Forks Over Knives: The Cookbook (31 page)

SERVES 6 TO 8

FOR THE SWEET POTATO AND VEGETABLE MIXTURE:

1 large sweet potato, cut into 1½-inch slices

1 small onion, peeled and diced

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch slices

2 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch slices

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into ¼-inch slices

2 cups cauliflower florets (from about one large head)

¼ pound green beans, trimmed

1 tablespoon thyme

1 bay leaf

3 cups
Vegetable Stock
, or low-sodium vegetable broth

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

FOR THE MASHED POTATO AND MUSHROOM MIXTURE:

8 small white, Yukon Gold, or russet potatoes, cut into ¼-inch cubes

2 cups
Vegetable Stock
, or low-sodium vegetable broth

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced

2 shallots, peeled and minced

3 celery stalks, chopped

½ teaspoon celery seed

¼ teaspoon white pepper

½ teaspoon sage

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce

FOR THE WHITE BEAN CREAM:

1 cup cooked cannellini or
navy beans

1.
Preheat the oven to 450°F.

TO MAKE THE SWEET POTATO AND VEGETABLE MIXTURE:

2.
Place the sweet potato on the bottom of a large baking dish, and top with the onion, carrots, zucchini, red pepper, cauliflower, green beans, thyme, bay leaf, vegetable stock, and garlic. Season with salt and black pepper. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil. Place in the preheated oven and cook for
50 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender. (Note that the dishes for both the Sweet Potato and Vegetable Mixture and the Mashed Potato and Mushroom Mixture should be placed in the oven at the same time.)

TO MAKE THE MASHED POTATO AND MUSHROOM MIXTURE:

3.
Place the potatoes on the bottom of a large baking dish and top with the vegetable stock, mushrooms, shallots, celery, celery seed, white pepper, sage, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 50 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. When the potatoes are tender, coarsely mash them in the baking dish with a potato masher.

TO MAKE THE WHITE BEAN CREAM:

4.
Place the beans and 1 cup of water in a blender and process until creamy, adding more water as needed to achieve a smooth consistency.

TO ASSEMBLE THE STEW:

5.
Pour the White Bean Cream into the Mashed Potato and Mushroom Mixture and mix well to combine. Spread on top of the Sweet Potato and Vegetable Mixture. Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes.

WHEN YOU NEED a change from rice, add millet to the menu. It’s a healthy, gluten-free grain with a mild nutty flavor, and best of all, it’s quick-cooking. Cooking the vegetable stock with cinnamon, ginger, and bay gives the soup a North African flavor. Add a pinch of saffron if you like. Like most grains, the longer the millet cooks in the soup, the more liquid it will absorb. Add more stock, or water, if needed, to thin the soup.

SERVES 4 TO 6

5 to 6 cups
Vegetable Stock
, or low-sodium vegetable broth

Two 1-inch pieces cinnamon stick

2 tablespoons grated ginger

1 bay leaf

1 large onion, peeled and cut into ¾-inch pieces

2 large carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch slices

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 cup millet

1 large head cauliflower, cut into large florets

One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ cup chopped cilantro

1.
In a small pot, combine the vegetable stock, cinnamon sticks, ginger, and bay leaf and cook over medium-high heat for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard the spices, and set the vegetable stock aside.

2.
Place the onion and carrot in a large saucepan over medium heat and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and starting to brown. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the prepared vegetable stock, millet, cauliflower, and tomatoes and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower and millet are tender. Season with salt and cook for another 5 minutes.

3.
Serve garnished with cilantro.

THIS EXOTICALLY FLAVORFUL soup from the horn of Africa is made with a spice blend called
berbere
, and the spiced, clarified butter known as
Nitter Kibbeh
. You can easily make your own Berbere Spice Blend (see below), or buy it in most spice stores. Its flavor is quite unique, so do not substitute curry powder; the minimal effort of finding or making the berbere spice is well worth it.

SERVES 4

¼ cup
Nitter Kibbeh

6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 to 3 tablespoons Berbere Spice Blend (see below)

2 large tomatoes, diced

1½ cups red lentils (about ½ pound), rinsed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Warm the nitter kibbeh, garlic, and berbere spice in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes have started to break down. Add the lentils and 5 cups of water and bring the pan to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Berbere Spice Blend

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground fenugreek

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon turmeric

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well to blend. Store in an airtight container.

THE SPICES IN this hearty soup are classic flavors of North African cooking—a mix of sweet, savory, bright, and earthy all in one dish. Saffron may be the world’s most expensive spice, but this recipe, like most, only calls for a small amount. This dish also calls for sweet paprika, which usually refers to a milder form of the spice.

SERVES 6 TO 8

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

2 celery stalks, cut into ½-inch slices

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 tablespoon grated ginger

1½ tablespoons sweet paprika

2 teaspoons cumin

1 tablespoon coriander

Two 1-inch pieces cinnamon stick

8 cups
Vegetable Stock
, or low-sodium vegetable broth

One medium butternut squash (about 1 pound), peeled, halved, seeded, and cut into ¾-inch pieces

1 turnip, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces

1 russet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces

One 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes

2 cups cooked
chickpeas
, or one 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed

2 large pinches saffron, soaked for 15 minutes in ¼ cup warm water

2 tablespoons
 finely chopped
 mint

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ cup 
finely chopped
 cilantro

Place the onion, carrots, and celery in a large pot and sauté for 10 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan. Add the garlic, ginger, paprika, cumin, coriander, and cinnamon sticks and cook for 3 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, squash, turnip, potato, tomatoes, and chickpeas and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Add the saffron with its soaking water, and the mint, and season the stew with salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes more, or until the vegetables are tender. Serve garnished with the cilantro.

NOTE
Other vegetables like celery root and cauliflower go well in this dish, so feel free to use whatever such vegetables you have on hand.

Recipe by Darshana Thacker

THIS DISH IS a delicious curried stew with a Latin flair. Serve it over brown rice or quinoa to make it a meal.

SERVES 4

FOR THE STEW:

1 cup brown lentils, rinsed

½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped (about ½ cup)

½ cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped tomato

½ teaspoon curry powder

½ teaspoon lime juice

FOR THE AVOCADO SALSA:

½ avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about ½ cup)

½ cup finely diced tomatoes

½ teaspoon
 finely chopped
 cilantro

½ teaspoon lime juice

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

TO MAKE THE STEW:

1.
Place the lentils, salt, turmeric, and 2 cups water in a large saucepan. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 25 to 30 minutes. Add the green pepper, celery, tomato, and curry powder and cook for 10 minutes. Just before serving, add the lime juice.

TO MAKE THE AVOCADO SALSA:

2.
Combine the avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, and black pepper to a medium bowl. Mix well to combine.

3.
Serve the stew hot and top with the avocado salsa.

Recipe by Julieanna Hever

THIS HEARTY CHILI is robust and satisfying. Enjoy with a
Whole-Grain Corn Muffin
or two and even a dollop of
No-Cheese Sauce
. Keep this recipe on standby for anytime you want a warm, easy, and soothing meal.

SERVES 6 TO 8

3 medium yellow onions, peeled and chopped (about 1½ cups)

1½ cups chopped celery

2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced (about 1 cup)