Book Review: The Vegetarian Reset: Cheese by Vasudha Viswanath

Vasudha Viswanath is the founder of We Ate Well, a community for vegetarian foodies, and the author of a new cookbook, her debut - The Vegetarian Reset: 75 Low-Carb, Plant-Forward Recipes from Around the World.

A few years ago, Viswanath went for her annual physical. Her doctor told her that her blood sugar was elevated and recommended cutting down on sugar and starch like white rice, pasta, and bread. Viswanath left her appointment shocked; “That’s what I’ve eaten all my life,” she remembered. As a lifelong vegetarian, “refined grains and starch became the center of my plate.”

Viswanath grew up in Bangalore, in the south of India, in a family of enthusiastic cooks, eaters, and food lovers. “We were always arguing about our next meal,” she said. She’s always loved cheese, especially paneer, but it wasn’t until Viswanath moved to the US for graduate school at Carnegie Mellon that she discovered the vast array of cheeses in her local supermarket, from Parmigiano Reggiano to fresh mozzarella to brie. Slowly but surely, she made it her mission to experience them all and incorporate their flavors and textures into her cooking.

A focus on lower carbohydrate foods

After her doctor’s visit, Viswanath set about trying to transform her cooking to focus on lower carbohydrate foods. Cheese fit perfectly into her new diet and became a cornerstone of her kitchen. “Cheese is very high protein,” Viswanath explained. “A nice artisan cheese can be really good for you, in addition to being delicious.”

Viswanath’s food philosophy is apparent in her recipes – she doesn’t believe eating healthfully should be a sacrifice. In other words, “I didn’t want people feel like they had to choose between eating healthy and eating delicious.” In the Vegetarian Reset, each recipe draws strengths from traditional cuisines that are rich in whole foods — vegetables, legumes, and healthy fats. Then they take a trip around the world and borrow flavors from a wide range of global cuisines, resulting in delicious low-carb, high-protein recipes that will keep you satiated and happy.

For example, Viswanath’s take on Cacio e Pepe is made with spiralized vegetables in place of pasta. Because there’s no starchy water to add rich texture, Viswanath makes a corn starch flurry, then adds a mix of 70% pecorino and 30% parmesan, an ideal ratio inspired by watching Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy. “Cheese makes the dish,” she says. “It makes it wonderfully filling.” Her socca, a crispy chickpea pancake with origins in Nice, France, gets topped with smoked eggplant and melted mozzarella. Cheese adds richness, flavor, and substance. It turns a side into the centerpiece of a meal.

Prioritizing whole foods and flavor

Her book “teaches a philosophy of prioritizing whole foods and flavor.” Viswanath sees her mission as helping to “reset people’s connections with their bodies and help people feel better.” After her own mission to eat lower carb, Viswanath’s blood sugar returned to normal. “I think more deeply about how food makes me feel, and I feel more in tune with my body,” she says.

Viswanath’s Eggplant Chile Cheese Toast uses a mixture of low-moisture mozzarella and grated Cheddar to create melty, creamy depth – in contrast to crispy fried eggplant and tangy heat from chiles. It’s great proof of the happy marriage of cheese, veggies, and crave-ability. Read a sample from the the book at Vegetarian Reset.

Eggplant Chile Cheese Toast

Chile cheese toast is probably one of India’s top five street food creations. Here we reimagine the recipe and sneak in vegetables by using eggplant slices as “toast” and topping them with the spiced cheese filling. Note that the eggplant “toast” will have some crunchiness where the batter crisps up, but will still be soft compared to actual toast.

Ingredients

BATTER

¼ cup/30g chickpea flour

3 Tbsp warm water

1 tsp avocado oil, or other neutral oil of choice

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp dried oregano

½ large eggplant/aubergine (9 oz/250g), widest part sliced into 4 flat discs about ¾ inch/2cm thick

CHILE CHEESE TOPPING

¼ cup/28g grated Cheddar cheese

¼ cup/28g grated low-moisture mozzarella

2 Indian green chiles, jalapeño peppers, or Thai chiles, chopped and seeded to adjust spice level to taste

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp minced garlic

½ tsp ground cumin

¼ tsp salt

1 Tbsp chopped cilantro/fresh coriander, for garnish

Directions

Step 1. Whisk together all the ingredients for the batter and let sit for 1 hour at room temperature.

Step 2. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F/200°C or the oven to 450°F/235°C.

Step 3. Brush the eggplant slices with batter on both sides. Lay the eggplant flat on the base and airfry, until golden brown and dry on both sides, for 10 minutes, then flip using tongs and air fry 2 more minutes. (I can do two slices at a time in my air fryer, so I repeat this step for the remaining slices; yours may be larger). If using the oven, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the eggplant slices on it. Bake on one side for 13–15 minutes, or until golden brown, then flip and cook the other side for 3–5 minutes.

Step 4. As the eggplant cooks, mix all the ingredients for the chile cheese topping in a bowl.

Step 5. Sprinkle the cheese topping on the eggplant slices in the air fryer and air fry again for 1 1/2 minutes, or bake for 2–3 minutes, until the cheese has completely melted. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Reprinted with permission from THE VEGETARIAN RESET by Vasudha Viswanath, The Collective Book Studio, January 2023.