The Starch Solution (36 page)

PREP: 30 MINUTES | CHILL: AT LEAST 4 HOURS • SERVES 6 TO 8

12 ounces elbow macaroni

1 cup
Tofu Mayonnaise
or Nasoya Fat-Free Nayonaise

1 teaspoon prepared mustard

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

½ teaspoon dried dill weed

1 cup finely chopped celery

1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper

1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

¼ cup chopped scallions (green and white parts)

¼ cup shredded carrots

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Cook the macaroni according to package directions or in plenty of boiling water until it is just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the Tofu Mayonnaise, mustard, parsley, and dill. Stir in the celery, green and red bell peppers, scallions, and carrots. Add the macaroni and stir gently until everything is evenly coated. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 1 day before serving.

My daughter, Heather, returned home from a trip craving a bread salad she’d enjoyed while away. She created this one, which is best when it’s made with vine-ripened tomatoes from the garden or farmers’ market.

PREP: 20 MINUTES | REST: 15 MINUTES • SERVES 4

1 loaf fat-free French or Italian-style bread, crusts on, cut into 1″ cubes

1 cucumber, cut into ½″ cubes

1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into ½″ cubes

3 ripe tomatoes, cut into ½″ cubes

½ cup chopped fresh basil

¼ cup kalamata olives, pitted and cut into quarters

1 cup
Fat-Free Balsamic Vinaigrette
or bottled vinaigrette

3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced

2 tablespoons hot water

2 tablespoons vegetable broth

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Spread out the bread cubes on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes to dry. Let cool on the sheet.

Put the cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, basil, and olives in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the Fat-Free Balsamic Vinaigrette, garlic, water, vegetable broth, and vinegar.

About 15 minutes before serving, add the toasted bread cubes to the vegetable mixture and mix to distribute the ingredients evenly. Add the dressing and toss again. Let the salad stand for 15 minutes before serving to allow the bread cubes to soak up some of the dressing.

This simple summer salad should be made using the nicest avocados and tomatoes you can find. You can let the teenagers loose on this one—it’s easy enough for them to make and enjoy on their own. This salad is best served the day it is made.

PREP: 10 MINUTES | COOK: 10 MINUTES • SERVES 4

3 cups medium pasta shells or other shapes

3 ripe tomatoes, chopped

2 avocados, peeled, seeded, and chopped

2 or 3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling water until it is al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and rinse under cool running water.

Combine the tomatoes, avocado, garlic, and lime in a large bowl. Add the pasta and stir gently to coat it evenly. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for several hours and serve chilled.

I began making this salad 25 years ago, when we lived in Hawaii. We would take it along on our beach excursions.

PREP: 15 MINUTES | COOK: 30 MINUTES | CHILL: 3 HOURS • SERVES 6

1 cup dried lentils

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

½ cup chopped parsley

1 clove garlic, crushed or minced

1 tablespoon regular or reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup grated carrots

½ cup chopped sweet onion

Freshly ground black pepper

Put the lentils in a medium saucepan with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and cook for about 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender but still firm. Drain well.

In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, parsley, garlic, soy sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, and 1 tablespoon of water. Add the carrots, onion, lentils, and pepper to taste, stirring gently to coat everything evenly with the dressing.

Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or up to 2 days before serving.

For variety, substitute kidney or pinto beans for the black beans in this hearty dish that provides starch in three forms: rice, beans, and corn. Consider this one for a picnic or potluck—it holds well in a cooler.

PREP: 10 MINUTES • SERVES 4 TO 6

2½ cups cooked brown rice

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup fresh or frozen and thawed corn kernels

1 tomato, chopped

4 scallions (green and white parts), chopped

½ cup salsa fresca

¼ cup
Tofu Mayonnaise
or Nasoya Fat-Free Nayonaise

Gently stir together the rice, beans, corn, tomatoes, and scallions in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, mix the salsa and Tofu Mayonnaise until well combined. Pour over the rice and bean mixture and stir to coat everything well.

Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.

This salad is fantastic with fresh peas and corn when they are in season. If they’re not in season, frozen corn and peas work perfectly well; simply thaw at room temperature before adding them.

PREP: 15 MINUTES | CHILL: 2 HOURS • SERVES 6 TO 8

3 cups cooked brown rice

1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup fresh or frozen and thawed corn kernels

1 cup peas

¼ cup finely chopped red onion

¼ cup finely chopped pimiento

2 tablespoons chopped black olives

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

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cup bottled or homemade fat-free salad dressing

1 tablespoon regular or reduced-sodium soy sauce

½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce

Put the rice and all of the beans and the chickpeas in a large bowl; stir to combine. Add the corn, peas, onion, pimiento, olives, and cilantro and mix again.

In a small bowl, whisk together the salad dressing, soy sauce, and Tabasco until smooth. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix to coat everything well.

Cover the salad and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 2 days before serving. Taste and adjust the seasonings right before serving.

Quinoa provided strength and endurance to the ancient Incas as they prepared for battle. You can purchase this grain—which is actually a seed—in bulk at many natural food stores, or in packages where you find pasta and rice in your grocery store.

PREP: 15 MINUTES | COOK: 15 MINUTES | CHILL: 2 HOURS • SERVES 6 TO 8

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well in a strainer under cool running water

½ red bell pepper, chopped

½ green bell pepper, chopped

½ yellow bell pepper, chopped

½ orange bell pepper, chopped

1 small zucchini, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 bunch scallions (green and white parts), coarsely chopped

1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

½ cup parsley, coarsely chopped

¼ cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

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cup fresh mint, coarsely chopped

½ cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon regular or reduced-sodium soy sauce

Several dashes of Tabasco sauce

Freshly ground black pepper

Stir the drained quinoa with 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender and the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside.

While the quinoa cooks, combine the bell peppers (all colors), zucchini,
tomatoes, scallions, chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, and mint in a bowl. Add to the cooked quinoa and stir to combine. Add the lemon juice, soy sauce, Tabasco, and pepper to taste; mix well.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.

The versatile dressing for this salad can be made several hours in advance and refrigerated in a jar until serving time; shake well before adding it to the salad. Store any leftover dressing tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week to use on any green salad. For a more traditional Caesar salad, toss in some dry toasted bread cubes just before serving. Miyoko Schinner, cookbook author and one of our McDougall Program cooking instructors, taught me how to make this dressing about 8 years ago and it has become my family’s favorite salad dressing!