Forks Over Knives: The Cookbook (32 page)

2 medium bell peppers, seeded and chopped (about 1 cup)

1 to 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

6 cups
Vegetable Stock
, or low-sodium vegetable broth

1½ tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon chipotle powder or smoked paprika

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups red lentils, rinsed

One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

One 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Zest and juice of 1 lime

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1.
Place the onion, celery, carrots, bell peppers, garlic, and 1 cup of the vegetable stock in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, chipotle powder, and cayenne pepper and cook for an additional minute, stirring well.

2.
Add the lentils, tomatoes, kidney beans, and remaining vegetable stock to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft, about 45 minutes. Add the lime zest and juice and season with salt and pepper.

I HAD GIVEN up on chili until I went to work at my first restaurant job and tasted their chili. This is my recreation of that recipe. Mushrooms, fennel, and a hint of cocoa make this stew stand out from the crowd—the mushrooms give the soup an earthy flavor, the fennel adds a surprising brightness, and the unsweetened cocoa is a classic ingredient in Mexican sauces and stews.

SERVES 6

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

1 pound button mushrooms, chopped

6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ancho chile powder

4 teaspoons ground fennel

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

4 cups cooked
pinto beans
, or two 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed

Salt to taste

Place the onion and mushrooms in a large saucepan and sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan. Add the garlic, cumin, chile powder, fennel, cayenne pepper, and cocoa and cook for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, beans, and 2 cups water, and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes. Season with salt.

I GREW UP with chili for dinner at least twice a week and swore I would never eat it as an adult. Then I learned that there are several ways to make chili, and I can prepare it any way I want to. I often use whatever beans I have on hand, and I like to vary the flavor of what I usually call my mom’s All-American Chili by adding lime and fresh cilantro, or even cinnamon or allspice, which is popular in Cincinnati-style chili. Vary the spice level to your taste by increasing or decreasing the jalapeño pepper, or by adding chipotle chile powder for more kick and a little smoky flavor. I like the lime zest more than I like the juice; you can use both or just one or the other.

SERVES 6

1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced

1 large green pepper, seeded and diced

3 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced

6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons cumin seeds,
toasted
and ground

One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

4 cups cooked
navy
or other white beans, or two 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed

3 cups
Vegetable Stock
, or low-sodium vegetable broth

Zest of 1 lime and juice of 2 limes

1 cup finely chopped cilantro

Salt to taste

Place the onion, green pepper, and jalapeño pepper in a large saucepan and sauté over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan. Add the garlic and cumin and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, beans, and vegetable stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, for 25 minutes. Add the lime zest and juice, and cilantro, and season with salt.

W
RAPS AND
S
PREADS
 

Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce wraps are the ideal food for picnics, parties, and hot days when you may not be hungry for more than crisp, fresh lettuce wrapped around a savory filling. This section includes several variations on the theme. The recipes call for romaine lettuce; be sure to buy a leafy head, not the packaged hearts, which are not flexible enough for easy wrapping. If you prefer Bibb lettuce—or any other type of large leafy green—feel free to substitute it for the romaine in any of these wraps.

QUINOA TABBOULEH, HUMMUS, and Spicy Cilantro Pesto come together for a party in your mouth. If you don’t like cilantro, use
Basil Pesto
instead.

SERVES 4

½ cup
Spicy Cilantro Pesto

2 cups
Hummus

2 cups
Quinoa Tabbouleh

8 romaine lettuce leaves

Spread 1 tablespoon of pesto on one of the lettuce leaves. Top with 2 tablespoons of hummus and 2 tablespoons of the tabbouleh. Fold the leaf in from the sides and roll it up like a cigar. Repeat for the remaining lettuce leaves.

MAKE BASIC VEGETABLE stir-fries with whatever you have on hand, or the freshest produce at the market, and use the leftovers for these lettuce wraps.

SERVES 4

1 batch
Hummus

1 batch
Basic Vegetable Stir-Fry

1 cup chopped herbs, such as chives, basil, or cilantro

8 romaine lettuce leaves

Spoon 3 tablespoons hummus into one of the lettuce leaves. Top with some of the stir-fried vegetables and garnish with the fresh herbs. Fold the leaf in from the sides and roll it up like a cigar. Repeat for the remaining lettuce leaves.

MAKE EXTRA
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
when you have the grill fired up, and you’ll have a quick and easy meal ready to go later in the week. Use any pesto you have on hand for these wraps, or try something unusual, like
Pineapple Chutney
.

SERVES 4

½ cup
Spicy Cilantro Pesto
or
Coriander Chutney

2 cups cooked
brown rice

1 batch
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
, cut into 
¾-inch-wide strips

8 romaine lettuce leaves

Spread 1 tablespoon of the pesto in the bottom of one of the lettuce leaves and top with ¼ cup of the rice and about half of a grilled mushroom. Roll the lettuce leaf up around the filling. Repeat for the remaining lettuce leaves.

SAMOSAS ARE LIKE India’s burrito—a delicious, flavorful filling wrapped up in a savory, crispy dough. Samosas as lettuce wraps are certainly not the norm, but they are just as delicious in a lettuce wrap as they are in fried dough,
and
a lot healthier. For the filling, make the Potato Samosa Filling as directed in
Potato Samosa–Stuffed Chard
.

SERVES 4 TO 6

1 batch
Potato Samosa Filling

3 cups cooked
brown rice

Coriander Chutney

8 romaine lettuce leaves

Place some of the samosa filling on the bottom of one of the lettuce leaves. Top with some brown rice and a spoonful of the coriander chutney. Roll the leaf up around the filling. Repeat for the remaining lettuce leaves.

I LOVE THIS wrap. It is like eating a taco in a lettuce shell. If you like, add a little chopped tomato and fresh diced onion for a more authentic “taco” wrap.

SERVES 6

1 batch
Black Beans and Rice

1 batch
Not-So-Fat Guacamole

1 large head romaine lettuce, leaves separated

Place some of the black beans and rice into the center of one of the lettuce leaves. Top with some of the guacamole. Fold the leaf in from the sides and roll it up like a cigar. Repeat for any remaining lettuce leaves until the beans and rice and guacamole are used up.

BABA GHANOUSH IS a Middle Eastern dish similar to
Hummus
, but made with roasted eggplant instead. It is commonly used as a hearty condiment or a savory filling, as in these wraps.

SERVES 4

FOR THE BABA GHANOUSH:

1 large eggplant, stemmed

4 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped

½ tablespoon cumin seeds,
toasted
and finely ground

½ tablespoon roasted tahini, optional

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon