May 2005
Vol. 4, No. 5
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Featured Recipes
TOFU TVP
I have made my own variation of tofu TVP for over 25 years, using
traditional, firm, water-packed tofu. Most commercial TVP products are
made with isolated soy protein, so by making your own version this can
be avoided. This needs to be prepared ahead of time, and refrigerated
or dried for future use. Then it is used in recipes that call for TVP
or “crumbled soy” products. (For problems with concentrated soy protein
products – as opposed to traditional soy foods – see the April 2005
McDougall Newsletter article: Soy – Food, Wonder Drug, or Poison?)
This makes about 2 cups.
1 package firm, water-packed tofu
Place the package of tofu directly into the freezer and freeze for several days. Remove from freezer and let thaw. (See hints below.) When completely thawed, break off pieces of the tofu and squeeze well to remove all excess water. Crumble into small pieces and place in a bowl. Repeat until all the tofu has been crumbled and it looks like cream-colored “soy crumbles”. Season with 1 ½ tablespoons of tamari or soy sauce and a few dashes of garlic powder, if desired. Now it is ready to use in recipes. It may be refrigerated at this point for use within a couple of days, or it may be dried to keep it even longer. To dry, place crumbled tofu on a baking sheet and bake at 250 degrees for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally and checking to make sure it doesn’t burn. Store in an airtight container.
Hints: The tofu may be thawed in several ways. Leave the unopened package on the counter for several hours, then open and place in a colander for further thawing. To quick thaw, place the unopened container in a bowl with hot water, change water frequently until sufficiently thawed to place in colander. Or just leave the unopened package in the refrigerator until thawed. Freezing tofu changes its consistency and makes it more “spongy” and chewy. The dried tofu may be added to recipes as a meat substitute in the dry form, or it may be reconstituted first by mixing it with some warm water and allowing to “rest” for about 10 minutes before using.
GLOBAL BEAN STEW
I have prepared this stew several times during the past few weeks, with
different variations. It is very similar to a stew made with soy
sausage in a previous newsletter. However, since I am trying not to use
as many concentrated soy protein products, I have prepared this with
grains instead of soy. The grains used may be varied, making this dish
truly international. I never have enough left over to freeze, but if
you do have some left, it may be frozen for later use. We like this
plain in a bowl, over brown rice, or scooped up with baked tortilla
chips.
Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 60 minutes
3 cups vegetable broth
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups baby potatoes, chunked
2 15 ounce cans white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
1 ½ cups prepared hummus
1 ½ tablespoons parsley flakes
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon basil
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 to ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ cup cooked quinoa
1 ½ cups thinly sliced fresh spinach
Place ½ cup of the broth in a large pot. Add onion, celery, carrot, bell pepper and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add remaining broth, potatoes and beans. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and cook for 30 minutes. Add tomato sauce, hummus and seasonings. Cook an additional 10 minutes. Add cooked quinoa, mix well and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook an additional 2 minutes.
Hints: This may be made with other cooked grains, such as bulgur, kasha, millet, rice or even whole wheat couscous (which is not a grain, but a pasta). Most natural food stores sell prepared low-fat hummus or you can easily make your own by pureeing cooked garbanzo beans with a small amount of broth, garlic and salt. This may also be made with garbanzo beans instead of the white beans. If you can’t find baby potatoes, use larger red potatoes and chop them into bite-sized chunks. If you want to use chard or kale instead of the spinach, it will need to cook about 5 additional minutes.
CURRIED RED LENTIL SALAD
By Alex Bury - Cooking Instructor McDougall Program
Alex prepared this salad during the April 2005 McDougall Program and
even those people who thought they didn't like curry, loved it!
This is an excellent summer meal for those hot days that are coming.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Chilling Time: 1-2 hours
Servings: 4-6
2 cups red lentils, picked through
2 cups water or vegetable stock
1 onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup white wine or water
1-2 tablespoons curry powder, to taste
1 head of cauliflower cut into florets
1 small apple, chopped
¼ cup currants
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauceCook the lentils in water or vegetable stock until they are tender and still whole, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, sauté the onions and garlic in the wine or water for 3 minutes. Then add the curry powder and cauliflower florets. Cook, stirring, until the cauliflower is tender-crisp. Add the cauliflower mixture to the lentils and mix in the apple and currants. Season with balsamic vinegar and soy sauce. Serve cold.
Hints: Balsamic vinegar is made by aging grape juice in barrels. In general, the more expensive the balsamic, the better flavor it will have.
BEAN &
TOMATO SALAD
By Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
–
Cooking Instructor McDougall Program
Colleen is one of the new cooking instructors for the McDougall Program. She presented this recipe during the last McDougall weekend and everyone loved it. It is very easy to prepare and makes a delicious meal on those hot summer nights when you don’t feel like heating up the kitchen with your stove.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Chilling Time: 1-2 hours (optional)
Servings: 4
2 15 ounce cans white
cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
3 or 4 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 medium size red onion, diced
Zest of 2 lemons
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Assortment of fresh herbs: marjoram, basil, thyme, sage - chopped
3 tablespoons Champagne or sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
Juice from 1 lemon
Salt and pepper
Mix the beans and tomatoes together in a large bowl. Add the onions, lemon zest, garlic, and fresh herbs and mix well. Add the vinegar and lemon juice, season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss to mix well. Cover and refrigerate before serving for best flavor.
Hints: Other white beans you may use are Great Northern and Navy. Use the freshest tomatoes you can find for the best results in this recipe. Vary the kinds used for visual enhancement and delicious flavors. You will need about ¼ to 1/3 cup of fresh herbs-choose one kind or a mixture of several. Add more or less vinegar to suit your own tastes.
CREAMY CHILI DRESSING
By Eric Malvestiti – Chef for the McDougall Program, Santa Rosa, CA
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Servings: makes about 1 ½ cups
1
package silken tofu
½ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons chili powder
Black pepper to taste
pinch crushed red pepper (optional)
Place the first 5 ingredients in a blender jar and process until very smooth. Add the chili powder in stages so it doesn’t become too chili-flavored (you can always add more later). Adjust seasonings to taste. Refrigerate until serving time, or use immediately.
Hints: If you like a thinner dressing, add a bit of water to the blender jar while processing. This will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.
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John McDougall All Rights Reserved