Persian Noodles & Lentils

If you are looking for something a little different, even a little exotic, you might want to try the “Persian Noodles & Lentils” (page 214). Boldly seasoned with middle eastern spices such as coriander, cumin, cayenne, and allspice, and decidedly sweet with ½ cup of dates in the mix, the flavors of this noodle dish are unique. I was intrigued by the complexity of textures (soft and chewy pasta, grainy lentils, crunchy walnuts) and contrasting flavors (sweet, spicy, hot), and the more I ate, the more I liked it. The recipe as written calls for three tablespoons of oil, used to sauté the onions, garlic, walnuts, dates, and spices, but I used light broth instead with excellent results.

Keeping it “McDougall Friendly” check list:

• Omit the oil when sautéing the veggies. Use a nonstick skillet, and replace the oil with water or broth.

Penne Baked With Eggplant-Tomato Sauce

If you have a family divided over eggplant (love it or hate it), I’m guessing the “Penne Baked with Eggplant-Tomato Sauce”, page 221, would satisfy both sides. The eggplant, especially if you peel it first, will melt right into the tomato sauce, adding a rich creamy texture, and if someone didn’t know there was eggplant in the mix, they probably wouldn’t guess it. The sauce itself is pretty simple, consisting of crushed tomatoes, eggplant, and onion, then seasoned with red wine, parsley, and marjoram. Cooked penne is mixed into the sauce, spooned into a casserole, topped with vegan Parmesan and breadcrumbs, then baked in the oven. It makes a lot for two people, and I even cut back on the amount of penne called for, from 12 ounces, to 8. But, the leftovers warm up very nice, and provide great ready-made meals throughout the week.

Keeping it “McDougall Friendly” check list:

• Omit the oil when sautéing the veggies. Instead, use a nonstick skillet and a little water, broth, or sherry to prevent sticking.
• Use whole grain penne pasta instead of the white flour variety.

Black Bean & Pumpkin Lasagna

Showing up just in time for fall festivities and pumpkin season is “Black Bean & Pumpkin Lasagna”, page 219. Although this might sound unusual, lasagna is eternally flexible, and just about any kind of filling, sauce, and seasoning, in some combination, will work. You can’t really go wrong layering thick noodles with delicious fillings, and topping with a flavorful sauce. This seasonal combination of ingredients starts with black beans enhanced with sautéed veggies (onion, bell pepper, and garlic), sauced up with crushed tomatoes, and spiked with chili powder. A mixture of pumpkin purée and salsa fill in for the traditional marinara sauce, and seasoned tofu stands in for the ricotta cheese. You can make this dish more or less spicy by your choice of salsa. We like things on the hotter side, so I used a hot salsa.

The final addition is a sprinkle of ground pumpkin seeds, a nice touch that ties the overall theme together. I discovered at the last minute I had no pumpkin seeds on hand, so a quick substitution of sunflower seeds did the trick. Next time I make this I’ll make sure I have pumpkin seeds available.

I love lasagna, and I love experimenting with spins on traditional preparations This dish satisfied on both levels. Fun, pretty, and delicious, and it makes a lot! I’m pretty sure you could freeze leftovers, but the two of us managed to eat up the entire pan over the course of a week.

Keeping it “McDougall Friendly” check list:

• Omit the tablespoon of olive oil when sautéing the veggies. Use water or broth and a nonstick skillet instead.
• If possible, try to find whole grain lasagna noodles.

Spicy Eggplant & Tempeh Stuffed Pasta Shells

With just a few ingredients (but a bit of preparation), the “Spicy Eggplant & Tempeh-Stuffed Pasta Shells”, page 229, is both elegant and pleasing. As with all the recipes using tempeh, you start out by cooking the block of tempeh for 30 minutes in a pot of simmering water. This is done to mellow out the flavor and aid digestion, and while I do normally start with this step, there have been many times I’ve skipped it, and everything comes out okay. You can simmer the tempeh while baking the eggplant, and cooking the pasta, combing several steps and saving a little time. It is so easy to bake a whole eggplant, and once its done the skin comes right off, leaving you with a soft and creamy filling. (Line your baking sheet with parchment paper so you won’t have to oil it.)

The steamed tempeh is ground in a food processor, along with garlic (I tripled the amount, using 3 cloves), red pepper flakes (I doubled the amount, using ½ teaspoon), and salt and pepper to taste. If necessary, bread crumbs can be added at this point to firm up the filling. This simple, yet meaty and delicious filling is stuffed into cooked pasta shells, topped with marinara (oil-free homemade (see recipe here), or store bought), and baked in the oven until heated through. Top with oil-free vegan Parmesan or Parmasio (see review here).

A big green salad and a loaf of rustic sourdough bread will turn this into a delicious dinner.

Keeping it “McDougall Friendly” check list:

• Omit the oil when baking the eggplant. Simply line the baking dish with parchment paper to prevent it from sticking.
• Use oil-free marinara, store-bought or homemade.
• Use oil-free Parmesan, or home made Parmasio. 

Singapore Noodles with Tempeh

According the recipe notes, this recipe, “Singapore Noodles with Tempeh”, (page 241), is a popular Indonesian dish also known as bami goreng or mee goreng. Since tempeh originated in Indonesia, it makes sense there would be many regional dishes showcasing it.

The preparation consists of four parts:

1) preparing the tempeh (dicing, steaming, and sautéing); 

2) preparing the sauce (blending peanut butter, coconut milk, water, lemon juice, sugar, cayenne, and soy sauce); 

3) preparing the noodles; and, 

4) sautéing the vegetables (bell pepper, cabbage, garlic, green onions, and ginger).  

Once the components have been prepared, fresh or frozen peas are added to the sautéed veggies, along with the tempeh and noodles, and finally, the sauce, with everything simmered just long enough to heat through. Top off with chopped peanuts and cilantro, and get ready to enjoy! There are so many complementary tastes and textures in this dish, it’s impossible to attribute the bursts of flavor to any one thing. Each bite unfolds into a delightful, multi-layered, taste experience.

Oil was called for in this recipe for tossing with the cooked noodles, sautéing the tempeh, and sautéing the vegetables. It was easy to leave it out in all instances. Rinsing the noodles thoroughly will prevent them from sticking, but if you wanted to include the sesame oil here for flavor purposes only, used like a condiment, a teaspoon or less would be effective, instead of the tablespoon called for. The tempeh and veggies can be sautéed in water, broth, sherry, or soy sauce.

In lieu of the coconut milk, I used soymilk with a few drops of coconut extract, to avoid the adding this source of highly saturated fat. This is a good way to include the coconut flavor without the fat.

Keeping it “McDougall Friendly” check list:

• Instead of using oil for sautéing the tempeh and vegetables, use a non-stick skillet and/or use sherry, broth, water, or soy sauce as a sauté liquid.
• Instead of coconut milk, use ¼ cup soymilk with ¼ teaspoon of coconut extract.

Sicilian Penne with Tomatoes & Eggplant

Once again I was happily surprised to find another way to enjoy eggplant. For most of my life, I really thought I didn’t like it, but lately it seems I am acquiring a taste for it, and I have especially enjoyed it just recently in a couple of dishes from this book. 

This latest recipe, “Sicilian Penne with Tomatoes and Eggplant”, page 197, was rich and pleasing, which belied the simplicity of the ingredients list – onion, garlic, eggplant, tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes, with enhancements from a splash of red wine and fresh basil. Somehow this combination tasted like much more than it would suggest, and I continue to be amazed and pleased at my new found appreciation for eggplant.

It’s easy to leave the oil out of this dish by using a little water or broth to sauté the veggies, and with all the other rich flavors, I didn’t miss it all, and you probably won’t either. Once simmered and thickened, serve this delightful sauce over penne pasta, or really, any pasta of your choice. The recipe suggest mixing the cooked pasta and sauce together, but I prefer to top individual servings, in order to monitor the ratio of pasta to sauce. I tend to like more sauce than most recipes suggest, and this was no exception, as the recipe called for a pound of penne, and I cooked about half that much.

  

Keeping it “McDougall Friendly” check list:

• Replace the 2 Tablespoons of olive oil with a little water or broth when sautéing the vegetables.

Szcechuan Sesame Noodles with Asparagus

“Szechuan Sesame Noodles with Asparagus” (page 238), is a perfect dish to welcome in Spring, when the first tender asparagus shoots begin showing up in the markets. A very simple dish that consists of noodles of your choice (I used Eden Foods Brown Rice Udon), cooked asparagus, sautéed onions and ginger, and a flavorful sauce made from sesame paste (tahini), chili paste, soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, and sugar. This dish goes together rather quickly, and is indeed listed under the “F” for Fast category of recipes in this book, meaning the dish can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. If you are quite sure of the exact amount of time it takes to cook your noodles, feel free to follow the recipe instructions to add the asparagus to the last few minutes of pasta cooking time to lightly cook. I don’t have the confidence to estimate pasta cooking times accurately, and I’m most certain I would add the asparagus way too early and end up with it being very overcooked. For that reason, I just lightly steamed the asparagus separately, which theoretically could increase the preparation time.

 According to the recipe notes, Chinese sesame paste uses toasted sesame seeds, while tahini uses untoasted sesame seeds, so the Chinese sesame paste is recommended for a more intense flavor. I’ve never seen Chinese sesame paste, but I checked my jar of tahini and the ingredients were “Toasted Sesame Seeds”. There are many varieties of tahini available, so check the label to make sure you get what you are looking for.

I was not able to find any Chinese black vinegar, but found out that balsamic or brown rice vinegar are considered adequate substitutions. Since the recipe only called for one tablespoon of vinegar, I was comfortable substituting with high quality balsamic.

The noodles, asparagus, sauce, and sautéed veggies are tossed together, sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds, and served warm. I enjoyed this dish very much, and can imagine myself making it quite often when I need to put together a quick and delicious meal – especially when fresh asparagus is abundant!

There are two places oil is used in this recipe. First, the cooked noodles and asparagus are supposed to be tossed in one tablespoon of sesame oil. Instead of that, I just rinsed the cooked noodles thoroughly to remove the starch, and set them aside until ready to use. Next, you are asked to use two tablespoons of canola oil to sauté the onion and ginger. I just used a little water instead. By not using these three tablespoons of oil, I omitted 42 grams of fat and 371 calories from the dish.

Fun fact - some of the recipes in this book use an ingredient in three different forms. For instance, this recipe uses sesame three ways – tahini, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. While I opted out of using the sesame oil, it still delighted me to see this trend in yet another recipe, a fun theme I enjoy looking for. 

Keeping it “McDougall Friendly” checklist:

• Do not add sesame oil to the cooked noodles and asparagus. Instead, just rinse the noodles thoroughly to remove the starch so they won’t stick together.
• Omit the canola oil when sautéing the veggies. Instead, use a nonstick pan and a little broth or sherry.      

Baked Mac and Cheeze

Ask most people what their favorite comfort food is, and chances are they will say Macaroni and Cheese. Most of the vegan versions I've tried, while good in their own right, haven’t been able to rival this cherished dish of my childhood. That doesn’t mean it won’t happen, or I won’t keep trying. So far I’ve resisted using commercial nondairy cheeses. While I have a feeling they would come very close to mimicking the original, I don’t feel it would be a step in the right direction, loaded as they are with oil, saturated fats, and additives. 1000 Vegan Recipes offers up a couple of vegan renditions of Mac-N-Cheese, and recently I tried the “Baked Mac and Cheeze”, (page 222).

The basis of the sauce is soy milk, flour and nutritional yeast, with flavor enhancements including soy sauce, miso, mustard, cayenne, and paprika, plus a touch of turmeric to give it a yellow, cheese-like hue. The sauce, which incorporates sautéed onion, is thickened on the stove top, after which a cup of broth mixed with cornstarch is added to the pot. (Adding additional liquid/thickener at this point seemed a little strange to me at first, and I’m still wondering about this methodology, but it seemed to all work out.) Finally, the sauce is combined with cooked elbow macaroni, topped with bread crumbs, and baked in the oven. I opted to top with fresh sliced tomatoes after it was done baking for added color and flavor.

My husband and I both enjoyed this latest rendition. The sauce provided a pleasing flavor, and although not really comparable to cheese, it was cheese-like, primarily due to the large amount of nutritional yeast. It was still a hot-out-of-the-oven satisfying pasta dish that always pleases at some level. It made a lot for two people, and the leftovers warmed up in the microwave nicely.

I made a slight departure from the recipe directions since I prepared this without the 3 tablespoons of olive oil used to make the roux for the sauce. Normally, when making a “white sauce”, oil is warmed in a saucepan, to which flour is added and mixed until you have a soft paste of oil and flour. The oil helps prevent the flour from lumping when you begin to slowly incorporate the milk with a whisk. Using this methodology isn’t very conducive to oil free cooking, it seems you just can’t prevent lumps without coating the flour in oil. To get around this dilemma, I’ve taken to mixing all the ingredients in a blender and processing until smooth, then thickening on the stove. Here are my revised instructions for Step #2, if you opt to make this without the oil:

1. Sauté the onion by itself in a little broth or water; set aside.
2. Put the remaining sauce ingredients (except the cornstarch and broth) into a blender and blend until smooth. If you want to add a small amount of natural oil and creaminess to the sauce, you can include 2 tablespoons of tahini to the sauce ingredients before blending. I did this, and was happy with the results.
3. Transfer blended sauce to a large sauce pan and thicken over medium heat, whisking almost constantly.
4. Add the sautéed onion to the thickened sauce.
5. Proceed with the remainder of the recipe (Step #3 in the book).

  

Keeping it “McDougall Friendly” checklist:

• Use a small amount of water or broth to sauté the onion.
• Use wholegrain pasta of your choice.
• Use wholegrain breadcrumbs.  

Noodles With Spicy Peanut Sauce

"Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce" (page 243) is a recipe found under the Asian Noodles section of the Pasta & Noodles chapter, and is one of my favorite ways to enjoy Asian noodle dishes. Using any variety of flat noodle, the flavorful sauce is what makes this dish go. Fresh garlic and ginger, soy sauce, chili paste, and peanut butter make up the base sauce, with the addition of onions, bell pepper, and cilantro. This is a classic combination of ingredients for first class Asian dining. If you are feeling more casual, you can serve this dish right out of the skillet from the stovetop, making it a one-dish meal - that's what I did! If you have any leftovers, this dish holds up well in the refrigerator for a nice lunch a day or two later. Feel free to up the spice level by increasing the amount of chili paste. The recipe calls for ½ teaspoon, and I used 1 tablespoon. Could be some Asian chili sauces are spicier than others. There is a sizeable amount of oil called for here; 3 tablespoons of sesame oil to toss the cooked noodles in, and 2 tablespoons of oil for sautéing the veggies. If you chose to use the full amount - 5 tablespoons - you will be adding 69 grams of fat and 608 calories to this dish. I opted to leave out both oils. The peanut butter in the sauce adds plenty of richness and flavor, and packs its own wallop of fat and calories. As I usually do, I used only 8 ounces of noodles instead of the one pound called for, as I prefer my pasta dishes quite saucy.

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

• Use whole grain noodles.
• Do not toss the noodles with sesame oil; instead rinse well with running water after they are cooked.
• Do not use oil to sauté the veggies; instead, use a nonstick skillet and/or water, broth, or sherry for the cooking liquid.

Bok Choy & Ginger-Sesame Udon Noodles

If you want a quick, delicious, and nutritious meal, think about making the "Bok Choy & Ginger-Sesame Udon Noodles" (page 238). Cooked udon noodles and steamed bok choy are tossed with a flavorful sauce of tahini, soy sauce, mirin, and ginger, and slightly spiced with red pepper flakes. This easy dish comes together so fast, you can have it on the table in about 30 minutes. I've noticed many of the recipes in this book use a "rule of three" (my interpretation) where a particular ingredient is incorporated in three different forms. In this recipe, it's sesame that comes in three ways: sesame oil, tahini (sesame seed paste), and whole sesame seeds. However, I opted not to use the sesame oil to coat the cooked udon, figuring the tahini and sesame seeds (sprinkled on top of the dish at the very end) would provide plenty of sesame flavor, and it really isn't necessary to toss cooked pasta in oil if you rinse it well after cooking. The recipe notes suggest the addition of sliced shiitake mushrooms as a variation, something I might try next time around.

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

• Omit the sesame oil. Instead, rinse the cooked udon under cool running water.

Penne With Peanut Pesto

"Penne With Peanut Pesto" (page 203) really stretches the boundaries of what I consider traditional pesto, but notwithstanding the liberal interpretation of the concept, this preparation was outstandingly delicious! I have to admit to a huge fondness for peanut sauces, especially spicy peanut sauces, the combination found quite often in Asian dishes. And if you opt to use Asian noodles as I did (and the recipe suggests as an alternative to the penne), this dish really is reminiscent of Asian style cooking. The sauce consists of garlic, peanuts and peanut butter (a very rich combination), soy sauce, lime juice, and Asian chili paste (I doubled the amount of chili paste called for and added ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes to get the heat level up to my liking). The recipe also calls for two tablespoons of sesame oil, but I left this out altogether. With the high fat content in the peanuts and peanut butter, the sesame oil wasn't even missed. However, if you really wanted to include the distinctive sesame oil flavor, adding only a teaspoon or less would do the trick. The recipe as written would contribute 96 total grams of fat (spread over 4 servings), but by leaving out the sesame oil this can be reduced to 68 grams - still a very high fat dish! Because I like my pasta dishes a little saucier than most recipes call for, I used just ½ pound of pasta instead of the one pound called for. This dish could be quite addictive, it was that good!

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

• Use whole grain noodles, either penne or Asian style udon, rice, or soba style.
• Omit the sesame oil altogether, no extra fat is necessary (although you will be omitting this particular flavor).

Angel Hair Pasta with Olive Oil & Garlic

When I saw the recipe for "Angel Hair Pasta with Olive Oil & Garlic" (page 211), I had to smile. This was an exact replication of my standby, go-to fast-food I turned to when I wanted something quick, and something representing the epitome of comfort food.  Consisting simply of cooked pasta, olive oil, and fresh garlic (and sometimes topped off by parmesan and/or freshly ground black pepper), I think I could have lived on this food at one time. I never realized this was a bona fide recipe, a classic dish that actually had a name - Aglio-Olio (which means Garlic-Oil).  To me, this was nothing more than a pantry staple that I dearly loved, and had a hard time letting go of when I began to cook and eat oil-free. So when it came time to make this recipe, I was balking at the idea, knowing I would be leaving out the olive oil and significantly changing the entire presentation and experience. But I gathered up my courage and plunged ahead, using an ample amount of flavorful veggie broth to replace the ½ cup (yes, ½ CUP!) of oil called for in this recipe. Wow - that's 142 grams of fat! Somehow knowing that helped me move past my reluctance, and although I will always have fond memories of the way I used to eat this dish, using veggie broth was quite acceptable, especially if you are lucky enough to find fresh homemade pasta to mix it with. Be liberal with the veggie broth, the "juicier" it is, the better.

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

• Omit the olive oil, using an equal or greater amount of flavorful veggie broth instead.
• Use whole grain pasta of your choice.

Pumpkin Ravioli with Peas & Caramelized Shallots

When serving ravioli, I typically think of topping it with some sort of sauce - marinara, Alfredo, even a vegan cheese style sauce. The "Pumpkin Ravioli with Peas & Caramelized Shallots" (page 230) was my first experience of using ravioli not as something to be "topped", but rather as just one component in a mixed ingredient dish. And, I have to make a confession. The recipe actually starts from scratch, giving detailed instructions on how to make the ravioli, using a pasta dough recipe found elsewhere in this book, and filling with a mixture of pumpkin, tofu, herbs and spices. I had been considering this recipe for quite awhile, and when I saw premade vegan pumpkin filled ravioli in a natural foods store, a complete rarity, I took it as a sign. I bought two packs and decided to make this recipe, which at this point, became quite easy! There are only two other ingredients once you have the ravioli made (or purchased) - the shallots and the peas. The shallots are cooked long and slow over medium heat in order to caramelize them, and then the peas are added to the skillet just long enough to warm through, along with the cooked ravioli. Although a quite unusual (for me) way to prepare ravioli, I really liked it. I thought it needed a little zip, so I added red pepper flakes at the table. Caramelizing onions (or shallots in this case) is usually done by cooking them in oil, but you can do it using water. Just add a couple teaspoons of water at a time to the skillet as the shallots are cooking, waiting until the skillet begins to dry out before adding water again. Continue this for about 15 minutes until the shallots are quite soft and golden brown.

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

                                                                                                                            

• Use the water method of caramelizing onions instead of cooking in oil. Using a medium heat, allow the shallots to cook until almost dry, adding 2-3 teaspoons of water at a time to allow the cooking process to continue. Repeat this procedure for about 15 minutes until the shallots are soft and golden brown.
• If you are lucky enough to find  pre-made whole grain pumpkin filled ravioli, buy as much as you have room to store! :-) Otherwise, you can make your own using whole wheat pastry flour - not something I've ever tried, so I can't really comment on how that would work. 

Tagliatelle with Porcini Bolognese Sauce

"Tagliatelle with Porcini Bolognese Sauce" (page 200) is an Italian dish, which in this rendition takes advantage of the chewiness of mushrooms to replace the traditional use of ground meat. This is a tomato based sauce with the addition of onion, carrot, and celery making this a hearty and healthy presentation. A small amount of soy creamer is added at the end of the cooking time for an extra layer of smoothness. After the sauce has simmered to perfection, it is served over tagliatelle (long flat noodles which can be interchanged with fettuccine if hard to find). Keep in mind that fresh porcini mushrooms can be scarce in the markets, although the dried variety can be readily found. You might have to substitute another fresh mushroom to make this dish - if so, pick one of the more flavorful wild mushroom varieties, if available. You can also use a combination of fresh and dried mushrooms for additional flavor and texture.

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

                                                                                                                        

• Omit the olive oil when sautéing the vegetables; instead use a nonstick saucepan and/or a little water, broth, or sherry as the sauté liquid.

• Use whole grain tagliatelle (or fettuccine).

Tricolor Rotini with Pesto Bianco

Nothing is quite as satisfying to me as tender pasta coated in creamy pesto sauce, so of course I loved the "Tricolor Rotini with Pesto Bianco" (page 202), and was delighted with this white version of pesto, something I had never tried before. Made from pine nuts (traditional for pesto), plus cashews, artichoke hearts, and soymilk, the pesto is creamy and delicious and perfect with any pasta of your choice. I should mention, the recipe also calls for ¼ cup of olive oil, but instead I used ¼ cup of light vegetable broth with excellent results. The pine nuts and cashews add so much richness, in my opinion no additional oil is necessary, or missed if you leave it out. If you want to add a splash of color to this otherwise monochromatic dish, the recipe notes suggest sprinkling with minced parsley, basil, green peas, or black olives. I added a bit of parsley only, and thought this was delicious simplicity.

 

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

                                                                                 

• Omit the olive oil in the pesto sauce, replacing it with 1/4 to 1/3 cup of light vegetable broth.

• Use whole grain pasta of your choice.

Penne with Chickpeas & Rosemary

Pasta is fast food, and when you are looking for something you can put together quickly from food you probably already have in the pantry, "Penne with Chickpeas & Rosemary" (page 210) will fill the bill. Just six ingredients (not counting salt and pepper), and dinner is on the table in about 30 minutes or less. I didn't have penne on hand when I decided to make this, but I did have ditalini, the small tubular pasta often used in pasta salads, and decided this would work fine. A sautéed and warmed concoction of rosemary (or any other fresh or dried herb if you're not a fan), garlic, diced tomatoes and chickpeas is added to the cooked pasta and that's about all there is to it.  

 

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

 

ü   Omit the olive oil when sautéing the garlic and herbs and use a bit of water or broth instead and/or a nonstick skillet.

ü   Use whole grain pasta.

Red Chard & Baby Spinach Lasagna

There are no less than eight lasagna recipes in this cookbook, and the "Red Chard & Baby Spinach Lasagna" (page 215) is the third one I've tried so far. I don't think it's possible to serve me a lasagna I won't like. This is comfort food extraordinaire as far as I'm concerned, and I'm always happy for the leftovers so I can enjoy it for several meals each time I make it. (I've also found lasagna freezes very well!). Cooked spinach and red chard (use all spinach or another color chard if red chard isn't available) are mixed with a blend of tofu, nutritional yeast, and a few sprinkles of herbs. Cooked lasagna noodles are layered with the tofu-spinach concoction, marinara, and vegan Parmesan cheese, then baked in the oven until hot and bubbly. The recipe calls for a pound each of firm and soft tofu, but I used two pounds of just firm and it came out perfect. This delightful lasagna would impress someone new to a plant-based diet, and makes a great contribution to a potluck. Add a green salad and warm sourdough bread for a complete meal.

 

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

 

ü Omit the olive oil when sautéing the veggies. Instead use a non-stick pan and/or use water, broth, or sherry for the sauté liquid.

Spinach Manicotti with White Walnut Sauce

If you are looking for a novel presentation for manicotti, you will want to try the "Spinach Manicotti with White Walnut Sauce" (page 228). The filling ingredients may be quite familiar, a tofu-based ricotta cheese mixed with spinach and shallots. But what makes this recipe different is the unique sauce, consisting of ground walnuts, more tofu, nutritional yeast, and soymilk. The closest I can come to describing this is to compare it to an Alfredo style sauce, but really, it is quite unique and stands on its own. Once the manicotti are cooked, stuffed, and covered with the sauce and breadcrumbs, they are baked in the oven until hot and lightly browned. This dish is quite rich, and you might find one or two manicotti per serving is enough to satisfy.

 

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

 

ü  Omit the olive oil when sautéing the shallots. Instead, use a non-stick pan and/or water, sherry, or light broth as a sauté liquid.

Fettuccine with Puttanesca Pesto

Before trying some of the numerous pesto recipes in this book, I never realized how easy it is to make! I am now beginning to look at pesto-tossed pasta as an option for those times I need to throw a quick meal together. The "Fettuccine with Puttanesca Pesto" (page 202) puts a slight spin on the traditional basil, pine nuts, and garlic combo by adding tomatoes, green olives, and capers (that's the Puttanesca part) to the blend. As far as I'm concerned, this combination was a stroke of genius by the author, who needed to come up with a way to use her bumper crop of basil. The complex flavors are deeply satisfying, and I’ll be making this unique version of pesto often. I completely left out the 1/3 cup of olive oil (and the accompanying 71 grams of fat!) by using a bit of light veggie broth to thin down the pesto. I found I didn't need much, maybe only a couple of tablespoons, as the tomatoes added a lot of liquid. I also didn't need to add any additional cooking water from the pasta (as the recipes calls for) to the pesto, since it was already the right consistency. The recipe calls for cooking a pound of fettuccine; I only used half that much (8 ounces), as I prefer a smaller ratio of pasta to sauce than most recipes call for. This seemed to be the perfect amount.

 

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

 

ü     Omit the 1/3 cup of olive oil and use a light veggie broth instead, as needed.

Gnocchi with Red Wine-Tomato Sauce

At first the thought of preparing homemade gnocchi might seem daunting, but really, they are quite easy to create, and in my opinion, make the best little dumpling that can be used in a variety of dishes. Most people think of topping gnocchi with a red sauce of some sort, as is the case with "Gnocchi With Red Wine-Tomato Sauce" (page 232). And they are indeed delicious in this recipe! The gnocchi themselves are nothing more than cooked potato and flour, mashed thoroughly together, with a little parsley, salt and pepper thrown in for good measure. What was different for me this time around (I have made gnocchi in the past) was using baked potatoes, rather than boiled, and using them still warm from the oven. I do believe this made a positive difference in the texture of the finished dumpling. The prepared dough is shaped into rolls, and cut up into small pieces, which are added to boiling water to cook until done (which happens when the dumpling, the gnocchi, floats to the top of the pot.) The red-wine tomato sauce was a perfect Italian style topping for these, made from crushed tomatoes, dry red wine, basil, oregano, and garlic. You might want to add a pinch of crushed red peppers like I did to give it a little zip! Top with some vegan parmesan at the table. Truly comfort food!

 

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

 

ü  Omit the oil when sautéing the sauce ingredients. Instead, put all the ingredients into the sauce pan at the same time, and simmer per the recipe directions.

ü  Use whole wheat pastry flour instead of all purpose (white) flour for a heartier dumpling.