Appetite for Reduction (16 page)

L
ooking for a new and fun way to dress up your quinoa? Here’s a spin on Indian-inspired tamarind rice that will get your taste buds a-movin’. Serve with any of the curries.

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
¼ cup minced onion
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons coriander seeds, crushed
1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup low-fat coconut milk
1½ teaspoons tamarind concentrate
¼ cup raisins
⅓ cup frozen peas
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat a 2-quart pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, ginger, garlic, and coriander seeds in the oil for about 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Use a little cooking spray if needed.

Add the quinoa, broth, and salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes, or until most of the water is absorbed, stirring often.The quinoa should be tender and fluffy. Add the coconut milk and tamarind, and stir until the tamarind is completely dissolved. Fold in the raisins, peas, and cilantro. Turn off the heat, but keep covered to warm the peas through—about 5 minutes. Fold in the cilantro and serve.

CHAPTER 3

Rub-Your-Tummy Veggies

V
EGETABLES. THIS IS WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT! THESE ARE WHAT most Americans are seriously lacking in their diet. Nutrients, vitamins, fiber—vegetables have got it all. And, yes, they’ve got taste, too! Lots of books have been written about sneaking veggies into your diet, and that is, frankly, pathetic. It’s like hiding a beautiful princess away in a castle. That glorious asparagus should not have to be boiled to death, pureed, and then stuck into a peanut butter sandwich, or whatever those books are doing to vegetables nowadays. There is no sneaking around here, no smoke and mirrors. We’re going to cook veggies, in all their recognizable glory, and by golly, we are going to enjoy them!

While there are a ton of veggies in all the other chapters as well, the recipes in this chapter are really about simple preparation techniques for veggies front and center. It’s about using various methods to coax the most flavor out of the vegetable. So you can think about this as a chapter of side dishes, but really what you’re getting is a mini-cooking lesson. Broiling, sautéing, roasting, it’s all here. And it’s time for you to get it all in there (I’m pointing to your belly).

 

DON’T FEAR THE STEAMER

What’s up with steamophobia? For years I suffered from an irrational fear of cooking with steam. I guess it seemed like such a chore: setting up your apparatus, boiling water, peeling, chopping, and all just for what in the end was a pile of vegetables.

Now I know better. I found a steamer that doesn’t feel like a hassle, I’ve got broccoli-chopping down to a science and I have an intense appreciation
for that “pile of vegetables.” Steaming doesn’t have to mean boring! It can be the perfect way to coax the pure and simple flavors out of your produce. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you steam like you mean it.

 

1. No fancy equipment required
. The steamer that I absolutely love is the basket that fits into my 6-quart soup pot. It’s big enough so that I don’t have to crowd everything in there and it’s easy to use—no hard-to-clean sliding parts or things that can fall apart or malfunction. It’s also convenient—because I always have my pot resting on the stove, it’s not like I have to go shuffling through pots and pans to get to it. The only thing that could be easier is if the veggies would jump into the potand steam themselves (I’m working on that part).

 

2. Practice, practice, practice; timing is everything
; and other clichés.
The more veggies you chop, the quicker it will get. Try steaming veggies at least three days a week and see if you’re not Iron Chef material by the end of the month. For best results, prep veggies evenly sized and experiment with different cooking times. Soon you’ll know exactly how you like your veggies. Another option is to be a lazyhead and steam things that need minimal prep, such as green beans, baby carrots, and asparagus.

 

3. Salt!
You want to gobble down veggies the same way you eat French fries? A little salt goes a long, long way. And if you take one thing away from this steaming treatise, let it be this: salt before you steam! This way, the salt melts into the veggies, extending the flavor and really sinking in. A few granules at the end of steaming won’t have the same effect, and I don’t know about you, but soy sauce on steamed veggies tastes a little tedious to me. It covers up the natural, bright flavors. Salt brings those flavors out. just sprinkle a bit of salt over the veggies right when you add them to the steamer basket and see it light up your life.

 

4. Herbs!
Fresh herbs scattered over your veggies at the onset of cooking really brightens them up. Depending on what you are serving them with, try fresh cilantro, basil, thyme, dill, oregano, or mint. Can you use dried herbs? Yes! But your results may vary. I especially like to use dried oregano.

 

5. Don’t overcook them.
If you’re mixing several types ofveggies, use the
steaming times on the next page
to know which veggies to start with, adding the ones with shorter cooking times as you go along.

 

6. Don’t overpack them
. You can get a lot more than a single layer into a steamer basket, but try not to fill it more than three-quarters full, for the most even cooking. If you want to make a lot more veggies, just do two separate batches.

 

 

 

 

A GUIDE TO A STEAMY LOVE AFFAIR

Use this guide to get your steaming started. In reality, any of the veggies can go with any of the dressings and sauces, but I’ve given you a few of my favorites. Also, check out the bowl section (page 265) to work steamed veggies into larger meals. I’m giving you basic cooking times, but remember that everyone’s equipment
and preferences are different, so start here but figure out what works best for you.

 

Asparagus

Remove the coarse ends. Different-size asparagus call for different cooking times. Steam pencil-thin spears for about 4 minutes, and the fattest spears for 8 minutes. Most asparagus are somewhere in between, so 6 minutes should about do it. The asparagus should turn a pretty Kermit green.

Especially yummy with:
Sanctuary Dressing
(page 29).

 

Broccoli

Peel the stalk if it seems especially thick. Cut the stalk into ½-inch-thick pieces. Slice the broccoli branches into large florets. Steam the stalks alone for 2 minutes, then add the florets and steam for about 5 more minutes. The broccoli should turn a dark but bright Godzilla green.

Lip-smacking good with:
Orange-Sesame Vinaigrette
(page 43).

 

Brussels Sprouts

Slice off the little nubby bottom. Slice the larger Brussels sprouts in half and keep the smaller ones whole. Steam for 8 minutes. The leaves should be a glossy lime green.

Comforty good with:
Easy Breezy Cheezy Sauce
(page 173).

 

Carrots

Use baby carrots for lazy nights. For big carrots, peel and slice them ½ inch thick (on a diagonal, for maximum prettiness). Steam for about 10 minutes.

Simply delectable with:
Roasted Red Pepper & Kalamata Hummus
(page 138).

 

Cauliflower

Aim for florets that are Ping-Pong ball size.

Discard the stems. Steam for about 5 minutes.

Sensuously delicious with:
Caesar Chavez

Dressing
(page 43).

 

Green Beans

Snip off the stems and ends and discard. Steam the beans for no more than 4 minutes. Green beans should turn a brilliant spring green.

Gingery good with:
Carrot Ginger Dressing
(page 52).

 

Kale

Remove the coarse stems and tear the kale into bite-size pieces. You’ll need to flip the kale every few minutes with tongs, so stand by. Cook for about 8 minutes.

Totally droolworthy with:
Balsamic
Vinaigrette
(page 17).

 

Zucchini and Yellow Squash

I’m really careful about steaming zukes and summer squash because they can go from zero to inedible mush so quickly! Slice off the stem and cut the squash into ½-inch pieces (again, bias-cut looks pretty). Check for doneness after 5 minutes. Zucchini should be firm and just turning shimmery inside—not mushy. Springtime superb with:
Red Velvet Mole
(page 134).

 

Artichokes

This is for those times when you’re feeling a little more adventurous, as there’s a bit of prep
involved, but mark my words, it’s worth it. You’ll need plenty oflemon slices for this.

Cut off the tops of the artichokes so that they’re relatively flat (so cut about an inch off) and rub with lemon slices. You can use kitchen shears to snip the pointy tips off the leaves, but it isn’t totally necessary. Open up the leaves a bit to get to the center. Pull out the choke as best you can, then use a spoon to scoop out the stringy center. Rub the leaves all over with lemon slices, then tuck lemon slices into the leaves. Steam the artichokes upside down for about 40 minutes.

Absolutely mouthwatering with:
Green Goddess Garlic Dressing
(page 26).

 

 

STEAMING BENEFITS—USE THE STEAM AND KEEP THE GREEN

And if taste wasn’t reason enough to get on board, steaming vegetables offers a number of nutritional advantages.

 

Fewer nutrients lost:
When boiling vegetables, the hot water pulls out water-soluble vitamins such as C and the B vitamins riboflavin, niacin, and folate. Beneficial phytochemicals and antioxidants may also be lost in boiling. The stuff from broccoli that turns the boiling water green is actually what you want to be eating more of!

 

More nutrients gained:
Some vitamins and minerals are found behind tough cell walls and steaming loosens them up, making them more available to your body than if eaten raw. The beta-carotene in carrots is a great example.

 

More vegetables eaten:
One of the many benefits of vegetables is the fiber they contain. Fiber helps to fill you up, which is great when you are trying to eat less, but sometimes we want to eat more vegetables to get all of their nutrients. Steaming softens the fiber so you can eat more. As shown here, steaming also adds to the taste and texture of vegetables. More is better when it comes to vegetables, even when you are trying to lose weight. When you are filling up on nutrient-dense veggies, you are eating less of the high-calorie stuff.

SERVES 4 • ACTIVE TIME : 10 MINUTES • TOTAL TIME : 20 MINUTES

I
probably eat this more than any other recipe in the book, sometimes all on its own, sometimes as a side, sometimes just to impress passersby with how healthy I am. The flavors are so very simple but so satisfying, and they go with most everything. You can use any kind of kale you like: dinosaur, Red Russian, or just plain old dark green Godzilla-lookin’ kale. The mushrooms add a meaty bite, and they’re also great little containers of flavor, absorbing all that garlicky goodness.