Funk: Celebrate Heart Health

[caption id="attachment_161" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="Executive Director, The Soyfoods Council"][/caption]

February is the month to remember to take a look at your health.  Every February since 1964, American Heart Month has encouraged citizens to take action in controlling their health. Do you know your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers, do you have diabetes, and are you overweight or physically inactive?

Heart disease is still the number one killer in America.  Take time this month to evaluate your health and see if you need to take action. Certainly one of the easier things to do is to eat healthier and soy protein is heart healthy. It’s a protein that can help lower cholesterol as well as having very low saturated fat content and nutrient dense. It’s easier than ever to start adding soy to your diet and everyday meals.

The following recipe is  a quick, easy, delicious and healthy. See how easy it is to add soy protein to meals. Start today by eating healthier to show how much your loved ones mean to you.

The Winter Olympics are also taking place in February.  Get motivated to get moving...just think how many calories you could consume if you expended that many calories on a daily basis! And your vital numbers would look fabulous!

Happy American Heart Month!

From My Kitchen to Yours-

Linda Funk

Wonderful Sour Cream Cookies

Makes 4 dozen (2-inch) cookies

11 tablespoons (1stick plus 3 Tablespoons) unsalted butter or soy margarine, softened

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup soft tofu

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 drops almond extract

1/3 cup dairy sour cream

1/3 cup soy sour cream

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup soy flour

Vanilla Icing:

1 1/3 cups sifted powdered sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla soy milk

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon almond extract

Candy sprinkles, if desirec

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar at medium speed until light, about 3 minutes.  Add egg, tofu and extracts and beat until blended. In a small bowl, stir together the sour creams and baking soda (the mixture will foam a little).  Add the flours to the butter mixture alternately with the sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with the flour.  Do not over mix.

Drop by level tablespoonsful onto lightly greased baking sheets, spacing them about an inch apart.  Bake until lightly browned around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.

Vanilla Icing: In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, soy milk, and vanilla and almond extracts until smooth.  Spread icing on cooled cookies.  Sprinkle with candy sprinkles, if desired..