WHY DOES TUNA CONTAIN SOY?!

Kroger visit 1/27/13.  Comparison of the ONLY 3 brands of canned tuna available in the store. 

Canned tuna is a great source of nutrition, as it's protein rich and high in omega-3.  It's also fairly inexpensive.  For a quick lunch, I love tuna salad on top of a spinach salad, wrapped in lettuce, kale or chard leaves, on top of an avocado or in a bell pepper.  Even for dinner, it's easy to toss in with some brown rice fusili for added protein. My problem with canned tuna...

...IS THAT IT NOW APPARENTLY ALL CONTAINS SOY!

I'm not against soy products.  I use them on a semi-regular basis.  The thing is, I don't like to be duped by buying a product that is straightforward like canned fish!  It wasn't always this way! Very important to note: IF I AM choosing to buy soy products like edamame, soy sauce or tofu, I make SURE they are organic. Why?  

85% of U.S. grown soybeans, and 59% of the wold's soybeans are genetically modified.  So, I'm going to just "assume" that with big food brands like Bumblebee, Sunkist and whatever contract manufacturer Kroger uses (likely the same sources as Bumblebee and Sunkist) are GMO.  It kind of irks me that companies advertise a product as SIMPLE as canned fish, but adds soy, a completely unnecessary ingredient!  In the past, tuna has been pure and natural, but I've lately (2011-2012) noticed soy as a new added ingredient.   Like "soy" is so flavorful anyway!? Could the companies try salt? Turmeric? Garlic or onions or a number of other possible flavor additives that are natural and not a phytoestrogen and known genetically modified crop!?  Nope. Apparently not. 

The only "mainstream" brand that I've found in grocery stores like Meijer is Polar.  In fact, I just wrote them to thank them for their commitment to "all-natural" and not adding chemicals, preservatives or soy like the other brands. Also, Trader Joe's 1/2 salt tuna is delicious and does not contain soy. Of course, there are other natural options which are much more expensive like Wild Planet Foods ($4.99 a can!). 

So, the point of this post is to promote continued awareness of what we buy and eat.   Read labels.   Know your product.  Know what is needed in a product, and what is not. i.e. SOY is not a necessary tuna ingredient.  Realize that products that you may have been using for years can reformulate and suddenly have an ingredient that you do not welcome.  And yes, I realize that the amount may be "minuscule"....but minuscule adds up when we're talking about every product in the grocery cart... 

To end on a semi-positive note, this is how I make my tuna salad: 

1 can Polar tuna or 1/2 salt Trader Joe's tuna (packed in water)

2 T organic Trader Joe's mayo -OR- if I'm feeling extra crunchy, half of an avocado instead. 

1 T minced celery

1 T minced red, green or white onion

squeeze of lemon juice

black pepper

:)

{Spicy} Tofu + Veggie Stir Fry over Brown Rice

Stir-frying is a Chinese cooking method typically involving a wok, oil, protein, veggies and a sauce. I must make this about once a week or so; once you've made it, it's kind of a no-brainer!  Pick your veggies, protein, and duplicate the sauce.   Dinner in 30 minutes.  HEALTHY, vitamin rich, easy dinner in 30 minutes. ;)

So this recipe calls for tofu, which is a vegetarian source of protein. It's basically made by curdling soy milk and straining out the liquid.  Tofu might sound scary if you've never tried it.  Alone, it's really rather bland.  Bland = versatile though, and it can be flavored or marinated or sauced up or prepared any way you like.

I eat tofu maybe 1-2 times a month.  It's limited because of it's strange property: phytoestrogen, which stirs a lot of debate in the nutrition community.   I don't think it's the worst thing you can eat; probably much better than ingesting a 1/2 lb of bacon on a wheat bun. When eating tofu/soy,  its imperative to choose organic as most all of the soy crop in the U.S. is genetically modified.   If tofu and you are just NOT going to ever get along, the option is always there to substitute another protein like black beans, shrimp, chicken, scallops, or beef instead of the tofu.    

Isn't it pretty?

Spicy Tofu and Veggie Stir Fry
{Makes 2 large servings}

Ingredients:

1 14 oz block extra firm organic tofu, cut into 1/2 or 1-inch cubes

6-8 cups raw chopped veggies - pick what you like:

• kale
• carrots
• celery
• broccoli
• onion
• asparagus
• mushrooms
• colored bell peppers
• zucchini

....you get the idea

2 T minced garlic

2 T minced ginger

Sauce - combine all in a bowl or glass measuring cup:

1 T coconut oil

1 T raw honey

1 T acid (rice wine, coconut or apple cider vinegar OR lemon or lime juice)

1/3 c Organic soy sauce OR Liquid Aminos

1 tsp chili paste (Sambel Olek)

1 tsp tapioca flour (mixed in a tiny bit of warm water)

1 tsp sesame oil

Directions:

Start your brown rice (1 c rice to 2 c water, tiny bit of salt, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover...20 minutes). 

Heat your wok to medium. Add the coconut oil and when hot, add your tofu cubes, and toss/stir frequently, until they are light golden brown on all sides.  Add your veggies, garlic and ginger and stir fry for another 5-10 minutes or so on medium heat until veggies are almost fork tender. We want to keep the color and a bit of texture. Then add the sauce and cook for another 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. 

Serve over brown rice and sprinkle with Gomasio or Sea Kelp (or both, plus Sriracha like me) for extra nutrition & flavor.  Enjoy!