What Are You Hungry For? (32 page)

If you’re using marinated tofu or tempeh, remove it from the marinade and cut it into 1-inch strips. Set aside.

In a blender, combine all of the Thai sauce ingredients and purée until smooth. Add the basil after blending. Set aside.

Cook or soak the noodles according to the package directions. Rinse, place in a large bowl, and sprinkle with additional oil to keep the noodles from sticking.

Tip:
Soak the noodles only until they are slightly soft and pliable but not fully expanded. If you soak them until they are soft enough to eat, when you put them in the dish, they will turn to mush.

Heat the olive oil in a wok or large sauté pan. Add the leeks, red pepper flakes, coriander, ginger, and garlic (if using) and sauté for 2 minutes, adding the vegetable stock after 1 minute. Add the tofu, tempeh strips, or chicken. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the almonds, green onions, bean sprouts, and cilantro. Simmer until heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sauce and simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes, then pour the mixture over the noodles and toss until well combined. Serve with steamed vegetables.

Serves 4

Slice the tofu or tempeh into ¼-inch slabs or cut into cubes. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a shallow baking pan. Add the tofu or tempeh. Soak overnight. To speed up the process, bake the tofu or tempeh at 350°F for 20 to 30 minutes, then cool. Remove the tofu or tempeh from the marinade and use in a variety of dishes. Store in a container with a tight-fitting lid.

Makes 8 burgers

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the bread in a food processor and pulse into bread crumbs, then set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small sauté pan over high heat. Add the leeks and pepper and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. Place the tofu, mixed nuts and seeds, zucchini, carrot, and sautéed leeks in a food processor. Pulse a few times, then add the basil, oregano, thyme, tarragon, garlic, and liquid aminos. Continue to pulse to a smooth consistency. The mixture should be thick, yet firm.

Scoop out the mixture with a ½-cup measuring cup and form into balls. Flatten the balls into burgers and coat each side with the bread crumbs. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan and sauté the patties briefly, until golden brown, adding a bit more oil if it gets absorbed before you brown the second side. Place on an oiled sheet pan and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until firm. Serve on a bun or as an entrée with a sauce of your choice.

Serves 4

Rinse and drain fruit well. Cut the orange slices in half. Prepare the dressing (see the recipe that follows) and place it in a large bowl. Place the oranges in the bowl and coat with the dressing. Remove from the bowl and arrange on a platter as the bottom layer. Reserve 10 pieces for garnish. Place the strawberries in the dressing and coat. Remove and arrange around the orange slices like the rays of a sun. Coat the raspberries, arrange on top of the oranges, and then coat the blueberries and arrange around the raspberries. You are creating a sunburst with the fruit. Drizzle the dressing on top of the fruit and garnish with the reserved orange pieces.

Dressing

Combine all of the ingredients and mix well.

Serves 4 to 6

This delicious salad will nurture your love for sensory pleasures of the palate. The sweet, crunchy flavor of honey-glazed walnuts contrasts with the pungent Gorgonzola and fresh spinach. Enjoy as an appetizer or light entrée.

Serves 4 to 6

Toss all of the ingredients together and arrange on chilled plates.

Makes 1 cup, or 4 to 6 servings

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat (don’t allow it to reach the smoking point). Toss in the walnuts and sauté until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the honey and coat the walnuts well. Let cool completely before using.

Makes about ¾ cup

Combine all of the ingredients in a small jar and shake well. The dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for several days.

The vegetables, grains, and beans in this tasty salad provide a steady flow of energy that is particularly balancing for those who have a propensity to get irritable and overeat if they let themselves get too hungry.

Serves 4

Bring 1½ cups of the vegetable stock to a boil in a small saucepan, then add the bulgur. Stir with a fork, remove from the heat, and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Allow the bulgur to soak for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork, place in a large mixing bowl, and let cool.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the leeks and sauté briefly. Add the bell pepper and zucchini and sauté for 2 more minutes. Add the beans and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add the remaining ¼ cup vegetable stock as the mixture begins to dry out. Remove from the heat and cool. Add the tomatoes, parsley, basil, mint, and olives to the cooled bulgur and mix.
Finally, pour the dressing (see the recipe that follows) over the bulgur mixture.

Dressing

In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the olive oil. Whisk the mixture and then continue to stir as you slowly add the olive oil.

Variations

This recipe lends itself to infinite variety. You can substitute your own favorite chopped, grated, or shredded vegetables for those called for in this version of the recipe. For added flavor and texture, try adding currants, raisins, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, or feta cheese. Enjoy!

Serves 4 to 6

In a large bowl, combine the carrot, celery, bell pepper, beans, kashi, pine nuts, and sunflower seeds. In another bowl, mix the vinegar, sesame oil, mustard, liquid aminos, black pepper, and olive oil and toss into the salad.

Serves 4

Place the cucumbers in a small bowl. Add the lemon juice, cumin, dill, salt, and cilantro and toss gently. Add the yogurt and combine with a fork. Serve as a condiment with curry or as a dressing for salads and wraps.

Makes 3 cups

Put the chickpeas, sunflower oil, lemon juice, pepper, and paprika in a food processor fitted with a stainless-steel blade. Process until the mixture forms a fairly smooth paste. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, stir in the carrot and parsley, and season to taste with the salt.

Makes 1½ to 2 cups

This simple sauce can be used with many vegetable combinations. It can also be used for grilled tofu or as the base of a soup.

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and ginger and sauté. Add the cumin, cayenne pepper, turmeric, and tomato and sauté for 1 minute. Add the liquid aminos and simmer for 2 minutes.

Makes 1½ to 2 cups

To roast a chili:

Using a pair of stainless-steel tongs, hold the raw chili over the direct flame of a gas burner. Allow the flame to char the skin of the chili until it blisters. Carefully turn the chili continuously to char as much surface area as possible. Place the charred chili in a paper bag. The chili will steam inside the paper bag, loosening the charred skin. Allow the chili to steam until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Peel off the skin under running water.

To assemble the salsa:

Chop up the chili and place it in a bowl. Add the mango and tomatoes and set aside. Heat the liquid aminos in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté very briefly. Add the onion mixture to the mango mixture. Add the lemon juice, cilantro, cumin, and coriander and toss well. Chill for 1 hour before serving. Add 1 teaspoon liquid aminos if a more salty taste is desired.

Makes 1 cup

Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until the chutney has a fine consistency. Serve at room temperature.

Makes 1 cup

Cut off and discard the green parts of the leek and trim off the base. Quarter the white part lengthwise and wash thoroughly under running water to remove any dirt and sand. Drain. Roughly chop the leek into chunks. Place the almonds in a food processor and pulse several times. Add the leek and remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

Serving Suggestions