Eating well with
Plant-Based Meals It’s January, the start of a new year and, for some, the promise (or hope) of making different choices about food. If cutting back on meat (even part-time) is part of your plan, you’ll appreciate The Complete Plant Based Cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen (ATK). The book is not new, but the 500 recipes for noodle bowls, salads, vegetable dishes, sandwiches, soups (and more) have been tested and approved by ATK experts, creating an inspiring “recipe” for eating well without meat.
Udon Noodles with Mustard Greens and Shiitake-Ginger Sauce The spicy bite of mustard greens and rustic chew of udon noodles make a great partnership that’s delicate, but filling. Udon are fat noodles made of wheat flour that are sold dried or semi-dried. Since they’re starchy and a bit sweet, they stand up well to savory sauces, like the aromatic and flavorful broth in this recipe, featuring shiitake mushrooms, mirin, rice vinegar and other delicious Asian pantry staples. You’ll love this comforting dish on a chilly winter evening— or any regular weekday.
Find both of these recipes (from the cookbook) at www.sandiegofamily.com/ things-to-do/dining-andrecipes.
Creamy Cashew Mac and Cheese ATK chefs went on a mission to craft an irresistible version of homestyle stovetop mac and cheese that didn’t require cheese. Say what? You read that right. Their winning formula is a mixture of cashews, cauliflower and plantbased milk, simmered together and blended until smooth, which makes a decadent-tasting sauce. Funky nutritional yeast, when combined with mustard powder for bite, tomato paste for sweetness, and vinegar for tang, gives the dish a surprising, remarkable cheesy flavor. You have to try it to believe it!
30 • SanDiegofamily.com • January 2024
For ideas on how to have a healthier diet (but not quit meat completely), read our article “Confessions of a Weekday Vegan” at www.sandiegofamily.com/things-to-do/ dining-and-recipes/confessions-of-aweekday-vegan.
