Category: Vegetarian Eats

Italian Vegetable Pasta

Today is World Vegetarian Day and I can’t think of a better day than today to launch my new series: Meat-Free Meal of the Week!  You may remember my mini-series: When Veggies Come to Dinner, where I wrote about being a vegetarian.  I also gave some tips for accommodating the vegetarians in your life without feeling like you have to sacrifice something.  I received wonderful feedback from lots of you and I wanted to share some of the simple veggie meals that I eat.  Some of the recipes are from the professionals (of which, I am not) and some are just made-up using leftovers from my fridge.  They will all be easy to make and aren’t just for vegetarians, even if you do eat meat, these are tasty meals that happen to not have meat in them.  I hope you’ll give one or two of these a try!

This week’s Meat-Free Meal of the Week is easy to make, very filling and tastes fresh and simple.

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz. button or baby bella mushrooms, cut into 3/4″ pieces (if you don’t like mushrooms, you can substitute eggplant)
  • 7-8 small round tomatoes, quartered or 12 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 small red onion, diced
  • 1-2 tbsp. fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped (about 1 tbsp.)
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 8 oz. spinach pasta

Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and onion and cook for 2 minutes.  Then add the mushrooms and cook for 4 minutes and finally add the tomatoes and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and toss with 1 tbsp. olive oil and the cooked vegetables. Add additional olive oil if you prefer and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle the tossed pasta with the sliced basil leaves.  You can keep it vegan or add a scoop of ricotta cheese for a creamier dish.  Enjoy!

Luck and Potatoes, A St. Patrick’s Day Family Tradition

I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and my childhood home was near a densely wooded forest.  Every year on St. Patrick’s Day, there was magic in those woods.  Late in the night, as March 16th rolled into March 17th, the leprechauns that lived in Serenity Woods, would emerge from hiding and make mischief. All along the pathways they would dance and celebrate the beautiful woods.  Lying in my bed, some distance away, I could swear that I heard their cackling laughter as they sprang about with joy.

The following morning, my mom and dad would send my brother and I into the woods with a basket.  Though my brother and I never saw the leprechauns, we knew they had been there.  They left evidence, and it was our job to collect it.  Our parents had trained us to spot it and at 7 years old, I was the older and wiser sibling, so I would lead the way. We vigilantly looked along the pathways and then, we’d spot one.  During their joyous celebration, the leprechauns had turned the rocks into potatoes!  With keen eyes, my brother and I would collect all of the potatoes and return home triumphant in our journey.

Then, the real fun began.  Dad would make his potato soup using an old Pennsylvania Dutch recipe that he learned from his father. This deceptively simply recipe makes the best St. Patrick’s Day Potato Soup.  It’s hearty and will fill your belly with warmth, but to

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Throw a Tea Party! Rose Petal Tea Recipes and Hearts on Fire Sandwiches

In this week’s column, I’m celebrating rose petals and tea parties!  Join me for some yummy treats.

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I’ve started Rose Petal Month with two wonderful rose petal tea recipes and some sweet and fiery heart sandwiches. Gather a group of friends, or just one special one, and have a tea party afternoon filled with friendship and these delightful treats.

Rose petals have a gentle calming effect on the nervous system.  So as you sit to enjoy this tea, inhale the floral scent and let it fill your senses.  Close your eyes and as you take the first sip, let the flavor wash over your tongue and let the warm floral tea fill you with its calming essences.

A New Series and What I Ate for Thanksgiving Dinner

As a vegetarian, I am often asked…what do you eat? This question is never asked more often, than during this glorious “Season of Food”. I have always enjoyed learning, sharing and teaching, and I find that this simple question provides an opportunity to help people understand a different way of looking at food. I also know that many people have a vegetarian in their lives and they can find it daunting to prepare a meal that accommodates the vegetarian and the meat-eating part of the group.  As the only vegetarian in my family and group of friends, I can tell you that it is easy to have a group meal, where everyone feels satisfied and full, without a lot of extra work, if any at all.

With that in mind, I’ve decided to start a series called: When Veggies Come to Dinner. It is a multipart series where I define different types of Veggie diets. I’ll provide tips for eating veggie in restaurants, at fast food locations and quick, easy meal suggestions.  I hope you’ll enjoy it!

The “When Veggies Come to Dinner” Series (coming soon)
Part 1: Vegetarians (lacto-ovo), Pescatarians and Flexitarians Defined
Part 2: Vegans and Raw Vegans Defined
Part 3: Tips for Feeding and Understanding Your Veggie Friends and Family
Part 4: Vegetarian Curiosities, FAQs and Nutrition

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Now, onto the BIG question of the season: “What do you eat at Thanksgiving Dinner?” The answer is simply this: SO much!  Just like everyone else, I happily stuff myself to capacity, then top it off with a large plate of desserts.

Plate 1
(yeah, there was more than 1)

Plate 2
(I must apologize, plate 2 was eaten with such ferocity that I forgot to photograph it.  These are the items it included, with the exception of “Uncle Keith’s Famous Mashed Potatoes”.  They are SO very bad for you, yet SO very good.)

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I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!