Super summer meals - pronto! - includes recipes - Cover Story

Vegetarian Times, August, 1995 by Karen A. Levin

SUMMER IS FULL of days when you don't want to spend any more time in the kitchen than absolutely necessary. With a well-stocked pantry and a little planning, you don't have to.

One of the tricks to fast meals is using ingredients that are already prepared. Look for bottled minced garlic, ginger, jalapeno peppers and other foods that save preparation time. Bottled salsa can always fill in nicely for the homemade variety. Cut and packaged fresh or frozen vegetables may cost a little more, but they're ready to go when you are, and there's no waste.

Another trick is to prepare some ingredients while other ingredients cook. In other words, don't waste time waiting for the pasta water to boil--start chopping!

The following recipes are perfect for the summer. They're real meals--pasta, polenta, burritos, soup, Chinese noodles--that get you out of the kitchen in hurry. If you use canned beans, prepared tortillas, bottled salsa and other prepared foods, each recipe will be ready in less than 27 minutes.

Southwestern Vegetable Burritos

Bottled salsa, canned pinto beans and shredded packaged cheese help make this a meal in 27 minutes.

6 whole wheat or regular (8- or

9-inch) flour tortillas

1 Tbs. canola oil

1 medium sweet or yellow onion,

coarsely chopped

1 large red bell pepper, coarsely

chopped

1 large green bell pepper, coarsely

chopped

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 cup salsa, plus more for garnish

or dipping

1 tsp. ground cumin

15-oz. can pinto beans

1 ripe avocado

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 cup (4 oz.) shredded low-fat

cheddar cheese (optional)

PREHEAT OVEN to 350 degrees. Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until heated through.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell peppers and garlic to skillet; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add salsa and cumin. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Drain beans into a medium bowl. Partially mash with potato masher or back of wooden spoon. Stir beans into vegetable mixture; cover and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Peel, seed and dice avocado; place in small bowl and set aside. Remove vegetable mixture from heat; stir in cilantro.

TO ASSEMBLE BURRITOS: Spoon about 1/2 cup vegetable mixture down center of each warm tortilla; top with avocado. Sprinkle with cheese if desired. Roll and serve immediately with additional salsa, if desired. Makes 6 servings.

PER SERVING: 233 CAL.; 7G PROT.; 8G FAT; 39G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 730MG SOD.; 10G FIBER. LACTO/VEGAN

Cavatelli with Garden Vegetables and Herbs

Asparagus, red pepper, yellow squash and sugar snap peas make a colorful, simple pasta dish.

12 oz. cavatelli or orecchiette pasta,

uncooked

2 Tbs. olive oil

6 oz. (about 10) fresh asparagus

spears, diagonally sliced into

1-inch pieces

1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin

strips

2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium yellow squash, halved

lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch

pieces

6 oz. (about 2 cups) sugar snap peas

or snow pea pods

14 1/2 oz. can vegetable broth (about

2 cups)

1/3 cup snipped or chopped assorted

fresh herbs, such as tarragon,

thyme, dill and basil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Grated asiago cheese (optional)

COOK PASTA according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add asparagus, bell pepper, garlic, squash, sugar snap peas or snow pea pods, and broth to saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes.

Drain pasta and return to pot with herbs, vegetables and broth; toss well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in shallow soup bowls; sprinkle with cheese if desired. Makes 6 servings.

PER SERVING: 297 CAL.; 10G PROT.; 6G FAT.; 52G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 209MG SOD.; 5G FIBER. LACTO/VEGAN

Ziti with Fresh Tomato-Olive Sauce

A home-cooked meal doesn't get any easier than this: Cooked pasta tossed with fresh tomatoes, olives, balsamic vinegar and seasonings--25 minutes from kitchen to table.

8 oz. ziti or mostaccioli pasta

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar (see glossary)

2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup thinly sliced basil leaves

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives (see

glossary) or 4-oz. can sliced

and pitted black olives, drained

1 Tbs. drained capers (optional; see

glossary)

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 3/4 Ibs. (about 4 large) tomatoes,

halved crosswise

4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled, or 1/4 cup

Parmesan cheese (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

COOK PASTA according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, combine oil, vinegar, garlic, basil, olives, capers, if desired, and red pepper flakes.

Place a strainer over serving bowl; squeeze juice from tomato halves into strainer. (Push on seeds with back of wooden spoon to extract tomato liquid.) Discard seeds. Coarsely chop tomatoes and add to olive mixture; toss well.

Drain pasta and add to bowl; toss well. Sprinkle with cheese if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 8 servings.

PER SERVING: 163 CAL.; 5G PROT.; 4G FAT.; 27G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 305MG SOD.; 2G FIBER. LACTO/VEGAN