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Table of Contents

Other Books by Robin RobertsonTitle PageCopyright PageDedicationAcknowledgementsIntroductionchapter 1 - a quick-fix vegetarian kitchen

about the recipesselected shortcutsdinners of conveniencebest-made plans: stocking the quick-

fix vegetarian pantrymeal enhancerslists: grocery shopping and menu

planningmarathon cookingplanning for leftovers

about the ingredientsa word about vegetablesabout meat and dairy alternativesbuilt for speedkitchen equipmentmaking the most of the microwaveslow-cooking in a fast-food worldcooking for a crowd: panic-free

partiesconvenience foodsstore-bought or

homemaderecipes are veganbasic recipes

chapter 2 - appetizers

guacamole roll-ups serves 4pastry-wrapped stuffed olives makes

16 to 20mango lettuce wraps serves 4herbed mushroom crostini serves 6tomato and olive bruschetta serves 4

to 6

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spinach and sun-dried tomato quesa-dillas serves 4

polenta with two-tomato toppingserves 4

tapenade pastry twists makes about24

green onion hummus with lime makesabout 2 cups

artichoke dip with a twist serves 8green olive-edamame dip makes

about 1 cupsred pepper and walnut spread makes

about 2 cupsfast and fresh spinach-edamame dip

makes about 1 cupsharissa-spiced white bean dip makes

about 1 cupspita triangles makes 64

chapter 3 - soups

creamy tortilla soup serves 4

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alphabet vegetable soup serves 4chipotle-kissed black bean soup

serves 4chickpea and tomato soup with dita-

lini serves 4mushroom and white bean soup

serves 4minestrone in minutes serves 4cream of pumpkin soup topped with

curried pecans serves 4corn chowder with limas serves 4red lentil soup serves 4barley and bean soup with rainbow

chard serves 4phast phresh pho serves 4miso soup with soba and watercress

serves 4hot and sour noodle soup serves 4chilled cucumber avocado soup serves

4fast and fresh gazpacho serves 4 to 6

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chapter 4 - salads that make the meal

mediterranean orzo salad serves 4southwestern pasta salad with

avocado-serrano dressing serves 4black bean and rice salad with roasted

red peppers and corn serves 4mixed baby greens with pears, pecans,

and polenta strips serves 4shredded fennel, radicchio, and penne

salad with bits of walnut and orange ...tabbouleh with dried fruit and wal-

nuts serves 4quinoa salad with roasted asparagus,

white beans, and red peppers serves 4thai noodle salad with peanut sauce

serves 4japanese soba salad serves 4cellophane noodle salad serves 4tahini green bean salad with baked

tofu serves 4

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chutney rice salad with pineapple andpeanuts serves 4

sesame-spinach salad with mangoserves 4

waldorf-inspired coleslaw serves 4 to6

warm potato salad with cherry toma-toes and fresh basil serves 4

meze in minutes serves 4

chapter 5 - sandwiches and wraps

potato dosadillas serves 2 to 4lemon-braised tofu-hummus wraps

serves 4mediterranean muffuletta sandwich

serves 4oyster mushroom poboys serves 2peanut butter and tomato quesadillas

serves 2oh-so-sloppy joes serves 4california club sandwiches serves 2

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avocado salad wraps serves 2curried tofu egg salad pitas serves 4rockin reu bens serves 4grilled garden sandwiches serves 4artichoke-hummus wraps with spin-

ach tortillas serves 4

chapter 6 - skillet suppersflashes in thepan

sicilian couscous serves 4rapini with orzo and sun-dried toma-

toes serves 4quinoa pilaf with spinach, apples, and

walnuts serves 4jasmine rice fantasy serves 4quick stove-top cassoulet serves 4mushroom bulgur pilaf serves 4curried couscous and vegetables

serves 4joggin john serves 4

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barley pilaf with white beans andbroccoli serves 4

sauted cabbage and onions with veg-gie sausage links serves 4

pretty quick pinto picadillo serves 4sauted seitan with green peas and

mushrooms serves 4stir-fried tofu and vegetable teriyaki

serves 4seitan with braised radicchio and red

onions serves 4potato and onion pierogi with broccoli

and walnuts serves 4panko-crusted tofu cutlets with

lemon-caper sauce serves 4tempeh with coconut-peanut sauce

serves 4

chapter 7 - using your noodle (and pasta)

radiatore with chickpeas, baby spin-ach, and sun-dried tomatoes - serves 4

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spicy ziti with olives and capers -serves 4

fusilli and summer vegetables withbasil-cannellini sauce - serves 4

penne and roasted asparagus with or-ange gremolata - serves 4

farfalle with fresh tomato concasseand black olives - serves 4

capellini with white bean and greenolive tapenade - serves 4

tri-color fettuccine with rainbowchard, golden raisins, and pine nuts - ...

spaghetti with red lentil sauce - serves4

linguine with cherry tomatoes andfive-herb pesto - serves 4

soba noodles with asian greens andslivers of tofu - serves 4

ginger sesame noodles with broccoliserves 4

linguine with edamame pesto - serves4

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udon noodles and baby bok choy withcreamy tahini sauce - serves 4

spicy coconut rice noodles with tofuand cilantro - serves 4

indonesian-style noodles - serves 4

chapter 8 - one-dish wondersoven-bakedmeals

pdq potpie serves 4couscous shepherds pie - serves 4polenta and pinto bean pie - serves 4couscous gratin with peas and pimi-

entos - serves 4beat-the-clock spinach lasagna -

serves 4roasted winter vegetables with seitan

chunks and brown gravy - serves 4reinventing the quiche - serves 4 to 6layered tortilla casserole with

guacamole - serves 6

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faster-than-takeout grilled vegetablepizza serves 4

portobello mushrooms stuffed withartichoke hearts and pine nuts - serves 4

zucchini and pesto strata - serves 4baked red beans and rice - serves 4

chapter 9 - slow-cooker salvation

one hot potato soup - serves 4 to 6better than moms lentil soup - serves

4 to 6three-bean soup - serves 4 to 6brandy-laced french onion soup -

serves 4 to 6sweet and spicy stuffed peppers -

serves 4balsamic-braised seitan and winter

vegetables - serves 4five-minute slow-cooker chili - serves

4 to 6farmers market stew - serves 4

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jamaican red bean stew - serves 4 to 6slow-cooked layered vegetables -

serves 4indian-style vegetable stew - serves 4garden vegetable strata - serves 4quick brown rice-stuffed buttercup

squash - serves 4chunky fresh pear and apple sauce

with cranberries - makes about 4 cups

chapter 10 - sauces in a snap

fast tomato salsayour way - makesabout 2 cups

roasted red pepper sauce - makesabout 1 cups

spinach-walnut pesto - makes about1 cups

meyer lemon sauce - makes about 1cup

harissa in a hurry - makes about 1 cup

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rich red wine sauce - makes about 1cup

creamy mustard dipping sauce -makes about cup

ginger coconut sauce - makes about 1cup

black bean sauce with sherry - makesabout 1 cups

golden garbanzo sauce - makes about2 cups

creamy chutney-cashew sauce - makesabout 1 cup

white bean and almond skordalia -makes about 2 cups

chapter 11 - no-fuss desserts

no-bake oatmeal cookies with al-monds and dried cranberries - makesabout 2 dozen

pecan shortbread cookies - makesabout 20

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favorite fruit crisp - serves 4 to 6tropical mango pastry purses - serves

4rustic plum tart - serves 6chocolate-peanut butter pastry pack-

ets - serves 4 to 8lemon sorbet pie with toasted al-

monds and fresh berries - serves 8pineapple-apricot couscous cake -

serves 6banana-pecan fantasy - serves 4blushing poached pears with walnuts

and cranberries - serves 4chocolate-cherry truffles - makes

about 3 dozenchocolate-banana pudding - serves 4skewered fruit with a trio of dipping

sauces - serves 4fresh berry coulis - makes about 1

cupssecret vanilla sauce - makes 1 cup

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dark chocolate yum sauce - makesabout 1 cup

pineapple-apricot sauce - makesabout 2 cups

index

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Other Books by RobinRobertson

Peanut Butter PlanetApocalypse Chow! (with Jon Robertson)Carb-Conscious VegetarianFresh from the Vegetarian Slow CookerVegan PlanetThe Vegetarian Meat and PotatoesCookbookPasta for All SeasonsRice and SpiceThe Sacred Kitchen (with Jon Robertson)The Vegetarian Chili CookbookSome Like It HotThe Soy Gourmet366 Simply Delicious Dairy-Free Recipes366 Healthful Ways to Cook Tofu and OtherMeat Alternatives

Quick-Fix Vegetarian copyright 2007 by RobinRobertson. All rights reserved. Printed in the United Statesof America. No part of this book may be used or reproducedin any manner whatsoever without written permission ex-

cept in the case of reprints in the context of reviews. For in-formation, write Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC, an

Andrews McMeel Universal company, 4520 Main Street,Kansas City, Missouri 64111.

07 08 09 10 11 RR2 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ISBN-13: 978-0-7407-6374-8 ISBN-10: 0-7407-6374-1

Library of Congress Control Number: 2006051016

All photos istockphoto.com www.andrewsmcmeel.com

ATTENTION: SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSESAndrews McMeel books are available at quantity discountswith bulk purchase for educational, business, or sales pro-

motional use. For information, please write to: Special SalesDepartment, Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC, 4520 Main

Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64111.

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For Laura

acknowledgments

Many people helped make this book a reality.Much gratitude goes to my wonderful recipetesters: Janet Aaronson, Sandy Boss, JulieBouchet-Horwitz, Kim Hammond, ClintonHedges, Lauren Horwitz, Sarah King, San-geeta Kumar, Linda Levy, Gina Myers, andAnna West, with a special thanks to super-tester Laura Frisk, who single-handedlytested more than one-third of these recipesand to whom this book is dedicated. Manythanks to my husband, Jon Robertson, forhis ongoing encouragement and assistanceand to my friend Jannette Patterson for herhelp and support. Thanks also to my agent,Stacey Glick, of Dystel & Goderich LiteraryManagement, and to my editor, Jean Lucas,of Andrews McMeel Publishing, for their en-thusiasm for this project.

introduction

People are always looking for ways to spendless time in the kitchen, and the unlimitedofferings of frozen entres in our supermar-kets and the ubiquity of fast-food restaurantshave made it possible. As a result, however,many of us no longer cook the way we usedto. At the same time, it is clear that eatinghealthier food is vitally important for every-one, especially those who lead busy lives.

To eat better, many people are turning to avegetarian diet, and the good news is thatcooking great vegetarian food has never beeneasier. Once considered a labor-intensivechore, preparing vegetarian meals can nowbe pared down to fit even the busiestschedule.

With Quick-Fix Vegetarian, you will nolonger be limited to microwave entres andfast-food chains for an easy solution to

putting dinner on the table. Whether youre anovice or a seasoned vegetarian, the recipes,tips, and ideas in this book will turn you intoa quick-fix vegetarian cook in no time. Youwill discover the simple techniques, short-cuts, and strategies so fast food no longerhas to mean junk food.

During my years as a restaurant chef, Ilearned how to cook smarter, notharderwhen it was my job to prepare mealsfor customers within ten to fifteen minutes, Ilearned a lot of time-saving tricks. Now thatIm working at home, its important to me toprepare healthful meals each day, but Irarely have the time to spend the day in thekitchen fussing over time-consuming re-cipes. That doesnt mean that I toss frozenentres in the microwave or keep my localChinese takeout on speed-dial. Ive dis-covered something better: good-for-you fastfood that you prepare yourself, economic-ally, and in record time. Flavorful soups,

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tempting salads, rich sauces, fabulous en-tres, and elegant dessertsall designed toget you in and out of the kitchen in thirtyminutes or less.

The 150 delicious and satisfying recipes inQuick-Fix Vegetarian call for fresh produce,grains, pastas, and beans, along with healthyconvenience foods and time-saving shortcutsto help you prepare tasty and nutritiousmeals when theres little time to cook.

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At the same time, Quick-Fix Vegetarian canhelp you master the art of healthy and flavor-ful meals with new shopping and cookingstrategies as well as creative tips for stress-free entertaining. The recipes contain no an-imal ingredients, so they are ideal to serve tovegans and those who are lactose-intolerant.

Quick-Fix Vegetarian can be an invaluableresource to both novices and longtime veget-arians, offering easy ways to integrate smarteating into your life every day and in lesstime than it takes to have a pizza delivered.With uncomplicated main-dish recipes suchas Rapini with Orzo and Sun-Dried Toma-toes, Capellini with White Bean and GreenOlive Tapenade, and Five-Minute Slow-Cooker Chili, Quick-Fix Vegetarian can sim-plify your life and help you put great mealson the table with a minimum of time andeffort.

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chapter 1

a quick-fix vegetarian kitchen

To some people, a meal isnt quick unlessthey pick it up at a drive-through window ornuke it in the microwave. As much as theydlove to put a home-cooked meal on the tableevery night, they complain that theres justno time to cook. With Quick-Fix Vegetarian,the no time to cook excuse can be a thing ofthe past.

The recipes in this book are designed tomake great-tasting vegetarian food as easyand excuse-proof as possible. Lets face it,when getting dinner on the table is fasterthan ordering takeout, the choice is easy.When you prepare quick-fix recipes, yourenot just saving time, you also have the

satisfaction of enjoying delicious home-cooked meals that are healthier and moreeconomical than takeout.

Thats why I developed these quick-cook-ing recipes for appetizers, soups, salads,main dishes, and desserts that take less thanthirty minutes to prepare. Before delving in-to the recipes themselves, Id like to sharesome kitchen tips and time-saving strategiesas well as information about the ingredientsand the recipes.

A quick-fix kitchen is about more thaneasy-to-prepare recipes with short cookingtimes. Its also about keeping a pantry wellstocked with meal-enhancing ingredientsthat can help you save preparation time,keeping a well-organized kitchen, and as-sembling your ingredients before beginninga recipe. Its also about incorporatingstrategies such as having sharp knives andother time-saving equipment, as well asmenu planning and the judicious use of

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convenience foods, many of which are calledfor in the recipes in this book. For those whoprefer to prepare these convenience foods athome, I provide recipes for making many ofthem from scratch, along with descriptionsof their store-bought counterparts.

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about the recipes

First, Id like to clarify what I mean by lessthan thirty minutes to make these recipes.That time includes both the preparation andthe cooking, although it doesnt include thetime it takes to gather your equipment andingredients or to wash your produce.

As a time-saving cooking strategy, con-sider washing and drying your produce whenyou bring it home from the store. That way,your ingredients are ready when you needthem. (Notable exceptions to this suggestionare fragile items such as mushrooms andberries that should only be washed just priorto use.)

At the end of certain recipes, Ive listedQuicker Fix notes. These refer to optional

shortcuts that may be taken, such as using aprepared product in place of a homemadeone. Ive incorporated as many of theseshortcuts into the recipes as possible withoutcompromising the recipe quality.

Exceptions to the less than thirty minutesfrom start to finish rule are recipes that be-nefit from extra chilling time, such asgazpacho, as well as the slow-cooker andoven-baked recipes that are included in thisbook. For those recipes, the prep time is un-der thirty minutes, but the cooking takeslonger.

I especially like the inclusion of slow-cook-er and oven-baked recipes in the quick-fixrepertoire because they take only a fewminutes of preparation time. Once you putthem on to cook, your work is done until itstime to eat. In some ways, they can actuallybe more convenient than recipes made at thelast minute, because you get to decide whento do the prepat your own convenience, not

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right before dinner when everyone isstarving.

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selected shortcuts

My work as a restaurant chef taught me anumber of time-saving tricks, many of whichcan be adapted for the home kitchen. Oneimportant key to saving time in the kitchen isbeing organized. A great way to do this is toassemble your mise en place, which meansgathering ingredients and equipment neededbefore beginning a recipe, including measur-ing out the ingredients. This kitchen time-saver is standard procedure in restaurantkitchens and cooking schools.

Another way to save time is to read and re-read the recipe you will be using. When youare familiar with your recipe, and you haveyour ingredients and equipment at hand, youwill be amazed at how much more easily you

can prepare a meal. Good prep can also helpavoid kitchen mishaps, such as missing in-gredients, wrong pans, or dinner beingburned up while you search for a spice or aspatula. If you do your mise en place prior tomaking each recipe, it will save you time andmay also bump up the quality of yourcooking.

I also encourage you to practice being amore intuitive or instinctive cook. By this, Imean dont be afraid to substitute or changeingredients when it seems appropriate.For example, if you dont like a certain in-gredient in a recipe, just make a reasonablesubstitution for something you do like, suchas replacing tarragon with basil or pintobeans with kidney beans. In most cases, therecipe will turn out just as well; maybe bet-ter, since it will now have your own personaltouch.

The same is true if you find that youre outof an ingredient when youre ready to

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prepare dinner. While its best to plan aheadand make sure in advance that you haveeverything you need in the house, sometimesit just happens that we run out of an ingredi-ent at the last minute. In those cases, ratherthan dropping everything to rush out to thestore, try to determine if you have somethingin the house that can be substituted. Toavoid running out of the ingredients you usemost frequently, keep an ongoing grocery listin the kitchen so you can write down itemsthe minute you run out.

In addition to cooking the quick-fix re-cipes in this book, there are a number of oth-er ways you can get dinner on the table inless time. From convenience-food meals tocooking marathons, here are some greatquick-meal tips that can help you every timeyou plan your meals:

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dinners of convenience

One of the best ways to get in and out of thekitchen quickly is by having a well-stockedpantry. In fact, there are a number of amaz-ingly flavorful meals that can be mademostly with pantry ingredients that Ivecome to think of as convenience foods. Ofcourse, my first choice will always be cookingwith garden fresh or at least store-bought-fresh, preferably organic, ingredients, but forthose times when I run out of fresh ingredi-ents and need to put a meal together in ahurry, these pantry ingredients come inhandy. Keep a supply of your favorite pantryitems on hand, and there will always be themakings of a fine dinner at your fingertips.

One of my favorite pantry meals consistsof sauting garlic in olive oil and adding acan of artichoke hearts, a can of diced toma-toes, and some sliced black olives. You canalso add some capers or chopped roasted redbell peppers, or maybe a can of white beansand a few handfuls of baby spinach, if youhave some. Simply toss this mixture withcooked pasta, and dinner is served. You canalso use it as a topping for your favoritegrain, or on veggie cutlets, bruschetta, tofu,or veggie burgers.

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best-made plans: stocking thequick-fix vegetarian pantry

The better your kitchen is stocked, the morechoices you will have at dinnertime. Here is alist of some ingredients and conveniencefoods that you can use to make a variety ofquick-fix vegetarian meals described in thisbook. I dont list all the basic ingredients thatevery well-stocked kitchen has on hand, butrather the ingredients needed for the short-cuts provided in this book.

Canned beans: Infinitely versatileand convenient, canned beans such aschickpeas, kidney beans, cannellinibeans, black beans, and pintos addprotein and nutrients to salads, pasta

dishes, and grain and veggie dishes.In addition, they can be pureed tomake sauces and dips or mashed tomake burgers and loaves.

Bottled pasta sauce: indispensablefor making a quick and easy pastameal. Doctor up the dish with a pack-age of frozen veggie-burger crumblesor canned beans and a splash of redwine.

Cooked polenta: available refriger-ated in a log shape or boxed in a rect-angular shape. Great topped with chilior a jar of marinara sauce combinedwith canned chickpeas or frozenveggie-burger crumbles.

Soft tortillas: In addition to the usu-al burritos, fajitas, and quesadillas,use soft tortillas to make a variety ofwrap sandwiches, layered casseroles,and even superthin-crust pizzas.

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Quick-cooking grains and pastas:couscous, bulgur, quick-cookingbrown rice, pasta, rice sticks, soba(buckwheat) noodles

Frozen veggie-burger crumbles:Widely available in natural food storesand supermarkets, the taste, texture,and convenience of this productmakes this a great item to keep onhand for quick tacos, chili, sloppyjoes, pasta sauce, lasagna, shepherdspie, and more.

Tofu and tempeh: nutritious soyfoods widely available in supermar-kets and natural food stores. Thesecan be used in a variety of ways andare especially good as high-proteinmeat alternatives.

Seitan (wheat meat): protein-richmeat alternative made from wheat. Itis available refrigerated and frozen innatural food stores.

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Veggie burgers: In addition to cook-ing them as is, veggie burgers can bechopped and used to make chili, pastasauce, or tacos or used in a stuffing forpeppers or other vegetables. They canalso be cut into strips for fajitas,slathered with barbecue sauce, andmuch more.

Pizza shells: Buy ready-to-use pizzashells to make healthy custom pizzastopped

with roasted or grilled veggies, pesto, veggiepepperoni, or your favorite toppingcombination.

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meal enhancers

In addition to the convenience foods listedabove, my kitchen arsenal includes a varietyof exciting sauces and other ingredients thatI use to dress up simple meals. Depending onyour personal taste, consider keeping severalof these ingredients on hand to lend varietyto simple grain, pasta, and vegetable dishesas well as tofu, tempeh, seitan, and veggieburgers:

Vegetable broth (cubes, powder,canned, aseptic carton)

Canned tomato products (diced,whole, puree, paste)

Nondairy milk: soy, rice, oat, almond(aseptic carton)

Dried fruits: raisins, cranberries,apricots, etc.

Light unsweetened coconut milk Tomato salsa Barbecue sauce Chili paste Hoisin sauce Tamari Teriyaki sauce Curry paste or powder Chutney Jerk sauce Peanut butter Tahini (sesame paste) Basil pesto Black and green olives Artichoke hearts (canned and frozen) Sun-dried tomatoes (dried and packed

in oil) Roasted red bell peppers (bottled) Miso paste (light and dark) Vegetarian mushroom gravy

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Minced ginger (bottled) Black or green olive tapenade Soy mayonnaise Dried chiles Capers Almond butter Nuts and seeds

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lists: grocery shopping and menuplanning

A key element to stress-free meal planninginvolves making lists: an ongoing grocery listand a list of menu plans for the week. Hereare some ideas on how to incorporate list-making into your routine:

Keep a list of your familys favoritedishes and rotate them regularly.

Plan meals in advance, serving make-ahead one-dish meals or quick-fixveggie burgers or stir-fries on espe-cially busy nights.

Plan your menus: This doesnt have tobe a formal complete menu plan fromsoup to nuts, but it will help in

grocery shopping and save you timefor the rest of the week if you have agood idea of what you want to makefor dinner. Just a simple jotting downof Monday: pasta; Tuesday: vegetari-an chili; Wednesday: tofu stir-fry;Thursday: veggie burgers, etc., willcue you as you make your grocery listto items you may need to buy to carryout your menu plan. Consider using aseparate calendar just for menuplanning.

Writing out a menu list can help youwrite your grocery list and will cutdown on unnecessary trips to thesupermarket.

Make a master grocery list once andphotocopy it for future use.

Keep your grocery list handy to jotitems on the list as they become low.

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Keep your pantry shelves organized, soyou know where things are at aglance.

Stock up on healthy conveniencefoods, including canned beans,couscous, quick-cooking pastas,frozen veggie burger crumbles, and avariety of condiments.

Keep convenience items on hand thatadd flavor to a recipe.

Reduce the time you spend at the su-permarket by becoming familiar withthe store layout (many supermarketshave maps of their stores) and writingyour grocery list in the same order asthe store aisles. This will cut down onbacktracking, such as when you dis-cover on aisle 12 that you need themustard back on aisle 2.

You can make the most of the timespent at the supermarket by takingadvantage of sales and having some

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flexibility regarding ingredientchoices. For example, when the storehas a sale on asparagus, you want tobuy extra to enjoy before the pricegoes back up.

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marathon cooking

Another strategy that can be used when timeis at a premium is what I call marathoncooking, in which you prepare several mealsat once. It should be done at a time when youhave a few hours to spend in the kitchenIusually have my marathon session on aSunday, when I put on some music and cookenough food to get me through the week. Ilike to prepare things that reheat well or thatcan be portioned and frozen. Some of my fa-vorites include making a pot of vegetarianchili, a hearty vegetable soup, and a casseroleor a grain pilaf. Its also a great time to cooka big batch of brown rice or dried beans.

Here are some guidelines for marathoncooking:

Cook double batches of long-cookingrecipes, such as vegetable stew, soup,and chili, that become more flavorfulwhen reheated, so you can serve themagain later in the week or freeze themfor another time.

Cook large amounts of grains andbeans, then portion and freeze themfor later use. That way, when you needthem, theyre already cooked.

Combine prep work if making morethan one recipefor example, ifyoure making both chili and a soup,chop enough onion for both at thesame time.

Keep on hand a supply of perishablestaples such as onions, carrots, andcelery for a soup or stew, freshlettuces and other salad ingredients,and a variety of vegetables and fruits.

Wash lettuces and other vegetableswhen you bring them home from the

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store. This will save you time whenyou want to make a quick salad orcook a meal. Make sure to dry or spinthem, toootherwise they will spoilfaster.

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planning for leftovers

Instead of groaning at the thought ofleftovers, I actually plan for them. I loveleftovers. Certain dishes, like soups andstews, actually taste better to me the secondtime around. Still, many people dont like toeat the same thing two days in a row. In suchcases, it only takes a little ingenuity to use upleftovers in creative ways.

One idea is to make dinner with a secondmeal in mind. This can give new life to yourleftovers by transforming them into an en-tirely new dish. For example, you can useleftover vegetarian chili to make a layeredMexican-style casserole with soft tortillas,salsa, and other ingredients. Leftover veget-able stew can be transformed into a potpie

with the simple addition of a ready-to-usepiecrust topping. Leftover vegetable soupcan be pureed into a flavorful primaverasauce for pasta. Leftover vegetables can beused in a quiche or added to composedsalads or pasta and grain dishes. In the sameway, leftover pasta, potatoes, or rice can beadded to salads or soups for a hearty main-dish meal.

Whenever you cook, get into the habit ofthinking about preparing food that can be in-corporated into a second meal. Simply bymaking an entire box of pasta, when you mayonly need half for your initial recipe, you cansave time by having the remaining cookedpasta available for another night to use in adifferent way.

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about the ingredients

It was important to me to make this book asuser-friendly as possible. For that reason,Ive done my best to use easy-to-find ingredi-ents in the recipes. I dont want someone notto try a recipe simply because she cant find acertain ingredient. A particular shortcut Itake in many of the recipes is the use of or-ganic canned beans and quick-cookinggrains, as well as other ingredients such asvegetable broth and roasted red bell peppers.There are some people who admirably cooktheir beans and grains from scratch andmake homemade stock. There is no questionthat this is the best choice both nutritionallyand economically. However, with todayshectic pace, Im just happy when people eat

beans and grains at all. If preparing a mealwith canned beans and quick-cooking riceprevents them from heading for the goldenarches, then Im all for it.

Ultimately, whether you want to cook yourbeans from scratch or open a can is up toyou. In most cases, the recipes will call forthe most convenient choice, but if you preferto make certain ingredients from scratch,you can do so ahead of time and then dig in-to the recipe after you have cooked yourbeans, made your own vegetable stock, orroasted your own bell peppers, and so on.Recipes for several make your own basicscan be found at the end of this chapter.

I like to use a few time-saving ingredientsthat are also quite economical. One of themis bottled minced ginger found in the pro-duce section of many supermarkets. Thisproduct is of high quality and eliminates theneed to buy a large piece of ginger that needsto be peeled and grated before using. It also

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cuts down on waste from peeling away toomuch or by allowing leftover ginger to shriv-el in the refrigerator. Another handy ingredi-ent to keep on hand is frozen bell pepperstrips. I keep a bag of them in the freezer fortimes when I need only a small amount ofbell pepper for a recipe, or when Ive run outof fresh ones, or when fresh bell peppers aretoo expensive.

Likewise, peeled garlic cloves, available injars in the produce section of the supermar-ket, are convenient time-savers and theytaste great. While minced garlic is also avail-able in jars, I prefer the flavor quality of thewhole peeled garlic cloves. A jar of peeledgarlic cloves can also be a handy backupwhen the remains of your fresh garlic bulbhave sprouted or dried up.

A few other ingredient points: When salt islisted, sea salt is preferred. If you cant findpetite diced tomatoes, as called for in somerecipes, regular diced tomatoes are fine. I

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simply prefer the flavor and appearance ofthe smaller-cut tomatoes that are now avail-able in supermarkets. When chopped scal-lions are listed, it refers to both the whiteand green parts.

When specific can or jar sizes are calledfor, these sizes are based on what is availablein my local store. If your store carries15-ounce canned beans and the recipe callsfor a 16-ounce can, for example, its perfectlyfine to go with the size found in your store. Asmall size differential either way will not ad-versely affect the recipes.

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a word about vegetables

While I believe in using as much fresh organ-ic, preferably locally grown, produce as pos-sible, I am also a realist. Sometimes fresh or-ganic produce is not available in the varietieswe need, is astronomically priced, or is out ofseason. Also, if you limit your shopping toonce a week, you may not be able to buyenough fresh produce to last that long.

The solution is to buy some frozen veget-ables that can be incorporated into yourmeals later in the week. Frozen veggies arealready prepped and easy to use. Since theyare frozen when they are fresh, they can befresher than the fresh veggies in your su-permarket, which may have been pickedearly and shipped long distances. Theyre

also economical, cook quickly, and can helpyou get through the week making fast andhealthy meals.

Among my favorite frozen vegetables areartichoke hearts, baby green peas, bell pep-per strips, chopped spinach, edamame, brus-sels sprouts, and corn kernels. Mixed-veget-able medleys can come in handy as well. Ialso use certain canned vegetables, most not-ably tomatoes and tomato products, ar-tichoke hearts, pumpkin, corn, and, ofcourse, canned beans of all kinds, fromchickpeas to pintos.

Todays fresh vegetables are not withouttheir own conveniences. Consider the widevariety of prewashed and prepared saladmixes from baby spinach to mixed fieldgreens to crunchy romaine. Just open thebag and toss in a bowl. If you use bottleddressings, your salad is ready in seconds.Hows that for fast food? Also convenient arebaby carrots, because they can be used

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without having to be peeled. Like baggedlettuces, bagged shredded cabbage is avail-able, primarily for coleslaw, but its also idealfor cooking when recipes call for shreddedcabbage.

For those in a real time-crunch, there areeven presliced mushrooms, fresh choppedonions, and bags of fresh stir-fry vegetables.

Many of the recipes call for cupchopped onion, for example, instead of 1small onion, chopped. This allows you thechoice of buying ingredients that are alreadychopped or buying them whole to chopyourself.

Generally, you can assume that vegetableslisted in the recipes are trimmed, washed,scrubbed, or peeled unless otherwise noted.

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about meat and dairy alternatives

Protein-rich foods such as beans and tofu arepopular plant-based alternatives to meat. Inaddition to these mainstays, there is a widevariety of prepared vegetarian protein op-tions such as veggie burgers, sausages, andburger crumbles. These products can beused to replace meat in recipes that normallycall for meat, or enjoyed in interesting newways. There are also numerous soy-basedproducts such as soy milk, soy mayonnaise,and soy cheeses available to replace dairyproducts. These plant-based options providegood sources of protein and other nutrients,are low in fat, contain no cholesterol, andcan be used to make healthful well-balancedmeals. Most of these products are available

in well-stocked supermarkets or natural foodstores.

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built for speedkitchenequipment

Outfitting a kitchen is largely a combinationof lifestyle, budget, and personal prefer-ences. I know some people who havecramped kitchens and limited equipmentwho cook fabulous meals and others whohave giant kitchens equipped with every con-ceivable gadget who eat most of their mealsin restaurants. I think cooking is more aboutthe cook and the ingredients than the equip-ment, although you should have the bestequipment you can for your budget.

It is not my purpose here to recommendcast iron over copper or Le Creuset over Cal-phalon. Suffice it to say that every kitchenneeds at least one pot big enough to boil

pasta and make a large quantity of vegetablestock, and a couple of smaller saucepans, in-cluding one with a steamer insert for steam-ing vegetables. Heavy-bottomed skillets ran-ging in size from 8 inches to 16 inches in dia-meter are a must. At least one skillet shouldhave a nonstick surface. All pots and skilletsshould have lids that fit well.

Most people know that every kitchenneeds mixing bowls, measuring cups, acolander, and a can opener. What somepeople may not know is which tools makecooking easier and quicker, and so I providethe following list of equipment that I havefound to be built for speed.

Knives: If I could have only threeknives in my possession, they wouldbe a paring knife for peeling and trim-ming; a long serrated knife for slicingbread, tomatoes, and the like; and agood chefs knife for virtuallyeverything else. Buy the best-quality

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knives you can afford and keep themsharp. You can chop more quickly andsafely with sharp knives than dullones.

Cutting boards: A few good cuttingboards in various sizes are essential toa quick-fix kitchen. If you just haveone tiny board the size of a postagestamp, it will slow you down consider-ably. Its best to have at least twoboards in case you need to chop morethan one item, so you dont get sloweddown by having to stop and wash thecutting board. I prefer polypropyleneboards because theyre easy to clean,nonporous, and dont dull knives.

Food processor: A food processor isessential for making pesto, pureeingvegetables, chopping nuts, and mak-ing bread crumbs. It is also great formaking pie dough, chopping veget-ables, and numerous other mixing

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and chopping tasks. The trick isknowing when it will be faster to cut,whisk, or chop by hand, and that canusually be determined by the quantityof food involved. In addition to alarge-capacity processor, some peoplealso have a smaller model that theyuse for smaller tasks.

Blender: For the longest time, I gotalong with just a food processor andno blender. Then I got a high-poweredblender, and my cooking habitschanged. I now use both blender andfood processor for different purposes.The blender is reserved for smoothies,sauces, soups, and anything I want tomake super smooth and creamy veryquickly. Another plus of having both afood processor and a blender in playis that when making multiple recipes,I can often avoid stopping to wash out

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one or the other, since I can easily usethem both.

Immersion blender: The advantageof the immersion blender is that it iseasier to clean than the regularblender and it saves the time of pour-ing your recipe into a blender contain-er, since you can blend the food rightin the bowl or pot that its already in.Its especially handy for pureeing soupright in the pot.

Box grater: This versatile tool can beused instead of the food processorwhen you have a small amount of any-thing from citrus zest to cabbage thatneeds grating or shredding. For extra-small jobs, use a microplane grater.

Mandoline: I like to use a mandolinewhen I need very thin slices very fast.Sure, you can always slice ingredientswith a knife or even the slicing attach-ment of a food processor, but this

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handy gadget lets you cut uniformslices, from thick to paper-thin, withease and swiftness. Note: The plasticBenriner slicer is a smaller version ofthe stainless steel mandoline and ismuch less expensive. It works greatand is a good choice for the budget-minded.

Salad spinner: By far the easiest andquickest way to dry your salad greensafter washing them. No more layingout individual lettuce leaves to dry onpaper towels. This thing really worksgreat to get every drop of water offyour lettuce, leaving it crisp and readyfor your salad.

Vegetable peeler: Essential for peel-ing carrots, potatoes, cucumbers, etc.Its quick, easy, and very low-tech, butindispensable.

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making the most of the microwave

While Id never use my microwave to actu-ally cook dinner, I have found it to be quiteuseful in getting dinner on the table. Itsgreat for wilting fresh spinach and softeninghard winter squashes to make them easier tocut. I also use the microwave when I needjust a small amount of melted margarine,chocolate, or hot water. Its also useful atdinnertime when youre busy preparing mul-tiple dishes and you can use the microwaveto prevent a logjam by reheating a dish thatwas prepared in advance.

slow-cooking in a fast-food world

It may sound odd to suggest that a recipethat takes up to eight hours to cook can beconsidered fast food, but heres thereasoning:

As any slow-cooker aficionado will tellyou, cooking in a slow cooker has numerousbenefits. Once you spend a few minutes as-sembling and preparing the ingredients,everything goes into the cooker, whichspends the day gently cooking your meal.The safe, slow cooking allows you to leave itunattended, so you can do otherthingseven leave the housewhile dinnercooks. Add to that the deep, rich flavor thatcomes from slow-cooking, and its easy to seewhy this cooking method is so popular. Since

it is conceivable that you can literally sitdown to eat dinner the minute you arrivehome, I believe that slow-cooker recipes de-serve a chapter in a quick-fix book.

I used the same reasoning for the chapteron oven-baked recipes. While most of thoserecipes take less than an hour to bake, theycan be assembled in just a few minutes. Oneof the main advantages of oven-baked foodsis that you can assemble them ahead of timeand then bake them when you need them.Plus, since you bake and serve in the samevessel, theres no messy cleanup to worryabout.

In terms of convenience and variety, then,it becomes clear how some recipes that takelonger to cook can actually be more conveni-ent to prepare.

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cooking for a crowd: panic-freeparties

Entertaining doesnt need to be stressful orfussy. There are lots of quick-fix ways tocook for a crowd without pushing the panicbutton. Here are some ideas:

Plan an easy menu. Sit-down dinners aremore work than buffets, so unless its for avery small group, food that can be set out forpeople to help themselves is a good choice.

Depending on the occasion, you can go thesnack route and just serve a variety of chips,crackers, dips, and cut fruits and veggies.You could add one hot dish, such as a stew orchili, with bread and a salad.

When choosing hot items, plan forsomething that can be made ahead and re-heated at serving time.

Incorporate some prepared items in yourmenu, such as store-bought hummus, veget-able sushi, focaccia, or a special dessert.

Dont leave too much work for the lastminute. Be sure all cleaning is done ahead oftime, including the kitchen. If you start witha clean kitchen and your food is all prepped,its smooth sailing from there. Just dish it upand serve.

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convenience foodsstore-boughtor homemade

Whether planning ahead means keeping sev-eral containers of homemade vegetable brothin the freezer or buying a few cans for thecupboard, the important thing is to keep es-sential ingredients on hand to prevent time-wasting extra shopping trips for one or twoingredients.

There are many recipes in this book thatcall for ingredients that can be either madefrom scratch or purchased at the store. If youopt for the store-bought, then all you need todo is stock your pantry with a few basicitems. If you prefer to go the homemaderoute, then youll probably need the follow-ing recipes at one point or another.

Below are the recipes and cooking instruc-tions for some of the items frequently calledfor in this book. Ive also included descrip-tions of the store-bought versions of theseingredients that can be found at well-stockedsupermarkets and natural food stores.

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recipes are vegan

The recipes in this book are pure vegetarian(vegan), which means that they contain noanimal ingredients whatsoever. This is goodnews for people who are lactose-intolerant orwatching their cholesterol.

basic recipes

vegetable broth makes about 8 cups

This basic vegetable broth can be cooled andfrozen in several containers so you can de-frost exactly what you need for a recipe. As inall recipes, be sure to scrub and wash all ve-getables well before using.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil2 onions, coarsely chopped3 carrots, coarsely chopped2 potatoes, quartered3 celery ribs, including leaves,chopped4 cloves garlic, crushed12 cups water2 tablespoons tamari1 cup coarsely chopped freshparsley

2 bay leaves teaspoon salt teaspoon black peppercorns

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over mediumheat. Add the onions, carrots, potatoes, cel-ery, and garlic. Cover and cook until slightlysoftened, about 5 minutes. Add the water,tamari, parsley, bay leaves, salt, and pepper-corns. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heatto medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 1hour to reduce the liquid and bring out theflavors of the vegetables.

Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieveinto another pot, pressing the juices out ofthe vegetables with the back of a large spoon.The broth is now ready to use. For a strongerbroth, bring the broth back to a boil, and re-duce the volume by one-quarter. Tightlycovered, this broth keeps well in the refriger-ator for up to 4 days and, portioned, in thefreezer for up to 3 months.

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note: Commercial vegetable broth is avail-able in cans and aseptic cartons. Thestrength and flavor of the broth variesgreatly by brand, so be sure to find one youlike. In addition to these full-strength broths,you can buy vegetable bouillon cubes andpowdered vegetable base that can be turnedinto a broth with the addition of boilingwater.

It is important to note that because of thewide range of saltiness of the differentbroths, including homemade ones, many ofthe recipes in this book call for salt to be ad-ded to taste so that you can use more orless depending on the saltiness of the brothused.

Heres an easy guide to quick-fix veget-able broth:

Canned vegetable broth Vegetable broth in aseptic cartons Vegetable bouillon cubes

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Powdered vegetable baseAs with any packaged food, check the in-

gredients for additives, and buy the healthi-est one. When using broths, taste them forstrength, since some have a stronger flavorthan others that may encroach on the flavorof your finished dish. For a milder broth, di-lute the canned broth with water, by half. Forexample, if a recipe calls for 4 cups of broth,you can use one can of broth (approximately2 cups) plus 2 cups of water. This is alsomore economical.

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mushroom gravy makes about 2 cups

This all-purpose brown sauce can be usedany time you need a brown gravy. It is espe-cially good with seitan or in potpies and sim-ilar dishes. While the sauce could also bemade without the miso, I think it adds a richdepth of flavor that would otherwise not bethere. If you want a chunky rather thansmooth sauce, scoop out some of the cookedmushrooms before pureeing the gravy andthen stir them back in to heat through.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil cup chopped onion1 clove garlic, minced2 cups sliced mushrooms2 tablespoons tamari teaspoon dried thyme

1 cups water1 tablespoons cornstarch dis-solved in 3tablespoons water1 tablespoon miso paste (optional)Freshly ground black pepper teaspoon gravy browning liquid,suchas Kitchen Bouquet orGravyMaster(optional)

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat.Add the onion and garlic. Cover and cookuntil softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in themushrooms, cover, and cook 2 minutesmore.

Stir in the tamari, thyme, and water, andbring to a boil. Add the cornstarch mixtureand cook, stirring, until thickened, 2 to 3minutes. Decrease the heat to low and stir inthe miso paste and pepper to taste.

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Pour the gravy mixture into a blender orfood processor and puree until smooth.Return to the saucepan and taste to adjustthe seasonings before serving, reheating asnecessary. Do not boil. For a richer browncolor, stir in up to teaspoon of browningliquid. Tightly covered, this sauce keeps wellin the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in thefreezer for up to 3 months.note: Many of the recipes in this book callfor mushroom gravy. You can make yourown using the recipe above or buy a com-mercial brand. Its important to check the la-bel when buying prepared gravy, since somecontain animal products. Two products thatcontain no animal ingredients are Camp-bells mushroom gravy, sold in 10.5-ouncecans in many supermarkets, and Tofurkygravy, which is sold in the frozen section ofnatural food stores in 14-ounce plastic con-tainers. Packets of vegetarian gravy mixes

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are also available in natural food stores andsome supermarkets.

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basil pesto makes about 1 cup

This basic pesto recipe can be altered to suityour tastes. I like to make my pesto poormans style (without cheese), which allowsit to be frozen in small containers. Be sure tocover with a layer of olive oil to help it retainits color.

3 to 4 cloves garlic, crushed cup pine nuts1 teaspoon salt3 cups firmly packed fresh basilleaves cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a food processor, combine the garlic, pinenuts, and salt and process until well ground.Add the basil and process until finely

minced. Add the oil and process untilsmooth.

The pesto is now ready to use. If not usingimmediately, pour a thin layer of olive oil ontop of the pesto, cover tightly, and refrigerateuntil ready to use. Properly stored, it willkeep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week andin the freezer for up to 3 months.note: Commercially made pesto can befound in small jars in most supermarketsnear the pastas and pasta sauces. Veganstake note that most commercial pesto con-tains dairy products.

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tapenade makes about 1 cup

Use this recipe to make either black or greenolive tapenade. While its a good idea to keepbottled tapenade on hand for emergencies,making your own is economical and easy, es-pecially when you begin with pitted olives. Ifpitted olives are unavailable, it will take afew extra minutes to pit them. Another plusof making your own tapenade is the ability tocontrol the amount of garlic and capers toyour own taste.

1 clove garlic cup pitted black or green olives1 tablespoon capers, drained andrinsed3 tablespoons chopped freshparsley

teaspoon freshly ground blackpepper3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Mince the garlic in a food processor. Add theolives, capers, parsley, and pepper and pro-cess until well chopped. Add the olive oil andpulse to a coarse paste. Taste to adjust theseasonings. Refrigerated in a tightly coveredcontainer, tapenade keeps well for up to 1week.note: Tapenade is now widely available insupermarkets and gourmet specialty shops.They can range from the traditional blackolive tapenade and green olive tapenade toeven those flavored with sun-dried tomatoes,figs, and other ingredients. Commerciallymade tapenade can be expensive, but it isvery convenient and certainly worth keepingon hand.

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pie dough makes enough for 2 crusts

This recipe makes enough for one double-crust pie or two single-crust pies. Makeahead and freeze the flattened dough forwhen you need it. Then simply defrost androll out.

2 cups unbleached all-purposeflour1 teaspoon salt

cup nonhydrogenated margar-ine, cut intosmall pieces (try Earth Balancebrand) cup ice water, plus additional asneeded

Combine the flour and salt in a food pro-cessor. Blend in the margarine with shortpulses until the mixture becomes crumbly.With the machine running, add the waterthrough the feed tube and blend until thedough just starts to hold together. Transferthe dough to a work surface, divide it in half,and flatten to form two disks. Wrap thedough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30minutes. Tightly wrapped, the dough keepswell in the freezer for up to 3 months.note: Frozen piecrusts (in aluminum pieplates) are available in supermarkets andnatural food stores. Be sure to read the labelcarefully, since some brands may containlard.

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roasted bell peppers

Bell peppers can be roasted directly over thegas flame on your stove top by holding thepepper over the flame with tongs and turningit frequently to allow the skin to blister andblacken. Whole peppers can also be roastedon a grill, turning frequently until charred,or you can roast them in the oven or under abroiler. To roast peppers in the oven, put thepeppers directly on the oven rack and roastuntil blistered and charred.When the peppers are charred, close theminside a paper or plastic bag. Allow to coolfor 10 minutes, then remove the peppersfrom the bag and remove the skins. Cut outthe stem and slice the peppers open. Removethe core and seeds and cut into pieces. If not

using right away, pour a thin layer of olive oilover the peppers and refrigerate in a tightlycovered container. They will keep well for upto 1 week. note: Bottled roasted red bellpeppers are sold in supermarkets in 6-ounceand 12-ounce jars, packed in oil.

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toasted nuts and seeds

Nuts can be toasted in two wayseither ontop of the stove in a dry skillet, or in the ovenon a baking pan. To toast nuts in the oven,preheat the oven to 350F. Place the nuts ina single layer in a small, shallow baking pan.Toast, stirring occasionally, until very lightlybrowned and fragrant, 2 to 8 minutes, de-pending on the type of nut. Pine nuts, slicedalmonds, and sesame seeds, for example, be-gin to brown very quickly, whereas heartiernuts such as walnuts and pecans take longer.Remove the toasted nuts from the oven andallow to cool completely.

To toast nuts on the stove top, place them ina dry small skillet over medium heat and

toast them, stirring or shaking the pan occa-sionally, until lightly browned, 1 to 5minutes, depending on the nut. Be carefulnot to burn them. Allow to cool completely.Alternately, you can also toast nuts in atoaster oven. Keep a close watch on them sothey dont burn, as they can brown ratherquickly.

If not using right away, allow the nuts to coolcompletely before storing. If tightly wrapped,toasted nuts can be kept refrigerated orfrozen for several weeks. note: Dependingon the variety of nut, you may or may notfind them already toasted. In the case of thetoasted nuts used in this book, such as slicedor slivered almonds, pine nuts, and walnuts,these are usually sold raw.

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chapter 2

appetizers

Because hors doeuvres and other appetizershave a reputation for being fussy and time-consuming, theyre often reserved for com-pany or special occasions. But, as the recipesin this chapter illustrate, all appetizers arenot created equal. These recipes are designedto impress without stress and are ideal foroccasions when theres no time to fuss, butyou want it to seem like you did.

Nothing makes guests feel special likeserving a tasty bite before dinner, and thesetempting tidbits are just the ticket. Whenyou enlist the aid of convenient ingredientssuch as puff pastry, tortillas, and tapenade, a

fabulous appetizer is just minutes away. Butwhy wait for company? These recipes are soeasy to prepare, you may want to make themfor yourself, too. Another plusmany ofthese recipes would be great for lunch or alight supper. For example, the Harissa-Spiced White Bean Dip, the Green OnionHummus with Lime, and the Artichoke Dipwith a Twist all make great spreads for wrapsor sandwiches. Add a fresh green salad to thePolenta with Two-Tomato Topping, theSpinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Quesadillas,or the Tomato and Olive Bruschetta, and youhave a satisfying meal.

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guacamole roll-ups serves 4

This tasty appetizer contains the luscious fla-vors of avocado, lime, and your favoritesalsa, all rolled up in a soft flour tortilla, witha few shreds of lettuce for crunch. Theyrealso great for lunchI especially like makingthem with whole wheat tortillas.

2 ripe Hass avocados cup tomato salsaJuice of 1 limeSalt and freshly ground blackpepper4 large flour tortillas, warmed1 cup finely shredded romainelettuce

Halve and pit the avocados. Scoop out theflesh with a spoon and place it in a bowl. Addthe salsa and lime juice and mash together toblend. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the tortillas on a flat work surface andspread about cup of the guacamole mix-ture across each tortilla. Sprinkle with theshredded romaine. Roll up the tortillas, cutinto 1-inch slices, and stand on end. Serve atonce.

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quicker fix

Instead of making your own guacamole, useready-made guacamole found in the refriger-ated produce section of your supermarket.

pastry-wrapped stuffed olivesmakes 16 to 20

Crunchy almonds or fiery jalapeos replacethe pits in these pastry-enrobed olives. Somemight call this one fussy, but with only twoingredients that pack a dramatic flavorpunch, I consider the fuss factor negligible. Ifyou love the combination of olives and pastryas much as I do, youll definitely agree. If youcant find the large green olives alreadystuffed with almonds or jalapeos, you canbuy large pitted green olives and stuff yourown. If this is the only hors doeuvre youreserving, make sure your guests are card-car-rying olive lovers. And if you make some ofeach kind, be sure to separate the almond-

filled from the jalapeo-filledunless yourguests enjoy surprises.

1 frozen deep-dish piecrust,thawed16 to 20 almond- or jalapeo-stuffed green olives

Preheat the oven to 400F. Roll out thethawed pastry crust. Use a sharp knife or apizza cutter to divide the pastry into 16 to 20pieces about 2 inches square. (You will needto patch the rounded end scraps together tomake a few of the pieces.)

Lightly flour your hands to keep the pastryfrom sticking to them. Press 1 square of thepastry around each olive to enclose com-pletely, molding with your hands as neededto shape into smooth ovoids. Place on agreased baking sheet. Refrigerate for about10 minutes to firm up or until ready to use.Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

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Serve warm or at room temperature. note:These can be made ahead and stored at roomtemperature. To serve, crisp in a preheated400F oven for 2 to 3 minutes.

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ingredient alert

Be sure to check the ingredients on the pie-crustsome brands contain lard.

mango lettuce wraps serves 4

This recipe was inspired by a refreshing andsimple appetizer I enjoyed at Teapot, a fab-ulous vegan restaurant in Seattle. My versionis embellished with additional ingredients toadd contrasting textures and flavors, but youcould also use only the mango on the lettuce,if you prefer. This one works best as a seatedappetizer, although smaller versions can bemade if youd like to serve them on a buffetor pass them on a tray.

2 tablespoons freshly squeezedlime juice1 tablespoon pure maple syrup oragavesyrup

2 or 3 red radishes1 teaspoon minced fresh chives1 very ripe mango, peeled, halved,andpitted4 large or 8 small Boston lettuceleavesFreshly ground black pepperChopped peanuts or pistachios,for garnish

In a small bowl combine the lime juice andmaple syrup until well blended. Set aside.

Cut the radishes into thin matchstick juli-enne strips and add to the bowl with the limesauce. Add the chives and toss gently to coat.Cut the mango halves lengthwise into thinslices. Place a few slices of the mango oneach lettuce leaf and arrange on a platter orindividual plates. Top with the radish mix-ture and a few grinds of black pepper. Gar-nish with chopped nuts and serve.

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herbed mushroom crostini serves6

Smaller and more delicate than bruschetta,crostini traditionally have more genteel top-pings than the bolder bruschetta. A Frenchbaguette is the ideal size bread to makecrostini.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil,plusadditional for brushing the bread baguette loaf, cut crosswise into12 slices,about inch thick1 clove garlic, minced8 ounces mushrooms, finelychopped

teaspoon dried basil teaspoon dried marjoram teaspoon dried savorySalt and freshly ground blackpepper1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Preheat the broiler or grill. Lightly brusholive oil onto both sides of the bread slicesand place on a baking sheet.

Heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skil-let over medium heat. Add the garlic andcook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir inthe mushrooms, basil, marjoram, and sa-vory. Season to taste with salt and pepper.Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mush-rooms are soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in theparsley. Keep warm while you toast thebread.Broil or grill the bread until golden brown,being careful not to burn it. Spoon the hot

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mushroom mixture over the toasted bread.Serve hot.

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tomato and olive bruschettaserves 4 to 6

Bruschetta is the bigger, more rustic cousinof the crostini. While French baguettes makeideal crostini bread, the larger Italian loavesare perfect for bruschetta. The bread is tradi-tionally grilled, but it can be broiled ortoasted as well.

2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped cup pitted Kalamata olives,chopped1 tablespoon minced fresh parsleyor basilSalt and freshly ground blackpepper

4 to 6 (about -inch thick) slicesgoodItalian breadExtra-virgin olive oil, for brushingthe bread1 or 2 cloves garlic, halved

Preheat the grill or broiler. In a bowl, com-bine the tomatoes, olives, parsley, and saltand pepper to taste. Set aside.

Lightly brush both sides of the bread sliceswith olive oil and grill or broil the bread untillightly browned. Be careful not to burn it.Rub one side of each slice of the toastedbread with the garlic. To serve, top eachpiece of bread with a spoonful of topping orserve the topping in a bowl surrounded bythe toasted bread, for guests to servethemselves.

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spinach and sun-dried tomatoquesadillas serves 4

Baby spinach comes already washed andready to add its great flavor and nutrients toyour meals. In this recipe, spinach combineswith sun-dried tomatoes and a heart-healthycream cheese to make yummy and slightlychic quesadillas. To serve as pickup appet-izers, cut the quesadillas into small wedgesand arrange on a platter.

1 (10-ounce) package fresh babyspinach2 tablespoons water1 cup nonhydrogenated soy creamcheese

cup minced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoesSalt and freshly ground blackpepper4 large flour tortillasExtra-virgin olive oil, for oilingskillet

Place the spinach in a glass bowl with thewater. Cover and microwave until wilted,about 3 minutes. Allow to cool, remove fromthe bowl, and squeeze out any liquid. Chopwell and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the soy cream cheese, to-matoes, chopped spinach, and salt and pep-per to taste. Mix well.

Divide the mixture among the tortillas,spreading the mixture onto one-half of eachof them. Fold the tortillas over, pressinggently to seal in the filling.

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Heat a large lightly oiled skillet over mediumheat. Place one or two of the quesadillas inthe pan and cook until warmed and slightlybrowned, about 5 minutes per side. Repeatwith the remaining quesadillas. To serve, cuteach quesadilla into 4 wedges and arrangeon a platter or tray.

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variations

Use shredded soy mozzarella instead of thecream cheese or make the quesadillas withshredded soy Cheddar cheese and a smallcan of drained mild green chiles.

health note

This recipe calls for nonhydrogenated soycream cheesea delicious, heart-healthyproduct widely available at natural foodstores. No cholesterol, no trans-fatty acids,but great flavor. What more could you wantfrom a cream cheese?

polenta with two-tomato toppingserves 4

To keep this recipe in the quick-fix cat-egory, it calls for cooked polenta, which canbe found two different ways, depending onthe supermarket. In the produce section,polenta is sold in the refrigerated case. Thereis also a shelf-stable cooked polenta that canbe found in the dried pasta section of manysupermarkets. Depending on which you buy,the polenta will be shaped like a log or a rect-angle. Once you slice the polenta, you canfurther cut the slices into bite-sized pieces ifpassing on a tray or placing on a buffet, orleave the slices larger if plating for individualservings.

3 to 4 large ripe yellow tomatoes,chopped cup chopped oil-packed sun-driedtomatoes cup extra-virgin olive oil1 tablespoon white wine vinegar2 tablespoons minced fresh basilor parsleySalt and freshly ground blackpepper1 (16-ounce) package precookedpolenta,cut into -inch slices

In a bowl, combine the fresh and dried toma-toes with 2 tablespoons of the oil, the vineg-ar, the basil, and salt and pepper to taste.Toss gently to combine. Set aside while youcook the polenta.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oilin a large skillet over medium heat. Add the

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polenta slices and cook until browned onboth sides, about 3 minutes per side.

To serve, top the polenta slices with the to-mato mixture and arrange on a platter.note: While I love the striking color contrastof the fresh yellow tomatoes and the red sun-dried tomatoes, yellow tomatoes may not al-ways be available. In that case, you can usefresh red tomatoes for equally delicious, ifmonochromatic, results.

note, too: If you prefer to cook your polentafrom scratch, by all means do so. Just pre-pare it well ahead of time, so it has time tochill for several hours before proceeding withthe recipe.

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tapenade pastry twists makesabout 24

Frozen puff pastry is the secret behind theseopulent treats. Plan ahead when using puffpastry because it takes 30 minutes to thaw.Although tapenade is evocative of olives, thename references the capers that are alsopresent.

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed1 cup black olive tapenade (page18)

Preheat the oven to 400F. Unfold thethawed pastry onto a lightly floured surface.Use a rolling pin to roll out the pastry into athin rectangle. Cut in half lengthwise. Spread

the tapenade on one of the pastry halves.Place the remaining pastry half over the onewith the tapenade. Roll gently with therolling pin to seal. Use a sharp knife or apizza wheel to cut crosswise into -inchstrips. Twist the strips and place on agreased baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.Press down the ends of each pastry twist so itremains twisted.

Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.Serve warm or at room temperature.

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quicker fix

Instead of making your own, buy a commer-cially prepared tapenade at the supermarket.

green onion hummus with limemakes about 2 cups

Over the last few years, hummus has becomeubiquitous at parties, on menus, and in cook-books. And with good reasonits easy tomake, tastes great, and is healthful and ver-satile to boot. Supermarkets now sell con-tainers of the popular chickpea and tahinidip in a variety of flavors. No collection ofquick and easy vegetarian appetizers wouldbe complete without a hummus recipe. Soheres my latest take on an old favoritea re-freshing lime and green onion version of theclassic.

2 to 3 scallions (green onions),coarsely

chopped1 (16-ounce) can chickpeas,drained andrinsed cup tahini (sesame paste)2 tablespoons freshly squeezedlime juice teaspoon salt

teaspoon cayenne2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oilPaprika, for garnish

In a food processor, process the scallions un-til finely minced. Add the chickpeas andtahini and process until smooth. Add thelime juice, salt, and cayenne and process un-til well combined.

With the machine running, slowly stream inthe oil and process until smooth. Taste to ad-just the seasonings. Transfer to a bowl andsprinkle with paprika. note: You can servethe hummus right away or cover and

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refrigerate for an hour or two, which will al-low the flavors to intensify.

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variation

For a more traditional hummus, swap thescallions and lime juice for garlic cloves andlemon juice in the same proportions.

serving suggestion

Serve with your favorite crackers or Pita Tri-angles (page 39).

artichoke dip with a twist serves 8

A twist of lemon is not the only twist in thisredo of an old-time favorite. Another is theprotein-rich white beans that are used to re-place the artery-clogging mayonnaise, mak-ing this a dip that is tasty and good for you,too. Now thats a twist.

2 (9-ounce) packages frozenartichokehearts1 cup canned Great Northernbeans or otherwhite beans, drained and rinsed cup grated soy Parmesan cheese2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lem-on juice teaspoon TabascoSalt cup dry bread crumbs1 ( by 2-inch) piece lemon peel1 tablespoon black sesame seedsorchopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 350F. Cook the ar-tichokes according to package directions.Drain well, pat dry, then coarsely chop theartichoke hearts and set aside.

In a food processor, combine the beans, soyParmesan, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, thelemon juice, and Tabasco. Process until wellblended. Add the chopped artichokes andprocess to mix well. Season with salt to taste.

Transfer the artichoke mixture to a lightlyoiled 8-inch baking dish. Top with the bread

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crumbs, drizzle with the remaining 1 table-spoon olive oil, and bake until hot, about 20minutes. Garnish with the twist of lemonpeel and the sesame seeds or parsley.

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quicker fix

Canned artichoke hearts may be used insteadof frozen. Look for the ones packed in water,not the marinated kind. Drain well and patdry before using.

variation

Besides a twist of lemon, you can fold one ofthe following into the dip for an additionalcolor and flavor nuance: chopped sun-driedtomatoes, black olives, pimiento, or roastedred bell peppers.

green olive-edamame dip makesabout 1 cups

The piquancy of the green olives combineswith the subtly sweet creaminess of edam-ame for a delicious and unusual dip that willhave guests doing a double take: To look atit, one might mistake it for guacamole, butone taste will tell you otherwise. Startingwith shelled edamame and pitted oliveskeeps this recipe especially speedy.

1 cup fresh or frozen shellededamame cup pitted green olives teaspoon minced garlicSalt and freshly ground blackpepper

2 tablespoons chopped tomatoCook the edamame in salted boiling wateruntil soft, about 10 minutes. Drain, reservingsome of the hot cooking liquid. Puree theedamame in a food processor, adding about cup of the hot cooking liquid for a smoothtexture. Add the olives and garlic and pro-cess until smooth and well blended. Taste forseasoning, adding salt and pepper if needed.Transfer to a bowl and garnish with thetomato.

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serving suggestion

Serve with crudits, crackers, or otherdippers.

red pepper and walnut spreadmakes about 2 cups

This spread was inspired by an appetizercalled muhammara found in Middle Easterncountries such as Syria and Turkey. In theoriginal, roasted red bell peppers and wal-nuts are flavored with pomegranate syrup. Ifyou have pomegranate syrup on hand, youcan use it to replace the maple syrup in thisrecipe.

cup chopped walnut pieces1 slice white bread, torn intopieces, or cup dry bread crumbs1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red bellpeppers,

drained and coarsely choppedJuice of 1 lemon1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar1 tablespoon pure maple syrup teaspoon chili paste, or to taste teaspoon salt teaspoon ground cumin1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil,plusadditional as neededChopped fresh parsley or walnutpieces,for garnish

In a food processor, process the walnuts andbread until finely ground. Add the roastedred peppers, lemon juice, vinegar, maple syr-up, and chili paste, and blend until smooth.Season with the salt and cumin. Add theolive oil and blend until smooth. Taste andadjust the seasonings, and add more oil ifneeded for consistency. Place in a bowl andgarnish with chopped parsley or walnuts.

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note: If not using right away, cover andrefrigerate.

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serving suggestion

Serve with Pita Triangles (page 39), crackers,or cut-up vegetables.

fast and fresh spinach-edamamedip makes about 1 cups

This is a great way to combine two ready-to-use produce staplesfresh baby spinach andfresh or frozen shelled edamame. Serve withraw vegetable dippers or your favoritecrackers.

1 cup fresh or frozen shellededamame1 (10-ounce) package fresh babyspinach2 tablespoons water1 (4-ounce) can diced mild greenchiles,drained3 scallions, chopped

Juice of 1 lemon teaspoon saltCayenne

Cook the edamame in salted boiling wateruntil soft, about 10 minutes. Drain the edam-ame and set aside. Place the spinach in aglass bowl with the water. Cover and mi-crowave until wilted, about 3 minutes. Allowto cool, remove from the bowl, and squeezeout any liquid. Set aside.

In a food processor, puree the edamame un-til smooth. Add the wilted spinach, chiles,scallions, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne totaste. Process until well blended. Transfer toa bowl. note: The dip can be eaten rightaway, but its flavor intensifies if covered andrefrigerated for at least 1 hour before serving.

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variation

For a creamier consistency, add 1 tablespoonof soy mayonnaise to the mixture.

harissa-spiced white bean dipmakes about 1 cups

Dont let its mild-mannered appearance foolyouthis bean dip is one hot number thanksto the addition of fiery harissa (page 176), aTunisian sauce made with hot chiles, garlic,and spices. For a tamer version, omit or cutback on the harissa sauce. Prepared harissais also available in well-stocked supermar-kets and specialty grocers.

1 clove garlic, crushed1 (16-ounce) can Great Northernbeans orother white beans, drained andrinsed

2 tablespoons tahini (sesamepaste)1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lem-on juice,plus additional to taste1 teaspoons harissa sauce (page176),or to tasteSalt and freshly ground blackpepper1 tablespoon finely mincedscallions

Mince the garlic in a blender or food pro-cessor. Add the remaining ingredients exceptthe scallions and process until smooth. Tasteand adjust the seasonings. Transfer to a bowland garnish with minced scallions sprinkledon top. note: You can serve this dip as soonas it is made, or cover it and refrigerate foran hour or two to allow the flavors tointensify.

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serving suggestion

This dip is especially good served with PitaTriangles (page 39).

pita triangles makes 64

You can save time and buy pita chips at thestore instead of making them, buthomemade ones taste fresher and are moreeconomical. In addition to or instead of saltand pepper, you can season the pita triangleswith dried herbs, sesame seeds, or poppyseeds.

4 (7-inch) pita bread roundsExtra-virgin olive oil, for brushingthe pitabreadSalt and freshly ground blackpepper

Preheat the oven to 350F. Use a small ser-rated knife to carefully split each pita round

into 2 circles. Brush or drizzle a smallamount of olive oil onto the inner surface ofthe pita bread.

Cut the pita circles into eighths to make 64triangles. Arrange the pita on a cookie sheetin a single layer. Sprinkle with salt andpepper.

Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.Serve warm or allow to cool. note: Pita tri-angles taste best when eaten on the day theyare made but will keep well for a day or twowhen stored at room temperature in a tightlysealed container. Just be sure to allow to coolcompletely before storing.

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serving suggestions

Serve pita triangles as an accompaniment toany of the dips in this chapter. They are es-pecially suited to accompany the Harissa-Spiced White Bean Dip, the Red Pepper andWalnut Spread, and the Green Onion Hum-mus with Lime.

chapter 3

soups

Homemade soups are often associated withtime-consuming prep and even longer cook-ing time. But that doesnt mean you have tosettle for less. Somewhere between a slow-simmering potage and canned soup is a se-lection of fast and thrifty homemade soupsfor every season that taste like they tookhours instead of minutes to prepare.

Whichever of these satisfying soups youchoose, from the hearty Barley and BeanSoup with Rainbow Chard to the refreshingChilled Cucumber Avocado Soup, they are allready to eat, start to finish, in 30 minutes orless.

One secret to most quick soups is havingvegetable broth waiting in the wings. Thisbroth can be homemade, canned or pack-aged, or made on the spot with powdered ve-getable base or vegetarian bouillon cubes(see Note, page 15).

Another secret to making speedy soups isusing quick-cooking vegetables and otherconvenient ingredients such as canned beansand frozen or precut vegetables. Add theright seasonings to suit your taste and bringout the flavor of the ingredients, and youllhave a tasty, full-bodied soup in no time.

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creamy tortilla soup serves 4

This silky rich soup is creamy with a refresh-ing note of lime. Choose from mild, medium,or hot salsa to determine the heat intensityof the soup.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil,plusadditional for brushing thetortillas2 cloves garlic, chopped1 cups tomato salsa4 cups vegetable broth (page 15)2 ripe Hass avocadosJuice of 1 lime2 tablespoons minced freshparsley

Salt and freshly ground blackpepper3 to 4 corn tortillas

Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot overmedium heat. Add the garlic and cook untilfragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 1 cup ofthe salsa and the broth and simmer for 5minutes. Remove from the heat and allow tocool slightly.

Halve and pit one of the avocados and placeit in a blender or food processor. Add thesoup mixture and process until smooth.Transfer back to the pot, add the lime juiceand parsley, and season to taste with salt andpepper. Simmer over low heat while youtoast the tortillas.Lightly brush the tortillas with oil and cutthem into thin strips, about inch wide by2 inches long. Heat a skillet over mediumheat. Add the tortilla strips and cook until

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golden brown on both sides, about 3minutes.

Just before serving, halve, pit, and dice theremaining avocado and stir half of it into thesoup. To serve, garnish the soup with the re-maining diced avocado, remaining cupsalsa, and the tortilla strips.

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quicker fix

Garnish with corn chips (whole or crumbled)instead of the tortilla strips.

alphabet vegetable soup serves 4

Alphabet soup is a nostalgic favorite and thisone is ready in minutesnot quite as fast asopening a can of prepared soup, but waymore flavorfuland is homemade. Thespeedy secrets include using one of the ve-getable broth shortcuts on page 15 and easy-to-prepare vegetables. If youd rather usefresh vegetables instead of frozen, be sure toslice them thin, so they cook faster. Freshcarrots, celery, and zucchini are goodchoices, as are green beans and corn kernels.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil1 large clove garlic, minced3 scallions, chopped4 cups vegetable broth (page 15)

1 (16-ounce) package frozen mixedvegetables1 (16-ounce) can chickpeas,drained andrinsed1 (15-ounce) can petite dicedtomatoes,drainedSalt and freshly ground blackpepper

cup alphabet-shaped soup pasta2 tablespoons chopped freshparsley

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over mediumheat. Add the garlic and scallions. Cook untilsoftened, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the broth, turn the heat to high, andbring to a boil. Stir in the mixed vegetables,chickpeas, and tomatoes. Season to tastewith salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes,then add the pasta.

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Decrease the heat to medium and simmeruntil the vegetables and pasta are tender,about 10 minutes. Add the parsley and tasteand adjust the seasonings. Serve hot.

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variation

Chopped yellow onion may be used insteadof the scallions and/or garlic. Cooked veget-ables that you have on hand can be added tothe soup during the last five minutes.

chipotle-kissed black bean soupserves 4

The smoky rich flavor of the chipotle helpsmake this soup taste like its been simmeringall day.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil1 cup sliced baby carrots cup chopped onions2 cloves garlic, minced teaspoon ground cumin3 (16-ounce) cans black beans,drained andrinsed1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes,drained3 cups vegetable broth (page 15)

1 to 2 canned chipotle chiles inadobosauce, mincedSalt and freshly ground blackpepperMinced fresh cilantro or parsley,for garnish

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.Add the carrots, onions, and garlic. Coverand cook until softened, about 5 minutes.Stir in the cumin, black beans, and tomatoes.

Add the broth and the chipotle and seasonwith salt and pepper to taste. Simmer untilthe vegetables are soft and the flavors havedeveloped, about 15 minutes.Use an immersion blender to puree some ofthe soup right in the pot. If you dont have animmersion blender, transfer 2 to 3 cups ofthe soup to a blender or food processor andpuree until smooth. Stir back into the pot.

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Taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve hot,garnished with cilantro or parsley.

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chickpea and tomato soup withditalini serves 4

A nearly infinite variety of variations on theclassic bean and pasta soup can be foundthroughout Italy. No wonder its so popu-larits hearty, filling, and delicious. Thissoup can also be made with leftover cookedpastajust add during the last few minutesto heat up.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil cup chopped onions1 tablespoon minced garlic1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes teaspoon dried oreganoRed pepper flakes2 bay leaves

1 (16-ounce) can chickpeas,drained andrinsed4 cups vegetable broth (page 15)Salt and freshly ground blackpepper cup ditalini or other small pastashapes

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over mediumheat. Add the onions and garlic. Cover andcook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir inthe tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes totaste, and bay leaves. Add the chickpeas andbroth, and season to taste with salt and pep-per. Simmer to blend the flavors, about 10minutes. Add the ditalini and cook untiltender, 6 to 8 minutes more. Remove the bayleaves before serving.

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serving suggestion

When served with a salad and toasted garlicbread, this makes an easy and economicalmeal.

mushroom and white bean soupserves 4

To brighten the flavor of the soup slightly,add a splash of sherry during the last 5minutes of cooking time. Another nicechange is to use different herbs, according topreference and whats available. One sugges-tion is to substitute fresh dill for both thedried savory and fresh parsley.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil cup chopped onions1 pound mushrooms, sliced1 teaspoon dried savory4 cups vegetable broth (page 15)1 (16-ounce) can Great Northernbeans or

other white beans, drained andrinsedSalt and freshly ground blackpepper2 tablespoons chopped freshparsley

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.Add the onions, cover, and cook untilsoftened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mush-rooms, savory, and broth. Bring to a boil.Decrease the heat to low, add the beans, andseason to taste with salt and pepper. Simmerto heat through and develop the flavor, about10 minutes. Use an immersion blender topuree some of the soup right in the pot. Ifyou dont have an immersion blender, trans-fer about 2 cups of the soup to a blender orfood processor and puree until smooth. Stirback into the pot. Taste and adjust theseasonings and heat until hot, about 5minutes. To serve, ladle into bowls andsprinkle with the parsley.

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quicker fix

Buy presliced mushrooms.

minestrone in minutes serves 4

The classic Italian vegetable soup typicallyincludes a wide variety of vegetables. Usingfrozen vegetables reduces the prep time aswell as the cooking time, but fresh vegetablesmay be used instead if you prefer. Cookedpasta, rice, or orzo added at the last minutewould make a hearty addition. A spoonful ofpesto can add volumes of flavor. Use this re-cipe as more of a guide than gospel.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil cup chopped onions1 large clove garlic, minced1 (16-ounce) package frozen Italianvegetables

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes,undrained1 (16-ounce) can chickpeas,drained andrinsed5 cups vegetable broth (page 15)1 teaspoon dried basil teaspoon dried oreganoSalt and freshly ground blackpepper3 cups fresh baby spinach, firmlypacked2 tablespoons minced freshparsley

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.Add the onions and garlic. Cover and cookuntil softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in thefrozen vegetables, tomatoes and their juice,chickpeas, and broth. Add the basil, oregano,and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil,then decrease the heat to low and simmer for20 minutes. A few minutes before serving

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time, stir in the spinach and parsley. Tasteand adjust the seasonings.

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cream of pumpkin soup toppedwith curried pecans serves 4

Creamy and delicious with a delightfulcrunch of nuts, this sweet and spicy soup is agreat way to begin an autumn meal.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil cup chopped onions2 tablespoons curry powder1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree2 cups vegetable broth (page 15)2 tablespoons pure maple syrupSalt and freshly ground blackpepper cup pecan pieces1 (14-ounce) can lightunsweetened

coconut milkPreheat the oven to 375F. Heat the oil in alarge pot over medium heat. Add the onions.Cover and cook until softened, about 5minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the currypowder and the pumpkin puree, then whiskin the broth until smooth. Add 1 tablespoonof the maple syrup and season to taste withsalt and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasion-ally, for 10 minutes to allow the flavors todevelop.

While the soup is simmering, make the cur-ried pecans. In a small bowl, combine thepecan pieces with the remaining tablespoonof maple syrup and toss to coat. Sprinklewith the remaining 1 tablespoon currypowder, tossing to coat. Place the pecans in asmall baking dish and bake until toasted,about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.Meanwhile, use an immersion blender topuree the soup right in the pot. Otherwise,

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transfer the soup to a blender or food pro-cessor and puree until smooth. Stir back intothe pot. Return the soup to the stove top,turning the heat to low. Whisk in the coconutmilk and taste and adjust the seasonings.Heat until hot; do not boil. Serve the soupgarnished with the pecans.

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corn chowder with limas serves 4

This luxurious corn chowder includes limabeans as an homage to succotash. Becausebaby limas are smaller than the larger ones,they take less time to cook. To cut cookingtime further, heat the vegetable broth in themicrowave for 5 minutes while the onionsand potato are cooking.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil cup chopped onions1 white potato, cut into -inchdice3 cups vegetable broth (