Penne with White Beans, Red Chard, & Grape Tomatoes

Although the "Penne with White Beans, Red Chard, and Grape Tomatoes" (page 212) is written to be served as a warm main dish meal, I found I liked it better chilled, and served as a pasta salad. Sautéed garlic and chard, mixed with the beans and tomatoes are tossed with penne pasta and fresh basil. Since I omitted the two tablespoons of oil called for, I added a squeeze of fresh lemon for added moisture (and flavor). I had a small amount of penne and a small amount of corkscrew pasta left over in my pantry, so I used a combination of the two, for a total of about 7 ounces dry (as opposed to the 1 pound called for in the recipe). This amount of pasta was more than sufficient in this recipe - any more would have been too much pasta, not enough veggies, for my taste.

Soy Sausage Scramble

If you are a vegan, and have been missing the more traditional "sausage and eggs" type breakfast, you might find the "Soy Sausage Scramble" (page 507) to your liking. A simple dish to prepare, consisting of lightly seasoned tofu scrambled with any variety of soy sausage (or seitan) that appeals to you, along with a sautéed onion. I omitted the oil when sautéing the onion, and used an oil free sausage, so this was relatively low in fat. If you like a softer scrambled tofu, the silken variety works well, and is lower in fat then the firmer varieties. Serve this dish with toast or tortillas, and your favorite condiments (ketchup, salsa, BBQ sauce) on the side

Apple & Pear Cobbler

Because most of the desserts in this book contain generous amounts of oil, usually in the form of margarine, I have found this section quite challenging. So, when I read the recipe for "Apple and Pear Cobbler" (page 471) and saw it only called for 2 tablespoons of oil, I was relieved - it's easy to omit or replace this small amount of oil. (It's not easy to replace ¼ cup margarine and get the intended results.) For this recipe, I replaced the oil with a scant ¼ cup applesauce, a nice complement to the fresh apples and pears baked into the cobbler. The dish is a mixture of Granny Smith apples and ripe pears mixed with sugar, cinnamon, and allspice, topped with a cake-like batter, and baked in the oven. Delicious!!

Lentil Salad With Chiles

"Lentil Salad with Chiles" (page 78) is a combination of cooked brown lentils, tomatoes, celery, green onions, hot or mild chiles (depending on personal preference), mixed with a sherry or balsamic vinegar based dressing (I opted for balsamic). When reviewing the dressing ingredients, I was initially stumped on what to use in place of the ¼ cup olive oil, a significant quantity, and too much "ingredient" to just totally leave out. What I decided on was a combination of 2 TBL veggie broth, 1 TBL light miso paste, and 1 TBL of sherry - perfection! Complex flavor, necessary amount of moistness, and no fat! This salad is delicious and the leftovers improve after a day in the refrigerator.

Ted's Artichoke & Green Bean Bake

"Ted's Artichoke and Green Bean Bake" (page 354) is a delicious casserole chock full of vegetables: green beans, onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, mushrooms, and artichokes. Some of the veggies are sautéed, and others are steamed, then all are combined in a thickened sauce before transferring to a casserole dish to be baked in the oven. Bread crumbs and vegan parmesan top things off for a nice light "crust". I left out the oil when sautéing the veggies, and at that point, instead of trying to incorporate flour into a fairly dry skillet, I mixed it with the veggie broth in a blender until smooth, then added this mixture to the veggies and cooked until thickened. Who is Ted, you might be asking? Ted is the father of one of the recipe testers for this book, who himself was writing a cookbook when he died in 1998. Hurricane Katrina destroyed many of his recipes, but happily, not this one. My only complaint about this dish was it didn't thicken up as much as I would have liked. When I make it next time, I'll try using more flour.

Vegan Eggs Benedict

"Vegan Eggs Benedict" (page 511) is fun food! It's also very delicious, and pretty to look at. Circles of tofu (tinted yellow with a bit of turmeric) stand in for the eggs and vegan Canadian bacon for the ham. Toasted English muffins are layered with a slice of tomato, a tofu circle, and a slice of Canadian bacon, smothered in Hollandaze Sauce (see review below), then topped off with a sprinkle of minced parsley for garnish. According to the recipe, you can get six "egg" circles out of a pound of tofu, but I was only able to get four without making the slices of tofu much too thin to work with. I did end up with some residual tofu pieces which I added to a soup dish later in the week. To keep this dish oil free, dry-fry the tofu and bacon in a nonstick skillet. Also, leave the margarine off the toasted English muffins - really, you won't even miss it with the rich flavor of the Hollandaze Sauce!

Hollandaze Sauce

You might think hollandaise sauce is off the menu if you are vegan, but not so! This version of "Hollandaze Sauce" (page 552) is creamy, rich, and perfect in all the same dishes you would use traditional hollandaise, such as steamed broccoli or cauliflower, and of course, on Vegan Eggs Benedict (review to follow soon). The vegan version found here is a blend of cashews, nutritional yeast, water, lemon juice, spices, and melted vegan margarine. Instead of the 3 tablespoons margarine, I used about 1/4 - 1/3 cup water, only because without some additional liquid, the sauce would have been too thick. With the richness and natural fat found in the cashews, you really won't miss the margarine at all if you leave it out. This is a very rich sauce, and a little goes a long way. As good as it is, I am definitely reserving this for very special occasions.

Madeira Mushroom Sauté

The "Madeira Mushroom Sauté" (page 372) provided me my first opportunity to purchase and cook with Madeira. (Turns out Madeira is a lot like Sherry, or even Vermouth, so either one of these would also work well in this recipe if you were unable to find Madeira.) Fresh and dried mushrooms are sautéed with shallots and diced tomatoes, and seasoned with parsley and thyme. This topping would be good on any cooked grain, or creamy polenta, or, as I did, spooned over Basic Mashed Potatoes (reviewed below). To keep this oil free, simply omit the olive oil when sautéing the veggies, and use a little extra Madeira, broth, or water.

Basic Mashed Potatoes

In my mind, there aren't many foods as satisfying as "Basic Mashed Potatoes" (page 373). The recipe as written includes just 4 simple ingredients - Yukon Gold potatoes, soymilk, margarine, and salt.  Since I choose not to use margarine or oil when I cook, I replaced this with a little extra soymilk, plus I added a couple tablespoons of nutritional yeast to add a richness of flavor to the mash. I also find using vegetable broth instead of soymilk, along with the nutritional yeast, creates a delightful blend of flavors.  What's not to like about mashed potatoes?

Spinach & Mushroom Strata

Strata is a layered dish, as the name might imply, and the layers in "Spinach and Mushroom Strata" (page 511) include onion, garlic, cubed bread, and vegan cheese, as well as the spinach and mushroom.  Each layer is moistened with a blend of seasoned tofu and soymilk, and allowed to sit for a while to soak up the liquid before baking. The sprinkling of smoked paprika gives the dish a complex flavor, hinting at the flavors of bacon or ham. This dish seemed hearty enough to serve as a dinner entrée, and that is what I did.  To keep this McDougall friendly, I omitted the oil when sautéing the veggies. It's hard to find an oil-free vegan cheese, but if you can, be sure to use it in this recipe. Also look for a whole grain French or Italian bread to further boost the nutritional value.

Lemon-Kissed Blueberry Waffles (or Pancakes)

Since I don't have a waffle iron, I was pleased to see that the "Lemon-Kissed Blueberry Waffles" recipe (page 518) could be used for pancake batter too (as can the other two waffle recipes in this book). Flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour) and old-fashioned oats, sugar, cinnamon and baking powder are blended with soymilk, fresh lemon juice, plus lemon zest, and fresh blueberries (although frozen would work too if fresh weren't available).  I replaced the ¼ cup melted margarine in the batter with an equal amount of applesauce which added tenderness and a touch more sweet, and eliminated 46 grams of fat in the process. I used a non-stick skillet to cook the pancakes, so no additional oil was needed there either. These pancakes are delicious topped with warmed pure maple syrup.

Tempeh Reuben Sandwiches

After eating several vegan renditions of the classic Reuben sandwich, I can honestly say I enjoy the meatless variety far more than I ever enjoyed the original. The "Tempeh Reuben Sandwiches" (page 107) consist of lightly browned tempeh, drained sauerkraut, and a simple 1000 Island style dressing, on rye or pumpernickel bread, grilled in a skillet.  By using oil-free mayo when making the dressing, and "dry-frying" (browning) the tempeh, you eliminate at least ¼ cup of oil.  Instead of grilling the sandwiches in margarine in a skillet, simply toast the bread in a toaster, then put the sandwich together with the dressing, warm tempeh, and sauerkraut.  Just as delicious, but without any added oil.  These sandwiches are also good using baked tofu or thin slices of seitan in place of the tempeh.

Black Bean Soup with a Splash

"Black Bean Soup with a Splash" (page 159) is a simple purée of black beans, broth, and veggies, livened up with a splash of sherry.  The recipe suggests serving the sherry on the side in a cruet or shot glasses for a fun presentation, and to let each diner "splash" to their liking. I added the full amount directly into the soup, since it was just me and my husband enjoying this.  By leaving the tablespoon of oil out when sautéing the veggies, the entire recipe becomes McDougall friendly.  I like to prepare simple relishes to top puréed soups, so in addition to the suggested parsley, I diced up tomato and green onion as well. You may want to thin the soup down with a little extra broth if you find, like me, it came out too thick. This makes a delightful first course soup, or turn it into a meal by adding a salad and fresh whole grain bread.

Mango & Snow Pea Salad

It's really the peanut dressing that makes the "Mango and Snow Pea Salad" (page 58) a standout creation. Definitely a bit on the high-fat side from the peanut butter, and the chopped peanut topping, but a little really does a long way so no need to over dress. The salad consists of romaine lettuce, snow peas, mangos, carrots, and cucumber, with each vegetable adding a range of texture, color, and flavor. This is a very flavorful salad that can also be transformed into a main dish meal with the addition of cooked noodles. The recipe was within McDougall guidelines as written, so no changes were necessary.