Low-fat & fast: great recipes and easy strategies for busy cooks

Vegetarian Times, August, 2001 by Kathy Farrell-Kingsley

recipes

1 Sweet and Sour Stir-Fry

2 Cobb Salad

3 Quinoa-Corn Salad with Basil

4 Mushroom-Potato Salad with White Beans

5 Garden Couscous and Black Bean Salad

Sweet and Sour
Stir-Fry

(30 min.) 6 SERVINGS
EGG- & DAIRY-FREE

Because stir-frying is so fast, it's important
to have all ingredients measured
out and ready before you start cooking.
MEAL PLAN: Prepare a 6-serving portion
of quick-cooking brown rice to soak up
the delicious sauce. A salad of sliced cucumber,
watercress and yogurt would
add a refreshing note to the meal.

Sauce

Reserved juice from canned
  pineapple (3/4 cup; see below)
3 Tbs. rice vinegar or white wine
  vinegar
2 Tbs. cornstarch or arrowroot
2 Tbs. honey or brown rice syrup
2 Tbs. soy sauce

1 1/2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into
1-inch squares
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into
1-inch squares
8 to 10 slender stalks asparagus, tough
  ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
14 1/2-oz. can diced tomatoes
16-oz. can unsweetened pineapple
  chunks, drained, juice reserved
8 oz. extra-firm tofu, well drained and
  finely diced

1. Make sauce: In small bowl, stir together
all sauce ingredients until cornstarch
has dissolved. Set aside.

2. In wok or large skillet, heat oil over
medium heat. Add onion and cook,
stirring often, until golden, about
8 minutes.

3. Add bell peppers and asparagus, increase
heat to medium-high and stirfry
5 minutes. Add tomatoes (with
liquid) and pineapple chunks and stirfry
5 minutes.

4. Stir in tofu and reserved sauce and
cook, stirring, until mixture has thickened
slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and
adjust sweet/sour balance to your liking
with additional honey, vinegar
and/or soy sauce. Serve at once.

PER SERVING: 158 CAL.; 4G PROT.; 5G TOTAL FAT
(0 SAT. FAT); 27G CARB.; 0 CHOL; 467MG SOD,;
3G FIBER
Cobb Salad

(30 min.) 6 SERVINGS
EGG- & DAIRY-FREE

This classic main-dish salad traditionally
calls for diced chicken or turkey,
bacon and chopped hard-boiled eggs.
The eggs have been eliminated and the
meats replaced with healthful soybased
analogs. Look for baked marinated
tofu and soy deli slices in well-stocked
supermarkets or natural food
stores. (Avocado, another common ingredient,
has been retained in this version.)
Buy prepackaged salad to make
preparation even faster.

MEAL PLAN: Cook some corn on the
cob while preparing the salad. Serve
the salad with fresh whole-grain bread
and the corn. For dessert, try summersweet
berries in individual dishes
topped with a dollop of vanilla yogurt.

6 slices soy "bacon"
4 to 6 oz. baked marinated tofu,
  or soy "turkey"- or "chicken'-style
  deli slices, diced
1 ripe medium avocado, diced
  (1 cup)
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 ripe medium tomatoes, diced
  (1 1/2 cups)
6 cups torn dark green lettuce or
  spinach leaves
1/4 cup low-fat French or Catalina
  dressing, or more to taste

1. Crisp-cook soy "bacon" according
to package directions. Remove to plate.
When cool enough to handle, cut into
1/2-inch pieces.

2. In large bowl, combine soy "bacon"
and tofu. In small bowl, toss avocado
with lemon juice, then add to tofu mixture
along with tomatoes and lettuce.
Add dressing, toss to coat and serve.

PER SERVING: 124 CAL.; 4G PROT.; 9G TOTAL FAT
(1G SAT. FAT); lOG CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 221MG
SOD.; 3G FIBER
Quinoa-Corn
Salad with Basil

(30 min.) 4 SERVINGS
EGG- & DAIRY-FREE

This salad is a delight to make in the
summer when fresh basil and corn are
in abundance. If you're a newcomer to
quinoa, this is a good recipe to try as an
introduction because it's tasty, quick
and easy. You'll have time to prepare
the basil, red peppers and onion while
the quinoa is cooling. For a striking
presentation, serve the salad inside hollowed-out
beefsteak tomatoes.

MEAL PLAN: Warm pita triangles can
be served alongside to either dip or
fill. Cucumber wedges are also a refreshing
side dish. Try lemon sorbet
for dessert.

1 1/2  cups uncooked quinoa, rinsed well
  and drained
1 tsp. salt
2 cups fresh (from about 4 ears) or
  frozen corn
1 cup tightly packed basil leaves, finely
  chopped
1/2 cup diced jarred roasted red peppers
  (water-packed)
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil or roasted garlicflavored
  olive oil
3 to 5 Tbs. fresh lemon juice (1 to 2
  lemons)

1. In medium saucepan, combine
quinoa, salt and 3 cups water. Bring to
a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce
heat to low and simmer 12 minutes.

2. Add corn, cover and cook until
quinoa is tender but still a little
crunchy, about 3 minutes.

3. Drain quinoa mixture and transfer
to large serving bowl. Toss well, fluffing
with fork. Set aside to cool to room
temperature.

4. Add basil, peppers and onion. Stir
in oil and enough lemon juice to give
salad a distinct lemony edge. Season
with salt to taste, garnish with a few
whole basil leaves and serve.

PER SERVING: 377 CAL.; 11G PROT.; 10G TOTAL
FAT (1G SAT. FAT); 61G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 559MG
SOD.; 7G FIBER
Mushroom-Potato
Salad with White
Beans

(30 mins.) 4 SERVINGS
EGG- & DAIRY-FREE

For even more smoky flavor, grill the
peppers and mushrooms.

MEAL PLAN: Bagel crisps and steamed
broccoli and carrots make good accompaniments
to this dish.

1 lb. small white or Yukon gold
  potatoes, quartered
8 oz. mushrooms, preferably cremini,
  quartered
2 Tbs. olive oil
4-oz. jar roasted red bell peppers
  (water-packed), drained and chopped
2 small cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
1 Tbs. cider vinegar
1 cup canned cannellini beans, rinsed
  and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1. In medium saucepan, combine potatoes
and enough cold water to cover.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer
until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain,
cool slightly, then cut potatoes in half.
Transfer to large bowl.

2. Meanwhile, preheat broiler. In
medium bowl, combine mushrooms,
1 tablespoon oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt and
teaspoon freshly ground pepper. Place
on broiler pan and cook, turning occasionally,
until nicely colored and tender,
about 6 minutes. Set aside.

3. In small saucepan, combine peppers,
garlic and remaining 1 tablespoon
oil. Cook gently over medium-low
heat, stirring, 5 minutes. Remove from
heat and stir in vinegar, 1/8 teaspoon salt
and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper.

4. Add beans, basil, reserved mushrooms
and red pepper mixture to potatoes
and toss gently. Serve at room
temperature.

PER SERVING: 245 CAL.; 8G PROT.; 7G TOTAL FAT
(1G SAT. FAT); 39G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 12MG SOD,;
6G FIBER
Garden Couscous and
Black Bean Salad

(30 mins.) 6 SERVINGS
EGG-& DAIRY-FREE

This salad offers up contrasting flavors
and textures: tender couscous, creamy
beans, juicy tomatoes and crisp, sweet
bell peppers, all tossed with a simple
lemon-dill dressing.

MEAL PLAN: Serve over a bed of fresh
romaine lettuce with a baguette that's
been warmed in the oven or on the grill.

1 cup uncooked couscous
16-oz. can black beans, rinsed and
  drained
1 large stalk celery, diced
1 small rod bell pepper, diced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup chopped green olives
1/2 cup chopped fresh fiat-leaf parsley
2 scallions (white and light green parts),
  thinly sliced
2 to 4 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. chopped fresh dill
2 Tbs. olive oil

1. Bring 2 cups water to a boil. In
medium bowl, add couscous. Pour boiling
water over couscous; cover and let
stand 15 minutes, then fluff with fork.

2. Allow couscous to cool to room
temperature, then combine with remaining
ingredients and toss to mix.
Add salt and freshly ground pepper to
taste and toss again. Serve at room temperature
or chilled.

PER SERVING: 269 CAL.; 9G PROT.; 6G TOTAL FAT
(1G SAT. FAT); 45G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 320MG
SOD.; 7G FIBER