Appetite for Reduction (13 page)

SERVES 4 • ACTIVE TIME: 30 MINUTES • TOTALTIME: 45 MINUTES

T
he perfect breakfast for vegan lumberjacks! Making hash traditionally involves chopping up a bunch of stuff you have hanging out around the house and pan-frying it until crispy. One day I had a handful of Brussels sprouts, so they were the morning’s hash victim, and I loved it so much I put the recipe into permanent rotation. They’re flavored with thyme and lemon, my favorite morning blend. I call for Yukon Golds here, but any thin-skinned potato will do. Serve with scrambled tofu or make it a Benedict, with a sliced portobello on top and some cheezy sauce. They’d also be none too bad with some
Silky Chickpea Gravy
(page 56).

2 teaspoons olive oil
½ pound Brussels sprouts, quartered lengthwise
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 small onion, diced small
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (zest from 1 lemon)

Preheat a large, heavy pan, preferably cast iron, over medium heat. Saute the potatoes and sprouts in 1 teaspoon of the oil, using nonstick cooking spray as necessary. Cover the pan and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and lightly browned. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, pepper, salt, and lemon zest. Drizzle with the remaining teaspoon of oil. Cook for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are browned. Serve!

SERVES 4 • ACTIVE TIME: 10 MINUTES • TOTALTIME: 30 MINUTES

I
first discovered polenta stuffing when I was writing my dissertation on what to do with leftover polenta. Well, while it was being peer reviewed I had some time to reflect on the fact that store-bought polenta could be pretty handy at times, too. Especially if you’re looking for a speedy weeknight side dish. So if you don’t have any leftover polenta, no shame on you, just grab one of those tubes from the supermarket—many of them are fat free. If you love corn bread stuffing, I think you’ll love polenta stuffing even more. It gets crispy on the outside with a comforting mushy interior and has all those herby stuffing tastes of thyme, celery, and sage. Because the serving is kind of small, I like to serve it on top of my main dish instead of on the side, such as the
Tamarind BBQ Tempeh & Sweet Potatoes
(page 159).

2 teaspoons olive oil
18 ounces prepared polenta, cut into ¾-inch cubes (3½ cups)
½ cup thinly sliced celery
1 small onion, cut into ½-inch dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon dried sage
½ teaspoon dried thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt

Preheat a large pan, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat. Pour in 1 teaspoon of the oil and coat the bottom of the pan. Sauté the polenta for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping often, until the outsides are lightly browned. Use some nonstick cooking spray to help you out a bit.

Mix in the celery, onion, garlic, sage, thyme, and pepper, drizzle with the remaining oil, and sprinkle with salt. Sauté for another 7 to 10 minutes, until the onions are browned.

SERVES 4 • ACTIVE TIME: 20 MINUTES • TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR

I
know that 95 percent of you won’t care, but for all you astute foodies or Indian food experts, I know that this isn’t officially a biryani. It’s more of a pilaf because it’s all cooked in one pot. I called it a biryani, though, because it’s inspired by that Indian restaurant staple rice dish with the pretty yellow hue, brimming with fruits, nuts, and veggies. I used dried cranberries here, which provide a really nice burst of tartness.

If you can find the crannies sweetened with orange juice, then awe-some. If not and you don’t want added sugar, then plain old raisins will be just great. Cashew “pieces” are often sold in bulk at a lower price than whole cashews, which is so silly but a good deal for us. If you can’t find them, then just roughly chop the cashews before adding them. Serve with
Eggplant-Chickpea Curry
(page 230) or any of the Indian curries.

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup small-diced carrots
1 cup brown jasmine or basmati rice
1 teaspoon garam masala
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon salt
2½ cups water
1 tablespoon tomato paste
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup roasted cashew pieces
½ cup frozen peas
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Preheat a 2-quart pot over medium heat. Pour the oil into the pot and mix in the cumin and mustard seeds. Cover the pot and let the seeds pop for about a minute, or until the popping slows down, mixing once. If the seeds don’t pop, turn up the heat a bit until they do.

Add the garlic and sauté for about a minute. Add the carrots, rice, garam masala, turmeric, red pepper flakes, and salt, and stir constantly for about a minute. Add the water and tomato paste. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat as low as it will go and cook, covered, for about 40 minutes.

After 40 minutes the water should be mostly absorbed. Stir in the cranberries, cashews, and peas. Cook for another 15 minutes or so, until the water is completely absorbed. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve topped with the cilantro, ifusing.

SERVES 6 • ACTIVE TIME: 20 MINUTES • TOTALTIME: 50 MINUTES

A
fun and beautiful way to get those beets in. If you’re going through the rice and quinoa humdrums, then barley is a great change of pace. With its satisfying, chewy texture and earthy flavor, it might be just what the doctor (or nutritionist) ordered. Serve with something that’s also super earthy and flavorful, such as
Mushroom & Cannellini Paprikas
(page 127).

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
2½ cups vegetable broth
¼ teaspoon salt
1 beet (about ¾ pound), grated
Juice of ½ lemon
Fresh dill, for garnish (optional)

Preheat a 2-quart pot over medium heat. Sauté the garlic in the olive oil for about 30 seconds. Add several pinches of pepper and the bay leaf. Add the barley, broth, and salt; cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir and lower the heat to low. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When most of the water has absorbed, mix in the grated beet. Cook for about 20 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat, mix in the lemon juice, and taste for salt. Cover and let sit for about 10 more minutes. Remove the bay leafand serve topped with fresh dill.

4 SERVINGS • ACTIVE TIME: 15 MINUTES • TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR, 15 MINUTES