30 minutes: lazy-day cooking—cool, fresh, delicious

June may be the kindest month of the year: long sunlit days, warm, soft nights--and the whole of summer stretching ahead. The food should be just as inviting. For a light, fresh dinner, try this Asian Chopped Salad--it comes together in a snap. To honor Dad on his special day (June 19), whip up the blueberry-loaded waffles. If you need to make something a little festive for friends, try the flower-garnished fruit salad from our cover. Enjoy!

Bodum 60-minute timer, $5.95 at Crate & Barrel crateandbarrel.com

ASIAN CHOPPED SALAD

Serves 6 * Vegan * 30 minutes or fewer

Chopped salads are so easy to assemble and eat that they should become part of every cook's repertoire. This nutritious version puts an Asian spin on the theme. Offer crisp breadsticks and iced green tea as accompaniments.

1 cucumber, peeled and diced
8 oz. Oriental-style baked tofu,
  diced
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 cup cooked shelled edamame
1/2 cup wasabi-seasoned peas
1/2 cup soy nuts
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger,
  or more to taste
1 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds
Tamari Oriental-style salad
  dressing to taste

1. Squeeze diced cucumber to remove
excess moisture In separate bowl,
combine tofu, red pepper, edamame,
peas and soy nuts.

2. Add cucumber, and sprinkle salad
with ginger and sesame seeds. Toss with
desired amount of dressing, and serve.

PER SERVING: 180 CAL; 16G PROT; 8G TOTAL FAT
(1G SAT. FAT); 13G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 200MG
SOD; 4G FIBER; 3G SUGARS

FRUIT-AND-FLOWER SALAD

Serves 6 * 30 minutes or fewer

Edible flowers are an irresistible
way to turn fresh salads into
party food. Purchase prepicked,
certified edible flowers at well-stocked
supermarkets. Serve
with toasted cheese squares and
chilled lemon tea.

1/2 cantaloupe, cut into cubes
1 cup fresh pineapple cubes
1/2 pint fresh raspberries
1/2 pint fresh blackberries
1 banana, peeled and
  thinly sliced
1 cup seedless green grapes
1 mango, peeled and cubed
4 oz. part-skim Swiss-style
  cheese, diced
2 Tbs. rose water,
  or more to taste
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
4 Tbs. mango chutney,
  or to taste
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
About 1 cup edible flowers

Combine fruits and cheese in
bowl. Sprinkle with rose water;
toss. Blend yogurt and chutney,
and pour over salad; toss, if
desired. To serve, spoon portions
onto individual plates, and
garnish with almonds and flowers.

PER SERVING: 250 CAL; 12G PROT; 7G TOTAL
FAT (2G SAT. FAT); 37G CARB; 10MG CHOL;
135MG SOD; 6G FIBER; 28G SUGARS

MEDITERRANEAN HEROES

Serves 8 * 30 minutes or fewer

These hefty heroes provide
a luscious lunch or dinner meal.
Pair them with a chilled soup to
start and a tart sorbet (lemon,
lime, grapefruit) as the final note.

4 5-oz. hero rolls, sliced in half
  lengthwise
1 Tbs. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, mashed
1 6-oz. pkg. soy "chicken"
  strips
1 bunch scallions, trimmed
  and sliced diagonally into
  1-inch pieces
2 medium-sized tomatoes,
  cut into sixths
1 cubanelle pepper, cut into
long, thin strips
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black
  pepper to taste
1 cup shredded part-skim
  mozzarella

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Heat olive oil in large skillet
over medium heat, and saute
garlic, "chicken" strips, scallions,
tomatoes and pepper strips about
5 minutes, or until tomatoes and
pepper strips soften. Remove
from heat.

3. Put mixture into large mixing
bowl, and stir in yogurt. Season
with thyme, salt and pepper.
Mound mixture onto hero rolls,
and sprinkle each with 1/4 cup
mozzarella cheese. Put rolls onto
baking sheet.

4. Broil on center rack 3 to 4
minutes, or until tops are golden
and cheese has melted. Slice each
roll in half. Serve hot or at room
temperature.

PER SERVING: 310 CAL; 15G PROT; 9G TOTAL
FAT (3G SAT. FAT); 42G CARB; 10MG CHOL;
570MG SOD; 3G FIBER; 2G SUGARS

"HAMBURGER" HELPER

Serves 6 * Vegan * 30 minutes or fewer

Taking a cue from one of
America's handiest meal stretchers,
this vegetarian version makes a
comforting dish for family dinners.
Serve it with a tossed green salad
and toasted French bread.

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, cubed
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 12-oz. pkg. ground soy "meat"
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and freshly ground black
  pepper to taste
1 1-lb. tube precooked polenta

1. Heat olive oil in large skillet
over medium heat. Saute onion
5 to 7 minutes, or until golden.
Add mushrooms and "meat,"
and saute 5 minutes more, or
until "meat" browns slightly and
mushrooms soften. Add tomato
sauce, oregano, garlic powder,
salt and pepper, reduce heat to
low and continue cooking until
heated through.

2. Meanwhile, slice polenta into
12 equal pieces. Spray second
nonstick skillet with cooking spray,
and cook slices over medium heat
3 to 4 minutes, or until golden.
Turn, and cook other side.

3. Remove polenta from skillet,
and place 2 slices each on
individual plates. Top with
"meat" mixture, and serve.

PER SERVING: 190 CAL; 14G PROT; 5G TOTAL
FAT (0.5G SAT. FAT); 23G CARB; 0MG CHOL;
450MG SOD; 4G FIBER; 3G SUGARS

MANGO-GINGER
PUDDING

Serves 4 * Vegan * 30 minutes or fewer

A potent, delicious ginger
syrup brings this dessert to life.
To maximize the flavor, pound
the ginger lightly to release
its juices before slicing it thinly.
Makes about 1/2 cup syrup.

1 cup firmly packed
  brown sugar
1 3-inch piece fresh ginger,
  pounded and thinly sliced
1 lb. lite silken tofu
2 Tbs. chopped candied ginger
2 ripe mangoes,
  peeled and diced

1. Combine sugar, 1/2 cup cold
water and fresh sliced ginger
in saucepan, and heat over
medium heat. Cook, stirring
often, about 15 minutes,
or until mixture turns syrupy.
Cool slightly; strain syrup,
and discard ginger.

2. Meanwhile, using electric
beaters, whip tofu until texture
is smooth and puddinglike.
Stir candied ginger and diced
mango into tofu.

3. To serve, scoop pudding
into 4 individual bowls, and
spoon a little ginger syrup over
tops of each.

PER SERVING: 340 CAL; 8G PROT; 15G TOTAL
FAT (0G SAT. FAT); 78G CARB; 0MG CHOL;
125MG SOD; 2G FIBER; 70G SUGARS

DOUBLE BLUEBERRY-OAT
BRAN WAFFLES

Serves 8 * 30 minutes or fewer

This recipe makes 4 large
rectangular waffles (half a waffle
per person)--but for a hungry
crowd, serve a large one each.

1 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup skim milk
2 large eggs, separated
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 tsp. lemon extract
1/2 cup oat bran
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
Pinch salt
1 3-oz. pkg. dried blueberries
Wild blueberry preserves
  for garnish
Fresh blueberries as desired
  for garnish
Confectioners' sugar for garnish

1. Preheat nonstick waffle iron,
and spray cooking surface with
cooking spray.

2. Beat together yogurt, milk,
egg yolks, oil and lemon extract
in large mixing bowl. Stir in bran,
flour, sugar, baking powder and
salt. In separate bowl, beat egg
whites until stiff. Fold egg whites
into yogurt-flour mixture, then
fold in dried blueberries.

3. Spoon about 3/4 cup batter
onto hot waffle iron. Bake waffles
according to manufacturer's
directions, spraying appliance
in between each baking.
Serve hot waffles with a dollop
of blueberry preserves, fresh
blueberries as desired and
a dusting of confectioners' sugar.

PER SERVING: 195 CAL; 6G PROT; 3.5G TOTAL
FAT (<1G SAT. FAT); 36G CARB; 55MG CHOL;
125MG SOD; 25G FIBER; 16G SUGARS

COPYRIGHT 2005 Vegetarian Times, Inc. All rights reserved.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning