Authors: Isa Chandra Moskowitz

Appetite for Reduction (43 page)

PER SERVING

(⅙ RECIPE):
Calories: 230
Calories from fat: 25
Total fat: 2.5 g
Saturated fat: 0 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Total carb: 45 g
Fiber: 10 g
Sugars: 16 g
Protein: 10 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 1,010mg
Vitamin A: 110%
Vitamin C: 80%
Calcium: 15%
Iron: 20%

A
fragrant, brothy, and soul-satisfying dish, with aromatic hints of cumin and cinnamon, this is a pantry staple for me. It cooks for about 45 minutes, but it’s really super simple with minimal prep or fussiness. The zucchini and carrots become tender and velvety, and the slow-cooked chickpeas turn soft and comforting. Fresh mint is optional, only because this dish becomes more pantry friendly without it, but it does provide another level of flavor. Serve with whole wheat couscous, which is not gluten free.

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 smallish yellow onion, sliced thinly
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
A generous pinch of ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup baby carrots
2 zucchini, sliced into ¼-inch-thick half-moons
1 (24-ounce) can whole tomatoes
1 (25-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, plus a little extra for garnish

Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions in the oil until translucent, about 4 minutes. Use a little nonstick cooking spray or broth if needed. Add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes, and saute for another minute.

Add the remaining spices and salt, and saute for about 30 seconds. Deglaze the pot with the veggie broth and mix in the carrots. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the zucchini. Break up the tomatoes with your fingers and add them to the pot, including the juice. Mix in the chickpeas.

NOTE

This recipe calls for a 25-ounce can of garbanzo beans. I usually use 16-ounces, so just pointing that out. Two 16-ounce cans would be good, too!

Cover the potand bring to a slow boil. Cook for about 15 minutes. Then adjust the lid so that there’s some room for steam to escape. Cook for another 15 minutes; the liquid should reduce a bit, but not too much. Add the mint, if using, and let sit for about 10 minutes to let the flavors meld. Remove the bay leaves and taste for salt.

Serve with couscous, and garnish with mint.

Veggie Potpie Stew

SERVES 6 • ACTIVE TIME: 20 MINUTES • TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR

PER SERVING

(⅙ RECIPE):
Calories: 230
Calories from fat: 10
Total fat: 1.5 g
Saturated fat: 0 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Total carb: 45 g
Fiber: 8 g
Sugars: 7 g
Protein: 10 g
Cholesterol : 0 mg
Sodium: 530 mg
Vitamin A: 130%
Vitamin C: 25%
Calcium: 6%
Iron: 15%

T
he mingling of fresh thyme, carrots, and potatoes is pure comfort to me. Well, this recipe gives you permission to enjoy these timeless flavors without going through the trouble of preparing a whole potpie. Prepare the filling and enjoy it over
Caulipots
(page 54) or with sweet potato biscuits.

I usually make potpie with a roux base, which is basically flour toasted in a lot of oil or margarine. Instead, to make the gravy thick and satisfying (and lower in calories), I use a handful of yellow split peas. They up the nutrition profile considerably as well as add even more mouthwatering flavor to this stew. The stew thickens even more as it cools, so you’ll need to add more water when you reheat.

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, cut into medium dice
½ pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1½ teaspoons dried sage
½ teaspoon salt
Several pinches of freshly ground black pepper
½ cup yellow split peas
3 cups vegetable broth
1½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 4-inch chunks
½ pound carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch chunks
2 heaping tablespoons fresh thyme
1 cup water
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup frozen peas

TIP

Use a strong broth for this. Some sort of unchicken broth would work best!

Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions in the oil until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic, sage, salt, and black pepper and sauté for 3 more minutes, until the mushrooms have released their moisture.

Add the split peas and vegetable broth, cover the pot, and bring to a boil. Let boil for about 5 minutes, then add the potatoes and carrots. Lower the heat just a bit to a simmer and cook for 25 to 30 more minutes, or until the split peas are tender and the potatoes and carrots are cooked. Stir the stew occasionally to make sure it doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom.

In a measuring cup, mix the flour into the water to dissolve into a slurry (see tip, page 248). Add the thyme, slurry, and frozen peas to the pan. Cook, uncovered, for about 10 more minutes, stirring often. The stew should thicken and become more and more delicious.

Taste for salt and seasoning. Serve garnished with more fresh thyme.

TIP

There’s a great sandwich place in NYC called S’nice, and they serve a potpie wrap. It’s just what it sounds like, potpie filling in a flour wrap, and it is faboo. Try it by letting the stew cool to a manageable temperature, then wrapping a cupful up like a burrito.

NUTRITION TIP

The Pea Word:
Split peas are super-duper high in protein—the half cup in this recipe adds 24 grams. Thirty percent of the calories in this recipe are from protein.

TIP

For an even creamier potpie, or if your split peas are a bit old, soak the split peas in water the night before cooking. If you prefer more texture in your split peas, then don’t worry about it.

Sweet Potato Drop Biscuits

MAKES 10 BISCUITS • ACTIVE TIME : 15 MINUTES • TOTAL TIME : 45 MINUTES

PER SERVING

(1 BISCUIT):
Calories: 100
Calories from fat: 40
Total fat: 4.5 g
Saturated fat: 0 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Total carb: 15 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sugars: 3 g
Protein: 2 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 125 mg
Vitamin A: 80%
Vitamin C: 6%
Calcium: 6%
Iron: 4%

T
hese biscuits go perfectly with the
Veggie Potpie Stew
(page 251), or anywhere a biscuit would go. Sweet potatoes not only give the biscuits a hint of sweet flavor and a pretty hue, but they also stand in for the copious amounts of shortening usually found in biscuits.

1 cup mashed cooked sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose or whole wheat pastry flour, or a mix of both
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

Preheat the oven to 400°F and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium-size bowl, mix together the mashed sweet potatoes, oil, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and salt. Use a sifter to sift in the flour, baking powder, and nutmeg.

Fold the flour into the sweet potato mixture with a wooden spoon until the dry ingredients are moistened and crumbly; be careful not to over-mix. Add 2 tablespoons water and lightly knead five or six times until the dough holds together, adding the extra water if needed. Don’t knead too much or it will toughen the biscuits.

TIP

To make mashed sweet potatoes, preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the sweet potatoes in the oven and bake until done. I think it takes ½ pound to make 1 cup of mashed sweet potatoes. What I would do is bake a few for dinner the night before and then reserve the extras to make these biscuits within one or two nights.

Drop the dough in golf ball-size pieces onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned and firm to the touch.

Smoky Tempeh & Greens Stew

SERVES 6 • ACTIVE TIME : 15 MINUTES • TOTAL TIME : ABOUT 45 MINUTES

PER SERVING

(⅙ RECIPE):
Calories: 220
Calories from fat: 40
Total fat: 4 g
Saturated fat: 0.5 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Total carb: 36 g
Fiber: 10 g
Sugars: 6 g
Protein: 13 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 820 mg
Vitamin A: 280%
Vitamin C: 140%
Calcium: 20%
Iron: 25%

A
filling, stick-to-your-ribs tomato stew with succulent bites of tempeh and earthy greens. The smokiness comes from smoked paprika, which is readily available in the spice section of most supermarkets these days. It’s a fabulous spice to have in your arsenal because it adds tons of flavor without adding any fat or sugar. This recipe is a wonderful showcase for building flavor and texture instead of just pouring in the oil.

Eat this stew straight up or ladled over basmati rice. Chop all your veggies while the tempeh is cooking and you’ll have this stew going in no time.

2 teaspoons oil
8 ounces tempeh, torn into bite-size pieces
1 medium-size yellow onion, diced finely
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons dried thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup baby carrots, sliced in half lengthwise
1 bunch (about a pound) kale, chard, or other leafy greens,
stems chopped separately (see tip about stems) and leaves
chopped roughly
4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup dry red wine or water
1½ teaspoons salt
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup vegetable broth
4 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 cup frozen baby lima beans

Preheat a 5- to 6-quart, heavy-bottomed pot (see tip) over medium-high heat. Sauté the tempeh in 1 teaspoon of the oil for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the tempeh from the pot and set aside.

In the same pot, sauté the onion, bay leaves, thyme, and several pinches of pepper in the remaining teaspoon of oil for about 3 minutes. Add the carrots and the stems from the greens. Partially cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, to soften the carrots.

Add the garlic and sauté for about a minute. Deglaze the pan with red wine. Mix in the salt, crushed tomatoes, water, and paprika. Cover and bring to a simmer. Add the greens, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the greens are completely cooked down. Add the lima beans and return the tempeh to the pot, then turn off the heat. Taste and adjust for salt and seasonings.

Let the stew sit for 10 minutes, uncovered, until the lima beans are heated through. Remove the bay leaves and serve.

TIP

I like to use a wide 5- or 6-quart pot for this dish. When you’re sautéing tempeh in the minimum amount of oil, the more surface area, the better. If you don’t have such a big pot, it’s best to use a skillet and then proceed with the rest of the recipe in your smaller 4-quart pot.

NOTE

If you don’t like or don’t have tempeh, use a 75-ounce can of white beans instead. This will also shave 10 minutes off your cooking time, and save you a teaspoon of oil. Add the beans at the end along with the lima beans.

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