Forks Over Knives (17 page)

1 tomato, chopped

4 green onions, chopped

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

⅛ teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Sea salt

Put the peas, garlic, lime juice, and cumin into the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and stir in the tomato, green onions, cilantro, and hot sauce. Add salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

MATT LEDERMAN AND ALONA PULDE—WITH THANKS TO SHOSHANA PULDE |
KEEP IT SIMPLE, KEEP IT WHOLE

THE DAYS OF wishing for dairy-free baba ghanoush are past. Enjoy a creamy dip that’s great for crackers or cut vegetables or spread in a sandwich.

SERVES 4

5 large eggplants

5 garlic cloves, crushed

Juice of 1 large lemon

1 to 2 tablespoons tahini

5 green onions, chopped

Salt and black pepper

1.
Heat the oven or grill to 400
^°
F.

2.
Roast the whole eggplants on a baking sheet in the oven or directly on the grill for 40 to 50 minutes until soft; let cool.

3.
Scoop out the insides of the eggplants and put them into a bowl; discard the peels. Mash the eggplant, then let stand for about 30 minutes. Discard any accumulated juices.

4.
Add the garlic, lemon juice, tahini, and green onions to the eggplant and mix together. Add salt and pepper. Keep covered and refrigerated.

ALAN GOLDHAMER AND DOUG LISLE |
THE HEALTH PROMOTING COOKBOOK

KEEP YOUR CREAMY dip without falling back into the Pleasure trap. Serve as a dip with fresh vegetables or as a sandwich spread.

SERVES 6 (MAKES 2 CUPS)

2 cups spinach, well washed, stems removed, chopped

One 10.5-ounce package firm silken tofu, drained

1½ tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons chopped green onion

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon cumin

2 tablespoons fresh savory

Steam the spinach 2 to 3 minutes. In a food processor, puree all the ingredients until smooth. Chill for 2 to 4 hours. Serve as a dip with fresh vegetables or as a sandwich spread.

CHEF DEL SROUFE | WELLNESS FORUM FOODS

I LOVE HUMMUS, and there are plenty of good low-fat hummus recipes out there, but now and then I want something a little different. This spread is great as a dip for veggies or as a filling for sandwiches.

SERVES 4 TO 5

One 16-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

4 teaspoons mellow white miso

1 roasted red bell pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon

Cayenne pepper

Puree all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor until smooth and creamy.

JO STEPANIAK |
BREAKING THE FOOD SEDUCTION
BY NEAL BARNARD, MD

HERE’S A SUPERB dairy-free pesto that is very simple to prepare. It is equally delicious as a dip or topping served at room temperature, or as a warm sauce over pasta or grains.

MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS

½ cup water

1 medium onion, diced

½ teaspoon crushed garlic

1 large eggplant, peeled

1 cup pecans

½ cup fresh basil, firmly packed

2 to 3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 to 4 tablespoon light miso

1.
Heat water in a large nonstick skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.

2.
Meanwhile, cut eggplant into ½-inch cubes. Add to onion, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring often, until eggplant is very soft, about 25 to 30 minutes. If necessary, add a little more water to keep eggplant from sticking to pan.

3.
When tender, transfer eggplant mixture to blender. Add remaining ingredients and process until completely smooth. Mixture will be thick.

4.
Serve immediately while warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in refrigerator and reheat to serve.

MOIRA NORDHOLT | THE FEEL GOOD GURU

THIS DISH HAS a creaminess and stickiness reminiscent of the traditional Italian dish, without the butter, white wine, cheese, and beef stock. The pesto is a fresh, green-tasting version with arugula and spinach, ripe avocado instead of olive oil, and a generous blob of mild miso for a “cheesy” flavor. The avocado gives it a great creaminess that sticks nicely to the rice. Start with a pot of hot cooked, organic short-grain brown rice.

MAKES ENOUGH PESTO FOR 6 SERVINGS OF RICE

1 ripe avocado

4 cups organic arugula, loosely packed

4 cups organic spinach, loosely packed

1 small bunch of basil

1 small bunch of parsley

5 garlic cloves

3 tablespoons mild white miso

¼ cup unsalted vegetable broth

½ cup hemp seeds

1.
Cut the avocados in half and discard their pits and peels. Puree the avocado, arugula, spinach, basil, parsley, garlic, miso, and vegetable broth in a food processor until creamy. Add hemp seeds and pulse to combine. If you like your pesto a little thinner, carefully add small amounts of water until it reaches your desired consistency.

2.
Stir the pesto into warm brown rice and serve.

Tip
You can use any leftover pesto to toss with penne noodles or any pasta, use as a delicious spread on toast, or dollop into carved zucchini or cucumber rounds for an elegant raw h’ors d’oeuvre.

VARIATIONS:

Sprinkle with vegan “Parmesan”: Pulse together about a cup of organic walnuts with half a cup of nutritional yeast and a teaspoon of Celtic sea salt.

For a heartier risotto with some crunch, stir in kale ribbons, diced red pepper, and diced zucchini. For a little zing, add a squeeze of lemon.

LEANNE CAMPBELL DISLA |
WHOLE PLANTS COOKBOOK

THE LETTUCE MAKES a crispy, light wrapping around the savory, flavorful filling. Children like to wrap their own, and you can make these larger or smaller depending on whether they’re the appetizer or the main dish.

MAKES 6 TO 10 WRAPS

6 to 10 large butter lettuce leaves

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons water

1 cup chopped water chestnuts

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon diced fresh ginger

3 green onions, diced

2 large carrots, grated or thinly sliced

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 package (12 to 14 ounces) extra firm tofu, drained and cut into thin slices

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons tamari

½ cup dry-roasted peanuts

Salt and black pepper

1.
Wash the lettuce leaves, then pat dry and set aside. In a medium skillet, add ¼ cup of the water and the water chestnuts, garlic, ginger, green onions, carrots, and celery. Cook over medium-high heat until the onions are translucent. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons water and the sesame seeds, tofu, lime juice, and tamari. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

2.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the peanuts and season with salt and pepper.

3.
Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the mixture in the center of a whole lettuce leaf and fold the edges over the filling. Repeat with the remaining leaves and mixture. Enjoy.

ANASTASIA ST. JOHN | COMPASSIONATE DIET AND LIFESTYLE ADVOCATE

THIS IS A quick and easy savory appetizer. Leftovers can be used as a sandwich spread.

SERVESS 8

1 cup pitted kalamata olives

1 garlic clove

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Sprouted whole grain bread, sliced

1.
Heat the oven to 450
^°
F.

2.
Puree the olives, garlic, and herbs in a food processor until they form a paste.

3.
Cut the bread slices into quarters, place on a baking sheet, and lightly toast in the oven. Spread olive paste onto each piece, and serve.

ELISE MURPHY | T. COLIN CAMPBELL FOUNDATION

THESE QUESADILLAS ARE very simple to make. If you don’t have time to make the “cheese” part of the recipe, you can use any type of hummus instead.

MAKES 10 QUESADILLAS

2 cups cooked chickpeas

3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

2 cloves garlic