Low-Fat & Fast - warm and comforting dishes for the autumn

Vegetarian Times, Oct, 1999 by Tracey Seaman

Five warm and comforting dishes for the autumn season

If you're like me, the cooler days of October make you long to get back into the kitchen. After a relaxed summer of light meals, salads and fruit, autumn is the ideal time to simmer a fragrant stew or put together a hearty oven-baked dish. Our meals this month are warm and comforting yet super-easy to prepare. Whether it's a weekday family supper or an informal gathering of friends on a Saturday night, these homey main courses fit the season perfectly.

Harvest Ratatouille

4 SERVINGS DAIRY-FREE (30)

This chunky vegetable medley uses much less olive oil than usual, yet the result is still delicious.

MEAL PLAN: Before you begin the recipe, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. While ratatouille is simmering, cook 1 1/2 cups orzo until tender. Drain well and toss with .a little olive oil. Serve with the ratatouille along with some toasted garlic bread.

3 small eggplants (11/, lbs.), cut into
  3/4-inch cubes (6 cups)
1 1/4 tsp. coarse salt
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 medium onions, halved and
  thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into
  thin strips
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 medium zucchini (1 lb.), quartered
  lengthwise and cut into
  3/4-inch chunks
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
  (from 28-oz. can)
tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil

In nonstick Dutch oven or large, wide saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden at edges and beginning to soften, 6 to 7 minutes. Add onions, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden and beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, 1/2 cup water, pepper and remaining teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer briskly until vegetables are tender and sauce has thickened slightly, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in basil. Serve hot or at room temperature.

PER SERVING: 135 CAL.; 5G PROT.; 4G TOTAL FAT (0 SAT. FAT); 24G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 205MG SOD.; 7G FIBER

Baked Stuffed Tomatoes

4 SERVINGS LACTO (30)

Late-season tomatoes are perfect for baking. Though they're firm and sturdy, baking brings out the flavor that couldn't fully mature in last month's diminished sunshine. If you prefer, substitute any creamy soft cheese, such as St. Honore or Explorateur (a triple cream cheese) for the blue cheese. Be sure to squeeze spinach as dry as possible to avoid a soggy filling.

MEAL PLAN: Prepare 4 servings of quick-cooking brown rice. Transfer to a serving bowl and toss with some chopped toasted walnuts, plenty of chopped flat-leaf parsley and a little olive oil. Serve the rice with the stuffed tomatoes and toasted Italian bread slices.

10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach,
  thawed, squeezed to remove as
  much moisture as possible
1 cup small curd low-fat (2%) cottage
  cheese (8 oz.)
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/4 cup soft blue cheese,
  crumbled (1 oz.)
tsp. freshly ground pepper
15-oz. can white kidney beans, rinsed
  and drained
2 large tomatoes
8 cups mixed salad greens

PREHEAT OVEN to 400 [degrees] F. Bring medium saucepan of water to a boil for tomatoes.

In medium bowl, mix spinach, cottage cheese, scallions, blue cheese and pepper until well blended. Gently stir in beans. Set aside.

With small, sharp knife, score an "X" in base of each tomato. Carefully drop tomatoes into boiling water and cook 20 seconds. Remove from water with slotted spoon. When cool enough to handle, peel tomatoes with paring knife and cut out cores. Cut each tomato in half horizontally through equator. With spoon, scoop out and discard seeds, then remove about half the flesh from each tomato half.

Divide spinach-cheese mixture among tomato halves, then place in shallow casserole just large enough to hold tomatoes. Bake until soft and beginning to exude juices, about 20 minutes.

Arrange salad greens in ring on each plate. Carefully transfer a tomato half to center of each. Serve at once.

PER 1/2-TOMATO SERVING: 217 CAL.; 19G PROT.; 4G TOTAL FAT (2G SAT. FAT); 28G CARB.; 10MG CHOL.; 743MG SOD.; 11G FIBER

Vegetable Frittata

6 SERVINGS OVO-LACTO (30)

This colorful and satisfying open-faced omelet makes a delicious easy meal. If you don't own an ovenproof nonstick skillet, use a regular nonstick skillet and wrap the handle in foil.

MEAL PLAN: First, make a fresh spinach salad. Remove and discard stems from 10 ounces fresh spinach, then wash and thoroughly dry leaves. In large bowl, toss spinach with slivered Greek olives, some chopped jarred roasted red peppers (packed in water) and a low-fat balsamic dressing. Chill until ready to serve. While frittata is cooking on the stovetop, warm a loaf of purchased focaccia in a 350 [degrees] F oven.

1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 medium clove garlic, minced
1/2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 small red bell pepper, cut into
  thin strips
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/2 medium tomato, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
8 large eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup shredded Fontina or Swiss
  cheese (2 oz.)
2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
  (optional)