When people think of soy, they often think of a slimy white square of tofu floating in a tub of water, But not only is soy finding its way into mainstream markets in many other forms, starting today, products containing at least 6 grams of soy protein per serving have been FDA approved as a cholesterol lowering food product. On NBC' "Today" show, Patricia Greenberg, author of 'The whole Soy Cookbook,' shares her hints and recipes for cooking with soy. Read an excerpt and some recipes below.

Imagine you had the power to create the perfect food, a substance of the world's nutritional ills. What would it be like? First of all, it would have to be delicious. It would have to be easy to work with and so versatile that it would never become boring. It would have to provide inexpensive and complete nutrition. It would no cholesterol and no saturated fat and so would cause no ill effects to the human body. Even better, it would actually help perhaps even reverse -some of the world's most dreaded diseases. It would be easy and cheap to produce and it could be grown in a  variety of soils and climates. Its cultivation wouldn't deplete the earth of nutrients and would even enhance the environment.  
The fact is, we don't need to imagine this miracle food because it already exists. It is called soy.
If you are picking up this book, you have probably heard some of the recent medical news about soy's miraculous health properties-how eating as little as 25 grams of soy protein a day can prevent heart disease, breast cancer; and prostate cancer, among other illnesses. Or perhaps you are already familiar with soy and seek new and exciting ways of cooking healthfully for your family. Whether you're an experienced vegetarian cook or a newcomer to health-concious cooking, this unique cookbook is for you. Its purpose is to make it easy as well as delicious-for anyone to gain the benefits of including soy in his or her diet.
Who benefits from soy? The list is long: anyone concerned about preventing heart disease; anyone interested in preventing breast cancer; anyone with worries about prostate cancer or colon cancer; anyone with milk allergies or lactose intolerance, including infants who can't digest regular baby formulas; women anxious to ease the symptoms of menopause; anyone who suffers from digestive problems or diabetes. Everyone, in fact, can benefit from soy, since soy provides high-quality, inexpensive protein chockfull of vitamins, minerals, and fiver but with absolutely no cholesterol or saturated fat. But most important of all, soy - and only soy contains a compound called genistein, which has been scientifically proven in many major studies to posses remarkable powers of healing and prevention. Adding soy protein to your diet makes sense for everyone.