Forks Over Knives: The Cookbook (33 page)

Salt to taste

Cayenne pepper to taste, optional

FOR THE MARINATED TOMATOES:

2 large tomatoes, diced

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons minced basil

2 to 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

8 romaine lettuce leaves

TO MAKE THE BABA GHANOUSH:

1.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prick the eggplant all over with a fork and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, or until the eggplant is shriveled and tender. Let the eggplant cool, cut it in half, and scrape the flesh from the skin. Add the flesh to the bowl of a food processor with the garlic, cumin, tahini (if using), lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and cayenne pepper (if using) and puree until smooth and creamy.

TO MAKE THE MARINATED TOMATOES:

2.
Combine the tomatoes, garlic, basil, and balsamic vinegar in a large bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

TO ASSEMBLE THE WRAPS:

3.
Spoon some of the baba ghanoush onto the bottom of one of the lettuce leaves. Top with some of the marinated tomatoes. Roll the leaf up and over the filling. Repeat for the remaining lettuce leaves.

FAVA BEAN SPREAD, similar to
Hummus
but thinner, is often served warm. It can also be eaten as a soup, or used a sauce for pasta. It works in this recipe as a thicker spread that will hold up to the lettuce, so only use a small amount of water when making the spread.

SERVES 4

1
½ cups
 
Fava Bean Spread

1 batch Tomato, Cucumber and Mint salad (see below)

8 romaine lettuce leaves

Place some of the fava bean spread in the center of one of the lettuce leaves. Top with some of the tomato salad. Fold the leaf in from the sides and roll it up like a cigar. Repeat for the remaining lettuce leaves.

Tomato, Cucumber and Mint Salad

2 large tomatoes, diced

2 large cucumbers, peeled, halved, seeded, and diced

2 green onions (white and green parts), thinly sliced

¼ cup 
balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons
 finely chopped
 mint

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, balsamic vinegar, and mint in a bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Let sit for 30 minutes before serving.

THIS VERSION OF a popular Thai street food is made with minced mushrooms, stir-fried with shallots, and combined with many traditional Thai ingredients—mint, cilantro, ginger, soy sauce, and lime. You can also substitute cremini mushrooms if portobello mushrooms aren’t available.

SERVES 4

1 tablespoon grated ginger

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

Zest and juice of 1 lime

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 large shallots, diced small

1 pound portobello mushrooms, stemmed and finely chopped

½ cup
 coarsely chopped
 cilantro

3 tablespoons
 finely chopped
 mint

4 green onions (white and green parts), thinly sliced

4 large romaine lettuce leaves or 8 small ones

1.
Combine the ginger, garlic, lime zest and juice, soy sauce, and crushed red pepper flakes in a small bowl and set aside.

2.
Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the shallots and mushrooms and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan. Add the ginger mixture and cook for another minute. Add the cilantro, mint, and green onion, and remove from the heat.

3.
To serve, place some of the mushroom mixture on the bottom of one the lettuce leaves and fold the lettuce over the filling. Repeat for the remaining lettuce leaves.

Tortilla Wraps

A HEALTHY MEAL gets no easier than this, especially if you use leftover rice. Make it even healthier by serving it on mixed greens or in a lettuce wrap. Feel free to adjust the heat of the salsa used in this recipe to your taste.

SERVES 4

2 cups cooked
brown rice

2 cups cooked
black beans
, or one 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed

⅔
cup
Fresh Tomato Salsa

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

3 tablespoons
 finely chopped
 cilantro

4 whole-wheat tortillas

1.
Combine the rice, beans, salsa, lime juice, salt, garlic, and cilantro in a large bowl.

2.
Place 1 heaping cup of the rice mixture in the center of one of the tortillas. Fold the sides in over the filling, and roll the tortilla up like a cigar. Repeat for the remaining tortillas.

GRILLED MUSHROOMS MAKE a great filling for any number of wraps or tacos, and they’re so flavorful that you don’t need a lot to accompany them.

SERVES 4

12 corn tortillas

1 batch
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
, cut into ¾-inch-wide strips

1 batch
Salsa Verde

Diced red onion

Shredded romaine lettuce

1.
Heat the tortillas one at a time on a dry, nonstick skillet over medium heat, turning frequently, until they are soft and pliable.

2.
To serve, put a few of the mushroom strips in the center of a tortilla and top with some of the salsa verde. Garnish with the red onion and romaine lettuce. Fold the tortilla in half over the filling. Repeat for the remaining tortillas.

WHEN I MAKE fajitas I always feel like I’ve won a prize. They taste “special” without taking all day in the kitchen. Cooking the vegetables in a dry pan over high heat really brings out the grilled flavor of the vegetables.

SERVES 4

12 corn tortillas

1 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and julienned

1 batch
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
, cut into ¾-inch-wide strips

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced small

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

¼ cup chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons lime juice

½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

Not-So-Fat Guacamole

Tofu Sour Cream

Fresh Tomato Salsa

1.
Wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and place in a 350°F oven while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

2.
Sauté the onion and pepper in a large skillet over a high heat for 5 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan. Add the grilled mushroom strips, cumin, jalapeño pepper, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and salt and cook for another minute. Remove from the heat.

3.
Serve the fajita mixture with the warmed tortillas, guacamole, tofu sour cream, and salsa.

Spreads

I OFTEN MAKE this spread with tofu, but white beans are lower in fat and provide more fiber. This spread is great in lettuce wraps with fresh sprouts and chopped green onion.

MAKES 2 CUPS

2 cups cooked
great northern beans
, or one 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed

1 red bell pepper,
roasted
, seeded, and coarsely chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

3 tablespoons finely chopped dill

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Salt to taste

Pinch cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth and creamy.

HUMMUS IS A classic condiment and spread from the Middle East, and it goes well with many dishes. Although it’s often made with oil, this healthy version only uses lemon juice and garlic to spark up the texture of the chickpeas.

MAKES 1½ CUPS

2 cups cooked
chickpeas
, or one 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed

4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon cumin seeds,
toasted
and ground

Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth and creamy. Add water as needed to achieve a smooth consistency.