Portobellos Stuffed with Curried Pea-Spinach-Red Lentil Polenta

Serves 5

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

½ tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 teaspoon curry powder

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 cup lite coconut milk

1 cup dried, split red lentils

1 cup frozen green peas

½ 6-ounce jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped and oil reserved

2½ pieces dried mango, chopped

2 tablespoons raisins

¾ cup fresh baby spinach

1½ tablespoons shredded coconut

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1½ tablespoons mango chutney

Salt and pepper to taste

5 large portobello mushroom caps

1. Preheat broiler.  Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Heat vegetable oil in large skillet over medium heat, and sauté garlic and ginger about 30 seconds, or until fragrant.  Sprinkle with curry powder and turmeric.  Add coconut milk and lentils.  Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 15 minutes more, or until lentils are softened.
3. Stir in peas, tomatoes, mango, raisins, spinach, and coconut, and cook 3 minutes more.  Remove from heat and stir in cheese and chutney.
4. Prepare polenta according to package directions.  Remove from heat, and stir in curry mixture; add salt and pepper to taste if desired.
5. Scrape off brown gills from inside mushroom caps using spoon.  Stir 2 tablespoons gills into polenta mixture, and discard remaining gills.  Brush both sides of mushroom caps with reserved oil from tomatoes.  Place caps, stem side down, on baking sheet, and broil 5 minuteson each side, or until soft.
6. Spoon polenta mixture into mushroom caps.  Broil mushrooms about 3 minutes, or until golden brown.  Using spatula, transfer mushrooms to serving plates.

Potato and Tempeh Quesadillas with Coconut Milk and Lemongrass

Serves 5

¼ cup lite unsweetened coconut milk

¼ cup plain soymilk

½ teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

½ teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon minced lemongrass

1 tablespoon brown sugar

6 tablespoons vegetable stock

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon canola oil

½ medium-sized onion, halved and thinly sliced

1½ medium-sized red potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch pieces

½ pound tempeh, diced

½ large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin slices

4 ounces snow peas, trimmed

½ bunch scallions, chopped

Juice of ½ lime

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

5 10-inch flour tortillas

1¼ cups grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

1 medium-sized tomatoes, halved, seeded, and diced

1. Put coconut milk, soymilk, cumin, peanut butter, soy sauce, chili powder, lemongrass, brown sugar, stock, and red pepper into food processor or blender; purée until smooth.
2. Heat oils in skillet over medium heat.  Add onion; cook, stirring often, 5 minutes, or until soft.  Stir in potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes.  Add puréed mixture; cook about 5 minutes.  Increase heat to medium-high; add tempeh, bell pepper, snow peas, and scallions.  Cook about 5 minutes, then return heat to medium and cook 5 minutes more, or until potatoes are tender and sauce is thick.  Stir in lime juice; season with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat.
3. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat; spray with cooking spray.  Add one tortilla; sprinkle about 2 tablespoons cheese over half of tortilla.  Spoon about ⅓ cup potato-tempeh mixture over cheese; top with 1 tablespoon tomato and 2 tablespoons more cheese.
4. Fold tortilla in half, and press down with spatula.  Cook about 1 minute, or until underside is golden.  Turn over, and cook 1 minute more.  Remove, and cut into wedges.  Repeat with remaining tortillas; respray skillet as needed.

Indian/New Orleans Chana and Red Bean Masala with Rice Roti

Serves 5

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 oz. cajun-style andouille sausage, cut crosswise into ¾-inch chunks

1 large onion, chopped, divided

½ stalk celery, chopped, plus celery leaves for garnish

½ bay leaf

½ teaspoon dried thyme

Pinch cayenne pepper or a few dashes hot sauce

Salt and pepper

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1½ cans (15 oz. each) kidney beans, rinsed

½ cup chicken stock

1 fresh green chile, such as serrano, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 large tomato, chopped (about 1½ cups)

1½ tablespoons chopped cilantro, divided

1 tablespoon salt, divided

1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed

½ tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice, plus 2 lemon or lime wedges

1 cup long-grain rice, rinsed

1¼ cups water, divided

1 cup flour

1. In a dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and all of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage, half of the onion, celery, bay leaf, thyme, and cayenne; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add remaining onion and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the chopped garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
2. Using a fork, mash ¼ cup beans and add them to the pot. Add the remaining beans and the stock; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add the chile, finely chopped garlic, ginger, and garam masala and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomato, half of the cilantro, and ½ tablespoon salt and simmer gently until saucy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice. Cover and set aside to keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the rice and 1 cup water. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked through, 20 to 22 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover for 5 minutes; mix with flour and remaining salt in a large bowl. In a small skillet, heat the remaining vegetable oil over high heat until very hot, about 1 minute. Drizzle it over the rice/flour mixture. Pour in remaining water in a slow stream, mixing with a wooden spoon. Add up to 1 tablespoon more water, ½ tablespoon at a time, until the dough holds together when pinched. Working by hand or using a standing mixture fitted with a dough hook, knead the dough until smooth and firm, about 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes by mixer. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
4. Divide the dough evenly into 8 balls. Roll each ball into a 6-inch round (about ¹/₁₆-inch thick). Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap.
5. Meanwhile, wipe the inside of a medium nonstick skillet with an oiled paper towel and heat over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Working with 1 dough round at a time, place the dough into the pan and cook until brown in spots, gently pressing the air bubbles with the back of a spatula to expel the air, about 30 seconds. Flip and continue pressing for about 15 seconds. Transfer to a plate and brush with some of the butter. Repeat with the remaining rounds and butter.
6. To serve, spoon the masala evenly into individual bowls. Top with the remaining cilantro, the celery leaves, and the lemon wedges. Serve with the bread.

Chard with Red Pumpkin Pie-Cocoa Sauce

Serves 5

3 slices bacon, chopped

½ onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

18 tablespoons low-fat milk

¾ cup chicken broth

¼ cup hot cocoa mix

1½ tablespoons canned pure pumpkin puree

½ 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 bunch swiss hard, shredded

¼ cup whipped cream

1. In large saucepan, crisp bacon; drain. In 2 tablespoons bacon fat, cook onion and garlic. Whisk in milk, broth, cocoa mix, pumpkin puree, tomatoes, and pumpkin pie spice; add chard and cook 25 minutes. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with bacon.

Baked Eggplant, Banana, and Zucchini Enchiladas Falsas

                Serves 5 (serve family-style)

                1 cup tomato sauce, divided

                4 egg roll wrappers

                ½ small eggplant, cut into long slabs, divided

                1½ bananas, sliced into ½–inch rounds, divided

                1 small zucchini, cut into long slabs, divided

                ½ cup shredded fontina, divided

                ½ cup shredded parmesan, divided

                1½ tablespoons Nutella, divided

                8 teaspoons torn basil, divided

                1 tablespoon melted butter

                ½ tablespoon confectioner’s sugar

1.       Spread ¼ cup sauce in 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

2.       With point of wrapper facing you, spread with 1½ tablespoons sauce; top (in center) with 1 layer eggplant, 1 banana slice, 1 layer zucchini, 1 tablespoon of each cheese, ½ teaspoon Nutella, and 1 teaspoon basil.  Repeat layering once.  Brush edges with butter, roll up like a burrito.  Brush with butter. 

3.       Cook enchiladas falsas in nonstick skillet over medium heat, 4 minutes.  Transfer to baking dish.  Bake for 12½ minutes at 400°.  Dust with sugar

Potato-Banana-Yam Sundaes with Bacon-Fudge-Spinach Sauce

5 servings

3 slices applewood-smoked bacon (about 3 ounces), cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces

½ large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, pressed

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice

1½ very ripe bananas, peeled, each cut crosswise into 4 pieces

1 5-ounce yam (red-skinned sweet potato), peeled, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into ¹/₃-inch-thick slices

1 medium Yukon Gold potato (about 5 ounces), quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into ¹/₃-inch-thick slices

1 medium red-skinned potato (about 5 ounces), quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into ¹/₃-inch-thick slices

½ 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, divided

½ cup half and half

2 to 2½ cups low-salt chicken broth

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice

½ 5- to 6-ounce package baby spinach

¼ cup bittersweet chocolate chips

½ ripe banana, peeled, diced (for garnish)

Salt and pepper

1. Sauté bacon in large pot over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
2. Add onion to drippings in pot; increase heat to medium-high and sauté until beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and thyme; stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice. Stir until almost all liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add banana and all potatoes; stir to coat.
3. Add ¾ cup condensed milk, half and half, 2 cupsbroth, corn syrup, and lemon juice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover with lid slightly ajar. Simmer until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes.
4. Puree broth mixture in processor until smooth. Transfer to ice cream maker; process according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to container. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
5. Heat ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk and ½ tablespoon broth in small saucepan over medium heat; add spinach, chocolate, and bacon. Stir until melted and smooth, adding more broth by teaspoonfuls if sauce is very thick.
6. Divide ice cream among bowls. Drizzle sauce over; top with diced banana, salt, and pepper.