Radiatore With Aurora Sauce

According to the recipe notes, the "aurora" in "Radiatore with Aurora Sauce" (page 196) is the name given to a tomato sauce that has been lightened with cream to a pink blush.  In this vegan version you are given the option of using vegan cream cheese or soft tofu in place of the traditional cream.  I chose to use soft tofu, which is puréed in the blender with a portion of the sauce.  The sauce consists of a can of crushed tomatoes seasoned with Italian spices.  To keep the sauce oil free, I did not sauté the green onion and garlic in oil, in fact, I just added them uncooked to the sauce prior to puréeing to keep the flavor more intense.  Even with that, I found this preparation a little plain.  The tofu mellowed out the tomato sauce to the point of almost being bland, but I was able to remedy that with the addition of red pepper flakes sprinkled on at the table.  As is usually the case, I cut back on the amount of pasta the recipe called for, from one pound to about 12 ounces, as I find that quantity of pasta too much for the amount of sauce.

Chinese "Chicken" Salad

"Chinese "Chicken" Salad" (page 83) is a great dish on a hot summer day when the last thing you want to do is turn on the stove or oven. You can almost make a meal of this alone, or add some whole grain bread and fruit to round things out. Baked marinated tofu stands in for the chicken in this preparation, and is tossed into a mixture of lettuce, carrot, green onion, and cilantro, then moistened with a peanut butter based dressing. I skipped the sesame oil in the dressing and didn't miss it at all with plenty of flavor from everything else. My husband and I polished this off in one sitting (recipe says it serves 4, but I used just half the amount of tofu called for).

Cashew Chocolate Pudding

The "Cashew Chocolate Pudding" (page 474) is by far the richest, most decadent chocolate pudding I've ever had, vegan or otherwise.  It is dangerously delicious, and I say "dangerously" because it would be just too easy to eat the entire batch, alone, in one sitting.  Since the recipe includes one cup of chocolate chips and ½ cup cashews that probably wouldn't be a good idea.  Add to this soymilk, tofu, maple syrup, and vanilla extract, you end up with a creamy pudding that almost has the consistency of a chocolate mousse.  I'm quite certain this dessert would not pass muster with Dr. McDougall, at least not on a regular basis. The solid fat in the chocolate chips are the biggest culprit (from cocoa butter, natural, but not necessarily healthful).  But maybe I can squeeze this in every once in a while, for a very special occasion like a birthday or Valentine's Day.

Classic Tofu Lasagna

"Classic Tofu Lasagna" (page 215) is one of eight separate lasagna recipes in this cookbook.  As the name suggests, this particular recipe is straightforward, incorporating layers of noodles, seasoned tofu, and marinara sauce, all baked in the oven until done.  As a matter of personal preference, I used the no-boil lasagna noodles, along with jarred marinara, as it makes preparation almost effortless.  The only problem is, so far, I have not found whole grain no-boil noodles, so I failed in keeping this within my "whole grains" guidelines.  I was, however, able to keep the dish oil free, without any changes to the recipe required.  Bonus!  One adjustment I did make was to add garlic powder and Italian seasoning to the tofu mix to jazz it up a little.  Red pepper flakes added at the table is also very tasty for those who like a little spice.

Blazing Sunset Salad

Nothing tastes better than fresh sweet fruit, and you really can't go wrong no matter what combination of fruits you throw together.  "Blazing Sunset Salad" (page 96) utilizes fruits of many colors - golden delicious apple, orange, banana, peach, and cherries - to create a colorful mix of pure delicious.  Dressed lightly with lemon juice and agave nectar (I used pure maple syrup) is an option, I think, as the fruit all by itself is sweet and flavorful enough to stand on its own.

Orange & Cinnamon-Spiced Coffee

"Orange & Cinnamon-Spiced Coffee" (page 539) combines cinnamon stick, orange zest (from a fresh orange), and ground coffee and brews them up for a cup of café au cheer.  If you are a coffee lover like me, you will appreciate this variation on the basic cuppa joe.  I didn't really notice too much orange flavor, so maybe next time I'll add more.  The cinnamon flavor seemed to intensify as the coffee cooled down some.  A nice way to serve coffee for a festive occasion.

Black Bean Burgers

The "Black Bean Burgers" (page 120) are my favorite of the burger recipes I've tried so far (four out of eleven total).  The recipe description of "dense and meaty" is fitting, as the burgers do have quite a resemblance to traditional hamburgers.  This no doubt pleases some, but maybe not others.  As for me, I was impressed with the texture and the taste.  Gluten flour gives the burgers chewiness, and the smoked paprika adds flavor complexity.  The instructions say to sauté minced onion in a tablespoon of oil, and to use another two tablespoons for cooking the formed patties in a skillet.  I left out the oil in both cases, and had excellent results.  Put between a whole grain bun and loaded up with my favorite condiments, this is a veggie burger I will have on my menu regularly. Notes: You are supposed to get four burgers from the mix, but I ended up with six.  It probably depends on how thick or thin you prefer your patties. Also, I did end up having to add about 1/3 cup water to the mixture as it was being combined in the food processor, as it was very dry and not holding together. This has been the case in some of the other burger recipes as well.

Garden Scramble

When I want a quick tofu scramble, I admit I take the easy way out and open a block of tofu, and a package of Fantastic Food Tofu Scrambler mix.  But for a real treat when you're in the mood for a lazy day brunch, try the "Garden Scramble" on page 507.  Seasoned tofu is combined with sautéed onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, and carrots, with peas mixed in at the very last.  Not only delicious, but pretty to look at, and very colorful.  The yellow from the turmeric gives this dish the look of scrambled eggs, but if you prefer not to have that image, just leave this spice out.  I omitted the oil when sautéing the veggies, and that was the only change necessary to make this McDougall friendly.

Ginger-Lime-Glazed Bean Curd Skewers

Up until now, grilled tofu intimidated me because I couldn't imagine how to prevent the tofu from sticking to the grill without using oil, and lots of it.  But my husband prepared the "Ginger-Lime-Glazed Bean Curd Skewers" (page 40) using a grill basket so the skewers didn't sit directly on the barbeque grill.  This worked like a charm, and we did not have to oil the grill or the grill basket.  The marinade is packed with flavor, made from soy sauce, ginger, lime, vinegar, garlic, and brown sugar. Although the recipe calls for a pound of tofu, there is plenty of marinade for double that amount.  We marinated and grilled 21 ounces, and had to stop ourselves from eating the entire batch in one sitting, it was that good! This dish is found in the appetizer section of the book, but we served it for dinner with green salad and couscous. Be sure to use the firmest tofu you can find for best results. 

Garden Variety Couscous Tabbouleh

I'm a big fan of tabbouleh, whether it's made with bulgur, which is traditional, or couscous, as it is in "Garden Variety Couscous Tabbouleh", (page 87).  I especially love the variation which includes chickpeas, as this recipe does.  Along with the grain and beans, it has all the regular veggies, including tomato, green onions, cucumber, and parsley.  What was new and delicious was red bell pepper.  The dressing was supposed to be made using ¼ cup olive oil combined with fresh lemon juice and a pinch of cayenne.  I used about 1/3 cup of light vegetable broth instead of the oil with good results.  If you can get it, use whole wheat couscous to keep this dish not only oil free (with my suggested modification), but closer to whole grain as well.

Peanutty Tofu Roll-ups

When it is hot outside, I look for dinners that don't require the stove or oven, so "Peanutty Tofu Roll-ups" (page 112) fit the bill.  The filling is a mixture of tofu and peanut butter, seasoned with garlic, ginger and lime, spread onto a tortilla, and topped with fresh veggies.  I found the peanut butter flavor a little dominant and would probably only use half the amount, were I to make this again.  There was enough filling for about 6-8 wraps (recipe indicates the yield will be 4), so I used the extra on toast and crackers over the next few days. No changes were required to keep this McDougall compliant.

Marinated Mushroom Wraps

"Marinated Mushroom Wraps" (page 111) could quite possibly become an addiction for me, they were that good.  Mashed avocado spread on a tortilla, topped with layers of fresh spinach, marinated mushrooms, bell pepper, and tomato, all rolled up into a delectable wrap.  I learned something I never knew about mushrooms, and that is, when you marinate them as called for in this recipe, they shrink down just as if you sautéed them.  Honestly, I could have marinated a couple of pounds of the mushrooms just to have around for snacking.  The marinade calls for sesame oil (as well as soy sauce and lemon juice), but I used water instead and had excellent results.  It's hard to find oil-free, whole grain tortillas or wraps, but if you can, this dish can be totally McDougall friendly.

Close to Cottage Cheese

In my non-vegan days, I was a big fan of dairy cottage cheese, so whenever I see a vegan recipe for this old favorite, I am anxious to try it.  "Close to Cottage Cheese" (page 514) really does live up to its name, in appearance, texture, and taste. Made by mixing ½ pound crumbled tofu into ½ pound seasoned and puréed tofu, you end up with a delicious non-dairy version of "curds and whey".  The recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of oil, but I used a tablespoon of oil-free vegan mayonnaise instead, a perfect substitution. It is truly amazing how much this looks like its dairy counterpart, and how happy I am that it isn't!  I enjoyed this spread on a toasted bagel; scooped it up with baked oil-free tortillas chips; and ate it right out of a bowl.  You could use this any way you would use dairy cottage cheese.

Pumpkin Soup with Chipotle Puree

"Pumpkin Soup with Chipotle Puree" (page 175) melds the smoky hot flavor of chipotle with the mild flavor of pumpkin in a wonderfully warming soup, perfect as a first course, or a light lunch.  This is a quick soup to put together, especially if you use canned pumpkin.  Onion and celery are used for additional flavor, along with a touch of cumin.  The directions have you creating a separate chipotle puree to add to individual soups servings, but I blended the pepper right into the soup along with everything else to diffuse the flavor throughout.  To keep this McDougall friendly, I skipped the oil when sautéing the onion and celery, using a little of the broth portion of the soup instead.  I found the soup to be a tad on the thin side.  This could be remedied by cooking a small potato into the mixture before pureeing, or thickening with flour or cornstarch.  A dollop of tofu sour cream atop each serving is also a nice addition.