19

Vegetables, Plain and Fancy

TRY TO STEAM a few vegetables each night with your dinner. Seasonal produce—asparagus in the spring, corn, sliced tomatoes with basil in late summer, and squash in the fall—should fill your plates, along with broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, snap peas, zucchini, Brussels sprouts, and so on. They are all good plain or with lemon juice, a little balsamic or rice vinegar, or salt-free Mrs. Dash seasoning blend sprinkled on top.

Save the water from steaming and use it as a base for soup or as a broth in which you can stir-fry other ingredients. If you have leftover vegetables, toss them into a salad the next day.

It is fun to try new ways to cook old vegetables (see Roasted Cauliflower) or old ways to cook new vegetables (see Beet Greens Surrounded with Beets). And here’s a tip: the fast way to “cook” frozen vegetables like peas and corn is simply to thaw them under hot running water.

Beet Greens Surrounded with Beets

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

 

If you have never eaten fresh beets, you are in for a treat. If you can find pale pink Chioggia beets, they are the best!

2 bunches beets with greens
lemon juice and zest

1. Cut beets off stems (save greens) and put in a large pot of water. Bring water to a boil, then turn to low, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until beets are soft.
2. Wash greens and discard any that are yellow or look old. Tearing by hand or using a knife, cut greens into 2- to 3-inch pieces. Keep some of the stems, if you wish. Steam greens for about 5 minutes, or until done to your taste.
3. Now comes the fun. Remove beets from the pan. Run cold water over them and squeeze off the skins. It’s addictive!
4. Slice beets and arrange around the outside of a plate. Sprinkle beet greens with lemon juice and zest in a small bowl in the center.

 

Children LOVE squeezing the skins off the beets, and it helps make them more willing to try something new. Sweet Corn Sauce or Walnut Sauce, if walnuts are on your diet, are both fabulous on the beet greens (see Chapter 18 for sauce recipes).

Beets with Balsamic Vinegar and Herbs

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

 

 

These are wonderful! We first tasted them prepared this way at the 2004 Boston Vegetarian Society meeting and kept sneaking back to the table for more. They will vanish fast, so make lots.

2 bunches beets
1¹/₂ tablespoons balsamic vinegar, or to taste
¹/₄ red onion, sliced very thin, then chopped into fine pieces
1 tablespoon chopped chives
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1. Cook beets as directed in Beet Greens Surrounded with Beets, peel, slice, and put into a bowl.
2. Sprinkle balsamic vinegar and onion over beets and mix.
3. Add chives and parsley.

Roasted Beets

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap one bunch of beets in foil and roast until easily pierced with a fork—about 1 hour for medium beets. Peel and eat.

 

Note: Roasted beets don’t bleed much when cut, so they don’t dye everything around them pink!

Broccoli Stir-fried with Orange and Toasted Garlic

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

 

 

There is nothing as good or as easy as steamed broccoli with lemon, but for those days when you have time, this is a good change.

1 head broccoli
¹/₂ cup orange juice
3 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic cloves
¹/₄ teaspoon red pepper flakes
zest of 1 orange

1. Peel tough skin from stems and cut off florets. Cut stems into one-fourth-inch-thick medallions. There should be about 7 cups of florets.
2. Put 2-4 tablespoons orange juice or water in a wok over medium-low heat. Stir-fry garlic about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown. Add pepper flakes and stir. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
3. Put ¹/₄ cup orange juice and broccoli in the same wok over high heat, cover and cook, stirring every few minutes until broccoli is tender and orange juice is gone.
4. Stir in garlic mixture and orange zest and eat!

Brussels Sprouts

You will be astounded at how fast they disappear. Our oldest grandchild, Flinn, loved Brussels sprouts so much she took them to her class for her preschool birthday treat. You, too, may become as addicted as Flinn!

Brussels sprouts
no-tahini hummus

1. Trim off base and remove any old leaves, then cut sprouts in half lengthwise. Place in a steamer, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Reduce heat to medium-high and steam about 7 to 9 minutes, until tender.
3. Dip sprouts in a no-tahini hummus.

Roasted Cauliflower

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

 

 

Our son Rip—a firefighter in Austin, Texas—made this roasted cauliflower for his firehouse and shared the recipe. The first time I made this surprisingly nutty-tasting vegetable treat, Essy and I ate it all!

1 head cauliflower
pepper
Mrs. Dash seasoning blend or herbs of choice
balsamic vinegar
Bragg Liquid Aminos or low-sodium tamari (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Break cauliflower into florets, and slice to create flat surfaces.
3. Rinse florets and put into a bowl. Sprinkle with pepper and Mrs. Dash seasoning blend or herbs of choice, balsamic vinegar, and Bragg Liquid Aminos, if desired. Mix.
4. Put florets on a baking sheet flat side down and roast for 25-35 minutes, until browned, turning once.

Eggplant-Tomato Melt

MAKES 3-4 SERVINGS

 

 

We happened to have an eggplant in our refrigerator one summer day. Essy came home from the store with ten containers of Sahara Cuisine no-tahini Organic Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, and I arrived with a huge basket of tomatoes. Thus this dish was born! The hummus melts like cheese. We had eggplant left over, so dinner the next day was Eggplant-Tomato Melt and lunch the next day was Eggplant-Tomato Melt on toast. We liked it each time again.

1 eggplant, peeled and sliced
garlic granules or powder
onion flakes
1 container no-tahini hummus (buy or make your own, addingnotahini)
2 tomatoes, sliced
chopped cilantro or parsley

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Peel eggplant, slice into ¹/₂- to ³/₄-inch pieces, and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.
3. Sprinkle garlic and onion flakes on each eggplant slice.
4. Put a heaping teaspoon of no-tahini hummus on each slice. Be generous!
5. Slice tomatoes so that you have as many thickish slices as you have eggplant pieces, trying to match the diameter of the tomato slices to that of the eggplant. Put a slice of tomato on top of the hummus.
6. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until hummus is bubbling and eggplant is soft. Sprinkle with cilantro or parsley for color, and serve.

Green Beans

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

 

Trim 1¹/₂ pounds of green beans. Steam alone or with lemon juice—a staple, for us. Or for a treat, mix Sesame-Honey Tamari Sauce (see Chapter 18) into hot beans. Wow!

Roast Fennel and Apple

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

 

 

Before trying this dish, we had not eaten much fennel. We found it surprisingly good.

2 bulbs fennel, cut in ¹/₄ -inch wedges
2 Rome (or any) apples, cut in 1-inch wedges
2 teaspoons honey
¹/₄ cup vegetable broth
pepper
low-sodium tamari or Bragg Liquid Aminos

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Toss all ingredients in a big bowl and mix thoroughly. Spread on a baking sheet.
3. Roast 20 minutes, turn over, and continue roasting about 20 minutes longer, until golden and cooked through.

Every-Night Kale

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

 

 

Kale is one of the best greens you can eat and is surprisingly delicious just plain, with lemon or vinegar, in soup, or with the sauce of your choice. Try it with Sweet Corn Sauce or, if you don’t have heart disease, Walnut Sauce (see Chapter 18 for sauce recipes).

1. Cut off the tough ends from two bunches of kale and remove the spine. Chop into 2-inch pieces and rinse.
2. Put in boiling water and gently cook about 10 minutes, until tender, or to your taste. Superb!

Roasted and Rustic Red Peppers

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

 

 

Nothing is as good as these, no matter how you use them. Nothing! I always double the recipe when I make them. If you double the recipe, use the same amount of herbs you would use for six peppers.

6 red bell peppers
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dried oregano

1. Turn the oven to broil. Place peppers on a baking sheet and broil until blackened on one side. Turn and continue broiling until all sides are black.
2. Peel peppers in running water and then slice. Combine peppers with remaining ingredients and marinate for at least 30 minutes.

 

Note: These are fabulous just plain, on toast, in a sandwich, or in a salad. If you save the juice from the peppers after you roast them, it adds a feel of oil to salad dressings. The easiest way to save the juice is to cool the peppers, then prick them before peeling. Save the juice in the bowl with the peppers themselves.

Festive Squash

Squash is filling, delicious, and easy to prepare. There are many wonderful varieties. Acorn and butternut are good, and if you can find it, Surprise is wonderful. Experiment with different varieties. Delicata, also called sweet potato squash, is especially sweet, and—served with maple syrup—makes an easy and festive holiday dish.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut a delicata or acorn squash in half, remove seeds, and bake for about 45 minutes—inside facing down—in a pan containing about an inch of water. (You can also bake squash whole, then halve and remove seeds after it is cooked.)
3. Remove squash from oven when it is soft. Place cut side up in a pan, drizzle 1 or 2 teaspoons maple syrup in the center of each half, and return to the oven for 5-10 minutes until maple syrup is bubbling and squash begins to brown.

VARIATIONS:

Put a dollop of no-tahini hummus in the hollowed-out squash, then fill with frozen peas, pearl onions, or a combination of peas and onions.

Butternut Squash and Corn

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

 

 

This delicious combination is adapted from The Taste for Living Cookbook by Beth Ginsberg and Mike Milken. Fresh corn is the key. If you have to use frozen corn, however, try Trader Joe’s frozen roasted corn.

1 medium butternut squash
1 15-ounce can corn
4 ears fresh corn, cooked and cut off the cob, or 1 16-ounce package frozen corn
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash garlic and herb seasoning blend
cilantro or parsley

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place butternut squash on a baking sheet, pierce several times with a sharp knife, and bake for 1¹/₂ hours. Allow to cool at least 30 minutes. (This can be done a day ahead.)
3. Cut squash in half, remove seeds, and put flesh in a blender.
4. Drain and rinse canned corn, place in blender, and puree with squash.
5. Remove to a mixing bowl and stir in fresh corn and Mrs. Dash.
6. Spoon mixture into a casserole dish and cover with a lid or foil.
7. Bake for 30 minutes, until heated through. Garnish with cilantro or parsley. Serve with baked portobello mushrooms, green beans, and salad.

Sweet Potatoes/Yams

Sweet potatoes are delicious baked. Try yams that are orange or sweet potatoes that are pale yellow to see which you prefer. We like a combination. Scrub them well and put on a baking sheet in a 400-degree oven for an hour, or until soft. They are good just plain. Make more than you think you will eat. They are perfect cold, as a snack, or can be used in soup or casseroles.

 

 

VARIATIONS:

1. Sweet Potato Fries. Slice sweet potatoes, either in thin rounds or French fry-style, and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 25 minutes, turn over, and bake another 25 minutes, until the “fries” are as crispy as you want them. Check frequently.
2. Gingered Yams. Bake two big yams or three medium ones in a 400-degree oven 1-1¹/₂ hours, until soft. Remove skin and mash flesh. Add 1 teaspoon peeled, grated ginger, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and ¹/₂ teaspoon curry powder.
3. Yam, Black Bean, and Mango Delight. Cut baked yam in half and top with drained, rinsed black beans, chopped fresh mango (the more the better), cilantro, and a little salsa.

Swiss Chard

If you are not familiar with Swiss chard, you have missed a treat! It is spinach-like and delicious, but keeps its volume better than spinach. I try to buy Swiss chard, kale, and beet greens every time I go to the store.

1. Remove stems and tough centers from 2 pounds Swiss chard if desired (they actually taste good). Wash well and cut into thin strips.
2. Put chard in boiling water and blanch about 5 minutes, until just tender. Eat plain, with lemon juice, with Sweet Corn Sauce, or a little Walnut Sauce if walnuts are on your diet (see Chapter 18 for sauce recipes).

Vidalia Onions

You can simply peel these sweet treats, slice them thickly, and spread them on a baking sheet, then roast in a 400-degree oven about 20 minutes, until nicely browned but not burned. They are delicious on pasta or baked potatoes, mixed with other vegetables, in the center of squash or simply eaten plain. Slice fresh garlic and roast with the onions for additional good taste. Or try this variation:

2 Vidalia onions or other sweet onions (Texas Sweets are good), peeled and cut in half crosswise
balsamic vinegar
Bragg Liquid Aminos or low-sodium tamari (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Put onions in a pan and sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and a little Bragg Liquid Aminos or tamari, if desired.
3. Cover with a lid or foil and bake for a few hours. Even better, if you have enough time, set the oven at 250 degrees and bake all afternoon! You will have a plate of ambrosia for dinner! The longer the onions bake, the sweeter they become. Eat these plain, or serve on brown rice or baked potatoes.

Fried Zucchini

MAKES 2-4 SERVINGS

2 medium zucchini
Bragg Liquid Aminos or low-sodium tamari
garlic powder
onion powder
pepper

1. Cut ends off zucchini and slice lengthwise into at least 4 long slices.
2. Sprinkle a large nonstick pan with a small amount of Bragg Liquid Aminos, then arrange zucchini in pan by wiping each slice, front and back, in the Bragg. Flip the slices around to fit in pan so that each slice will brown.
3. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, then carefully turn over. If pan needs liquid, add a little water or a bit more tamari.
4. Sprinkle cooked side with garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper and continue cooking another 5 minutes, adding tiny bits of water as necessary until both sides are brown. Zucchini this way is so tasty, it is easy to eat lots!