Vegetarian version of meaty favorites can ease transition

By Wanda A. Adams
Advertiser Food Editor

•

Types of vegetarianism People who say, "I'm a vegetarian, but I eat a little fish or chicken now and then" may be making healthful choices, but they are not vegetarians. These are types of vegetarians and what they eat: Vegan — Vegetable products only, no meat or dairy Lacto — Vegetable products and dairy products, no meat Lacto-ovo — Vegetable products, dairy and eggs Raw food/living food — Uncooked, unheated, unprocessed, organically grown plant foods only; primarily fruits, nuts, sprouts, juices and some vegetables. Fruitarian — Fruits, nuts, grains and the products thereof; nothing that requires that the plant be killed; no animal products. — Sources: vegweb.com; www.fruitarian.com; living-foods.com

This Veggie Stroganoff makes use of canned organic nondairy cream of mushroom soup (Ann's brand is the one Moreau used), but it could also be made by more conventional means of a white sauce; use 2 cups nonfat half-and-half or soy milk, and thicken it with a thin flour-and-water paste. In place of hamburger, Moreau used Gimme Lean brand soy burger. It's an example of a recipe that can be used when someone is early in the transition from eating meat, and craving something beefy. For a more complex dish, you could substitute part or all shiitake, chanterelle, oyster or other mushrooms. This is adapted from a recipe on VeggieLife.com.

Veggie Stroganoff

• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus parsley for garnish
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced (or more, to taste)
• Salt and pepper to taste (or 1/4 teaspoon Bragg's Liquid Aminos instead of salt)
• 12 ounces vegetarian ground round, crumbled*
• 2 cans ready-to-serve creamy mushroom soup**
• 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste or Worcestershire sauce
• 2-4 tablespoons whole wheat or unbleached white flour
• Water

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together soup, mustard and tomato paste or Worcestershire sauce. Set aside for later use.

In a large skillet over medium heat, saute onion and parsley in oil for 5 minutes, until softened. Add mushrooms and garlic and saute 5 minutes, or until mushrooms start to brown. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour, salt and pepper. Add veggie ground round and cook, stirring frequently, 2-3 minutes. Pour in soup mixture and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through.

Serve over steamed brown rice or organic mini lasagna noodles.

*Depending on the brand, soy burger may not crumble well if you place it all at once in the pan; instead, spoon or pull it out in small bits from the roll.

**If you prefer not to use the soup, make a thin paste of 2 tablespoons flour with sufficient water whisked in. After the veggie ground round is cooked, pour in 2 cups nonfat half-and-half or soy milk, slowly stir in flour paste and stir over medium heat until heated through and slightly thickened.

Moreau likes to make a nutritious gomasio — nut mixture — to top hot rice, homemade sushi or salads. This is adapted from "A Vegetarian's Ecstasy, 100 Nonfat Recipes" by James Levin and Natalie Cederquist. These provide essential fatty acids.

Gomasio

• 2 sheets sushi nori
• 3/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cups flax seeds
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds (black and white)

Lightly toast sushi nori until it's bright green, a few seconds. (Hold it over an open flame or over a burner on high; use tongs to prevent burning your fingers!) You may toast pumpkin and sesame seeds in oven or briefly in frying pan atop stove, just until aromas are released; this is optional as some believe toasting destroys the nutritional value of the oils in the seeds. Grind all the seeds in a grinder or nut mill; chop or shred nori. Mix together in bowl. Place in an airtight container and keep refrigerated.

Millet butter is Moreau's answer to the times when you just want to slather food with something that tasted decadent, but isn't. This has a sweet, hearty flavor and is very nutritious. Millet is a small, round golden grain, rich in protein; find it in the bulk bins at health food stores. You can use regular gelatin in this recipe if you are not a strict vegan. The macadamia nuts may be raw or roasted, salted or unsalted; cashews or blanched almonds can be substituted. The butter flavor Moreau uses is Frontier Natural Butter Flavor, found where food supplements are sold.

Millet Butter

• 1/4 cup millet, rinsed
• 2 3/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 tablespoon Emes Kosher Jel
• 2 tablespoons macadamia nuts
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Dash turmeric
• 1 1/2 teaspoon light vinegar
• 1 teaspoon butter flavor

Bring millet and 1 1/4 water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes; add remaining water; bring back to a boil and add Emes Jel. Mix until dissolved. Remove from heat. In blender, combine remaining ingredients and add millet/gel mixture. Blend until smooth. Pour into storage container, cover and cool. Keep refrigerated. It will firm up as it cools. Makes 3 cups.

These easy-to-make lentil cakes or crepes can be used a breakfast food or served as an entree.

Utapan

• 1 cup urad dal, white lentils
• 1 1/2 cups brown rice or basmati white rice
• Water

Rinse dal and brown rice in water until clear. Place in bowl and cover with water overnight.

Drain. Process in food processor with enough water to make a thin batter, as for pancakes.

Heat a nonstick pan or a skillet sprayed with vegetable oil. Pour a little batter in pan to make a thin crepe; turn, cook until done (do not turn). Serve hot with nut butter or as a base for sauteed or roasted vegetables or even a curry.

You can also saute vegetables such as onion, red bell pepper and bean sprouts in a little oil or ghee (clarified butter); season as desired, then pour batter over the vegetables to make a sort of frittatta. Cook until set.