Golden Split Pea Soup

3 cups chopped onion
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
1 cup dried yellow split peas
7 cups water
2 cups peeled and cubed sweet potatoes
1 cup peeled, cored, and cubed apples
3-inch cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons chili powder
¾ cup chopped tomatoes
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
minced cilantro (optional)
nonfat yogurt (optional)

In a soup pot, sauté the onions in the oil for about 8 minutes, until golden, stirring frequently.  Add the cumin, turmeric, coriander, and ginger and cook for another minute.  Add the split peas, water, sweet potatoes, apples, cinnamon, and chili powder, cover and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer (covered) for 40 minutes, or until the split peas are tender.

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, lime juice, and soy sauce.  When the split peas are tender, add the tomato mixture. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor, working in batches and adding more water, if needed. Return the soup to the pot and gently reheat. 

Serve topped with nonfat yogurt and/or minced cilantro, if you like.

*Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites, page 92

Sweet Potato And Black Bean Burrito

*(please note that this recipe is easier to prepare if you have a large food processor)*

5 cups peeled cubed sweet potatoes
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons canola or other vegetable oil
3 ½ cups diced onions
4 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 Tablespoon minced fresh green chile (Anaheim or Hatch Green Chile Pepper)
4 teaspoons ground cumin
4 teaspoons ground coriander
4 ½ cups cooked black beans (three 15-oz cans, drained and rinced)
2/3 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
8 eight-inch flour tortillas
Fresh Tomato Salsa  (or Cilantro Pesto-see below)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Place the sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with the ½ teaspoon salt and water to cover.  Cover and bring to a boil, then simmer until tender, about 10 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

While the sweet potatoes are cooking, warm the oil in a medium skillet or saucepan and add the onions, garlic, and chile.  Cover and cook on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, about 7 minutes.  Add the cumin and coriander and cook 2-3 minutes longer, stirring frequently.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a food processor, combine the black beans, cilantro, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and cooked sweet potatoes and puree until smooth.  Transfer the sweet potato mixture to a large mixing bowl and mix in the cooked onions and spices.

Lightly oil a large baking dish.  Spoon about 2/3 to ¾ cup of the filling in the center of each tortilla, roll it up, and place it, seam side down, in the baking dish.  Cover tightly with foil and bake for about 30 minutes, until piping hot.  Serve topped with salsa or cilantro pesto (see below)  Or you can use any fresh salsa of choice.

Serves 4 to 6 

Fresh Tomato Salsa

3 cups diced tomatoes
1 small fresh green chile, minced, seeds removed for a milder ‘hot’
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice
1-2 Tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and serve at room temperature

Cilantro Pesto

1 cup fresh well-packed cilantro leaves
1 tomato, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
1 Tablespoon toasted pine nuts (see instructions below*)
½ teaspoon salt

Rinse and drain the cilantro leaves. In a blender or food processor, puree the cilantro, tomato, garlic, pine nuts, and salt until smooth. You may need to stop several times to scrape the sides of the blender or processor bowl with a rubber spatula.

*To toast pine nuts, spread them in a single layer on an unoiled baking sheet and bake in conventional or toaster oven at 350 degrees for about 3-5 minutes, until just slightly deepened in color.  (Mike does it on the stove top, stir in pan (no oil) until slightly deepened in color).

*Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites

Butternut Squash, Sausage and Bow Ties

• 6 oz (2-1/2 cups) uncooked bow tie pasta
• 12 oz Morning Star "sausage" links, cut into 1-inch pieces (or real sausage links if desired)
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, cut into 1/2 to 3/4-inch pieces (4 cups)
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions (1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

Cook pasta.  Microwave Sausage and set aside. (if using real sausage, cook in pan w/ oil, then continue with recipe)

Add 2 Tablespoons of oil to skillet.  Heat over medium-low heat until hot.  Add squash; cover and cook 10 minutes or until almost tender, stirring occasionally.  (may need to turn up heat)

Add onions; cover and cook 3-5 minutes or until squash is fork tender, stirring occasionally.

Add sausage, pasta, sugar, salt, marjoram, mustard, and remaining 1 Tablespoon oil; mix well.  Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally.

4 (2-cup) Servings.

Fusilli With Fiery Tomato Sauce And Sausage

• 10 to 12 oz. uncooked fusilli or rotini (original rec. calls for 8oz., but we like to add more)
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil or oil
• 3/4 lb. Smoked 'Sausage', cut into 1/4 inch slices  (we use Lightlife Italian Sausage, but real sausage  can be used if desired)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
• 2 Tablespoons capers, if desired
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Cook fusilli to desired doneness

Meanwhile, heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until hot. Add sausage; cook 2-3 minutes or until browned.  Add garlic; cook 1 minute.  Stir in tomatoes, capers, chili powder and red pepper flakes.  Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until hot and slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.

Drain pasta; return to saucepan or place in serving bowl.  Add tomato mixture; toss gently to mix

4 (1-1/2 cup) servings

Tofu with Key West Barbecue Sauce

Tofu

1 pound extra-firm tofu
2 Tablespoons unbleached white flour
2 Tablespoons cornmeal
1-1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
4 Tablespoons canola or peanut oil

Sauce

1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar or honey
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
4 Tablespoons vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1. Drain the tofu for 30 minutes.  Cut the tofu on the short end into 1/4-inch slices, drain more if needed.  Prepare the sauce.

2. SAUCE: In a heavy, medium saucepan, combine all the ingredients.  Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer 20 to 30 minutes.

3. On a plate, mix together the flour, cornmeal, poultry seasoning, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper.  Brush the drained tofu on both sides with mustard, then roll in the cornmeal mixture.

4. Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat.  Carefully place four slices of tofu in the skillet without crowding, and cook stirring, until golden brown on both sides.  Drain on paper towels.

5. To serve, pour the sauce over the tofu.

Balsamic-Glazed Salmon Fillets

6 (5 ounce) salmon fillets
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon white wine
1 Tablespoon honey
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Coat a small saucepan with non-stick cooking spray.  Over medium heat, cook and stir garlic until soft, about 3 minutes.  Mix in white wine, honey, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and salt and pepper.  Simmer, uncovered, for about 3 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

Arrange salmon fillets on foil-lined baking sheet. Brush fillets with balsamic glaze, and sprinkle with oregano.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 14 minutes, or until flesh flakes easily with fork.  Brush fillets with remaining glaze, and season with salt and pepper.  Use a spatula to transfer fillets to serving platter, leaving the skin behind on the foil.

Cornflake-Crusted Halibut with Chile-Cilantro Aioli

Aioli:
2 T. minced fresh cilantro
3 T. fat-free mayonnaise
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
1 garlic clove, minced

Fish:
1 cup fat-free milk
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
2 cups cornflakes, finely crushed
¼ cup all purpose flour (about 1 ounce)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 T. olive oil
4 (6 oz) halibut fillets (or other white fish)
4 lemon wedges

To prepare aioli, combine cilantro, mayonnaise, Serrano, and minced garlic, stirring well.  Make at least 2 hrs in advance.

To prepare fish, combine milk and egg white in a shallow dish, stirring well with a whisk.  Combine cornflakes, flour, salt, and black pepper in another shallow dish.

Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Dip fish in milk mixture, and dredge in cornflake mixture.  Add fish to pan, and cook 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Serve fish with aioli and lemon wedges.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 fish fillet, about 1 T. aioli, and 1 lemon wedge)

Susan’s Zucchini Bread

3 eggs
1 cup oil
2-1/2 cups sugar
3 t. vanilla
      Combine and Mix

1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
¼ t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
       Add dry ingredients

2 cups shredded zucchini
3 cups flour
        Add alternating

Grease and flour pans, bake at 325 degrees for 60 minutes, makes 2 loaves