4. Chinese: garlic, ginger, soy sauce, chilis, black vinegar, scallions
5. Greek: oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, mint, dill, parsley, cumin, black pepper
6. Italian: basil, oregano, sage, parsley, garlic, rosemary
7. Thai: shallots, garlic, fresh chilis, coriander, lemongrass, turmeric, galangal or ginger, Thai basil, lime
You don’t have to stop here—develop your own favorite flavor combos. Cook intuitively by holding a few spices to your nose to see if they smell good together. If they taste good too, write down the combination so you can repeat it in the future. As beloved chef Julia Child once said, “Learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun!”
Sample 7-Day Menu
At this point in the book, you know a bit about eating for health and making your way around the kitchen. Whether you’re a culinary pro but new to meatless meals, or you’re trying out cooking and vegetarianism at the same time, the week’s worth of food suggestions that follow should give you starting points to develop your own menus of foods you love.
Cooking every day of the week might be practical if you feed a whole family or have people in the household who like to cook or help out. If it’s too much for you, or if you’re unaccustomed to cooking so much from scratch, start small. Pick one or two dishes from here—say, those whose ingredients or flavors you know already—and give them a try. Cook in big batches and eat leftovers throughout the week. As your kitchen confidence grows, try cooking more from-scratch meals each week.
For online recipe sources and trusted cookbooks to help make dishes like these, see Resources.
Monday: Traditional American Fare
BREAKFAST
Orange juice or orange sections
Low-sugar, high-protein cereal with soy milk
LUNCH
Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
Carrot and celery sticks
Handful of potato chips
SNACK
Apple slices with peanut butter
GORP (trail mix) with chocolate, peanuts, and raisins
DINNER
Marinated roast seitan, baked tofu, or mock chicken
Spinach salad with walnuts, dried cranberries, and mustard vinaigrette
Rice pilaf
Baked butternut squash
DESSERT
Chocolate cake
Tuesday: Hearty Health Food
BREAKFAST
Overnight oats with walnuts, dried fruits, and chia seeds
Green smoothie with banana, soy milk, and a handful of dark leafy greens (kale, collards, or chard)
Tea/coffee
LUNCH
Microwaved sweet potato with black beans and salsa
Baked tortilla chips
SNACK
Date and cashew bars
DINNER
Brown rice bowl with teriyaki-baked tofu and crispy shiitake mushrooms
Mesclun salad with sunflower seeds, chickpeas, tomatoes, shredded purple cabbage, and tahini dressing
DESSERT
Apple brown Betty
Wednesday: Middle Eastern Menu
BREAKFAST
Ful medames (fava beans)
garnished with plain yogurt
Pita bread
LUNCH
Lentil soup
Steamed spinach with a squeeze of lemon juice
Pita chips and hummus
SNACK
Handful of pistachios
Sweet mint tea
DINNER
Tomato, red onion, and cucumber salad with feta or lemon-oregano marinated tofu
Rice or bulgur wheat and lentils with caramelized onion (top with yogurt if desired)
DESSERT
Halvah sesame candy
Thursday: Taste of East Asia
BREAKFAST
Rice and mung bean congee (rice porridge) with toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, and chopped scallions
LUNCH
Tofu pad thai
SNACK
Fried broad beans
Orange sections
Green tea
DINNER
Panfried tempeh strips
White rice with gado-gado peanut sauce
Collard greens stewed in coconut milk with turmeric, shallots, chili paste, and lemongrass
DESSERT
Fresh coconut
Friday: Tour of Central America
BREAKFAST
Huevos (or tofu) a la Mexicana (scrambled with sautéed onions, tomatoes, oregano, and chili peppers) with warm tortillas
LUNCH
Crispy corn tortillas or hard taco shells split in half (pack separately so they don’t get mushy)
Vegetarian refried beans
Shredded crisp lettuce
Chunky tomato salsa or pico de gallo
SNACK
Tortilla chips with sikil pak (traditional Mayan dip made with roasted vegetables and pumpkin seeds)
DINNER
Black bean soup topped with avocado slices
Corn bread
Sautéed spinach with lemon, cumin, and oregano
DESSERT
Mango con chile y limón (sliced mango with a squeeze of lime, a pinch of salt, and a dash of chili powder)
Saturday: Soul Food Inspired
BREAKFAST
Cheesy grits with sautéed Swiss chard and roasted cherry tomatoes
Fried veggie sausage
Biscuits with mushroom gravy
Sliced fresh fruit
Strawberry banana smoothie
LUNCH
Mac and cheese or nutritional yeast “cheeze” sauce
Sweet potato oven fries
Fresh okra sautéed with garlic
SNACK
Spiced boiled peanuts
DINNER
Breaded and fried seitan
Citrus collard greens
Skillet corn bread
DESSERT
Red velvet cake
Sunday: Deluxe Weekend Comfort Food
FANCY BRUNCH
Hash browns
Tofu scramble/scrambled eggs with onions, red peppers, and basil
LUNCH
Grilled cheese or “cheeze” with tomato slices, onion, pickles, sauerkraut, and/or veggie bacon
Tomato soup
Side salad
Chocolate chip cookies
SNACK
Wheat crackers with almond butter and banana slices
DINNER
Minestrone soup
Orecchiette pasta with walnuts, chickpeas, and escarole or broccoli rabe
Sautéed mushrooms with garlic, parsley, and lemon zest
Simple green salad with olive oil and red wine vinegar
DESSERT
Almond cookies and decaf coffee
Hearty Breakfasts and Brunches
You’re going to need options whether you’re powering up for busy mornings or slowing down on lazy weekends. You already know about toast and peanut butter, granola and yogurt, and buying veggie bacon to go with your pancakes, but have you considered these?
• Protein bites: In a food processor, blend pitted dates, coconut, raw cashews, and chocolate-flavored protein powder. Keep adding dates until the mixture binds together. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls and then toss in more protein powder or coconut flakes to keep them from sticking together.
• Oatmeal won’t stick to your ribs too long on its own, so stir in some peanut butter, slivered almonds, pecans, walnuts, or toasted hazelnuts for staying power. Allergic to nuts? Try adding soy milk or tahini.
• Savory breakfast porridges made of rice or millet, sometimes cooked with beans to make a complete protein, are popular in some parts of the world.
• Chickpea omelets: Whisk chickpea flour with water and a pinch of salt and cook in a hot pan until the batter is set, the glossiness has just disappeared from the top, and the bottom is crisp but not burnt—just like cooking pancakes. The result is custardy, like eggs, and can be stuffed with your fav
orite omelet fillings. Gluten-free, soy-free, and vegan, chickpea omelets are great for a crowd. Look for recipes online.
• Scramble tofu with nutritional yeast, pink salt, miso paste, turmeric, and your favorite veggies. Serve with toast.
Inspired Sandwich Lunches
Nothing makes a quick and tasty lunch like a hearty sandwich. Get inspired by this list and then search for recipes or improvise your own tasty fillings.
• Bean spreads, like hummus, white bean and rosemary spread, and walnut-lentil-miso pâté
• Chickpea salad (great in a pita)
• Tempeh salad with mayo or veggie mayo (chicken salad style)
• Mock meat slices
• Marinated and baked tempeh
• Sliced cheese, sandwich veggies, and pickles
• Classic PB&J with peanut butter and strawberry jam
• Fancy nut butter and jam: Mix it up with fancy bread, cashew or almond butter, and gourmet fruit spreads
• Classic hot eggplant parmigiana sandwich with tomato sauce and mozzarella
• Vietnamese-style tofu banh mi: Simmer tofu in soy sauce, grated fresh ginger, rice vinegar, and sugar. Fill a baguette with the cooked and seasoned tofu, along with sliced cucumbers, julienned carrots, cilantro sprigs, and sriracha.
• Veggie muffaletta: Use mock meat slices and a spread of olives chopped with giardiniera-pickled celery, cauliflower, and carrot.
• Niçoise-inspired baguette with white bean puree, roasted red peppers, kalamata olives, parsley, mustard, red onions, and lettuce.
Bag Snacks
Lots of folks report that the most challenging time to stay vegetarian is when they’re out and about with their tummy rumbling and nothing veg-friendly to eat. If you make a habit of packing a portable snack, potentially difficult situations like a car trip to an unfamiliar town or a longer-than-usual night at the office won’t be a problem.
The best snacks are nonperishable, lightweight, high-satiety (meaning they’ll keep you full for a while), and mostly crush-proof, so you can keep them on hand (or at the bottom of a bag) for months, until a craving strikes. A little container of the following snacks in your purse, backpack, desk, or car will keep you feeling full until your next meal.
Simple snacks you can find at any grocer:
• Trail mix
• Sunflower seeds
• Peanuts, cashews, almonds, pistachios, or your favorite nut mix
• Peanut-butter-filled pretzels
• Cereal (look for varieties with a higher protein-to-carbs ratio)
Homemade bites (search for recipes online):
• Tamari almonds
• Oven-roasted chickpeas
• Coconut peanut butter balls
• Date and cashew bars
• Almond-fig balls
Any of the above are tasty, satisfying options. But if you have access to a health food store, specialty market, or Asian grocer, seek out these extra-special snacks:
• Savory “jerky” snacks, like Primal Strips and Stonewall’s Jerquee
• Toasted coconut chips
• Protein and granola bars
• Flavored roasted chickpeas
• Chia seeds (dissolve a couple tablespoons in fruit juice for a filling snack high in omega-3s)
• Spiced nuts
• Sesame sticks
• “Chunks of Energy” snack bites
• Roasted broad beans
• Spiced tofu and tempeh snacks
• Dried tofu
• Wasabi peas
Flavor Bases
Creating full-flavored dishes will make committing to a vegetarian diet even easier—not to mention more delicious. Both of the following techniques involve cooking a flavorful ingredient in fat at the start of a dish, building the core flavor. (See here for how to use them in recipes.)
Sautéing Aromatics
Sautéing vegetables, spices, and herbs—known as aromatics—in oil infuses the oil with rich aromas that will carry through to the final dish. Aromatics vary worldwide; here are a few to get you started:
• Thai cooking uses shallots, garlic, and chilis
• Middle Eastern cooking uses garlic, onions, tomatoes, and scallions
• Latin cooking uses garlic, onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes
• French cooking uses onions, carrots, and celery
• Indian cooking uses onions, garlic, chilis, and ginger
Blooming Spices
Some of the flavor compounds in dried spices dissolve in water, but others come out only when they’re dissolved in oil. Most beans, grains, fruits, and veggies are low in fat, so they won’t ooze grease in the pan the way meat does. Sizzling spices in oil at the start of a recipe—aka blooming the spices—before you throw in other ingredients will give the dish the same flavor-infused quality of a meat-based dish. (Frying in oil before adding water allows both the water-soluble and the fat-soluble flavors to come out.)
Try blooming any of the following:
• cumin
• mustard seeds
• red pepper flakes
• thyme
• rosemary
• powdered garlic
• ginger
• curry powders
How to Make an Awesome Bean Soup
Making a great bean soup is simple! Most soups start with a flavor base, then call for beans and veggies cooked until tender. This general method starts with sautéing aromatics and allows for plenty of improvisation. Add a grain if you want a complete protein in a bowl, or serve the soup with bread, rice, quinoa, or millet pilaf on the side.
1. Get a big pot. Add some oil, such as olive, canola, or vegetable oil. Place over medium heat.
2. Add chopped alliums—any combination of garlic, onion, leeks, shallots, etc.—and cook, stirring, until they are soft, pale yellow, and fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add spices and dried (not fresh) herbs. Try a pinch of black pepper, red pepper flakes, cumin seeds, dried parsley, or your favorite packaged spice blend (or use any of the 7 Basic Flavor Combos). Cook spices in the oil for 60 to 90 seconds.
4. Add chopped veggies and grains, according to their cooking times, along with a pinch of salt.
♦ Hard, long-cooking veggies like carrots, yams, celery, potatoes, turnips, and parsnips: 12–15 minutes
♦ Medium-cooking veggies like canned tomatoes, cabbage, escarole, kale, and collards: 8–10 minutes
♦ Grains: 10–45 minutes depending on type (see here)
♦ Quick-cooking veggies like delicate leafy greens, sprouts, and tender young mushrooms: 2 minutes or less
5. Add water or stock with hard veggies, turn up the heat, bring to a boil, and then lower to a simmer. Add canned or cooked beans when you add medium-cooking veggies.
6. When all the vegetables and grains are tender, take the pot off the heat. Add fresh herbs, additional salt, and even a dash of tamari to round out the flavor. Eat and enjoy!
How to Make Amazing Stir-Fry
Like bean soup, stir-fry is nutritious, easy to make, quick, and endlessly customizable. Always prepare your ingredients ahead of time—stir-fries come together fast! Chop the veggies (small, so they cook quickly), mince the garlic, and measure the liquid ingredients. If using hard vegetables that need to cook for a long time, like winter squash or tough greens, cook them briefly in simmering water before starting the stir-fry (this is known as blanching); otherwise, they won’t be tender in the final dish.
1. Start with a large wok. A crowded wok means a badly cooked stir-fry. Place over high heat and warm for about 30 seconds.
2. Add a tablespoon or two of neutral-tasting oil that can handle high heat, such as peanut oil, coconut oil, canola oil, or mixed vegetable oil.
3. Add aromatics, such as minced garlic, ginger, and maybe some minced shallots. Sa
uté these until they make the room smell great. This will probably take less than a minute—don’t burn them! If you want to add dried chilis or a flavor paste, such as sambal oelek or chili bean paste, do so now and fry for another 15 to 30 seconds.
4. Add tofu (firm-pressed, frozen and thawed, or fried puffs), seitan bits, or mock meats.
5. Start adding vegetables: shredded carrots, mushrooms, slivered onions, and tough greens go in first. Keep tossing them with a wooden spoon so they don’t stick to the wok. You might even add a little vegetable stock or soy sauce diluted 50/50 with water, which will braise, soften, and flavor the veggies.
6. Once the firmer ingredients have softened, add tender ingredients like peppers or spinach. Cook while stirring.
7. Finally, kill the heat, add a little stir-fry sauce if you like, and top with any or all of the following:
♦ minced scallions
♦ a little toasted sesame oil
♦ crispy fried onions
Stuff Every Vegetarian Should Know Page 4
