The Nutritional Value
The Ingredient List (Serves 4)
· ⅝ cup (100g) firm tofu
· 1 tbsp. coconut oil
· 4 Romaine lettuce leaves, shredded
· ½ avocado, sliced
· 2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
· Caesar salad dressing
· 4 rice paper wrappers
How To Make Tofu Caesar Summer Rolls
- Slice the tofu into two thin rectangles and press using a towel to remove excess moisture.
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat and add the tofu. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side, until golden. Remove and let it cool before slicing into 8 strips.
- Dip one rice paper in a bowl of warm water. Remove when slightly softened and place carefully on a plate lined with a dampened cloth or kitchen towel.
- Place a few strips of tofu in the center, top with avocado, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Lastly, top with some shredded lettuce.
- Now fold the rice paper around the filling, firstly the sides, and then wrap tightly. Set the finished roll aside on your serving plate lined with a damp kitchen towel. Repeat with the rest of the papers.
- Serve straight away with the Caesar dressing as a dipping sauce.
- Pro Tip: Dip your fingers in water, so your hands are damp when handling the spring roll wrapper, they will stick less.
What Is Tofu?
Tofu — or bean curd — is made by pressing curdling soy milk into a solid block. Some tofu is firm while others are more soft and smooth. It can be sliced into different shapes and cooked in lots of ways. People in Japan have made tofu for more than 2,000 years. It’s gotten popular in other places more recently. Some people complain that it’s bland, but it nicely takes on the flavor of the sauce or seasonings you prepare it with. And it’s got a lot of health benefits going for it.
Tofu Health Benefits
Like other soy-based foods, tofu contains plant estrogens. For many years, people thought soy added too much estrogen to your body and led to breast cancer in women.
But much of the research that raised that concern looked at the effects of soy on rodents. Those animals process soy differently than humans do. Studies with people show that tofu doesn’t have enough plant estrogens to cause breast cancer. And some research suggests tofu may lower your risk of the disease.
Tofu can be helpful for several health concerns:
Hot flashes. When researchers noticed that most Japanese women get fewer hot flashes than women in other cultures, they followed the pattern. Studies show that the estrogens in tofu (and other soy-based foods) cut down how often women in menopause get hot flashes and make them less severe.
Coronary heart disease. Plant estrogens may help make it less likely that you’ll get heart trouble. That’s because they improve how well your endothelium works. That’s the tissue that lines your blood vessels and the inside of your heart.
Cholesterol levels. Research shows that if you eat 10 ounces of tofu a day, it can lower your levels of LDL “bad” cholesterol by 5%.
Osteoporosis. When estrogen levels go down after menopause, women can lose bone mass. Plant estrogens in tofu can make up for that drop-off. Tofu is also rich in calcium and vitamin D, which is good for bone health, too.
Prostate cancer. If you have this disease, eating tofu may keep your prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels low. This means the cancer grows more slowly or not at all.
Colorectal cancer. Tofu has fiber, and high-fiber diets keep your colon healthy and cancer risk low.
Memory and brain health. Some studies suggest soy foods like tofu might prevent memory loss and trouble thinking as you get older. But the research on this is mixed.
Weight loss. A study found a diet high in soy helped women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) to lose weight.
Better skin. Research suggests the isoflavones in soy might help skin look younger with fewer fine wrinkles.
