6 cups spinach, washed well
Lemon slices (optional)
PREHEAT A large, lidded skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the seitan for about 2 minutes. Add the onions and saute for another 5 minutes, until softened, covering the pan but lifting it to stir occasionally, to make the onions and seitan cook faster.
Add the mushrooms, garlic, thyme, basil, salt, and pepper, and saute for another 8 minutes, again, covering but occasionally stirring. Once the mushrooms are cooked and soft, add the wine and broth. Add the spinach in batches and use tongs to incorporate them with everything else. Cook for about 5 more minutes.
Serve immediately, with slices of lemon, if desired.
PASTA, NOODLES, AND RISOTTO.
SOMETIMES PASTA JUST seems too good to be true. What did we ever do to deserve to be on the same planet with a food so easy to make, so (usually) inexpensive, and always fun to eat? The world needs more pastalike miracles.
Not only that, but pasta and noodles are a vegan godsend when it comes to making a quick, substantial weeknight dinner. A bag of whole wheat spirals is transformed by the addition of vegetables, a little olive oil, and garlic. We're especially in love with how a can of crushed tomatoes and a little time on the stove can make a homemade sauce that rivals anything you'll pour out of a jar. And although pasta is sometimes thought of as void of nutrition, we've been digging the fiber-ific whole wheat, brown rice, and quinoa varieties, as well as gluten-free brown rice pasta.
Even if you're an old hand at whipping up spaghetti, you'll find something to love in this collection of old-time favorites and exciting new combinations. You want lasagne? We got your lasagne layered with creamy basil-tofu ricotta and homemade sauce right here! Too lazy to make eggplant parm? We have roasted eggplant, garlicky bread crumbs and fettuccine to sooth your soul. Go east with a lively, rich Japanese-style curry stir-fry of udon with seitan. Or head to the coast and savor California-inspired spinach linguine, spiked with fresh lime juice and wrapped around delicately sauteed chunks of avocado.
Last but never the least, a duo of risottos will get you exited about standing over a hot stove in ways you never dreamed possible. Take your pick from lively lemon and fresh peas or tender asparagus scented with exotic lemongrass. Impress your guests or just even yourself with how a bag of rice and a little elbow grease can become the creamiest, comforting food in existence.
SPAGHETTI AND BEANBALLS.
SERVES 4.
TIME: 40 MINUTES.
We usually don't eat spaghetti, opting instead for more interestingly shaped pastas, but we absolutely have to have spaghetti with meatball-type comfort meals or the world just feels off kilter.These "meatballs" can be baked or panfried, depending on your mood. Begin your sauce right before preparing the beanballs because you will need some of it for this recipe.
Vital wheat gluten makes the beanballs chewier but, if you don't have any, go ahead and use whole wheat or all-purpose flour.
Spaghetti: 1 recipe (4 cups) Marinara Sauce, any variation (page 205)
pound whole wheat or regular spaghetti
Beanballs: 1 (20-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained (about 3 cups)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons steak sauce or tomato paste
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for frying or baking
2 cloves garlic, grated or minced finely
teaspoon grated lemon zest
cup plain bread crumbs
cup vital wheat gluten
teaspoon dried oregano
teaspoon dried thyme
IF BAKING, preheat the oven to 375F.
Put a large pot of salted water on the stove to boil, for the spaghetti.
Prepare the beanball mixture: Mash the kidney beans in a mixing bowl until no whole beans are left. (We start with a potato masher and then use a fork to get any rebel beans that refuse to mash.) You don't want them to be completely smooth, you should still be able to recognize that they are kidney beans. Add the soy sauce, steak sauce, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the garlic, lemon zest, bread crumbs, wheat gluten, and herbs, and use a fork to mix everything together. Use your hands to knead the mixture for about a minute, until everything is really well combined and firm.
Roll the bean mixture into walnut-size balls (you should have twelve to fifteen of them). But don't make them too big; smaller makes for the best texture.
A few minutes after you've began cooking the beanballs (directions follow), add the pasta to the water and cook according to the package directions, usually about 10 minutes.
To assemble: Drain your spaghetti and put it back in the pot. Pour your remaining marinara sauce over the pasta and mix. Use a pasta spoon to transfer the spaghetti to plates, then top with three or four beanballs and their sauce.
To Bake the Beanballs: Grease a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Place the balls on the sheet and then drizzle them with a little more oil, to coat. Bake for about 15 minutes, until lightly browned on the bottom, then flip them and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven and pour about cup of your marinara sauce onto them, flipping them around to coat. Bake for an additional 5 minutes.
To Panfry the Beanballs: Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Pour about inch of olive oil into the pan, then add your meatballs (you might have to do this in two batches or two pans, if your pan isn't big enough). Cook for about 15 minutes, tossing them often, until browned on all sides. Add cup of marinara sauce to the meatballs, and toss to coat. Cook for an additional 15 minutes.
SPICY TEMPEH AND BROCCOLI RABE WITH ROTELLE.
SERVES 4.
TIME: 40 MINUTES.
The bittersweet flavor of broccoli rabe (also known as broccolini, broccoli rape, rapini, or rabini) matched with whole wheat pasta and peppery braised tempeh create a complex tasting meal reminiscent of the classic Italian dish featuring sausage. Our recipes testers loved how it was a perfect balance of pasta, protein, and greens; we love its spicy texture and savory bite. Spiral-shaped pasta nicely captures the tiny bits of tempeh, red pepper, and olive oil, but substitute any shape you like.
pound whole wheat rotelle or other spiral-shaped pasta Spicy fennel tempeh: 1 (15-ounce) package tempeh, cubed
cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoons red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 teaspoons dried oregano
teaspoon red wine vinegar