January 2010

We wanted a vegetarian-vegan tofu recipe with butternut squash, coconut, and almonds, because these are ideal foods for pregnancy and breastfeeding. It had to be blissfully delicious, as well as nourishing and filling (i.e high calorie!) We came up with a recipe which is loosely based on Thai vegetarian cooking. It's fancy enough for company, but easy to make. The coconut milk, tofu, and toasted almonds can be prepared ahead of time.

Hungry for fries? Slice potatoes into long thin wedges, toss with a little oil, salt and pepper, and pop them in the oven. They’ll crisp to perfection—irresistible.

Spelt is a high-protein ancient grain. This flavorful pasta is perfect for a cold night’s supper.

Called en cocotte in French or shirred eggs, these baked eggs are cooked in individual dishes. Add a little flavorful ham, salami, turkey or smoked salmon to the bottom of each, goat cheese to the top. 

 

The process requires a standard loaf pan or the bread will not rise. The result is wonderful: you can use 100 percent whole grains, you can vary their percentages all you want (though all-rye bread doesn’t rise much at all) and you can add nongrain flours, sweeteners or dairy. If the proportions of liquid, solid and yeast stay the same, the timing and results will be consistent.

This recipe is easily doubled to make two loaves. A loaf made with only wheat berries is wonderful all by itself, though feel free to mix and match grains of all sorts for a variety of flavors - it's part of the thrill of making this bread. All grains will sprout after a couple of days. A half cup of dry seeds to the dough dials up the flavor and nutritional oomph. All of the grains and vital wheat gluten are available at health-food stores and some supermarkets. Begin this two to three days before baking.

No Kneading, but Some Fine-Tuning

For a quick and satisfying last-minute supper, it’s hard to beat a sweet potato zapped in the microwave. The fragrant filling of beans and tomato adds protein, making it a nutritionally complete entree. Be sure to eat the potato skin; it’s full of fiber.

You’re in for a treat with this recipe because roasting cauliflower makes it so tender that it melts in your mouth. This simple method turns the firm, white florets into delicate, golden brown, slightly sweet morsels, a delightful and delectable change of pace.