Paper Palate

Did you vow to make a fresh start in 2007, perhaps by eating healthier even when time is short, or maybe trying to work in working out or even trying to lose some weight?  Or perhaps you are looking for some impetus to learn to love tempeh or spinach?

The January issue of Vegetarian Times is packed with tips, tricks and recipes to help you keep all sorts of New Year’s pledges from a healthy eating plan that the magazine promises you that you’ll lose weight without hunger pangs to easy ways to help the environment (and your budget) by saving water and energy. (Most of the magazine’s content is not on line, so check out an issue of the magazine for more information.)

In the article “Satisfaction Guaranteed!” author Cynthia Sass puts together a mix-and-match meal guide that focuses on flavor boosters such as herbs, spices, citrus, garlic and sauces.  Recipes include Broccoli-Shirataki Noodle Soup (just 102 calories per serving),  oven-crisp black bean and corn flautas (286 calories a serving), and creamy dark chocolate pudding (163 calories a serving).

In addition to enhanced flavor, the recipes also score high on the “Satiety Index”, a food ranking system that rates foods on how long they staved off hunger pains. 

Just because it is good for you, doesn’t mean you always eat your spinach and so this month’s Vegetarian Times features spinach in its “1 Food 5 Ways” feature.  The five are: Thai spinach cups; a spinach salad; roasted portobello mushrooms, sliced and tossed with spinach and a sesame dressing; a Greek-influenced spinach filo dough strudel, and the recipe I made — Persian Spinach Soup with Lentils.

The soup looked dark and mysterious, but it was  tasty and satisfying, and as the recipe promised, tasted even better the next day. I would have liked a little more spice and heat. I’ll definitely make it again, but I’ll adjust the seasoning.  The recipe calls for frozen spinach for ease of preparation, but recipe creator Fiona Kennedy suggests replacing the frozen for two cups steamed fresh spinach.

Vegetarian Times Persian Spinach Soup with Lentils

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 medium onions, diced

1/4 cup lentils

1/2 tsp. turmeric

3/12 cups vegetable broth

10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

3 green onions, finely chopped

2 oz. fettuccine, broken into 1-inch lengths (I used whole wheat)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1 Tbs. chopped mint

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook until browned, stirring occasionally. Set aside 1/4 cup onions to cool.

Add lentils and turmeric to pot and saute 1 minute. Stir in broth and 3 1/2 cups water, bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium low, allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Then add spinach and green onions and cook 20 minutes more. Stir in pasta, and cook  about 10 minutes or until pasta is firm to the bite. Season with salt and pepper.

Combine reserved onions with yogurt and mint. Mix.

Serve soup in bowls with a large spoonful of the yogurt mixture on top.