(ARA) - Though the days are pleasantly long, summertime cooking can be quick and easy using heart healthy soybean oil. Whether it's a speedy vegetable saut�, concocting a tasty salad dressing or whipping up a zippy marinade, soybean oil is a sure thing for any cooking enthusiast.

In addition to being a chef's culinary companion, soybean oil offers incredible health benefits as well. With ongoing discussions on good fats and bad fats, soybean oil passes the test as one of the healthiest oils. This good news about soybean oil has spread: According to the 2003 to 2004 Consumer Attitudes about Nutrition survey, almost 90 percent of consumers recognize soybean oil as one of the healthiest of all vegetable oils and rank it higher than canola and sunflower oil.

More specifically, liquid soybean oil has a very favorable fatty acid profile; it has zero trans fat, is low in saturated fat ("the bad fat") and high in poly- and mono-saturated fat ("the good fats"). This combination causes the reduction of blood cholesterol and lowers the risk of heart disease. Soybean oil features omega-3 fatty acids and is the primary commercial source for Vitamin E, which defends against forms of cell damage ranging from cancers, heart disease and cataracts to premature aging and arthritis.

The healthfulness of soybean oil has caught attention and whether you were already a soy devotee or you have become a fan recently, the oil of the mighty soybean will partner with whatever task the chef in you aspires to accomplish. For delicious recipes like Marinated Black Soybean Salad or Warm Orange Soybean Oil Vinaigrette, visit talksoy.com. Until then, try this Greek Salad with Tangy Lemon Tofu Dressing -- the dressing is a fantastic topper for salads or fresh vegetables.

Greek Salad with Tangy Lemon Tofu Dressing

Salad:

3 cups (2 large) cucumber, peeled and chopped
2 cups (2 medium) tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 cups iceberg lettuce, torn
1 1/2 cups romaine lettuce, torn
1 cup (1 medium) red onion, thinly sliced into rings
1 cup edamame (whole green soybeans), shelled and cooked
1/3 cup (3.4-ounce can) black olives, pitted, sliced and drained

Dressing:

1 package (12.3 ounces) silken tofu
2 tablespoons soybean oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon (1 clove) garlic, minced (may substitute 3/8 teaspoon garlic powder for the fresh garlic, if desired)
1/2 teaspoon leaf oregano, dried
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, ground
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

Combine all salad ingredients in large bowl.

Pur�e all dressing ingredients except cheese in small food processor until smooth, scraping occasionally. If dressing is too thick, use pulse.

Pour dressing over salad and mix until blended.

Sprinkle with cheese. Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional Analysis per Serving: 180 calories (55 percent calories from fat), 10 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 11g fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 430 mg sodium.

This informational bulletin is provided by the United Soybean Board, a farmer-led organization comprised of 62 farmer-directors. USB oversees the investments of the soybean checkoff on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers. For more information, please visit www.talksoy.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

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