Living Vegan For Dummies - Alexandra Jamieson [90]
Per serving: Calories 390 (From Fat 186); Fat 21g (Saturated 3g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 2,019mg; Carbohydrate 44g; Dietary Fiber 4g; Protein 8g.
Figure 13-2: Trimming and slicing mushrooms.
Figure 13-3: Mincing garlic.
Rice Balls with Sesame Salt
Easy to make and fun to roll, these little whole-grain gems are great snack food; they have protein, complex carbohydrates, and a bit of healthy fat as well. Kids love to help make these balls in the kitchen — even a 2-year-old can roll the rice ball around in the salted sesame seeds. Sesame salt, which is also called gomasio, is a staple in macrobiotic food. Make an extra batch and keep it in a salt shaker at the table. When you sprinkle sesame salt on food instead of regular salt, you get the added benefit of a little more protein and calcium from the seeds.
Preparation/cooking time: 2 hours
Yield: 12 to 15 rice balls / 1 cup sesame salt
Rice Balls
3/4 cup short-grain brown rice
1/4 cup white rice
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 In a medium saucepan, mix together the water and brown and white rice. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, and then lower the heat to a simmer.
2 Cook the rice until all the water evaporates, about 50 minutes. Do not stir the rice until the water has evaporated.
3 Allow the rice to cool to room temperature before making rice balls.
4 Scoop about 1/3 cup of the cooked rice into water-moistened hands and pack it into a small ball.
5 Roll the ball in Sesame Salt (see the following recipe), covering all sides. Keep rolling balls until you’re out of rice. Rice balls keep refrigerated in a well-sealed container for 3 days. Try serving on top of tossed salad greens.
Sesame Salt
1 cup unhulled brown sesame seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1 Rinse the sesame seeds and drain through a fine strainer. Place the seeds in a skillet over medium heat. Toast the seeds, stirring often, until they begin to give off a toasty aroma, about 3 or 4 minutes.
2 Place the toasted seeds and salt in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and grind until well combined and the seeds are starting to break down. This condiment can be refrigerated in a sealed container for a week and used in place of salt on salads, soup, and air-popped popcorn.
Tip: If you’re short on time, try using precooked rice, which cuts the time in half.
Per serving: Calories 120 (From Fat 62); Fat 7g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 390mg; Carbohydrate 14g; Dietary Fiber 2g; Protein 4g.
Whipping Up Soup and Salad Sensations
Soups and salads offer opportunities to combine all the best flavor profiles together. Soups run the gamut: Thick, thin, chunky, or smooth and creamy. Soups can help you use up all the leftover grains, beans, and veggies that are hanging around your fridge, or they can allow you to combine just a few choice ingredients to suit your tastes. Similarly, one salad can contain crunchy, raw, roasted, sweet, and peppery veggies and be topped with a creamy and savory dressing. In this section, I help get your taste buds moving with a creamy soup recipe and a tangy, protein-filled salad recipe.
Greek Lentil Salad
This veggie and lentil salad is fresh and protein-rich. The crumbled Tofu Cheese (see the recipe earlier in this chapter) adds a nice tangy, creamy bite. Because this salad tastes so good the next day, it can be made a day ahead and chilled for a picnic or summer dinner party.
Preparation/cooking time: 55 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
1 cup green lentils
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced (see Figure 13-4 for instruction)
1/2 cup seeded and diced cucumber (see Figure 13-5 for instruction)
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
1 recipe Tofu Cheese (recipe included earlier in this chapter)
1 Pour the lentils on a white plate, pale counter top, or cutting board. Remove any broken lentils, pebbles, or