V FOR VEGETARIAN FLAVORFUL MEATLESS FARE BEGINS WITH THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

Over the years, vegans and vegetarians have had difficulty finding recipes and restaurants that fit their lifestyle. But it's easier these days.

Ann Gentry, owner of Real Food Daily, a restaurant that opened in Santa Monica 12 years ago and has had a West Hollywood location since 1998 - offers dishes free of animals products and featuring certified organic produce, along with baked goods devoid of white sugar and dairy fat.

Now she's touting the restaurant's fare in her recently released ``The Real Food Daily Cookbook'' (Ten Speed Press; $24.95). More than 150 recipes - including popular offerings like Tofu Quiche With Leeks and Asparagus, Country-Style Miso Soup, Tempeh Meat Loaf and Coconut Cream Pie With Chocolate Sauce - are included.

``The Real Food Daily approach is an innovative and life-enhancing blend of world cuisines, and this book is about living in harmony with our environment and reaping the delicious rewards,'' points out Gentry. ``Our restaurant (and the cookbook) doesn't exclude anyone and is not limited to die-hard vegans.''

When the Memphis, Tenn., transplant, who grew up on a standard American diet, Southern style, moved to this area 20 years ago to work as an actress, ``I thought Los Angeles was going to be the mecca of natural-food restaurants - and to my great disappointment and great surprise there were (only) two.''

Gentry became a vegetarian in her early 20s while waitressing at a vegetarian restaurant in New York's Greenwich Village and pursuing her acting career.

``It was my introduction into eating another way and a whole lifestyle I embraced (starting in the late '70s and early '80s).'' She then became interested in macrobiotics, learned to cook and took her food on the road.

When people started to ``ooh'' and ``aah,'' and learned she made the food, they requested she make it for them. A daily food-service business sprouted - and for a few years she cooked and delivered vegan and vegetarian meals to 35 people in this area, all while still auditioning for acting roles.

``Cooking for people and making a difference in their lives brought me great pleasure.''

After taking stock of an acting career that wasn't exactly blossoming, she decided to open a vegan restaurant. The man she ended up marrying tried to talk her out of it. But she wrote a business plan and found partners - and the restaurant opened in June 1993.

She serves no meat, fish, chicken or dairy and has made a grain- and vegetable-based diet accessible to the mainstream, she says, adding that she now considers herself a vegetarian (not a hard-core vegan) who eats fish and dairy on rare occasions.

Gentry encourages people to have an open mind, to be curious and adventuresome when it comes to dining vegan and vegetarian style.

``People think they are not going to be satisfied and that something is going to be missing when they cook or eat this way. I absolutely 100 percent believe in the benefits of a vegan diet, and my mission has been to move the ball forward in terms of raising the standards and expectations of vegan restaurants.

``Veganism, from a food point of view, means no animal products or animal byproducts.'' It's stricter than vegetarianism, which excludes eating animal flesh but allows consumption of animal byproducts like honey, eggs, cheese, butter and other dairy products, says Gentry.

``Vegetarians think differently than omnivores: Limitation creates inspiration,'' notes Janice Cook Knight, author of the recently released ``Follow Your Heart Cookbook'' (Wiley; $18.95), which includes 140 recipes, more than three-quarters of them from the Follow Your Heart vegetarian restaurant and natural foods store in Canoga Park that opened in 1970. Among them are customer favorites like Kathy's Breakfast Tofu, Buttermilk Pancakes, Carob or Chocolate Chip Mint Shake, Cream of Broccoli Soup and Pad Thai.

``I don't think there is one perfect way to eat,'' says Gentry. ``I'm a big believer of eating with awareness, consciousness and low on the food chain, and choosing as much vegan food as you can but occasionally living your life. If you go to granny's house, and she serves turkey on Thanksgiving - love her and eat it.''

Gentry, the mother of two young children, 6 1/2 and 2 1/2 - and both vegetarians - is more tolerant and accepting of things at this time in her life.

Although some of Gentry's recipes are lengthy, more complex and contain unusual ingredients, if you stock your kitchen with her top 20 foods (see accompanying list), you'll be on your way to whipping up an inspired, contemporary meal.

``Stay the course and follow the recipe the first time around,'' she advises. Only after mastering it, feel free to experiment.

Knight, who cooked at Follow Your Heart for seven years in the '70s and '80s, while she was in her '20s, says recipes in her book - most of which appear fairly simple to execute - are designed to inspire vegetarian home cooking. Although many are lacto-vegetarian (made without meat, poultry, fish or eggs but with some dairy products and honey), several vegan recipes are included as well, notes Knight, who grew up in Canoga Park and is no longer a vegetarian but still consumes lots of organic vegetables purchased at farmers markets.

Natalie Haughton, [phone]

natalie.haughton(at)dailynews.com

TOFU QUICHE WITH LEEKS AND ASPARAGUS

CRUST:

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup canola oil

3 to 5 tablespoons water

FILLING:

12 ounces asparagus, trimmed

4 tablespoons olive oil

3 leeks (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced

2 tablespoons minced garlic

4 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano

4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1 3/4 pounds water-packed firm tofu, drained

3 tablespoons umeboshi paste

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

To make Crust: Position rack in bottom third of oven. Blend all-purpose flour, pastry flour, baking powder and salt in a food processor. Pulse in oil until mixture resembles coarse meal, then mix in enough water to form moist clumps. Gather dough into a ball, then flatten it into a disk. Press dough into a 9-inch-diameter tart pan with a removable bottom.

To make Filling: Cut off top 3 1/2 inches of asparagus tips and set aside. Cut lower portion of asparagus stalks into thin slices. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add leeks, 1 tablespoon garlic, sliced asparagus stalks, oregano and thyme. Saute 8 minutes or until leeks are tender.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add asparagus tips and cook just until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain well and place on paper towels to drain further.

Blend tofu, umeboshi paste, salt and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon garlic in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in leek mixture.

To assemble quiche: Spread tofu mixture over prepared crust, mounding slightly in center. Arrange asparagus tips like the spokes of a wheel atop filling, with tips pointing toward the edge.

Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven 45 minutes, or until filling is set and golden. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve. Makes 6 servings.

From ``The Real Food Daily Cookbook,'' by Ann Gentry.

PEANUT BUTTER AND JAM COOKIES

2 1/2 cups barley flour

2 1/4 cups oat flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

1 3/4 cups maple syrup

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup plain soy milk

1/2 cup raspberry preserves

Line 2 heavy baking sheets with parchment paper. Stir barley flour, oat flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat peanut butter, maple syrup, oil and soy milk in a large bowl to blend. Add flour mixture and beat just until blended.

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop about 1/3 cup dough for each cookie onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Using end of a wooden spoon, make an indentation about 1/2 inch in diameter that goes to, but not through, bottom of each cookie. Spoon preserves into a small resealable plastic bag. Using scissors, cut off 1 bottom corner of the bag. Use this homemade pastry bag to pipe preserves into each indentation, mounding it just above the top of the cookie.

Bake in a preheated 325-degree oven 22 minutes or until cookies puff and become pale golden. Set baking sheet on a wire rack to cool. The cookies will keep 2 days, stored in an airtight container and at room temperature. Makes about 2 dozen.

From ``The Real Food Daily Cookbook,'' by Ann Gentry.

TOFU SALAD

(EGGLESS EGG SALAD)

Add turmeric powder for that ``eggy'' color, if desired.

10 ounces firm OR extra-firm fresh tofu

1 cup diced celery (about 2 large stalks)

1/4 cup Vegenaise (available at Follow Your Heart in Canoga Park OR Whole Foods stores) OR eggless mayonnaise

1 tablespoon sweet pickle juice (from jar of sweet pickles)

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon celery salt

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Using your hands, crumble tofu into a bowl. Add celery, Vegenaise, pickle juice, mustard, celery salt and lemon juice and mix thoroughly but gently. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve as a sandwich filling or on a bed of greens. Makes 3 to 4 servings.

From ``Follow Your Heart Cookbook,'' by Janice Cook Knight.

ATHENA BARLEY WITH KALAMATA OLIVES AND TOMATOES

3 cups water

2 cups pearl barley

Sea salt

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3 lemons)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 pound tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and quartered

3/4 cup finely diced red onion

3/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

2/3 cup finely chopped green onions (white and green parts)

3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Freshly ground black pepper

Combine water, barley and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer about 40 minutes, until tender. Transfer to a large bowl. If you're serving this dish as a cold salad, refrigerate barley while preparing remaining ingredients.

Whisk lemon juice, olive oil and oregano in a bowl to blend. Pour vinaigrette over barley and toss to coat. Add tomatoes, olives, red onion, parsley, green onions and dill and toss again to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve cold or at room temperature. The salad will keep 2 days, covered and refrigerated. Toss again before serving. Makes 8 servings.

From ``The Real Food Daily Cookbook,'' by Ann Gentry.

ASIAN SLAW WITH WASABI VINAIGRETTE

WASABI VINAIGRETTE:

1/4 cup brown rice vinegar

3 tablespoons mirin

2 tablespoons tamari

1 tablespoon maple crystals

2 teaspoons wasabi powder

1 clove garlic

1/2 cup canola oil

SLAW:

1/2 unpeeled English cucumber, julienned

3 carrots, peeled and julienned

2 yellow squash, julienned

1 zucchini, julienned

8 green onions (white and green parts), julienned

1 (2 1/2-inch) piece daikon radish, peeled and julienned

1/2 red bell pepper, julienned

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make Wasabi Vinaigrette: Process vinegar, mirin, tamari, maple crystals, wasabi powder and garlic in a food processor or blender until smooth. With machine running, gradually add oil.

To make Slaw: Toss cucumber, carrots, yellow squash, zucchini, green onions, radish and bell pepper in a large bowl. Prepared up to this point, slaw and vinaigrette will keep 1 day, covered separately, and refrigerated. Toss slaw with enough vinaigrette to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then serve. Makes 6 servings.

From ``The Real Food Daily Cookbook,'' by Ann Gentry.

TEMPEH TACOS

Because it is dense and chewy, tempeh makes a great taco or burrito filling. You can of course vary the flavors with your own favorite spices and a variety of salsas. Add grated cheese (if you eat dairy) to the tacos just before serving, if desired.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

12 ounces plain tempeh, crumbled into large pieces (Surata Soyfoods Co-op Original Tempeh, available at natural food stores, is preferred)

1 tablespoon tamari

1 teaspoon ground cumin

12 corn tortillas, wrapped in foil

1/2 to 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

2 cups crisp shredded lettuce, such as romaine

1/4 cup (about) red OR green salsa

In a large skillet, heat oil and saute onion over medium-high heat, stirring often, about 5 minutes or until onion is browned around edges and fragrant. Add tempeh, tamari and cumin; reduce heat to medium and stir until tempeh is slightly browned, about 3 minutes. Turn off heat, adjust seasonings to taste, and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, warm tortillas in a preheated 350-degree oven until they are soft and pliable. Fold each tortilla in half and spoon in the tempeh mixture; top with cilantro, lettuce and salsa and serve immediately. Makes 12 tacos or 4 to 6 servings.

From ``Follow Your Heart Cookbook,'' by Janice Cook Knight.

What's in it

Defining the ingredients in vegan and vegetarian cooking, as shared by cookbook authors Ann Gentry and Janice Cook Knight:

Soybean, a vegetable that provides complete protein and contains lots of vitamins, iron, calcium and fiber, is extremely versatile and can be used in many ways.

Tempeh, a fermented soy food with a nutty or smoky flavor, can be cut into patties or cakes and steamed, baked, fried or broiled. A good source of vegetarian protein, tempeh, like tofu, takes to marinades and flavorings well. Uncooked tempeh, tightly wrapped, can be kept refrigerated up to three weeks. Marinated or cooked, it will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 10 days. Red, green or orange coloring is a sign of spoilage.

Tofu, a concentrated protein soy food that, depending on the variety, can be high in calcium, iron and B vitamins, is available in soft, firm or extra-firm textures. You'll find tofu water- packed in blocks or in a creamier variety known as silken tofu, which comes vacuum-packed, both in the refrigerated section (sometimes grouped with Asian foods) of supermarkets. Some tofu is packed in aseptic boxes and needs no refrigeration until after opening. Tofu take on the flavors of the ingredients it is cooked with. The different styles are used in different ways when making smoothies, stir-fries, lasagna, soups, sauces, puddings, mousses, salads, dressings and much more.

After opening water-packed tofu, rinse in cold, fresh water, then refrigerate in water (changing every other day) up to two weeks. It's spoiled if it has an offensive smell. Store the silken type in an airtight container.

Miso, a fermented soybean paste, available both unpasteurized and pasteurized, is sold in containers in the supermarket refrigerator section. It can be used like bouillon or soy sauce and as a flavorful salt substitute. Add to dishes just prior to removing from heat to avoid killing beneficial microorganisms that activate healthy enzymes in the body.

A teaspoon of sea salt equals about 1 tablespoon dark miso and 1 1/2 tablespoons lighter miso. Store miso refrigerated in a tightly closed glass jar up to two years.

Tamari, a wheat-free version of soy sauce, can be substituted for soy sauce or used to replace table salt, adding a less salty but complex taste to soups, sauces and stir-fries.

Soy milk, a nondairy, lactose-free alternative to cow's milk, comes flavored or plain, and sweetened or unsweetened. Substitute it for cow's milk in recipes.

Gomasio, a table condiment essential in macrobiotic cuisine, is made by blending sesame seeds and sea salt. Look for it in the spice aisle at supermarkets or natural food stores.

Seitan, often referred to as ``wheat meat'' due to its chewy texture, is made from the gluten (protein) in wheat flour. You can buy seasoned or plain seitan (in the refrigerator or freezer section) or make your own. It can be oven-braised, baked, pressure-cooked or deep-fried and is used generally in place of meat in casseroles, sandwiches, stir-fries, etc.

Nutritional yeast, often found in the vitamin/supplement aisle of natural food stores, is used as a seasoning and has a nutty, cheeselike flavor. Don't confuse it with brewer's or active yeast.

Nondairy chocolate does not contain milk solids and has a deep, rich flavor.

Agar, a sea vegetable derivative that's tasteless, is is used in place of gelatin. Available in blocks, flakes (or strands) or powder form, it gels (sets) at room temperature (unlike gelatin, which requires chilling).

Mirin is a Japanese cooking wine that is made from whole-grain rice and is mildly sweet.

Umeboshi, a very salty and tart Japanese condiment made from pickled plums (picked before ripe), is available as a paste (in jars and cans), as whole plums or vinegar.

Maple syrup is the primary sweetener Gentry uses in baking, as she uses no refined white sugar. Maple crystals or maple sugar - dehydrated maple granules, which are twice as sweet as white sugar and more flavorful - are also used.

Brown rice vinegar made from brown rice is light, amber-colored and has a mellow taste.

Wakame, a long, thin, green sea vegetable, has a sweet taste and delicate texture and is high in protein, magnesium and iron.

Shiso, an aromatic leaf with flavor between mint and basil, is popular in Japan and adds flavor and color to foods.

- Natalie Haughton

Sources: ``The Real Food Daily Cookbook,'' ``Follow Your Heart Cookbook.''

CAPTION(S):

7 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) Nature's bounty

Ann Gentry and her vegan `Real Food Daily Cookbook' make it simple to savor

(2 -- color) no caption (Ann Gentry)

(3 -- color) ASIAN SLAW WITH WASABI VINAIGRETTE

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer

(4 -- color) TOFU QUICHE WITH LEEKS AND ASPARAGUS

(5 -- color) PEANUT BUTTER AND JAM COOKIES

From The ``Real Food Daily Cookbook,'' Ten Speed Press

(6 -- color) ATHENA BARLEY WITH KALAMATA OLIVES AND TOMATOES

(7 -- color) TOFU

Box:

What's in it? (see text)