30-minute recipes

Curried Red Lentil Soup

SERVES 6

30 MINUTES OR LESS

A lusty Indian-style soup, this dish can be made mild or hot to suit your taste.

1 cup hulled red lentils, rinsed in
  hot water
4 1/2 cups nonfat vegetable stock
2 Tbs. nonfat plain yogurt
1 tsp. curry powder, or to taste
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger, or to taste
1/2 tsp. ground cumin, or to taste
1/2 tsp. cayenne, or to taste
1/2 tsp. onion powder, or to taste
Shredded coconut as garnish
Dried peanuts as garnish
Cilantro leaves as garnish
Diced red pepper as garnish
Chutney as garnish
Raisins as garnish

1. Put lentils and vegetable stock in a large
saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high
heat. Reduce heat to medium, and
cook for about 20 minutes, or until lentils
are tender. Reduce heat to very low.

2. Put 2 cups lentils and yogurt into
blender, and puree until smooth. Recombine
with soup in pan, and stir in seasonings.
Heat through, and serve, garnishing
each portion as desired.

PER SERVING: 130 CAL; 8G PROT; 0G TOTAL FAT (0G SAT. FAT); 25G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 520MG SOD; 6G FIBER; 5G SUGARS

Wine Suggestions

This soothing Indian dish, with its curry, cumin and cayenne spices, would work well with a light, sweet Gewurtztraminer such as the Handley Gewurtztraminer from California.

Mushroom Fritters

SERVES 3 TO 4

30 MINUTES OR LESS

To keep this meal simple, begin with a delicate lemon-accented soup, offer toasted focaccia with the fritters, and end with cut-up fresh fruit splashed with rose or orange water.

1 bunch fresh spinach, well-rinsed
1 cup diced mushrooms
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tsp. onion powder
1/4 cup minced Italian parsley
1/2 cup breadcrumbs, preferably
  Italian seasoned
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella
Salt and freshly ground black
  pepper to taste
3 Tbs. vegetable oil, or more as
  needed for frying

1. Steam spinach until wilted, for about 2
minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside
to cool.

2. Combine mushrooms, scallions, onion
powder, parsley and breadcrumbs in a
mixing bowl. Stir in eggs and mozzarella.

3. Squeeze excess water from spinach,
and chop finely. Stir into mushroom mixture,
and season with salt and pepper.

4. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet
over medium heat. Using a 1/4-cup measure,
scoop up mushroom mixture, and put
into skillet, flattening slightly to form a
patty. Repeat until skillet is full, but do not
overcrowd. Pan-fry patties on first side
until golden, for about 5 minutes, and turn
over. Add remaining oil, and pan-fry second
side until golden. Remove from skillet,
and drain on paper towels. Repeat until
mushroom mixture is used up, adding
more oil if needed. Serve patties hot or at
room temperature.

PER SERVING: 250 CAL; 16G PROT; 12G TOTAL FAT (3.5G SAT. FAT); 22G CARB; 150MG CHOL; 750MG SOD; 5G FIBER; 3G SUGARS

Mini Dagwood Sandwich

SERVES 2

30 MINUTES OR LESS

Dagwood Bumstead of the Blondie comic strip loves his mile-high sandwiches with layers and layers of lettuce, cheeses and deli meats. This vegetarian take on the comic classic is shorter but with a plentiful filling. Use a bread of substance, such as a sourdough, and be sure to use slices from the center of the loaf so the slices are of uniform size. Offer this sandwich at a casual get-together and, of course, use whichever combinations and in whatever amounts of ingredients you wish--this recipe is only a suggestion. In fact, you can come up with other ingredients, and that would work as well. Possible accompaniments include tomato soup and all-American ice cream sundaes.

5 slices sourdough bread
5 very thin slices red pepper
1/2 cup mesclun, rinsed
4 very thin slices red onion
4 very thin slices tomatoes
4 slices sandwich-cut dill pickles
6 very thin slices cucumbers, skin on
4 tsp. nonfat or vegan mayonnaise,
  or more as desired
2 slices vegan American-style
  cheese
2 tsp. Dijon mustard, or more
  as desired
2 slices vegan "bologna"
2 tsp. relish, or more as desired
2 slices vegan "ham"
8 slices vegan "pepperoni"

1. Put bread slices on flat surface. Arrange
pepper, mesclun, red onion, tomatoes,
pickles and cucumbers in readied piles.
Starting with the bottom layer, spread
mayonnaise on top side of bread, and layer
with cucumbers, 1 cheese slice at an angle
and strips of pickles lengthwise on bread.

2. Place second slice of bread on filling,
spread top side with mustard and layer
with sliced red onion and "bologna."

3. Place third slice of bread on filling, and
spread top side with mayonnaise and relish
and layer with red pepper slices, lettuce
and 2 slices "ham."

4. Place fourth slice of bread on filing, and
spread top side with mustard and layer
with tomato slices, 1 slice cheese at an
angle and 8 slices "pepperoni."

5. Spread underside of fifth slice of bread
with mayonnaise, and place on top of
stack. Skewer sandwich layers together
with a 12-inch-long bamboo skewer or
metal skewer, and serve.

PER SERVING: 400 CAL; 22G PROT: 4G TOTAL FAT (1G SAT. FAT); 68G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 1,560MG SOD; 9G FIBER; 6G SUGARS