Pam Anderson Shares Her Plan for Meatless Meals

Take oatmeal, for example. Many of us dutifully eat this heart-healthy hot cereal several times a week. By using soymilk, dried fruit (or banana or pumpkin puree) and a little spice, however, you can change the flavorings daily, plus get lightly sweet, highly flavored hot cereal that doesn't require extra sugar.

The same is true for my Roasted Vegetable Galettes. This incredibly simple supper can be made with whatever seasonal vegetables you have around. This week I offer a fall version with butternut squash and cabbage. Come spring I'll be making it with asparagus and carrots and potatoes. And this summer it'll be tomatoes and eggplant and zucchini.

But the book has more than formulas. There are also meatless versions of our favorite soups, salads and sandwiches. When developing these recipes I found that if all the familiar components were in place, no one missed the meat. Take my meatless Reubens, for example. With the familiar Russian dressing, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut, a crisp hash brown patty plays meat. No one yet has asked, "Where's the corned beef?"

When it comes time to make dinner every night isn't it nice to know that if you've got a few ingredients in your pantry and fridge and you've got few formulas in your head, that you can get dinner on the table effortlessly. With Cook Without a Book: Meatless Meals, that's how simple it can be.

Next: Recipe for "Fig Newton" oatmeal. >>