Okay, I have taken the first step with silken tofu and successfully made a fairly low-carb smoothie and used it as a thickening agent for a sausage & turkey soup. I realize if the point of tofu is to go in a vegetarian direction, then I’m off the mark. For me, however, the idea is what are supposed to be health benefits as I continue to try and lower my carb intake. I still want to try that pine nut creamy sauce and haven’t done that yet. The smoothie piece did require me to cut way back on the fruit since that’s packed with carbs. By substituting the very low calorie cranberry juice for regular juice and using a small amount of frozen berries, it doesn’t provide a full serving of fruit, but is refreshing.

The turkey and sausage soup is one I put together several weeks ago with a nice flavor, but not much body. The issue with soups is all the good stuff – potatoes, rice, corn, etc., is high in carbs. Using four ounces of silken tofu, seasonings, and one-third cup of chicken broth was just about right to add to the soup which is meat heavy with some onions, celery, and sweet peppers. I suppose it’s really more like a chili than a “soup”. If you don’t want to use pork, there is a bulk turkey sausage to substitute. I do enjoy cooking with sauces and there will be more experimenting.