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susan_foster
08-24-2005, 08:35 PM
I'm back from vacation, and after 2 weeks of other people cooking for me, it's nice to get back to my own space & cookbooks.

I love the idea of working from cookbooks that I've bought, paged through, marked recipes from...and never cooked from. So, I'm working my way through my cookbook bookshelf. I started the obvious way - top shelf, first book on the left - 1,001 Low-Fat Vegetarian Recipes.

This is a cookbook I've never quite fallen in love with. My preferences in cookbooks tend towards more personal feeling - tell me a story. This cookbook does not do that, but it does do something that I do like, which is provide nutritional information by the recipes. I only wish that they provided fiber counts in their analysis.

I decided that my first recipe would be one that I had earmarked - English Muffin Bread. I decided to add the raisins & cinnamon that they had as an alternate. After all, my bottle of Penzey's Cassia Cinnamon needs to be used, right? And used well in this recipe it was. The recipe came together simply, there were enough raisins, and when toasted, the cinnamon really shines. My only quibble is that I had a hard time telling how much flour to use in the second addition. I mean, it said to mix until it was a good dough - but I think that was done with the first 1 cup.

My second recipe was made tonight, and I've fallen in love already. I was searching for a rice recipe, because I had already made a macaroni dish this week, and didn't want to overdo the pasta thing by having it twice in one day. What did I find in paging through this cookbook? Curried Couscous . I definitely have a weakness for couscous, and am trying to find good Indian influenced recipes. This recipe was actually a mix of three recipes, which was fun. The main part has the wonder of couscous which I love, but also has a ton of veggies to give color as well as volume to give a good portion size that won't kill the diet. It is interesting what veggies were used, though - okra, mushrooms, carrots, & tomatoes? I loved the combination, though. I also liked the two sides - the onions cooked down so nicely for the chutney-relish.

I'm interested to see what else I can find in this cookbook. I have a third and fourth recipe in mind. Something sweet for Friday, and a favorite main dish for Saturday.

Susan

* Exported from MasterCook *

Curried Couscous

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
8 ounces okra
1 medium onion -- chopped
2 garlic cloves -- chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn -- thawed
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 medium carrots -- sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 cup vegetable broth, ready-to-serve
2/3 cup couscous
1 medium tomato -- chopped
salt and pepper -- to taste
Cucumber Yogurt
2/3 cup Stonyfield Plain Yogurt
2/3 cup chopped cucumber -- seeded and diced
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
Onion-Chutney Relish
4 medium onions -- chopped
1/2 cup mango chutney
1 teaspoon dried mint flakes
1/4 cup chopped peanuts -- unsalted
1/4 cup raisins

Cucumber Yogurt: Combine all ingredients; refrigerate until ready to serve.

Onion-Chutney Relish: Spray large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Saute onions 3 to 5 minutes; reduce heat to low and cook until they are very soft and golden, about 15 minutes. Mix onions, chutney, and mint; refrigerate until ready to serve.

Spray large saucepan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Saute okra, onion, garlic, and parsley until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in corn, mushrooms, carrots, and curry powder; cook 2 minutes.

Add stock to saucepan and heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in couscous and tomato. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, until couscous is tender and broth absorbed, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon couscous mixture into serving bowl; serve with Cucumber Yogurt, Onion-Chutney Relish, peanuts and raisins.

Source:
"1,001 Low-Fat Vegetarian Recipes"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 433 Calories; 6g Fat (12.0% calories from fat); 13g Protein; 87g Carbohydrate; 11g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 318mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 4 1/2 Vegetable; 2 Fruit; 1 Fat.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


* Exported from MasterCook *

Raisin English Muffin Bread

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 14 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour -- divided
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins

Spray 8 x 4 x 2-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, oats, yeast, raisins, cinnamon and salt in large bowl. Heat milk and honey until warm in small saucepan; stir in baking soda. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, mixing until smooth. Stir in enough of remaining 1 cup flour to make a thick batter. Pour into prepared pan. Let rise, covered, in warm place until double in size, 45 to 60 minutes.

Bake at 400 degrees until bread is golden and sounds hollow when tapped, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from pan immediately and cool on wire rack.

Source:
"1,001 Low-Fat Vegetarian Recipes"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 114 Calories; trace Fat (3.6% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 24g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 1mg Cholesterol; 187mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 0 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Kristal
08-24-2005, 08:54 PM
Thanks, Susan, for those detailed reviews! I love cookbook challenge threads. I know it's hard to believe, but this is one cookbook I don't have (and I have A LOT of vegetarian cookbooks!). I especially like the looks of that curried couscous dish. I will have to try it. :)

generic
08-25-2005, 12:43 AM
Could someone explain a cookbook challenge? I've seen a couple of these threads and I'm not sure what it means.
Thanks!

NewMrsG
08-25-2005, 06:46 AM
Could someone explain a cookbook challenge? I've seen a couple of these threads and I'm not sure what it means.
Thanks!

The basic idea is that we all challenge ourselves to delve into the cookbooks that we don't use very much or as much as we'd like - we all seem to have too many cookbooks and not enough time!

It's a great idea - gets us into using those cookbooks we've been neglecting and discovering some wonderful new things in them. I need to get back into doing this myself!

Welcome to the boards!

bobmark226
08-25-2005, 07:14 AM
Susan, last year I went on something of a jag with this series and the book you've chosen in particular. I found it just okay and serviceable, a bit old-fashioned and dowdy, and I haven't used any of them since. In fact, I was just debating whether to dump the three or four I have rather than move them. I'll be interested if you find anything that knocks your socks off. I might have even joined you here, but I'm heading away for the house inspection this afternoon.

Bob

susan_foster
08-25-2005, 09:27 AM
Susan, last year I went on something of a jag with this series and the book you've chosen in particular. I found it just okay and serviceable, a bit old-fashioned and dowdy, and I haven't used any of them since. In fact, I was just debating whether to dump the three or four I have rather than move them. I'll be interested if you find anything that knocks your socks off. I might have even joined you here, but I'm heading away for the house inspection this afternoon.

Bob

Well, this cookbook is one that I've had on my shelf and never used, and I think it is partially because its visual design didn't appeal. It just seems to not be a high quality cookbook. I think that to me collecting 1,001 recipes opens itself up to including a lot of recipes that I might consider of lower quality, just so that the 1,001 point could be reached. That's why I was fairly excited to find the couscous recipe - it may be a basic couscous recipe for all I know, but it worked for me. My next recipes planned from the book are a mixed bag - one basic (baked rice pudding), and two a little more unusual (a tropical pizza & my first try at using tempeh).

This cookbook is one that I resist going to - maybe because it is a little too dense for my tastes. If I was cleaning out my cookbook shelves, this one would probably not go immediately into the discards pile, but it wouldn't be one that I would immediately want to keep.

Susan

generic
08-25-2005, 10:49 PM
Thanks, MrsG, for the explanation and the welcome. I might have to try a challenge myself pretty soon. Maybe it would help me lose the odd 10 pounds!

susan_foster
09-01-2005, 08:08 PM
Came back to say I've made two more recipes from this cookbook, and both were solidly good, and would be repeated with pleasure.

Old-Fashioned Baked Rice Pudding - I halved this, and cooked it last Friday night to have as a dessert (and breakfast the next couple days). Very nice to have a good dessert with milk in it, so I could feel somewhat healthy. This one takes time to cook, though, so if you want to make it, start it early! And it's another recipe that really shows how lovely the cinnamon & nutmeg I got from Penzeys are.

Greek-Style Green Beans - I posted the recipe in the August reviews thread. A very nice & simple recipe, nice to work with fresh green beans. And the tomatoes were Muir Glen fire-roasted, which are always good.

I do have one more recipe planned from this cookbook, but going back in my recipes earlier this week, I realized I did cook another recipe from this cookbook earlier this year, so that is 5 from this cookbook already. But I still want to make the sixth, because it intrigues me. Not going to say what it is though!

Susan

cher48603
09-01-2005, 08:45 PM
Came back to say I've made two more recipes from this cookbook, and both were solidly good, and would be repeated with pleasure.

Old-Fashioned Baked Rice Pudding - I halved this, and cooked it last Friday night to have as a dessert (and breakfast the next couple days). Very nice to have a good dessert with milk in it, so I could feel somewhat healthy. This one takes time to cook, though, so if you want to make it, start it early! And it's another recipe that really shows how lovely the cinnamon & nutmeg I got from Penzeys are.

Susan
Susan,

If it isn't too much trouble, could you please post the rice pudding recipe? My brother joins us for dinner once a week & rice Pudding is a fav of his.

Thanks,

susan_foster
09-01-2005, 10:18 PM
Susan,

If it isn't too much trouble, could you please post the rice pudding recipe? My brother joins us for dinner once a week & rice Pudding is a fav of his.

Thanks,


Here ya go! Like I said, it's a recipe that takes some time - mine wasn't a full 2 1/2 hours, I think it was only two. And I definitely would say if you try to serve 6, the servings are kinda skimpy - 4 would probably be better.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Old-Fashioned Baked Rice Pudding

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 cup medium-grain white rice
3 cups 1% low-fat milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 dashes grated nutmeg

Combine rice, milk, sugar, raisins, cinnamon, and nutmeg in 2-quart casserole.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees until rice is tender and milk absorbed, about 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve warm or chilled.

Source:
"1,001 Low-Fat Vegetarian Recipes"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 174 Calories; 1g Fat (7.4% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 35g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 5mg Cholesterol; 63mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Fruit; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0

cher48603
09-02-2005, 02:55 PM
Susan,

Thanks for the recipe. :D

susan_foster
09-12-2005, 09:30 AM
One more recipe from this cookbook, to officially close this book to the challenge - although after paging through this so many times to look for things to make, it may be re-opened many more times in the future.

Calypso Pizza - Fun, different recipe. I definitely am a pizza gal, but less about the toppings, and more about the crust - especially the outside crust. Yum. In terms of the crust on this pizza, it was alright - didn't make me do cartwheels, but definitely kept me happy. A little too heavy on the cheese for me, possibly, but then most of the time I feel that way. I definitely loved the topping on this. It was black beans, salsa, pineapple, jalapeno & cumin, which are all flavors that I like. The cheese was a combo of monterey jack & cheddar, which worked well.

So, with the official challenge part complete, my definite favorite was the Curried Couscous, which I will definitely repeat. All the rest were good, with Calypso Pizza probably coming closest to a definite repeat, although on a different crust. The good part of this challenge is like I said earlier - by searching through the book to find recipes, I found so many more I want to try!

Susan

Kristal
09-12-2005, 11:25 AM
Congratulations on finishing your challenge for this book, Susan! I'd like to second Stephanie's (gertdog) request for the Calypso Pizza recipe. If and when you get a chance. Thanks! :)

cher48603
09-13-2005, 09:27 PM
Susan, We had Curried Couscous tonight & loved it. Great flavor & left us feeling very satisfied. My only change was to use green beans, (needed to be cooked), rather than okra.

I haven't made the rice pudding yet; but may need to buy this book.