Forks Over Knives (26 page)

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Parma! (vegan “Parmesan cheese”), optional

1.
Preheat oven to 400
^°
F.

2.
Cut a slice from the top of each tomato and scoop out the pulp, leaving a ¼-inch-thick shell; set aside. Chop the tomato pulp (makes about 3½ cups) and set aside.

3.
Sauté the mushrooms and onion in some vegetable broth in a large skillet over high heat. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add spinach, avocados, reserved chopped tomatoes, garlic, basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until flavors blend, about 10 minutes. Stir in the rice, remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in ¼ cup of the Parma!

4.
Place the tomato shells in a 13 × 9 × 2-inch baking pan. Spoon the hot mixture into the shells, dividing evenly. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon Parma! on top of each. Bake until the tomatoes are hot and the filling is golden, about 15 minutes.

Tip
Parma! Vegan parmesan is a natural seasoning with only whole-food ingredients and no oils:
www.eatintheraw.com/ingredients.php
. If you can’t get Parma!, a sprinkling of nutritional yeast is the perfect “cheesy” alternative.

VARIATION:

Replace the frozen, thawed spinach with about 1 cup chopped cooked spinach.

RORY FREEDMAN AND KIM BARNOUIN |
SKINNY BITCH IN THE KITCH

THIS DISH TASTES
so simple, pure, and good it’s one of my staples. I like to make a big pot of rice and big batch of tahini ahead of time. Then, when I’m in a hurry for a fast, healthy meal, all I need to do is toss some veggies in the steamer and I’m good to go—
Rory Freedman

SERVES 4 TO 6

1½ cups medium-grain brown rice

3½ cups water, plus more for steaming

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

½ cup tahini (sesame seed paste)

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos, plus more for the table (or 4 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce)

2 carrots, cut into ¼-inch slices

¼ head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets (about 2 cups)

¼ head red cabbage (about 6 ounces), cut into ¼-inch strips

¼ bunch kale (about 4 ounces or four to six leaves), cut into ½-inch strips

1 broccoli crown, cut into bite-size florets (about 2½ cups)

7 to 8 ounces firm or extra firm tofu cut into ¼-inch slices, then cut on a diagonal into triangles

¼ cup raw pine nuts

1.
In a 2-quart saucepan over high heat, combine the rice, 3 cups of the water, and the salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the rice stand, covered, at least 10 minutes.

2.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, ¼ cup of the Bragg Liquid Aminos (or 8 teaspoons of tamari or soy sauce), and the remaining ½ cup of water; set aside. If the dressing is too thick, slowly stir in more water as needed.

3.
In a pot fitted with a steamer insert, bring 1 inch of water and the remaining 2 tablespoons of Bragg Liquid Aminos (or 4 teaspoons of the tamari or soy sauce) to a boil. Arrange the carrots and cauliflower in the insert and steam for 3 minutes. Add the cabbage, kale, broccoli, and tofu and steam for 3 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the tofu is heated through. To serve, place the rice on plates or a platter and top with the vegetable mixture, tahini sauce, and pine nuts. Pass any remaining sauce and additional Bragg Liquid Aminos at the table.

MOIRA NORDHOLT | THE FEEL GOOD GURU

THIS EASY AND
fun wheat-free pie also makes a wonderful appetizer or finger food, cut into small wedges and served warm from the oven.

Don’t be intimidated thinking you’ll have to stand over the stove stirring constantly for an hour to make your polenta crust. With this easy-shmeasy version, you whip it up, cover it, and walk away. The polenta takes the shape and size of the pan you cook it in and then browns in the oven on a cookie sheet. Simply top with your favorite sauce and toppings, or follow the recipe below for a perfect vegan polenta pizza!

The tomato sauce can be made in advance.

MAKES 4 LARGE SLICES

HEIRLOOM TOMATO SAUCE

1 pound heirloom tomatoes

Sea salt

6 to 8 garlic cloves

Fresh herbs, such as basil, chives, oregano, and sage

POLENTA CRUST

4 cups water or unsalted vegetable broth

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups organic polenta or cornmeal

HERBED CASHEW “CHEESE,” OPTIONAL

1 cup organic cashews

½ lemon, juiced

1 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt

1 teaspoon fresh basil or your favorite seasonal herb

¼ cup spring water

Seasonal toppings of your choice, such as finely sliced red onions, zucchini rounds, sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced Chinese eggplant, or fresh baby artichokes

Fresh basil

1.
For the tomato sauce: Preheat the oven to 350
^°
F. Quarter the heirloom tomatoes and place faceup on a roasting pan. Sprinkle with sea salt. Add the whole cloves of garlic and roast for 30 minutes or until lightly caramelized. Scrape the roasted tomatoes and garlic into a bowl and
pulse with an immersion blender or mash with a fork. Chop some of your favorite seasonal fresh herbs and stir in.

2.
For the crust: Bring the water and sea salt to a boil in a 10- or 12-inch pot or sauté pan. Whisk in the polenta slowly until all is incorporated. Stir for about 1 minute, then turn the heat to low, cover the pot, and leave it for 40 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to sit for another 10 minutes.

3.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

4.
Carefully turn the pot upside down, dropping the polenta onto a cutting board. Slice the polenta in half, parallel to the cutting board, into two round pizza crusts. Place the crusts onto a cookie sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, or until crispy around the edges.

5.
For the cashew “cheese”: Put all the “cheese” ingredients into a food processor and puree, adding water slowly, until they reach a thick, cream-cheese-like consistency. (You want to be able to form little “cheese balls,” so be careful not to add too much water.) Adjust seasonings to taste. (I enjoy a clove or two of garlic and sometimes more lemon juice, depending how juicy the lemon is.)

6.
Assemble the pizza: Spread the tomato sauce over the polenta crust, then use a teaspoon to form little balls of the cashew “cheese” and arrange them on top. Add toppings of choice.

7.
Bake the pizza for 10 minutes just to heat the toppings. Garnish with whole fresh basil leaves and serve.

VARIATIONS:

To use almonds instead of cashews, first soak them overnight in spring water.

Try maple shiitakes as a topping: Toss sliced shiitake mushrooms in a cast iron frying pan with a splash of tamari and a splash of maple syrup. Cook over medium heat until the liquid is absorbed.

ELISE MURPHY | T. COLIN CAMPBELL FOUNDATION

THIS CASSEROLE SATISFIES
cravings for comfort food, and is a pleaser for plant-based eaters and non-plant-based eaters alike. It’s also good reheated.

SERVES 10

16 ounces whole-wheat pasta: farfalle, penne, or other short pasta

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 large carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

8 ounces green beans, cut into pieces

16 ounces cooked cannellini beans

1 cup shelled peas

5 cups vegetable broth, separated

½ cup whole-wheat flour

⅓ cup minced fresh parsley

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 teaspoons paprika

1 cup nondairy Portobello mushroom broth, or additional vegetable broth

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1.
Preheat the oven to 350
^°
F. Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling water until just underdone. Drain, return to the pot, and set aside.