30-minute recipes

Vegetarian Times, Oct, 2004

Potato-Pepper-Spinach Frittata | Angel Apple-Tapioca Pudding Cake | "Chicken" Lo Mein Pumpkin Pancakes | Gorgonzola, Wild Rice and Greens | Tofu Tostadas

Potato-Pepper-Spinach Frittata

SERVES 6           30 MINUTES OR LESS

To accent this hearty brunch or lunch
dish, season this frittata with plenty of
freshly ground black pepper. To kick up
the heat, select an assortment of peppers
ranging from mild to hot. Offer a sweet
pastry such as banana bread, and conclude
the meal with a bowl filled with apples
and clementines.

3 Tbs. olive oil
10 oz. baby Yukon gold potatoes,
  quartered
10 oz. peppers, such as Cubanelle
  and Hungarian wax peppers, and
  poblano and jalapeno chiles
1 large sweet onion, cubed
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 bunch spinach, rinsed, trimmed
  and chopped
6 large eggs
Salt and freshly ground black
  pepper to taste
4 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, grated
Pepper slices for garnish, optional

1. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof or cast-iron
skillet over medium-high heat. Add
the potatoes, and saute until they begin to
brown, for about 10 minutes. Add the peppers,
onion and garlic, and saute for about
7 minutes more, or until the peppers wilt
and the onion softens.

2. Add the spinach, reduce the heat to
medium-low and cover the skillet. Cook for
about 3 minutes, or until the spinach wilts.

3. Beat the eggs well, seasoning with salt
and pepper. Stir in shredded cheese.

4. Preheat the broiler.

5. Uncover the skillet, and stir potato mixture.
Pour in the eggs, increase the
heat to medium-high, tilt the
pan and lift the mixture to
allow uncooked eggs to
run underneath. Stir, and continue cooking
for about 5 minutes more.

6. Broil the frittata for about 1 minute, or
until the top browns. Garnish with pepper
slices, if desired, and serve at once.

PER SERVING: 210 CAL; 11G PROT; 14G TOTAL
FAT (4.5G SAT. FAT); 12G CARB; 170MG CHOL;
160MG SOD; 2G FIBER; 3G SUGARS

Wine Suggestions

A California Chardonnay would be a good wine for this dish. One such as Freemark Abbey Chardonnay is not too overpowering for the potatoes, peppers and spinach. It has a festive, elegant taste and would be excellent.

Angel Apple-Tapioca
Pudding Cake

SERVES 6             30 MINUTES OR LESS

With such popular ingredients as apples
and butterscotch, this cake is the perfect
way for the family to celebrate fall. Yet
the dessert is light and delicate, a foil for
a more robust entree. Note that if the
pudding sits too long, the cake starts to
fall apart because of the moisture of the
pudding.

2 cups soymilk
1 cup butterscotch chips
2 Tbs. egg replacer
3 Tbs. instant tapioca
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup applesauce
1 10-oz. premade angel food cake
1 apple, skin on and diced plus apple
  slices for garnish, optional

1. Combine the soymilk, butterscotch
chips, egg replacer and tapioca in a
large saucepan. Let the tapioca soak for
about 5 minutes.

2. Heat the mixture over medium heat,
and, stirring constantly to prevent scorching,
cook the pudding until the mixture
bubbles and the butterscotch chips are
completely melted. Stir in the vanilla and
applesauce, remove from the heat, and set
aside to cool and firm for 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, pull apart the angel food
cake in random-sized chunks, and line the
bottom of a decorative 3-quart dish with
the chunks, reserving remaining chunks to
form top layer. Sprinkle apple pieces over
bottom cake layer.

4. Spoon half of the cooled pudding mixture
over the apple pieces. Add the
remaining chunks of angel food cake, and
spoon remaining pudding over top. Refrigerate
the dessert until ready to serve. Garnish
with apple slices, if desired, and serve.
PER SERVING: 370 CAL; 75 PROT: 10G TOTAL
FAT (7G SAT. FAT): 66G CARB; 0MG CHOL;
300MG SOD; 1G FIBER; 42G SUGARS

"Chicken" Lo Mein

SERVES 2            30 MINUTES OR LESS

Probably every Chinese cook has his or
her own version of this Cantonese staple,
but this vegetarian version gets an added
flavor boost with mushroom broth and
sesame oil. Offer steamed dumplings to
start, and, in typical Chinese fashion, several
cut-up oranges and fortune cookies
to end the meal.

8 oz. fresh Chinese egg noodles or
  fresh spaghetti
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 6-oz. pkg. soy "chicken" strips
1 green bell pepper, seeded and
  thinly sliced lengthwise
1 cup mushroom broth
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1 Tbs. shredded fresh ginger
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp. granulated sugar
Drizzle of sesame oil for garnish

1. Cook the noodles in boiling water according
to package directions. Remove
from the heat, drain, rinse under cold
water and set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok
over medium to medium-high heat. Stir-fry
the mushrooms and the "chicken"
strips for 2 minutes, or until the strips
start to brown. Remove "chicken" from
wok, and set aside. Add the bell pepper,
and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the
pepper starts to wilt.

3. Whisk together the broth, cornstarch,
ginger, garlic, soy sauce and sugar, and stir
into the wok. Add the "chicken" back to
the wok, and continue cooking and stirring
for about 8 minutes more, or until
the mixture thickens. Stir in the noodles.
and cook until heated through. Remove
from the heat, drizzle with the sesame oil
and serve immediately.

PER SERVING: 530 CAL; 26G PROT; 25G TOTAL
FAT (2.5G SAT. FAT); 53G CARB; 35MG CHOL;
420MG SOD; 7G FIBER; 11G SUGARS

Pumpkin Pancakes

SERVES 4          30 MINUTES OR LESS

These hearty pancakes welcome autumn
with a rich pumpkin puree and with cranberries
folded into the thick batter. Serve
them with maple syrup, honey or a sprinkling
of confectioners' sugar. Warm apple
cider and cinnamon-dusted applesauce
complement these pancakes, which are
perfect for any meal of the day.

2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 Tbs. baking powder
2 Tbs. granulated or brown sugar
Pinch of salt

1. Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until
foamy. Stir in remaining ingredients.

2. Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick
cooking spray, and heat over
medium heat. When the surface is hot,
scoop about one-third cupful of batter
onto the skillet, flattening out the cakes
with the back of the spatula. When the
bottoms start to turn golden, flip cakes
over and cook second side. When both
sides are golden and the cakes are firm,
after about 7 minutes, remove from the
heat. Repeat with the remaining batter.

3. To serve, pass with melted butter or
margarine and the desired syrup or other
topping.

PER SERVING: 360 CAL; 13G PROT; 15G TOTAL
FAT (2.5G SAT. FAT); 47G CARB; 105MG CHOL;
440MG SOD;4G FLEER; 16G SUGARS

Gorgonzola, Wild Rice and
Greens

SERVES 4           30 MINUTES OR LESS

Many supermarkets now stock precooked
and vacuum-packed wild rice, a boon for
cooks in a hurry who love the delicate
wild rice flavor but who lack the time to
prepare it from scratch. An elegant dish,
this wholesome entree calls for an equally
elegant dessert such as an eclair or a slice
of tiramisu.

2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
  lengthwise
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1 bunch broccoli rabe, coarsely
  chopped
2 cups precooked wild rice
4 oz. crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
4 Tbs. soy "bacon" bits, optional

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over
medium heat. Saute the onion until
golden, for about 8 minutes. Add the garlic
and broccoli rabe, reduce the heat to
medium-low, cover the skillet and cook
until the broccoli rabe starts to wilt, for
about 2 minutes.

2. Remove the cover, increase the heat to
medium and stir in the wild rice, cooking
for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the rice is
heated through. Stir in the Gorgonzola
cheese, and cook for 30 seconds to
1 minute. Remove from the heat before all
the cheese melts.

3. To serve, spoon equal portions of the
rice mixture onto individual plates, and
garnish each serving with 1 tablespoon of
"bacon" bits. Serve immediately.

PER SERVING: 330 CAL: 17G PROT; 19G TOTAL
FAT (7G SAT FAT); 30G CARB; 25MG CHOL:
640MG SOD; 3G FIBER: 4G SUGARS