Vegetarian express - menus and recipes - excerpt from 'Vegetarian Express: Easy, Tasty and Healthy Menus in 28 Minutes or Less!' - includes glossary

Vegetarian Times, June, 1995 by Nava Atlas, Lillian Kayte

EVERYONE WANTS To EAT healthfully, but too often, time-crunched people believe that a steady diet of great, home-cooked meals is simply not a possibility for them. These recipes prove that you don't need a lot of time or planning to serve meals that are tasty, healthy and satisfying even exotic and fun.

High-quality meals need not be sacrificed to a fast-paced life. Spending a couple of hours--or even a single hour--in the kitchen at the end of a 9-to-5 day is unrealistic as well as unappealing. However, with a pantry stocked with convenient natural foods, plus a little ingenuity, anyone can prepare terrific meals in 28 minutes or less--no more time than it will take to eat them.

With the help of this book, Vegetarian Express: Easy, Tasty and Healthy Menus in 28 Minutes (or Less!), you will have more than 75 menus to choose from for those busy days. We promise you wholesome, tasty meals in 28 minutes or less ... plus a few tips to help complete these menus successfully in the allotted time. Check our shopping lists with each menu; they will help you determine if you have all the items you need for a certain meal.

Just before beginning to cook, look over our strategy list. It will tell you in simple terms how to juggle the preparation of the components of the menu so that every valuable minute is well spent.

At the heart of these menus is a core group of ingredients we call convenient foods, such as canned beans, quick-cooking grains and certain frozen or good-quality canned items, because they demand so little of the cook's time and effort.

MENU:

Mexican Lasagna; Mixed Squash Saute; Tossed salad

STRATEGY:

Prepare lasagna and place in oven. Prepare squash saute. While saute cooks, prepare tossed salad.

SHOPPING LIST:

15-oz. can pinto, pink or black beans; 14-oz. can crushed tomatoes; ground cumin; dried oregano; olive oil; small onion; 4-oz. can sliced black olives; 4-oz. can chopped green chilies; yogurt or sour cream (optional); 10-oz. bag frozen corn kernels; 8 corn tortillas; 8 ounces grated Monterey Jack cheese or soy cheddar cheese; medium zucchini; 2 medium yellow summer squash; bunch green onions; 8 corn tortillas; fixings for tossed salad.

Mexican Lasagna

Few casseroles are this easy to make.

15-oz. can pinto, pink or black

beans, drained and rinsed 14-oz. can diced and crushed

tomatoes 4-oz. can chopped green chilies 2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed 2 green onions, minced 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 1/2 tsp. dried oregano 8 corn tortillas 1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack

cheese or cheddar soy cheese Plain low-fat regular or soy yogurt,

or sour cream (optional)

30 MINUTES OR LESS Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine beans, tomatoes, chilies, corn, green onions, cumin and oregano; mix thoroughly.

Oil a 2-quart casserole or baking dish. Line baking dish with 4 tortillas, overlapping if necessary. Spread half of bean mixture in a layer over tortillas. Sprinkle with half of cheese. Repeat.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly. Let stand 1 or 2 minutes, then cut into squares to serve. Top each serving with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream if desired. Makes 6 servings. PER SERVING: 315 CAL.; 15G PROT.; LOG FAT; 41G CARB.; 25MG CHOL.; 480MG SOD.; 8G FIBER. LACTO/ VEGAN

Mixed Squash Saute

This recipe calls for zucchini and yellow summer squash, but any tender squash (such as pattypan) may be added or substituted.

1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil 1 small onion, diced 1 medium zucchini, sliced 2 medium yellow summer squashes,

sliced 1/4 cup sliced black olives Salt and pepper to taste

30 MINUTES OR LESS In a large skillet, heat oil. Add onion; saute until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water, zucchini and yellow squash. Stir, cover and steam until just tender, about 5 minutes, stirring once. Stir in olives; salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4 to 6. PER SERVING: 13 5 CAL.; 2G PROT.; 7G FAT; 16G CARB.; CHOL.; 602MG SOD.; 5G FIBER. VEGAN

MENU:

Simple Sesame-Soy Oriental Noodles; Broccoli, Carrot and Cashew Stir-fry with Tofu

STRATEGY:

Put water on for cooking noodles. As the stir-fry simmers, begin cooking noodles. Prepare sauce for noodles. Finish stir-fry; finish noodles. Garnish each and serve.

SHOPPING LIST:

Dark sesame oil; soy sauce; honey or rice syrup; rice or white wine vinegar; dry white wine or sherry; canola oil; fresh or ground ginger; 1/2 lb. udon or soba noodles; 1 lb. firm tofu; about 2 lbs. broccoli florets; carrots; green onions; toasted unsalted cashews.

Simple Sesame-Soy Oriental Noodles

The flavorful sauce for this noodle dish enhances any grain or pasta, and will make you think twice about ordering Chinese takeout.

1/2 lb. udon or soba noodles (see

glossary) 1 1/2 Tbs. canola oil 2 tsp. dark or toasted sesame oil

(see glossary) 2 to 3 Tbs. soy sauce, or to taste 1 Tbs. honey or rice syrup (see

glossary) 1 to 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger

(1/4 tsp. ground) 1 tsp. rice vinegar (see glossary)

or white wine vinegar 2 to 3 green onions, sliced

30 MINUTES OR LESS Cook noodles according to package directions. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients except green onions. Drain noodles; transfer to large serving bowl or plate.