August Laura Soybean Bread Recipe

Multi Grain Seeded Burger Buns made with Laura® Soybeans Soymilk

Thanks to Diane Fitton for developing this delicious recipe

There is just so much you can do with these beans. From soy milk to an alternative to meat in burgers and more, anybody can find a way to use soybeans that fits their flavor fancy, no matter what their preferences are.

However, in order to be able to make the many different types of soy foods and soy products and find your favorites, you have to have enough on hand to experiment and try out all the many recipes that are available.

Buy soybeans in bulk

The trick to unlocking soybeans’ potential to the fullest is finding somewhere to buy soybeans in bulk near you or from a source that ships bulk soybean orders at a reasonable rate. It’s important to buy bulk, though, because that’s the best way to try a good number of recipes and discover favorite uses for this versatile bean.

Now, many of your local grocery stores may not offer soybeans on their shelves. Sure, you will have no problem finding popular soy products made by many popular brands. But as we have noted many time before on this blog, you can save a good amount of money – and make your own, better-tasting soyfoods – with soybeans that you have bought ahead of time.

You can save money buying bulk soybeans

Not sure how much money you can actually save by buying bulk soybeans? Imagine how many soy-based foods and products you could put on your grocery list. Then, consider how much each of those products could cost you once you reach the checkout aisle of the grocery store.

The bill is going to add up very quickly.

Soybeans are similar to many other ingredients. With just about any product that can be used for your own recipes, you are almost always going to see some cost savings at the end of the day when you buy the base product for use later.

There’s more flexibility in buying bulk

In addition to freeing up money for other parts of your family budget, buying in bulk gives you the freedom to choose exactly what you want to prepare using your soybeans.

Not only can you decide what recipes to prepare and soy foods, but a bulk amount means you don’t have to pick and choose only one or two foods to make. There’s something to be said about having more freedom and flexibility to be able to try one recipe here and another recipe there.

Store your soybeans the right way

With that flexibility, though, does come a bit of responsibility.

Whenever you buy any food product in bulk, you have to have a storage plan. And as with any food product, there is a right way to store your bulk soybeans to make sure you get as much shelf life out of them as possible.

One of the benefits of dried soybeans, which is how they arrive at your front door when bought and shipped from Laura Soybeans, is that they can last quite a while when stored under the right conditions.

For soybeans that have dried and matured, all you need is an air-tight container and a cool, dry place to store the container. Under those conditions, your soybeans will last anywhere from 1 to 2 years. For the best results, find a place where the temperature doesn’t fluctuate too much below or above 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

All the foods you can make with soybeans

Soy milk, tofu, tempeh, edamame, roasted soybeans, and of course, soy burgers – there are simply so many different types of foods you can make by using soybeans.

Our Laura Soybeans can be used to make any of the above. We constantly receive rave reviews and fantastic feedback from our customers who have used our products to make soy milk, tofu, tempeh and miso.

We’ve even collected many of our favorite recipes on our blog that you can browse to find easy, great-tasting meal ideas for you, your family and your friends. There truly is something for everyone to enjoy when it comes to soybeans and homemade meals.

Check out some of our top DIY recipes that you can make right from your own kitchen:

• Easy soy milk for a delicious dairy alternative
• DIY tofu you can make at home
• Best-tasting soy burgers for a non-meat option
• The only tempeh recipe you will ever need
• Make your own miso soup

Better food for better health

We will never stop championing the many, many health benefits of adding soybeans to your diet. For such a small ingredient, they can boost the nutritional value of any recipe that calls for their use.

Why soybeans are so good for you:

• Soybeans are high in protein, while lower in fat than most meat.
• They are chock full of many beneficial vitamins, minerals and plant compounds, including isoflavones.
• Isoflavones help relieve menopause symptons in women and can help improve bone health.
• Saponins found in soybeans could help you manage your cholesterol levels.
• Contain highly beneficial levels of vitamin K1, good for blood clotting, and folate (aka vitamin B9), which is very important during pregnancy.
• Soybeans’ high fiber content can do wonders for your gut health.
• Helpful alternative for people who must avoid or want to replace dairy products in their diets.

Buy bulk from Laura Soybeans

Whether you are looking to stock up on soybeans so you can whip up some tasty soymilk, put together a meatless patty for grilling or want to add a healthier protein option to any meal with tofu, soybeans are the way to go.

At Laura Soybeans, all of our beans are planted, grown, harvested and packaged at our family farm in Northwest Iowa. If buying straight from the source or farm to table products are important to you, then there’s no better place to buy soybeans in bulk than from producers like us.

Take a look at the different styles and package sizes available now to fill your kitchen pantry with high-quality, healthy soybeans.

But you might be thinking: I know soy is great and all, but I need more ideas for how to incorporate it into my diet and meal prep. Well, don’t worry. There are many soy foods and soy products that you can make right at home with soybeans.

You’ll definitely find that you save money, too, when you buy your own soybeans and make a bunch of delicious foods in your kitchen rather than buying products at a grocery store!

Here are several soy foods and products that will get you even more interested in eating more soy.

1. Soy milk

Let’s start with a favorite. Soy milk always notches a spot near the top of these types of lists, but that’s because making your own is so rewarding.

Homemade soy milk is easy, tastes good and, believe it or not, will end up saving you a lot of money than picking up a bottle or carton of one of the big brands at the supermarket.

There are a few extra kitchen items and supplies you need to have at the ready before you can make your own soy milk, including a nut milk bag for straining. But those are all pretty easy to obtain.

From there. You just need a recipe. Luckily for you, we have plenty of those. Start with this easy recipe for homemade, delicious soy milk.

2. Tofu

Do you want in on a little secret? Soybeans have this versatility to them that makes them a great replacement or alternative for so many other foods. The same can be said for soy products, especially tofu.

Tofu has an uncanny ability of being a perfect, great-tasting protein substitute or addition to so many recipes. It takes on flavors and adds unique texture to every dish you use it in.

But the best tofu is the stuff you can make in your very own kitchen. Sensing a theme here, yet? Homemade tofu can beat out store bought varieties – and, again, can save you money on your grocery bill.

DIY tofu is very easy to make. All you need are soybeans and a coagulant. Not sure exactly what that is? Read our homemade tofu recipe post for the details. Then, you can move along to our post with three absolutely enticing recipes that call for tofu.

3. Soy burgers

Ready for another favorite soy recipe? Soy burgers are a popular replacement for traditional hamburgers because they can decrease bad cholesterol and are lower in both fat and calories compared to beef and other meat options out there.

Plus, with the right recipes, anybody can become a true fan of soy burgers!

And again, we have quite a few of those. Just take a look at these three recipes, including summer veggie soybean burgers, vegan tofu veggie burgers and the “ultimate veggie burger.”

Any of these are ideal for summer cookouts, or any time of the year, really. What you will notice about soy burgers is that, depending on the recipe, they can be cooked outside on a grill or inside on a stove top or sometimes in the oven. That versatility has its benefits, too, as your soy burger BBQ won’t get rained out!

4. Soybean sprouts (Natto soybeans)

For those wanting another easy additive for other recipes, we always recommend Natto soybeans, also known as sprouted soybeans or soybean sprouts. Natto, fermented soybeans, is very popular in many Asian countries, especially Japan.

Natto soybeans, which you can buy here and then sprout yourself with only a quart mason jar, cheesecloth, a rubber band and water. You can get all the directions you need with our recipe. Please note that you can follow this recipe with any of our soybeans, not just the ones we produce specifically for Natto.

Natto soybeans go well with any rice, noodle or bread dish. If it’s a carb, then there’s probably a recipe out there that features Natto.

5. Soybean hummus

Are you a big snacker? Then you are going to love these next two recipes.

Soybeans can be used to make different types of dips, including this recipe for soybean hummus. It’s straightforward and very easy to make.

Like any other hummus, you can spice things up with some peppers. Or you can add other ingredients to make it truly your own.

6. Baked soybeans

For us snackers, there’s sometimes nothing like a satisfying crunch. These baked soybeans will do the trick when you’re looking for something to munch with that extra crunch.

All you have to do is rinse the beans, soak them overnight, boil them for a while and then add them to a baking dish with a few other ingredients, including brown sugar, molasses, mustard and barbecue sauce.

The result? A savory snack that’s sure to be a hit. Get all the recipe steps and ingredients here.

7. Okara flour

When you make soy products, you may find yourself with some leftover soy pulp, or okara. Some people discard this pulp, but it can also be used in many recipes. Like soybeans, it’s low in fat and has good amounts of calcium, protein and dietary fiber.

The thing is, you can’t eat okara by itself. But you can make other foods with it. One of our favorites? Making okara flour with the leftovers from making a batch of soymilk.

Simply watch this video to learn how. Then, use it as you would flour!

Let’s get cooking!

Before you can get started cooking up any of these mouthwatering soybean-based foods and products, you need one thing: soybeans.

Buy Laura Soybeans for sale for the tastiest, high-quality soy products, such as scrumptious soy milk and tofu. All of our non-GMO soybeans are grown on our family farm in northwest Iowa. We have been doing this for generations, so we are confident that you will be pleased with the results of your home cooking with our products.

The soybeans that carry this sometimes unheralded superfood can be used to make so many meals and snacks that are much healthier for you and your household. Soy milk, tofu, sprouts, roasted or toasted soybeans – we could go on and on (and we’ve got some of our favorite non-GMO soybean recipes on our blog to prove that we could!).

What are non-GMO Soybeans?

When it comes to soybeans, though, there are typically two options: genetically modified (GMO) and non-GMO. GMO soybeans are prevalent in many uses, but especially for livestock feed, although some farmers and producers are making switches to non-GMO soybeans for their livestock.

Why people prefer non-GMO soybeans

When it comes to human consumption, though, that’s where non-GMO soybeans shine. Not to mention non-GMO, vegan-endorsed, Iowa-grown soybeans happen to be our forte. Although they may take a little more work to grow because they haven’t been genetically modified to resist many pesticides and herbicides, the payoff is clear from the many flavor and health benefits.

Then there is the fact that one study shows that non-GMO soybeans are in fact superior to GMO soybeans when producing food products. The study’s authors focused on tofu – one of our customers’ favorite ways to use Laura Soybeans – but the same could be said of any of the other byproducts we previously mentioned, including soy milk.

But let’s get to the findings. For this study, the researchers compared tofu that had been made with non-GMO soybeans to tofu that was made with GMO soybeans.

They found tofu made with non-GMO soybeans had:

• Better yield
• Higher protein content
• Lower water content
• A more savory smell
• Better color
• Better texture

What’s not to love about having each of those qualities stand out with tofu? That savory smell and flavor, plus the unique texture, makes tofu a great addition to many home recipes, including any recipe that you could use a meat substitute or some additional protein.

This is what makes soy a superfood

Tremendous protein content isn’t soy’s only quality that has health nuts and clean eating buffs in its corner. There are so many great benefits to eating soy that it truly is a superfood that everyone should consider adding to their diet.

High protein

But let’s start with the protein. Anybody who leads an active, healthy lifestyle should know why protein is so critical. It’s the fuel of the body. While many people find their protein in meat, soy is a worthy substitute.

Soy’s high protein content makes it a staple for many vegetarian and vegan diets because it becomes a meat replacement that is both filling and healthier overall. Soy is unlike other plant protein sources because it has all nine essential amino acids that our bodies use to build stronger bones and healthier muscles.

Less bad fats, more good fats

Here’s another advantage soy has over meat: It contains much less saturated fat. That’s fantastic news for anyone who needs to watch their heart health.

Of the total fat in non-GMO soybeans, only about 10% to 15% is saturated. There is much more unhealthy fat in most other meats, making soybeans a better option for a better functioning heart.

And that’s not all. Soy is not fat free, but it does contain fats that are actually beneficial for those who keep a close watch on what they eat. The majority of fats in soy are polyunsaturated, such as omega-6 and omega-3 fats. Some folks find these in seeds, fish and vegetable oils. According to WebMD, these can be good for many people’s hearts and could lessen their risk of some diseases.

No cholesterol

While we’re on the topic of your body’s ticker, the heart, we should also mention that there is zero cholesterol in soy and soy foods. As a natural cholesterol-free food, consuming more soy could actually help you decrease your levels of LDL cholesterol.

High fiber

Pair the zero cholesterol with high amounts of fiber in soy and you could find that you may absorb less cholesterol from the other foods you eat. Plus, fiber helps with digestive health and keeps you feeling full for longer periods of time.

Isoflavones

Now here’s what makes soy special. Soy contains a common plant chemical that is known as isoflavones. These isoflavones in soy have shown to be helpful in maintaining stronger bones in women who are experiencing menopause.

Rich in vitamins and minerals

If all of those benefits still haven’t convinced you to give our favorite superfood a shot, then consider that soy has loads of other incredibly beneficial vitamins and minerals that need to be included in all balanced diets.

Here’s a quick rundown of what else is in soy and the health benefits of each:

• Vitamin K helps with proper blood clotting
• Folate, known as vitamin B9 is considered very beneficial during pregnancy
• Copper can help with heart health
• Thiamine, or vitamin B1, helps support many of the body’s functions

Try this superfood for yourself

So, now you have all the information you need to see why adding more soy to your diet could be a major benefit to your health.

Don’t just take our word for it, though. The best part about that study we mentioned above that shows tofu from non-GMO soybeans is simply better than GMO is that it’s easily recreated right in the comfort of your home. In fact, we have plenty of recipes, and of course the soybeans, for making DIY tofu in your own kitchen.

Trust us, the results will be fantastic. We’re confident that with tofu, soy milk and other products made from Laura Soybeans, you’ll have a household full of soy fans in no time.

Now, time to stock up and shop our selection of non-GMO soybeans.

We don’t buy soymilk at the grocery store so I hadn’t given much thought to the price of commercial soymilk these days.  I always knew it is less expensive to make your own soymilk rather than buy it from the store.  So I went on a quest to check out the prices of unflavored refrigerated commercially processed soymilk.  I was really surprised when I looked at the price of 1 half gallon of soymilk; it was $5.29 per half gallon (at this particular store).  That’s $0.08 per ounce!  Plus, it comes from a factory where it is processed into soymilk.

Using our 12 pound box of Laura® Soybeans I calculated how much it costs per 1/2 gallon for delicious additive free homemade soymilk;  $1.32 per half gallon.  That’s about $4.00 less per half gallon!  I never imagined there would be that much of a difference between fresh homemade soymilk and processed soymilk in a carton.

You can make your own soymilk easily at home with either a soymilk machine:

A standard home kitchen soymilk machine will cost around $100.00, they are great and easy to clean.

Or you can make homemade soymilk using a blender, saucepan and cheesecloth or nut bag.

Visit our blog to learn how to make homemade soymilk from a blender and saucepan.

Besides the cost savings of homemade soymilk, you know exactly what ingredients are used.  Homemade soymilk is awesome because you only use water and Laura® Soybeans, no other additives, preservatives, processing on long production lines somewhere far away.

When you do make your homemade soymilk, give Laura® soybeans a try.  Laura® Soybeans are grown on our 5th generation Chambers family farm.  We have been growing NON GMO Food grade soybeans for soymilk and tofu since 1987. Visit www.laurasoybeans.com to learn more.

For more information on why homemade soymilk is the best visit our blog.

It’s been a couple months since we wrapped up harvest of our Laura Soybeans at our farm, stored the crop in the grain bins, cleaned up equipment and shut the doors on another production season. Right after we were done, we traveled to California for our son’s wedding then straight into Thanksgiving and then Christmas and New Years so I am a bit delayed in my report.

All in all the Laura Soybean production season turned out better than expected. We planted two weeks early and we planted into dry dirt, luckily there was moisture just below the surface. I don’t recall a spring like this one, so warm and so little rain. By Memorial Day we had some rain to help the crop get a good start.

By June 15^th things were looking grave, we fully expected to have a terrible crop and possibly complete crop failure. Then late June it started to rain and it rained a lot. The crop shot up and the beans began to blossom. Our corn grew three feet in one week! The balance of the summer was very constant with rains every so often and plenty of sunshine and warm temperatures.

Harvest was a different story. Due to the strange rainfall pattern early in the year and then the rains that followed the weeds came on strong along with the crops. With all the extra weed pressure this year we had to wait until the weeds died and dried out before we could harvest the beans. This made harvest difficult and it dragged on for a long time. Once we could start harvesting, the beans looked good but with all the up and down in temperatures and the intermittent rains it made the beans more fragile than usual so we have had more difficulty sorting and bagging this year than normal. If you see a few splits or soybean seed hulls this year, it is out of our control and a direct result of the weather at harvest. We have done everything we can, running over screens twice and sometimes a little handsorting when we bag to keep them as clean as possible.

I am happy to report that the protein levels are normal this year and due to our hard work isolating and maintaining the purity of the seed our crops remains NON-GMO.

Thanks for letting us supply you with nongmo Laura soybeans for your family and for your business. We are already preparing for this 2022 crop, planting season will be here before we know it.

Happy New Year and all the best in 2022!

The Chambers family.

This has been a strange, frustrating, nerve-racking roller coaster of a year.  Most other businesses have the ability to manage the production process, on the farm it’s all up to Mother Earth to provide rain, heat and sun.  As of August 24, we are 7.5 inches behind normal this year.  Planting started about two weeks early and conditions were great.  The soil was mellow and easy to plant in, we didn’t have a lot of rain and or wind.  We had a little bit of rain around Memorial Day and then it shut off.  Temperatures rose and humidity dropped.  There was enough moisture in the soil to get the crops started but by June 15th things were looking desperate.  We had begun to prepare ourselves for total crop failure.  On June 19th, it started to rain a little by the end of July 14th we had received about 5 inches.  We breathed a sigh of relief.  Then it shut off again and by August 19th things were starting to look desperate again.  The corn in some areas were starting to show stress and some even began to yellow indicating they were dying prematurely due to lack of moisture, there were some fields of beans in our area that started to look pale and light green indicating they have also run out of moisture.   Last friday evening we had 2.75 inches of rain.  It probably came too late for some of the corn (which had already aborted grain on the top of the ears), but the kernels that are there may benefit from increased size and weight.  The soybeans should benefit by filling out existing pods but some pods at the top of the plants have already aborted do to moisture stress.  We have enough rain to make it through harvest, we could probably go out and make some estimates as to yield potential but we really never know until we are out there with the combine and put the grain in the bin.

Will keep you posted as to our progress through the harvest season.

Jonathan