Vegetarian Times - Recipe of the Week. new recipe added: 2/27

NOW PEA AND SOBA NOODLE SALAD WITH THAI PEANUT SAUCE
Serves 4 - Vegan - 30 minutes or fewer

This cold entrée salad makes the most of two Asian cuisines, with Japanese noodles tossed in a Thai-style dressing.

Peanut Sauce
3/4 cup light coconut milk
1/3 cup natural-style crunchy salted peanut butter
4 tsp. light brown sugar
1 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp. Thai red curry paste

Snow Pea Salad
1 3.1-oz. bundle soba noodles
3 oz. snow peas (about 1 cup)
1 Tbs. chopped cilantro
1 tsp. minced green onion
2 cups pea sprouts or bean sprouts
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced (½ cup)
16 limestone or butter lettuce leaves

1. To make Peanut Sauce: Whisk together all ingredients in bowl.

2. To make Snow Pea Salad: Cook noodles according to package directions, adding snow peas 2 minutes before end of cooking time. Rinse under cold water, and drain. Toss with ½ cup Peanut Sauce, cilantro and green onion. Fold in sprouts and red pepper. Season with salt.

3. Divide lettuce leaves among plates, and mound noodle mixture on top. Drizzle each serving with 1 Tbs. remaining Peanut Sauce, and serve.

PER SERVING: 323 CAL; 13G PROT; 9.5G TOTAL FAT (2G SAT. FAT); 50G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 525MG SOD; 6G FIBER; 6G SUGARS

Eggplant Cannelloni with Roasted Tomato Sauce

Serves 4

Eggplant rolls stuffed with this spinach, ricotta and fresh herb filling are quite delicious and full of flavor.

1 Tbs. olive oil
10 plum tomatoes
1 small onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 large eggplant
10-oz. pkg. frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
2 egg whites
2 Tbs. chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, oregano and parsley
2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Slice tomatoes lengthwise. Scrape out seeds with knife tip and discard seeds. Lay tomato halves cut side down on baking sheet. Scatter onion slices and garlic among tomatoes; sprinkle with black pepper to taste.
2. Trim ends off eggplant and cut lengthwise into 8 slices. Lightly coat second baking sheet with cooking spray. Lay eggplant slices on sheet, overlapping slightly to fit. Coat eggplant slices lightly with cooking spray. Place both baking sheets in oven. Roast until eggplant slices are soft, and tomatoes puff and start to brown, about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, mix spinach, ricotta or cottage cheese, egg whites and herbs. When vegetables are done, remove from oven; reduce heat to 350°F. With tongs, pull skins off tomatoes and discard skins. Scrape tomatoes, onion, garlic and pan juices into food processor and process until a chunky sauce forms.
4. Spoon 1 cup sauce into bottom of 9x9-inch baking pan. Place about 1/3 cup spinach-ricotta mixture on one eggplant slice; roll up from small end, and place seam side down in baking pan. Repeat with remaining slices, using all the filling. Top eggplant rolls with remaining tomato sauce, and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until cheese is melted and casserole is hot, about 25 minutes.

PER SERVING:
223 Calories
18 Protein
7g Total Fat (2G Saturated Fat)
29g Carbohydrates
13mg Cholesterol
250mg Sodium
9g Fiber

TORTILLA LASAGNA WITH SWISS CHARD
Serves 6

Italy meets Mexico in this easy casserole made with corn tortillas instead of noodles. Recipe by Victoria Riccardi.

2 tsp. olive oil
1 lb. Swiss chard, stems and leaves separated, chopped
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced (about 4 tsp.)
4 1/2 cups tomato sauce, divided
1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
9 6-inch corn tortillas, divided
2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
3 oz. part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
3 Tbs. grated Romano cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Heat oil in large pot over high heat. Add chard stems and onion, and cook 8 minutes, or until soft, stirring often. Add chard leaves and garlic. Cover, and cook over medium-low heat 5 minutes, or until chard leaves are tender. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Combine 21/2 cups tomato sauce and basil. Spread 1/2 cup tomato-basil sauce over bottom of 10-inch springform pan. Arrange 3 tortillas in single layer (overlapping slightly) over sauce.

3. Season ricotta with salt and pepper. Spread 1 cup ricotta over tortillas in pan. Top with 1/2 cup tomato-basil sauce, 1/2 chard mixture, 1/3 cup mozzarella and 1 Tbs. Romano cheese. Repeat layering with 3 more tortillas, 1 cup ricotta, 1/2 cup tomato-basil sauce, remaining chard mixture, 1/3 cup mozzarella and 1 Tbs. Romano cheese; place remaining tortillas on top. Spread remaining 1 cup tomato-basil sauce over tortillas; cover with foil, and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup mozzarella and 1 Tbs. Romano cheese, and bake, uncovered, 10 minutes more. Let stand 5 minutes, then unmold, and cut into wedges. Serve with warmed remaining tomato sauce on the side.

PER SERVING: 419 CAL; 19G PROT; 13G TOTAL FAT (4.5G SAT. FAT); 56G CARB; 24MG CHOL; 715MG SOD; 7G FIBER; 8G SUGARS