Bean Dip (Mary Rieman)

1   16-oz. can no-fat refried beans 5   ounces soft tofu, drained 3/4  cup salsa

2 cloves garlic 1 tsp chili powder (or to taste 2 green onions, sliced thin

Combine beans, tofu, salsa, garlic, and chili powder in a blender or food processor and mix. Stir in green onions and serve with fat-free tortilla chips. This delicious and easy bean dip was a hit at one VSH monthly meeting.

Chop Suey Vegan (Bill Harris, M.D.)

2 tbsp cornstarch 2 cloves garlic, grated 1 tsp raw ginger 1 tbsp tamari sauce 1 tsp Kal brewer's yeast flakes 1/2 tsp Colman's mustard powder (optional) 5 fresh mushrooms 1 cup mung beans 1 cup Chinese pea pods

1/2   cup broccoli flowerets 1/2 cup diced onion 2 stalks celery, sliced obliquely 2 oz Mori-Nu 1% fat tofu        (or Mrs. Cheng's tofu) 1 oz raw cashews 1 raw carrot, coarsely gratd 1 cut long grain rice

Begin by boiling the rice. Sauce: in a second pot add a cup of cold water to the cornstarch, mix and slowly heat while stirring. When the mix begins to thicken add the grated garlic, ginger, tamari, yeast flakes, and mustard powder. Continue to stir until a thick gravy results. Meanwhile place the remaining vegetable ingredients in a steam basket and cook 10-15 minutes until crispy but done. Transfer the steamed vegetables to a bowl, then pour on the sauce, mix with tongs, and serve over the rice. Serves three or four.

Fajitas (Marcia Deutch)

1 onion, thinly sliced 1 red bell pepper, cut into small strips 1 green bell pepper, cut into small strips 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

2 cups yellow squash, sliced 2 cups broccoli florets 2 tomatoes, chopped 1 16 oz. can red kidney beans, drained a pinch cayenne pepper, optional salt and pepper, to taste 12 fat free whole wheat tortillas

Preheat oven to 250 F. Wrap tortillas in foil and place in oven until warm, about 10 minutes. (Or tortillas can be wrapped in paper towels and heated in a microwave oven, about 45 seconds.)

Stir fry onions and bell peppers in a large non-stick skillet until they begin to brown, being very carefUl not to burn. Add a few tablespoons water, garlic, mushrooms, cumin, and Italian seasoning, and stir for 2 minutes. Add yellow squash and broccoli and continue to stir, adding water as necessary until vegetables are tender-crisp, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, and seasonings, and continue to cook until heated through.

To assemble, spoon filing down the center oftortilla. Encase by folding like an envelope, leaving one end open. Serve immediately and bite from the open end. This colorful dish can be as versatile as your pantry permits. Six servings.

"Your Kids Will Love This Soup"
(from The McDougall PragramSor a Healthy Heart)

1/4 finely chopped onion 1/4 cup water 1 16-ounce cans no fat refried beans 1-3/4 cups vegetable broth

2 cups frozen corn 1/3 cup mild salsa 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 1 bunch chopped cilantro

Place the onion and water in a medium saucepan. Cook and stir until the onion is tender and water has evaporated. Add remaining ingredients except cilantro. Mix well, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro. Serves 4, prep time 5 minutes, cooking time 12 minutes.

The Perfect Snack (Bill Harris, M.D.)

8 oz (1/2 jar) Pace Picante Sauce (Mild or Medium) 16 oz (1 can) Townhouse Refried Beans (Safeway)

1 tbsp Kal brewers yeast flakes 1 whole cucumber

Add the first three ingredients in the above order to the blender of your choice and mix thoroughly, then pour into any closed container. Cut the cucumber into thin 31'-4" strips and place in a ziplock bag. You can take this easy strip-dip snack to work and load up on healthy and delicious food (see Nutrient Analysis, page 6 ) while your co-workers are inhaling Twinkles.  Broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower are also great for dipping.

Pink Palace Special (Georgie Yap, R.N.)

3 slices raw tomato 2 slices raw onion 3 leaves Romaine lettuce 1/2 slice whole wheat pita bread

1 tsp fresh parsley 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard 1/2 tsP Kal nutritional yeast

Mix the Dijon mustard and Kal yeast and spread on one side of the pita pocket. Finely dice the tomato, onion, and parsley and place in the pocket. Carefully remove the stems and ribs from the Romaine lettuce and thinly slice, then stuff them into the pita pocket.

Spinach Basil Salad (Dick Allgire)

3 cups fresh spinach 1 med. tomato, sliced 1 tbsp soy sauce

3 tbsp chopped fresh basil 1 tbsp vinegar

Combine spinach, basil, and tomato in salad bowl. Stir together vinegar and soy sauce and drizzle over salad.

Sassy Salsa Sandwich (Georgie Yap, R.N.)

2 slices Pumpernickel bread 3 Tbsp Rosarita Vegetarian Refried Beans 1 Tbsp Mild Pace Picante Salsa (to taste)

1 tsp raw grated carrot 1 handful alfalfa sprouts 1 tsp Kal nutritional yeast

Grate a 1 inch segment of carrot, add to the refried beans, add the salsa, and stir with a spoon. Spread the bean mixture onto bread, cover evenly with sprouts and place second piece of bread on top.

Sukiyaki (Marcia Deutch)

2 carrots, cut into thin slices diagonally 1 head Chinese mustard cabbage, chopped into thin strips 2/3 cup water 2 zucchini, diced 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips 1 cup snow peas, trimmed

1 cup mushrooms, sliced 3 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/4 tsp garlic powder hot, cooked brown rice

Place the vegetables in a two quart pot in the order listed with the carrots on the bottom and the mushrooms on the top. In a small bowl, mix the water and soy sauce, and slowly pour over the vegetables; sprinkle the top with the onion and garlic powder. Cover the pot and turn the heat to high. When the pot begins to hiss, reduce the heat and steam for 5 minutes or until vegetables shrink to about half their original volume. Toss gently with wooden spoons. Serve over rice. Four servings.

Lentil Tacos (Dick Allgire)

1 cup diced onion 1/2 CUP diced celery 1 clove garlic 1 cup lentils

1 tbsp chili powder 2 tsp cumin 1 tsp oregano 2 cups veggie broth

2 tbsp raisins 1 cup salsa (see below)* 8 corn tortillas lettuce, tomato garnish

Saute onions, garlic and celery in water (or broth or white wine) for five minutes, adding liquid as needed so it doesn't burn. Stir in the lentils, chili, cumin, oregano. Add a dash more liquid. Stir fry 1 minute. Add broth and raisins, cover, cook 20 minutes. Remove lid, add salsa, and cook 10 minutes. Heat tortillas and serve with lentils and garnish.

*For salsa:

2 cups tomato, chopped 1/2 cup freshcilantro 1/4 cup lime juice 1 red onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic 1/2 tsp hot sauce salt to taste

V-4 Juice (Bill Harris)

2 raw tomatoes 4 large raw carrots 3 stalks raw celery

1 bunch fresh parsley 1 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp Kal brewer's yeast flakes

Run the above ingredients through the juicer of your choice. Drink.  Having drunk, note the nutrition box below. Fresh vegetable juice is helpful in losing weight, since RDAs are always reached before Calorie requirements are met.

And now for something NOT to eat (compare in Nutrient Analysis on next page):

A Typical Fast Food Meal

1 Cheeseburger 1 milkshake

1 order of French fries

Low-fat Vinaigrette Dressing

1/4 cup wine vinegar

1/4 cup fruit juice (any kind)

1 T. Dijon mustard

Mix the ingredients in a small cruet.  Serves 2-4.

Dijon Sauce

1 carlic clove 1 T. soy sauce

2 T. lemon juice 2 T. vinegar

2 T. blackstrap molasses 2 T. Dijon mustard

Combine all ingredients and blend.

Herb Seasoning

1 T. garlic powder 1 t. savory 1/2 t. cayenne pepper 1 t. ground mace

1 t. ground basil 1 t. onion flakes 1 t. ground marjoram 1 t. black pepper

1 t. ground thyme 1 t. ground sage 1 t. dried parsley

Combine all ingredients and pour in bottle with a shaker top.

Healthy Gravy

1 Tbsp cornstarch 2 Tbsp Kal nutritional yeast 1 clove garlic

6 Tbsp parsley flakes 1 Tbsp finely chopped onion 2 Tbsp Tamari (soy sauce)

Mix the cornstarch with one cup of cold water, and stir in a pot while heating on a stove.  While the cornstarch thickens, finely mince the garlic and onion.  Add all the ingredients to the cornstarch paste and stir until smooth.  This gravy is 58% of Calories from carbohydrate, 40% protein, 2% fat, and meets 100% of RDA/Calorie for all nutrients including vitamin b-12.  Serves two and goes well with mashed potatoes.