30-minute recipes - fastfood

Vegetarian Times, Jan, 2003

Barley-Stuffed Red Peppers

SERVES 3   30 MINUTES OR LESS

Baked, stuffed bell peppers make an ideal
budget main course but usually require
lengthy cooking time. This speedy version
calls for steaming the red peppers to
soften them before you fill them to the
brim with zesty barley-mushroom stuffing.

1 cup uncooked quick-cooking barley
3 cups vegetable or mushroom broth
3 large red bell peppers
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 Tbs. minced garlic
6 oz. presliced portobello mushrooms,
  cubed
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Hot pepper sauce to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parsley sprigs for garnish

1. Combine barley and 2 cups vegetable
broth in saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce
heat to medium-low, cover and cook until
tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, slice tops off red peppers,
and remove seeds and inner membranes.
Reserve tops for later use. Place peppers
on steaming rack over boiling water, and
cover saucepan. Steam peppers for about
15 minutes, or until tender but not soft.
Remove from heat, and set aside until cool
enough to handle.
3. Heat oil in large skillet over medium
heat until hot. Saute onion and garlic until
onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add barley and any remaining cooking
liquid, and stir until grains are coated
with oil. Add mushrooms and remaining I
cup vegetable broth, and saute mixture for
about 5 minutes, or until mushrooms
soften and liquid absorbed. Stir in feta,
lemon juice, parsley, hot pepper sauce, and
salt and pepper to taste, and cook about 2
minutes more. Remove from heat.
4. Stand peppers upright, and spoon barley
mixture into them. Fill each pepper, and
serve with tops over the filling or propped
alongside. Garnish with parsley and serve.
PER SERVING: 460 CAL; 14G PROT; 19G TOTAL
FAT (7G SAT. FAT); 62G CARB; 35MG CHOL;
900MG SOD; 13G FIBER; 13G SUGARS

Wine Suggestions

In keeping with the "budget main course" ideal of this dish, pair it with a wine that's suitable for everyday drinking. Such wines are moderately priced, with forward fruit, perhaps a bit of oakiness, and some acid (either from the fruit, the wood or both). Try any wine in the Premium Diamond Blended Varietal line by Australian producer Rosemount.

Baked Vegetable Medley

SERVES 4   30 MINUTES OR LESS

The crust for this vegetable-filled pie may
be made from ready-made, store-bought
dough that you roll out and fit into a pie
plate. Or, for a no-fuss meal, start with a
premade frozen pie crust. This is a meal-in-a-slice,
calling only for a light dessert of
fruit and nuts.

One 9-inch unbaked frozen pie shell
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 large leek, thinly sliced
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 bunch kale, shredded

2/3 cup chunky seasoned tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups artichoke hearts, drained
6 oz. smoked tofu, cut into thin strips
1 cup grated low-fat mozzarella
  cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Reserve strips of
leek for garnish.
2. Bake pie shell until golden, about 10
minutes, or according to package directions.
Remove from oven, and set aside. Increase
oven temperature to 450F.
3. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium
heat. When hot, saute leek and garlic
for about 5 minutes. Add kale and tomato
sauce, stirring often, and cook until kale
wilts and leeks are translucent. Add artichoke
hearts.
4. Fill baked pie shell, and arrange tofu
pieces decoratively on top. Sprinkle grated
cheese over top, and bake 5 minutes more.
Increase oven temperature to broil, and
heat until cheese browns, about I minute.
PER SERVING: 420 CAL; 18G PROT; 25G TOTAL
FAT (8G SAT. FAT); 34G CARB; 20MG CHOL;
510MG SOD; 5G FIBER; 3G SUGARS

Wine Suggestions

Matching this tart with wine presents an interesting, but not insurmountable, challenge. Most of the ingredients are super wine-friendly, but for different reasons. The leeks, garlic, kale, smoked tofu and cheese would pair with a smoky wine. The tomatoes and artichokes call for a wine with a bit of acid. Combine these objectives. Try an Italian Chianti Classico.

Curried Yellow Split Peas
and Cauliflower

SERVES 4   30 MINUTES OR LESS

Looking for something exotic and fast for
dinner? This robust main course is both
colorful and packed with flavor. For added
zest, serve this with your favorite chutney
and a scoop of unflavored yogurt. Round
out the meal with sliced seasonal fruit,
such as pineapple, oranges or apples, plus
shortbread cookies and hot spiced tea.

1 cup dried yellow split peas, well
  rinsed
3 cups water
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 Tbs. ground turmeric
1 tsp. curry powder or to taste
1 onion, diced
1/2 head cauliflower, trimmed to florets
1 to 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock, or as
  needed
1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 Tbs. shredded coconut
1/2 cup raisins
Salt to taste

1. In large saucepan, combine split peas
and water, and bring to a boil over
medium heat. Cover pan with lid slightly
ajar, reduce heat to low and cook about 15
minutes.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet
over medium heat. Stir in turmeric, curry
powder and onion, and saute, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add cauliflower florets and 1 cup
vegetable stock, and continue cooking and
stirring for 7 to 10 minutes more.
3. Add split peas, remaining oil and any remaining
cooking water to skillet, stirring
to combine well. Reduce heat to medium-low
and add green peas, red pepper and
more stock, if needed. Continue to cook
until split peas are soft, about 5 minutes
more. Stir in coconut, raisins and salt to
taste. Serve hot.
PER SERVING: 380 CAL; 15G PROT; 13G TOTAL
FAT (1.5G SAT. FAT); 56G CARB; 0MG CHOL;
150MG SOD; 17G FIBER; 23G SUGARS

Gnocchi with Sauteed
Vegetables

SERVES 6   30 MINUTES OR LESS

Traditionally, the Italian classic eggplant
relish caponata is flavored with anchovies,
so look for a vegetarian version in your
market. Serve this with a tossed green
salad dressed with a garlic vinaigrette and
hot Italian focaccia or French bread, which
you can dunk in olive oil. A fruit sorbet
and orange-flavored cookies make a pleasing,
light dessert.

1 lb. baby white potatoes, rinsed,
  unpeeled and quartered
13 oz. fresh gnocchi
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. minced garlic
2 large red bell peppers, diced
1 zucchini or summer squash, cubed
5 Tbs. caponata
Crushed red pepper to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  to taste
1 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella
  cheese

1. Fill large saucepan with lightly salted
water, and add potatoes. Bring to a boil
over medium-high heat, and cook potatoes
until tender, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in second saucepan, fill with
lightly salted water and bring to a boil over
medium-high heat. Cook gnocchi for about
5 minutes, or according to package directions.
Remove from heat, rinse, drain and
set aside.
3. Heat olive oil in large skillet over
medium heat. When hot, saute garlic, red
peppers and zucchini until softened, about
5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, stir in
caponata, crushed red pepper, salt, pepper
and gnocchi.
4. Remove potatoes from heat, drain and
add to mixture in skillet. Stir well but
gently, and top with shredded cheese.
Cook 2 minutes more and serve.
PER SERVING: 300 CAL; 11G PROT; 10G TOTAL
FAT (3.5G SAT. FAT); 41G CARB; 15MG CHOL;
610MG SOD; 5G FIBER; 3G SUGARS