Menu for the plant-based palate

Vegetarians should have no problem getting their recommended daily servings of 5-10 fruits and vegetables--in this meal alone, there are at least several day's worth of servings guaranteed to deliver a potent helping of health-supporting nutrients. Chunky vegetables stew, baked butternut squash with a tasty filling and a scrumptious chocolate cake studded with cherries and walnuts comprise a comforting menu sure to warm the soul and chase away the winter doldrums.

The savory stew is a flavorful mix of color and texture. Kale, potatoes, cauliflower, mushrooms and bell peppers mingle in a zesty sauce flavored with Mexican-style stewed tomatoes and chopped fresh thyme. This is a dish that is as tasty as it is powerfully nutritious.

Because carotenoids reside in their pigment, the darker and more colorful vegetables such as kale and squash contain higher amounts of beta-carotene. Cruciferous vegetables, such as cauliflower and kale, are also rich in many valuable phytonutrients as well as in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. We should eat these nutritious Superstars often.

Butternut squash is a popular and versatile winter vegetable. The sweet, moist, golden-orange flesh is often pureed in soups. Our stuffed treatment makes a lovely presentation, and the spicy filling nicely offsets the smooth, creamy texture of the baked squash. Cut the stuffed squash crosswise into thick slices, and serve it accompanied by cinnamon-sprinkled applesauce or whole berry cranberry jelly.

The finish to this wholesome meal is a luscious Fudge-Glazed Black Forest Bun& Cake that contains no added fat and is positively delightful. This rich-tasting cake is full of tart dried cherries and chopped walnuts, and it is topped with a thick chocolate glaze.

Butternut Squash with Soy "Sausage"

SERVES 8

Sliced stuffed squash is as delicious as it is attractive.

2 medium-sized
  butternut squash
  (about 3 lb. total)
2 tsp. olive
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 cloves garlic, peeled
4 scallions, white tops plus 2 inches
  green, sliced
1 cup baby carrots, cut into chunks
1 14-oz. pkg. bulk-style soy "sausage"
2 Tbs. chopped fresh sage
1 medium-sized Granny Smith
  apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup golden raisins

1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. Cut squash in half lengthwise, scrape
out and discard seeds, and place squash
cut side up on baking pan. Spray squash
flesh with olive oil cooking spray, and place
pan on center rack in oven.

3. Bake for 45 minutes, or until tender.
Remove from oven, and set aside to cool.
Reduce oven temperature to 350F.

4. Heat oil and crushed pepper in a 10-inch
skillet over medium-high heat for  minute.
Put garlic, scallions and carrots in food
processor, and chop coarsely, Add to oil,
and cook 1 minute. Add soy "sausage," and
cook for 4 minutes, stirring frequently while
breaking "sausage" apart with a large spoon.
Reduce heat to low, and add sage, apples
and raisins. Cook for 3 minutes, and remove
from heat. Spoon filling onto cooked squash,
covering entire surface from end to end.
Cover with foil, and bake for 15 minutes or
until heated through. Slice each stuffed
squash into 2-inch slices crosswise, and
serve with applesauce topped with cinnamon
and nutmeg.

PER SERVING: 187 CAL; 10G PROT; 0G TOTAL FAT (0G SAT FAT); 37G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 266MG SOD; 7G FIBER; 14G SUGARS

Chunky Vegetable Stew

SERVES 8

Greens cook down considerably and will reduce at least one-quarter in volume. One pound of raw kale will yield about 2 1/2 cups cooked. A dash of hot pepper sauce adds dimension to this colorful dish.

1 medium-sized bunch kale
2 tsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium-sized red onion, chopped
1 medium-sized red bell pepper,
  chopped
3 medium-sized unpeeled russet
  potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups dry vermouth
1 6-oz. pkg. sliced white mushrooms
1 medium-sized head cauliflower, cut
  into about 2-inch florets
1 14.5-oz. can Mexican-style
  stewed tomatoes
3 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
3 Tbs. nutritional yeast
1 1/2. cornstarch
2 Tbs. cold water
1 Tbs. tamari soy sauce
1/4 tsp. lemon pepper

1. Strip kale leaves from stalks, and rinse
thoroughly in colander; set aside.

2. Heat oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven or
saucepan for 1 minute over medium-high
heat. Add garlic, onions and peppers,
saute for 2 minutes and add potatoes.
Cook for 4 minutes, and add vermouth,
mushrooms and cauliflower. Cook for 2
minutes, add kale and mix thoroughly.
Cook mixture for 5 minutes, and reduce
heat to low.

3. Chop stewed tomatoes coarsely in food
processor, and add tomatoes, thyme and
yeast to kale mixture. Combine cornstarch
and water in a small bowl, and stir in with
tamari and lemon pepper. Cook for 5 minutes,
stirring occasionally. Remove from
heat, and serve.

PER SERVING: 195 CAL; SG PROT: 2G TOTAL FAT (0G SAT FAT); 32G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 288MG SOD; 5G FIBER; 11G SUGARS

Fudge-Glazed Black Forest Bundt Cake

12 SERVINGS

An effective fat replacer, prune puree contains fruit pectins that support the structure of baked goods, and it has natural sorbitols that extend the freshness. Organic powdered sugar is ground from evaporated cane juice into a fine powder that is used 1:1 in any recipe that calls for confectioners' sugar. This wholesome vegan ingredient is available at health food stores and some specialty markets under the brand names Wholesome Sweeteners and Trader Joe's.