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A collection of 150 tasty recipes and full-color photos shows how to eat vegetarian without loading up on simple carbs or fatty dairy foods, in a book that includes such recipes as Zesty Wheat Berry-Black Bean Chili, Mediterranean Baked Penne and Tomato-Corn Pie.

In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites with electric mixer until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt; beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff but not dry peaks form. Fold in the almonds. Drop the batter by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until light golden and firm to the touch. Reverse pans halfway through to ensure even baking. Transfer cookies to a rack and let cool. (The cookies can be prepared ahead and stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.) In a large bowl, mix together the almonds, figs, raisins, walnuts, citron, chocolate, and honey. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together 1/2 cup sugar, flour, bread crumbs, orange zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg and add to the almond mixture. Gradually stir oil and the reduced wine into the mixture. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the cake is firm to the touch. Let cool in the pan on a rack. Cover and let stand overnight to allow the flavor to deepen before serving. (The cake can be prepared ahead and stored, in an airtight container, for up to 2 weeks.)

When [Susanna Foo] was a girl in Mongolia, where her father was a lieutenant general in the Kuomintang (the family immigrated to Taiwan in 1949 and her parents still live there), she remembers loving the dumplings that vendors sold on the street, always with an ample supply of hot red pepper sauce. The dried red peppers Foo found in Chinatown were thin and scrabbly and didn't give her the flavor she was after, let alone the brick-red color she remembered. This dissatisfaction nagged at her for years. Happy as Foo is with the ancho-red pepper sauce, and as frequently as she uses it, it would be too strong for the fish. So she cuts the pepper sauce with her version of kung pao sauce, a Chinese-restaurant warhorse usually made by opening a few cans. She makes it from scratch, with a base of sauteed garlic, hot peppers, onions, peppercorns, and star anise. Then she adds chicken and pork bones that have been well-browned in an oven (a technique borrowed from the French), adds water, and cooks the sauce for three to four hours. Pinch white pepper 1/4 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and minced 1/4 pound lump crabmeat, minced 1/2 cup minced, peeled, fresh, or canned water chestnuts (3 ounces) 1/2 pound thin won-ton wrappers (about 30) 1/4 cup minced red bell pepper 1/4 cup minced cilantro leaves

BEER BATTER SHRIMP 1/3 cup all-purpose white flour 1/4 cup dark beer 1 large egg white 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup fine, dry, unseasoned bread crumbs 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans (1 ounce) 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 4 lemon wedges Dip shrimp in the bread-crumb mixture, then the egg mixture, turning to coat well and, once again in the bread-crumb mixture, turning them with a spoon to coat evenly. Set on the prepared rack; they should not touch. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown on the outside and opaque in the center. Serve piping hot with lemon wedges. Per serving: 281 calories, 29 grams protein, 7 grams fat, 24 grams carbohydrate, 673 milligrams sodium, 222 milligrams cholesterol. QUICK CAJUN CATFISH 1/4 cup skim-milk buttermilk 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1/2 cup cornmeal 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon dried thyume 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 catfish fillets (1 1/4 pounds) 4 lemon wedges

Does TV watching cause a body to burn fewer calories than, say, daydreaming? Memphis State researchers Robert Klesges and Mary Lee Shelton have delved into the impact of television on a viewer's metabolic rate. The researchers gathered 31 prepubescent girls, 15 of whom were overweight, and had half rest on beds with their eyes closed and half watch the popular TV show \"The Wonder Years\" before having them switch tasks.

The biggest offender is seafood, says [Susanne Freeman], who is head of the Contact and Occupational Dermatitis Clinic at the Skin and Cancer Foundation in Sydney, Australia. But meat has also been implicated, along with a host of other foods.

Preheat the broiler. In a small bowl, whisk together pimenta malagueta liquid or Tabasco sauce and olive oil. Brush mixture on chicken thighs and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place chicken on a lightly oiled rack over a roasting pan. Broil about 4 inches from the heat for 8 to 12 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear when thighs are pierced with a fork. Serve with campaign sauce or [Rita]'s sauce. Serves 8. This sauce tastes best fresh and should be used the day it is made. 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 tablespoons minced shallot 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 5 pimenta malagueta peppers, minced, or 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce or to taste 1 teaspoon minced cilantro 1/2 teaspoon liquid from malagueta peppers or 1/2 teaspoon white distilled vinegar Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil, lightly brush with oil, and set aside. In a medium-sized non-aluminum bowl, combine lime juice, onion, cilantro, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside. Peel and devein shrimp and pat them dry. Place on the baking sheet and lightly brush with 1/2 teaspoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Broil the shrimp 4 inches from the heat for 1 1/2 minutes on each side or just until the flesh is opaque. Immediately toss with the reserved lime-juice mixture. Serve warm. Garnish with lime wedges. Serves 4 as an appetizer.

1 teaspoon dry red wine 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup hot chicken stock Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken on a lightly oiled rack in a roasting pan, season with salt and pepper, and place rosemary on top of the chicken. Roast chicken for 10 minutes, reduce oven to 375 degrees, and roast for about 50 minutes longer, or until juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a skewer. Discard rosemary, and let chicken cool. Remove skin, and cut chicken meat into bite-size strips. In a salad bowl, toss greens with one-third of the dressing. In a separate bowl, toss one-third of the dressing with the asparagus. Toss the chicken with the remaining dressing. Arrange asparagus, chicken, avocado, and tomatoes over greens and serve immediately. Serves 6.

I learned to use a cleaver to grind meats, a process called laab in Thai. On a cutting board - a 4-inch-thick round slice of tree trunk - I would pound away with two sharp cleavers like a drummer practicing a slow drumroll, until the meat quickly became \"ground,\" but not uniformly so. I learned to use a Thai mortar and pestle to pound garlic with the skin left on, coriander roots, and black peppercorns, savoring each wonderful new aroma. And most important of all, I learned to taste for prik, preeo, khem, and wan - hot, sour, salty, and sweet - the essential balance of any Thai dish. Remove stems from the chilies and cut in half lengthwise. (Do not remove skins.) Remove seeds if you prefer less heat. Core the tomatoes and cut into quarters. (Do not remove skins.) Place chilies, tomatoes, shallots, and garlic in a food processor and, pulsing, process until the mixture is coarsely chopped and salsa-like in texture (not pureed). Alternatively, chop vegetables finely with a knife. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and stir in cilantro, fish sauce, and lime juice. (The dip can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.) Makes 1 3/4 cups. 3 tablespoons minced cilantro root 3 tablespoons fish sauce 3 tablespoons Chinese light soy sauce 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves) 2 pound bone-in chicken legs or breasts, skin and fat removed

* A note to owners of aluminum springform pans: The sides and bottom of the cheesecake may discolor as the cooling cake reacts with the pan. To prevent this, line the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment paper. Coat the paper with non-stick cooking spray, or brush with vegetable oil. Once the cake has baked, be sure to loosen the springform sides once it has cooled to room temperature. If you are buying a new springform pan, choose one with a non-stick coating. VANILLA CHEESECAKE WITH STRAWBERRIES Crust: 3 tablespoons Grape-Nuts or Shredded Wheat cereal 1 tablespoon sugar Filling: 2 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso coffee powder 2 1/2 tablespoons coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua 16 ounces non-fat cottage cheese (2 cups) 12 ounces reduced-fat sour cream (1 1/3 cups) 12 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (1 1/2 cups), softened 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar 6 tablespoons all-purpose white flour 2 large eggs 2 large egg whites 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 16 candied coffee beans or chocolate shavings for garnish, optional (SIDEBAR - PAGE B01) CHEESECAKE ESSENTIALS * BAKING: Bake cheesecake at moderate heat, 300 to 325 degrees, so the proteins in the batter set slowly and remain creamy. If the oven is too hot, the cheesecake will toughen. * SETTING: After bakining, leave the cheesecake in the turned-off oven for 30 minutes so that it cools slowly, thus preventing cracks and fissures in the top of the cake. * COOLING: Remove the cheesecake from the oven and run a knife around the edge. Set the cake on a wire rack away from drafts and let it cool thoroughly, about 2 hours. * SERVING: When serving, dip a sharp knife in hot water and wipe it dry before cutting each slice. * NOTE: With aluminum springform pans, the sides and bottom of the cheesecake may discolor as the cooling cake reacts with the pan. To prevent this, line the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment paper. Coat the paper with non-stick cooking spray or brush with vegetable oil. Once the cake has baked, be sure to cool cake to room temperature before loosening the springform sides. If you are buying a new springform pan, opt for one with a non-stick coating.