duplicate and enjoy the dish at home.

First, a word about soy curls for those who don't know what they are.  Soy curls are a natural meat alternative made from soy beans. The particular brand we used, Butler's, are made from non-GMO whole soybeans grown without pesticides. Click HERE to read more about this delicious product and how soy curls are made.

Soy curls are easy to use and a versatile substitute for meat in many dishes. To prepare them for recipes, merely soak in hot water for 10 minutes, rinse, and squeeze out the excess liquid. Then season as desired or use in place of meat in your favorite dish. It's that simple. Extra soy curls not needed for your recipe can be stored in the fridge for future use. For more information on preparing them, click HERE.

Now that we've used them to make the dish above -- a sort of vegan chicken Alfredo -- we are eager to try them in stir-fry dishes and to make barbecue sandwiches! Click HERE for recipes from ButlerFoods.com.

The recipe for Soy Curls with Cashew Milk, pictured above, was adapted from the Give Them Something Better Cookbook, which we purchased at the cooking class, conducted by the director of the Hartland Lifestyle Center and students of Hartland Institute. We have provided that recipe for you and encourage you to order soy curls and try this for yourself! We served the sauce over whole wheat linguine and enjoyed every bite!

Soy Curls with Cashew Milk

Ingredients:
3 cups Soy curls
1 large onion, minced
4-6 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1/2 red bell pepper
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
2 tsp. salt

Blend:
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup cashews

Directions:
1.  Soak soy curls in hot water for 10 minutes or until soft.  Drain, wash and squeeze water out of the soy curls.
2.  Saute soy curls with garlic, onion, bell pepper, and salt in a little water for about 30 minutes or until onions and bell pepper are soft.
3.  Blend cashews and water until smooth.  (NOTE:  If you are not using a high-speed blender, such as a Vitamix, soak the cashews for at least an hour.)
4.  Then add the blended cashews and remove from the heat.


If you are new to plant-based eating, or if you are a seasoned pro and have never tried soy curls, you need to order a bag (or several) and give them a try!




Copyright 2017 by Dee Dee Wike and Joy Wike. All rights reserved. www.feelingveggiegood.com