Tahini-Lemon Sauce

I made the "Lemon Tahini Sauce" (page 558) specifically for the pita bread Falafel Sandwiches, and it was absolutely the perfect finishing touch for these pocket bread sandwiches. Made from tahini, fresh garlic, lemon juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, and parsley, the combination of flavors are vibrant and addictive. The recipe calls for 2 Tablespoons of sesame oil. I literally used about 2 drops of oil, probably less than ¼ teaspoon, just to intensify the sesame flavor a little bit. But the tahini already brings the sesame flavor to the mix, so not too much oil is really necessary, in fact, you could probably leave it out altogether and still have an awesome sauce. The tahini I used was quite thin compared to some other brands I've had in the past, but if you are using the thicker paste, the recipe allows for this by having you add a little water to the mixture to thin it down. The recipe suggests using this on any number of things - baked tofu, greens, rice and beans, even cooked noodles - and I plan to try them all!

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.

Green-Green Guacamole

"Green-Green Guacamole" (page 9) is an excellent way to enjoy the rich flavor of guacamole with a little less of the fat. Instead of using just avocado, this recipe incorporates shelled edamame and steamed zucchini, cutting the avocado portion about in half. In addition to the base of avocado, edamame, and zucchini, the dip is seasoned and flavored with garlic, salt and fresh lemon juice. To keep the preparation simple, I softened the sliced zucchini in the microwave (instead of sautéing in a skillet). I also did the same thing with the edamame, instead of boiling them in a saucepan. These two shortcuts saved me time and having to use both a skillet and saucepan. However, if you don't care to use a microwave, the directions as written accommodate this preference. I also chose not to cook the garlic (the recipe has you sautéing this with the zucchini), but I like the bite of raw garlic, especially in guacamole. I just added the raw cloves into the food processor along with everything else. Enjoy this totally delicious dip anywhere you would any guacamole.

Potato Salad with Seitan Strips & Tarragon-Mustard Vinaigrette

"Potato Salad with Seitan Strips and Tarragon-Mustard Vinaigrette" (page 71) makes a hearty and filling entrée salad. Cooked potatoes, red onion, and celery are added to browned strips of seitan, and then all is dressed with a delicious vinaigrette. There were a couple of challenges trying to keep this dish oil free, as one tablespoon of olive oil is called for to brown the seitan, and another 1/3 cup used in the dressing. Browning the seitan was easy in my non-stick skillet, so that challenge was quickly overcome. But whenever a recipe calls for as much as 1/3 cup of oil, I know I can't just "leave it out". It really is the main ingredient in this dressing. I decided to substitute the oil with an equal amount of light broth which I thickened with ¼ teaspoon of guar gum (simply mix the guar gum into cooled broth and let sit a few minutes to thicken). I used the other ingredients in the dressing (Dijon, garlic, vinegar, and tarragon) exactly as written. This came out fabulous! This salad was so good, I probably could have eaten the entire recipe by myself, but I went ahead and shared it with my husband. He thanked me for that!

Tempeh Tantrum Burgers

The "Tempeh Tantrum Burgers" (page 118) are the first listed in the "Burgers" section, and the 9th one I've tried so far out of a total of 11. I've totally enjoyed this section, as I'm a big fan of veggie burgers in general, and happy to have so many options that don't utilize TVP (texturized vegetable proteins, usually soy). I really liked this preparation, it was hearty and chewy, and held up well on a bun (along with all the assorted condiments added afterwards). Along with tempeh, the burgers are made with onion, walnuts, oats, and assorted seasonings. Everything is combined in a food processor and shaped into patties (again, as is usually the case, the recipe calls for 4 patties, but I got 6, as I like them a bit thinner). The recipe instructions say to fry the patties in 3 tablespoons of oil, but I omitted the oil completely and just browned them in my non-stick skillet. These will definitely be showing up on my menu again.

Parmasio

It's getting easier and easier to find most of the "unusual" ingredients I cook with, even without having to search out natural food co-ops, yet one item that still seems to be hit and miss when I'm not near a Whole Foods or Sprouts, is vegan parmesan cheese. But now that I've found the recipe for "Parmasio" (page 193), I'll never have to worry about this again! A blend of toasted sesame seeds, nutritional yeast, and salt ground to a powder in a food processor, Parmasio stands in perfectly wherever parmesan is called for in a recipe. Robin Robertson named this for the Japanese condiment, Gomasio, made from sesame seeds and salt. The nutritional yeast gives it the cheesy component. You'll never miss dairy-based parmesan if you have Parmasio on hand.

Chilled Carrot Soup

The "Chilled Carrot Soup" (page 183) was perfect the day I made it, which was a couple of weeks ago, when it was still quite warm outside. (Today, the second day of Autumn, and the weather has turned decidedly cold here in Northeastern Michigan.) I have enjoyed the chilled soups in this cookbook, and wanted to make all 13 of them before the end of the summer, but only got through five. Now I have something to look forward to next summer! This recipe was very easy to keep within my oil-free guidelines by simply omitting the oil when sautéing the vegetables. The soup itself was a breeze to make, just simmering onion, carrots, tomatoes, and seasonings in broth until everything was tender, than puréeing and chilling. After the soup is completely chilled, fresh lime juice and coconut milk is added, along with a garnish of minced basil or cilantro (I used basil). If you are avoiding coconut milk because of the high fat content, especially the saturated fat, do what I do - substitute 1.5 cups of soymilk (or other non-dairy milk) mixed with ½ teaspoon of coconut extract. This works really well, adding creaminess and coconut flavor without the unhealthy fats. Tip for making this recipe a little easier: unless you buy your carrots shredded already, there is no need to shred them before simmering them, since everything ends up in the blender anyway - just cut them into chunks. This was an elegant soup that went perfect with the Rice Salad with Cashews & Dried Papaya.

 

Rice Salad with Cashews & Dried Papaya

The "Rice Salad with Cashews & Dried Papaya" (page 84) is a tropic delight! If you have cooked brown rice already on hand, this salad comes together very quickly. Toss the rice with roasted cashews, green onions, and sliced dried papaya. Toss with the dressing, and you're ready to go. The dressing calls for 1/3 cup oil, which I omitted. Instead, I added a little extra lime juice (along with the ginger and agave nectar) and that was enough to moisten the salad sufficiently. I am so used to eating the food I prepare with no added oil, the thought of adding that amount to a salad really sounds overwhelming to me! Leftovers held up well, so we were able to enjoy this over the course of a couple of days.

Chickpea-Tomato Wraps

So far I have loved every wrap recipe in this book, and the "Chickpea-Tomato Wraps" (page 114) are no exception. A quick and easy meal, especially nice on hot days when cooking something on the stove or in the oven is unappealing. Mashed chickpeas are mixed with sun-dried tomatoes, celery, onion, and parsley, then moistened with mayonnaise and spicy mustard. Wrap this up in the flat bread of your choice (flour tortillas or lavash flatbread is suggested in the recipe) along with lettuce leaves, and dinner (or lunch) is on the table in no time at all. If you are using marinated sun dried tomatoes, be sure to rinse the oil off before adding to the recipe. Use vegan oil-free mayonnaise, and whole grain wraps to keep things as healthy and McDougall friendly as possible.

Tempeh Cacciatore

"Tempeh Cacciatore" (page 300) is the vegan answer to this normally meat based dish. Browned tempeh is stewed with onion, bell pepper, onion, garlic, tomatoes, wine and Italian style seasonings. If you are a tempeh fan, you will love this preparation, as tempeh is the main star in this dish. To keep it McDougall friendly, I omitted the oil when browning the tempeh and veggies; no other changes were necessary. This can be served over noodles, rice, or potatoes.

White Bean Salad with Fennel & Avocado

Bean salads are great on hot summer days, and the "White Bean Salad with Fennel & Avocado" (page 77) is especially delicious. So many wonderful flavors - sweet tomatoes, pungent kalamata olives, creamy avocado, the distinct taste of fennel, and the tang of red onion - all blend delightfully with any variety of white beans (I used cannellini, the first choice offered in the recipe). The dressing for this calls for a vinaigrette style mixture, including ¼ cup olive oil (around 50 grams of fat!), but I omitted the oil and the lemon juice, and instead just moistened the salad with the juice from one lime. The tomatoes add some moisture, and the avocado adds creaminess, so I didn't miss the oil at all. I also added fresh minced garlic, a nice touch if, like me, you love garlic on just about everything! J

Chilled Avocado-Tomato Soup

The "Chilled Avocado-Tomato Soup" (page 182) was another wonderful recipe that required no adjustments to keep it McDougall friendly. Just a handful of ingredients (garlic, avocado, tomato, and tomato juice) whipped up in the blender, chilled 2-3 hours, with a last minute addition of fresh avocado and basil leaves, plus a few seasonings. Perfect on a hot summer day!

Rainbow Slaw

I'm always thrilled when I find a recipe that I don't have to alter to fit into the McDougall guidelines I've adopted for my way of eating. "Rainbow Slaw" (page 74) is one of those recipes, and one of nine slaw recipes in this book. Of the four I've tried so far, this one is my favorite. I mentioned before that I'm more a fan of creamy coleslaws as opposed to vinegar based ones. Rainbow Slaw is definitely a creamy style slaw, using vegan vanilla yogurt for the dressing. The veggies include cabbage, carrot, fennel, and green onions, while the fruit (yes, fruit!), consists of a pear or apple (I used an apple) and dried cranberries. The sweet flavors provided by the fruit and vanilla yogurt made this into more of a fruit salad than not. I really loved this salad, and I might make a double batch next time, as it keeps very well in the refrigerator.