Chapter 14: Main Course Recipes Mac N’ TeaseCheese This is vegan comfort food at its best Now when you’re going through a break-up, feeling under the weather, or feeling homesick, you can coast through the rough spot with vegan ease Because of the nutritional yeast, you get a nice dose of vitamin B12, which is great for soothing your frazzled nerves Preparation/cooking time: 38 minutes Yield: main course servings cups dry elbow macaroni ⁄4 cups unsweetened, plain rice milk or soymilk teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, minced tablespoons canola oil ⁄3 cup plus tablespoon unbleached white flour 1 teaspoon yellow, stone-ground, or Dijon-style mustard ⁄2 cup nutritional yeast flakes 1 teaspoon salt ⁄2 teaspoon black pepper 1 cup frozen peas, thawed 1 Cook the macaroni according to the package directions Drain and set aside 2 Heat the milk and rosemary in a small saucepan until it just starts to simmer Remove from heat and set aside 3 Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and add the canola oil Whisk in the flour, mustard, and nutritional yeast flakes, stirring constantly to make sure there are no lumps 4 Slowly whisk the warmed milk into the flour and mustard mixture, whisking constantly to make sure no lumps form 5 Continue to cook the sauce, uncovered, until it becomes thick and creamy, up to minutes more 6 Season the sauce with salt and pepper and then stir in the cooked macaroni Stir well to coat the noodles Add the thawed peas and stir once more Per serving: Calories 427 (From Fat 102); Fat 11g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 663mg; Carbohydrate 63g; Dietary Fiber 10g; Protein 22g 189 190 Part IV: Tasting Is Believing: Vegan Recipes Noodles with Seitan and Shiitake Mushrooms This lovely noodle dish tastes fancy, but it’s surprisingly easy to prepare The shiitake mushrooms and seitan provide a very meaty texture (for those who crave nonvegan meats) while the mirin gives a sophisticated aroma and taste Preparation/cooking time: 30 minutes Yield: servings ounces dry elbow-style pasta tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil ⁄4 cup minced shallots (about shallots) 16 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced teaspoon naturally brewed soy sauce (tamari, shoyu, or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos) ounces seitan, thinly sliced teaspoon dried thyme ⁄4 cup mirin cooking wine or other white wine 1 Cook the pasta according to the package directions Drain and set aside 2 Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat Sauté the shallots and mushrooms with the soy sauce for to minutes, or until the mushrooms start to give up their moisture 3 Add the seitan and thyme to the mushroom mixture in the skillet and stir well Cook for another to minutes, or until the seitan is warmed through 4 Stir in the wine and cook for to more minutes Then add the drained, cooked pasta to the mushroom mixture and stir well to combine Per serving: Calories 398 (From Fat 48); Fat 5g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 244mg; Carbohydrate 64g; Dietary Fiber 4g; Protein 22g World Cuisine: Trying Some Ethnic Staples Every culture has a few staple dishes that people rely on, and every family has its own special version After all, there must be thousands of curry powders in India alone! Culturally inspired recipes bring in new flavors and health benefits with different herbs and spices and introduce new vegetables Curries have been studied for their anti-inflammatory ingredients, and the fermented soy in miso has been used to help treat radiation sickness Chapter 14: Main Course Recipes 191 The recipes in this section provide you with a few ethnic dishes you can master Both recipes can include any number of ingredient combinations, so feel free to start mixing up the vegetables or beans depending on what you have in your refrigerator or cupboard Miso Stew Miso soup is usually a simple broth made with sea veggies and tofu, but this Miso Stew is much heartier and can be a full meal Plus this amazing one-pot meal is healing You could call it the Japanese vegan version of Mom’s American chicken soup: Take bowls and call me in the morning Preparation/cooking time: 25 minutes Yield: to servings tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil cups vegetable stock medium yellow onion, diced cups filtered water cloves garlic, minced cups cooked brown rice or other whole grain carrot, cut into ⁄4-inch half moons celery rib, cut into 1⁄2-inch half moons teaspoons naturally brewed soy sauce (tamari, shoyu, or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos) package firm tofu, drained and cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes tablespoons any flavor miso paste teaspoon freshly grated ginger ⁄2 cup hijiki seaweed, soaked according to the package directions green onions, sliced, for garnish 1 1 Heat a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat Add the oil and onion and sauté for minutes, or until the onion begins to turn translucent 2 Add the garlic, carrot, celery, tofu, and hijiki Pour in the stock and water and bring to a simmer Add the rice and soy sauce Cover and cook for minutes 3 Meanwhile, add the miso paste to a few tablespoons of water in a small mixing bowl Whisk to combine, and then add just enough water that the miso is smooth and pourable 4 Move the soup off the heat and stir in the ginger After the simmering has stopped, add the miso and stir well Sprinkle with the green onions (Never boil miso soup after the miso is added Doing so will destroy the healing benefits of the living enzymes.) Tip: When ordering miso soup or stew in restaurants, be sure to ask whether it’s vegetarian — most sushi and Japanese restaurants add bonito dried fish flakes Per serving: Calories 273 (From Fat 88); Fat 10g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 609mg; Carbohydrate 34g; Dietary Fiber 4g; Protein 14g 192 Part IV: Tasting Is Believing: Vegan Recipes Cauliflower Chickpea Curry This curry has so much flavor, so much protein, and so many veggies — and it’s so great for leftovers What’s not to love? Don’t let the list of ingredients scare you You’ll use the spices over and over again, so they’re a good investment Preparation/cooking time: 40 minutes Yield: servings ⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves tablespoons unrefined coconut or canola oil teaspoons whole mustard seeds 1 large yellow onion, diced cloves garlic, minced green cardamom pods teaspoon plus 1⁄2 teaspoon salt One 24-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained tablespoons plus teaspoon ginger, grated or minced cups rinsed, stemmed, and lightly chopped fresh spinach teaspoons curry powder cups cooked and drained chickpeas or a 15-ounce can, drained ⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder teaspoons cumin seeds ⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon ⁄4 teaspoon asafetida (sometimes called “hing”) cups cauliflower, chopped into small florets teaspoon ground coriander 1 Preheat a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat Pour in the oil, and then add the mustard seeds Stir and heat until the seeds start popping 2 Add the onion and sauté for minutes, or until the onion begins to brown Add the garlic, teaspoon of salt, and the ginger Stir well to combine and cook for another minutes 3 Add the curry powder, garlic powder, cumin seeds, coriander, cloves, cinnamon, asafet- ida, and cardamom pods Stir in the whole can of tomatoes and juice, and then bring the mixture to a simmer 4 Add the spinach in large handfuls and stir into the mixture until the leaves begin to wilt down Add more as space allows, if desired When all the spinach is wilted down, add the chickpeas and cauliflower to the pot Add the remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt and stir well 5 Cover and cook for another 20 minutes over low heat Remove the cardamom pods and serve hot with rice or warmed pitas Per serving: Calories 354 (From Fat 103); Fat 11g (Saturated 6g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 772mg; Carbohydrate 51g; Dietary Fiber 16g; Protein 16g Chapter 14: Main Course Recipes Beans and Rice Are Nice Living on minimum wage for an episode of FX Network’s series 30 Days reminded me of the numerous benefits of bean and grain combinations First, they’re cheap Even organic rice and beans, when bought dry in bulk, cost pennies per serving Second, they’re versatile You can take lentils and millet and make them into diverse ethnic dishes with a few herb and spice tricks Consider the following combinations: ✓ Indian lentils and millet: Add curry powder and a can of coconut milk ✓ Italian lentils and millet: Combine the lentils and millet with canned tomatoes, rosemary, and oregano ✓ Mexican lentils and millet: Mix the millet with a scoop of salsa, toss the lentils with cilantro and lime juice, and dice up some avocado for the top Last, but not least, beans and whole grains offer superior nutrition, with protein, complex carbohydrates, minerals, and fiber The following recipes are instant classics because they’re easy to make, delicious, and come in handy for lunch the next day Stocked with veggies, these hearty bean dishes can be served alone or with a simple side salad You can use these dishes to warm your bones in the winter or give you the energy you need for big days in the active summer months 193 ... surprisingly easy to prepare The shiitake mushrooms and seitan provide a very meaty texture (for those who crave nonvegan meats) while the mirin gives a sophisticated aroma and taste Preparation/cooking... with the soy sauce for to minutes, or until the mushrooms start to give up their moisture 3 Add the seitan and thyme to the mushroom mixture in the skillet and stir well Cook for another to minutes,... to the package directions green onions, sliced, for garnish 1 1 Heat a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat Add the oil and onion and sauté for minutes, or until the onion begins to turn