Forks Over Knives: The Cookbook (41 page)

4 cups cooked
navy beans
, or two 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed

2 tart apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and diced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the onion, carrots, and celery in a large saucepan and sauté over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan. Add the thyme, red wine, and mustard and cook until the wine is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the cabbage, beans, and apples. Cook, covered, until the cabbage is tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

MAKING HASH IS a great way to use whatever vegetables you have left over from the night before. But in the case of this delicious recipe, it seems unfair to consider it just a dish of leftovers.

SERVES 4

1 leek (white part only), finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 teaspoons minced rosemary

1 large turnip, peeled and diced

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced

Zest and juice of 1 orange

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

1 cup chopped kale

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1.
Place the leek and red pepper in a large saucepan and sauté over medium heat for 8 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan.

2.
Add the garlic and rosemary and cook for another minute. Add the turnip, sweet potato, orange juice and zest, and the beans and cook for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the kale, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the kale is tender, about 5 minutes.

Recipe by Darshana Thacker

THIS IS A nourishing dish showcasing the rich taste of Indian curry—it’s perfect when paired with steamed rice.

SERVES 4 TO 6

1 cup green beans, trimmed, cut into ¼-inch pieces

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 medium potato, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 cup cauliflower florets

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

3 tablespoons white poppy seeds

1 small yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

½ teaspoon grated ginger

⅛
teaspoon ground cloves

⅛
teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch ground cardamom

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

½ teaspoon turmeric

1 medium tomato, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 tablespoons raw cashews, finely ground (see tip)

½ tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1.
Steam the green beans, carrots, potato, and cauliflower in a double boiler or steamer basket for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender. Set aside.

2.
In a dry skillet over medium-low heat, toast the cumin seeds for 2 minutes. Add the poppy seeds and toast for another 2 to 3 minutes until the poppy seeds begin to brown. Remove from heat and let cool. Combine the toasted seeds, onion, garlic, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, and turmeric in a blender and process into a thick paste. Add the paste to a large skillet and cook on medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes.

3.
Add the tomato to the blender and puree until smooth. Add the tomato puree and salt to the onion paste in the skillet, and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cashew powder and cook for 2 minutes. Add the steamed vegetables, lime juice, and 1½ cups water, and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat, and serve garnished with the cilantro.

TIP
Use a spice grinder to grind the raw cashew nuts into a fine powder.

S
TUFFED AND
B
AKED
V
EGETABLES
 

SPAGHETTI SQUASH IS nature’s noodle—easy to prepare, full of flavor, and chock-full of nutrients. Also try it topped with your favorite pasta sauce, or try it simply prepared with just salt and pepper as a side dish.

SERVES 4

2 small spaghetti squash (about 1 pound each), halved

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 large bunch red-ribbed Swiss chard

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced small

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced small

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2.
Season the cut sides of the squash with salt and pepper. Place the squash halves, cut side down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Add ½ cup water to the pan and bake the squash for 45 to 55 minutes, or until very tender (the squash is done when it can be easily pierced with a knife).

3.
While the squash is baking, remove the stems from the chard, and chop them. Chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces and set them aside. Place the onion, red pepper, and chard stems in a large saucepan and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, and crushed red pepper flakes and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chard leaves, and lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the chard is wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

4.
When the squash is finished baking, scoop out the flesh (it should come away looking like noodles) and stir it into the warm chard mixture.

VARIATION

Baked spaghetti squash also pairs well with pesto. Prepare and cook 2 spaghetti squash as directed above, but bake for about 40 minutes, until it is tender but not overcooked. Gently turn the squash over and carefully spread ¾ cup
Basil Pesto
over each squash half. Return to the oven and cook for another 10 minutes. Serve the squash halves on individual serving plates with a salad.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH IS much like pasta in that it adapts well to almost any sauce. A fun way to serve this dish is to spoon the lentil sauce right into the shell with the cooked squash and serve one half to each of your guests.

SERVES 4

2 small spaghetti squash (about 1 pound each), halved

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced small

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

¼ cup tomato paste

1 cup cooked
green lentils

1 cup
Vegetable Stock
, or low-sodium vegetable broth, plus more as needed

Chopped parsley

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2.
Season the cut sides of the squash with salt and pepper. Place the squash halves, cut side down, on a baking sheet, and bake them for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the squash is very tender (it is done when it can be easily pierced with a knife).

3.
While the squash bakes, place the onion in a large saucepan and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the onions from sticking to the pan. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, tomato paste, and ½ cup water and cook 5 minutes. Add the lentils to the pan and cook until heated through. Season with additional salt. Puree the lentil mixture using an immersion blender or in a blender with a tight-fitting lid, covered with a towel, until smooth and creamy. Add some of the vegetable stock, as needed, to make a creamy sauce.

4.
To serve, scoop the flesh from the spaghetti squash (it should come away looking like noodles) and divide it among four plates. Top with some of the lentil sauce and garnish with the parsley.