Vegetable

If you’re looking for an undemanding tempeh dish that makes a large quantity, here’s a good choice.

This bountiful rice dish offers a variety of flavors and textures. I especially like the burst of sweetness provided by tiny orange sections.

The first time I made this lively dish, I realized that it had elements in it that each member of my family didn’t like: My husband is not crazy about tempeh, my younger son doesn’t particularly like nuts in cooked dishes, my older son is not a sweet potato fan, and I’m not that big on garlic. Why would I bother with such a dish, then? Surprisingly, the unifying element is kale, something everyone in my family has grown quite fond of. Taken as a whole, this colorful and supremely nourishing dish is a big hit, with no one singling out the separate parts they don’t like.

Slender green beans, slivered tempeh, and colorful bell pepper make for a tasty trio. The time-saver here is the use of frozen organic baby green beans, available in most any natural foods store and many supermarkets. If you have more time, do use fresh slender green beans, by all means, when they make their rare appearance at your local market.

Here is a kinder, gentler version of gyros, the Greek meat-on-a-pita classic. Seitan makes a superb stand-in, and the shortcut creamy cucumber dressing gives the entire enterprise a refreshing zip. For heartier appetites, a serving would be two gyros; one is filling enough for moderate appetites or when other dishes will be served.

I adore Paris. When I need to assuage my longing for this lovely city, I serve my family assiettes (referring to a generous platter of a number of components) like those typically served in the city’s vegetarian restaurants. The menus of these restaurants are not as extensive or innovative as those in the United States or Britain, but they do offer delicious, fresh food prepared with French flair. Seitan is a common offering. This one is an amalgam of seitan dishes I enjoyed at Le Potager du Marais, near the Georges Pompidou Center, and Les Cinq Saveurs D’Ananda in the Latin Quarter. For tips on creating Parisian-style assiettes, see the box preceding the recipe.

Tofurky sausage is a fun protein source that provides plenty of flavor and spice to a meal. I prefer it to other kinds of faux sausages because it’s made with tofu and seitan rather than textured soy protein (see notes on this product in the introduction, page 19). The bold taste of Tofurky sausage provides a perfect foil for fresh greens.

Caravan of Dreams is one of the restaurants where my family likes to eat when we’re in New York City. It’s a funky, comfortable place in the East Village, with food that’s hearty and innovative (and all vegan). Once, my younger son ordered the Green Garden Platter, described as “seasonal mixed greens sautéed with grilled marinated seitan, garlic, and olive oil, topped with grilled carrot polenta in mushroom gravy.” I was intrigued by the combination of seitan and polenta, so when I got home, I made my own version, which bears little resemblance to the restaurant’s. There’s something enticing about the seitan/polenta synergy, and with the addition of greens, the result is a great-looking, hearty dish.

We’ve rarely gone out for Indian food without including aloo gobi among our selections. It’s a vegetarian/vegan standard. This rendition comes together quickly, and the tofu mimics paneer, the bland, soft cheese found in some Indian dairy dishes.

This recipe is based on one of my favorite Chinese take-out dishes. The problem with the restaurant version is that it is often rather oily. I’ve devised this low-fat version as a way to satisfy my craving for it.

This is a nice change of pace from more common soy sauce–flavored stir-fries, but it’s just as quick and every bit as delectable. Don’t be alarmed by the ingredient list, which is relatively long compared with those in most recipes in this book. It really is a quick dish, and with such an array of healthy components, you’ll need little else to make a satisfying meal.

Offering an attractive presentation of steamed fresh veggies, this is a nice change of pace from stir-fries. It’s a fresh-tasting meal that gets its personality from a luscious sauce.

Years ago, on a trip to the Southwest, my husband and I (then vegetarians, not yet vegans) discovered the famous breakfast dish of the region and were quickly hooked. Huevos rancheros are scrambled eggs perched atop corn tortillas and topped with an incendiary sauce. It’s easy to veganize this classic, as I’ve done here. Like the next recipe, this can be served for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner.

Serving tofu and veggies kebab-style is festive, but firing up the grill, marinating the ingredients, and soaking the bamboo skewers (so they don’t ignite) can be time-consuming. And most people don’t own a stovetop grill. Here’s a shortcut method that circumvents all those steps, made right on an ordinary griddle.

The contrast of warm, spicy tofu with cool, crisp lettuce is enticing. I use Nasoya Creamy Dill dressing, but any vegan ranch-style dressing, homemade or store-bought, will work. I use two pounds of tofu because of my ravenous teens, but if you’re serving three or four “normal” eaters, one pound may suffice. Cut the rest of the ingredients in half as well.

A hot day, a big bunch of basil, and some great local tomatoes—all these came together a few summers ago to inspire a Mediterranean-flavored twist for tofu. This is a splendid main dish for warm summer evenings.

Common to many regional Middle Eastern cuisines, this is one of those supersimple dishes that, with the right ingredients, is amazingly tasty. Especially welcome as a fast summer dish, this is a good showcase for the abundance of delicious tomatoes in season. Shakshouka, in its original version, is made with eggs; in this vegan rendition, only one change needs to be made—silken tofu replaces the eggs.

On a visit to Israel, I came across a convenient vegan product called “mixed grill”-thin strips of tofu and seitan packaged together. Once home, I took this inspiration to create a simple, high-protein skillet dish.

With a few choice ingredients and just minutes, you’ve got a substantial soup for a summer day. Choose a crisp, flavorful cucumber with pale green (rather than watery white) flesh for optimal flavor. If the cucumber is organic and unwaxed, leave the peel on for extra fiber and flavor. If you have more time, cover and refrigerate the soup for an hour or more before serving.

I love making cool, refreshing soups that need no cooking at all on hot summer days. This one is nothing like the classic Indian soup of the same name, but it has a personality all its own. For best results, use the most flavorful, lush summer tomatoes available.