This was inspired by one of my favorite dishes at Veggie Heaven in Teaneck, New Jersey, an all-vegan Chinese-style eatery. It’s quite unlike their signature mock meat dishes, and really, quite unlike anything I have ever eaten in an Asian restaurant.

　　

Ingredients

4 to 6 servings

　　1 cup frozen edamame, thawed

　　1/4 cup pine nuts

　　1 small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)

　　1 small red or orange bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice

　　2 large celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch dice

　　4 to 5 ounces baked tofu, cut into 1/4-inch dice

　　1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions, green parts only

　　2 tablespoons olive oil

　　2 teaspoons dark sesame oil

　　2 tablespoons rice vinegar

　　Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

　　

Step 1

Cook the edamame according to package directions, then drain and rinse in a colander until cool.

　　

Step 2

Toast the pine nuts in a small, dry skillet over medium heat until golden.

　　

Step 3

Combine the edamame and pine nuts with the remaining ingredients in a serving bowl and toss together. Serve at once.

　　

menu suggestions

Step 4

See the menu with Tomato-Coconut Soup (page 39). Complete the meal with store-bought vegan spring rolls or corn on the cob.

　　

Step 5

This teams nicely with Gingery Rice with Sweet Potatoes and Peas (page 88). Add a simple salad of greens and tomatoes or any of the Recipe Not Required mixed greens salads (page 192).

　　

Step 6

To complete the meal with no additional recipes, make one of the Asian-style noodle side dishes under Easy Ways to Dress Up Pasta and Noodle Side Dishes (page 121). Add a platter of cherry tomatoes, baby corn, and sliced cucumbers.

　　

nutrition information

Step 7

Calories: 330

　　

Step 8

Total Fat: 25g

　　

Step 9

Protein: 17g

　　

Step 10

Carbohydrates: 14g

　　

Step 11

Fiber: 4g

　　

Step 12

Sodium: 160mg

　　Reprinted with permission from Vegan Express: Featuring 160 Recipes for Quick, Delicious, and Healthy Meals by Nava Atlas. Copyright © 2008 by Nava Atlas. Excerpted by permission of Broadway, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.Nava Atlas is the author of nine cookbooks, including The Vegetarian Family Cookbook, The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet, and Vegetarian Soups for All Seasons. She lives in the Hudson Valley region of New York with her husband and two teenage sons (all vegans).