Page 9 2009-10 Summer

Healthy morning spread: Phyto-rich brekkie loaf

By naturopath Sandra Villella

Don’t like the taste of tofu? Try this tasty, bread-like loaf, rich in phytoestrogens, with a fresh lemon zest flavour, and not even a hint of soy.

This recipe produces a healthy breakfast loaf, rich in phytoestrogens (oestrogen-like compounds found in plants), low in sugar, and incorporating tofu as well as soy flour and linseeds. The soy milk, containing malt extract, and dried apricots (low GI) add sweetness.

Nutritional Value

Ingredients

2 ½ cups soy or wheat flour, sifted

¼ cup freshly ground linseeds

½ cup mixed seeds (sunflower, sesame, pepitas)

3 teaspoons baking powder, sifted

250 ml low-fat whole bean soy milk

250g tofu

Zest of 1 lemon

Juice of ½ lemon

¼ cup chopped dried apricots

Extra seeds for sprinkling on top

Phytoestrogens are much weaker than the oestrogen made in our bodies. During perimenopause, where the body’s oestrogen can be low, these weak oestrogens may be beneficial to some women in relieving symptoms such as vaginal dryness and hot flushes.

A daily dose of 50 mg of isoflavones is needed to achieve symptom relief. This is equivalent to 220g tofu, or approximately 3 cups of soy milk or 56 g soy flour, or 2 cups of cooked soy beans. One-sixth of this loaf, when made with soy flour, will provide about the required amount of soy flour. The soy milk and tofu add to the amount of isoflavones and the linseeds are an excellent source of lignans. The seeds are also a source of phytoestrogens and soluble fibre and provide essential fatty acids.

Method

Combine all dry ingredients. Blend tofu in food processor with dried apricots. Gradually add soy milk until smooth, then lemon juice. Stir in lemon zest and mix through. Add soy flour and seeds. Place into a loaf tin lined with baking powder and press down with wet hands. Sprinkle extra seeds on top. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 1 hour.

Variations

For a sweeter loaf: add up to one cup of any combination of sultanas, dates, figs, apricots; replace lemon with fresh orange juice and orange rind. Add cinnamon or mixed spice to mixture. For a savoury loaf, omit the dried apricots and add chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme or sage.

Serving suggestions

Low fat cottage cheese, ricotta, yoghurt or goat’s chevre, mixed with a little cinnamon and topped with sliced apple or blueberries, makes a sustaining breakfast with a good source of protein, calcium and fibre.

Content Updated November 23, 2009