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EAST-WEST BREAKFAST

Preparation Time:  15 minutes (need cooked potatoes and rice)
Cooking Time:  10 minutes
Servings:  4

1 cup vegetable broth
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
½ cup chopped celery
2 large firm red potatoes, boiled and chunked
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon ground cumin
dash Tabasco sauce (optional)

Place ½ cup of the broth in a large non-stick frying pan.  Add the onion, bell pepper and celery.  Cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.  Add the potatoes and the remaining broth and cook an additional 5 minutes.  Stir in the rice, spinach, soy sauce and cumin.  Cook and stir until heated through and spinach has softened slightly.  Season with a dash or two of Tabasco sauce, if desired.    

Hint:  Serve this plain, or with salsa.  Roll it up in a tortilla for something different.  This keeps well in the refrigerator and reheats well.

GAZPACHO

Preparation Time:  30 minutes
Chilling Time:  3-4 hours
Servings:  8

4 cups tomato juice
1  15 ounce can chopped tomatoes
1 cup finely chopped cucumber
½ cup finely chopped red onion
½ cup finely chopped celery
½ cup finely chopped bell pepper
½ cup corn kernels
¼ cup finely chopped green onion
¼ cup chopped mild green chilies
¼ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
1-2 cloves minced fresh garlic
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lime juice

Combine all of the ingredients in a large container and mix well. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.

Hint:  The ingredients may be finely chopped in a food processor to save time.  Don’t let them get too mushy!  For a spicier Gazpacho, add several drops of Tabasco or other hot sauce as desired, before chilling.  Then taste after the initial chilling time and add more if you wish.

RAINBOW SALAD

This salad is also wonderful to take to a picnic.  It keeps well in a cooler and everyone loves it!

Preparation Time:  15 minutes (cooked rice needed)
Chilling Time:  2 hours
Servings:  6-8

3 cups cooked brown rice
1  15 ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1  15 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1  15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
¼ cup chopped red onion
¼ cup chopped pimiento
2 tablespoons chopped black olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
¾ cup oil-free honey-mustard salad dressing
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce

Place the rice and beans in a large bowl and combine.  Add the corn, peas, onion, pimiento, olives and cilantro.  Toss well to mix.  Combine the salad dressing, soy sauce and Tabasco in a mixing cup and whisk until smooth.  Pour over the salad and mix well.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.  

Hints:  Many varieties of oil-free salad dressings are available in supermarkets and natural food stores.  It is also very simple to make your own salad dressings.  Feel free to use whichever dressing you like in this recipe.  Taste salad after it has been refrigerated for an hour or so and adjust seasonings as necessary.  Use reduced sodium soy sauce if you prefer.

THAI NOODLES

This is a wonderful meal for hot summer nights because it requires minimal cooking and it may be made completely ahead of time and served cold or at room temperature.  It also keeps well in a cooler so it is a great picnic food.

Preparation Time:  30 minutes
Cooking Time:  10 minutes
Servings:  4

12-14 ounces linguini (broken in half)
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup natural peanut butter, creamy
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1-2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce (see hints)
¼  teaspoon sesame oil (optional-see hints)
3 tablespoons vegetable broth
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 ½ cups mung bean sprouts
1 ½ cups shredded carrots
7 ounces baked seasoned tofu, thinly sliced
chopped cilantro
chopped peanuts (optional)

Prepare noodles according to package directions.  Drain and set aside. 

Meanwhile, combine the honey, peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili-garlic sauce and the sesame oil in a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.  Set aside.  Place the broth in a non-stick frying pan with the onions, garlic and ginger.  Cook, stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes.  Add the sauce, mix well and heat through.  Pour over the noodles and toss well to mix.  Add the bean sprouts, carrots and tofu and toss again to mix.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Let each person add chopped cilantro and/or chopped peanuts, if desired. 

Hints:  Rice vinegar and chili garlic sauce may be found in most supermarkets in the oriental section. One brand of chili-garlic sauce is made by Huy Fong Foods.  It is quite spicy, so you may need to adjust the amount used according to your tastes.  I use a small amount of sesame oil in this recipe for the unique taste it adds to foods.  It may be omitted, if desired.  This dish keeps well in the refrigerator and may also be served cold.  This is great to fix on those busy evenings when everyone is eating at different times because it tastes best at room temperature.

FRESH FRUIT COBBLER

Be sure to use sweet, ripe, seasonal fruit in this recipe.  Peaches and nectarines are delicious.  For a fresh strawberry pie, see hint below.

Preparation Time:  30 minutes
Cooking Time:  45 minutes
Servings:  8

4 cups sliced fresh peaches or nectarines
1/3 cup apricot preserves
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons flour
½  cup quick cooking oats
2 tablespoons cornmeal
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place the sliced peaches in a bowl.  Combine the preserves, lemon juice and nutmeg together in another bowl.  Spoon over the peaches and mix gently.  Sprinkle the flour on the top and then mix again.  Place in a 9 inch pie plate.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Place the oats and cornmeal in a bowl.  Combine maple syrup and vanilla and pour over the oat mixture.  Mix well. 

Remove the cobbler from the oven and reduce heat to 350 degrees.  Crumble the oat mixture over the pie filling and return to oven.  Bake for an additional 15 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.  Scoop the cobbler out with a large spoon and serve with Vanilla Soy Ice Cream for a special treat.  May be served warm or cold.

Hint:  For a fresh strawberry pie, substitute sliced fresh strawberries for the peaches and strawberry preserves for the apricot preserves.  Reduce the initial baking time by 10 minutes.

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