Hope's Edge: The Next Diet for a Small Planet (44 page)

½ to ¾ cup chopped walnuts

1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a blender, combine tofu, applesauce, oil, honey, lemon rind, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt and purée until smooth. Sift together flour and baking soda and combine with puréed ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in walnuts and raisins. Pour into a well-greased 9-inch ring mold or large loaf pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes in the mold or pan, then remove. Serve hot or cold.

   
Variation:
For banana bread, substitute 2 to 3 mashed bananas for the applesauce.

Complementary protein: soy (tofu) + wheat

Sesame Dream Bars

2 dozen

A heavenly taste combination.

Cookie Base

½ cup margarine, softened

½ cup honey

1¼ cups whole wheat flour

¼ cup soy flour

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream together margarine and honey until light and fluffy. Add flours and blend well. Spread in an oiled 13×9×2-inch pan (a smaller pan will give you a cakey bar) and bake about 20 minutes until firm and just beginning to brown. Cool 5 minutes before adding top layer.

Top Layer

2 eggs

¾ cup honey or brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ cup whole wheat flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

¼ to ½ cup groundsesame seeds

Beat eggs until light. Beat honey and vanilla; add flour and baking powder. Stir in coconut and sesame seeds. Spread in an even layer over cookie base. Return to oven and bake 20 minutes. Let cool for about ½ hour before cutting into squares.

Complementary protein: wheat + soy + sesame seeds

Applesauce-Ginger Squares (or Banana Bread)

16 two-inch squares

The banana and peanut variation is especially good-tasting. Victoria Phare of Ferndale, California, suggests adding ½ cup yogurt with the bananas.

1 cup applesauce

½ cup honey

1/3 cup oil or melted margarine

1¼ cups whole wheat flour

1/3 cup soy flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon each salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves

1/3 to 2/ 3 cup ground or chopped roasted peanuts

½ to 1 cup ground or whole sunflower seeds

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix together applesauce, honey, and oil. Combine dry ingredients and mix into wet ingredients. Stir in peanuts and seeds. Bake in an 8-inch-square pan for 30 minutes.

   
Variation:
Substitute 2 mashed ripe bananas, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 egg for the applesauce. Reduce honey to taste. Bake in a small oiled bread pan at 350°F for about 1 hour.

Complementary protein: peanuts + sunflower seeds

Cypress Point Carrot Cake

Cypress Point refers to my former home in Pt. Richmond, California, a lovely community nestled right on San Francisco Bay. It was there that I wrote the first edition of
Diet for a Small Planet
.

The sauce is optional, and you can reduce cholesterol by omitting 1 egg yolk from the cake. Still, this is an incredibly rich treat, suitable for New Year’s Eve and other celebrations.

1½ cups whole wheat flour

½ cup soy flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups grated carrots

1 cup crushed pineapple, drained

½ cup chopped nuts

½ cup ground sesame seeds

3½ ounces shredded coconut

3 eggs

¾ cup oil

¾ cup buttermilk

½ cup honey or 1 cup brown sugar

Sauce

½ cup buttermilk

¼ cup honey or ½ cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon baking sod

½ to 1 stick margarine

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine flours, cinnamon, and baking soda. In another bowl, mix carrots, pineapple, nuts, sesame seeds, and coconut. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, buttermilk, and honey. Add carrot mixture to egg mixture, then add flour. Bake in an angel food cake or fluted-edge pan for 1 hour.

Combine sauce ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes. Take the cake out of pan, punch tiny holes in the top, and pour the sauce over it.

Complementary protein: wheat + soy + sesame seeds + milk

Betty the Peacenik Gingerbread

9 to 12 servings

A favorite of Claire Greensfelder, San Francisco. She earned the name “Betty the Peacenik” in 1970, when simultaneously she was the Betty Crocker Homemaker of Tomorrow and a leader of Students for Political Action in her high school in Oakland.

½ cup margarine, cut up

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup molasses

½ cup boiling water

1 egg

1¼ cups whole wheat flour

¼ cup soy flour

½ teaspoon each baking powder and baking soda

½ teaspoon salt (optional)

1 teaspoon each ginger and cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F. Put margarine, sugar, and molasses in a large bowl and add boiling water, stirring until well mixed. Add the egg and stir again. In a separate bowl, mix flours, baking powder and soda, salt, and spices. Pour dry ingredients into wet and beat until smooth. Pour into a 9-inch square or round pan and bake for 35 minutes. Serve with applesauce or yogurt.

Complementary protein: wheat + soy

Sweet Rice Delight

4 servings

This is a good way to use up leftover brown rice and makes a nice change from rice pudding. It is best made several hours ahead of time and refrigerated to let the flavors blend.

1½ cups cooked brown rice (½ cup uncooked)

½ cup toasted sesame seed meal

¼ cup honey

½ cup coconut

1 cup canned pineapple chunks, drained

1 banana, sliced

½ to 1 cup other fruit, fresh or canned and drained

1 cup low-fat yogurt

Chopped nuts (optional)

Gently mix together everything but the nuts. Just before serving, stir again and sprinkle nuts on top, or stir them in if you like.

Complementary protein: rice + sesame seeds + milk product

Tangy Rice-Sesame Pudding

6 servings

Especially good served warm. Arrange fresh orange slices on each dessert bowl for an elegant ending to a meal. You can omit 1 egg yolk to reduce cholesterol (add another egg white).

1¾ cups cooked brown rice (¾ cup uncooked)

2 cups orange juice

3 tablespoons ground sesame seeds

½ cup well-packed brown sugar

Grated rind of 1 orange

2 eggs, well beaten

½ teaspoon each cinnamon and ginger

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup raisins (optional)

Garnish: 2 oranges, peeled and sectioned

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine all ingredients except oranges and mix well. Put in an oiled baking dish and bake until firm, about 1 hour. Spoon into bowls and garnish.

Complementary protein: rice + sesame seeds

Indian Pudding

4 to 6 servings

This pudding is delicious both hot and cold, especially with yogurt, sour cream, or ice cream. To reduce cholesterol, omit 1 egg yolk.

4 cups low-fat milk

1 cup yellow cornmeal

¼ cup soy grits soaked in ½ cup water

1/3 cup margarine*

2/3 cup light molasses

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon each ground cloves and ginger

⅛ teaspoon each ground allspice and nutmeg

2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 325°F. Bring milk to a boil and gradually add cornmeal and grits. Lower heat and beat with a whisk until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat and add margarine, molasses, and spices. Let cool slightly and add eggs. Pour into a greased baking dish and bake until firm, about 45 to 60 minutes.

   
Variation:
Add ½ cup dried fruit.

Complementary protein: corn + soy + milk

Easy “Pat-In” Dessert Pie Crust

1 pie crust

Great for any cheesecake or dessert pie. It’s easier and healthier than using graham crackers.

2 cups granola

¼ cup orange or other fruit juice

In a blender, process granola to a coarse powder. Transfer to a bowl and add juice. Mix thoroughly and pack into a 9-inch pie dish. I usually brown the crust in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes before filling it.

A delicious dessert pie crust can also be made simply by adding a couple of tablespoon brown sugar to the Sesame-Whole Wheat “Pat-In” Crust.

Complementary protein: wheat + nuts

Winter Fruit Pie

One 9-inch pie

On a lecture trip to St. Louis’ Webster College, I was treated to dinner in a delightful whole-foods restaurant, the Sunshine Inn. The hit of the evening was this unusual pie. No one, including me, guessed that the topping was made of tofu. Nor did I guess that a pie so elegant could be so simple to make. Thank you, Martha McBroom.

Juice of ½ lemon

2 2/3 cups cored and sliced baking apples (peeled if sprayed)

1 1/3 cups cranberries, washed

1/3 cup honey plus 1/3 to ½ cup