Bad risotto

I have had two bad risottos recently, both in restaurants. One had too much lemon oil added at the end, and the other was missing the finishing touch of truffle oil that would have given it flavor.

Even if the chefs had been skilled in adding their flavored oils, the risottos still would have been one-dimensional. Risotto, like most complex dishes, requires layers of flavor cooked into the food. The rice is first turned in olive oil, butter and wine, then cooked gently in a well-flavored stock. A few vegetables can be added for color and texture. I sometimes grate some parmesan or lemon rind over at the end, but that's an extra layer, not a required flavoring.

Vary the flavors in this simple technique to make Asparagus Risotto or Corn Risotto - two of my favorites.

I think the trouble with both restaurant risottos was the lack of flavor in the vegetable broth. Few restaurant chefs know how to make a good vegetable stock - the essential basis for an excellent vegetarian risotto. Instead they rely on flavoring oils and end up with at best a one-dimensional flavor, at worse something inedible.

The best vegetable stocks are made by roasting the vegetables before boiling them - just as you would roast bones when making a meat stock. Add to this some dried mushrooms, and a little soy sauce to get that umami, and you have a great stock, suitable for the best risottos, soups and stews.

I love this stock from Fresh From the Vegetarian Slow Cooker by Robin Robertson, an excellent source for stews and soups that are ready and waiting when you get home from work.

Once the vegetables are roasted, the stock bubbles away without me. When it's done, I store it in 2-cup containers in the freezer, ready to make delicious meals.

The parsnips add another dimension to the stock, and I make many batches during parsnip season. However, it's a good stock even without them.

With a few containers of this great stock in the freezer, you will be ready to make delicious soups and stews to warm your evenings in the winter months ahead.

Roasted Vegetable Stock
1 large onion
2 large carrots
1 large potato
1 large parsnip (optional)
1 stalk celery
3 garlic cloves
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
4 dried shiitake or porcini
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp tamari
7 cups water

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Remove the papery peel from the onion and slice it thickly. Scrub the carrots and potatoes and cut in 1" chunks. Peel the parsnip and cut in 1" chunks. Chop the celery in 1" lengths. Place the garlic cloves, unpeeled, on your cutting board and crush with the side of your big knife.

Place the above vegetables in a lightly oiled baking pan. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until lightly browned, turning once, about 30 minutes total.

Meanwhile, soak the dried mushrooms in 1 cup water until softened. Remove them from the water and check for dirt or grit. Pour the soaking water through a coffee filter, straining out any grit. Reserve mushrooms and soaking water.

Put the roasted vegetables in a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Add mushrooms and soaking water, bay leaves, peppercorns, tamari, 1 tsp salt, and water. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Let cool slightly, then strain through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl. Press the vegetables against the side of the sieve with a wooden spoon to get the most liquid possible. Discard the vegetables. The stock will be a rich golden color. Either use it right away, refrigerate it for a few days, or freeze for longer storage.

Makes about 8 cups.

My Top Five

As Joy’s carnivorous husband, I am often asked how I put up with all that healthy vegetarian food coming out of our kitchen. (It’s my kitchen, too!)

Here are the top five reasons, in no particular order, based on our last 15 years together.

1. Onions (and garlic) sautéing in olive oil. This seems to be step one in a lot of her dishes, and I’m often greeted with this wonderful aroma when walking in the door. My brain knows what it is, but nevertheless my mouth always does a little fist pump and then asks “what’s cooking”, because I know I’ll love it. It’s a no-brainer.

2. Feta Cheese. My momma never feta me this when I was a kid. Now, I find that I love virtually ever dish, hot or cold, that has it. We get it from the Greek stand at the Hollywood Farmer’s Market.

3. Asparagus Risotto. I never knew what risotto was until I was in my thirties, believe it or not. But I sure do now. Having had it in restaurants, I can tell you that Joy’s vegetable stock is the secret to a good risotto.

4. Tomatoes and Basil. Like with the onions, this is a smell that will immediately conjure all the best sensory memories of marinara sauce, pizza, or pasta with pesto. We can pick both from our garden, and I love the smell of the fresh picked herbs as it intertwines with the more subtle tomato scent.

5. Potatoes. To me, this is the perennial comfort food. Joy can make curry or roasted root vegetables or exotic soups, and if I know my old friend Mister Potato is in there, I know I’m going to be happy.

Penne with Spinach and Feta

We worked hard in the garden Sunday, planting the winter vegetable garden, painting the fence, generally enjoying the fall day.

All the fresh air and sunshine gave us healthy appetites, so I whipped up this hearty pasta for dinner.

Boy was it good. The warmth of the chiles, the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes, and the healthy glow from the spinach made it a great ending to a busy day.

Penne with Spinach and Feta
1 bunch spinach
6 oz penne (1/2 packet)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot or 2 spring onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 to 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 oz feta, diced

Wash the spinach, discarding any big stems. Put it in a large pot with the water still on its leaves. Cover and cook over medium heat until wilted but still green, about 5 minutes. Drain and chop the spinach.

Cook the pasta according to packet directions. Drain.

Warm the olive oil in the same pot, and sauté shallot, garlic, and a sprinkling of red pepper flakes 1-2 minutes to soften a little. Halve the cherry tomatoes and add to the pot along with the pasta and spinach. Stir well and cook about 2 minutes until heated through.

Turn off the heat. Stir in feta and let it sit, covered, 1-2 minutes to soften the cheese.

Serves 3-4

Fresh Peach Coffee Cake

The Breakfast Bread Pudding went down well at brunch. It was tasty and easy enough to eat that it did not distract from the football game.

Our niece likes to drink mimosas while watching Sunday morning football games, so I decided we would need more carbs at half time to soak up the alcohol. (Redskins fans are long-suffering, and I was uncertain how many mimosas would be needed to dull the pain if the game was a blow-out for the bad guys.)

I served this coffee cake warm from the oven with a dollop of whipped cream - yum. It is light-textured yet dense - good with a cup of coffee if mimosas aren't your thing.

It's quick and easy to make. I combined the flour and butter in the food processor and then refrigerated it while we were at the farmers market. When we got home, I stirred in the remaining ingredients and put it in the oven.

I topped it with fresh peaches and blueberries. Plums, nectarines or apples would be good too. There is not enough fruit to make this health food, but I made it with all organic ingredients, no chemicals or trans fats. Just good honest food. And a welcome treat in our lunches for the rest of the week.

Fresh Peach Coffee Cake
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp grated orange peel (from one organic orange)
1/4 cup butter, diced in 1" squares
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 large peaches
1/2 cup blueberries

Streusel topping:
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Peel the peaches, either by using a regular potato peeler if the peaches are firm enough, or by cutting an x in the skin and immersing the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, then into a cold water bath until cool enough to handle -- then peel off the skin with your fingers. Cut the peaches in half, remove the pits, and cut the flesh into 1/2-inch thick slices.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and orange peel in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until it resembles cornmeal. Tip mixture into a large bowl. (If you don't want to use a food processor, put the ingredients in a large bowl and cut with a pastry blender or two knives until it reaches cornmeal texture.)

In another bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Stir in milk and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the egg mixture. Stir until just moistened. (Don't do this in the food processor - it will overbeat the batter.)

Spoon batter into a well-greased 7 x 11-inch baking pan. Arrange the fruit on top and press it in lightly.

Make the streusel topping by combining the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl. Use your fingers to work in the butter until well-mixed. Scatter over fruit.

Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 20 minutes, then cut into squares and serve warm, with a dollop of whipped cream if desired.

Makes 8-12 servings.

Breakfast Bread Pudding

We invited our niece Tracie to watch a Redskins game with us a couple of weeks ago. It was an East coast game which started at 10 a.m. our time. Since we get back from the farmers' market at 9 a.m., I decided to make a brunch dish that could be prepared the night before and just warmed up to be ready for the start of the game.

This Breakfast Bread Pudding fit the bill. I let the melange of bread and sautéed vegetables, smothered in eggs and cheese, sit in the fridge overnight so the bread absorbed the egg and milk, and then I popped it in the oven when we got home from the market.

Served with a plate of fresh fruit, it was a simple all-in-one breakfast casserole. I got the idea from The Big Book of Breakfast by Maryana Vollstedt - a great source for frittatas and muffins, as well as the meat-based breakfasts some enjoy.

I used an Italian loaf, cutting it into 1-inch cubes and using enough to make a double layer of tossed cubes in the baking dish. Don't worry about layers - just toss the bread in until you can't see the bottom of the dish.

Leftovers were great for lunch the next day - either reheated or at room temperature. Serve with a little salsa to give it more kick if you are so inclined.

Breakfast Bread Pudding
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 cup chopped mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp salt
pepper
3-4 drops tabasco
1/2 loaf bread
softened butter
1 1/2 cups grated cheese (I used a combination of cheddar and swiss)

Sauté onion, bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms and garlic in butter until tender, 6-7 minutes.

Slice the end off the bread and discard. Butter the cut end of the loaf, then slice of an inch and dice it into 1" cubes. Put the cubes in the greased 9"round or 8"x11" baking dish. Repeat until you can't see the bottom of the dish.

Scatter the cooked vegetables over the bread. Spread half the cheese over top.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and tabasco. Pour over the bread, making sure it is completely covered with the mixture. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Let the casserole come to room temperature while you preheat the oven to 350°F. Then bake it, uncovered, until set - about 45-50 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 6

Quick Dinner

The other night I prepared a quick dinner of rice and greens. The secret to the speed was the wise use of leftovers.

I keep cooked rice in the freezer for meals like this. The greens were leftovers I found in the fridge. Stirred together, they made a filling main dish.

Before I went to work, I moved the cooked rice from the freezer to the fridge to defrost. I had leftover white rice from Thai takeout, but I could have used brown rice, or any other cooked grain. The greens were leftover lacinato kale that I had cooked a couple of days earlier as an omelet filling. Any cooked green would have been fine.

At dinner time, I sautéed a chopped onion in a little olive oil in a large skillet. When it was soft, I stirred in the rice, added a little water, and let it cook, covered, until the rice was warmed through. Then I stirred in a lightly-beaten egg, some leftover greens and a little grated cheese. I covered it again and let it warm through and then seasoned with salt and pepper. I served it with steamed green beans and leftover curried kidney beans for a great meal.

Black Bean and Yellow Rice Salad

Larry and I went to a potluck barbecue on Sunday.

I tend not to take vegetables to grill on a communal barbecue - I know that meat juice is going to fly.

So I took this colorful salad - a nutritious combination of rice and beans that looks like a party.

It's good warm or at room temperature, and there's no mayonnaise in it to go bad if it sits outside on a picnic table for a few hours. I made it with white rice so the yellow color would be more obvious, but when I make it just for us I use healthier brown rice.

Best of all, it gets stirred together and cooked in the rice cooker. Easy and fast. If you don't have a rice cooker, cook it in a pot on the stove, but keep an eye on it so it doesn't scorch on the bottom when all the water is absorbed.

Black Bean and Yellow Rice Salad
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups basmati rice
1 bay leaf
15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed (or 1/3 cup dry beans, cooked)
1 green pepper, cored, seeded and chopped (or 2 stalks celery, diced)
15 cherry tomatoes, halved

Dressing
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Sauté onion in olive oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, tumeric, cumin, salt, pepper and rice. Cook, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes. Transfer to rice cooker. Add 1 3/4 cups water and bay leaf. Cook until done.

Put the rice into a large bowl and remove the bay leaf. Add the black beans, bell pepper and tomatoes. Gently toss. Add the dressing ingredients and adjust seasonings as needed.

Serves 6-8

Green Omelet

Spinach is a common omelet filling. Last night I used lacinato kale instead for an exceptionally healthy dinner. I served the omelet with stovetop beets and carrots, and stewed green beans and tomatoes from our garden.

I'm a fan of the complete food that is an egg. All that guff about them raising cholesterol was debunked years ago. Very little dietary cholesterol gets passed into the blood. Stress, sugar and trans fats are worse for your blood fat numbers than eggs.

Eggs are a good source of nutrients. One egg contains 6 grams of protein and some healthful unsaturated fats. Eggs are also a good source of choline (which has been linked with preserving memory) and lutein and zeaxanthin (good for the eyes).Eggs are also a good source of Vitamin D.

Surprisingly, there's only been one large study that looked at the impact of egg consumption on heart disease, and it found no connection between the two.

I'm lucky enough to be able to buy eggs laid by true free-range chickens - they live in an orchard eating bugs. I'm sure their eggs are healthier than those of factory-farmed, corn-fed chickens. Or worse, chickens being fed ground-up chicken feathers in their diet.

But if you can get good eggs, enjoy them.

I cooked the kale especially for the omelets, but I could have used leftover cooked greens instead. One bunch made enough for four omelets, so I stored the extra in the fridge to stir into cooked rice later this week.

I'm not an omelet expert, so if you have a way that works for you, use it. Or follow my instructions and remember that the worst thing that can happen is you'll wind up with scrambled eggs with the filling stirred in. How bad is that?

Omelet with a Filling of Lacinato Kale
1 bunch lacinato (dinosaur) kale
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup diced onion
1/2 inch sprig fresh rosemary
dried chile flakes
1 small clove garlic, thinly sliced
salt to taste

Remove the stems from the kale and discard. Blanch the leaves in boiling salted water for 3 minutes until bright green. Drain and chop coarsely.

Heat oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add the onion, rosemary and a sprinkling of chile flakes. Cook 2 minutes then add garlic and a sprinkling of salt. When the onion is translucent and starting to color, add the kale. Cook over medium-low heat, covered, for 30-40 minutes, stirring often. The kale will turn a deep almost black color, become soft, and then almost a little crisp. If it starts to brown, add a little hot water from the kettle and scrape the browned bits off the bottom. They'll add to the flavor. Sprinkle with salt. Set aside.

Omelet
2 eggs
1 tbsp butter
cooked greens
1 tbsp diced mild cheese
1 tbsp diced tomato
salt and pepper to taste

Warm butter in an 8- or 9-inch omelet pan over medium heat. Lightly beat eggs with 1 tbsp water and a little salt and pepper. When the butter stops sizzling in the pan, pour in the eggs. Let the eggs sit until the bottom dries a little, then lift up an edge with a thin metal spatula and let the runny egg flow underneath. Keep going for a couple of minutes until the top is almost dry. Place the filling ingredients on one half: 1/4 of the greens, 1 tbsp diced cheese, 1 tbsp diced tomato. Fold the other half over the filling, and carefully slide the omelet onto a plate. Serves 1

Late Summer Black Bean Salad

This is a wonderful time of year at the farmers market: corn on the cob, all colors of peppers, vine-ripened tomatoes.

I like to combine them in this colorful black bean salad. It's a great dinner on a warm evening, and fast to make if you use canned beans. (I cook dried beans the night before so it's easy to put together at dinner time.)

Add hot peppers or some salsa if you'd like a spicier salad. (Sweating is cooling!) Serve the beans with a green salad for a meal that is filling but not too heavy.

I don't cook the corn in this recipe. I get sweet organic corn at the Hollywood Farmers Market from Finley Farms. It tastes great raw, although I do cook it for corn on the cob.

Taste your corn by removing the husk and slicking off a kernel. It should taste fresh, sweet and grassy. If it's flavorless, cook it in boiling water for a couple of minutes after removing it from the cob. I slice the raw corn off the cob by lying the ear on its side and cutting off a few rows with my big knife, then rotating the ear a little and doing a few more.

(If you can't find organic fresh corn, use the frozen kind. Cook it a couple of minutes before adding to the salad.)

This bean salad will last a few days in the fridge, so save some to take to work for lunch the next day. It's like having late summer in your lunch bag.

Summer Black Bean Salad
2 cups dry black beans, cooked (or 3 14-oz cans)
1/2 red onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
2 green onions, white and some green, sliced thinly on diagonal
2 cups corn kernels (from about 3 ears)
1/ 2 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
2 cups small cherry tomatoes, halved or whole
salt and pepper to taste

Dressing:
1 clove garlic, chopped fine
juice from 1 lime (2-3 tbsp)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Cook dry beans in a large pot of boiling water until they are tender but still retain their shape. Drain well.

If using canned beans, drain and rinse well.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Pour over the beans. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.

Serves 6-8

Frozen Bananas

I like to buy organic bananas even though they don't grow locally. I feel good about supporting chemical-free agriculture in tropical countries.

I don't buy non-organic bananas because I choose not to support agriculture that poisons the workers. Conventional bananas are grown with pesticides categorized by the World Health Organization in the first and second most dangerous categories. Typical banana plantations in Central America apply 30 kilograms of pesticides per hectare each year. That is 10 times more than the amount used in intensive agriculture in developed nations.

Fortunately, organic bananas are becoming easier to find at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. Even my local grocery store carries them pretty regularly.

Since they tend to go brown faster than we can eat them, I throw the extras in a zip-loc bag in the freezer and get ready to enjoy my favorite frozen treat.

On hot days like today, I pull a banana from the freezer, peel it, slice it, and enjoy a treat that is better than ice cream. And healthier too.

Bananas are a good source of fructooligosaccharide, a compound that nourishes probiotic (good) bacteria in the colon. These beneficial bacteria produce enzymes that increase digestive ability and protect against unhealthy bacterial infections. Similar to eating yogurt or taking probiotic pills.

Frozen bananas might also make you happy. They're a good source of tryptophan, an amino acid converted by your body into the mood-booster serotonin.

Frozen Banana
1 ripe banana

Put the banana with peel in a bag in the freezer. Let it freeze at least a few hours until it is solid, but you can leave it there for up to 6 months.

Take the banana from the freezer just before you want to eat it. Let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes until the peel has defrosted enough for you to remove it.

Peel then slice the banana. Eat while it's still hard. If it defrosts too much it gets mushy - great for banana bread, but not so good for dessert.

Serves 1.

Hibiscus-Lime Iced Tea

September can be the hottest month here in Southern California, and this hibiscus-lime iced tea is the drink I turn to when plain water just isn't cutting it.

I don't buy bottled drinks because they are made with tap water and chemicals in the guise of flavorings. Making tea at home keeps it real. I use filtered water and natural foods.

I get jamaica flowers from my local Mexican supermarket, but well-stocked grocery stores and health food stores will have them too. You'll recognize the taste from Celestial Seasonings' Red Zinger tea. Although jamaica is in the same family as the hibiscus that grows in our garden, they are not interchangeable. The jamaica flowers we drink are picked from a tropical vine that grows in India, Africa and Mexico.

While I usually eschew the use of sugar, in this drink it's essential. The sugar syrup gives the tea a satisfying feel in the mouth, especially if you're used to bottled iced tea. Plus it gives me the energy boost I need to get back to work in the garden.

Add enough sugar syrup so the tea tastes good to you. The extra syrup will last a few weeks in the fridge to be added to your next batch of tea. I think the iced tea will last at least a week in the fridge, but it's never spent more than 3 days in ours.

Hibiscus-Lime Iced Tea
1 cup sugar
zest of 4 limes, removed in strips
3/4 cup dried hibiscus (jamaica) flowers - 1/2 a 2oz packet

Combine the sugar and lime zest with 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil. Remove from heat and let steep 30 minutes. Strain into a measuring cup.

In a large saucepan, combine the hibiscus flowers and 8 cups cold water. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let steep 20 minutes at room temperature. Then refrigerate until chilled.

Strain the hibiscus water into a large pitcher. Stir in 1/2 cup of lime syrup, or more to taste. Serve in tall glasses over ice.

Summer Sandwich and Salad

Is there anything better than a home-grown tomato and basil sandwich?

That was our dinner the other night, along with a salad of mixed greens. If you want to push your tomato sandwich over the top, use basil mayonnaise on the bread. Yum.

To add to the summery-ness of the salad, I used beer in the salad dressing. No, it doesn't taste like beer, but it has a complex sweetness which goes well with the tomato sandwich.

The salad recipe is from McAuslan Brewing, a Montreal microbrewery. The salad dressing calls for St. Ambroise pale ale, but that's hard to find in LA so I used Newcastle instead. Just don't use a lager - it will be all bubbles and no flavor.

For cheese I used Cashel Blue from Ireland -- a soft buttery blue with a salty bite.

Unusual? Yes. And surprisingly delicious. It might become your go-to summer salad.

McAuslan Salad
1 tbsp mustard
1/4 cup pale ale
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tbsp honey
mixed greens
blue cheese

Combine mustard, ale and vinegar. Whisk in olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk in honey and taste again.

This will make 1 1/4 cups dressing. It keeps well in the fridge.

Toss some mixed greens with a little dressing. Put on individual plates and dot each serving with 1 tbsp crumbled blue cheese.

Hummus

In this heat, I do not feel like cooking. Or eating much. But a dinner of Greek salad with pita and homemade hummus is zesty enough to tempt the appetite, and there's no need to heat up the kitchen.

Hummus is great on pita, or as a dip with vegetables, or layered in a sandwich. Dilute it with olive oil or yogurt for a thick salad dressing that's also good spooned over cooked vegetables or rice.

Not only does it taste good, but it's good for you. Chickpeas contain a special type of fiber that is extremely beneficial to the cells that line the colon. They also contain antioxidants, minerals, protein and other nutrients. Whole books have been written on the health benefits of garlic, but suffice to say that it is anti-inflammatory, good for those blood numbers your doctor worries about, and helps protect against cancer.

I cook dry chickpeas the day before, drain them and refrigerate them overnight. You can use canned beans if you prefer.

I like my hummus garlicky. Use fewer cloves if that's not your thing. Also, make the hummus exactly the way you like it by adding extra lemon juice or salt or olive oil before serving.

Leftover hummus will last a week in the fridge, if you hide it.

Hummus
2/3 cup dry chickpeas, cooked (or 1 can, drained)
1/4 cup tahini
6 cloves garlic
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp salt

Put all the ingredients in the food processor. Process until smooth - it will take a couple of minutes, be patient and let it take the time it needs to get smooth.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Portabello Mushroom Burgers

Portabello mushrooms make a meaty, flavorful vegetarian "burger." The mushrooms are usually grilled whole and served on a bun with various toppings. (At a Montreal bistro last week, my mother was served a "burger" composed of three grilled mushrooms stacked on top of each other.)

The mushrooms in this recipe, however, are not whole. Instead they are diced and stirred into grated cheese, bound with eggs and oatmeal, and lightly fried until crisp and golden on the outside.

Even Larry, not a big fan of the mushroom, really enjoyed these burgers. I think they're the best ever.

But don't try cooking them on the barbecue - they will annoy you by crumbling through the grill.

Mushroom Burgers
1 1/2 cups portabello mushrooms in rough 1/3-inch cubes (about 5 oz total)
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup scottish oatmeal
8 oz jarlsberg cheese
salt and pepper
1-2 tbsp vegetable oil

Combine mushrooms, eggs, oatmeal, cheese and salt and pepper. Shape by hand into four burgers. At this point I am sure they will not hold together. But they do.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add burgers and cook 3-4 minutes per side until golden.

Serves 4

(The cooked burgers last a couple of days in the fridge. They taste even better reheated.)

Tofu Teriyaki

If you invite a vegan to dinner, this is a great meal to serve. The brown rice and greens make it healthy, and the teriyaki sauce makes it yummy. Your friends and family will think you ordered out, until they taste the food and realize how good it really is.

The teriyaki sauce is complex -- a little sweet, a little salty, with good depth of flavor. It transforms the tofu, and there'll be enough to pour over the rice as well.

You can find brown rice syrup, mirin and tamari at any health food store. The brown rice syrup gives the sauce its sheen and a slight sweetness. Mirin is a rice wine that is cheap and lasts for years in the cupboard. Tamari is a wheat-free soy sauce with less sodium than most national brands.

Start the meal prep by putting brown rice on to cook - a rice cooker makes this easy because you can set it and forget it.

While the tofu is pressing, wash and coarsely chop the greens (removing any tough stems) and make the teriyaki sauce.

Start the tofu cooking, then the greens. I used kale, but any green you like will do. For one bunch of greens, sauté 1/2 onion in a little olive oil until soft. Add 1 clove minced garlic and a sprinkling of chili flakes if desired. Add the damp chopped greens and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir well, then cover and let cook for 5-8 minutes before stirring again. Cook until they are the consistency you like. Add extra water if they start to stick on the bottom. They will be ready at the same time as the tofu, but if one is finished first, cover and keep it off the heat until all is ready to serve together.

This is a simple meal that looks fancy and tastes great. Give it a try!

Tofu Teriyaki
1 lb firm organic tofu
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
1/4 cup tamari (soy sauce)
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup apple juice
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Place the tofu on a shallow plate. Put a second plate on top of the tofu with a jar of beans or other heavy weight on top. Press for at least 15 minutes. Drain off the excess water.

In a small bowl, whisk together the brown rice syrup, tamari, mirin, apple juice and toasted sesame oil.

Cut the tofu into roughly 3/4 inch slices. Cut each slice into triangles. Pat dry.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large frypan. Add the tofu and cook for about 2 minutes on each side. Add the sauce and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is syrupy and coats the tofu, about 15 minutes.

Serves 4

Zucchini casserole

Back in the '80s my mother bought Frances Moore Lappé's groundbreaking book, Diet for a Small Planet, and its companion volume Recipes for a Small Planet. As a new vegetarian, I used Recipes so much its pages started falling out.

The books were innovative in the way they addressed the concerns of protein in the vegetarian diet. Lappé showed how grains, beans, seeds, nuts and dairy products can be combined to create large amounts of complete protein.

The recipes in these books are heavy on the dairy. As I learned more about the protein and complete nutrition in vegetables, and eased away from the regular eating of dairy products, the books drifted to the back of the bookcase.

However, I pulled Recipes out the other day when I bought some St. Benoit yogurt at the Hollywood Farmers Market, and was inspired to make this creamy and delicious casserole for the first time in years. St. Benoit yogurt is made from the rich milk of organic Jersey cows in Sonoma county. It makes a wonderful topping for this brown rice and zucchini dish. You can use thick Greek-style yogurt or whole-milk yogurt if you can't find some made from the milk of happy Jersey cows.

Zucchini Casserole
1 1/2 cups raw brown rice
4 cups (4 small) zucchini, in 1-inch dice
2 cups yogurt
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
1/3 cup grated cheddar
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives or scallions
1/3 cup toasted sesame seeds
bread crumbs
butter

Cook the rice in 3 cups of boiling water with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp paprika until tender. Drain if necessary (it probably won't be).

Preheat oven to 375.

Combine the yogurt, toasted sesame oil, cheddar and salt in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat until the cheese melts. Remove from stove and stir in the beaten egg and chives. Make sure the sauce is not so hot that it curdles the egg. (That's an esthetic issue -- it will taste good either way.)

Stir the cooked rice and sesame seeds together. Spread on the bottom of a 7 x 11 shallow baking dish. Spread the zucchini cubes on top. Pour the yogurt sauce over, then top with a layer of bread crumbs and dot generously with butter.

Bake 25 minutes until the crumbs are browned and the squash is tender but still firm.

Good news on franken-foods

I can't believe we humans are still considering genetically-modified organisms as a food source.

But the Big Agra lobby is very big, and puts a lot of pressure on money-grubbing politicians to do the wrong thing. (What can you expect with a political system where millions of dollars are needed to run a campaign? But I digress.)

Larry wrote about the pervasiveness of Big Agra after watching Food Inc. last March.

(In the US, the only way to be sure of not eating gmos - genetically modified organisms - is to buy organic or to check for a label like the one in the picture above on a bottle of canola oil. Or on the bag of soy flour lower left. Canola, soy and corn are the most genetically-modified foods, so always read labels for them.)

However, I have good news. In July, genetically-modified food took a large step backwards when the US refrained from opposing the gmo labelling guidance document in the Codex. Now any country who wants to require genetically-modified foods to be labelled as such is free to do so.

(The Codex alimentarius is a project of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization. They are codifying worldwide food practices. I first heard of them 20 years ago when they were attacking the vendors of herbs like echinacea, saying their products were not patented like drugs are, and therefore were less effective. Say the word Codex in parts of Canada and to various natural health practitioners and they will growl at you.)

But since the Codex will govern most of the world food production, a line in it saying countries can demand that genetically-modified organisms be labelled as such is a great step forward.

Note that the US did not vote for this excellent rule. They abstained from fighting it. Big Agra (I'm talking about you Monsanto and perennial NPR supporter Archer Daniels Midland) can live to fight another day.

The only way you can be sure the food you eat is not genetically modified is to buy organic. For a non-gmo shoppers guide, click here.

For more information on the Codex deal, click here.

Why do I care about genetic modificiation? As a vegetarian, I don't want to eat fish genes in my tomatoes (yes, they've tried that). Plus, nature has been doing great for thousands of years without us. The only benefits I can see of genetic engineering is it makes square tomatoes which ship more easily and it creates corn that is not killed by Roundup so farmers can spray more pesticides on my food.

With my food dollars I vote no on gmo. I hope you do too.

Chopped Italian Salad

This is a great marinated salad in the Italian style. Although it contains many antipasto ingredients, I serve it as a meal by itself, maybe with some good bread to sop up the dressing.

The protein comes from garbanzo beans (chickpeas). Toasting gives them a nutty flavor, and they act as croutons in the salad. They're not crunchy, but they have a density that makes a nice contrast to the tangy vegetables. Plus they have the added benefit of detoxifying your body of any sulfites in the wine you're drinking. They contain molybdenum, a trace mineral that detoxes sulfites, as well as plenty of insulin-balancing fiber and protein. Isn't it great that health food can taste so good?

Chopped Italian Salad
1 15-oz can garbanzo beans
1 6 1/2 oz jar marinated artichokes
3-4 tbsp olive oil
2 large stalks celery, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch dice
8 kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
2-3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2-3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
pepper
4 cups romaine leaves torn into bite-sized pieces, chilled and crisped

Rinse garbanzo beans and blot dry with a kitchen towel. Drain artichokes, reserving liquid, and cut them into 1/4 inch thick slices.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in skillet over high heat. Add garbanzo beans and cook, shaking pan often, until browned, about 7 minutes. (Add more oil if necessary.) In a 2-quart bowl, combine garbanzo beans, artichokes and their liquid, 2 tbsp olive oil, celery, onion, bell pepper, olives, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Toss until well mixed. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Let rest at room temperature up to 4 hours.

Toss vegetables again. Add romaine and mix well. Taste. If desired, add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, and 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar and toss again until well mixed. (I often leave out this second round of dressing because I find the salad tangy enough without.) Mound salad on platter and serve.

4 very large servings.

High-Protein Granola

This is my current favorite granola. The protein from the soy flour keeps me going all morning. And Larry says it tastes like a granola bar - I understand that's a compliment.

The recipe is from a '70s hippie commune called The Farm. I have a few old cookbooks from intentional communities in the '60s and '70s. They are full of earnest recipes by people trying to live the good, earth-friendly, socially-responsible, self-sufficient life. And while vegetarian tastes have evolved in the past 50 years, this granola has stood the test of time.

High-Protein Granola
3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup bran
1 cup sunflower seeds
3/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup organic soy flour
1 cup brown sugar dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla

Stir everything together in a large bowl.

Pour onto two cookie sheets and cook in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes until golden. Turn the granola a few times with a spatula so it browns but doesn't burn.

Let cool a little, but don't let it get cold or it will stick to the cookie sheets. Store in an airtight container.

3/4 cup of granola and 1/2 cup soymilk provides 15 gm of complete protein.

Grilled Veggie Sandwich

The other night I pulled out my grill pan and whipped up these delicious sandwiches for dinner.

Who says great sandwiches have to have meat?

I used a soft whole wheat bread, because it helps to hold the sandwiches together if you can squeeze it. Save the dense breads for another use.

Wild arugula from our garden added zestiness. Milder greens will be less flavorful, so use more of them, and season with extra pepper or even a little hot sauce.

The basil mayonnaise is great on tomato sandwiches too. It lasts a week or so in the fridge.

Grilled Veggie Sandwich
1/2 cup mayonnaise (or nayonnaise for a vegan sandwich)
1 tbsp minced basil
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
2 small zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices.
4 slices bread
1 cup arugula or baby spinach
6 thin slices tomato
1/2 cup red onion sliced 1/4 inch thick
salt and pepper

Combine mayonnaise, basil and lemon zest. Set aside.

Brush zucchini and onion with oil and grill over high heat until tender, 3-5 minutes per side. Brush with more oil as needed.

To assemble sandwich, spread 1 tbsp mayonnaise on 2 slices bread. Top 1 slice bread with 1/2 cup arugula, 3 tomato slices and 1/4 cup onion. Season with salt and pepper. Top with zucchini and second bread slice. Repeat for second sandwich.

Makes 2 sandwiches.