You’ll never eat mac ’n’ cheese out of a box again after you see how easy it is to make this kicked-up fancy mac. And everyone in your family will love our grown-up twist on this kid comfort-food favorite.
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
8 ounces whole wheat elbows, shells, or rotini*
16-ounce package frozen broccoli and cauliflower blend
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons flour*
1 cup 1 percent milk
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, sharp
1 (5.3-ounce) container nonfat Greek yogurt
Prepare the pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, defrost the frozen veggies in microwave. In a saucepan, whisk the oil and flour over medium heat until a thick paste forms. Add the milk, nutmeg, pepper, and salt, and whisk until mixture comes to a boil and is slightly thickened. Stir in the cheese and yogurt and simmer. Drain pasta and vegetables and add to saucepan; stir until coated with cheese sauce. Serve immediately.
Veganize it: Replace regular milk and yogurt with unsweetened nondairy milk and So Delicious Greek yogurt (plain); replace cheese with 1/2 cup nutritional yeast and 1 tablespoon tomato paste.
*To make this recipe gluten free, use gluten-free pasta instead of whole wheat and cornstarch instead of flour.
Per serving (4 servings): 490 calories, 8 g fiber, 22 g protein, 3.2 g iron, 1.9 g zinc, 339 mg calcium, 0 mcg vitamin B12, 25 IU vitamin D, 24 g choline, 0 g omega 3s
Why would you eat white-on-white turkey on a roll when you could put a spectrum of colors and delicious flavors between bread instead (not to mention loads of vitamins and minerals)?
MAKES 1 SERVING
2 slices whole wheat or sprouted grain bread
1/4 avocado, mashed
2 thin tomato slices
1 small carrot, shredded
1/4 yellow squash, sliced into thin rounds
2 leaves romaine lettuce
1 small peeled and steamed beet (like the ones sold by Melissa’s), sliced into thin rounds
1 slice Havarti cheese
Toast the bread if desired. Spread half of the avocado mash on one side of each slice of bread. Top one slice of the avocado-topped bread with tomato, carrot, squash, romaine, beet, and cheese. Top with the second slice of bread, avocado side down.
Veganize it: Replace Havarti cheese with nondairy cheese or 2 tablespoons of hummus.
*To make this recipe gluten free, use gluten-free bread.
Per serving: 363 calories, 11 g fiber, 15 g protein, 1.3 g iron, .79 g zinc, 245 mg calcium, 0 mcg vitamin B12, 0 IU vitamin D, 19.5 g choline, .06 g omega 3s
This fresh and tasty sandwich is super easy to throw together. You can also put the ingredients on a plate, slice the pita into sixths, and dip away.
MAKES 1 SERVING
1 7-inch pita bread
1/4 cup hummus
1/2 small cucumber, chopped (1/2 inch rounds and then in quarters)
2 tablespoons chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
5 black pitted olives, cut in half
Slice the pita bread in half. Stuff each pita half with hummus. In a bowl, toss together the cucumber, tomato, onion, parsley, and olives. Add the vegetable mixture to pita.
*To make this recipe gluten free, make a sandwich using gluten-free bread or a wrap using a gluten-free tortilla (you may need to slice the vegetables instead of chopping them).
Per serving: 351 calories, 9 g fiber, 13 g protein, 4.9 g iron, 2.3 g zinc, 162 mg calcium, 0 mcg vitamin B12, 0 IU vitamin D, 20 g choline, 0 g omega 3s
Dear Veggie,
I really want to go veg, but I’m worried that I’ll get tired of eating the same things again and again. I’m not much of a cook, and I don’t have money for expensive ingredients. Should I even bother trying to be a vegetarian?
From,
Bothered by Boredom
Dear Bothered,
I’m going to give you a challenge. The next time you are in a grocery store, pull out a pen and paper. Jot down every food you see that does not have meat in it. Stay until you’ve written down every vegetarian food in the store. Kidding! You’d never leave! Point is—there are loads and loads of non-meat foods out there. Anyone, vegetarian or not, can get into a rut by eating the same foods over and over again. In fact, I find that non-meat-eaters tend to eat an even more diverse diet than meatheads. So don’t be scared away. And check out the resources in Chapter 9 for magazines and websites that will give you loads of meal ideas.
Love,
VEGGIE
Salads like this one typically have chicken at the center. But there’s no reason why non-meat-eaters shouldn’t get in on the deliciousness. Edamame, cashews, sesame seeds, and a whole lot of crunch round out this chickenless salad to make it a veg-tastic meal. Double, triple, quadruple, or more to make enough to share with friends.
MAKES 1 SERVING
DRESSING
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey or agave nectar
Pinch of salt
3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1/4 cup chopped snow pea pods
1/2 cup shelled edamame, boiled or microwaved according to package directions
2 tablespoons roasted salted cashew pieces
1/2 orange, peeled, segmented, and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon chopped scallions
2 tablespoons chopped water chestnuts
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1/4 cup crispy wonton noodles*
In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. In a medium bowl, toss together the lettuce, red pepper, pea pods, edamame, cashews, orange slices, scallions, and water chestnuts. Distribute into serving bowl, and drizzle with dressing to taste. Garnish with sesame seeds and wonton noodles.
*To make it gluten free, replace wonton noodles with crumbled rice crackers like the ones by KA-ME.
Per serving: 648 calories, 13 g fiber, 18 g protein, 6.6 g iron, 3.3 g zinc, 196 mg calcium, 0 mcg vitamin B12, 0 IU vitamin D, 86 g choline, .07 g omega 3s
If you can master the art of the thermos lunch, bean-based soups are perfect for midday meals at school. The warmth will comfort you after a long morning of pop quizzes, note-taking, and teachers rambling, and the filling combo of fiber and protein will keep you energized through your afternoon classes.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon pimentón (also called smoked Spanish paprika)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 (15-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
2 (15-ounce) cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 lime, sliced into 4 pieces
In a large pot, heat the oil. Sauté the onion and red pepper until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the pimentón and cumin, and sauté for one minute. Add the tomatoes, beans, vegetable broth, and salt, and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes. Puree the contents of the pot using an immersion or regular blender (leave some unblended if you’d like your soup to have some pieces in it). Pour into bowls and drizzle with lime juice.
Eat soup on its own, or sprinkle with any of these optional toppings: chopped avocado, diced red onion, chopped cilantro, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, crumbled tortilla chips.
*Green as in earth-friendly, that is.
Per serving: 545 calories, 24 g fiber, 32 g protein, 12.9 g iron, 8.2 g zinc, 318 mg calcium, 0 mcg vitamin B12, 0 IU vitamin D, 158 g choline, .14 g omega 3s
What the Heck is…Pimentón?
Also known as smoked Spanish paprika, this spice adds a meaty, almost bacony flavor to dishes and is a super smart flavor-boosting ingredient to have in your bag of vegetarian culinary tricks. You’ll find it alongside other spices in the “herbs and spices” section of your supermarket.
Some chili recipes are loaded with ground beef or turkey. But all-veg chili is so hearty, you won’t miss the meat—and neither will your friends and family (especially with a recipe like this one that uses a lot of spices to impart an extra savory flavor). This one tastes especially great with a side of corn bread.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 large portobello mushrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon pimentón (smoked Spanish paprika)
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
3/4 teaspoon salt
In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms, and sauté until vegetables are tender and liquid has cooked out, about 15 minutes. Add the spices—chili powder, cumin, pimentón—and mix well, and cook until fragrant, about a minute. Add the red, black, and pinto beans, corn kernels, and crushed tomatoes and salt, and stir. When the chili begins to bubble, reduce heat to a medium simmer and cook until thick, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Per serving: 328 calories, 17 g fiber, 16 g protein, 5.8 g iron, 2 g zinc, 146 mg calcium, 0 mcg vitamin B12, 2.8 IU vitamin D, 75 g choline, .07 g omega 3s
Good old peanut butter has long been the center of many a vegetarian lunch. And for good reason—it’s inexpensive, packed with protein, and of course, delicious. But PB on pasta—and served cold or at room temperature, no less? Not quite as common. Sorry jelly—PB’s got a new sidekick. Get your forks ready!
1 (8-ounce) package buckwheat soba noodles*
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 inch slice ginger, peeled
1/2 cup natural peanut butter, no salt added
2/3 cup warm water
2 tablespoons tamari*
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups julienned vegetables of your choice: cucumbers, carrots, zucchini, red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup salted peanuts
Prepare the noodles according to package directions. In the meantime, place the garlic, ginger, peanut butter, water, tamari, sesame oil, lime juice, syrup or molasses, and red pepper flakes in food processor, and pulse until smooth. Toss the drained noodles with peanut sauce; add the julienned vegetables and distribute into bowls. Garnish each bowl with scallions and peanuts. Enjoy warm or refrigerate for tomorrow’s lunch.
*To make it gluten free, be sure to use 100 percent buckwheat soba noodles or replace the soba with rice noodles; also replace tamari with wheat-free tamari.
Per serving: 529 calories, 5 g fiber, 21 g protein, 3.4 g iron, 2.7 g zinc, 83 mg calcium, 0 mcg vitamin B12, 0 IU vitamin D, 39 g choline, .02 g omega 3s
The fun thing about this salad is you can mix and match ingredients to your liking—and the preferences of the people around you. So if your eating companion simply cannot imagine taco salad without meat in it, it’s cool. She can sauté some ground beef or turkey and pop in her own protein. (Though she’s totally going to be jealous of yours. Just saying.)
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, drained
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups prepared quinoa
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1 cup crushed tortilla chips
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
In a medium skillet, heat the oil over a medium flame. Cook the onion until translucent. Add the cumin and chili powder and sauté for one minute. Add the tomatoes and beans and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the quinoa and salt, and mix well. Evenly distribute the lettuce into four bowls, and top with equal amounts of quinoa mixture, avocado pieces, tortilla chips, and shredded cheese.
Veganize it: Replace cheese with nutritional yeast or vegan cheese.
Per serving: 499 calories, 16 g fiber, 21 g protein, 5.5 g iron, 2.6 g zinc, 151 mg calcium, 0 mcg vitamin B12, 0 IU vitamin D, 43 g choline, .36 g omega 3s
Just because you’re not eating on a blanket in a grassy field doesn’t mean you can’t do lunch picnic-style—in fact, these “piece it together” lunches are well-suited to school cafeterias and even classroom desks, if you have no choice but to eat and learn at the same time. Mix and match the following items to create your perfect picnic lunch.
MAKES 1 SERVING