1 Tbsp. margarine
1 cup cooked brown rice
Soy sauce, to taste
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup chopped squash

In a nonstick frying pan, melt the margarine, then add the cooked rice and sprinkle with soy sauce. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to cook on medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Other vegetables (like broccoli) can be added as desired.

Makes 2 servings.

Fettuccini Alfonso
(from The Uncheese Cookbook by
Joanne Stepaniak)

A typical serving of Fettuccini Alfredo has as much saturated fat as three pints of ice cream! Not so Fettuccini Alfonso, which has a sinfully rich taste that is deceptively low in fat.

1-1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
1-1/2 cups low-fat or regular soy milk
2 Tbsp. tahini (optional)
1 Tbsp. onion granules
1 tsp. salt
1 lb. fettuccini
White pepper (optional)

• Thaw the corn kernels. Place the corn, soy milk, tahini, and seasonings in a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth. (It may take several minutes to completely pulverize the corn.) Pour the blended mixture into a medium saucepan and warm over medium-low heat, stirring often.

While the sauce is heating, cook the fettuccini in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain well and return to the pot. Add the hot sauce and toss until the pasta is evenly coated. Serve immediately, topping each portion with pepper, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

Cajun Gumbo

Cajun cuisine goes “green” in this veggie version of the Louisiana classic.

3 cups uncooked white rice
6 cups vegetable stock
1 lb. firm tofu, cut into chunks
2 cups cooked black-eyed peas
2 cups corn
2 cups chopped collard greens
1 cup okra
1 cup diced green bell pepper
3 Tbsp. vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1 3.5-oz. can tomato paste
2 large onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 Tbsp. black pepper
2 to 3 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. salt
3/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1-2 tsp. hot pepper sauce

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place the rice in a large roasting
pan or casserole and pour the stock over it.

Combine the remaining ingredients and place over the rice in the roasting pan. Cover and cook for 1 hour. Uncover and stir. Replace cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Stir and check the rice for doneness. If necessary, cook for another 30 minutes or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.

Makes 8 servings.

Black Bean Chili

1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 green chili pepper or jalapeño, chopped
1 16-oz. can black beans
1 16-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup textured vegetable protein
Chili powder and salt, to taste

In a large pot, sauté the onion and garlic in the oil until the onions become soft. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the peppers and sauté for a few more minutes. Add the black beans, tomatoes, textured vegetable protein, chili powder, and salt and simmer for 30 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.

Nouveau Sloppy Joes
1-2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup minced green bell pepper
1 lb. firm tofu, frozen, then thawed and mashed
6 Tbsp. ketchup
6 Tbsp. chili sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
Pepper, to taste
4 burger buns, lightly toasted

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and green pepper and sauté until the vegetables are well cooked, about 5 minutes. Add the tofu and sauté for another 15 minutes, until the tofu is completely cooked.

Add the ketchup, chili sauce, salt, and pepper and continue to cook over low heat until the mixture is heated through. Add a little water if the mixture is too dry.

Spoon onto lightly toasted burger buns.

Makes 4 servings.

Appetizers
Appetizers can be as simple as chips and dip or as elegant as a vegetarian pâté. Here are some ideas for quick and easy hors d’oeuvres that will get you out of the kitchen in time to enjoy the party.

• Whip up a seven-layer Mexican dip using refried beans, black olives, salsa, tortilla chips, Tofutti sour cream, sliced green onions, and jalapeños.
• Veganize that old standby, pigs in a blanket: Roll out a package of puff pastry dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut it into rectangles and spread each one with Dijon mustard. Wrap the rectangles around tofu hot dogs and bake them in a 425-degree oven for 10 minutes, then cut each into several pieces.
• Marinate bite-sized pieces of tempeh or tofu in your favorite sauce—try barbecue, sweet and sour, or spicy peanut—and chill for several hours. Place in a shallow baking pan, cover with the sauce, and bake at 350 degrees for several minutes. Spear each piece with a party pick to serve. Always a hit!
• Combine your favorite spiced nuts with raisins, dried apricots, pretzels, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds for a marvelous munchie.

Sandwiches
Move over, peanut butter and jelly! Sandwich fillings can be just about anything you have on hand:
• Stuff a sandwich roll with lettuce, tomato, veggie deli slices, like fake “bologna” or “turkey,” and a sliver of nondairy cheese.
• Dress up a bagel with tofu cream cheese, all-fruit preserves, and nut butters.
• Try this quick veggie wrap: Stuff tortillas with your choice of sprouts, lettuce, green onions, tomatoes, avocado, grated zucchini, grated carrot, olives, and soy cheese. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and olive oil and roll up.
• Salsa, horseradish, mustard, barbecue sauce, salad dressings, guacamole, and other creative condiments give any sandwich a kick.
• Melt soy cheese over whatever veggies you have in the refrigerator.
• Perk up peanut butter by mashing with bananas, berries, or applesauce.
• Hold everything together with bagels, tortillas, pitas, or chapatis.

 

"Meaty" Mushrooms Sandwiches
2-1/2 tsp. balsamic or red wine vinegar
1 large clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing the vegetables
2 large portobello mushrooms
1 red onion, cut into chunks
1 tomato, cut into quarters
8 slices crusty Italian bread
Fresh basil leaves

Put the vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup olive oil in a small jar and shake well. Set aside.

Clean the mushrooms and remove their stems. Brush all the vegetables with olive oil. Grill the mushrooms for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Place the onion and tomato chunks on skewers and grill, turning often, until lightly charred. Cut each mushroom in half and cut the onion and tomato chunks into thin slices.

Spread a little of the vinegar mixture on each slice of bread, then top with the mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, and basil leaves.

Makes 4 servings.

Chickpea Curry
2-1/2 medium onions, thinly sliced
4 Tbsp. margarine
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. allspice
1-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. ginger
4 cans of chickpeas, drained
1-2 green peppers, cut into small pieces
Salt, to taste
1/2 cup water

Sauté the onions in the margarine. When golden brown, add the tomato sauce, garlic, and the spices and sauté for a few minutes. Add the chickpeas and the green peppers and sauté over fairly high heat until everything is browned, about 15 minutes. Add the salt and water, turn down the heat, and cover. Simmer for about 1 hour, stirring frequently. Serve over rice.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Quick and Easy Snacks
• Microwave tortillas and fill with canned refried beans, salsa, guacamole, and corn for easy burritos.
• For noodles with Thai peanut sauce, just cook noodles in a hot pot or wok, drain, and cover in bottled Thai peanut sauce.
• Heat sliced veggie dogs and canned vegetarian-style baked beans in the microwave for fast “franks and beans.”
• Make an easy pasta salad by boiling water and cooking spiral pasta. Drain and add chopped broccoli, carrots, green pepper, corn, and red onion. Stir in your favorite salad dressing and chill.
• Don’t have time or space to chop up vegetables for stir-fry? Buy a bag of frozen mixed veggies and throw ’em in the wok with some soy sauce, ginger, and garlic.

Pasta Salad
1 8-oz. package of tri-colored pasta,
cooked 3 ears of cooked corn, with the kernels cut from the cob
1 bunch broccoli florets, cut small and steamed
15 large black olives, sliced
15 green olives with pimento, sliced
1 14-oz. can artichoke hearts, halved
1 red pepper, diced
1 8-oz. can water chestnuts
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup Italian dressing or more,
to taste
Combine all the ingredients, mix well, and refrigerate. Serve cold.

Makes 6 servings.


Dessert

Dark Chocolate Mousse
(from PETA’s The Compassionate Cook)

Mousse in minutes? You only need 10 to prepare this delectable dessert.

1 lb. soft tofu
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup carob powder
6 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup soy milk

Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and purée until creamy. Pour the mousse into six individual dessert bowls and chill.

Makes 6 servings.