Beat the clock keep your cool

Quick Vegetarian Pleasures: Mare Than 175 Fast, Delicious, and Healthy Meatless Recipes By Jeanne Lemlin (HarperCollins, 1992)

OUR STAFF REVIEWER

Health Editor Shone Speer discovered this book right after college. "I didn't have a lot of experience cooking," she says, "and the book gave me lots of options." Although Speer is a zealous recipe collector--"I have two large three-ring binders filled from various sources"--she keeps coming back to Quick Vegetarian Pleasures and its filling, flavorful comfort foods. Why I chose this recipe "I really like being able to mix everything together and then put the casserole in the oven. I don't have to hover over multiple burners and pots."

SAMPLE RECIPE

CRUSTY POTATOES, TOMATOES,
AND ONIONS

4 servings

Round off this casserole with a salad.

  6 medium potatoes, peeled,
    halved, and very thinly sliced
  3 large onions, halved vertically
    and thinly sliced
  4 garlic cloves, minced
  1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes,
    chopped and drained
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup fruity olive oil
  3 tablespoons water
  2 teaspoons dried oregano
    Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400[degrees]F. In a large
bowl, combine the potatoes, onions,
garlic, and tomatoes.

1. In a small bowl, beat together the
tomato paste, olive oil, water, oregano,
salt, and pepper. Pour over the vegetable
mixture and toss to coat well. Spread
in a 12x7x2-inch baking dish or other
2 1/2-quart ovenproof shallow dish. Cover
tightly with foil; bake 30 minutes.
Remove foil; bake 45 minutes longer.

VT's NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS

PER SERVING: 560 CAL; 100 PROT; 280 TOTAL
FAT (4G SAT. FAT); 69G CARB; 0MG CHOL;
400MG SOD; 9G FIBER; 13G SUGARS

IN A NUTSHELL

All of the recipes are vegetarian; many are vegan.

Although they lack nutritional analyses, most of the recipes appear healthful. All can be made more so by using low-fat dairy products. "They easily accommodate substitutions," Speer says.

"This book is best for people who are in a hurry or who want cooking to be quick and uncomplicated."

"The book has no photographs but because so many of the recipes are casseroles or variations of familiar foods (such as pasta or enchiladas), that's never bothered me."

You won't spend a lot of time in the kitchen when you use this cookbook.

At 272 pages, this softcover book sells for a competitive $18.

COPYRIGHT 2005 Vegetarian Times, Inc. All rights reserved.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning