THE CHINA STUDY QUICK & EASY COOKBOOK (10 page)

When I want a creamy sauce with a kick, I make this one. It can be used to make a great mac and cheese, No-Queso Mac and Cheese (
p. 152
); a fun version of scalloped potatoes, No-Queso Potato Bake (
p. 155
); or even as a sauce for burritos, Barbacoa Mushroom Burritos (
p. 123
).

2 cups frozen cauliflower florets

2 cups water

1 roasted red bell pepper

2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

1 teaspoon sea salt

1.
Add the cauliflower to a medium saucepan with the water.

2.
Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the cauliflower is tender—6 minutes for the frozen; 10 minutes for the fresh.

3.
Scoop the cauliflower into a blender, reserving the cooking liquid, and add the remaining ingredients.

4.
Puree the mixture, adding just enough of the cooking water to make a creamy sauce.

MAKE IT EASY

You can make a quick, no-cook version of this sauce by replacing the cauliflower with light firm silken tofu and pureeing it with the rest of the ingredients. It makes a great dip for vegetables.

MAKES ABOUT 2½ CUPS    

I used to make pasta Alfredo for a good friend of mine who proclaimed it “the best ever.” Of course, it was full of dairy and fat. This sauce is just as rich as the original but dairy free and much lower in fat. It tastes great on Pasta Alfredo (
p. 151
), Pita Pizza Alfredo (
p. 212
), or a plain baked potato.

2 cups Cauliflower Puree (
p. 64
) or 1 12-ounce package Mori-Nu Silken Lite Firm Tofu

1 cup Del’s Favorite Parmesan (
p. 56
)

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

sea salt and black pepper to taste

1.
Add the Cauliflower Puree, Parmesan, and nutmeg to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

2.
Add water as needed to make a creamy consistency. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Basil Pesto Hummus

Roasted Red Pepper Dip

White Bean–Miso Spread

Carrot-Almond Spread

Thai Bean Spread

Falafel

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

MAKES 2 CUPS    

This recipe combines the best of two of my favorite recipes: pesto and hummus. It’s almost like they belong together. I eat this as a snack with rice crackers or cucumber or celery slices, or on a sandwich with alfalfa sprouts and lettuce. The creamier you make this sauce, the more you will bring out the flavor of the basil and pine nuts, but a chunkier hummus is also good.

1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed

2 cups fresh basil leaves

¼ cup toasted pine nuts (optional)

juice of 1 lemon or 2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon sea salt, more or less to taste

water as needed

1.
Combine everything in a food processor and puree until smooth and creamy. Add a little water if needed to reach the desired consistency.

MAKES 4–6 SERVINGS    

I love this creamy dip with fresh vegetables or as a sauce for veggie wraps. My favorite way to eat it, however, is to spread a thin layer on whole grain sandwich bread with maple-dijon Glazed Eggplant Cutlets (
p. 195
) and lettuce.

1 15-ounce can cannellini or navy beans, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons almond butter

4 tablespoons mellow white miso paste

2 roasted red bell peppers

3 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1.
Place all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.