Paper Palate

Vegetarian Times continues its what’s-in-a-name experiment with its latest issue. Some newsstand copies are labeled “Greens” instead of Vegetarian Times, but no matter what name your issue bears, the contents of the November/December are the same, full of seasonal recipes and ingredients.

The holiday edition also includes a lot of information on gifts to give that support causes or minimize their impact on the environment, as well as “Who 2 Give 2,” VT’s annual charity guide.

The magazine is packed with lots of easy recipes to make during this hectic time of year and also features a vegetarian Thanksgiving menu with a maple-roasted pear salad, a roasted winter vegetable medley, gravy, stuffing, cranberry molds and a tangerine-glazed polenta cake.

While the photo of the polenta cake made it look yummy, for many families it is not Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie.  VT covers that in its “Easy as Pie” feature whereby using food writer’s Victoria Riccardi’s fail-safe pie crust recipe (or some purchased options) and five ingredients you can pull “Candied Ginger Pumpkin Pie” from the oven.  Or try the “Upside Down Apple-Cinnamon Pie,” Cranberry-Cherry Lattice Pie,” or “Frozen Toffee Pie.”

The recipe I am most likely to try first is probably one of the most decadent in the issue (although each serving is listed as having only 192 calories), Deborah Krasner’s “Candy Cane Chocolate Mousse.” 

Vegetarian Times’ Candy Cane Chocolate Mousse

Serves 8

6 oz. dark or bittersweet chocolate
¼ cup low-fat milk
1 Tbs. butter
½ tsp. peppermint extract
6 egg whites or ¾ cup pasteurized egg whites
¼ tsp. salt
2 Tbs. sugar
½ cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes

In a double boiler or in a large metal bowl placed over a pot of simmering water, heat chocolate, milk and butter until chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Take off heat and mix in peppermint extract.  In a large clean bowl, beat egg whites and salt with electric mixer until soft peaks form.  Add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.  Combine 1 cup of the sugar-egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture.  Stir until smooth.  Fold the rest of egg-white and sugar mixture into chocolate mixture until no white shows.  Place into 8 freezer proof cups or ramekins.  Freeze for 20 to 25 minutes.  Sprinkle each cup with 1 Tbs. of crushed peppermint candy just before serving.