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 Mollie's
recipes take
interesting non-meat ingredients such as mung
beans and miso
and turn them into easy mouthwatering entrees that span the globe,
from India to Asia the Mediterranean to the Ukraine. And, she continues
to spread the word about the so-called "clean cuisine" or healthy
cooking. Her "you will love this" enthusiasm will drive you to the
store to find adzuki
(or aduki), and encourage you to try ingredients like mustard
seeds.
How
did the world finally come
to accept a way of cooking that frowns on processed foods, iceberg
lettuce, and hot-house tomatoes? Mollie pondered the same question,
asking herself "What has happened to shift our culture so that it
is no longer considered fringe behavior to cut down on one's meat
intake, or to eat vegetarian meals at least a few times a week?"
The
answer parallels Mollie's own success story, which began when she
was 12 as she took her first bite of fresh vegatables, green beans,
at a friend's house. "A little milk over fresh-steamed beans and
I went wild," remembers Mollie.
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 She
kept thinking about those green beans,
and by 18 years of age began her search for more ways to cook her
own food without meat. She started working at a macrobiotic
restaurant. Then, her quest to study art drove her to San Francisco,
where she found a vegetarian restaurant to work in while studying.
"It was revelatory," explains Mollie. Curries, pestos and fresh
fruit salads bridged her artistic side to the culinary arts. By
1973, she was asked to develop the menu for the famous Moosewood
Restaurant in Ithaca, New York, not far from Rochester where she
was born. Several cookbooks and a TV show followed.
Now,
Mollie is the mother of
two and a columnist for Children's Television Workshop On-Line
and Sesame Street Parents Magazine. Convincing parents to
teach their children the importance of eating well is her new crusade.
She has already delved into this topic with her book, Honest
Pretzels and 64 Other Amazing Recipes for Cooks Ages 8 & Up.
 Mollie
considers "getting a meal
on the table as an act of improvisation. There are no rules, but
there are guidelines," she says. "Pair off dishes that are complementary;
avoiding redundancies such as a cheesy casserole with creamy salad
and a cheesecake for dessert." She wrote an entire book about menu-planning
in her Still Life with Menu cookbook. "I want people to realize
they can have it all - good, nutritious food in their daily lives
without sacrificing flavor," she says. Mollie continues delivering
the good news of healthy eating, even though it has become easier
to demonstrate the benefits this cuisine has to offer.
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