I officially entered the land of crazy this weekend. As I mentioned before, I am training for my first marathon. In fact, the marathon is less than two weeks away (cue the butterflies). There are times when this thought makes me want to close the blinds, wrap myself in a blanket and eat soup all…
Grilled Italian Panini Recipe with Zucchini, Summer Squash & Basil {Vegetarian}
I have this little problem that crops up whenever I cook for other people. I am perpetually trying to convince them how easy it is to make a certain dish. Part of it is an “Aww gee, shucks” kind of reaction when they compliment my cooking. But mostly it’s because I want my friends to…
Grilled Zucchini & Eggplant Parmesan Recipe {Vegetarian}
This Grilled Zucchini and Eggplant Parmesan recipe is a fantastic vegetarian option for your next barbecue! And it couldn’t be easier to make. If you ever thought that grilling vegetarian-style meant nothing more than floppy vegetables and meals that left you craving more, then think again (see Ten Vegetarian Recipes for the Grill). This grilled…
Whole Wheat Pasta Salad Recipe with Beans, Capers & Balsamic Yogurt Dressing
Every summer as a kid, I looked forward to my mum’s pasta salad. It was dressed with mayonnaise, tossed with salmon or chicken (though this version is vegetarian) and, best of all, loaded with briny capers. My husband is not a mayo eater, so if I wanted to feed my family a version of my…
Ten Vegetarian Recipes for the Grill
After I reported the results of my informal Facebook poll yesterday, I started thinking deeply about vegetarian recipes for the grill. Part of this deep thinking involved perusing my vegetarian recipe index. Vegetarian stews – check, vegetarian soups – check, salads – check, grilled vegetarian dishes – umm, sadly lacking. This post holds my jewels…
Grilled Mushrooms with Smoked Paprika & Chive Dipping Sauce Recipe
When I posed a question on my Facebook page yesterday, the responses I received shocked the heck out of me. My question was, “I’m planning to do plenty of grilling this summer. What type of recipes would you like to see? Chicken, vegetarian, beef, appetizers…?” Of the 17 people who responded, 12 requested vegetarian or…
Vegetarian Naan Pizza with Eggplant & Cilantro Jalapeno Pesto Recipe
When I was a kid, the only way my parents could get me to eat eggplant was to take me to a Greek restaurant and set an order of Moussaka in front of me. Maybe it was the cheesy layers, smothered in a creamy Bechamel sauce or maybe it was the hypnotic music and alluring…
Vegetarian Stew with Quinoa, Butternut Squash & Coconut Milk Recipe
Monday was time for a serious detox. I spent the weekend at the Joshua Creek Ranch for Georgia Pellegrini‘s Girl Hunter (more on that in a future post), and happily feasted on venison, smoked turkey, wild game gumbo and maybe a glass of wine or two (or three). Monday was a return to a Meatless…
Hearty Lentil & Black Bean Soup with Smoked Paprika Recipe
This hearty vegan lentil and black bean soup recipe is the perfect comfort food for chilly days. Only 223 calories per generous serving! In the spirit of Meatless Monday, I pulled together a healthy, vegetarian (actually, this one will satisfy those who prefer vegan, too) soup for dinner. Truth be told, I needed something light…
Cannellini Bean Vegetarian “Meatballs” with Tomato Sauce Recipe
Why should you have to miss out on “meatballs” if you don’t eat meat? This vegetarian version is satisfying & easy to make. Before I met my husband, I wasn’t much of a bean eater. It wasn’t that they didn’t appeal to me, but rather that I didn’t grow up eating a lot of Mexican…
Vegetarian Mushroom & Cannellini Bean Ragout Recipe
This recipe is for me. Well, it’s for you too, of course. But it is definitely not for the three other people in my house who see the existence of all things crimini, portobello and shiitake as a personal affront. So, when my kids are at school and my husband is on a business trip,…
Black Bean Patties with Avocado & Tomato Salsa Recipe
When we find something that we like to eat, we tend to go a little overboard with it, particularly if it’s a healthy item. Black beans certainly fall under this category. We buy them buy the case at Costco and then proceed to put them in everything from soups and dips to chili and quinoa…
Grilled Mushroom Sliders with Zucchini & Cilantro Almond Pesto Recipe
When we were on our two-week summer vacation, several blogging friends kindly stepped in to share their talents with you. The first post came from Amanda of The Cilantropist, who “wow”-ed everyone with her tempting Orange Cantaloupe Sorbet recipe, and brilliant styling and photos. Well, now it’s my turn to return the favor with these…
Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas, Kalamata Olives & Mint Recipe
If you loaded the amount of quinoa our family eats in one year into a small boat, that vessel would sink to the bottom of the sea faster than you could say “healthy mini grain” five times fast. Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is actually healthy; I didn’t just make that up. It is a complete protein…
Crockpot Chickpea Stew Recipe with Balsamic Caramelized Onions
There are only so many workouts one can do to work off Irish Cream Cheesecake Brownies. After a couple of days of indulgence around here, it was time to break out the healthy recipes. The last time I pulled out my crockpot (slow cooker) for a vegetarian dish, I made a chickpea and tomato stew,…
Smoky Black Bean & Corn Vegetarian Chili Recipe
This hearty vegetarian recipe is packed with black beans and corn, and has a fantastic smoky flavor, courtesy of the chipotle peppers. There are not many naturally-occurring black food items that I am comfortable serving to my family. Typically, when a long-forgotten item at the back of the fridge turns black, I am ceremoniously dump…
Quinoa with Black Beans, Corn & Chipotle Pepper, Lime & Honey Dressing Recipe
There are times when I ponder what it might be like to go vegetarian. I made an attempt the other night to walk on the light side by cooking up a veggie burger for myself. All was going along swimmingly – a whole wheat bun, a grain and bean-filled patty, and a dollop of yogurt-dill…
Pan-Fried Bulgur Cakes with Artichoke, Red Pepper & Myzithra Cheese Salad & Dill Yogurt Recipe
Sometimes a recipe takes on a life of its own and there is often no turning back. Such was the case with these bulgur cakes. In my mind, these did not even involve bulgur – couscous or quinoa were to take the leading role. That is, until I discovered that my cupboards were devoid of…
Spaghetti Squash Recipe with Spinach, Feta & Basil White Beans
It’s a good thing that spaghetti squash is forgiving. It’s a common occurrence for me to wander into our cellar (or the “pickle room” as we call it, though I have yet to actually pickle anything) and find a forlorn, yet resilient, yellow vegetable that has been waiting for weeks to be cooked and consumed….
Crockpot Gingered Chickpea and Spicy Tomato Stew Recipe
By the time that dinnertime rolled around last night, my family had heard enough out of me. That morning, I had sautéd some onions with a mixture of fresh ginger, garlic, and spices, added some tomatoes and combined this mixture with some chickpeas (garbanzo beans) in my crockpot. By lunchtime, my house smelled as good…