Recipes

Hummus (Chickpea spread)

1 garlic clove

juice of ½ lemon

2 Tbsp tahini (sesame butter)

1 can of chickpeas, drained

Place garlic clove in food processor and whirl til chopped. Add chickpeas, tahini, and lemon juice and process until combined. Add ¼ cup water and process until smooth.

Strawberry-banana Smoothie

1 cup quartered fresh strawberries

½ cup vanilla soy milk

1 frozen banana, sliced

2 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate

Blend until smooth. Serves 2.

Fruit-yogurt Smoothie

1 cup lowfat vanilla yogurt

½ cup fruit nectar (apricot, peach, pear) or orange juice

¾ cup frozen unsweetened quartered strawberries

1 frozen banana, sliced

Blend until smooth. Serves 2.

Quick Pasta Fagiole (Pasta and Beans) From Gourmet Every Day

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 14-oz can stewed tomatoes with Italian seasoning

1 19-oz can cannellini (white beans)beans, rinsed

6 oz tubetti or ditalini pasta

3 Tbsp chopped, fresh basil, or 1 tsp dried

2 Tbsp parmesan cheese

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a 3-qt saucepan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook garlic, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth and tomatoes with their juices and bring to a boil, breaking up tomatoes.

Add beans, pasta, basil, and parmesan and boil, stirring frequently, until pasta is al dente. Let stand 5 minutes. (Pasta will continue to absorb liquid.) Serve with parmesan cheese to sprinkle.

Homemade Protein Bars (Adapted from Mollie Katzen’s Sunlight Café cookbook)

1 cup soy protein powder (I use Naturade NRG Protein Powder, vanilla flavor)

½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2 cups rolled oats

½ cup oat bran

½ tsp cinnamon

¾ tsp salt

½ to 2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 ½ cups silken tofu

¼ cup canola oil

2 tsps vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly spray a 9x13 baking pan and a baking tray with nonstick cooking spray.

Mix together the protein powder, flour oats, oat bran, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Crumble in brown sugar. Stir in chocolate chips.

Measure tofu, oil, and vanilla into a second bowl, stirring until combined. Add the wet mixture to the dry, and mix until thoroughly combined (you may have to use your hands, it is very thick).

Transfer to the prepared pan, patting evenly with your hands. Bake for 15 min then remove from oven and cut into bars. Place bars on the prepared baking tray and bake for another 15 min. (for extra crunchy bars, turn off oven and leave them in there for up to 45 min longer). Remove bars from oven and place on a rack to cool.

These may be sealed in a plastic bag and stored in the freezer.

Makes about 20 medium-sized bars. Approximately 134 calories per bar, 6 grams protein and 5.5 grams fat.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Protein Bread (Adapted from Mollie Katzen’s Sunlight Café cookbook)

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup soy protein powder

1 tsp salt

2 tsps baking powder

½ cup sugar

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 15-oz can pumpkin (2 cups)

2 large eggs

2 tsps vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly spray a standard sized loaf pan with nonstick spray.

Place flour, protein powder, salt, baking powder, and sugar in a medium-sized bowl, and stir until thoroughly combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

In a second bowl, combine the pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla. Stir until uniform.

Add pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until everything is well blended. The batter will be stiff.

Transfer to the prepared pan. Bake 45 min. (1 hour for a drier loaf). Cool in pan for about 10 min, then rap the pan sharply to remove the bread, and cool on rack for at least another 20 min before slicing.

You can replace the pumpkin with 2 cups mashed banana (4 bananas) and add ¼ tsp almond extract.

16 slices. Approximately 160 calories, 5 grams protein, and 5 grams fat per slice.