There is an emerging style of vegetarian cooking, lighter than in the past with more ingredient variety and more flavor. Among those who have mastered it to the point where others are clamoring for her food and recipes is Denise Lander of Northbrook.
Lander has been a vegetarian for more than 20 years and, about three years ago, gave up dairy and flour products as well as meat to follow an essentially macrobiotic diet.
“It’s a philosophy that involves peace, harmony and balance,” Lander says, “a linkage between mind and body.”
In his book “Practically Macrobiotic” (Healing Arts Press), Keith Michell offers a lucid presentation of the concept of yin and yang as well as yin and yang foods. It’s an A to Z of ingredients and guidelines for putting a meal together that suggests a flexible formula of about 50 percent grains, 25 percent vegetables and sea vegetables, 10 percent legumes and seeds, 5 percent soup, 5 percent desserts, fruits and nuts and 5 to 10 percent “animal-quality food.”
Recently Lander has expanded her culinary efforts and now prepares modified macrobiotic meals for others that contain organic, locally grown vegetables and fruits in season, “no animal products, no sugar, no dairy and virtually no fat.”
Ingredients such as Nayonaise (tofu mayonnaise), tofu itself and mock sour cream are easier and easier to obtain in supermarkets as well as health food stores, Lander says.
“It’s very time-consuming,” she acknowledges, “and challenging (working with virtually no fat or salt) to get dishes to have a satisfying amount of flavor. Your kitchen pantry changes. Everything but the fresh vegetables is in jars-grains, dried fruit, seeds, seaweed and beans.” Here are some examples of what comes from her jars.
COLORFUL COUSCOUS CHICKPEA SALAD
Eight first course or four main course servings
1/2 cup dried chickpeas, or 1 1/2cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon olive oil, extra-virgin preferred
1 large carrot, washed and shredded into fine strips
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/2 to 3/4 cup shredded red cabbage
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups vegetable broth, homemade or canned low-sodium
2 cups whole wheat couscous
3 green onions, finely sliced on a diagonal
1. At least eight hours or the night before preparing the salad, rinse and sort the dried chickpeas, transfer to a bowl, cover with water by 3 to 4 inches and allow them to soak. When ready to prepare the salad, drain the chickpeas and transfer them to a medium-size pan. Cover with fresh water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the beans until they are very tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Drain, allow the chickpeas to cool, then peel off and discard the thin white “skins.”
2. In a large pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil with the shredded carrot, chopped apricots, cranberries, shredded cabbage and cinnamon. Stir frequently until the vegetables soften.
3. Add the vegetable broth and increase the heat to high. When the broth begins to boil, stir in the couscous. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and cook 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Cover the pan for 3 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
4. Remove cover and stir in chickpeas and green onion slices. Serve warm.
SPAGHETTI SQUASH WALDORF SALAD
Six servings
1 spaghetti squash (about 2 pounds)
1/3 cup Nayonaise
1 tablespoon soy milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons chopped chives
1 tablespoon brown rice syrup
1 cup carrot strips (11Z2-by-1Z4-by-1Z4-inch)
1 apple, cored and chopped
1/3 cup walnut meats, chopped
1. Heat an oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and place cut sides down on a baking sheet. Bake until tender to the point of a knife, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
2. Remove the seeds from the squash halves and discard. Then use a fork to pull out the fibrous interior. Place squash strands in a salad bowl and chill for 30 minutes.
3. While the squash is chilling, make a dressing by combining the Nayonaise, soymilk, lemon juice, chives and rice syrup in a bowl. Whisk to combine the ingredients. Refrigerate.
4. When ready to serve, remove the salad bowl and the dressing from the refrigerator. Add the carrot strips, chopped apple and chopped walnuts to the squash. Toss, then add the dressing to taste and toss again. Serve as a side dish with tofu walnut balls and a leafy green.
VEGETABLE PIE
Six servings
1 tablespoon olive oil, extra-virgin preferred
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced yellow squash
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced zucchini
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup chopped broccoli flowerettes
1 cup shredded red cabbage
3/4 cup chopped red pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves, or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup cooked or canned, rinsed, black turtle beans
1/4 cup cooked azuki beans, optional
1 cup homemade or low-sodium canned vegetable broth
1 cup couscous
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1. Heat an oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10-inch, deep-dish pie pan with vegetable cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet or wok, heat the oil. Add the onion and stir over medium heat until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add half the squash, zucchini, mushrooms, broccoli, cabbage, red pepper and basil leaves. Stir-fry until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
3. Add the other half of the vegetables to the skillet and stir-fry them until tender. Combine with the vegetables in the bowl. Add the beans and set aside.
4. In a small saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Add a pinch of sea salt and the couscous. Stir, cover the pan and remove from the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Uncover the pan and fluff the couscous lightly with a fork. Add egg whites and parsley to the couscous and mix well. Using the back of a spoon, press the couscous into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate.
5. Spoon the vegetable mixture into the couscous crust and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are hot and begin to crust on top. Remove from the oven, cut into wedges and serve by itself or with a grain side dish.
