Cold Asparagus with a Chinese Dressing

Recipe from Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian

You won’t believe how delicious this simple recipe is. The asparagus is barely cooked and retains its bright green color.

* 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimed, cut into thirds at a slight angle, and left to soak in water for 15 minutes

For the dressing:

* 4 tsp. soy sauce
* 1 tsp. sugar
* 1 tsp. Chinese Shao Hsing wine or dry sherry (I used mirin)
* 2 tsp. red wine vinegar
* 1 tsp. dark sesame oil (or less, to taste)
* 1 garlic clove, peeled and lightly crushed but whole

Drain the asparagus. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and put the asparagus in for just one minute. Drain and run under cold water. Drain again. Leave in a colander.

Mix all the ingredients for the dressing. Just before serving, put the asparagus into a bowl. Remove the garlic from the dressing and toss the dressing with the asparagus.

Serves 4

Submitted by: David Grappo
Recipe by: David Grappo

Servings: 6-8

This recipe adapts and modifies the ingredients and techniques in Susan Voisin’s “My Favorite Lasagna” recipe (on this website) and Neal Pinckney’s “Lasagna Romana” recipe from his Healthy Heart Handbook. My wife Anne came up with the garbanzo substitution for tofu. For the adventurous, consider substituting other beans such as pinto, black or white. Alternatively, skip the beans entirely and get a great result using a pound of cooked winter squash such as butternut or acorn instead.

Vegetables:

0.5 cup or so chopped onion
2 peeled and shredded carrots (optional)
0.5 lb chopped mushrooms
3 cloves chopped garlic (optional)
0.25 cup chopped olives (optional)
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 lb cooked garbanzo beans, or one can, drained

Tomato Sauce:

Mix 40-50 oz. more or less of any canned and/or bottled/jar tomato products. Crushed tomatoes or any sauce will be the right texture. If you use a can of diced or sliced tomatoes, balance it with a can of paste to reduce watering down of the sauce mix. If you use a preseasoned sauce, you can reduce the added seasonings.

Seasonings: (more or less to taste)

2 tbs nutritional yeast (optional)
1 tsp salt
0.5 tsp black pepper
1.5 tsp oregano
2 tsp basil
dash of cayenne (optional)
1 tsp Mrs. Dash or similar herb mix (optional)
1 tsp crushed rosemary
0.25 cup chopped parsley

Braising liquids:

0.25 cups of any non-fat liquid. Water, broth, soy sauce, beer, wine, or tequila will all do fine. Use more liquid if needed to keep vegetables from sticking to the pan.

Noodles

Use 9 lasagna noodles if you use a standard 9×12×2 inch pan. Bigger pans need more noodles to get “total noodle coverage.” Don’t pre-cook the noodles even if using whole wheat noodles. They fully cook and absorb liquid during the baking process.

Cooking Directions:

Assembling and preparing ingredients for lasagna can take about an hour, but the results are worth the effort. Start by preparing the vegetables and seasonings as indicated above.

Braise the onions and carrots in the liquid for about 5 minutes, then add the mushrooms and garlic and continue to braise for another 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms are soft. Add all the tomato sauce to the onion-mushroom mix. Continue to heat at low to medium. In a separate bowl, mash the garbanzos into a paste; then mix the spinach and olives into the garbanzos. Mix the seasonings together; then mix them into either the sauce or the tofu mix, or into both.

Pour half the tomato mix into the bottom of a 9×12×2 pan. Greasing is not necessary. Cover with a first layer of 3 noodles. Spread half the garbanzo mix over the noodles. Cover with a second layer of 3 noodles. Spread the rest of the garbanzo mix on top. Cover with the third layer of 3 noodles. Pour the remainder of the tomato sauce on top. Set your pan on a large cookie tray (to catch drippings – it’s easier to clean the tray than the bottom of your oven). Rest a sheet of aluminum foil on top of all to stop spattering. Bake for 50 minutes or so in a preheated 350-degree oven. Let cool for 10-15 minutes.

Recipe by: Vegan Handbook: Over 200 Delicious Recipes, Meal Plans, and Vegetarian Resources for All Ages

Servings: 8

1lb pasta shells
1 lb spinach, chopped and steamed until tender
2 1/2 C low sodium tomato sauce
1/2 C soy milk
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T fresh chopped basil (or 1 tsp dried)
1/4 C bread crumbs
salt & pepper to taste

- Cook pasta in boiling water according to directions. Drain.

- In a large casserole dish, toss hot pasta with spinach, tomato sauce, soy milk, garlic, and basil. Season to taste. Top with bread crumbs.

- Bake @ 350 degrees, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Serve hot.

Submitted by: Sue in NJ
Recipe By :Adapted from Pasta East to West: A Vegetarian World Tour by Nava Atlas

Serving Size : 4

To keep this McDougall-legal I use whole wheat pasta. It can also be made MWLP legal by eliminating the raisins and pasta and serving with brown rice or barley.

8 ounces pasta — penne or ziti
1 medium onion — chopped
2 cloves garlic — minced
1/2 medium green bell pepper — finely diced
4 cups cauliflower flowerets — cut in bite-sized pieces
28 ounces diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
16 ounces chickpeas, canned — drained & rinsed
1/2 cup raisins, seedless
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves — or parsley
salt and pepper — to taste

Cook the pasta in plenty of rapidly simmering water until al dente, then drain.

Meanwhile, heat water or broth in a skillet and add the onion and garlic and sauté over medium heat until golden.

Add the cauliflower, bell pepper, tomatoes, curry powder and basil. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is just tender. Add the chickpeas and raisins and simmer for 5 minutes longer.

In a large serving bowl, combine the cooked pasta with the cauliflower mixture. Stir in the cilantro or parsley, then season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

NOTES : 4 to 6 servings

Submitted by: Freedom
Recipe by: lucy.smiles

Servings: One

This pasta sauce is lovely and creamy but not too fattening. If you are craving a really creamy sauce, I think this may do it for you.

1 medium tomato**
2 tbs tomato paste**
1 tbs crunchy peanut paste++
1 large button mushroom
1 big handful baby spinach
brown onion (as much as you like)
rice or pasta to serve

Begin by putting as much brown rice or wholemeal pasta as you would like on to cook, so that it can be cooking while you make the sauce.

Chop the tomato into very small pieces, place in a saucepan, cover with boiling water and put onto simmer. After about 2 minutes, remove from heat and mash with a potato masher. It won’t become mashed but should disintegrate to some extent. Now mix in tomato paste and return to heat. When sauce begins to boil, add peanut paste and stir through thoroughly. Reduce heat and allow to thicken (this should take approximately 5 minutes). While sauce is thickening, chop mushroom and onion into bite sized pieces. Add to sauce and stir until coated in sauce, then continue simmering. When your rice/pasta is nearly ready, tear the spinach and add to sauce, then increase heat. The length of time you cook for depends on how thick or runny you want your sauce. When it is desired thickness, serve over rice or pasta.

**Canned tomatoes can be substituted for the fresh tomato and paste – I’m not sure of amounts so you need to experiment.

++I get my peanut paste at the health food shop where you make your own and therefore know that all you’re eating is peanuts, without the salt, sugar and additives. Much yummier than any of that peanut paste from the supermarket!

NOTE: The first time I made this, I grilled some tofu and added tofu cubes at the same time as the mushrooms and onion, which was nice, but this adds fat.

Submitted by Mary Pomerantz
from Foodnetwork.com

About 1/2 pound seedless red or yellow watermelon flesh
1/2 lime
Aged balsamic vinegar, for garnishing
Cut the watermelon flesh into 6 (1 1/2-inch) cubes.
Use the small end of a melon-baller to remove a scoop of flesh from 1 side of the watermelon cubes, creating a small cavity for the juice.

To serve, place a watermelon cube, cavity-side up, on each of 6 small plates and squeeze a little lime juice over them. Fill each cavity with balsamic vinegar.

6 servings

Recipe By : Cooking Light, December 1996, p.102
Serving Size : 8

2 large pink grapefruit
1/3 cup small pitted prunes
1/3 cup dried figs — cut into quarters
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
7 whole cloves
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1 cup seedless red grapes — halved

Peel and section grapefruit over a bowl; squeeze membranes to extract juice. Set sections aside; reserve juice and add water to equal 1 1/4 cups.

Combine juice mixture, prunes, figs, sugar, cloves, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; let cool. Discard cloves and cinnamon stick. Stir in grapefruit sections and grapes.

NOTE : To section grapefruit, hold peeled fruit in one hand. Starting at the top of the fruit, slip a paring knife into the section, keeping close to the membrane. Cut section out by running knife down the length of section and into the fruit, cutting as close to membrane as possible.

Serving Size: 1/2 cup

Recipe by: Nanette Blanchard

(Makes 8 pear halves)

I love the texture and buttery flavor of poached pears. This microwave poaching method is so simple that sometimes I buy a big bag of pears and poach them all at once. They can then be refrigerated and covered and eaten as snacks throughout the next week. Bosc and Bartlett pears are the best varieties for poaching.

This is a nice holiday recipe because the cranberry juice turns the pears a pale pink color. These pears are pretty garnished with some fresh mint sprigs. This recipe is best made at least 30 minutes in advance to give the pears time to cool.

4 pears, preferably Bosc
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup cranapple juice

Halve, peel, and core the pears. Sprinkle freshly cut pears with lemon juice to prevent browning. Place in microwave-safe dish and cover with cranapple juice. Cover and cook on high 6 – 8 minutes or until pears are fork tender. (Check the pears after 6 minutes; the fresher the pears, the longer they’ll take to cook.) Spoon juice over pears, cover, and let stand 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight.

Total Calories Per Half Pear: 62; Fat: less than 1 gram

Posted to www.vrg.org

By Tammy

Here’s one of my basic ones, off the top of my head. The measurements are just estimates and can be changed for your personal tastes once you get used to it.

1/2 c strawberries (frozen)
1/2 c blueberries (frozen)
1 banana
2 tbsp ground flax
1/2-1 c soy milk (Depending on how thick you like it and how good your blender is. The more liquid the easier a blender can blend.)

Throw all together in a blender and blend. Enjoy!

Every time you make smoothies for a while experiment with different fruits until you find a few combinations you really like. It’s really a personal preference thing but fun to experiment!

You can use whatever fruits you like. I like using frozen berries for the convenience. You don’t have to prep them, worry about them being more expensive because they’re not in season or if they’ll go bad before you get around to using them and they’re always available when the mood for a smoothie strikes. Not to mention berries are very good for you. Oh, I also don’t thaw them first, just throw them straight from the freezer. I also sometimes use raspberries and blackberries but you do feel the seeds then (especially with blackberries!)

Bananas & mangos are great for making smoothies sweeter.

I’ve also used fresh peaches, apricots, nectarines (pitting, of course), melon, pineapple, etc. etc. when they’re in season.

Apples & pears (cored but no need to peel) are a good cheap addition but if the smoothie isn’t drunk (or frozen) right away the fiber in them can do strange things to the consistency of the smoothie.

You can use juice instead of soy milk if you like a tangier smoothie. Carrot juice is real good for a milder flavor.

I’ve also recently tried a real simple one. Oranges (Clementines, peeled and seeded), soy milk & ground flax. Reminds me of orange Creamsicles!

I’m too lazy & busy to make smoothies every day but like to have them every day at work so what I do is make a bunch (10, 5 for me, 5 for hubby) on the weekend and put them in bottles (10) and freeze them immediately. Then each day we just take 2 bottles out and drink them at work as they thaw. This has kept us drinking smoothies more than anything! It’s also the only way I can get my husband to eat any fruit (Unless you count fruit pies!)

Another tip, not really a smoothie but… If you ever have too much watermelon (Seedless. Or any other melon, without the seeds.) and are afraid you won’t use it all in time take a bunch and blend it! It makes a refreshing drink and somehow is easy to eat lots of it this way.

Posted to the Eat-2-Live email list

Recipe by Karina Allrich

I have to be gluten-free and soy-free, so here is my GF/SF version of my favorite veggie stir-fry.

Sauce:
3/4 cup light vegetable broth
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
1 Tbs molasses
1 Tbs apple juice concentrate
1 tsp curry powder, or to taste
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste

Stir-fry:
1/2 cup light vegetable broth
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 heaping cup fresh broccoli florets
1 heaping cup cauliflower pieces
4 medium carrots, sliced into matchsticks
1 medium zucchini squash, sliced into half-moons
1 tsp dried ginger or 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
red pepper flakes, if desired for more heat

Garnish:
2-3 Tbs fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan, heat the vegetable broth over medium heat; whisk in the peanut butter until smooth. Whisk in the apple cider vinegar, molasses, apple juice concentrate, curry powder and cayenne. Taste for seasoning adjustments.

In a large skillet or wok heat the vegetable broth until it starts to simmer. Add the garlic, onion, vegetables, ginger and seasonings; stir-fry until they are tender-crisp. Add the peanut sauce and stir well. Add the chopped cilantro just before serving.

Serve on hot cooked brown rice or Thai rice noodles.

Servings: 4