Teen cuisine: here's what's on the menu when veg teens party

Vegetarian Times, Feb, 1998 by Ronnie Hess

When vegetarian teens Amy Cotten and Britt Savage decide to have friends over, whether for snacks or for a special party, they know just what to do. The girls, who are both 17 and high school students in Madison, Wis., whip out their cookbooks and start planning.

Britt has been a vegetarian since she was in middle school. Amy for about two years. Britt became a vegetarian because she thought it was an interesting lifestyle choice. Amy says she was concerned that animals were being raised for slaughter. She promised herself she would give a vegetarian diet a two-week trial period. That was enough time to convince her it was the right course.

At the time both girls became vegetarians, neither knew many teens who were. Britt says classmates would rib her about her bean sprout sandwiches over lunch in the school cafeteria. But today, Britt says being a vegetarian teen has become more acceptable. "I have found more people saying, `Wow, you're a vegetarian? I just became one too.'"

Amy and Britt's interest in cooking is such that friends, whatever their dietary habits, can consider themselves lucky to get invited to their parties. Indeed, family members of vegetarian teens (and anyone who values good cooking) can appreciate the healthy, wholesome fare these girls dish up.

Amy and Britt say there's nothing particularly unique about what they choose to eat or how they go about preparing their get-togethers. They simply look for recipes that are visually appealing, fun to eat, reasonably uncomplicated to prepare and affordable. The girls also make sure their menus are nutritionally balanced, including plenty of whole grains and vegetables.

They've come up with ideas for pot-luck picnics where their friends "bring a dish"; for do-it-yourself pizza parties where everybody makes their own pizza with a batch of fixings; impromptu suppers that are quick and easy to prepare; and more elaborate sit-down dinners to celebrate a special event. And when they just want to munch--no junk food for these kids--their snacks are heaping trays of vegetables with crackers and cheese.

The recipes for some of these dishes follow, as well as two served at the Inauguration Day luncheon for President Bill Clinton last year. At the luncheon, several guests, including First Teen-ager Chelsea Clinton, were served vegetarian dishes. "We always do vegetarian alternatives," says Bill Homan of Design Cuisine based in Washington, D.C., the company that catered the luncheon. Homan and his staff came up with a vegetarian pie and an elegant variation of that old kids' favorite, macaroni and cheese. Homan's unusual macaroni dish, made with half-and-half and feta cheese, was adapted from an old recipe that President Thomas Jefferson passed along. For dessert, there was apple bread pudding and quince ice cream.

When Amy and Britt plan their party menus, they try to make sure there is a variety of food--several old favorites as well as at least one new dish. Here are some party suggestions devised by Amy, Britt and Vegetarian Times:

1. The pot-luck picnic: Choose your favorite veggie burgers and cook them either outdoors on a barbecue grill, indoors on top of the stove in a frying pan or in a microwave oven. Serve the veggie burgers with buns along with a salad, such as the Herbed Potato and Tomato Salad featured in the recipe section. For dessert, peanut butter cookies go well with ice cream, frozen yogurt or nondairy desserts.

2. The do-it-yourself individual pizzas: Either buy ready-made pizza dough or make it yourself and let guests create their dream pizzas with toppings like sliced mushrooms, green pepper, onions, olives, artichoke hearts, tomato sauce and grated cheese.

3. The impromptu party: A veggie casserole, such as the Black Bean Casserole Ole featured in the recipe section, along with a salad and fruit is a meal that comes together quickly.

Vegetable Pie

8 SERVINGS OVO-LACTO

This dish was served by Design Cuisine to guests at President Clinton's Inauguration Day luncheon in 1997. The crisp grated potato crust filled with a bounty of winter vegetables and topped with cheddar cheese makes a winning presentation. Serve with a tossed salad and rolls.

Potato Crust

  2 cups peeled, grated
    raw potatoes
  1/4 cup grated onion
  1/8 tsp. salt
  1 large egg, beaten
  2 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 Tbs. butter
1 cup chopped white pearl onions
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups broccoli florets
2 cups carrots, peeled, halved
  lengthwise and cut into 1-inch lengths
1 lb. rutabaga, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cups white button mushrooms
4 sprigs fresh dill
1 Tbs. minced fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup low-fat milk
2 large eggs
Paprika

Lemon-Soy Marinade:

  1/2 cup peanut or vegetable oil
  3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
  4 1/2 Tbs. tamari or low-sodium soy
    sauce (see glossary)
  2 1/2 Tbs. sesame oil
    (see glossary)
  3 cloves garlic, minced
  1 green onion, thinly sliced
  1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 lb. extra-firm or firm tofu, cut into
  3/4-inch cubes and patted dry
16 ripe cherry tomatoes
1 large green bell pepper, cored and
  cut into 1-inch squares
1/2 large red onion, cut vertically into
  thirds and chunks separated
12 white button mushrooms