These lettuce cups are easy to make and fun to eat. I serve mine family-style on a large platter and let everyone make their own. The tofu mixed with beef is a delicious combo that might make a tofu-lover out of your family’s biggest carnivore.

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Forms of Soy
Soybeans (or edamame) are good plain or can be transformed with minimal processing into soy milk, soy sauce, tofu, miso paste (a savory fermented soy product) and tempeh (a tasty and hearty patty made from compressed soy beans). These forms are full of healthy plant protein and a variety of other nutrients (more nutrition info below).

When soy undergoes extreme processing, however, it loses many of its healthy qualities. Food companies often use these soy products as cheap fillers for processed foods. You might find these fillers in everything from frozen dinners to cereals to ice cream to even hamburgers. You can identify these highly processed forms of soy by checking labels for “soy protein isolate,” “soy protein concentrate,” “hydrolyzed plant protein” and “textured soy protein.” Though they do provide some protein, all the other nutrients that soy is famous for have been stripped away.

Some Soy Controversies
Some of the major concerns surrounding soy have to do with phytoestrogens, naturally existing compounds found in soy that are similar in structure to the animal hormone, estrogen. Some women have started eating more soy to help combat menopause symptoms and avoid taking hormone-replacement medications. On the flip side, there is concern that too much soy could promote tumor growth (while other studies say it may, in fact, do the opposite). It’s worth noting that many cultures enjoy soy as a major staple in their diet with little or no evidence of dangerous side effects.

Since there has been a lot of conflicting research about the risk of eating soy, your best bet is to enjoy various forms of soy in moderation. Another good thing is to choose organic soy products. Non-organic soy products may come from genetically modified plants (and nobody really knows how long-term consumption of these may affect health).

Nutritional Info
Soy products offer a healthy dose of protein, especially for people that don’t eat meat or fish. A cup of edamame has less than 200 calories, 17 grams of protein, a third of your daily fiber needs — plus, a host of vitamins and minerals. Soy products are also sources of both omega-3 and omega-6 fats. Potential health benefits associated with soy include lowering cholesterol, reducing risk of heart disease and prevention of osteoporosis and certain types of cancer.

It’s still unclear if the compounds found is soy are directly responsible for health benefits; however, it is clear that you can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease by replacing some of the foods high in cholesterol and saturated fat with soy products, which contain neither.

Healthy Soy Recipes
Don’t be afraid of tofu. It’s extremely mild so you can really add the flavor to it. Marinate extra-firm tofu and roast it until golden (my fave) or sauté or grill it. Creamy and light, silken tofu makes fabulous low-calorie dips for chips or fresh vegetables. Soy milk makes a great smoothie; you can also use it to make baked goods and creamy desserts such as rice pudding. Add slices of hearty tempeh to stir-fry or use tempeh how you would grilled meat in sandwiches or wraps.

Soy recipes to try:
• 2 Alarm Tofu Dip
• Simple Smoothies
• Barbequed Tofu
• Rice Pudding
• Tempeh Pepper Steak

As Healthy Eats’ resident vegetarian, I’m always on the lookout for recipes that meet our nutritional guidelines and my (chosen) dietary restrictions. When I came across this fried rice recipe, I bookmarked it immediately. This dish cooks up fast, has added protein (thanks to the tofu and edamame) and was a great way to use up the leftover brown rice hanging out in my refrigerator. Next time, rather than canola oil, I’m going to try it with healthier rice bran oil.

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You just can’t go wrong with chili — it’s easy, cheap, versatile and, yes, good for you. Toss together a few simple ingredients, and in less than an hour, you can tuck into a big bowl. Make a pot for a crowd (perfect for a football party) or to warm up a winter night.

Of course, it’s easy to load up your chili with calories and fat, but here are easy steps to make a pot for under 400 calories per serving.

1) Rethink the star ingredients
Experiment with different types of beans: black, kidney, cannelloni or pinto. They each have unique textures and flavors and are a great way to get some extra fiber. Remember, if using canned beans, always rinse and drain before adding them.

When it comes to vegetables, anything goes. Peppers, onions, mushrooms, whatever you have in the refrigerator. The secret to my chili is potatoes, a clever idea from my mother-in-law. I toss in diced sweet or yukon gold potatoes as a final ingredient, and when they are tender, my chili is done.

If you like meat in your chili, choose ground or diced chicken or turkey breast. For a leaner beef chili, use small amounts of diced lean steak or ground beef that is 90-95% lean. Cubed extra firm tofu or tempeh are great vegetarian options.

To keep the sodium in check, use low sodium chicken or vegetable broth and canned tomatoes without added salt. Tomatoes are also a good source of lycopene, an antioxidant believed to benefit the cardiovascular system and reduce the risk of certain cancers. Not a fan of tomatoes? Try making a white chili. For an extra hearty meal, throw in some whole grains — cooked brown rice, barley or whole wheat couscous — or spoon them into the bowl first and top with the chili.

2) Get spicy
Even if you don’t love hot foods, spices add flavor (without the calories). A little bit of chili powder will give you a simple chili without much heat. Spices such as celery salt, cumin and dried tarragon add depth and freshness. If you’re in the mood for real fire, add ancho chili powder, cayenne pepper or chipotle powder for some smokiness.

3) Top it off
High-calorie toppings can sabotage a healthy pot of chili, but that doesn’t mean you should go without them. Go ahead and enjoy classics such as shredded cheese and sour cream; just add smaller amounts of the low fat versions.

For some extra freshness and crunch try these:
• 4-5 tortilla chips – crushed, so there is some in every bite
• A dollop of creamy and tangy nonfat Greek-style yogurt
• Sliced black olives
• Chopped chives or scallion

4) Cook, freeze, chill out
Make a 30-minute chili or try a slow cooker recipe. Chili freezes beautifully, so make large batches over the weekend and freeze some for a no-fuss weeknight dinner.

Healthy chili recipes to try:
• 30 Minute Turkey Chili
• White Chili
• Vegetarian Chili

Any questions? Have your favorite way to prepare a bowl of red? Let’s hear it.