VEGAN COOKING TIPS
Quick and Easy Ideas for Cooking with Juice
by Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD
Coulis (pronounced "coo-lee") are a chef's secret for creating savory and sweet, colorful, lowfat sauces with fresh, frozen, or canned fruit and vegetables. A coulis is a purée of fruit or vegetable, served hot or cold. It could be as simple as frozen strawberries that are thawed and puréed. Nectars and concentrates, instead of conventional refined sugars, can be used as natural sweeteners. Infinite combinations can be made by varying these basic elements, such as kiwis and bananas, or lemonade concentrate with strawberries.
Fruit coulis can turn a plain piece of cake into an exciting new dessert. Pour a small amount of coulis onto a plate; add cake, zucchini bread, or muffins on top; and garnish with crushed pineapple or berries. Alternately, use coulis to dress up canned, frozen, or fresh peach or apricot slices. Create coulis combinations of peach or mango nectar; canned pears with bananas or cranberry juice; or ripe bananas and canned peaches, pears, or pineapple. Fruit coulis can be made ahead of time and kept refrigerated.
Make a shortcut fruit coulis by simmering fruit juice or nectar with cornstarch, whisk until smooth, and cook on the stove until thickened.
Vegetable coulis can be made with raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juices. Overripe tomatoes can be puréed and served as a hot or cold sauce. Add a small amount of tomato juice, mango nectar, carrot juice, or vegetable cocktail to serve as a refreshing dressing for leafy green salads, pasta salads, or potato salads. Combine tomato and carrot coulis with a small amount of vegan yogurt for a creamy change of pace. Leftovers of either can be added to vegetable or bean soups, or stews, or used as part of the cooking liquid for vegetables to add flavor and color.
Orange juice or juice concentrate can be added to pudding mixes, such as tapioca, vanilla, or lemon. Add a splash to pancake batter or French toast for a citrus twist. Bake sweet potatoes for breakfast, adding a small amount of orange juice for a vitamin C-infused glaze.
Beyond sweet dishes, you can use orange or grapefruit juice to marinate mushrooms, seitan, tofu, or plain vegan meats. Marinate for at least two hours before baking, roasting, grilling, or broiling. Popular seasonings include dried or fresh rosemary, basil and parsley, ground cumin or curry powder, garlic or onion, and white or black pepper.
Orange or grapefruit juice, apricot or mango nectar, or carrot juice can be used as cooking liquid to make plain vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, or Brussel sprouts, more enticing. Vegetables that are served raw or chilled, such as broccoli florets, carrots, asparagus spears, and green salads, can benefit from vinaigrettes that incorporate a touch of orange or grapefruit juice concentrate or mango or peach nectar.
Fruit and vegetable juices can enhance prepared soups and sauces. Use tomato juice or carrot juice when reconstituting canned soups, stews, or vegetable chowders. Even tomato soup can benefit from a dash of additional tomato juice.
Tomato juice and vegetable juice cocktail can kickstart a fast homemade soup. Purée canned beans, canned corn, or frozen (and thawed) spinach with juice and simmer. Leftovers can be used as a lowfat sauce for baked potatoes, cooked vegetables, and pasta.
During hot months, try chilled juice- or nectar-based soups. Watermelon gazpacho comes together quickly with tomato juice, ripe tomatoes, watermelon, cilantro, onions, and mango nectar. Florida citrus soup is composed of segmented grapefruits, oranges, and lemons. Combined with mint and their own juices, this is a favorite dessert or breakfast "soup."
