"I will no longer eat anything that has a face!" proclaims your teenager. For Sunday night dinner-your sibling is bringing an "oh-by the way they are vegetarian" date. Your book club has finally gotten around to reading Michael Pollan's food manifesto. Yes, all right, it's time to add more meatless meals to your repertoire in the kitchen. Whatever the reason for plant-based dining, you may need some inspiration to cook up a variety of tasty dishes.
Sandy Liberman, chef and cooking instructor, knows what it is like to cook for the variety of eater preferences gathering at our dining tables. She cooks for her daughters, one vegan and one vegetarian, and has explored her own dietary preferences -- from macrobiotic to koshe --, on her culinary journey.
While a student at Arizona Culinary Institute, Sandy's experiences learning to fabricate meat and in commercial food prep led to a choice she describes as a personal challenge -- to commit to a vegan diet the day she finished school. "I realized as a chef, I wanted to take responsibility and be conscious of what happens to food before it reaches the table. For most people there is blanket denial of where our food comes from," she says.
Get the recipe for green chili ole tacos and info about vegetarian cooking classes after the jump.
Sandy designs and teaches a monthly meatless cooking class at Andy Food with specific goals for her students. She leans towards comfort food recipes gently leading with dishes most of us already enjoy. She also likes to introduce less familiar ingredients in traditional, recognizable recipes. Her instruction includes how to adapt vegetarian recipes to use with animal protein and adds, "I like to say I am introducing vegetarian recipes for the omnivore."
she recommends staying in a comfort zone by using familiar foods and flavors as you transition to meatless cooking. She assures us," most of our favorite dishes can be made without meat and still be delicious and satisfying."
Tonight's hands-on class proves her point with Street Food from Around the World, featuring dishes like Green Chili Lentils (recipe follows), Mu Shu Vegetables, and Vietnamese Summer Rolls.
On June 27th, her menu of Main Course Salads/Meatless Recipes for Carnivores includes Spicy Soba Noodles and 21st Century Tabouli with Kale, Quinoa and Green Tea Essence.
Register on-line: Andy Food
7000 E Shea Blvd. Suite 1740
Scottsdale
480-951-2400
May 23, 2011 Street Food Inspired Vegetarian Delights
June 27, 2011 Main Course Salads-Meatless Recipes for Carnivores
6:30 pm (3 hour class)
$65 per person
Green Chili Lentils Ole
1 cups lentils, rinsed and picked over
3 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 green pepper, finely diced (or ½ small can diced green chilis)
4 cloves minced garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon molasses
salt and pepper to taste
1.Bring the lentils and water to a boil. Simmer until they are soft but still maintain their shape. Drain and set aside.
2.While the lentils are cooking, heat a large skillet. Add the olive oil and saute the green onions, pepper, garlic, chili powder and cumin until the vegetables are soft.
3.Add tomato sauce, vinegar and molasses and cook for 1-2 minutes.
4.Add the lentils and cook until heated through.
Season with salt and pepper.
