Well, purchasing The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger (who is host of the Healthy Appetite show on Food Network), published by Taunton Press, was definitely one of those impulsive decisions.  I was shopping at my local discount store and the title caught my eye. I picked up the book and I was hooked.

The book’s premise is good-for-you recipes that you’ll want to eat and that will be satisfying. The Food You Crave is packed with helpful how-to-eat-right hints, appealing photos, and recipes for every meal and course. Some are favorites Krieger reworks to make healthier (such as muffins, deviled eggs, crispy chicken fingers, and banana cream pie), others start from fresh produce and other ingredients and reflect modern tastes and food trends (miso-glazed black cod, Thai beef salad, and grilled bananas with chai syrup). The recipes and directions are clear and provide nutrition information including the amount of calories, fats, protein, carbs, fiber, cholesterol, sodium, and what vitamins and minerals each dish provides. There are options for every meal from breakfast to dessert and recipes that range from comfort food and easy dinners to company dinners.

This is a sprightly, lively cookbook, not the usual diet dirge.

The book’s opening chapter and sidebars scattered about the book feature tips on such topics as the healthy use of dairy and cheese, pantry suggestions, Mediterranean-inspired eating, and lists of meal ideas such as “10 Grab and Go Breakfasts.” Krieger’s background as a registered dietitian comes through. There is no gimmicky science, just straightforward advice and information.

Krieger is a working mom and she is emphatic that her mostly from scratch cooking approach is doable and will often take less time than preparing many processed foods. The recipes I tried were flavorful without being overly fussy to make and the directions were clear enough even for a less-experienced cook. I liked her moderation-is-key approach, with no foods off-limits, just how often you eat them or how much you eat of them. 

While there are many vegetarian options in other chapters (including pastas, pizzas, sandwiches, soups, dips, salads, and more), unfortunately, there are none in the “main course” section. One of the most tempting-looking recipes in the book is vegetarian though, Grilled Portobello Panini, using the mushrooms as the “bread” and oozing gorgonzola cheese and sun-dried mushrooms.

I recently tried three recipes from the book.  All three were excellent and I’ll make all of them again, but in each case I felt like I needed to add a bit extra.

In the case of the Double Chocolate Pudding Pie, it was that I wanted a s’more-style marshmallow topping instead of the suggested whip cream decoration. I made a more radical change with the Miso Glaze. I used the glaze recipe as written, but instead of using it for grilled black cod, I used it on tofu-zucchini-mushroom kebabs. I also made the Snow Pea and Radish Salad, which I felt needed a sprinkle of sea salt to bring out the taste of the vegetables. More experienced cooks might want to tweak some of the other recipes to reflect their tastes, but all the recipes I read seemed like they would work just fine without adjustment. Occassionally I wished Krieger would have been a bit more detailed, for example, specifying seasoned or unseasoned rice vinegar, salted or unsalted butter, natural or Dutch-processed cocoa, but they are small quibbles and don’t really cause problems with her dishes.

Snow Pea, Scallion and Radish Salad

From Ellie Krieger’s The Food You Crave, Taunton Press

Serves 4

Note: The snow peas in my market were yellow and tired. I opted to use some sweet sugar snap peas. They needed to be microwaved a bit longer (mine took 2 minutes) and I wasn’t  able to cut them in exactly the diamond shape she recommends, but the salad looked nice with the peas cut on a slant and it tasted fresh with a nice bite from the radish and scallions (green onions).  I served this with an Indian-inspired meal, but it would also go well with grilled, roasted, or fried food or with an Asian dinner. I also scattered about a ¼ teaspoon of good fine-grained sea salt over it before giving the salad a final toss.

8 ounces snow peas, trimmed

1 tablespoon water

¼ cup rice vinegar (Krieger doesn’t specify, but I used unseasoned, since the seasoned style would add sugar and salt)

2 teaspoons sugar

1 tablespoon walnut or canola oil (I used the canola)

2 scallions (white and green parts), sliced thin

4 radishes, trimmed and cut into thin sticks

Place the snow peas in a microwave-safe bowl with the water. Cover and microwave for a minute. Drain and cool. Cut the snow peas on the diagonal into ½-inch diamond shapes. Discard the small ends.

Combine the vinegar, sugar, and oil in a small bowl, whisking together.  Put the snow peas, scallions and radishes in a serving bowl. Toss the salad with the dressing. Serve.

(Photo of The Food You Crave book jacket from Taunton Press)

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.  

Supernatural Cooking: Five Ways to Incorporate Whole & Natural Ingredients into Your Cooking was written and photographed by Swanson, well known for her 101 Cookbooks blog, as a way to educate others on how to use better-for-you ingredients.  The book focuses on a wide range of natural foods that are becoming more and more available in supermarkets or have good availability in local specialty, natural, organic or ethnic food stores.  She also includes a list from A to Z of internet food resources.

Swanson skips the preachy stuff and assumes her readers understand the value of eating less processed, higher fiber foods highlighting seasonal fruits and vegetables.  She gets right down to discussing the purchasing, storage and usage of grains such as teff, quinoa and amaranth; sweeteners such as agave nectar and natural cane sugars,;and fruits and vegetables such as acai and hijiki, as well as more familiar ingredients including whole wheat flours, sweet potatoes, lentils and beans, and green beans.

Swanson has focused on every day food, providing 80 recipes aimed at packing more flavor, nutrition and color into breakfast, lunch and dinner without much fuss, special techniques or elaborate presentations.  The recipes are written in a straight-forward, easy-to-understand style that should appeal to all sorts of eaters and all levels of cooks.  Even kids (or picky adults) should be tempted by “Baked Purple Hedgehog Potatoes,” “Yucatan Street Corn” and “Thin Mint Cookies.”  Every recipe is accompanied with Swanson’s color photographs of the dish.

Her photography throughout the book is lush and vivid, with photos of fruits, vegetables, prepared foods, people, objects and even fabrics combining to give a vibrant impression of the passion behind Swanson’s natural food mission. 

While the book’s organization (chapters include “Build a Natural Foods Pantry,” “Explore a Wide Range of Grains,” “Cook by Color,” “Know Your Superfoods,” and “Use Natural Sweeteners”) work well for breaking down the topic into specific natural foods lessons, having recipes for say salads or soups spread out over a few chapters make it a bit difficult to use when you are just looking to be inspired to pick out something in a specific category, but it is a great book to sit down and read or browse when you have the time.  It is not a menu-driven cookbook where you can easily pull together a three course meal for company (although many of the dishes would work for that); it’s more of the kind of cookbook where you look at a recipe and say, “I’ll make that for dinner tonight.”    

So far I’ve made one recipe from the book, “Roasted Tomato and Paprika Soup“ (click on the link for my experience making it and a recipe.)   It was relatively simple and straightforward to make, and roasting the vegetables and using the smoked paprika added extra dimension to the soup.  I am looking forward to making the “Espresso Banana Muffins,” “Farro with Green Onion Sauce, Toasted Walnuts and Asparagus” (at least once asparagus is back in season at a reasonable price), “Big Curry Pot Noodles,” “Winter Rainbow Gratin,” “Acai Power Popsicles” and the recipe (and photo) that made me swoon and have to buy this book, “Fig Spread with Black Pepper and Toasted Sesame Seeds.” 

The book is published by Celestial Arts, a Ten Speed Press imprint.  The Ten Speed site for the cookbook has an excerpt, as well as several of the recipes (click on link and then choose the recipes tab) including one for “Mesquite Chocolate Chip Cookies.”  No, the dough isn’t grilled over a wood fire; the recipe uses mesquite flour, which is ground from the plants’ roots.  One of the few really esoteric ingredients (at least to me) Swanson uses, she gives a substitute in the recipe and a resource to buy it from online in case you can’t find it locally.

Photo credit: Celestial Arts/Ten Speed Press.

The outside may be different, but inside the issue is the regular September 2007 issue of Vegetarian Times subscribers and those not in the test markets will receive.

Why the (temporary) name change?  Spokeswoman Dayna Macy says the idea is to see if the name Vegetarian Times still resonates with the magazine’s readers and potential readers.  Celine Bleu, a marketing director with Active Interest Media (AIM), publishers of Vegetarian Times, Yoga Journal and other special interest publications, says the name Greens was chosen because it is seen as relating well to life today.  “Green living, green lifestyle and eating their greens” are all seen as desirable, Bleu says.

“When you have a brand, and it’s a venerable brand, after 30 years you take a look to see if that name still works,” Macy says.  While the name could change depending on reader reaction, the magazine’s concepts and scope will not.  Macy, communications director of AIM’s Healthy Living Group,  reassures readers that even if a name change does eventually happen (and it very well might not), the periodical will never include articles on or advertising for beef, chicken, fish or other non-vegetarian foods.

The publication, which debuted in 1975, quotes a monthly circulation of 245,350 according to its on-line media kit for potential advertisers.  About 84 percent of its subscribers are women.  The median age of subscribers is 45.5.  According to the website’s stats, the magazine’s readers are mostly college-educated homeowners.  One surprise, only 40 percent of subscribers self identify as vegetarians.  

While the AIM executives I spoke with didn’t address this, the test may be an attempt to reframe Vegetarian Times’ healthy lifestyle message and bring it to a younger audience or to people who have yet to make the association of vegetarianism with their attempts to live greener lives.

The September issue by any name is full of food and lifestyle features including articles on stocking your spice rack, learning how to blanch, braise and sauté, and taking care of your skin.  There is also a profile of winemaker Peter Mondavi Jr.  Mushrooms are showcased in the 1 Food 5 Ways section.  The 5 Ingredients feature gives directions for “real meals you can cook in a dorm” and the Veg Lite department highlights “guilt-free” recipes for the Jewish New Year.

Do you have an opinion about Greens vs. Vegetarian Times?  Have you spotted Greens at your newsstand?  Leave a comment below and let Paper Palate know.  I’ll pass along your feedback to the folks at Vegetarian Times.

Having just returned from a vacation that included much drinking of both traditional and frozen margaritas, I was looking for other summer drink options.  The “quick veg lite” feature headlined “To Your Health! Lightened-up margaritas, mojitos and more” by Fiona Kennedy instantly appealed to me.

Kennedy offers four recipes (all vegan) relying on fresh fruit.  Each recipe comes in at a reasonable 120-209 calories per serving (as opposed to the typical 500 calorie margaritas I’ve been guzzling).   The article assures us that each of the recipes, Pomegranate-Raspberry Margaritas, Watermelon Slushies (for Grown-Ups), Pina Coladas and, my favorite, Ginger-Mint Mojitos, can be made without the alcohol for designated drivers, children or others who would prefer not to indulge.

The article also gives some directions for producing perfectly smooth smoothies and frozen drinks.  The trick is to blend ingredients for 10 seconds on low, then 10 seconds on high.

Here is Vegetarian Times’ recipe for Ginger-Mint Mojitos.  Each serving is 120 calories according to the nutritional data provided by the magazine.

Ginger-Mint Mojitos

Serves 4

2 limes

2/3 cup white rum

10 fresh mint sprigs, plus 4 extra for garnish

¼ cup sugar

2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger

2 cups club soda

Juice the limes and reserve juiced halves. Mash lime halves, juice, run, mints, sugar and ginger in bowl with spoon.  After 20 minutes, strain, discarding solids. Fill 4 glasses with ice, ½ cup of the rum-lime mixture and ½ cup of club soda. Garnish with mint springs. 

Photo Credit: Vegetarian Times

“Soul-Satisfying Food” is what the family reunion article promises and the recipes by Liza Hughes really deliver.  Try oven-fried okra, cornbread and pulled “pork” barbecue sandwiches (made with shredded seitan) even if you don’t have a family reunion this summer.  Vegetarian Times features these recipes from this article on its website.  You can view them here.  You might want to pick up an issue to see the sweet potato pie and collard greens recipes.

Elsewhere in the issue, learn how to forage for wild food with noted Naturalist “Wildman” Steve Brill, try the green pea recipes in the “1 Food 5 Ways” feature and consider switching to the “Slim, Trim and Vegan” diet which features an eating plan and recipes to help readers ease diabetes and possibly lose weight.  Here’s a recipe to try from the “30 Minutes” section.  This month’s section highlights recipes that are “special occassion” but “let you have your fun in the sun” including this recipe for a chickpea dip created by Kathy Farrell-Kingsley.

Vegetarian Times Spicy Chickpea Dip

Makes about  3 cups

1 tsp. whole cumin seeds, lightly toasted over medium heat for 3 minutes in a small skillet, then ground into a fine powder

2 15-oz. cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

3 Tbs. lemon juice

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 tsp. hot paprika.

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 Tbs. olive oil

Salt

Pepper

In a food processor, blend ground cumin, chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, paprika and cayenne pepper until very finely chopped.  With the machine running, add oil and process until smooth.  Transfer puree to bowl.  Add salt and pepper to taste and combine.  Serve at room temperature.

Photo Credit:  Vegetarian Times

The Southeast Asian Peanut Noodles skillet supper from the magazine’s “Quick-1 Pot” feature is vegan, can be put together in 30 minutes or less and is delicious.  Below is the magazine’s recipe from the feature authored by Frank P. Melodia.

Southeast Asian Peanut Noodles

Serves 6

1 8-oz. packaged of flat rice stick noodles

¼ cup low-sodium teriyaki sauce

3 Tbs. creamy peanut butter

¼ tsp. hot chili sauce or sambal oelek

2 tsp. sesame oil

3 cloves garlic, mined

1 Tbs. fresh ginger, minced

4 cups snow peas, trimmed

8 oz. seasoned baked tofu, drained, cut into ¾-inch cubes

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1/3 cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts

Lime wedges for garnish

Bring 6 cups of water to boil in a large nonstick skillet.  Add noodles, stir to separate and then cover and remove from heat.  Let stand 6 minutes to soften. Drain and set aside.  Whisk teriyaki sauce, 2 Tbs. hot water, peanut better and chili sauce in a small bowl. Dry out skillet. Add sesame oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger and stir fry for 30 seconds.  Add snow peas and stir fry for 3 minutes. Add tofu and stir fry 1 minute.  Add teriyaki mixture and cook 2 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.  Add noodles to mixture and pan and gently toss with fork for 2 to 3 minutes or until noodles are coated with sauce and heated through.  Sprinkle with cilantro and peanuts. Serve hot with lime wedges.

One note: Don’t try to cook the noodles too far in advance.  If they sit around too long they will begin to stick to each other.  If you must make the noodles in advance, toss them with a little vegetable oil to keep the strands separate.

In the comfort category, put recipes for Garlicky Grits Cakes with Red Pepper Tapenade, Decadent Chocolate Mousse, Cornmeal Waffles with Warm Peach Sauce (made with frozen peaches),  and Macaroni and Cheese. 

In the spring’s bounty grouping, the magazine offers Asparagus Quiche Bites, California Endive Cups, Oatmeal-Rhubarb Crumble, and Watermelon Salad with Jalapeno and Lime.

This month’s features include new recipes from old Ireland with veggie takes on Colcannon and other standbys. Other features in March highlight low-sugar fruit desserts, elegant party ideas and recipes, potluck suggestions including a luscious-sounding Tangerine-Glazed Carrot Cake, and “The Next Wave” about five “up and coming vegetarian chefs.”  The one ingredient five ways feature is on peanut butter, with recipes for an African soup, tofu satay, sweet potato curry and Napa cabbage salad.

Up until the time I went to the kitchen to cook, I thought I would sample the Individual Carrot Souffles recipe, but when I grabbed the magazine and headed toward the refrigerator to pull out the ingredients, the cover photo of a very inviting dish of good old mac and cheese just looked so tempting that I decided to make that instead.

So here’s my take on the March Vegetarian Times Macaroni and Cheese recipe.  The magazine’s recipe is “slimmed down” but full of flavor. It is part of its five-ingredient feature, but I’ve added a few more (which I’ve noted).  The original recipe is part of a feature called “Quick Comfort” by Myra Kornfeld.

Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe is adapted from one in the March 2007 Vegetarian Times.  (The notes in the original recipe recommend mixing in chopped green onion and sprinkling bread crumbs on top although they did not include those ingredients or their amounts in the actual recipe or the nutrition breakdown.)

10 oz. (about 3 cups) medium elbow macaroni (or other shaped pasta)

2 Tbs. unsalted butter

Cooking spray (the original mentions extra butter for greasing the pan)

2 Tbs. unbleached white flour (I used white whole wheat)

2 ½ cups low-fat milk

2 ¼ cups (about 5 oz.) grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, divided (I used ¾ cheddar, ¼ Parmesan)

1/8 tsp. dry mustard (my addition)

Salt and pepper to taste

3 ounces of chopped green chile (my addition) OR 3 ounces of chopped green onion, optional

1/3 cup of bread crumbs (I like panko-style), optional

Paprika to taste, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cook pasta in boiling water until done but still firm to the bite. Drain. Set aside.  Over medium heat, melt butter then add the flour, stirring and cooking for a minute.  Add milk and cook until thickened, stirring constantly.  (Vegetarian Times says this should take six minutes, my batch took a bit longer.) Remove from heat, stir in 1 ½ cups of the grated cheese. Season with mustard, salt and pepper.  Combine sauce with noodles, add in optional chopped chiles or onions, and mix well.

Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with the cooking spray.  Put noodle and sauce mixture in baking dish.  Scatter remaining cheese on top.  Distribute optional bread crumbs evenly over top. Lightly sprinkle paprika over breadcrumbs, if using.

Bake 45 minutes (check early, mine was done at 40 minutes) or until top is crisp and has started to brown.  Let rest 10 minutes before serving.  Serves 8.

Vegetarian Times’ version (without the breadcrumbs, chiles and additional seasoning) has 269 calories and 11 grams total fat, according to the nutrition information provided by the magazine.

How did it turn out?  The top was nice and crunchy with plenty of crispy bits.  I liked the sharp taste of the chiles offsetting the richness of the cheese and blandness of the pasta.  The texture was on the firm side. If you want a creamier mac and cheese, you might make a bit more white sauce to mix in or thicken the sauce a bit less to begin with. 

Overall, it was easy and tasty.  I plan on trying it again and experimenting with different vegetable mix ins.

Like nutrition news:  Check out the articles on conquering food cravings, the latest superfoods and the “new” quick-cooking whole grains. 

One example is the article on “The New Superfoods.”  Authors Shane Speer and Carolynn Carreno explore the background, super powers and usage recommendations for the Brazilian Acai berry (which has been shown to suppress cancer cells in a test tube),  South American Yerba Mate tea (said to show promising anti-heart disease properties), sour cherries (natural anti-inflammatory agents), pomegranates (new promise in helping slow prostrate cancer) and sesame seeds (might help balance hormones in women and lower cholesterol levels). 

Looking to celebrate the Lunar New Year, indulge in a feast for just the two of you, or whip up some (relatively) good-for-you chocolate recipes?  It’s in there. 

Take a look at the “Joy Luck Supper” feature.  It may be the Year of the Pig, but Vegetarian Times presents a vegan Lunar New Year menu featuring baby bok choy with Chinese mushrooms, crispy five-spice tofu with black bean relish, mashed sweet potatoes with Goji berries and sesame noodles with Napa cabbage. 

Maybe you need some fast and healthy recipes to feed your family from breakfast through dinner?  

The February Vegetarian Times has that, too, with offerings on “all-season salads,” revamped Mediterranean recipes, 30-minute recipes (try rotelle primavera, Indonesian tofu-peanut fondue or maybe maple-walnut polenta pudding) and a pancake recipe designed to appeal to the child in us all.   I tried the Tortilla Lasagna with Swiss Chard from the magazine’s “1 Food, Five Ways” feature on tortillas. 

My family and I were pleased with the fusion lasagna (the tortillas take the place of the pasta).  It features easy-to-find ingredients, lots of taste and is quick to prepare. 

Tortilla Lasagna with Swiss Chard 

Serves 6

I’ve adapted this recipe by Victoria Riccardi to streamline its preparation and make it microwavable. 

2 tsp. olive oil   

1 lb. Swiss chard, stems and leaves separated, chopped 

1 large onion, chopped 

4 cloves garlic, minced 

1 28-32 ounce jar of prepared spaghetti sauce (I used spicy red bell pepper) 

1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves, chopped 

9 6-inch corn tortillas 

2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese 

3 oz. part skim mozzarella cheese, grated 

3 Tbs. grated Romano cheese 

Heat oil in large pot over high heat. Add the chard stems and chopped onion.  Saute for 8 minutes or until soft, stirring often.  Add chard leaves and garlic.  Cover and cook over medium-low heat until leaves are tender, about five minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Combine the tomato sauce and basil.  Spread 1/2 cup of the tomato-basil sauce over the bottom of a 9-10″ round casserole dish suitable for the microwave.  Arrange 3 tortillas in a single layer, overlapping as needed) over the sauce. 

Mix the ricotta with salt and pepper to taste.  Spread 1 cup of the ricotta over the tortilla layer, top with another 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce, 1/2 of the chard mixture, a third of the mozzarella and 1 Tbs. of the Romano cheeses.  Repeat laying with 3 more tortillas, 1 cup ricotta, 1/2 cup tomato sauce, another third of the mozzarella and 1 Tbs. of the Romano cheese.  Place remaining tortillas on top and spread remaining tomato sauce over top.  Sprinkle with rest of the mozzarella and Romano cheese.  Place in microwave and heat on high for about 15-20 minutes until the cheeses on top have melted and the lasagna is heated through. 

Hopefuls arrived at 6 a.m. for group interviews of seven at a time that began at noon and needed to finish at 5 p.m. before the Postrio restaurant’s dinner service began.  The restaurant was one of several locations Bravo is using to screen wannabe Ilans and Harolds across the country.  

According to the article in the San Francisco Chronicle by Carolyn Zinko, the Bay area candidates ranged from a caterer who enjoys the challenge of making meals out of “nothing” to a private chef who works for international socialite. One was an actor, another a sommelier, but all hoped that they had the winning recipe for skills, charisma and appearance for a chance to grab the $100,000 prize.

Zinko quotes Top Chef casting directors who say that in its third season Top Chef “will raise the bar in terms of contestants and location.”

Interested in seeing if you have the food and personality chops to be a Top Chef?  Here’s a link from Bravo TV with info on how to apply.

Photo credit:  Bravo TV (Top chef apron for sale here)