2005 reader recipe contest

AND THE WINNERS ARE ...

YOU, the VT readers who can now make these stellar dishes part of your recipe repertoire.

We received hundreds of responses to our call for favorite 30-minute recipes. For weeks, we tossed salads, sauteed tofu scrambles, sizzled stir-fries and whipped up desserts. Ultimately, the recipes that wowed us weren't those that called for exotic seasonings or pro-style techniques. It was the creative ways the finalists transformed everyday ingredients into dishes that are so yummy you could serve them at any party--but also so easy you could throw them together on a busy weeknight.

There's something for everyone in the selections below: not one but two different types of potato salads (we all love our spuds!), a Thai-inspired tofu meal and nutty no-bake energy bites. No vegetarian recipe collection would be complete without a veggie bean burger, and we were sent a doozie. The recipe got such rave reviews that tasters demanded copies long before it got published! Finally, our First Prize Winner, the Crunchy Chocolate Truffle Pie, simply can't be beat when it comes to full-out dessert satisfaction (with a secret, good-for-you twist).

So read on--and reap the delicious rewards. With these recipes, everyone's a winner.

First Place

Shannon Allison-Leszek, Pennsylvania

CRUNCHY CHOCOLATE
TRUFFLE PIE

Serves 12 * Vegan * 30 minutes or fewer

When she's not bartending at her
in-laws' restaurant or taking care of
her two-year-old, Shannon spends her
time cooking delicious vegan food
that even her non-veg family members
love. The surprising list of ingredients
in this recipe add up to chocolate
heaven hats off to Shannon for finding
just the right balance of flavors
and textures. (She confided that it
took several tries to get it just right.)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 12-oz. container firm silken tofu
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 9-inch premade graham
  cracker crust
1/2 cup chopped chocolate-covered
  pretzels

1. Place chocolate chips in
microwave-safe bowl, and microwave
on high for 30 seconds. Stir
chocolate, and heat 30 seconds more.
Repeat heating and stirring until
chocolate is just melted. Set aside.

2. Combine tofu and maple syrup in
food processor, and blend 3 minutes,
or until smooth. Add peanut butter,
and process until smooth. Add
melted chocolate, and process once
more until smooth.

3. Pour peanut butter-chocolate
mixture into pie crust, smoothing
the top; refrigerate 20 minutes.
Sprinkle pretzels on top, and serve,
or refrigerate until ready to eat.

PER SERVING: 332 CAL; 9G PROT; 20G TOTAL FAT (6G SAT. FAT); 34G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 220MG SOD; 3G FIBER; 22G SUGARS

Honorable Mention

Jennifer Burke, California

BLACK-BOTTOM PINEAPPLE
TOFU WITH CASHEW
COCONUT RICE

Serves 4 * Vegan * 30 minutes or fewer

Jennifer, a San Franciscan Web
designer and mom of two, entered
this year's contest after a 12-year
hiatus--her recipe for Farfalle with
Carrot, Sage and Scallions won our
grand prize in 1993. The secret to
this recipe's success, she says, is to
resist the urge to turn the tofu
before it has a chance to blacken.

Cashew Coconut Rice

3/4 cup basmati rice
1/3 cup raw cashew pieces
2 Tbs. unsweetened shredded dried
  coconut
2 tsp. avocado or vegetable oil
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
1/4 tsp. salt

Black-Bottom Pineapple Tofu

1 15-oz. can pineapple chunks
  in unsweetened pineapple juice
2 Tbs. tamari soy sauce
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs. avocado or vegetable oil
16 oz. firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish
1 tsp. sesame seeds, for garnish

1. To make Cashew Coconut Rice:
Place all ingredients in saucepan.
Cook over medium heat 4 minutes,
or until fragrant, stirring constantly.
Add 1 1/2 cups water, and bring to a
boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low
and simmer 15 minutes, or until
water is absorbed.

2. Meanwhile, make Black-Bottom
Pineapple Tofu: Drain pineapple
chunks, and reserve liquid. Combine
pineapple liquid (about 1 cup),
tamari, balsamic vinegar and oil in
large nonstick skillet. Add tofu cubes
in single layer, and bring to a boil
over high heat. Continue boiling--without
turning tofu cubes--9
minutes, or until liquid becomes
a thick syrup and tofu cube bottoms
are dark brown. Sprinkle pineapple
chunks, diced carrot and diced
pepper between tofu cubes, reduce
heat to medium, and cook 4 minutes,
or until pineapple chunks begin to
brown. Remove from heat, and toss
ingredients with spatula.

3. Fluff rice with fork, and spoon
onto one side of a serving dish.
Transfer tofu mixture to other side of
serving dish. Sprinkle with cilantro
and sesame seeds.

PER SERVING: 424 CAL; 18G PROT; 18G TOTAL FAT (3G SAT. FAT); 50G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 517MG SOD; 5G FIBER; 19G SUGARS

Second Place

Kevin West, Indiana

SEVILLE BURGERS WITH
OLIVE-ORANGE RELISH

Serves 8 * 30 minutes or fewer

A trip to Spain inspired Kevin to
come up with these savory patties.
If the burgers don't hold together
well--various brands of whole grain
bread tested differently--simply
process another piece of bread into
crumbs, and fold it into the mixture.

Olive-Orange Relish

1/2 cup chopped pimiento-stuffed
  green olives
3 Tbs. orange marmalade

Seville Burgers

3 large slices whole grain bread
1 15-oz. can light kidney beans,
  drained and rinsed
1 cup chunky-style salsa
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 Tbs. lemon juice
2 1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp.)
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
1 large egg
1 cup shredded manchego cheese
3 Tbs. olive oil
8 whole grain burger buns, split
1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves

1. To make Olive-Orange Relish:
Stir together ingredients in bowl.

2. To make Seville Burgers: Blend
bread into crumbs in food processor.
Transfer to large bowl.

3. Pulse beans, salsa, green onions,
lemon juice, oregano, garlic,
cornstarch, salt and egg 5 times in
food processor, or until blended but
chunky. Add bean mixture and cheese
to breadcrumbs. Shape into 8 patties.

4. Heat oil in nonstick skillet over
medium heat. Cook patties 5 minutes
on each side, or until browned.

5. Place burgers on bottom halves of
buns. Add relish, spinach leaves
and top halves of buns, and serve.