Vegan Margherita Pizza

The Italian "Vegan Margherita Pizza" (page 129) is a scrumptious presentation of the colors of Italy with red tomatoes, green Basil Pistou, and white tofu (standing in for the cheese in this vegan version). According to the recipe notes, pizza in Italy is not as cheese laden as pizza in America, and it was only with the advent of Pizza Margherita in the late 1800's that any Italian pizza included cheese. Happily for those of us who don't include any dairy in our diet, the tofu, simply seasoned with nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper, makes a wonderful pizza topping. For the pizza crust, use the Basic Pizza Dough on page 128, or another one of your choice, making sure to keep it whole grain and oil free. Top this with the prepared tofu, Basil Pistou, and sliced tomatoes, and bake in the oven. This combination of flavors is highly tantalizing, and quite addictive. Find someone to share it with unless you don't mind eating an entire pizza in one sitting! Maybe it's the pesto, which adds a flavor layer not typically found in pizza. Maybe it's the homemade crust. Maybe it's having something fresh and hot out of the oven, instead of out of a delivery box. Try it and see what you think!

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

• Use a pizza dough recipe or pre-made crust that is whole grain and oil free. 

• Omit the step that has you spreading olive oil on the prepared pizza dough. You don't really need it, and you definitely won't miss it.
• Do not add any oil to the pesto; again, you don't need it, and you won't miss it.

Creamy, Crunchy, Fruit-and-Nut Sandwiches

The "Creamy, Crunchy Fruit-and-Nut Sandwiches" (page 111) wraps up yet another section in my journey to test all 1000 recipes in this book. This was the last of the twenty entries in the "Sandwiches and Wraps" section of the "Sandwiches, Pizza, and More" chapter, but most certainly not the least! Of course, I don't think I've met a sandwich I don't like. It's amazing how almost anything between two slices of bread can be transformed into a delicious and satisfying breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This spin on the everyday PB&J combines almond butter with agave nectar, chopped walnuts, and dried cranberries, which is then spread on whole grain bread, and filled with sliced fresh pear. What a winning combination! This recipe is open to endless combinations - vary the nut butter, use maple syrup instead of agave, switch up the walnuts with any other nut of choice, and use bananas or apples instead of pear. I used the Irish Soda Bread when I made these sandwiches, and it was a match made in heaven!  

 

 Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

 

ü Make sure the nut butter does not contain any added oils.

ü Chose an oil-free whole grain bread for the sandwiches.

Refried Bean & Salsa Quesadillas

Nothing could be easier for a quick lunch or snack than "Refried Bean & Salsa Quesadillas" (page 126). Whole pinto beans are cooked and mashed with a bit of chili powder, folded into a tortilla, topped with salsa and minced onion, than grilled in a skillet. Although not technically a quesadilla (derived from queso, the Spanish word for cheese, combined with the word tortilla), the idea of a Mexican style grilled tortilla sandwich has expanded to include any number of tasty fillings, sans cheese, this being a good example. Try to find a high quality oil-free tortilla if you can. I really love the Food For Life sprouted whole grain tortillas, made from whole grains and seeds with no added oil (Ezekiel 4:9 Srouted Whole Grain Tortillas). They are substantial and chewy, and brown nicely in the skillet without adding oil. I have now tried all seven entries in the "Fajitas and Burritos" section of the "Sandwiches, Pizza, and More" chapter of this book! J One by one, section by section, I'm closing in all 1000 recipes! ;-)

 

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

 

ü Omit the oil when cooking and mashing the beans. Just use a little bean broth or water instead.

ü Use oil free, whole grain tortillas. These can be hard to find! It seems you can find oil free or whole grain, but harder to find one that is both!

ü Skip the oil when grilling the quesadillas; cook in a non-stick skillet.

Black Bean & Corn Burritos

Nothing could be easier for a quick meal than the "Black Bean & Corn Burritos" (page 127), and likely you have most of the ingredients in your pantry already. Sautéed onions, mashed black beans, corn, and salsa tucked neatly into tortillas, and lunch (or breakfast, or dinner!) is ready. The recipe calls for cooking the onion in oil, but that isn't necessary, just use a little water instead. Feel free to add a few more condiments to the burritos - I included shredded lettuce and sliced avocado to mine. Delicious!

 

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

 

 üOmit the oil when sautéing the onion. Use a little water, sherry, or broth instead.

 

üUse whole grain, oil free tortillas. I find the Ezekiel brand of whole grain sprouted tortillas a great choice.

Spicy Mushroom & Hot Pepper Calzones

I'm in love with pocket meals - samosas, calzones, pierogi, empanadas, pasties - you name it, if it comes wrapped in a warm-from-the-oven pouch, I'm bound to like it, no matter what's inside. Pockets stuffed with savory fillings take sandwiches to a whole new level, and "Spicy Mushroom & Hot Pepper Calzones" (page 133) are no exception. Calzones are decidedly Italian, are in fact, pizza folded into itself, and typical fillings would be the same as those you find on top of "unfolded" pizza. The dough is the same as you'd use for pizza (or bread), a simple yeasted bread dough of flour, water, yeast, and salt. The filling in these particular calzones is a delicious combination of sautéed mushrooms, garlic, hot cherry peppers, and tofu. The only problem with these delightful hot pockets is that it is almost impossible not to eat the entire batch in one sitting!

 

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

 

ü  Use an oil-free pizza dough, as the one called for in this recipe, from this book: Basic Pizza Dough, and use whole wheat flour, or at least a 50-50 blend of whole wheat and all purpose (white) flour.

 

ü  Omit the oil when sautéing the mushrooms. No sauté liquid is really required, as mushrooms release their juices as they are cooked, providing all the moisture you need.

Muffaletta Sandwiches

According to the recipe notes "Muffaletta Sandwiches" (page 116), are classic New Orleans sandwiches that traditionally includes sliced ham and cheese, and you are invited to include vegan versions of these here if you wish. (I did not.) The flavor of the olive salad that makes up the filling is plenty flavorful and stands on its own. The base mix consists of kalamata olives, green olives, pepperocini, roasted red peppers, capers, onions, tomatoes, and fresh parsley, along with some dried herbs. The recipe also calls for ¼ olive oil, and vinegar; I left both of these out with outstanding results. I felt no need to replace them with anything - the salad was moist enough, so no problem there, especially since it was going onto a sandwich roll; the olives are plenty oily enough by themselves; and the olives, capers, and pepperocini added enough piquant flavors that additional vinegar seemed over the top. I did include lettuce and avocado slices to tuck into the crusty sandwich rolls. I think any other condiments, such as sliced onions or tomatoes, shredded carrots, etc, would also be nice additions. These hearty and delicious sandwiches are practically a meal unto themselves!  

 

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

 

ü  Omit the olive oil altogether. No replacement is needed, as the filling is already very rich and moist.

ü  Use whole-wheat oil-free sandwich rolls.

Tofu Waldorf Salad Wraps

Anything tastes good in a wrap, according to my husband. Not sure what to do with those leftovers in the fridge? Put 'em in a wrap! But if you are in the mood for a more elegant approach, try the "Tofu Waldorf Salad Wraps" (page 114), inspired by the classic salad of apples, celery, walnuts, and mayonnaise served on a lettuce leaf. While this recipe uses these same ingredients, it also incorporates tofu, red onion, and parsley, creating a hearty filling to stuff inside a tortilla or lavash flatbread (I opted for whole grain tortillas this time around). This makes a big bowl of salad, enough for much more than the four wraps indicated in the recipe notes. However, it keeps well so you can enjoy the leftovers, even outside the wrap, maybe on a bed of greens. Don't be alarmed if you notice the salad has a faint purple hue after storing it for a day or two; the walnuts have a tendency to do this in certain dishes, which isn't such a bad thing! J

 

Keeping it McDougall Friendly" checklist:

 

• Buy or make oil-free mayonnaise (see my review of Vegan Mayonnaise here)
• Use whole grain, oil-free tortillas or flatbread.

Beer-Marinated Seitan Fajitas

The Fajitas and Burritos section of this cookbook (a subset of the Sandwiches, Pizza, and More chapter) contains just seven recipes. The "Beer-Marinated Seitan Fajitas" (page 125) makes the sixth recipe I've tried, and brings me close to wrapping up another category. Being more than a third of the way through the 1000 recipes, I find this starting to happen more frequently! The biggest challenge here is finding a tortilla that adheres to the McDougall guidelines. As I've mentioned before, if you can find a whole grain tortilla, it usually contains oil. If you find a fat free tortilla (easier), it is almost certainly made from white flour. This time around I opted for the Food For Life brand Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Whole Grain tortillas. With no added oils (made from sesame seeds and sprouted soybeans barley, millet, lentils, spelt, and sea salt), these are in my opinion the healthiest tortillas around. Not everyone appreciates their hearty texture, and they certainly don't roll up as easy as a more traditional tortilla, but I find the flavor more than compensates for these differences. To make these fajitas, you start by marinating seitan in a mixture of beer, onion, garlic, lime juice, cilantro, and crushed red pepper. Begin early, as you need to marinate the seitan at least 4 hours. The seitan and marinade is sautéed in a skillet, piled into warmed tortillas, and topped with avocado and salsa. Very tasty as is, but if you want additional filling add some shredded lettuce per the recipe suggestion.

 

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

• Omit the oil when sautéing the seitan. Use the marinade as a sautéing/simmering liquid, and don't be concerned about browning the seitan. 

Spicy Southwestern-Style Pizza

"Spicy Southwestern-Style Pizza" (page 132) may seem a little unusual at first glance, but if you don't confine yourself to traditional pizza toppings, there really is no limit to what you can try. In this preparation, Basic Pizza Dough is topped with pinto beans, salsa, green chiles, kalamata olives, and cilantro. This is like having a burrito on a pizza, especially if you add the optional vegan cheese (I opted not to this time). And by the way, I did finally find a round pizza pan small enough to fit into the oven of my 5th wheel!

 

"Keeping it McDougall Friendly" checklist:

ü  Make or buy a whole grain oil free pizza dough.

ü  Omit the oil when preparing the bean topping - you won't miss it - just add the chili powder directly to the beans.

Deconstructed Hummus Pitas

One of the fun things about working my way through these recipes is finding myself closing in on certain sections of the book. For instance, in the Sandwiches, Pizza, & More chapter, there is a sub-section of 20 recipes called Sandwiches & Wraps. I realized as I made the "Deconstructed Hummus Pitas" (page 116), I had nearly wrapped this section up. There are now only 3 recipes left to try here, although some of them have already become regulars around my house (have I mentioned before how much both my husband and I enjoy sandwiches, at any meal?). The idea behind these wraps is to create the flavor of hummus but leave in some texture; to this end, the chickpeas are mashed with a fork rather than puréed in a food processor, then mixed with all the usual hummus ingredients: garlic, tahini, and lemon juice. Grated carrots are a surprise addition, adding even more texture, as well as a splash of color. This delicious filling is then spooned into whole wheat pita bread along with fresh sliced tomatoes and spinach leaves. If you are a hummus fan, you will definitely love these wraps!

 

"Keeping it McDougall Friendly" checklist:

ü     No changes necessary! J

Garden Patch Sandwiches on Multigrain Bread

There are 20 sandwich recipes in this cookbook, and the "Garden Patch Sandwiches on Multigrain Bread" (page 110) marks the 17th one I've tried so far. This has been one my favorite sections of the book, and even though typically considered lunch food, I can turn sandwich filling into breakfast or dinner fare very easily. Like my husband always says, sandwiches should be considered one of the food groups! This particular sandwich starts with tofu as the base ingredient, to which you add red bell pepper, celery, and green onions. A little crunch is provided by the addition of sunflower seeds, and the entire mixture is held together with vegan mayo. Spread on any variety of whole grain bread, add lettuce and tomato, and your meal is ready! I served our sandwiches with fresh microwaved potato chips, oil-free, using the Topchips potato chip maker, a very nifty gadget to have around.

 

"Keeping it McDougall Friendly" checklist:

ü Use oil free mayonnaise, purchased or homemade.

ü Use 100% whole grain oil-free bread. If you're lucky enough to have a bakery in town that bakes whole grain and oil free varieties of bread, take advantage of that option.

Macadamia-Cashew Patties

I reached a milestone of sorts when I made the "Macadamia-Cashew Patties" (page 119), as this wrapped up all the "Burger" recipes in the "Sandwiches, Pizza, and More" chapter. This is a section of the book I come back to again and again for the delicious chewy burgers that never fail to please. While most of these burger recipes contain varying amounts of gluten flour, the key ingredient for binding the burgers and providing chew, this particular recipe did not. Still, these burgers held together very nicely, enough so to put on a bun and garnish with all the regular trimmings. Macadamia nuts are very high in fat, and not an ingredient I would normally have hanging around in my pantry. There is also an equal amount of cashews in these rich burgers, but since I like my burgers less hefty than the recipe directions call for, I can get six to eight patties out of the mixture instead of four, which reduces the overall fat content per burger. In addition to the nuts, these burgers contain lots of veggies: carrot, onion, garlic, jalapeño, and cilantro, as well as a variety of herbs and spices that add layers of complexity. A delicious veggie burger to be sure, but I wouldn't want to make them too frequently due to the high fat content.

 

"Keeping it McDougall Friendly" checklist:

ü  Omit the oil when cooking the formed patties. Instead, use a nonstick skillet without any added oil or liquid. They will brown up very nicely from the fat content in the nuts.

ü  If serving on a bun, use a whole-grain, oil-free variety.

Red Bean Burritos

If you have cooked rice on hand, these "Red Bean Burritos" (page 128) can be put together in no time at all for a quick meal any time of day. This is an uncomplicated mix of sautéed onion and bell pepper, mixed with beans and rice, topped off with avocado and salsa, and wrapped into a warmed tortilla. Many of the recipes in this book incorporate a theme into the ingredients list. It might be color; it might be using a single food in more than one way (such as incorporating sesame seeds, sesame oil, and sesame tahini in the same dish). In this recipe, red is the theme with the inclusion of red bell peppers, red kidney beans, and red tomato salsa. (If you wanted to build on this, you could even use a red onion as well.) I opted to use corn tortillas instead of flour since I wasn't able to find any healthy flour tortillas at the time I made this dish, so my picture is a shot of what the mix looks like before scooping it up with pieces of warmed corn tortillas.

 

"Keeping it McDougall Friendly" checklist:

ü  Omit the olive oil when sautéing the onion and bell pepper. Use a nonstick skillet instead, and/or substitute water or broth for the oil.

ü  Opt for brown rice instead of white.

ü  Use oil free whole grain flour tortillas, or if unavailable, use corn tortillas.

Garden Salad Wraps

If you are fond of veggie wraps, the "Garden Salad Wraps" (page 112) will be sure to please. The veggies consist of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, onions, and green olives. Sautéed tofu, seasoned with soy sauce, adds chew and substance, making these wraps ideal for a light lunch. The biggest hurdle was working around the 6 tablespoons of olive oil the recipe calls for (716 calories, and 81 grams of fat). Two of the tablespoons are used to sauté the tofu, but this isn't necessary if you use a non-stick skillet. The remaining 4 tablespoons are part of the dressing, along with vinegar, mustard, salt & pepper. Because the veggies themselves contained a lot of moisture, I found I really didn't need to come up with a substitute for the oil, and I just left it out completely. These wraps were quick to assemble, and even quicker to eat! J

 

"Keeping it McDougall Friendly" checklist:

ü     Use whole grain oil free wraps.

ü     Omit the olive oil when sautéing the tofu and preparing the dressing, as described above.

Avocado & Tempeh Bacon Wraps

The "Avocado & Tempeh Bacon Wraps" (page 113), make a great lunch, or even a quick dinner if you have the tempeh bacon on hand. I used Lightlife brand tempeh based "Fakin' Bacon", which consists of soybeans, brown rice, spices, and seasonings, and no oil. It makes a great stand-in anywhere bacon is desired. These delicious wraps consist of tortillas or flat bread spread with vegan mayonnaise, filled with sautéed tempeh, lettuce, avocado and tomato. Sort of like a BLT deluxe, in a wrap!

 

"Keeping it McDougall Friendly" checklist:

ü     Omit the 2 tablespoons of oil when browning the tempeh; use a nonstick skillet instead.

ü     Use fat-free mayonnaise, either store bought or homemade (Vegan Mayonnaise).

ü     Use whole grain, oil free wraps.

Seitan Tacos

These build-it-yourself "Seitan Tacos" (page 126) are sure to please, since each taco is individually custom made with just the ingredients you want. Cooked seitan is seasoned with chili powder, cumin, and garlic and is the "meat" of the filling. Optional toppings listed in the recipe are avocado, lettuce, and salsa, but you could also include sliced olives, shredded vegan cheese, vegan sour cream, and diced tomato. That's the fun of a taco bar! Soft corn tortillas are used here, a healthy choice to wrap around these delicious taco fillings.

 

"Keeping it McDougall Friendly" checklist:

ü     Omit the 2 tablespoons of oil when browning the seitan; use a nonstick skillet, and/or a little water or broth instead.

ü     Make your own seitan (Basic Simmered Seitan), or make sure you purchase an oil free variety.

ü     Use fresh (soft) corn tortillas which are oil free, as opposed to the hard shell varieties, which are fried.

Spinach, Mushroom, & Black Bean Quesadillas

You won't find any queso in these "Spinach, Mushroom, & Black Bean Quesadillas" (page 127), but you will find a savory stuffed tortilla grilled to perfection, and they come together in no time flat.  In today's culinary lingo, quesadilla is loosely defined as just about any filling you want, layered into a tortilla, and grilled in a skillet, with cheese no longer a strictly necessary ingredient. Omit the oil when sautéing the veggies (which also includes onions and garlic), and the filling will be completely McDougall friendly. Try to find a whole grain, no-oil added tortilla for the healthiest choice, such as the Ezekiel sprouted grain variety from Foods For Life. These tortillas make especially delicious quesadillas! Skip the oil when grilling the quesadillas by using a non-stick skillet - they will still brown very nicely, especially the Ezekiel brand tortillas, which include some natural oil from the sprouted seeds they contain.

Red Lentil Patties in Pita

"Red Lentil Patties in Pita" (page 122) is the 10th (out of 11) burger recipe I've tried from this book. The burger section has been most fun, and I often come back to these recipes when I'm craving a veggie burger. The mix for these patties consists of cooked red lentils, sautéed onion and potato, roasted cashews, and gluten or garbanzo flour (I used gluten), along with herbs and spices, all of which are combined in a food processor. Since everything ultimately ends up in the food processor, I didn't go to the extra effort of grating the potato before sautéing it, rather I just diced it into small cubes. The overall mixture came out quite moist, making it a tad bit difficult to form into patties; I could have added some oats or bread crumbs at this point, but decided since the patties were going to be tucked into pita bread, having them extra firm wasn't critical. These were very good, especially when topped with the  "Fresh Mint & Coconut Chutney". What I did to keep this within McDougall guidelines: Omitted the oil when sautéing the veggies; omitted the oil when cooking the patties; used whole grain, oil free pita bread.

Falafel Sanwiches

As anyone who has been following my blog knows by now, both my husband and I are big sandwich fans, and any meal is just right for a sandwich of some sort. Recently I tried the "Falafel Sandwiches" (page 117), and were they ever good! I had never had falafel at home until this recipe, and what a difference! No more greasy over-fried garbanzo bean balls for me! In this recipe falafel patties are made from chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, oats and spices, dredged in flour, and pan fried until golden brown. I admit, it is a little difficult to get that "golden brown" effect when "frying" oil-free, but in my non-stick skillet, I still get a bit of browning and that nice crusty edge that is so satisfying. The finished patties are tucked into pita bread (easy to find these whole grain at most markets, but not always oil free) along with lettuce, tomato, and Lemon Tahini Sauce. Delicioius!

Seared Portobello Fajitas

Sometimes the simplest of ingredients come together for the best combination of flavors, as they did in the "Seared Portobello Fajitas" (page 125). Strips of portobello are quickly cooked over medium high heat with onion, chili pepper, and spinach, seasoned with cumin and oregano, and wrapped into warm flour tortillas. Add salsa and Green-Green Guacamole, and you're there! This was a quick meal to put together, on the table in less than 30 minutes. To keep this within the McDougall guidelines, I omitted the oil when sautéing the vegetables, and used whole grain tortillas (the Ezekiel brand of tortillas are wonderful!). I took a picture of the mixture before wrapping it up to show all the vibrant colors.