Posted October 23, 2011
Judging by the number of new vegetarian cookbooks, this is a good time to be interested in a plant-based diet. Five new cookbooks, some totally vegan and some vegetarian, are out or due out in the next few weeks.
Here’s a peek at each.
“Everything Vegan” by Vegetarian Times (Wiley, $29.95).
What’s good about it: This compendium of more than 300 recipes – with a good portion having full-color photos – is from one of the best-known vegetarian magazines. Recipes cover the gamut – starters, burgers, sandwiches, pasta and noodles, tofu, tempeh, seitan and desserts. The health benefit of adopting a vegan lifestyle is covered, but in a brief, straightforward way.
Best aspect besides recipes: Menu ideas for holidays, special occasions and ethnic dishes.
“Good Housekeeping Simple Vegan!” from Good Housekeeping Magazine (Hearst Books, $14.95).
What’s good about it: This spiral-bound collection has more than 100 easy-to-follow recipes for a vegan lifestyle or for someone who just wants to eat more grains and vegetables. Recipes are designed to be family-friendly. The premise, according to the foreword by Susan Westmoreland, Good Housekeeping’s food director, is that you can prepare everyday dishes such as pastas, soups, stir-fries and burgers and even some baked goods in a vegan style.
Best aspect besides recipes: Everything’s quick to prepare using everyday ingredients.
“Vegan Diner” by Julie Hasson (Running Press, $19.95).
What’s good about it: Hasson’s objective is diner-style vegetarian recipes that fit the bill for comfort food. “You just need to learn to make them in a different way,” Hasson writes. There’s a plethora of yummy-sounding recipes like Biscuits with Creamy Sage Gravy, Rockin’ Reubens and Not Your Mama’s Pot Roast.
Best aspect besides recipes: An ingredient list for what to keep in a vegan pantry.
“Fresh & Fast Vegetarian: Recipes that Make a Meal” by Marie Simmons (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $17.95).
What’s good about it: Simmons ties the growth of farmer’s markets to the interest in vegetarian eating and cooking. Her book features vegetarian and some vegan recipes. Recipes are labeled according to the time it takes to make them; fast ones take 30 to 45 minutes.
Best aspect besides recipes: Most of the recipes have “Make It a Meal” serving suggestions.
“The Part-time Vegan: 201 Yummy Recipes That Put the Fun in Flexitarian” by Cherise Grifoni (Adams Media, $15.95).
What’s good about it: This is for folks who want to ease into vegan eating. Recipes and explanations are witty as are chapter titles like “Be Rice to Yourself.”
Best aspect besides recipes: Dinner plans are built around themes. Recipes have icons indicating whether they’re high in protein or fiber, are quick to make or have a flex feature if you need a break from vegan eating or need to sub non-veg ingredients.
SEITAN SATAY WITH PEANUT SAUCE
Serves: 8 / Preparation time: 30 minutes (plus marinating time) / Total time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
SATAY
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 pound seitan, drained and cut into chunks
2 medium cucumbers, peeled and quartered lengthwise
Lemon wedges for garnish
PEANUT SAUCE
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon hot sesame oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
Soak 8 wood skewers in water 30 minutes. Combine soy sauce, sesame oil and ginger in a resealable plastic bag. Add seitan; seal and shake to coat. Refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Drain seitan chunks and thread onto skewers. Place skewers on prepared baking sheet and bake 10 to 15 minutes or until seitan is browned and firm.
Meanwhile, make Peanut Sauce:
In a blender or food processor, blend all ingredients until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to serving bowl.
To serve: Place cucumber quarters on serving plates. Set skewers on top. Garnish with lemon wedges, and pass Peanut Sauce for dipping.
From and tested by Vegetarian Times magazine.
223 calories (54 percent from fat), 14 grams fat (2.5 grams sat. fat), 8 grams carbohydrates, 21 grams protein, 276 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 grams fiber.
BULGUR BEAN BURGERS
Makes: 4 / Preparation time: 20 minutes / Total time: 28 minutes
1 cup water
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 cup bulgur
1 can (15 to 19 ounces) reduced-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
1 container (6 ounces) nondairy plain yogurt, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves, chopped, divided
Nonstick cooking spray
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup shredded pickling (Kirby) cucumber
4 lettuce leaves
1 ripe medium tomato, sliced
4 whole-wheat hamburger buns
In 1-quart saucepan, heat water and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt to boiling over high heat. Stir in bulgur. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until water is absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, in large bowl, mash beans and 2 tablespoons yogurt with potato masher or fork, until almost smooth. Stir in bulgur, allspice, cinnamon, cumin and half of mint until combined. With lightly floured hands, shape bean mixture into four 3-inch-round patties. Coat both sides of each patty lightly with cooking spray.
Heat a nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium heat until hot. Add burgers and cook until lightly browned and heated through, about 8 minutes, turning them once.
While burgers are cooking, prepare yogurt sauce: In small bowl, combine the cucumber, remaining yogurt, remaining mint, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. The sauce makes about 1 1/4 cups.
Divide the lettuce, tomato slices and burgers on bottom halves of buns; add some yogurt sauce and top halves of buns. Serve with remaining yogurt sauce on the side.
From “Good Housekeeping Simple Vegan!” (Hearst Books, $14.95)
Tested by Good Housekeeping.
355 calories (10 percent from fat), 4 grams fat (0.5 grams sat. fat), 66 grams carbohydrates, 16 grams protein, 738 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 15 grams fiber.
VEGETABLE PAELLA WITH TOFU
Serves: 6 / Preparation time: 15 minutes / Total time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Traditional paella pans are round, shallow metal pans that let the rice and vegetables cook evenly without getting mushy. A wok will do the job just as well; the wide mouth lets liquid evaporate, so the rice cooks and the other ingredients steam rather than boil.
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 packages (7 ounces each) spicy marinated tofu, finely diced
Salt to taste
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 large carrots, diced (1 cup)
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 can (14 ounces) chopped tomatoes, drained
4 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
1 cup short-grain brown rice
2 1/4 cups water
1/8 teaspoon saffron, crumbled
1 cup fresh or frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish
Black pepper to taste
In a wok, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the tofu when ripples appear in the oil and season with salt. Saute 10 minutes or until tofu is browned, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and saute 4 to 5 minutes or until mushrooms release liquid and begin to brown.
Stir in the carrots, corn, tomatoes and garlic; saute 2 minutes more. Stir in rice, water and saffron. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover with wok lid and simmer 40 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Add peas (do not stir yet), cover and allow peas to steam 1 to 2 minutes. Remove wok from heat and stir in lemon juice and green onions. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
From and tested by Vegetarian Times magazine.
375 calories (30) from fat), 13 grams fat (2 grams sat. fat), 45 grams carbohydrates, 22 grams protein, 569 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 6 grams fiber.