Thyme and Lime Flavored Blueberries with Tofu Avocado Cream

Blueberries are BEAUTIFUL…DELICIOUS…and HEALTHY! No wonder they are one of my favorite foods!

For a comprehensive and authoritative summary of the many health benefits of blueberries, see the excellent Huffington Post article (published online in 2011) by Leo Galland MD.

This post is about an awesome blueberry dessert — one that reminds me of a mixture of blueberry pie and key lime pie – but guilt-free! And, yes, this recipe involves parchment paper, which might make it seem difficult and complicated, but trust me, working with parchment paper is easier than wrapping a present! And the results are dramatic and delicious! This dessert will delight you and wow your guests! I guarantee it!

And…if you have kids at home…you might want to ask them to help you — or let them make it all by themselves. This recipe is really EASY and FUN to make!

So let’s get cooking!

Thyme and Lime Flavored Blueberries with Tofu Avocado Cream

Serves 4

Ingredients
4 cups fresh (or frozen) blueberries
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cold tap water
3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped

1, 10-ounce block of firm tofu
1/2 medium-size, ripe Hass avocado
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

For garnish: fresh blueberries and fresh thyme leaves

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut 4 pieces of parchment paper, each 12 x 12 inches. Place each square of parchment paper over a small bowl (for example, a cereal bowl). Carefully place 1 cup of the blueberries into the center of each piece of parchment paper. (Note: This takes two hands, because with one hand you need to make a well in the center of the paper for the blueberries.) Set bowls with blueberries aside.

In a cup (or small bowl), mix lime juice, honey and water until fully mixed. Spoon 2 tablespoons of this mixture over each serving of blueberries. Then sprinkle the fresh thyme leaves evenly over the blueberries.

Using 4, 18-inch pieces of raffia or kitchen twine, tie each bundle of blueberries tightly and finish it off with a little bow.

Place the 4 packets of blueberries onto a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. (Note: I tested the time with frozen blueberries, and it was the same!)

While the blueberries cook, place tofu, avocado, honey, vanilla extract, salt, and thyme leaves (2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves) into the work bowl of the food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process for 30 seconds; scrape down the sides with a spatula; process again for 30 seconds to 1 minute; scrape again, and process again if needed, until fully blended and smooth. Using a spatula, remove the tofu avocado cream from the food processor and place the cream in a small bowl. Garnish with fresh blueberries and a sprinkling of fresh thyme leaves.

When the blueberry packets have finished baking, remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the packets of blueberries cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes.

To serve, place each packet of blueberries in a small shallow bowl and then place each bowl on a plate. As you can see, the packets are very dramatic and beautiful! So this is how I like to serve them at the table. But to make it easier to eat, it’s good to trim the packets to within about an inch of the tie. So I pass a pair of scissors around the table and let everyone do their own trimming.

After a little trimming — and a lot of laughing about how this reminds everyone of kindergarten — it’s time to open the packets. (Be prepared for “oohs” and “ahs”!) Then pass the bowl of Tofu Avocado Cream so everyone can top their blueberries with a dollop or two.

Ingredient notes

• Blueberries –  This recipe should be made with highbush (cultivated) blueberries (not the small wild blueberries).
• Lime juice – If you don’t have fresh limes, use store-bought organic lime juice which comes packed in glass jars. A really nice product to have on hand!
• Thyme leaves – You can store fresh thyme leaves (on stems) in your freezer so it’s ready when you need it.
• Tofu – For this recipe, use the tofu that comes packed in water and found in the refrigerated section.

Equipment notes

• Parchment paper – The unbleached parchment paper (kraft or light brown color) can be found at health food stores and it is a much better choice than the bleached (white) parchment paper. Who wants bleach leaching into their food?!
• Raffia – I like the look of raffia (what you see in the photos) but plain kitchen twine will do. If you choose raffia, make sure it’s the natural raffia – not plastic. Plastic will melt in the oven.

Recipe note

• I have entered this recipe into the “Make It – Blog It – Win It! Blueberry Recipe Contest for Bloggers.” Results will be announced on or before 20 September! (I will let you know how it turns out…) Meanwhile, if you would like to leave a message about this recipe, please do. I’m sure the contest judges would like to know what you think!

Enjoy and be healthy!

~Leni

TOFU: Sauted Tofu

Why tofu?

Tofu (a soyfood) contains isoflavones (including genistein, daidzein, and glycitein) that “block the stimulation of cancer cells by sex hormones (such as estrogens and testosterone). They also intervene by blocking angiogenesis [formation of new blood vessels that nourish the cancer cells].”  (Anticancer by David Servan-Schreiber, page 122).

“However the protective action of soy against breast cancer has been formally demonstrated for women who have consumed it since adolescence. Its protective effect against cancer has not been proven when consumption begins in adulthood.” (Anticancer, page 103)

Since the publication of Anticancer in 2008, there has been new research on soy and breast cancer.  According to current research as summarized in Eating Well magazine (a reliable resource for the lay public), November/December 2009, page 37: “Studies are conflicting about the benefits of soyfood consumption later in life. Researchers hypothesize that in younger women, when the body’s estrogen levels are high, isoflavones in soy may compete with the body’s natural estrogen and reduce risk of breast cancer. After menopause, however, natural estrogen levels are much lower and so it’s thought that the isoflavones act like estrogen. Higher estrogen levels are linked with higher risk for breast cancer. That doesn’t mean that eating soyfoods like tofu and edamame – in moderation – after menopause is unsafe, says Zheng” (one of the authors of a recent study about soyfood consumption and breast cancer, published in April 2009 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition).  Furthermore, “’No data show that eating soyfoods increases breast-cancer risk in postmenopausal women.’” (Zheng)

So what do dietitians at the MD Anderson Center in Houston recommend? According to the Eating Well article, Sally Scroggs, M.S., R.D., says that “it’s best to eat soyfoods in moderation at any age – up to two servings daily, which is equivalent to ½ cup tofu or edamame and 1 cup soymilk.”

Note: The beneficial effects of soy relate to soyFOODs — not to soy supplements. “Concentrated extracts of isoflavones sold as dietary supplements for use during menopause have been suspected of promoting tumor growth and should be avoided.” (Anticancer, page 103).

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UPDATE: Safety of soy for breast cancer surviors

See Note to Readers: New Research Re Soy

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But what about “soy protein isolate” which is found in many foods, such as granola bars, energy bars, and protein bars, as well as in protein powders that are to be mixed with milk or juice? According to Wikipedia, “Soy protein isolate is a highly refined or purified form of soy protein with a minimum protein content of 90% on a moisture-free basis.” From what I can deduce from the data (USDA-Iowa State U Database on Isoflavone Content of Foods), soy protein isolate has an isoflavone content that’s about four times as high as that of tofu  – and that’s a lot. So to my mind, soy protein isolate is a concentrated extract – and not a food.

But how much soy protein isolate do you get in a “granola” bar? Or in a scoop of a protein powder? I don’t know; it’s hard to tell.  So to be on the safe side, I think it’s best to choose the bars that do not have this ingredient – though there are not many on the market or to choose those that have less protein and therefore should have less of this ingredient – and not to make a habit of reaching for one of these bars. And I avoid all protein powders — unless they are whey based.

And…for more information on soy isoflavones and nutrition, here’s a good site to keep tabs on: Micronutrient Center of the Linus Pauling Institute.

So now let’s talk tofu!

SAUTED TOFU

This is the easiest recipe ever. And you can make this tofu taste exactly like you want it by topping it with your favorite vegetable medley or sauce.

Ingredients

Tofu (not extra firm or silken, but all other varieties work just fine)

Olive oil

Directions

Cut the tofu into ½-inch slices.  Pat each slice dry with a paper towel (preferably one that’s not bleached white).

Non-stick pan directions

Cover the bottom of a non-stick pan with a thin layer of olive oil and heat over medium heat.

• The directions for use and care of all the non-stick skillets I’ve ever had say that medium heat is the hottest heat that’s good for the pan.

Place the tofu slices into the hot oil. When the underside of each piece is light brown, turn each piece over and continue to cook until the other underside is light brown.

Optional step: Remove the nicely browned tofu from the pan and place on a paper towel to soak up the extra oil.

Regular pan directions

To saute tofu in a regular pan, you can use higher heat, but you also need to use more oil. See this video for a nice short demonstration of sauteing tofu in a regular pan.

What to do with plain sauted tofu

Serve Sauted  Tofu with one or more toppings or sauces:

• Sun Dried Tomato Flavor Cubes (Just defrost and serve with the tofu.)
• Tomato Onion Chutney Flavor Cubes (Just defrost and serve with the tofu.)
• Any other vegetable toppings you like (I’ll be offering some more recipe ideas for toppings soon! And if you have some ideas, please add a comment with your suggestion.)

Enjoy and be healthy,

-Leni