Soy foods come in many forms, such as edamame, tofu, soy milk, tempeh and soy protein powder. Although soy's popularity is on the rise, many people are still squeamish about trying it. Cooking with a new food can be intimidating, so here are some tips to get you started.

Soy milk is very versatile and can easily replace regular milk and heavy cream in most recipes. Soy milk's subtle flavor melds nicely with the foods it is prepared with. You can find soy milk in a variety of flavors and nutrient content. When preparing soups, sauces or other savory dishes, plain or unsweetened soy milk works best. For desserts, sweet soups or breakfast items, try vanilla-flavored soy milk. There are many kinds of soy milk on the market. Try different ones to see which you like best.

A few tips on cooking with soy milk:

Always shake container well before using and refrigerate after opening.

Substitute equal amounts of soy milk for regular dairy milk called for in recipes.

To achieve a heavy cream consistency, blend 2/3 part soy milk and 1/3 part silken tofu (i.e., if a recipe calls for 1 cup heavy cream use 2/3 cup soy milk and 1/3 cup silken tofu).

When using soy milk in a soup to replace heavy cream: mix 1 teaspoon arrowroot per cup of cold soy milk. Mix thoroughly before adding to hot soup, add arrowroot mixture into soup at the end of cooking, let simmer for approximately 5 to 10 minutes. The amount of arrowroot needed will depend on desired consistency.

Soy milk is not just for cooking. You can also use it make great smoothies, add it to your cereal, tea or have a glass with some healthier cookies.

Below is a delicious recipe for a soy fruit smoothie that highlights the versatility of cooking with soy milk. It's so good you'll never miss the dairy!

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