Menu for the plant-based palate

Vegetarian Times, June, 2004 by Marie Oser

Louisiana Greens and "Sausage" | Yam Good Biscuits | Lime Rice and Black-Eyed Peas Peach Crisp with Warm Brandied Syrup

Southerners love greens. Green leafy vegetables, such as mustard and turnip greens, collards, kale and spinach, have been the cornerstone of Southern cooking for more than a century. Unfortunately, these wholesome vegetables are often paired with unhealthful animal products that add a lot of fat and cholesterol.

Our healthful Louisiana Greens and "Sausage" is a New Orleans-style dish rich in flavor and loaded with valuable phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals and fiber. This easy-to-make recipe is prepared with conveniently packaged, prewashed, mixed Southern greens and bulk-style vegetarian "sausage." The complex flavors and textures of the leafy greens, soy "sausage," tomatoes, garlic and onions mingle in a satisfying dish with a tasty broth referred to in the Deep South as a "potlikker."

Sweet potatoes and yams are also Southern staples, and what could be more Southern than homemade biscuits? In a delicious and healthful twist on traditional sweet potato biscuits, fat-free and flaky Yam Good Biscuits are made with sweet, moist, boiled yams. Serve the biscuits hot or cold to sop up the potlikker.

Lime Rice and Black-Eyed Peas is a zesty dish made with the juice of a whole lime, diced fire-roasted chilies, brown rice and black-eyed peas. Black-eyed peas, like many beans, are high in protein, fiber and folate. This tasty, kidney-shaped legume has a smooth texture, creamy white skin and a distinctive black dot or "eye."

One of the most succulent fruits of summer, peaches are at their peak from June to August. Cobblers and crisps are homey Southern desserts often topped with dollops of biscuit dough before baking. With its optional kick of liquor, Peach Crisp with Warm Brandied Syrup makes the most of a favorite fruit.

Louisiana Greens and
"Sausage"

SERVES 6

A spicy dish with great flavor and texture,
this greens mixture contains a delicious
potlikker, which is the vitamin- and mineral-rich
broth that comes from cooking down
the greens.

2 tsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium-sized onion,
  coarsely chopped
1 14-oz. bulk-style soy "sausage"
16 oz. mixed greens, such as mustard,
collard, turnip and spinach
2 1/2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1/2 cup white wine or vegetable stock
2 cups vegetarian "chicken" stock,
  boiling
3/4 cup tomato sauce
1/2 Tbs. dried thyme

1. Heat oil and crushed pepper over
medium-high heat in a very large saucepan
or stockpot for 1 minute. Add garlic and
onions. Cook for 2 minutes, and add soy
"sausage," stirring and breaking apart with
a large spoon. Cook mixture for 7 minutes,
stirring frequently until browned. Add
greens, reduce heat to medium-low and
cook mixture, covered, stirring occasionally,
for 5 minutes, or until greens cook
down. Add vinegar, wine, stock and
tomato sauce. Reduce heat to low.

2. Cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Add
thyme, and cook 5 minutes longer, or until
greens are tender, stirring occasionally.

PER SERVING: 155 CAL; 13G PROT; 2G TOTAL
FAT (0G SAT FAT); 20G CARB; 0MG CHOL;
392MG SOD; 5G FIBER; 5G SUGAR

Yam Good Biscuits

MAKES 24 BISCUITS

Yams, as sold in most markets in the
United States, are really a variety of sweet
potato with darker skins and flesh.

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup whole-grain yellow cornmeal
1 Tbs. nonaluminum baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. ground allspice
1/3 cup prune puree
2 Tbs. unsweetened applesauce
1 cup mashed yams
1/2 cup water
2 Tbs. egg replacer powder
3 Tbs. light brown muscovado sugar
1/4 cup plain soymilk

1. Preheat oven to 400E Spray baking
sheet with olive oil cooking spray.

2. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder,
baking soda, sea salt and allspice in a mixing
bowl. Set aside, in second bowl, combine
prune puree, applesauce and mashed yams.
In a third bowl, and using a wire whisk or
fork, beat water and egg replacer powder
until foamy. Add mixture to yam mixture.
Stir in sugar, and mix together thoroughly.
Fold dry ingredients into liquid ingredients
in second bowl using a rubber spatula. Add
soymilk, and mix well.

3. Turn dough onto a generously floured
board, and knead, adding more flour as
needed. Dough should be soft but not
sticky. Pat into a circle about 1/2-inch thick.
Dip a biscuit cutter or glass into flour, and
cut out biscuits. Alternatively, cut biscuits
into squares with a floured serrated knife.
Place 1 inch apart on prepared pan.

4. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden. Remove
from oven, and cool on wire racks.

PER SERVING: 73 CAL.; 2G PROT; 0G TOTAL
FAT (0G SAT. FAT); 15G CARB; 0MG CHOL;
151MG SOD; 2G FIBER; 5G SUGAR

Lime Rice and Black-Eyed Peas

SERVES 8

This tasty dish reheats well.

1 cup raw short-grain brown rice
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth, boiling
1 tsp. olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
2 large fire-roasted chilies, seeded
  and diced
1 15-oz. can black-eyed peas
Juice of 1 lime
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbs. nutritional yeast
1/2 Tbs. dried marjoram
1 tsp. liquid aminos

1. Combine rice with broth, and bring to a
boil. Reduce heat to low, and cook, covered,
for 40 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.
Remove from heat, and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large saucepan for 1
minute over medium-high heat. Add shallot,
scallions and chilies, and cook for 3
minutes. Add black-eyed peas and rice, and
reduce heat to low. Add lime juice,
cilantro, yeast, marjoram and aminos.
Cover, and cook mixture for 10 minutes,
stirring occasionally.

PER SERVING: 189 CAL; 6G PROT; 2G TOTAL
FAT (0G SAT. FAT): 37G CARB; 0MG CHOL;
216MG SOD; 4G FIBER; 3G SUGAR

Peach Crisp with Warm
Brandied Syrup

SERVES 8

This scrumptious dessert also can be
made with nectarines instead of peaches.

Peach Filling

1 cup frozen white grape juice
  concentrate
6 cups sliced freestone peaches,
  fresh or frozen
1/2 cup unrefined cane sugar
1/4 cup peach brandy, or 1 1/2 tsp.
  vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp.
  almond extract
2 Tbs. cornstarch
2Tbs. cold water

Cinnamon-Walnut Topping

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
1/4 cup unrefined cane sugar
3 Tbs. chopped walnuts
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 Tbs. prune puree

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. To make Peach Filling: Heat frozen juice
concentrate in a stovetop- and oven-safe
2-quart casserole over medium heat for 3
minutes. Add peaches, and reduce heat to
low. Cook for 5 minutes, or until peaches
soften. Add sugar, and stir to mix. Add
peach brandy, and cook for 3 minutes, or
until liquid has consistency of syrup. Turn
off heat, and remove 1 1/2 cups of syrup,
setting it aside in a small saucepan. Dissolve
cornstarch in water, and stir into peaches.

3. To make Cinnamon-Walnut Topping: Put
flour, wheat germ, sugar, walnuts and cinnamon
into a food processor, and pulse to
mix. Add prune puree, and process until
mixture has the consistency of a moist
crumb. Sprinkle generously over filling.

4. Bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly
browned. Bring reserved syrup to a boil
over medium heat, stirring frequently. Cook
down, and reduce syrup to about 1 cup.
Spoon syrup over warm crisp, and serve.

PER SERVING: 283 CAL; 3G PROT; 2G TOTAL
FAT (0G SAT. FAT); 62G CARB; 0MG CHOL;
12MG SOD; 4G FIBER; 49G SUGAR