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Want something hearty and zesty to start your week off right? How about a vegetarian version of the classic Sloppy Joe sandwich with a special twist? I use Guinness in here to add an extra punch of flavor. This stout gives it a spicy edge that I really enjoyed. Not spicy as in heat, just ...Continue reading ‘Guinness Sloppy Joes’ »
Ah, wonton soup. How did I miss you so? Besides the random mystery meat crumbles of whatever animal is inside, there is of course the wonderful salty goodness of the soup. The texture of those wontons could not be more perfect. So I missed this a lot when I went veg. And those crispy things ...Continue reading ‘Vegetarian Wonton Soup’ »
What an impressive (and easy) dinner! They’re substantial enough to serve as their own meal, but also make a great accompaniment to hearty salads and soups. And they taste really great, too. When you serve a twice baked potato, you’ll feel like you’re having dinner at a 4-star restaurant. If you’ve never made these, don’t ...Continue reading ‘Twice Baked Potatoes’ »
Every budding cantina owner needs a good margarita recipe. Whether you’re the bartender in residence or a cocktail waitress wannabe you need to be able to whip one of these up in a jiffy. And don’t worry, you can easily make them non-alcoholic, too! You only need to remember one thing; it’s all about the ...Continue reading ‘Margarita’ »
Here’s something I’ve wanted to try for a long time: stuffed tomatoes. I really love tomatoes, so I just knew this was going to be a dish I would truly enjoy. And I was right! I had some leftover hothouse tomatoes after whipping up a batch of salsa for a party I had recently. Normally, ...Continue reading ‘Stuffed Tomatoes’ »
I don’t know if I’d call this a sauce, dip, condiment, relish, or whatever. I do know that I really enjoyed how it turned out and I’ve already found multiple uses for it. One of these was with fried avocado, as you can tell by the photo. I had a friend come over for a ...Continue reading ‘Lime Yogurt Sauce’ »
Okay, so maybe you do and maybe you don’t remember the lunch lady. I mean, what a great job, right? Except for dealing with those kids. And I guess all the dirty pots. Maybe being a lunch lady wasn’t so great after all. Still, they served up some fabulous meals. And, really, wasn’t it the ...Continue reading ‘Cafeteria Tomato Soup’ »
Who does not love onion rings? That’s what I thought. Okay, but I do have a confession. I didn’t have onion rings until I was an adult. Really. Yeah, so what was wrong with me? Anyway, I’ve had them now and I’m awfully glad I have. They are pretty much the best thing since French ...Continue reading ‘Review of Alexia Crispy Onion Rings with Panko Breading and Sea Salt’ »
Here’s a lusty peasant soup inspired by warm spring days in Tuscany! The ingredients are simple and the end result is light and fresh, perfect for this time of year. I enjoy Swiss chard here, but you could use spinach, kale, or even collards—nearly any green that isn’t too bitter. If you feel so inspired ...Continue reading ‘Tuscan Vegetable Soup’ »
Oh, ho! This is quite savory for breakfast, and at least one person was skeptical—until he tasted it. Nothing starts your day like a fantastic breakfast burrito. The problem with what you get if you go to a fast food place is that they all have egg. I really just don’t do egg like that. ...Continue reading ‘Breakfast Burrito’ »
I love these sweet potato things. They;re softer than the same type of “tater tots.” However, that does seem to be what you’re dealing with when you switch out regular potatoes for sweet potatoes. They’re fun, nonetheless. And quite delicious with plenty of ketchup, especially spicy, if you can find it. Don’t drop them on ...Continue reading ‘Review of Alexia Crispy Bite-Size Sweet Potato Pu
What’s the perfect thing for dunking in your favorite dip? Zesty Pita Chips! Healthier and better for you than a greasy chip and tons tastier, too. I love these with hummus. They’re also excellent with tzatziki and harissa. In fact, these would be great with any Mediterranean appetizer, like baba ghanoush, but also delicious served ...Continue reading ‘Zesty Pita Chips’
I love this salsa. It’s exactly how I would make it. Too many salsas come with weird ingredients. I mean, cucumbers, hello? Really. And garlic. Okay, maybe you like salsa with garlic, but I just don’t think it belongs there. No, five ingredients and that’s it. That is the perfect salsa. Tomatoes, onions, cilantro, salt, ...Continue reading ‘Review of Freakin’ Fresh Salsa Hot!’ »
What could be better than a big dish of classic baked beans? Of course, you could always open a can from the grocery store when you’re pressed for time. I do it often, actually. My favorite brand is Bush’s Vegetarian Beans. But those canned versions tend to be really high in sugar and sodium and ...Continue reading ‘Boston Baked Beans’ »
What goes better with dinner than a big loaf of seeded Italian bread? Whether warm from the oven with fresh butter or broiled for huge slices of Texas toast, it’s the perfect accompaniment for so many meals. It’s easy to make, almost impossible to mess up, and it doesn’t take nearly as much time as ...Continue reading ‘Seeded Italian Loaf’ »
Is there any sandwich in the world that says “American” more than a Big Mac? I probably need to insert a registered trademark symbol or something there. Anyway, two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions all on a sesame seed bun has become an institution. Hey, where are the tomatoes? Look closely, there ...Continue reading ‘Vegetarian Big Mac’ »
Here’s a fun fusion dish: Italian meets Mexican in my Tomato and Basil Quesadilla! I visited a restaurant many years ago that offered this on their menu. They were primarily Latin food, but occasionally the chef would offer this. Whenever I saw it available I always had to order it. It was my first introduction ...Continue reading ‘Tomato and Basil Quesadillas’ »
Tzatziki may be hard to say (and even harder to spell), but this traditional Greek appetizer is truly delicious! I enjoy it many of the same places that I like harissa. The cool of the dairy helps to cancel out the heat. And the combination of the two is truly inspired. I love this with ...Continue reading ‘Tzatziki’ »
What do you do when you just don’t feel like garlic bread, but you want something special to go with dinner? How about these Shredded Parmesan and Basil Oil Toasts? I used some sliced bread from a leftover Seeded Italian Loaf that I’d made this past weekend. I sliced it thin enough to give it ...Continue reading ‘Shredded Parmesan and Basil Oil Toasts’ »
I’ve written before about my love of the fiery condiment harissa. It’s a paste of ground chiles, garlic, and different seasonings. It can be used to add zest to everything from falafel and soups and as a dip if you’ve got a high tolerance for heat. I’ve even put it in squash for flavor. Normally, ...Continue reading ‘Harissa’ »
A classic mushroom gravy is a time-honored side that goes well with many main dishes. I whipped this up to have on top of Gardein Lightly-Seasoned Chik’n Scallopini. It would work just a nicely over Quorn Chik’n Cutlets and of course it’s a worthy topping for your favorite mashed potatoes. In fact, just about anywhere ...Continue reading ‘Mushroom Gravy’ »
It took a very special recipe to get me to like eggplant. And this was it: eggplant parmigiana. It turns out that the problem never really was with the vegetable itself. It’s easy to make eggplant mushy and it was that texture that always bothered me. So I stayed away from it for a long ...Continue reading ‘Eggplant Parmigiana’ »
As a vegetarian I have to say: I miss egg rolls! I never really liked when they had those little shrimp in them, but I could usually pick around that. It wasn’t that they tasted fishy or anything. But as I remember ordering them from the local Chinese takeout joint, they did have small pieces ...Continue reading ‘Chinese Vegetarian Egg Rolls’ »
This is an incredibly simple recipe, but one that always surprises people when I show them. If you’re into Chinese takeout you have no doubt seen thousands upon thousands of those packets tossed in to your delivery bag. Soy sauce, duck sauce, and hot mustard, all artificially flavored, colored, and preserved. (And what’s up with ...Continue reading ‘Chinese Hot Mustard Sauce’ »
Comedy legend and beloved cultural icon Betty White is known for her love of junk food, including “Red Vines, hot dogs, French fries and Diet Coke.” Red Vines are red-colored pieces of licorice, so named because of their resemblance to twisty vines. The thought of all those chemicals, preservatives, artificial colors, and flavors makes me ...Continue reading ‘Review of Natural Vines Strawber
An excellent-tasting marinara sauce will always serve you well. It’s a key ingredient in many vegetarian and vegan dishes. It’s also surprisingly easy to make. I use this as a base for most of my Italian specialties. You can use it to dress everything from pastas like spaghetti and gnocchi to baked casseroles like lasagna [...]
Everybody needs the recipe for a classic vinaigrette in their repertoire. There’s nothing like it for dressing a salad. It’s quick, easy, fresh, and delicious. It’s also quite versatile. Here I’m offering a balsamic vinaigrette, perfect for salads with assertive greens, like arugula. I’m also making it a traditional way, which means full fat from oil. I do break from
Kale is one of those vegetables that I avoided for a long time. I really thought I just wouldn’t like it. I figured it was too bitter and too tough for me to try to cook and eat. Actually, I started with a major greens phobia, but I’ve come a long way. Collard greens were the easiest place to start, then I moved on turnip greens and Swiss chard. But kale remained conspicuously out there—a fr
Spring is a special time of year. It’s the perfect opportunity to try some interesting and exotic veggies that you may only see in the produce aisle for a few days. Unfortunately, you’re more likely not to see thes—or, if you do run across them, they could be well past their prime. Your best bet is to hit the natural food store. A larger chain with a high volume of traffic, such
When pulling together this recipe I had a few criteria. Although cornbread made with buttermilk and eggs is deliciously cakey, I wanted this to be vegan. But it also needed to be light and slightly crumbly when spread with a little soft margarine. I also didn’t want any add-ins. No kernel corn, chiles, herbs, or anything. Just a quick, basic recipe you could whip up in a flash on a weeknight
If you’ve never had chili made with beer you’re in for a treat. Lager brings a slight malty flavor to the chili along with a certain richness. If you don’t use too much you can’t really taste it and it blends in well with the other ingredients. I used Sol here, but you could put just about any kind in it. I’ve had Tecate, Corona, and Dos Equis (http://dosequis.com/).
A snack craving can be a very dangerous time. When you find yourself a long way from one meal and too far away to the next one and the hunger pangs strike you are vulnerable. If you don’t get the snack attack under control you might end up grabbing the first thing that looks good to you or, worse, trying to starve yourself and eat too much when the next meal finally rolls around. You have to
I mentioned making green rice recently and I was asked what that meant. I think red rice or “Spanish” rice is probably more common. But green rice is just a quick switch-up of a few key ingredients, important enough to change the color of the end result, I suppose. Chicken enchiladas are typically served in a green or “verde” salsa. Generally, this means tomatillos are used
Scallion pancakes are another Chinese takeout specialty that I never had until I made myself. I mean, there are just so many different things you can order on the appetizer menu and still have money left to tip the delivery person, right? So I knew about them, but when I began to experiment with making my own Chinese takeout food, vegetarian style, scallion pancakes came up top of the list. They&#
Here’s a delightful recipe for fava bean soup. Dried fava beans aren’t so easy to find, so when I do run across them I like to try different ways to use them. The ones I’ve been seeing lately come from Bob’s Red Mill, but I do occasionally see them in the bulk bins as well. Fava beans are spelled many ways, so you might run across this as ful, foul, fool, or who knows what
Before I forget I want to share my recipe for classic Chinese Soy-Ginger Dipping Sauce with you. This is great in so many places when you’re enjoying Chinese food, particularly takeout. Most places just give you a little cup of salty caramel-colored soy water. If you’re lucky, you’ll get one that actually mixes up a cup of a special sauce. But none of it will ever come close to w
Did you ever look at the appetizer section of those paper menus you get in the mail from the local Chinese food delivery joints? They always seem to have spare ribs cooked in a special Chinese barbecue sauce. I never actually ever tried the real thing. But now as a vegetarian that doesn’t stop me from wanting to create it. And, even though Chinese restaurants are very vegetarian-friendly you
Here’s a fun new vegetable to try: taro root. I see these occasionally at the grocery or natural food store, but I’ve never done more than pick one up to see what it looks and feels like. Plus, I had no idea what to do with them and, since I was already at the store, what else I would need to make something with them, so I left them aside as a novelty and moved on. Then I did a little
Have you ever been sitting at a Mexican restaurant and seen a waiter come out with a sizzling, smoking platter of fajitas? I think that’s got to be one of the most dramatic entrances any dish can make. Everybody can see it, hear it, and smell it! Sometimes when that happens I wish there was a way as a vegetarian that I could enjoy that moment in the spotlight when my dinner came out from the
Classic hummus is always welcome at the table, but sometimes you need the variety that roasted red peppers provide. I set out to make this to accompany falafel, but of course it’s delicious for dipping, too. Pita bread and veggies are an excellent addition. This is fast and super easy to make. All you need is a food processor. I’ve never tried making hummus in a blender, so I can’
Gaprow must be my favorite style of Thai food. It’s spicy! I love the soy-based sauce it’s in and the sliced chiles. Of course, Thai basil is a must. You can substitute regular basil if you need to, but the Thai kind really makes the dish. You should definitely seek it out. I use Quorn Chik’n Tenders here. Served with some jasmine rice, this is quick and easy and comes together f
Here’s another entry in the “Did You Know You Could Make That?” category! Bagels—why not? Too much mystery surrounds the perfect bagel and NYC, I love you, but you haven’t helped any. I cracked the code for Chicago deep dish pizza (without water from Lake Michigan—some day I’ll share that). And I can crack the perfect bagel recipe, too. Okay, these sure do
The first time I heard about this classic soul food combination I could hardly believe my ears. I was sure it was a joke. Turns out it’s real and a much loved dish for many people. In fact, even Gladys Knight opened a chicken and waffle restaurant! It does kind of make sense, though. Just think of a carb and meat combination for breakfast—a sausage bagel or bacon sandwich. You can see
Baked Spaghetti is iconic! At least in my kitchen. When I first started playing around with this years ago I was so surprised and happy with the result. It tasted exactly like the spaghetti they served me at lunch in elementary school, even with fake meat! Hmmm—maybe that says something about the quality of the beef they used… Little has changed with this recipe over time. The way I ma
Have you ever ordered vegetable fried rice for takeout only to be disappointed? I definitely have. Too often this dish comes as a big bucket of salty grease with some limp vegetables thrown in. Too bad. It can be such a healthy and delicious meal! Fortunately, it’s very easy to make your own. Then you’re free to control the sodium, oil, and add whatever veggies you like! The biggest th
By this time, nurseries and home improvement stores have their full spring offerings on display. I started seeing them several weeks ago, but a really great selection is available right now. Whatever you need in the way of early season planting should be ready. This means all kinds of herbs, of course. But there’s also a good selection of vegetables and even fruit. I know it can be hard to s
My first introduction to Mexican pizza was years ago at Pizza Hut. They used to make one, but it’s long been off the menu. Basically, they would spread refried beans on the crust of your choice (thin was the best) and then sprinkle it with cheddar cheese. It was baked this way and then finished up after it came out of the oven. As I remember, it was covered in shredded lettuce and more chees
Beer may seem unusual to use in a pizza dough instead of yeast, but it works well. You won’t get as much of a rise as you will with yeast, but it does bring a fantastic flavor to the dough. I like that this was a nice change from a normal pizza crust. You could use any type of beer that you like. I went with a light lager here, but the possibilities are definitely wide open. A dark stout or
I’m always interested in different ways to use yuca. Also known as manioc or cassava, this root is common in Latin cooking. It’s frequently served fried, but is also very good baked. As a starch, it can be used in many of the same ways that you would potatoes. The texture and taste are quite different, though. It’s waxier and it needs to be boiled before working with it. The oute
I got a big bag of those reduced price bananas at the store 2 weeks ago and they’re finally ripe enough to use! I decided to try them in pancakes. I knew that I could use bananas in place of eggs for vegan cooking, so it seemed natural to go dairy-free with these. Unfortunately, I’m still going to have way too many bananas, so I guess it’s off to a freezer bag for those guys! I w
