V for...Vegetarian?

A new leaf: Tempeh mushroom stroganoff

Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Last Updated Tuesday March 18, 2008, EDT 6:34 AM

Vegetarian recipes from recently released cookbooks:

"V Cuisine: The Art of New Vegan Cooking," by Angeline Linardis (Whitecap, 2007)

Vegan food educator Angeline Linardis lost weight and beat a hormone problem by going vegan in her late 20s and early 30s. But that was only half the battle: She also had to make the food fresh, new and cool so that non-vegans could begin to love the taste — not just the health benefits. Her hope is to quash the public image of vegan food as the "plain bean sprouts, the watery tofu and the mashed yeast" of the hippie '60s. In a cleverly designed collection, she zips across international and familiar cuisines with offerings like the Japanese rice cakes called mochi, burritos and even stroganoff, as shown below.

— Evelyn Shih

Sumptuous tempeh mushroom stroganoff

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for pasta
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
• 1 cup dry sherry, divided
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms, any variety
• 8 ounces tempeh, cut into small cubes or strips
• 1 1/2 cans navy beans, rinsed, drained and puréed
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce or mushroom soy sauce
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 teaspoon tarragon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cups egg noodles

Heat the olive oil and onion in a pot on high heat, stirring constantly. When the onions are translucent, add the garlic, parsley and a splash of sherry. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the mushrooms and the remainder of the sherry. Cover and cook over low heat for about five minutes.

Add the tempeh and cook for another 5 minutes. Uncover, add navy beans, soy sauce, red wine and tarragon, and cook until the sauce reaches a thick, saucy consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the noodles in a separate pot and drain well. Drizzle with olive oil and toss lightly.

Serve with the sauce and garnish with parsley.

Servings: 4.

Per serving: 589 calories, 16 grams fat, 3 grams saturated fat, 35 milligrams cholesterol, 67 grams carbohydrates, 27 grams protein, 699 milligrams sodium, 8 grams fiber.