The Starch Solution (39 page)

Whole wheat buns and condiments, for serving

Put the lentils in a saucepan with 2 cups of water. Cook over medium heat, covered, until the lentils are very soft and the water has been absorbed, about 40 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

While the lentils cook, put the frozen potatoes into another saucepan with 2 cups of water. Cook over medium heat, uncovered, until the potatoes are soft and all of the water has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Have ready two nonstick or parchment-lined baking sheets.

Place the chopped onion in a small saucepan with ¼ cup of water. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Stir together the cooked lentils, potatoes, and onion in a large bowl until they are well mixed. Add the oats, sage, thyme, marjoram, and poultry seasoning, and pepper to taste. Mix well.

Use moistened hands to shape the mixture into 12 patties, arranging them on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 20 minutes, flip the burgers, and bake for 20 minutes on the other side.

Serve the burgers warm on buns with the usual condiments.

We tuck these burgers into tortillas, but you could also form them into patties and serve them on buns. Either way, Mexican toppings are the perfect condiments. Freeze any remaining baked burgers in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months and reheat on a plate in a microwave oven for about 2 minutes, or on a dry griddle for about 5 minutes.

PREP: 30 MINUTES | REST: 20 MINUTES | CHILL: 30 MINUTES | GRILL: 15 MINUTES • MAKES 8 To 10

¹
⁄
₃
cup
masa harina

2 tablespoons vegetable broth

1 onion, finely chopped

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

³
⁄
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cup fresh or frozen and thawed corn kernels

1 chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped

2 teaspoons adobo sauce, from can

2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

3 cups cooked brown rice, warmed

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

³
⁄
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teaspoon lime peel

1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice

8 to 10 corn tortillas

Lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, and taco sauce, for serving

Mix the masa harina with ½ cup water in a small bowl; set aside.

Pour the vegetable broth into a medium nonstick saucepan and add the onion, bell pepper, corn, chile, adobo sauce, garlic, and cumin. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Add the masa harina and mix well (mixture will be very thick). Cover the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring once or twice, for 5 minutes.

Put the warmed rice in a large bowl and add the masa-vegetable mixture, along with the cilantro, lime peel, and lime juice. Mix very well. Set aside for 20 minutes.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Fill a small bowl with water and place it by a work surface, along with the baking sheets.
Moisten your hands with the water, then pinch off and shape the mixture into 8 to 10 oblong, flattened burgers that fit across the middle of a tortilla. Arrange the shaped burgers on the baking sheets. Refrigerate the burgers on the baking sheets for 30 minutes.

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill, or heat a stovetop grill or griddle. Grill the burgers over medium heat until crusty, about 7 minutes per side.

To serve, place a burger on a tortilla, add toppings, fold up, and eat.

These quick and easy sloppy joes reheat well. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days; reheat in a saucepan over low heat, stirring, until hot.

PREP: 15 MINUTES | COOK: 1 HOUR • SERVES 8 TO 10

1 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 tablespoon chili powder

1½ cups dried brown lentils

1 can (15 ounces) crushed tomatoes

2 tablespoons regular or reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons prepared mustard

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce

Freshly ground black pepper

Whole wheat buns and condiments, for serving

Put
¹
⁄
₃
cup of water into a large saucepan and add the onion and bell pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chili powder.

Add the lentils, tomatoes, soy sauce, mustard, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, pepper to taste, and 3 cups of water; mix well. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer slowly for 55 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To serve, ladle the mixture over split whole wheat buns.

The traditional bread for falafel is pita, and the traditional way to serve it is with all the toppings on the table in bowls so that guests can make their own the way they like it best. But when I watched my daughter, Heather, mix all the toppings together in a bowl, then wrap them in a whole wheat tortilla, I realized this was even easier. I don’t expect I will ever look back. Of course, you can still use the stuffing to fill a split pita. If you wish to further reduce the fat, substitute a no-fat hummus for the tahini.

PREP: 20 MINUTES (USING PREPARED FALAFEL) • SERVES 6 TO 8

Tahini Sauce

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 tomato, chopped

1 cup chopped cucumber

3 scallions (green and white parts), chopped

Sriracha hot sauce

1 cup chopped lettuce

3 cups baked falafel, cut into large chunks

Whole wheat pita breads or tortillas

Put the Tahini Sauce in a medium bowl and mix in the lemon juice, tomato, cucumber, scallions, and Sriracha to taste. Mix in the lettuce and the baked falafel chunks.

To serve, tuck the falafel mixture into pita halves or roll up in tortillas.

Cabbage adds crunch and aioli punch to these colorful tacos. The elements all come together quickly enough for an impromptu lunch or dinner.

PREP: 30 MINUTES | COOK: 10 MINUTES • SERVES 6 TO 8

TOFU

¼ cup regular or reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons garlic powder

½ teaspoon ground red pepper

24 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into ½″ cubes

CABBAGE

4 cups finely shredded cabbage

3 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar

½ tablespoon fresh lime juice

AIOLI

1½ cups
Tofu Sour Cream

¹
⁄
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cup cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

2 large cloves garlic, crushed or minced

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Pinch of salt

12 small corn or whole wheat tortillas, warmed

Hot sauce (optional)

To make the tofu:
Stir together the soy sauce, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the tofu, mix gently to coat, then let stand for 10 minutes to absorb the flavors.

Set a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu and all of
the marinade. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tofu begins to brown and crisp, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

To make the cabbage:
Stir together the cabbage, vinegar, and lime juice in a medium bowl.

To make the aioli:
Stir together the Tofu Sour Cream, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, and salt in a small bowl.

To serve, spoon some of the warm tofu mixture down the center of a tortilla and top with cabbage, aioli, and hot sauce, if desired. Roll up the tacos and serve.

In August, when our garden is overflowing with fresh tomatoes, this is one of my favorite ways to use them. Perfect for those hot northern California late summer nights.

PREP: 15 MINUTES | CHILL: 30 MINUTES • SERVES 4 To 6

2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes

1 can (15 ounces) black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup chopped avocado

½ cup chopped scallions (green and white parts)

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon chopped jalapeño pepper (optional)

Tabasco, Sriracha, or other hot sauce

Salt

4–6 corn or whole wheat tortillas, warmed

Chopped romaine lettuce, for serving

In a medium bowl, gently stir together the tomatoes, beans, avocado, scallions, cilantro, lime juice, and jalapeño, if using (wear plastic gloves when handling). Add a bit of hot sauce and salt, to taste. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

To serve, place a tortilla on a plate and lay down a line of the tomato mixture across the center. Top with lettuce and more hot sauce if you wish. Roll up and enjoy.

Make the filling for these wraps once for a week of quick-fix lunches. Simply refrigerate in a covered container for up to 1 week and warm before serving, either in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring, or in a microwave oven. Set aside some of the cilantro to stir in just before serving. For variety, serve the filling over baked potatoes or cooked whole grains.