Food for Life: How the New Four Food Groups Can Save Your Life (39 page)

Bring salted water to a boil in a small pan. Stir in the couscous, then remove the pan from heat and cover it. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve.

Polenta, or coarse cornmeal, is a staple in northern Italy. It is delicious in place of pasta with marinara sauce, or with any spicy vegetable sauce. The technique for preparing it is much like cooking hot cereal: stir it into boiling water and cook until thickened. For a variation, the hot, cooked polenta can be poured into a bread pan and chilled. Once cold, it makes a solid loaf from which ¼-inch-thick slices can be cut and fried or broiled. Serve with the same sauces as above, or try it for breakfast with maple syrup or homemade applesauce.

Bring salted water to a boil, then slowly pour in the polenta, stirring constantly with a whisk to prevent it from lumping. Lower heat and simmer, stirring fairly constantly until thick, about 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Scrub the potatoes and cut them into ¼-inch-thick rounds. Place in a 9 × 13-inch baking dish and sprinkle with olive oil. Toss to distribute the oil, then sprinkle with rosemary, salt, and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn with a spatula. Continue baking about 20 more minutes, until tender when pierced with a fork.

These baked french fries are always a hit.

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Scrub potatoes, but do not peel. Cut into strips ¼ inch wide and the length of the potato. Place in a 9 × 13-inch baking dish and sprinkle with oil. Toss to distribute the oil, then sprinkle with paprika and other herbs if desired (I like to use fresh rosemary). Bake for 10 minutes, then loosen and turn with a spatula. Bake 20 to 30 minutes longer, turning once or twice, until insides are tender when pierced with a fork. Sprinkle with salt if desired, and serve.

American traditional cuisine at its finest. Serve with Tofu Burgers or with other transition foods.

Simmer potatoes in a kettle with water and ¼ teaspoon salt until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and reserve liquid. Mash the potatoes, then add soymilk and salt to taste. Cover and set aside.

In a large skillet, sauté onion and mushrooms in oil until onion is soft and transparent. Stir in flour; the mixture should be quite dry. Whisk in cooking liquid from potatoes, stirring to dissolve any lumps of flour, then add soy sauce and pepper. Cook over medium-low heat until thickened. If a smooth gravy is desired, puree in a blender after adding the soy sauce and pepper, then return it to the pan and cook as above. Serve over mashed potatoes.

This dressing is made with a combination of wild rice and brown rice. You could also substitute some of the specialty rices, such as wehani or basmati, for part of the brown rice.

Bring water to a boil and add ¼ teaspoon salt and both varieties of rice. Lower to simmer, then cover and cook until rice is tender but still crunchy, 30 to 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large ovenproof skillet, gently heat the oil and sauté the onion and mushrooms until the onion is transparent. Add the parsley, celery, cooked rice, seasonings, and pecans. Add salt to taste. Stir to mix, then cover and bake for 15 minutes.

Basmati rice imparts a wonderful flavor to this dish. It is available in Indian markets, natural food stores, and in many supermarkets.

Toast the rice in a large skillet over medium heat until it starts to become opaque and somewhat chalky in appearance. Add remaining ingredients, except peas, and bring to a simmer.

Cover the pot, and cook until the rice is tender and all the water is absorbed (20 minutes for white rice, 60 minutes for brown rice).

Stir in the peas just before serving (a few minutes sooner if you’re using fresh peas).

Bulgur is whole wheat that has been cracked and toasted. It is available in health food stores, and many supermarkets carry it in the pasta and rice section. This Mexican pilaf is delicious with chili or refried beans and a green salad. The key to keeping the bulgur fluffy is to refrain from stirring it while the bulgur is cooking.

Sauté the onion in olive oil in a large skillet for 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and bulgur and continue cooking 2 minutes, then add the chili powder, cumin, and celery seed. Cook another 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the red pepper and salt, then pour in the boiling water (or stock). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook, without stirring, until all liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

To make in oven, prepare all ingredients as above, up to the addition of adding boiling water or stock. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place bulgur mixture into an ovenproof dish, pour in boiling liquid, cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large kettle or skillet, sauté the onion in oil for 2 minutes, then add mushrooms and celery. Cook over medium heat until mushrooms begin to brown, then stir in the bread and seasonings. Lower heat, and continue cooking for 4 to 5 minutes, then stir in water or stock, a little at a time until dressing obtains desired moistness. Place in a nonstick or oil-sprayed 1-quart baking dish, cover, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake 10 minutes longer.

Heat the beans in one pan and the salsa in another. Heat a tortilla in a dry, heavy skillet over moderate heat until it is warm and flexible. Remove from pan and spread refried beans in a line down the middle of the tortilla. Fold in the ends, then starting at one side, roll up around the beans. Place on a plate, then spoon heated salsa over the top.

These spicy falafel patties are baked instead of fried.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Cook the potato in a covered pan in a small amount of water until soft. Drain. Add the drained chickpeas and mash. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Form into small patties and place on a nonstick or oil-sprayed baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn with a spatula and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Warm the pita breads in a toaster oven or steam them briefly. Slice a bit off one side and split open to reveal pocket. Stuff 2 or 3 falafel patties into each pocket and fill with lettuce, cucumber, tomato, and green onions. Top with tahini sauce or salsa if desired.

Whole wheat pita bread makes an ideal crust for individual pizzas. These are quick and easy to make, and may be baked in a toaster oven. You can use a commercial pizza sauce, or make your own with the following recipe.

Preheat the broiler.

Combine tomato sauce, tomato paste, and seasonings. This will make about twice as much sauce as you need. The extra may be refrigerated or frozen for future use.

To assemble the pizza, turn pita bread upside down so it looks like a saucer. Spread with tomato sauce, then top liberally with chopped vegetables. Place on a cookie sheet and broil about 5 minutes, or until the edges just start to get crisp. Or place individual pizzas in toaster oven and toast for 3 to 5 minutes.

Slice the zucchini into thin rounds and sauté in oil with the seasonings for 3 minutes. Add the tomato and soy sauce and stir to mix. Remove from heat. Warm pitas in a toaster oven or a steamer, then cut them in half and stuff halves with a generous serving of the zucchini mixture.

Seitan
(say-tan)
is a high-protein wheat product with a meaty taste and texture. In this recipe it is served with soba, Japanese buckwheat pasta. Look for seitan in health food stores. Soba is available in the Asian food section of many supermarkets and health food stores, as well as in Asian markets.

Sauté the onion in a large skillet with the oil until transparent, then add the mushrooms. Cover and continue cooking until mushrooms are brown, then stir in the seitan.

Whisk flour and water together until smooth, then add to the skillet along with the soy sauce, garlic powder, and pepper. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat until thickened.

Bring water to boil in a large kettle. Add the soba and the salt and boil until al dente, about 8 minutes. Top with seitan mixture and serve.

Perfect for a light supper on a hot summer evening. Serve with a crisp green salad.

Begin heating water for pasta in a large kettle. When water is boiling add the pasta, along with salt, and cook until just tender. Drain.

Break or cut broccoli into florets, and slice stems into rounds. Steam over boiling water until just tender, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Sauté garlic, red pepper flakes, and pine nuts in olive oil in a large skillet for 1 minute, then add tomatoes and cook over medium heat 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the cooked broccoli.

Serve over cooked pasta.

Peanut sauce takes just minutes to prepare and gives pasta a whole new personality. Serve with an assortment of steamed vegetables for a complete and satisfying meal.