November « 2009 « Low Fat Vegan Cooking

November 30, 2009

Marinated Vegetable Salad

Filed under: Low Calorie Density, Salads — admin @ 8:22 am

Marinated Vegetable Salad

The date i have on the recipe card for this salad is 7/93. That would have been the first time i made this salad. I know i made it a few times, but i have no idea where i got the recipe. I couldn’t find it in any of the cookbooks i was using then. The salad needs to marinate, at least a few hours, and 24 hours is better.

Lots of different vegetables work in this salad, including cooked ones. Just chop or slice them so that they will marinate at about the same time – carrots thin and cucumber thicker.

Marinated Vegetable Salad

makes 2 large servings
preparation about 45 minutes

1/2 c. lemon juice
1/2 c. red wine vinegar
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
4 t. sugar
1 T dried or 1/4 c. fresh dill
1 T dried or 1/4 c. fresh thyme
1 T dried or 1/4 c. fresh oregano
1/2 t. salt (optional but better)
4 c. sliced or chopped vegetables
(I used: 1 1/2 cucumbers
1 large red pepper
1 stalk broccoli
1 medium zucchini
2 scallions)

Mix lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, salt, and herbs in a big bowl or pot that can be covered. Add vegetables. Stir periodically, though it is okay if you leave it overnight and can’t stir it… just stir it last thing before you go to bed and first thing when you get up, and then every hour or so until you serve it. I put the salad in a cold room and it was not fremented or moldy or anything, but if you want to be safe, refrigerate it.

Nutritional information – not guaranteed to be accurate:
per serving – 114 calories/4.6 g protein/1.1 g fat (8% fat)

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Beet Soup/Borscht

Filed under: Gluten Free, Low Calorie Density, Soups — admin @ 7:32 am

Beet Soup/Borscht

I love beet greens. In fact, i think they were the first green i liked, when i was a child. But other than pickled beets, which have too much sugar for everyday use, there is not much that i like beets in… besides this. And beets always come with beet greens, and you need to find a way to use them up, though luckily they keep several weeks in the refrigerator. So we have a lot of beet soup around here. My husband will eat this soup, too.

The beets i used for the soup in the photograph were yellow beets. They don’t taste any different but they give a different color to the soup. I used red cabbage, too. The soup is really better with fresh herbs than with dry ones. I keep fresh herbs chopped up in the freezer. You also can sometimes find fresh basil frozen in little cubes at Trader Joes.

Beet Soup/Borscht

makes 4 servings
preparation 1 hour
doesn’t freeze well, although i’m sure it would be fine if you left out the potatoes

4 c. vegetable stock or water
1 large onion
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
4 beets
2 large potatoes
1/4 head cabbage
4 carrots
4 stalks celery
1 T. dried or 1/4 c. fresh dill
1 T. dried or 1/4 c. fresh basil
4 t. sugar
1/4 or more t. ground black pepper
1/2 t. salt (optional)
1 lb. fresh or canned tomatoes (optional)

Chop all the vegetables: Slice the onions thinly but in about 2 inch slices. Chop the rest of the vegetables into small dice. Simmer with the rest of the ingredients about 20-30 minutes after the water comes to a boil. If you want, you can put half or all of the soup in a food processor to make the soup thicker. Garnish with fresh dill, if you have it.

Adapted from Whole Beet Borscht in Laurel’s Kitchen by Laurel Robertson, Carol Flinders, and Brian Ruppenthal, and from Easy Borsch in Betty Crocker’s Cookbook.

Nutritional information – not guaranteed to be accurate:
per serving, using fresh herbs and no tomatoes – 233 calories/6.3 g protein (10.8%)/.7 g fat (2.8%)

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November 29, 2009

Whole Wheat French Bread

Filed under: Breads, Higher Calorie Density — admin @ 1:10 am

Whole Wheat French Bread

My Mom made a white flour version of this bread when i was a child. It may be the first bread i made myself. Making bread is not hard once you know how. The dough is very forgiving, and the taste is incredibly better than store bought, if you can even find whole wheat vegan bread… which i can’t where i normally shop. Bread makers in their wisdom seem to think that whole wheat bread requires honey, even though they seldom use it in white bread. Kneading takes a little time. I like fast paced music for this like Talking Heads Stop Making Sense or Prince’s Purple Rain. Or, maybe the 1812 Overture.

Whole Wheat French Bread

makes about 10 slices
preparation about 1 hour in divided segments
freezes well for about a month

1 1/4 c. water
1 package active dry yeast
1/2 t. salt
3 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

Heat water to 108 degrees, or until warm but not uncomfortable to the touch. Put in a mixing bowl and add yeast. Let it bubble up about 10 minutes.

Add flour slowly and mix. Knead 10 minutes. Put in a clean bowl, cover with a towel that you have wet and then wrung out very well, and leave in a warm place until about doubled, about 1 hour.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board. Knead 3 minutes and then roll flat in a long rounded rectangle. Roll this up into a long typical French bread loaf. Place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, which can be sprinkled with cornmeal, if you like. Cover and put back in the warm place until doubled again, about 1 more hour. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut 3 to 4 slices into the top of the loaf about 1/2 inch deep.

Bake about 30 minutes until loaf is browned and has a hollow type sound when tapped. Cool, if you can resist it, before you slice. A serrated knife works best for slicing.

Nutritional information – not guaranteed to be accurate:
per slice 140 calories/5.3 g protein (15%)/.7 g fat (4%)

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Banana Mango Ice Cream

Filed under: Desserts, Low Calorie Density — admin @ 1:05 am

Mango Banana Ice Cream

Frozen fruit put through the food processor is a quick, delicious dessert, with low calorie density. This version is particularly good after a Thai meal, which i make quite frequently. Coconut extract gives a coconut flavor without the fat that coconut milk has. Almond milk makes the ice cream smooth without a significant amount of fat. Banana makes the dessert creamy. I really don’t miss soymilk ice cream once i discovered this!

I bought mangos by the case from CostCo this summer, chopped them up when ripe, and froze them in one third cup servings, which is about a half serving of fruit. You can also find frozen mango at Trader Joes. If you freeze it yourself, even though the mango is already chopped, it freezes solid and you need to recut it again, although when it is already chopped, it is easy to cut again with a sharp knife. For some reason, chopped banana doesn’t freeze solid like chopped mango does.

I like to make the ice cream when i start supper, and put it in the freezer for about an hour. I like the hard frozen edges, which make a nice contrast with the creamy inside of a bowl of frozen fruit ice cream. If you need to freeze it longer than that, thaw the ice cream about 15 minutes before you plan to eat it.

In the picture, the mango ice cream is topped with chopped dried tropical fruit, which my husband just found for me. The best garnish is to top this dish with chopped fresh mango, if it is still in season, and a little grated lime peel.

Mango Banana Ice Cream

makes 1 serving
preparation 10 minutes
freezes well

1/3 c. frozen chopped mango
1/3 c. frozen chopped banana
1/4 c. almond or other vegan milk
1 t. lime juice
2 or more t. coconut extract
1 t. maple syrup

Put all in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy.

Adapted from Banana Ice Cream in the August 2004 McDougall Newsletter Recipes by Mary McDougall.

Nutritional information – not guaranteed to be accurate:
Per serving – 108 calories/1.1 g protein (4%)/1 g fat (8.3%)

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Creamy Carrot Soup

Filed under: Feasts, Gluten Free, Higher Calorie Density, Soups — admin @ 1:03 am

Creamy Carrot Soup

Years ago, i had an absoulutely wonderful carrot soup at a natural foods restaurant, and i tried to duplicate it for many years. Now i no longer remember exactly what the original soup tasted like, but i am grateful that it started me on my quest for a creamy carrot soup. This vegan version is heavenly.

You can use a lower fat vegan milk, but i like to save the soup for a feast day, and use soymilk, because the creaminess of the soymilk really compliments the sweetness of the carrots.

Even if you can eat gluten, try the rice flour in the soup. Without oil to make a roux, wheat flour can clump up, but rice flour goes into a dish smoothly.

Creamy Carrot Soup

makes 4 servings
preparation about 30 minutes
doesn’t freeze well
can be made ahead a day

12 carrots
2 c. water
low fat vegan bouillon for 4 c. liquid – such as Savory Delight
1 onion
1/4 c. rice flour
1/2 t. salt (optional)
1/8 t. ground black pepper
3 1/2 c. soymilk or other vegan milk

Chop the carrot and onion, and cook until tender in the water, about 10 minutes. Add the flour, stirring carefully. Put this mix in a food processor and whirl until smooth. Put back in the pan and add soymilk, and heat. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Nutritional information – not guaranteed ro be accurate:
per serving – 263 calories/12.2 g protein (18%)/7 g fat (23.8%)

This soup goes well with Whole Wheat French Bread.

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Tabbouleh/Tabouli

Filed under: Low Calorie Density, Main Dishes, Salads — admin @ 1:01 am

Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh comes from the Eastern Mediterranean. Bulgur has gluten in it, but you could also make this dish with quinoa or amaranth.

Tabbouleh/Tabouli

makes 4 servings
preparation about 20 minutes

1 c. dry bulgur or cooked quinoa or amaranth
1 1/3 c. boiling water if using bulgur
2 fresh tomatoes
1 c. fresh parsley
1/4 c. lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 scallions (about 1/4 c.)
1/2 c. fresh mint
4 c. cooked garbanzo beans
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 T. lemon juice
1 head lettuce (optional)
1 cucumber (optional)

Pour the water over the bulgur, if using, and stir. Cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain any excess water.

Chop tomato, parsley, scallions, mint, and lettuce and cucumbers if using.

Process garbanzos, 2 cloves pressed garlic, and 2 T. lemon juice in a food processor or blender until smooth, scraping down or adding about 1/4 c. water if necessary to make a smooth paste.

When the bulgur or other grain is done and cool, stir in the tomato, parsley, 1/4 c. lemon juice, 4 cloves garlic, scallions and mint. You can refrigerate the grain mixture at this point, and serve cold or at room temperature.

Arrange lettuce on plate and top with cucumbers, if using. Layer with grain mixture, and top with the garbanzo mixture. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Adapted from The McDougall Plan by Dr. John McDougall and Mary McDougall

Nutritional information- not guaranteed to be accurate:
per serving – 312 calories/19.8 g protein (25%)/.9 g fat (.01%)

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November 28, 2009

Mince Pie

Filed under: Desserts, Gluten Free, Higher Calorie Density — admin @ 1:03 am

Mince Pie

This Mince Pie has no shell and almost 0% fat. It is a nice finish to a rich meal, and is really delicious.

Mince Pie

makes about 8 servings
preparation about 35 minutes
freezes well
can be made ahead

4 apples, peeled and minced
1/2 c. raisins
1 orange with peel
3/4 c. raw sugar
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground allspice
1/4 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
1/8 t. ground cloves

Grate or microplane orange rind and juice orange. Peel and mince apple. Add fruit and the rest of the ingredients to a medium pot and simmer 15-20 minutes until apples soften. Cool and refrigerate or serve hot from the oven. Warm up before serving.

Nutritional information – not guaranteed to be accurate:
per serving – 158 calories/.7 g protein/.3 g fat (.01% fat)

Adapted from several recipes, but notably this mince pie recipe.

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A Special Feast

Filed under: Feasts, Gluten Free, Higher Calorie Density, Salad Dressings, Salads — admin @ 1:01 am

Carrot Loaf with Mashed Potatoes and Wax Beans

We usually have more or less this meal on Hanukkah, which this year begins at sundown December 11th. In the past i have made doughnuts, as it is traditional to have something cooked with oil, to celebrate the miracle of the container of oil for the rededication of the temple. This year i substituted a low fat dessert that still goes well with the rest of the meal. Everything can be made ahead, except the salad greens.

A Special Feast Menu:

Creamy Broccoli Soup
Salad with Persimmon and Avocado
Carrot Loaf
Mashed Potatoes
Wax Beans
Mince Pie

Creamy Broccoli Soup

Creamy Broccoli Soup

makes 4 servings of about 1 c. each
preparation 50 minutes
freezes well
can be made ahead

2 large stalks broccoli
2 stalks celery
1 medium onion
1 c. vegetable stock or water
2 packets fat free low sodium vegan bouillon such as Savory Delight
1 T rice flour
1 3/4 c. almond, rice, or soy milk
1/8 t. ground nutmeg plus more for garnish
1/8 t. ground black pepper

Chop broccoli including stems. Chop onion and celery. Cook the onion 5 minutes. Add the broccoli and celery and cook about 5 minutes, until tender, but do not overcook. Add flour and stir until it is evenly distributed. Slowly add milk, stirring constantly. Add nutmeg and black pepper. Heat. Put in a food processor and process until fairly smooth. Refrigerate, then reheat, or serve. Sprinkle with nutmeg just before serving.

Adapted from Creamy Broccoli Soup in the Betty Crocker Cookbook.

Nutritional information – not guaranteed to be accurate:
per serving – 76 calories/3.4 g protein/1.6 g fat (18% fat)

Lettuce Salad with Tomato and Avocado with Persimmon Dressing

Salad with Persimmon and Avocado

makes 4 servings
preparation about 30 minutes
dressing can be made ahead

2 persimmons
4 t. sugar
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
6 c. mixed greens or lettuce, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped (optional)
1 ripe avocado, chopped
1/4 c. minced red onion or scallions (optional)
1/4 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Peel and chop persimmon. Cook about 1-2 minutes with sugar until juice is released and sugar is dissolved. Add vinegar and cool. Refrigerate if not serving soon.

Just before serving, chop lettuce, tomato, avocado, and onion. Arrange on salad plates or bowls and top with dressing and walnuts.

Adapted from Wolffie’s Spinach-Walnut Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette in La Dolce Vegan by Sarah Kramer.

Nutritional information – not guaranteed to be accurate:
per serving – 179 calories/3.4 g protein/5.2 g fat (26.1% fat)

Carrot Loaf

Carrot Loaf

makes 4 servings
preparation 1 hour
freezes well
can be made ahead

1 1/2 c. grated carrot
1 c. cooked brown rice
1 1/2 mashed garbanzo beans (about 1 can, drained)
2 slices whole wheat or gluten-free bread, made into crumbs
1 onion
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped
1 T. tamari
2 T. tahini
1/2 c. water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute onion, garlic, and celery in water until tender. Stir in tahini and tamari. Mix with carrot, rice, beans, bread, and parsley. Spoon into a greased loaf pan and smooth top. Bake one hour, until edges brown and top crusty.

Adapted from Carrot Loaf in The New McDougall Cookbook by Mary McDougall.

Nutritional information- not guaranteed to be accurate:
per serving – 385 calories/17 g protein/6.5 g fat (15% fat)
2 slices of whole wheat bread or 1 gluten-free roll are both about 270 calories, so the nutritional information is almost the same whichever one you use.

Total nutrition for the whole meal – about 909 calories/ 26.1 g protein(11.4%)/13.9 g fat (13.7%)

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November 27, 2009

Arabian Vegetables

Filed under: Gluten Free, Low Calorie Density, Main Dishes, Middle Eastern Cuisine — admin @ 1:01 am

Arabian Vegetables

I first made this dish 11/19/99, adapted from A Taste of Murder by Lev Raphael, which was a collection of recipes from mysteries. The recipe originally appeared in the third Nick Hoffman mystery “The Death of a Constant Lover.” It became a dish i cooked at least once a year. Fresh apricots are great if they are in season, but dried apricots are fine, although it makes the dish more calorie dense.

Arabian Vegetables

makes 4 servings
preparation about 80 minutes
doesn’t freeze well

3 large potatoes
1 small butternut squash, about 2 c. chopped
1 medium celery root
1 lb. frozen spinach
1 large onion
4 cloves garlic
1 c. water
1/4 c. dried or 8 fresh apricots
1 T. lemon rind
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. dried ground chilis
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 t. saffron threads or 1/4 t. turmeric
cilantro leaves or parsley for garnish

(Options: i have used seitan or tofu for special occasions. I use store bought seitan although it’s perfectly easy to make yourself if you have wheat gluten. Mix 1/2 c. wheat gluten with 1/2 c. water mixed with 1 T. tamari and 1 t. vegan Worcestershire sauce. Knead 2 minutes and cook 1 hour in 2 cups water until water absorbed, stirring every 10 minutes for 45 minutes, and then every 5 minutes.

You can buy baked tofu or chop plain fresh tofu and saute with 1 T. tamari and fresh ginger.)

Peel and chop potatoes, squash, and celery root. You can sustitute 4 carrots for the squash and 5 celery stalks for the celery root. Cook in enough water to cover about 15 minutes until tender.

Meanwhile, mince the apricots, and if dried, cook in 1/2 c. water until water almost absorbed, about 10 minutes on simmer.

Grate or microplane the lemon peel and save the lemon for another use. Chop the onions and mince or press the garlic. Cook the onions and garlic with the lemon peel and spices in 1/2 c. water until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the spinach and just a little more water if needed, and heat until spinach is thawed.

Drain the potato mixture when done and save out about two cups, and add the rest to onion and spice mixture when its done. Turn mixture of potatoes, squash, and celery root mixed with onion, spinach, and spices into a casserole. Top with the reserved plain potato, squash, and celery root mixture, and smooth out over the top of the casserole. I didn’t find the pan needed greasing, though i soaked the pan when empty for about 30 minutes before washing. Bake for about 20 minutes, then brown top under broiler about 5 minutes, watching carefully. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Nutritional information – not guaranteed to be accurate:
per serving 269 calories/12.6 g protein/1.6 g fat (5% fat)

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November 26, 2009

Good Green Things Dressing

Filed under: Gluten Free, Low Calorie Density, Salad Dressings — admin @ 1:03 am

Good Green Things Dressing

Salads are an essential part of a low fat diet, because they fill you up without a lot of calories. Vegetables have a lot of good nutrients too. I try to eat a salad or at least raw vegetables for lunch and supper every day. Salad dressing gives a greater variety to a daily salad. Fresh herbs really make it special. Today i had Good Green Things Dressing on a salad of mixed greens, grated carrot, grated cabbage, and fresh tomato.

Good Green Things Dressing

makes about 4 generous servings
preparation about 20 minutes
best eaten right away

6 scallions, chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 T. maple syrup
3/4 c. rice vinegar
1 T. Dijon mustard
1/2 c. fresh chives, chopped
1/2 c. fresh dill, chopped
1/2 c. fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 t. salt (optional)

Put everything in a blender and whirl until smooth.

Adapted from You Must Make This Dressing in The Garden of Vegan by Sarah Kramer.

Nutritional information – not guaranteed to be accurate:
per serving – 51 calories/1 g protein/0 fat

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