Salad!

Thai zucchini salad

Monday, May 19, 2008
Last updated: Monday May 19, 2008, EDT 7:44 AM

Vegetarian recipes from recently released cookbooks:

"Salad Makes the Meal," by Wiley Mullins (Rodale, 2008)

We vegetarians know our salads — at least, we think we do. With Wiley "Salad Man" Mullins' new collection, maybe it's time to think again. Mullins gets creative with such ingredients as mashed potatoes, mango and kale, demonstrating beyond a doubt that salads are much more than iceberg lettuce. Unique dressing-from-scratch recipes pump even more flavor into the colorful servings. Meat sections of the book aside, there are almost 40 pages of vegetarian entrée salads and bountiful selections in the appetizer and dessert categories.

— Evelyn Shih

* Thai zucchini salad
1 pound zucchini, sliced into long, thin ribbons with a vegetable peeler
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into long, thin ribbons with a vegetable peeler
1/4 pound greens beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 red serrano chilies, more if desired, seeded and chopped
12 to 15 cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar
2 cups shredded green cabbage
2 cups bite-size pieces Boston or bibb lettuce

Cut the zucchini and carrot ribbons lengthwise into strips and place in a large bowl. Add the green beans and set aside.

Place the garlic and chilies in a food processor and process to a paste, or mash together on a plate with a fork. Add to the vegetables along with the cherry tomatoes. Use the butt end of a knife or a wooden spoon to bruise the vegetables. Add the peanuts, lime juice, soy sauce and brown sugar and toss to combine.

To serve, toss together the cabbage and lettuce and divide among 4 plates. Spoon the salad and juices on top and serve.

Servings: 4.

Per serving: : 153 calories, 5 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 24 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams protein, 482 milligrams sodium, 6 grams fiber.