Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy

by Walter Willett

  2 large eggs, lightly beaten

  1/2 cup shredded carrots (about 1 medium)

  2 large garlic cloves, minced

  1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

  1 cup thinly sliced scallions

  1/2 cup diced red bell peppers (about 1 medium)

  1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

  4 cups cooked brown rice, chilled

  1/2 pound cooked and peeled medium shrimp (about 20)

  10 fresh Thai or regular basil leaves, chopped

  1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced

  Salt

  1/2 cup fresh bean sprouts (optional)

  Chopped peanuts (optional)

  1. To make the peanut sauce, combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

  2. To make the fried rice, in a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the eggs, stirring to scramble them loosely; cook until done, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the eggs to a plate. Add 2 teaspoons of the oil to the skillet, then add the carrots; cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the carrots begin to soften. Remove from the skillet. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet, then add the garlic, ginger, scallions, bell peppers, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Reduce the heat to low and add the cooked rice. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes; stir in the eggs, shrimp, basil, cilantro, and peanut sauce; cook until heated through. Taste and season with salt if needed. Garnish with the bean sprouts and chopped peanuts, if using. Serve immediately.

  Note: Look for fish sauce and tamari soy sauce in the Asian section of most supermarkets.

  Yield: 6 servings; Serving: about 1 cup

  Calories: 303; Protein: 14.9 g; Carbohydrate: 35 g; Fiber: 3.9 g; Sodium: 634 mg; Fat: 11.5 g (Sat: 2.11 g, Mono: 4.89 g, Poly: 3.26 g, Trans: 0 g); Cholesterol: 145 mg

  Grilled Salmon Steaks with Papaya-Mint Salsa

  Salmon is perfectly great just plain off the grill. But this tart-sweet fruit salsa complements the richness of the fatty fish. Make the salsa earlier in the day to allow the flavors to blend. Be sure to cut down on the amount of jalapeño or leave it out altogether if you don’t like hot peppers.

  Salsa

  3/4 cup chopped peeled papaya

  1/4 cup chopped yellow bell peppers (about 1 small)

  1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions

  1 tablespoon chopped pimiento

  1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

  1 tablespoon rice vinegar

  1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

  1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

  1 teaspoon minced seeded jalapeño

  Salmon

  Nonstick cooking spray or oil

  4 (5-ounce) salmon steaks or fillets, about 1 to 11/4 inches thick

  Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

  1. To make the salsa, combine all the salsa ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

  2. To make the salmon, prepare a grill or preheat the broiler. Lightly coat the grill or broiler pan with cooking spray to prevent the fish from sticking. Sprinkle both sides of the fish with salt and pepper. Grill the fish for 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Top the salmon with the salsa and serve.

  Yield: 4 servings; Serving: 1 salmon fillet and 1/4 cup salsa

  Calories: 281; Protein: 28.8 g; Carbohydrate: 4.9 g; Fiber: 0.9 g; Sodium: 86 mg; Fat: 15.6 g (Sat: 3.1 g, Mono: 5.5 g, Poly: 5.6 g, Trans: 0 g); Cholesterol: 84 mg

  Spicy Shrimp and Peanut Noodle Salad

  Typically, this Asian noodle salad is made with soba (buckwheat) noodles. Here we’ve substituted whole wheat spaghetti for a little extra fiber. The change is hardly noticeable, since the flavors in the spicy peanut sauce are the most predominant. Don’t be put off by the ingredients list; most of the items are seasonings that can be quickly measured and mixed together for the sauce. To save time, buy precooked shrimp and precut veggies so the only cooking you’ll be doing is boiling a few noodles.

  Peanut Sauce

  2 garlic cloves, minced

  2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

  3 tablespoons natural chunky-style peanut butter

  2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce

  2 tablespoons rice vinegar

  2 tablespoons water

  2 tablespoons untoasted sesame oil

  1 to 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce

  Salad

  1 pound cooked and peeled medium shrimp (about 40)

  1 large red bell pepper, julienned (about 1 cup)

  1 cup shredded carrots (about 2 medium)

  1/4 pound snow peas, trimmed and halved

  1 cup sliced scallions

  1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

  4 cups cooked whole wheat spaghetti or soba (buckwheat) noodles

  Chopped peanuts (optional)

  1. To make the peanut sauce, whisk together all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

  2. To make the salad, combine the shrimp, bell pepper, carrots, snow peas, scallions, and cilantro in a large serving bowl. Add the spaghetti and peanut sauce and toss gently to mix. Sprinkle with peanuts, if desired. Serve at room temperature.

  Note: The salad is versatile: switch to chicken or pork instead of shrimp or just leave the meat out altogether for a vegetarian noodle dish. Look for the chili garlic sauce in the Asian section of most supermarkets. Brand names vary, but the basic ingredients are similar from sauce to sauce.

  Yield: 6 servings; Serving: 11/2 cups

  Calories: 337; Protein: 27.7 g; Carbohydrate: 33.7 g; Fiber: 6.8 g; Sodium: 545 mg

  Double Mushroom Meat Loaf

  Dried and fresh mushrooms give this beef-and-turkey meat loaf a wonderful rich flavor. Be sure to use lean ground turkey and not ground turkey breast in this loaf; the ground breast (all white meat) has very little fat and makes a dry loaf. Substitute lean ground turkey for the beef if you’d like.

  1/2 ounce dried mixed mushroom blend (shiitake, oyster, porcini) or dried shiitakes

  1 cup boiling water

  1 pound 93% lean ground beef or lean ground round

  1/2 pound lean ground turkey

  1 cup chopped white or yellow onions (abou 1 medium)

  1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

  1/2 cup diced button mushrooms (about 2 ounces)

  1/4 cup rolled oats

  1 large egg, lightly beaten

  21/2 tablespoons tomato paste

  3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

  2 teaspoons dried basil

  1 teaspoon dried oregano

  1. Combine the dried mushrooms and boiling water in a small bowl and let stand for 30 minutes, or until the mushrooms are soft. Drain and finely chop the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid. Strain the soaking liquid through cheesecloth or a fine sieve to remove any grit.

  2. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

  3. Combine the ground beef, turkey, rehydrated mushrooms, 2 tablespoons of the reserved mushroom soaking liquid, the onions, parsley, button mushrooms, oats, egg, tomato paste, salt, basil, and oregano and mix until well blended. Place the meat mixture in a nonstick 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until cooked through.

  Yield: 10 servings; Serving: 1 slice (about 3 ounces)

  Calories: 161; Protein: 15.9 g; Carbohydrate: 7.0 g; Fiber: 1.6 g; Sodium: 254 mg; Fat: 7.6 g (Sat: 2.48 g, Mono: 2.79 g, Poly: 0.88 g, Trans: 0.04 g); Cholesterol: 56 mg

  VEGETARIAN ENTRÉES

  * * *

  Radicchio Leaves and Walnut, Red Pepper, and Feta Salad

  Ana Sortun, executive chef and owner Oleana and Sofra Bakery and Cafe; author of Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean (HarperCollins, 2006)

  I love all the popping flavors in this salad and the texture from the crisp bread and walnuts. Pomegranate molasses is easy to find these days in specialty grocery stores like Whole Foods or in any Middle Eastern market. It’s got a lovely depth, sourness, and acidity. You can substitute an age
d balsamic vinegar if you have trouble finding pomegranate molasses near you.

  1 cup lightly toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

  1 cup jarred piquillo peppers (preferably not from a can), cut into 1/4-inch dice

  1/2 cup whole wheat croutons, preferably homemade

  3 ounces barrel-aged feta (look for a harder cheese that crumbles well and is not creamy), cut into 1/2-inch cubes

  1 tablespoon finely minced scallions

  1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

  2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

  11/2 teaspoons ground cumin

  2 garlic cloves, grated with a Microplane

  2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  1 teaspoon Aleppo or Maras pepper

  Salt

  1 medium or 2 small heads radicchio, or 3 endives, cored and broken into leaves for scooping (about 24 leaves total)

  1. In a small bowl, combine the walnuts and piquillo peppers.

  2. Crush the croutons using your hands until they are roughly the same size as the walnuts and add them to the bowl. Add the feta (don’t stir anything yet), scallions, and parsley.

  3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, cumin, and garlic. While whisking, slowly add the oil. Season with the Aleppo pepper and salt to taste.

  4. Arrange the leaves on six plates. Season very lightly with salt.

  5. Spoon half the dressing into the red pepper mixture and stir to coat everything and until everything is well combined.

  6. Spoon over the leaves on the plates and drizzle with the remaining dressing. Serve immediately.

  Yield: 6 servings

  Calories: 311; Protein: 11 g; Carbohydrate: 12 g; Fiber: 3 g; Sodium: 345 mg; Fat: 27 g (Sat: 4 g, Mono: 3 g, Poly: 1 g, Trans: 0 g); Cholesterol: 8 mg

  Spicy Tofu Salad

  Anna Thomas, author of Vegan Vegetarian Omnivore (W. W. Norton, 2016)

  This intensely flavored salad is tasty when first made and gets even better as the tofu absorbs the flavors of the sesame oil, soy sauce, and chile sambal. Serve the spicy tofu over cold soba noodles in orange-ginger glaze for a beautiful lunch, or serve it with plain steamed rice or a mixed salad.

  1 pound extra-firm tofu, cut into thick slices

  11/2 teaspoons dark sesame oil

  1 tablespoon sambal oelek or other hot red chili paste

  1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce

  1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus extra sprigs for garnish

  1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions or spring onions

  Cold Soba Noodles with Orange-Ginger Glaze (page 330), for serving

  1. Drain the tofu and press out the excess moisture: Arrange the tofu slices on a plate lined with a triple layer of paper towels. Cover the tofu with additional paper towels, place a small cutting board on top of them, and weight it down with a pot, or anything for a few pounds of weight. After a few minutes, change the paper towels and repeat until the towels are damp, not soaking wet. You can also simply press tofu slices by hand, squeezing them between your palms over the sink, but do this carefully, so as not to crumble the tofu. Cut the pressed tofu into 3/4-inch cubes.

  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, sambal oelek, and tamari. Add the tofu cubes and mix gently. Add the cilantro and scallions and toss again, but don’t break the tofu cubes into bits.

  3. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for a few hours before serving. For an elegant look, use tongs to twist glazed soba noodles into little nests on the plates, then pile some spicy tofu into each nest and garnish with a sprig or two of cilantro.

  Note: Sambal oelek, a paste of red chilies in vinegar and salt, is the heat that ignites this pretty salad. It’s used in Vietnamese and Thai food, and you can find it in the Asian section of your supermarket—or substitute any simple red chili paste.

  Yield: 4 to 6 as a lunch in combination with noodles, or 6 to 8 as an appetizer

  Calories: 110; Protein: 10 g; Carbohydrate: 5 g; Fiber: 1 g; Sodium: 219 mg; Fat: 6 g (Sat: 1 g, Mono: 2 g, Poly: 3 g, Trans: 0 g); Cholesterol: 0 mg

  Cold Soba Noodles with Orange-Ginger Glaze

  Anna Thomas, author of Vegan Vegetarian Omnivore (W. W. Norton, 2016)

  12 ounces soba noodles

  1/2 cup fresh orange juice

  1 tablespoon rice vinegar

  11/2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger

  1 scant teaspoon finely grated orange zest

  1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

  1/3 cup peanut oil

  2 tablespoons black sesame seed

  1. Cook the noodles in boiling salted water according to package directions, 3 or 4 minutes. Drain them and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice water to cool them, then drain again.

  2. Whisk together the orange juice, vinegar, ginger, orange zest, sea salt, and peanut oil. Spoon 5 to 6 tablespoons of the mixture over the noodles and lift them gently with tongs or with your hands until they are evenly glazed. Taste, and adjust the seasoning by adding as much of the glaze as you like, or another pinch of sea salt. (Reserve extra orange-ginger glaze to add to a stir-fry.) Sprinkle on the sesame seed, give the noodles a few more turns, and serve.

  Note: These noodles can be kept in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for several hours.

  Yield: 5 servings

  Calories: 404; Protein: 8 g; Carbohydrate: 56 g; Fiber: 4 g; Sodium: 143 mg; Fat: 17 g (Sat: 3 g, Mono: 7 g, Poly: 6 g, Trans: 0 g); Cholesterol: 0 mg

  Watercress Salad with Currants and Walnuts

  Mollie Katzen, author and illustrator of numerous cookbooks for adults and children. Adapted from her Still Life With Menu Cookbook (Ten Speed Press, 1988)

  This is a subtle and elegant salad with small touches of scallions, walnuts, and currants. Balsamic vinegar is the first choice to use here, but champagne vinegar or raspberry vinegar will be just as effective. If you clean and dry the greens ahead of time, the salad will take just minutes to prepare. Wrap the cleaned greens in paper towels, then refrigerate in a plastic bag until ready to use.

  1 medium head butter lettuce or a similar soft-leaf variety

  1 small bunch fresh watercress

  1 to 2 small scallions, or about 6 chives, finely minced

  Handful of currants

  2 handfuls chopped walnuts, lightly toasted

  2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive or walnut oil

  Scant 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

  Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  1. Clean, thoroughly dry, and chill the lettuce and watercress. Tear into bite-size pieces and place them in a large bowl.

  2. Add the scallions, currants, and walnuts.

  3. Drizzle in the oil and toss well. Sprinkle with the vinegar and a little salt and pepper. Toss again and serve immediately.

  Yield: 4 servings

  Calories: 284; Protein: 5 g; Carbohydrate: 18 g; Fiber: 3 g; Sodium: 78 mg; Fat: 24 g (Sat: 3 g, Mono: 9 g, Poly: 10 g, Trans: 0 g); Cholesterol: 0 mg

  Tempeh Salad with Pita and Pine Nuts

  The addition of tempeh, nuts, and pita makes this Greek-style salad a main course rather than a side dish. If the weather is good, consider grilling the pita bread and tempeh to add a wonderful smoky flavor to the dish.

  2 tablespoons oil

  2 (2-ounce) whole wheat pita breads

  1 (8-ounce) package five-grain tempeh

  4 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced (about 2 cups)

  2 small cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced (about 2 cups)

  1/3 cup thinly sliced red onions (about 1 small)

  1/4 cup diced green bell peppers (about 1 small)

  1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

  2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

  2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves

  1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

  1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

  1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepp
er

  1. Preheat the broiler or prepare a grill.

  2. Brush 1/2 teaspoon of the oil onto the pita breads and broil or grill for 2 minutes per side, or until they begin to brown. Let cool and cut each pita into 8 wedges or triangles.

  3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 11/2 teaspoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the tempeh and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until nicely browned.

  4. Combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, tempeh, pita, onions, bell peppers, pine nuts, basil, and oregano in a large bowl; toss gently to mix.

  5. Combine the lemon juice and mustard in a small bowl. Whisk to blend. Gradually stir in remaining oil and the salt and black pepper. Pour the vinaigrette over the cucumber mixture. Toss gently to blend and serve.

  Yield: 4 servings; Serving: 11/2 cups

  Calories: 372; Protein: 14.8 g; Carbohydrate: 39.6 g; Fiber: 10.7 g; Sodium: 428 mg; Fat: 19 g (Sat: 2.3 g, Mono: 6.8 g, Poly: 4.1 g, Trans: 0 g); Cholesterol 0 mg

  Onion-Crusted Tofu-Steak Sandwich

  Panfried tofu steaks make a delicious and quick sandwich filling. Splurge with a nice whole grain bakery bun and top with a buttery lettuce such as Boston, a thick slice of fresh tomato, and a quick flavored mayonnaise spread that’s created from store-bought mayonnaise. The Seven-Vegetable Slaw (page 355) makes a nice accompaniment for this sandwich. In fact, you can omit the aioli and top the tofu with slaw for another version of this sandwich.

  Lemon-Cilantro Aioli

  1/3 cup canola or soybean oil mayonnaise

  2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

  1 small garlic clove, minced

  1 teaspoon untoasted sesame oil

  1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest

  Sandwich

  1 (16-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, cut crosswise into 12 slices

  1/4 cup oat flour or all-purpose flour

  1/4 cup minced dried onion

  2 tablespoons sesame seed

  1/2 teaspoon paprika

  Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

  1 large egg, lightly beaten

  2 tablespoons water

  2 tablespoons roasted peanut oil or canola oil