Soy Superheros
A story of Oak Park Schools
Plant-Based Project
Vol 1.
Vol 1.
Long, long ago (we're talking over 3,000 years!),
farmers in China discovered these amazing
beans. They were so special that they were
called one of the "Five Sacred Grains"!.
Soybeans are small, round beans that pack a big punch! They have a mild,
nutty flavor and come in different colors - yellow, green, brown, and even
black!
When you see soybeans, they might look like tiny pebbles. But don't let their
size fool you! These little beans are found in many foods you might eat every
day.
Soybeans can become soy milk for your cereal, tofu for stir-fries, or even be
hidden in some chocolate treats! But how did these magical beans become so
important to people all around the world? Let's travel back in time to find out!
THE AMAZING
JOURNEY
OF SOYBEANS
THE AMAZING
JOURNEY
OF SOYBEANS
These magical beans didn't stay in China
forever. They traveled across Asia, making
new friends in Japan and Korea.
Then, in the 1700s, they went on their
biggest journey ever - all the way to
America!
Now, American farmers (especially in the
Midwest) grow billions of soybeans every
year.
The Chinese used soybeans to
make lots of yummy foods like
tofu and soy sauce, which
people still love today!
Y OUR T
URN!
Can you find China on a map?
Here’s a hint: China is in Asia
YOUR TURN!
Can you find China on a map?
Here’s a hint: China is in Asia
Planting Time: Farmers plant soybean seeds in the spring when
Planting Time: Farmers plant soybean seeds in the spring when
the soil is warm enough.
the soil is warm enough.
Sprouting: The seed soaks up water and cracks open. A tiny
Sprouting: The seed soaks up water and cracks open. A tiny
root grows down, and a small stem pushes up through the
root grows down, and a small stem pushes up through the
soil.
soil.
Growing Up: The plant grows taller and sprouts leaves that
Growing Up: The plant grows taller and sprouts leaves that
collect sunlight to make food.
collect sunlight to make food.
Flowering: Small purple or white flowers bloom on the plant.
Flowering: Small purple or white flowers bloom on the plant.
Making Pods: After the flowers fall off, small pods start to
Making Pods: After the flowers fall off, small pods start to
grow. These pods are like little bean houses!
grow. These pods are like little bean houses!
Bean Time: Inside each pod, 2-4 soybeans grow and ripen from
Bean Time: Inside each pod, 2-4 soybeans grow and ripen from
green to yellow, brown, or black.
green to yellow, brown, or black.
Harvest: In the fall, farmers collect the soybeans using special
Harvest: In the fall, farmers collect the soybeans using special
machines called combines.
machines called combines.
FROM TINY SEED TO MIGHTY PLANT
FROM TINY SEED TO MIGHTY PLANT
Soybean Family
Members
Soybean Family
Members
Edamame
These are young, green soybeans still in
their pods. They're picked before they fully
ripen.
Yellow Soybeans
These are the most common soybeans. They're
harvested when fully ripe and dry. Yellow
soybeans are used to make soy milk, tofu, and
many other soy foods.
Black Soybeans
These soybeans have a black outer
coat and are especially popular in
Asian cooking. They have a slightly
sweeter taste than yellow soybeans.
Soybean plants are special soil helpers! They can
take nitrogen from the air and put it into the
soil. helping make the soil healthier for other
plants to grow later.
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Fiber keeps your tummy
happy and helps food
move through your body.
Keeping your digestion
regular
Fiber keeps your tummy
happy and helps food
move through your body.
Keeping your digestion
regular
Vitamin B9 (Folate): Helps make
new cells in your body
Vitamin K: Helps heal cuts and
scrapes
Vitamin B1 (T hiamin): Turns food
into energy
Vitamin B9 (Folate): Helps make
new cells in your body
Vitamin K: Helps heal cuts and
scrapes
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin): Turns food
into energy
Soybeans are protein
champions! Protein is the
building block that helps your
muscles grow strong.
It also helps you heal when you
get cuts or scrapes.
Soybeans are protein
champions! Protein is the
building block that helps your
muscles grow strong.
It also helps you heal when you
get cuts or scrapes.
Mighty Minerals
Mighty Minerals
SUPER BEAN POWER-UPS!
SUPER BEAN POWER-UPS!
�
Steam edamame
pods and sprinkle
with a little salt
Steam edamame
pods and sprinkle
with a little salt
Soy milk - great
with cereal or in
smoothies
Soy milk - great
with cereal or in
smoothies
Tofu - can be soft
like pudding or
firm like cheese
Tofu - can be soft
like pudding or
firm like cheese
Iron: Carries oxygen in your
blood to help you feel energetic
Iron: Carries oxygen in your
blood to help you feel energetic
Calcium: Makes your bones and
teeth strong
Calcium: Makes your bones and
teeth strong
Magnesium: Helps your muscles
and nerves work properly
Magnesium: Helps your muscles
and nerves work properly
Protein Power
Protein Power
Fantastic Fiber
Fantastic Fiber
Vitamin Variety
Vitamin Variety
What do you need?
What do you need?
3–5 dried soybeans
1 ziplock sandwich bag
1 paper towel
Window that gets sunlight
Water
What To Expect: The Bean Magic Timeline!
What To Expect: The Bean Magic Timeline!
Day 1: Your bean is soaking up water—it's waking up!
Days 2–3: The skin may crack, and a tiny white root (radicle) starts to peek out.
Days 4–5: The root dives down, and the shoot (hypocotyl) curls up toward the
light.
Days 6–7: The shoot rises, turns green, and the first leaves (cotyledons) begin to
open—surprise, they were inside the bean the whole time!
What happens to a soybean when we keep it
warm and moist for several days?
Wet your paper towel so it's damp but not
dripping wet
Fold the paper towel neatly to fit inside your
ziplock bag
Place 3-5 soybeans on top of the damp paper towel
Space them out so they have room to grow
Gently slide the paper towel with beans into the
ziplock bag
Seal the ziplock bag most of the way
(leave a tiny bit open for air)
Use tape to hang your bag on a sunny window
Write your name and the date on the bag with a
marker
Look at your beans each day at about the same
time
In your Bean Journal, draw what you see and write
down any changes
If the paper towel starts to dry out, add a few
drops of water
Prepare Your Bean Home
Prepare Your Bean Home
Tuck In Your Bean Babies
Tuck In Your Bean Babies
Hang Your Bean Nursery
Hang Your Bean Nursery
Check On Your Beans Every Day
Check On Your Beans Every Day
Sauté & Simmer
1.Heat canola oil in a saucepan or stockpot over medium heat.
2.Add diced onions and cook until translucent (soft and see-through).
3.Stir in tomato paste, vegetable broth, and water.
Bake the Base
6. Add diced tomatoes (with juice) to the pot.
7. Cover and bake in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes.
Spice it Up
4. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, pepper, and salt.
5. Stir until everything is well mixed.
Add Beans & Finish
8. Remove from oven and stir in kidney beans.
9. Return to the oven and bake 10 more minutes.
Kidney Bean
Power Chili
Kidney Bean
Power Chili
Ingredients
Ingredients
1½ tsp Canola oil
½ cup Fresh onions, small diced
2 tbsp Tomato paste
½ cup Vegetable broth (low
sodium)
½ cup Tap water
1½ tsp Granulated garlic
½ tsp Chili powder
1½ tsp Ground cumin
2 tbsp Light brown sugar
1 tbsp Ground black pepper
½ tsp Kosher salt
1½ cups No salt added diced
tomatoes (with juice)
2 cups Dark red kidney beans,
drained and rinsed
Instructions
Instructions
Servings:
Servings:
Cost Per
Serving:
Cost Per
Serving:
4 Servings
$0.52/serving
Portion Size:
Portion Size:
1 Cup
Prep the Beans
1.Drain and rinse the black beans. Set aside.
2.In a saucepan, heat oil and sweat the onions and garlic (cook until soft, not browned).
3.Add all spices (chili powder, cumin, cayenne, oregano) and toast briefly to release flavor.
4.Combine this mix with the black beans and a little water. Cook until beans are tender.
5.Add salt. Let mixture cool, then drain thoroughly.
Form the Patties
6.Mix cooled beans with bread crumbs, chipotle peppers, and cilantro.
7. Stir until well combined.
8. Form into 5 oz patties (you’ll get 4).
9. Chill or freeze patties until firm.
Cook & Serve
10. Place patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
11. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven until the internal temperature reaches 165°F for 15 seconds.
12. Serve immediately, or hold hot at 140°F or above until serving.
The Bean-o-nator
Burger
The Bean-o-nator
Burger
Ingredients
Ingredients
Instructions
Instructions
¼ tsp Chili powder
½ tsp Ground cumin
Less than ⅛ tsp Cayenne pepper
2⅓ oz Fresh onions, small diced
2½ tsp Fresh garlic, chopped
¼ tsp Kosher salt
¼ tsp Ground oregano
2½ tsp Canola oil
2⅓ cups (plus 1 tbsp + ¼ tsp)
Black beans, low sodium, drained &
rinsed
⅔ cup (plus 1½ tsp) Plain bread
crumbs
¼ tsp Chipotle peppers, canned &
minced
¾ oz Fresh cilantro, chopped
Servings:
Servings:
4 Servings
Cost Per
Serving:
Cost Per
Serving:
$0.46/serving
Portion Size:
Portion Size:
1 Burger
Oak park Golden
Glow Mac Bowl
Oak park Golden
Glow Mac Bowl
Cook the Veggies
1.Wash, peel, and dice the potatoes, carrots, and onion.
2.Bring water to a boil in a large stockpot.
3.Add diced vegetables and boil for 10–12 minutes, or until tender.
4.Drain using a colander.
Blend the Cheeze Sauce
1.Add the cooked veggies to a blender.
2.Add soy milk, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
3.Blend until smooth.
4.Hold for use in Step 4 (Mix & Combine).
Cook the Pasta
1.Bring 2 gallons of water to a boil.
2.Add rotini and stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
3.Cook for 8–10 minutes, until pasta is firm to the bite.
4.Drain well.
Mix & Combine
1.In a 9x9 pan, mix together:
a.8 cups of cheeze sauce (from Step 2),Cooked noodles, 2 cups shredded
Monterey Jack cheese, 1 cup additional soy milk (for consistency)
Top & Bake
1.Sprinkle 3 cups of shredded Monterey Jack cheese over the mixture.
2.Bake in a convection oven at 350°F for 15–20 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.
3.Sprinkle with paprika for garnish.
Ingredients
Ingredients
Instructions
Instructions
½ Fresh white onion
1¾ Russet potatoes
1 Fresh carrot
¼ tsp Ground black pepper
2½ tsp Lemon juice
3 tbsp + 1⅛ tsp Nutritional
yeast
¼ tsp Salt
¾ tsp Garlic powder
¾ tsp Onion powder
¾ carton Soy milk, vanilla (8 oz
each)
6¾ oz Whole grain rotini, dry
1 qt + 2¾ cups Boiling water
⅓ cup + 1 tbsp + 1¼ tsp
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
<¼ carton Soy milk, vanilla (8
oz each)
½ cup + 2 tbsp + ¼ tsp
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
¾ tsp Ground paprika
Servings:
Servings:
4 Servings
Cost Per
Serving:
Cost Per
Serving:
$0.86/serving
Portion Size:
Portion Size:
1.5 Cup
Mash & Munch
Bowl
Mash & Munch
Bowl
Ingredients
Ingredients
20 Impossible Chicken
Nuggets
3 oz Mashed potatoes
1 tbsp + 1 tsp Shredded
cheddar cheese
7 small russet potatoes
2 tbsp + 1¾ tsp Lowfat
milk
¼ tsp Onion powder
⅛ tsp Ground black
pepper
⅛ tsp Ground paprika
⅛ tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp Unsalted butter
Instructions
Instructions
1.Place nuggets on a sheet pan.
2.Bake according to package instructions until internal
temperature reaches 165°F.
3.Peel, wash, and cut potatoes into quarters.
4.Add to a pot with enough water to fully cover them.
5.Boil until tender. Drain well.
6.Transfer hot, drained potatoes to an electric mixer bowl.
7.Add milk, butter, salt, pepper, onion powder, and paprika.
8.Whip until light and fluffy.
1.Scoop ½ cup of mashed potatoes
2.Top with 5 hot nuggets.
3.Sprinkle with 1 tsp shredded cheddar cheese for garnish.
For each bowl:
For each bowl:
Cost Per
Serving:
Cost Per
Serving:
$1.69/serving
Servings:
Servings:
4 Servings
Portion Size:
Portion Size:
½ cup potatoes
5 Nuggets
Chik’n &
Waffles
Chik’n &
Waffles
1.Bake the Impossible Nuggets and waffle
according to their package instructions.
2.Warm the syrup.
3.Assemble the chick’n nuggets (4 nuggets)
and waffles, then serve immediately.
The
Adventures
of Lil TJ!
The
Adventures
of Lil TJ!
Up Next...
Up Next...
Ingredients
Ingredients
Instructions
Instructions
16 Impossible
Chicken Nuggets
4 Whole Grain
Waffles
Syrup as desired
Servings:
Servings:
4 Servings
Cost Per
Serving:
Cost Per
Serving:
$1.39/serving
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Portion Size:
Portion Size:
1 waffle & 4 Nuggets