More than 175 quick, wholesome, nutritious, and delicious recipes to be enjoyed by vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. Even the most ardent carnivore should take a look at "Quick Vegetarian Pleasures." [It] is full of innovative recipes that not only taste great but are often easy to prepare.The Washington PostIn a crowded field of vegetarian cookbooks, Jeanne Lemlin's "Quick Vegetarian Pleasures" stands out for its straightforward good food.NewsweekThis sequel to Lemlin's "Vegetarian Pleasures" will appeal to both vegetarians and non-vegetarians who want to make quick, healthful, tasty dishes.Chicago Sun-Times More than 175 quick, wholesome, nutritious, and delicious recipes to be enjoyed by vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. Jeanne Lemlin has been writing about great vegetarian food for more than a decade. Her many books include MainCourse Vegetarian Pleasures, Simple Vegetarian Pleasures, and Quick Vegetarian Pleasures , for which she won a prestigious James Beard Cookbook Award. A cooking instructor and food writer, she is a columnist for Cooking Ligbt and a contributor to Gourmet and Country Journal . Jeanne lives in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Quick Vegetarian Pleasures More Than 175 Fast, Delicious, and Healthy Meatless Recipes By Lemlin, Jeanne Quill Copyright © 2004 Jeanne Lemlin All right reserved. ISBN: 0060969113 Introduction When it comes to preparing a vegetarian meal, the entre is the biggest challenge. Favorite recipes for meatless appetizers, soups, salads, and, of course, breads and desserts are discovered in all types of cookbooks, as well as in magazines or from friends. But an exceptional vegetarian main course, that's a rarer bird. For many cooks, vegetarian and nonvegetarian alike, the meatless centerpiece that is outstanding and memorable is a real find. So I have decided, in this third book of mine, to face the challenge head-on and offer you 125 recipes for vegetarian main courses. Most are quick and easy, and are so designated. Although my passion for cooking has not diminished over the years, I do have less time for it now with a young child to care for. Quickness, without sacrificing quality, has become the pace in my kitchen. My idea of a quick meal is preparation time of less than thirty minutes. I don't include baking or marinating time because nothing is demanded of me except waiting. There are occasions, however, when I want to extend myself and prepare an elaborate meal for guests. I've included these more involved dishes in the Especially for Entertaining chapter. Although they demand more attention, they are generally not difficult to prepare. And in many instancesyou can prepare some of the steps in advance. As in my second book, Quick Vegetarian Pleasures, I have maintained a cautious but relaxed approach to health and diet. Although I am watchful of my fat intake, and I cook with a plentiful assortment of fresh vegetables, grains, and legumes, I have avoided turning my recipes into mathematical problems by calculating all the nutrients and fats. I lament the trend in today's cooking where the kitchen no longer seems a place of joy, comfort, and fun but instead a laboratory in which food has become a problem to be solved. In so many kitchens, cans of vegetable-oil spray now take up counter space next to the calculator. Sometimes it feels as though the "fat patrol" is out there ready to flagellate those food writers who don't provide nutritional breakdowns with their recipes. Some writers have become so intimidated by this expectation that they artificially keep these figures down by increasing the number of portions a recipe will serve. Smaller portions mean lower fat figures. This is deceptive. The servings in this book are generous. For example, a large pizza, a pound of pasta, a main-course grain or pasta salad usually will serve four people in my family. Most cookbooks, however, would say these dishes serve six. Six mouselike portions, perhaps, not genuinely satisfying ones. The moderate approach to eating has always worked well for me. I choose lower-fat meals most of the time and allow myself to indulge in richer foods on occasion. Dessert is not an everyday treat; instead, I eat it only occasionally and make certain that it is worth waiting for. Brunch is another time when I allow myself to splurge. It is not a meal I often prepare, but when I do, richer foods seem to suit the occasion. Foods very low in fat just don't provide the comforting touch one expects from a brunch, and so in those rare instances I relax my guard. With this approach I never feel deprived of the pleasures of eating, and the kitchen doesn't becomea battlefield. But each person has to decide what works best for him or her and carry out that plan. Eating and cooking are highly personal matters. Tastes are like fingerprints--no two are exactly alike. But one's tastes can change with education and exposure to new foods. The best way to develo