The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet (27 page)

Butter:
There are a few different vegan or soy-based margarines out there, but my favorite is Earth Balance organic buttery spread. In any of my recipes where a butter substitute is called for, I use this organic buttery spread and refer to it as Earth Balance butter. I’ve experimented with a lot of brands, and it’s my hands-down favorite. It comes in tubs and sticks, so it’s versatile, and it’s widely available at supermarkets, health food stores, and the big natural food chains. If you prefer another brand, then go for it, but avoid any with hydrogenated oils.

Mayonnaise:
Whenever a recipe calls for a mayonnaise-y type taste, I use Vegenaise. Again, there are a few faux mayos on the market, but I like this one the best. It is made by a company called Follow Your Heart and sweetened only with brown rice syrup. Unlike the other brands, which sit on the shelf, Vegenaise lives in the refrigerated dairy section of the health food store.

Cheese:
The vegan cheese I use is made by Follow Your Heart as well. They make jalapeño, mozzarella, and Cheddar flavors. Of all the vegan cheeses I’ve tried, I find it tastes and melts the best.

Sour cream:
Whenever I use sour cream, it’s vegan sour cream made by Tofutti. FYI: They also make the best cream cheese.

Tofu:
You can buy tofu in different textures; soft is great for sauces and dessert toppings. Firm is fine for most cooking and extra-firm makes nice, chunky, solid pieces perfect for stir-frying and creating meat substitutes. You can also buy it baked or premarinated.

Seitan:
Seitan is now made by a few companies and generally comes in a plastic tub like tofu or in a vacuum-packed bag in a box. You can find it near the tofu and tempeh. Although all seitan is seasoned with shoyu, some are specially seasoned to taste like chicken, barbecued beef, and so on. In this book, when I call for seitan, I mean regular, unflavored seitan.

Maple sugar:
Many of the dessert recipes call for maple sugar, which is crystallized maple syrup. When using maple sugar for baking recipes, crush and sift it a little to reduce big crystals to smaller ones. You’ll find that maple sugar is expensive, so if you’re making yummy vegan desserts on a really regular basis, you might want to consider an alternative such as vegan cane sugar, which is available at Whole Foods. But before you make that decision, I just want to remind you that maple sugar is a
much
healthier choice, and that’s what you’re paying for—no headache, no hangover, no addictive craving, and no health issues. I can’t, with a clean conscience, recommend that you use white sugar, but I understand if your budget won’t make room for the expensive stuff all the time.

Organics:
In order to avoid writing the word “organic” before every single ingredient, I’ve just assumed it. Whenever possible, I use organic ingredients.

GRAIN AND PASTA DISHES

Get ready to fall in love with grains in a whole new way—not just in the form of refined flour products, but in their earthy, hearty, natural whole state. A grain dish should be at the center of every meal. They give you loads of energy, are filling, and are extremely nourishing, with all kinds of great minerals. Whole grains and products made from whole grains are simple to cook and can be made into elegant dishes to serve family or friends. Once you’ve mastered the basics, like brown rice, try your hand at barley, farro, amaranth, or millet; and when you are comfortable cooking them, experiment and get creative. With the addition of some chopped veggies and herbs, and maybe a bit of oil and lemon juice or vinegar, cooked grains make great salads, fillings for stuffed vegetables, or pilafs. To keep your palate deliriously happy, pastas are also really easy and versatile, and you can probably adapt many of the recipes you are already making. Try whole wheat and rice pastas, but don’t rely on the package instructions for cooking times. Keep checking to ensure the strands stay separate and don’t overcook.

Radicchio Pizza with Truffle Oil

When my friend Liz first taught me how to make this pizza, she used an organic, sourdough spelt crust, but really any whole grain crust will do. This pizza is perfect for dinner parties or just a cozy night at home.

SERVES 2 TO 4

1 large head radicchio

Olive oil

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

White truffle-infused oil, to taste

1 pizza crust, fresh or frozen, preferably a healthy, whole grain variety

Cut the radicchio in half, then slice each half crosswise into thin ribbons (as thin as possible!). Dress with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a few dashes of white truffle oil to taste.

Preheat the oven to 415°F. If using a fresh pizza crust, toast in the oven for 7 minutes or until it is heated through and slightly golden but not crunchy; if using a frozen crust, bake according to package directions. Scatter the dressed radicchio over the pizza crust and return to the oven for another 3 to 5 minutes, until the radicchio is warm and just starting to wilt. Serve immediately.

Rustic Pasta

This hearty, manly dish is a perfect complement to the Pecan-Crusted Seitan, but don’t hesitate to serve it on its own or with a big fresh salad. You can also top it with packaged “meat” balls or stir in Yves brand Meatless Ground.

SERVES 4 TO 6

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pound pasta, long or short shape, as you prefer

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large onions, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or thinly sliced

2 celery stalks, diced or thinly sliced on a diagonal

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cup shoyu

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teaspoon fine sea salt

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teaspoon garlic powder

1 head green cabbage, thinly sliced

5–6 tablespoons marinara sauce

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water and add the pasta; cook just until al dente. Drain the pasta well.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the onions and cook for 7 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and sauté for 3 minutes longer, until the onions are transparent and turning golden.

Add the celery to the skillet and sauté for 3 or 4 minutes. Stir in the shoyu, salt, and garlic powder, then add the cabbage; sauté for 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes longer.

Add the pasta to the skillet with the sauce and toss together. Cook over medium-high heat for a minute or two and serve.

Note:
Garlic bread is delicious with pasta. Make your own!

Cut off the top of a garlic head, coat with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Wrap it in foil, and roast it at 350°F for 30 to 50 minutes or until golden and tender. Turn it over halfway through cooking. Squeeze out the garlic from the skin and smear it onto toasted bread sprinkled with olive oil. Delicious!

Another version: Pan-fry pieces of bread in sesame or other oil for a couple of minutes on each side, until golden brown. Cut a garlic clove in half and rub onto the fried bread slices.

Moroccan Couscous with Saffron

I adore couscous, and this is a wonderful way to prepare it. Not only is it tasty, it looks gorgeous on a big serving plate as the centerpiece of a meal. You can complement it with a simple salad or let it be the beginning of a feast that includes soup, hummus, and veggies. This recipe serves six, but you can halve it or just make a big batch and keep leftovers in the fridge.

SERVES 6

2 cups peeled butternut squash, cut into
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" to
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" cubes

2 cups yellow onion, large dice

1
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cups carrots, cut into
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" to
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" cubes

1
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cups zucchini, cut into
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" cubes

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Fine sea salt

1
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teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1
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cups vegetable broth

2 tablespoons Earth Balance butter

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teaspoon ground cumin

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teaspoon saffron threads

1
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cups whole wheat couscous

2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the squash, onion, carrots, and zucchini on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once with a spatula about midway through.

While the vegetables roast, bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the butter, remaining
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teaspoon pepper, cumin, saffron, and salt to taste. Cover the pan and steep for 15 minutes.