Monthly Archives: January 2013

Minestrone

A classic soup.  This is a low fat vegan derivative of Ellie Krieger’s recipe.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
6 cups vegetable broth
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
16 oz vegetable medley, frozen
1 cup elbow pasta
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Preparation

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the celery and carrot and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the green beans, dried oregano and basil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; cook 3 more minutes.

Add the diced and crushed tomatoes and the chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the kidney beans and pasta and cook until the pasta and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt. Ladle into bowls and top with chopped basil.

Nutrition

8 servings

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 438 g
Amount Per Serving
Calories

317
Calories from Fat

50
% Daily Value*
Total Fat

5.5g
8%
Saturated Fat

0.9g
5%
Trans Fat

0.0g
Cholesterol

0mg
0%
Sodium

594mg
25%
Total Carbohydrates

47.5g
16%
Dietary Fiber

12.0g
48%
Sugars

5.8g
Protein

19.5g
Vitamin A 48% • Vitamin C 30%
Calcium 8% • Iron 26%
Nutrition Grade A
* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Cornbread with Raisins, Cranberry and Fennel

Quick and easy cornbread. Sweet fruits in cornbread are a little unusual, but interesting.

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal (not coarse)
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup Earth Balance Original Natural Buttery Spread
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups soy milk

1/2 cup golden raisins, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons fennel seeds, coarsely crushed

Preparation

Crush the fennel seeds in a mortar and pestle.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Melt the Earth Balance in a small bowl in the microwave (about 20 seconds).

Beat the eggs lightly in a medium bowl and whisk in the soy milk. After the butter has cooled, mix it in as well.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just enough to break up lumps. Add the raisins, cranberries and fennel.

Pour the batter into two greased bread pans.

Bake 375° F for 30 minutes. Take out of the oven and cool in the pans for 10 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool.

Nutrition

24 servings

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 41 g
Amount Per Serving
Calories

91
Calories from Fat

25
% Daily Value*
Total Fat

2.8g
4%
Saturated Fat

0.7g
3%
Trans Fat

0.0g
Cholesterol

16mg
5%
Sodium

145mg
6%
Total Carbohydrates

14.6g
5%
Dietary Fiber

0.9g
4%
Sugars

5.3g
Protein

2.2g
Vitamin A 1% • Vitamin C 1%
Calcium 3% • Iron 4%
Nutrition Grade B+
* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Emeril’s Essence

An all purpose Cajun spice mix from Emeril Lagasse.

Ingredients

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Oven Fried Catfish

This is a tasty reduced fat fried fish recipe. It is not really Emeril Lagasse’s recipe, but maybe the way he would cook catfish if he was doing a low fat version. Works very well with catfish, but also with cod or any firm white fish.

Safflower oil is not a requirement, canola or peanut oil are reasonable substitutes. Safflower oil is quite heat resistant and makes clean up of the pan easier afterward. By the way, a hint on clean up. You will inevitably get some varnish forming when you do oven fries, that yellow sticky oxidized oil that is impossible to clean off stainless steel. Just spray the pan with some fume free oven cleaner and set it aside. Next morning, all that gunk will wipe off easily, no need to to scrub or scrape with harsh metal pads.

Ingredients

1 lb catfish fillets
1/2 cup corn meal
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp Emeril’s Essence
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 egg
1/4 cup soy milk
2 tbsp safflower oil

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 500° F.

Mix the egg and milk, beat well.

Mix the dry ingredients in a zip lock bag.

Coat the fish by shaking one fillet at a time in the bag, and lay the coated fillets out on a plate. One by one, dip them in the egg/milk mix and shake them in the cornmeal/bread crumb mix to coat a second layer.

Heat the safflower oil in a large oven proof stainless steel skillet until it is hot but not close to smoking. Place the fillets in the skillet and fry on one side for 1 minute. Turn the fillets over and fry the other side, also for one minute. Place the whole skillet in the hot oven and bake for 5 minutes.

Take out (carefully not to burn yourself!) and serve immediately.

Nutrition

6 servings

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 120 g
Amount Per Serving
Calories

234
Calories from Fat

108
% Daily Value*
Total Fat

12.0g
18%
Saturated Fat

1.7g
9%
Trans Fat

0.0g
Cholesterol

63mg
21%
Sodium

599mg
25%
Total Carbohydrates

16.2g
5%
Dietary Fiber

1.5g
6%
Sugars

1.0g
Protein

15.2g
Vitamin A 5% • Vitamin C 1%
Calcium 3% • Iron 9%
Nutrition Grade B-
* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Shrimp Noodle Soup

This is an Asian soup that is delicious and low fat.  The olive oil is non-traditional, but adds a nice flavor and is a healthy oil.

Ingredients

8 oz shrimps, medium size, deveined but leave the shells on

2.5 teaspoon olive oil
1.5 medium onions
1 tbsp ginger
2 cloves garlic
4 stalks celery
2 medium carrots

 8 cups vegetable broth
2.5 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/3 head napa cabbage
8 oz rice vermicelli, medium size, soaked according to package

1 cup frozen peas

Preparation

Trim the legs/feelers off the shrimp and split open the back of the shells to devein them, but leave the shells on.  Set aside.

Prepare the rice vermicelli according to the instructions on the package.  Different brands vary enormously.  Some require only a couple of minutes in water to hydrate the noodles, others need to be soaked for an hour or more.  The noodles should be soft and translucent before you add them to the soup.

In a large pot, add the olive oil and cook the onions under low to moderate heat for about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften.  Add the ginger, garlic, carrots and celery and continue stir frying another 5 minutes.

Add the vegetable broth and seasonings and bring to a boil.

Add the rice vermicelli and napa cabbage, cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the green peas and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve immediately.  Should be eaten with chop sticks as well as a spoon.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 405 g
 
Amount Per Serving
Calories

227
Calories from Fat

32
% Daily Value*
Total Fat

3.6g
5%
Saturated Fat

0.8g
4%
Trans Fat

0.0g
Cholesterol

60mg
20%
Sodium

1463mg
61%
Total Carbohydrates

34.2g
11%
Dietary Fiber

2.7g
11%
Sugars

3.9g
Protein

13.8g
 
Vitamin A 94% • Vitamin C 35%
Calcium 10% • Iron 12%
Nutrition Grade A-
* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Aloo Phujia

This is a spicy Indian potato dish with tomatoes and onions adapted from All Recipes.

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup frozen green peas
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tbsp canola oil

Preparation

Saute the onion with the oil until soft.

Stir in salt, cayenne, turmeric and cumin.

Add potatoes and cook 10 minutes stirring occasionally.   May be good to cook the potatoes in the microwave for 10 minutes before adding them, because it took a long time for them to soften up once the tomatoes were added.

Add tomatoes, cover pan and cook until potatoes are soft.

Add the green peas and cook an additional 5 minutes.

Serve with rice.

Nutrition

8 servings

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 203 g
Amount Per Serving
Calories

135
Calories from Fat

35
% Daily Value*
Total Fat

3.9g
6%
Trans Fat

0.0g
Cholesterol

0mg
0%
Sodium

593mg
25%
Total Carbohydrates

23.2g
8%
Dietary Fiber

4.3g
17%
Sugars

4.0g
Protein

3.2g
Vitamin A 14% • Vitamin C 58%
Calcium 2% • Iron 6%
Nutrition Grade A
* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Naan Indian Bread

Recipe from All Recipes.

Original recipe makes 14 servings

Ingredients

2 tsp yeast (1 package)
1 1/2 cup warm water
3 tablespoons milk
1 egg, beaten

4 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)

Preparation

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth.

Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.

Punch down dough (and knead in garlic if you are using it)

Divide the dough into eight pieces, roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

During the second rising, preheat heat oven to 500° F with a pizza stone in place.

Take each piece of dough, one at a time, and roll into 8-inch oval shape about 1/4″ thick. Dust lightly with dry flour to help with the rolling.

Before putting the Naan in oven, lightly wet your hands and take the rolled Naan, and flip them between your palms and place onto your baking/pizza stone into the oven.

You can place 2 to 3 Naan on the baking/pizza stone at a time. The Naan will take about 3 minutes to cook, depending upon your oven. After the Naan is baked, it should be golden brown color on top.

Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.

Nutrition

16 servings

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 67 g
Amount Per Serving

Calories

147

Calories from Fat

6
% Daily Value*

Total Fat

0.7g
1%

Cholesterol

10mg
3%

Sodium

297mg
12%

Total Carbohydrates

30.3g
10%

Dietary Fiber

1.1g
4%

Sugars

3.4g

Protein

4.3g
Vitamin A 0% • Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 1% • Iron 10%
Nutrition Grade B+
* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Focaccia Bread

Focaccia is a generic term for a flat oven baked bread. This version is adapted from Epicurious and uses a potato and rosemary.  The bread can be topped with slices of tomato, olives, onions, or pretty anything else that suits your fancy.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 medium size russet potato
3 tsp fresh rosemary (maybe 11/2 tsp dry)
1 tsp salt

1 cup warm water
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp sugar
2 tsp yeast

1 roma tomato (or other toppings as prefered)
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp kosher salt

Extra flour as needed to keep surfaces and your hands from sticking to the dough when you knead.

Preparation
Pierce the potato repeatedly with a fork and microwave on high for 5 minutes, turn over and microwave for another five minutes. Set aside to cool.

Combine the water, olive oil, sugar and yeast. Set aside to allow the yeast to begin fermenting.

In a food processor with the dough blade in place, combine the flour, salt and rosemary. Process about 30 seconds to mix and break up the rosemary.

Cut the potato in half and scoop out the flesh and add to the flour in the food processor. Run the processor repeatedly in pulses to break up the potato and mix well with the flour.

With the processor running continuously, add the yeast mixture to the flour/potato. Continue processing about another minute, then scrape the dough out onto a clean lightly floured plastic chopping sheet.

Knead by hand for a couple of minutes and transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm location to rise for an hour.

Punch the dough down and knead again for about a minute. Stretch and knead the dough into a 12″ disk on a parchment paper covered baking sheet.

Slice the tomato and arrange on top of the dough.  Brush the dough with the remaining olive oil, and sprinkle with the final salt.

Bake 450° F for 20 minutes.

Nutrition

12 servings

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 80 g
Amount Per Serving
Calories

146
Calories from Fat

40
% Daily Value*
Total Fat

4.5g
7%
Saturated Fat

0.6g
3%
Cholesterol

0mg
0%
Sodium

247mg
10%
Total Carbohydrates

23.3g
8%
Dietary Fiber

1.3g
5%
Sugars

0.7g
Protein

3.4g
Vitamin A 2% • Vitamin C 12%
Calcium 1% • Iron 11%
Nutrition Grade B+
* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

About Beans

Beans are a great source of protein and fiber in the vegan diet.  Lots of different varieties, and recently Whole Foods has started to carry heirloom beans adding a whole new range of flavors and textures.

Cooking Beans

You can buy beans precooked in cans, but to be honest, I don’t really like them.  Think about it.  The beans are cooked, packed into the can, and then they sit on the store shelf or in your pantry for weeks to months before you eat them.  And you are surprised that they taste is a little “mushy”?  The cans are also heavy and take up storage space.

The preferable alternative is to buy dry beans and cook them yourself.  Or, as we often do, cook a batch and freeze them away in zip lock sandwich bags, 2 cups each.  Dry beans are available in more varieties, they can be stored for months or even years, and they don’t take up much space.  Just be sure to keep the containers sealed you that you don’t get bugs.  An easy way to cook beans is to break out that old crock pot slow cooker you have had sitting on a shelf for years.  Super easy recipe:

1 lb beans
6 cups water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Set the slow cooker on high, and come back in a few hours.  Exactly how long depends on the bean and your preferences for how well done you like them.  Adding the baking soda buffers the solution and makes the cooking process much more reliable.

Beans Time
Chickpeas (aka Garbanzo beans) 5 hrs
Kidney beans (including White, Navy, Northern, and Cannellini beans) 3 hrs

When the beans are done, scoop them out with a slotted spoon are dump the whole batch into a colander.  Use what you need, and freeze the rest away.   The cooked frozen beans keep for months as long as you seal the bag and keep them from drying out.

About Baking Soda

Baking soda is greatly under appreciated ingredients in too many kitchens.  Most chefs know it only as something you add to cakes and quick breads, and maybe a box you leave open in the refrig to absorb smells.  To learn more about baking soda, we need to get back to a little basic chemistry.  Sodium bicarbonate, aka baking soda, is a good buffer that keeps the pH around 8, mildly alkaline.

Depending on where you live, the pH of tap water may vary considerably, and the ingredients we add to foods may also modify the pH.  For example, canned tomatoes often have citric acid added to keep the tomatoes flavor fresh.  The problem is that the way many foods cook depends strongly on the pH.  For example, beans just won’t soften no matter how long you cook them in an acidic solution.  Adding 1/2 tsp of baking soda per quart of water when you cook beans speeds up the process and makes it much more reproducible.  Similarly, adding a similar amount of baking soda to the water when you blanch vegetables greens them up and speeds the process.