Ann Gentry on the Today Show

See Ann Gentry, executive chef of Vegetarian Times, on the Today Show! Ann was on the Today Show on Wednesday, January 23rd, whipping up easy, delicious recipes from our latest issues, as she introduced the benefits of vegetarian cooking to America. The full recipes are listed below.

Maple-Roasted Pear Salad
Serves 8

This tangy-sweet salad is a good excuse to explore the gourmet cheese section of your supermarket and try something like Zamorano, a cheese made from aged sheep’s milk in the Castile-León region of Spain.

Salad

2 Tbs. maple syrup

1 Tbs. hazelnut, walnut, or olive oil

4 small firm Bosc pears, halved

1/2 cup hazelnuts

8 cups baby arugula

3 oz. Parmesan, Pecorino, Zamorano, or other hard cheese

Beet Dressing

3 Tbs. hazelnut, walnut, or olive oil

2 Tbs. sherry vinegar

1 shallot, minced (2 Tbs.)

1 1/2 Tbs. honey

1 Tbs. whole-grain mustard

8 oz. cooked beets, finely diced (1 cup)

To make Salad: Preheat oven to 400°F, and line baking sheet with foil. Whisk together maple syrup and hazelnut oil in bowl. Brush oil mixture on pears, and place cut-side down on prepared baking sheet. Roast 22 minutes, or until pears are tender and cut sides caramelized. Set aside to cool.

Reduce oven heat to 350˚F. Spread hazelnuts on baking sheet, and toast 7 minutes, or until browned. Transfer to kitchen towel, and rub off skins with towel. Cool, chop, and set aside.

To make Beet Dressing: Whisk together oil, vinegar, shallot, honey, and mustard in bowl. Stir in beets, and season with salt and pepper. Toss arugula with Beet Dressing in bowl. Divide among 8 plates, and top each with pear half. Shave cheese over each salad with vegetable peeler, and sprinkle with hazelnuts.

PER SERVING: 246 CAL; 7G PROT; 15G TOTAL FAT (0G SAT. FAT); 24G CARB; 9MG CHOL; 211MG SOD; 4G FIBER; 16G SUGARS

Oranges Givrées
Serves 6

Scooped-out orange shells make an elegant presentation for homemade sorbet. Try this recipe with blood oranges when they’re in season.

3 cups fresh orange juice, divided

3/4 cup sugar

2 Tbs. orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier, optional

6 small oranges

1 oz. dark chocolate

6 sprigs fresh mint, optional

Heat 3/4 cup orange juice and sugar in large saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in remaining juice and orange liqueur, if desired. Refrigerate 3 hours, or until well chilled.

Churn chilled syrup in ice cream maker 30 minutes, or according to manufacturer’s instructions, until firm sorbet texture is achieved. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, freeze syrup in shallow 13- x 9-inch metal pan, stirring every 30 minutes until sorbet is firm but not rock solid. Break into chunks and process in food processor until smooth and creamy.

Cut small slice of skin from nonstem end of whole oranges so that they stand up straight. Cut 1/2 inch from tops of oranges, and scoop out fruit inside. Reserve scooped-out fruit for another use, or chop to garnish dessert.

Fill orange shells with sorbet. Freeze until ready to serve. Shave chocolate into long curls with vegetable peeler, and sprinkle over frozen oranges. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired.

PER SERVING: 179 CAL; 1G PROT; 2.5G TOTAL FAT (0G SAT. FAT); 40G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 4MG SOD; 1G FIBER; 37G SUGARS

Sun-Dried Tomato and Arugula Tartines
Serves 6

“Peppery arugula is like a spice itself,” says French chef and instructor Emmanuel Tessier of La Cuisine Corsaire in Cancale, France. Toasting the arugula under cheese in these sandwiches slightly wilts the leaves for a texture that’s a cross between cooked spinach and crunchy lettuce.

6 oz. soft tofu, drained

3 oz. sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, drained

2 cloves garlic, peeled

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

3 Tbs. chopped fresh basil

1 20-inch baguette, halved lengthwise, then cut into thirds

2 cups arugula, divided

18 pitted kalamata olives, chopped, divided

3 oz. sliced Gruyère cheese (6 slices)

Blend tofu, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, salt, and pepper in blender or food processor until smooth. Stir in basil.

Divide tofu spread among baguette slices. Top each with 6 to 8 arugula leaves, and sprinkle with olives. Top with cheese, and toast under broiler 2 to 3 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

PER SERVING: 411 CAL; 18G PROT; 12G TOTAL FAT (0G SAT. FAT); 59G CARB; 16MG CHOL; 869MG SOD; 4G FIBER; 4G SUGARS

Portobello Mushroom and Spinach Tartines with Roasted Garlic Spread
Serves 2

You can now find roasted garlic cloves in jars at supermarkets, but it’s very easy to make your own. Simply trim the tops of whole garlic bulbs to expose the cloves, set on a piece of foil, and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap tightly in foil, and bake 30 to 35 minutes at 400°F, or until garlic bulbs are soft. Cool, and store in the fridge up to 5 days. To use, squeeze roasted garlic from cloves.

6 oz. soft tofu, drained

6 cloves roasted garlic

1 1/2 tsp. olive oil

1 large portobello mushroom, sliced

1 large shallot, sliced (1/4 cup)

1/2 bag (3 oz.) baby spinach

3 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1 6-inch whole-wheat baguette, sliced lengthwise and toasted

Place tofu and garlic in blender or food processor, season with salt and pepper, and blend until smooth.

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Sauté mushroom and shallot 3 to 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in spinach, and sauté 2 minutes, or until wilted. Add 1 Tbs. Parmesan cheese to pan, and remove from heat.

Spread a little less than 1 Tbs. tofu-garlic mixture on each baguette half. Top with mushroom-spinach mixture, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Toast under broiler 1 to 2 minutes, or until cheese begins to brown.

PER SERVING: 275 CAL; 14G PROT; 9G TOTAL FAT (0G SAT. FAT); 40G CARB; 7MG CHOL; 473MG SOD; 12G FIBER; 5G SUGARS