When Cooking Light magazine sampled firm tofu brands for its 2010 Taste Test Awards, two organic products achieved top honors:

1. Melissa’s Organic took the grand prize for its “slight nuttiness” and “meaty consistency.”
2. Nasoya Organic placed second for its softer texture, which “still stands up to wok-browning.”

Los Angeles-based Melissa’s makes three types of organic tofu: Soft, Firm and Extra Firm.

I can’t go anywhere without seeing signs for flu shots—a reminder that it’s time to start boosting our immunity.

“Filling your grocery cart with nutritious foods and beverages from all the food groups will provide your body with essential vitamins and nutrients to help support a healthy immune system,” says registered dietitian Kim Galeaz, coauthor of 4 Weeks to Maximum Immunity.

Galeaz offers the following tips for maximizing nutrients when visiting your local natural and organic food store:

“Healthy” and “breakfast sandwich” tend to be an oxymoron, especially when you review popular fast-food menu items: 

• Burger King Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit: 420 calories, 25 g fat, 185 mg cholesterol, 1,360 mg sodium
• Sonic Breakfast Toaster Sandwich with Bacon: 532 calories, 32.4 g fat, 323 mg cholesterol, 1,441 mg sodium
• McDonald’s Egg McMuffin: 300 calories, 12 g fat, 260 mg cholesterol, 820 mg sodium 

By comparison, today’s recipe for a Spicy Egg, Turkey Bacon & Cheese Breakfast Muffin contains only 226 calories, 6 g fat, 15 mg cholesterol and 534 mg sodium. The lean protein (17 g), high-fiber carbohydrates and healthy fats—an ideal nutritional trifecta—will leave you feeling satisfied, with fewer cravings throughout the day. 

Substitute turkey bacon for its high-fat pork cousin, says exercise physiologist Bob Greene, Oprah Winfrey’s personal trainer and author of several books, including The Best Life Diet Cookbook. He also forsakes egg yolks and cooks with egg whites, which have no fat or cholesterol and half the calories. 

The recipe’s prep time is 10 minutes, and all of the ingredients should be available at a well-stocked natural and organic food store.

Spicy Egg, Turkey Bacon & Cheese Breakfast Muffin

Makes 2 servings

1 cup (8 ounces) egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cayenne hot pepper sauce
1/8 cup (half an ounce) shredded Cheddar cheese
2 slices uncured turkey bacon, cut in half crosswise
2 whole-wheat English muffins, split

1. Spray a 10-inch skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. 
2. Add egg whites, and stir in hot pepper sauce.
3. As eggs start to set, use a spatula to lift edges, letting uncooked whites flow to the bottom of the skillet. Cook until whites are set, but still moist.
4. Sprinkle shredded cheese atop the egg whites. Fold over the omelet so the cheese melts in the middle.
5. Place turkey bacon on a microwave-safe plate, and cover it with a paper towel. Microwave on high for 30 to 40 seconds, or until warmed.
6. Toast each English muffin half. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the egg mixture atop two toasted muffins.
7. Top each with one piece of cooked turkey bacon and the remaining toasted muffin halves.  

Recipe and photo courtesy of Better’n Eggs/ARA

Research shows that eating a healthy breakfast reduces our risk for heart attack, stroke and diabetes, while also facilitating weight loss. We also know that kids who skip their morning meal lack energy, are more irritable, become fatigued and depressed, and fail to perform well in school. 

Put the emphasis on protein if you want to maintain muscle mass, curb hunger, reduce abdominal fat, and slow age-related bone and muscle loss, advises Marie Spano, a registered dietitian and sports nutritionist who currently serves as vice president of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 

Higher-protein diets “are associated with greater bone mass and fewer fractures when calcium intake is adequate,” she told attendees this week at the Institute of Food Technologists’ annual meeting. “In addition, replacing carbohydrates with protein can prevent obesity and obesity-relted conditions, such as type 2 diabetes.” 

As we grow older, the consequences of protein deficiency become more apparent. We all know seniors who have developed conditions like osteoarthritis and sarcopenia (degenerative loss of muscle mass). Eating a protein-rich diet will create a healthier population of older (and more agile) adults, which simultaneously lowers healthcare costs. 

Try these five high-protein, egg-based  recipes for breakfast, lunch or dinner: 

1. Asparagus, Red Pepper and Potato Frittata (made with egg whites)
2. Southwestern Scramble
3. Sesame-Ginger Frittata with Broccoli and Shrimp (made with egg whites)
4. Egg and Vegetable Salad Sandwich
5. Tomato-Feta Frittata