Main Dishes

Click “Previous Entries” at the bottom to see more recipes.

Unstuffed Baby Eggplants

April 19, 2007
Unstuffed Baby Eggplants

I’m a lazy cook. I’m constantly combining steps so that I can get dinner on the table in as little time and with as few pots and pans dirtied as possible (though D, our resident dishwasher, would tell you that I don’t always do a good job at that last goal). Last night I started [...]

Read the full article →

Seaside-Stuffed Mirlitons

April 13, 2007
Thumbnail image for Seaside-Stuffed Mirlitons

In Louisiana, we call them mirlitons (pronounced meela-tawns in certain parts of the state). In your grocery store, you’ll probably find them labeled chayote. There are over a dozen different names for this watery, squash-like vegetable, which is used all over the world. I’ve grilled it, stewed it, and added it to soups and casseroles, [...]

Read the full article →

White Bean and Garlic Stew

April 11, 2007
White Bean and Garlic Stew

This week I had a request from my husband to make an old favorite that we haven’t had for a while. This stew is different from anything else I make because it uses a whole head of garlic. Now, if you’ve tasted my baba ganoush, you know I can tolerate some garlic. But even I [...]

Read the full article →

Bhindi Masala and Masoor Dal with Ajwain and Tomato

April 8, 2007
Thumbnail image for Bhindi Masala and Masoor Dal with Ajwain and Tomato

Sorry for the unexplained break from blogging. Things got a little disorganized here with E. home from school for the (religious yet somehow still observed by our public schools) holiday. To make up for my absence, today I offer you two new recipes. First up is my brand new favorite way to cook okra. But, [...]

Read the full article →

Veggeroni (Seitan Pepperoni)

April 4, 2007
Veggeroni

Okay, you wormed it out of me. I was going to make this again just to tweak the seasonings a little, but with so many of you writing to tell me that you just have to have the recipe now, I’ve decided to post it here and let you do the experimenting with it. (I’ve [...]

Read the full article →

Sicilian Market Pasta

April 2, 2007
Thumbnail image for Sicilian Market Pasta

My daughter E. lives for pasta, which is kind of a shame because I rarely cook it. When I do, all too often it’s one of her favorite (but boring) dishes: veggie lo mein, spaghetti with “meat” sauce, or macaroni and “cheese.” Every now and then she gets lucky and I go all out with [...]

Read the full article →

Vegan Corned Beef and Cabbage, Roasted Potatoes, and Soda Bread

March 20, 2007
Thumbnail image for Vegan Corned Beef and Cabbage, Roasted Potatoes, and Soda Bread

Instead of St. Patrick’s Day, this year we celebrated St. Patrick’s Weekend. After being out all day Saturday, I didn’t feel up to preparing a big meal, so we waited to have our “official” holiday meal on Sunday night, when I had the time and energy to make it special. And this really was special! [...]

Read the full article →

Cumin Rice with Eggplant and Peas

March 6, 2007
Thumbnail image for Cumin Rice with Eggplant and Peas

Well, it may not be the most beautiful dish in the world, but my whole family liked this cumin-filled rice, adapted from a recipe by Deborah Madison. It even had E. eating eggplant without even realizing it! It’s based on the recipe “Cumin Rice with Eggplant and Peppers” in The Savory Way. Since it’s not [...]

Read the full article →

Gumbo z’Herbes with Cajun Tempeh Bacon

February 28, 2007
Gumbo Z'herbes with Tempeh Bacon

Most people outside of my home state have never had this “Greens Gumbo,” but it’s an authentic Louisiana dish. Traditionally, it was made without meat to serve during Lent, but with Louisianians being the great seafood and meat lovers they are, ham and seafood eventually made their way into this naturally vegetarian soup. Well, now [...]

Read the full article →

Yaki-Fu Stew

February 25, 2007

This package of roasted gluten has been in my pantry ever since I bought it at the Hong Kong Market right after Thanksgiving. I’ve been searching for a way to use it but couldn’t find a mention of it in any of my Japanese or Asian cookbooks (including Madhur Jaffrey’s World of the East). I [...]

Read the full article →

Thai Eggplants and Chickpeas in Peanut Masala

February 22, 2007
Thai Eggplants and Chickpeas in Peanut Masala

Whenever I’m in New Orleans, there’s one thing I have to do. Is it visit the French Quarter? Eat a vegan Muffaletta? Catch a jazz performance? No, though those are all high on my “love to do” list, the one thing I have to do is visit the Hong Kong Market. It’s a huge Asian [...]

Read the full article →

A to Z Pasta Salad

February 16, 2007
Thumbnail image for A to Z Pasta Salad

Since I don’t eat a lot of pasta anymore, this blog is sadly lacking in pasta recipes. Recently, however, I needed to make a dish for a potluck, and since asparagus is once again affordable, I decided to make my generic, go-to pasta salad (even if it’s definitely not salad weather here in frosty Mississippi). [...]

Read the full article →

Polenta Lasagna with Portabellas and Kale

February 6, 2007
Polenta Lasagna

You know I really like a recipe when I make it two days in a row. I first made this dish for dinner last night, and though I liked it and my husband thought it was “outstanding,” I still wanted to tinker with the recipe. It was good, but I thought it could be incredible. [...]

Read the full article →

Quinoa Vegetable Paella

January 26, 2007
Quinoa Paella

I love quinoa. Sure, it has a great nutritional profile, but what I like best about it is that it’s fast: it cooks in about a third of the time it takes to cook brown rice, which makes it possible to throw together a meal at the last minute and still enjoy a whole grain. [...]

Read the full article →

Thick and Hearty Pinto Bean Chili

January 17, 2007
Thick and Hearty Pinto Bean Chili

Mississippi is finally getting a taste of the cold weather that’s sweeping across the country, and though some transplanted Northerners here may think that it’s long overdue, I just want to hibernate. Maybe I’m getting old, but I have no desire to go outside once the weather is below freezing. Yes, I know that in [...]

Read the full article →

Curried Tempeh Sushi

January 15, 2007

Sometimes two seemingly incompatible tastes come together and the result is magic. This, my friends, was not one of those times. I don’t know what got me thinking that sushi with a filling of curried tempeh would be a good idea. I just know that once the idea was in my head, nothing was going [...]

Read the full article →

Red Bean-Chipotle Burgers

January 13, 2007
Red Bean Chipotle Burgers

A few days ago, my family was in the mood for a good old burgers-and-”fries” meal. Now, you know I try to eat as little processed food as possible, so rather than reach for a frozen Boca or Garden burger, I opted to make a bean-based burger from scratch. And though these are not as [...]

Read the full article →

Dried Tofu and Vegetables in a Light Ginger-Garlic Sauce

January 7, 2007

I was racked with indecision. I hadn’t really cooked for days, and finally my family was back home with me, my cold was waning, and I wanted to do something with some of the produce in my fridge before it all turned to compost. At first I craved Indian; then I thought Thai curry. I [...]

Read the full article →

Bucatini all’Amatriciana

December 8, 2006
Thumbnail image for Bucatini all’Amatriciana

Pasta all’ Amatriciana is a traditional Italian dish that’s usually made with bacon (or pancetta, I’m told, though I have no idea what that is). I’ve never had it the traditional way, but in my less health-oriented days I used to make a vegan version of it with [foodies, close your eyes] Bacos. As anyone [...]

Read the full article →

Rainbow Stir-Fry

December 6, 2006
Thumbnail image for Rainbow Stir-Fry

I had planned to write about a pasta dish today, but I’m under strict orders to post this recipe immediately. I don’t really mind; in fact, I’d love to use the phrase “guest post by my daughter” right now, but the truth is, E. likes to cook the food, photograph it, and eat it, but [...]

Read the full article →

Mini Crustless Tofu Quiches

December 4, 2006
Mini Crustless Tofu Quiches

I don’t have a lot to say about this recipe. I mean, there are only so many ways I can say something’s delicious—Mmmmm! Yum! Wow! Awesome! Kid-Friendly!—without sounding like a 4th grader. The story on these quiches is that I saw a non-vegan recipe for mini crustless quiches in a magazine and wanted to try [...]

Read the full article →

Grilled Skewered Vegetables with Quick Polenta

November 30, 2006
Grilled Skewered Vegetables with Quick Polenta

I seem to buy an average of one new cookbook a week, and the sad thing is, I rarely use them. I keep piles of them beside my bed, on my desk, and next to my chair in the den, and I often glance through them (especially if there are pretty pictures) looking for inspiration, [...]

Read the full article →

Tofu Stuffed with Brown Rice and Mushroom Dressing

November 14, 2006
Tofu Stuffed with Brown Rice and Mushroom Dressing

Thanksgiving came early to our house this year. Though we’ll be visiting my in-laws for the main big feast, I decided to have a little celebration just for my own little family. After all, we have a lot to be thankful for. Besides, I wanted to try my hand at something that couldn’t easily survive [...]

Read the full article →

Southwestern Chayote Casserole

November 7, 2006
Thumbnail image for Southwestern Chayote Casserole

I’d been planning for days to make a vegan version of one of the mirliton casserole recipes on the internet. I’d even cooked the mirliton in advance so that the casserole would be that much quicker to make. But then lack of celery spoiled the whole plan. Mirliton? Celery? Wondering what the heck I’m talking [...]

Read the full article →

Cambodian Vegetarian Stew

October 27, 2006

I don’t remember exactly what it was that got me searching for Cambodian recipes–some restaurant menu I saw on the internet for a dish that looked good. I no longer remember anything about that recipe, but while I was searching for information that might help me recreate it, I stumbled upon this recipe and made [...]

Read the full article →

Sushi Salad

October 26, 2006
Thumbnail image for Sushi Salad

I enjoy making sushi–and my family enjoys eating it. But sometimes I want the taste of sushi without the time and effort it takes to roll it. One way I get around the task of making sushi rolls is to have “Roll Your Own” nights: I’ll prepare the rice and fillings and cut the sheets [...]

Read the full article →

Portabella Sushi Rolls

October 25, 2006

[I apologize for not posting the sushi recipe yesterday as promised; I tried all day, but Blogger just was not cooperating. Anyone else having this problem?] Those of you who are eager to get out your sushi mats might want to take a look at some of my older sushi recipes. In this recipe and [...]

Read the full article →

Chinese Barbecued Tofu and Vegetables

October 20, 2006
Thumbnail image for Chinese Barbecued Tofu and Vegetables

It was one of those days when I needed a clone–you know, someone to do the cooking while I did everything else that had to be done. Since science has yet to reach the point of providing me free kitchen help, I reached into my cabinet and pulled out the next best thing: The Crockpot. [...]

Read the full article →

Yellow Split-Pea Soup with Sweet Potatoes and Kale

October 14, 2006
Thumbnail image for Yellow Split-Pea Soup with Sweet Potatoes and Kale

I may have the only child in the world who begs for split pea soup as an after-school snack, but I’m not complaining. Yesterday I needed to cook dinner early because we were going out to dinner. To you non-vegetarians, that statement probably makes no sense at all, but the vegetarians and vegans out there [...]

Read the full article →

Tunisian Bean and Chickpea Stew

October 3, 2006
Thumbnail image for Tunisian Bean and Chickpea Stew

Last week, three new cookbooks arrived by mail, so for days I’ve been poring over recipes and considering new things to cook. The first to arrive were the two I ordered from Nava Atlas–her new cookbook, Vegetarian Soups for all Seasons, and the bonus copy of Vegetariana. They are both beautifully written and illustrated and [...]

Read the full article →

Vidalia Onions Stuffed with Rice-Lentil Pilaf

September 21, 2006
Thumbnail image for Vidalia Onions Stuffed with Rice-Lentil Pilaf

I bought some Vidalia onions a couple of weeks ago, figuring to stuff them once the time was right. Last night the weather finally cooled off enough that having the oven on for an hour and a half didn’t seem like such a hot ordeal. Since Vidalias are sweet, I decided on a sweetish filling [...]

Read the full article →

Potato Pizzas

September 19, 2006
Thumbnail image for Potato Pizzas

I like pizza as much as the next person, though I rarely eat it because of the refined flour that goes into the crust. Then a couple of weeks ago, Saje, a member of the FatFree Vegan Discussion Board, posted a link to a recipe I just had to try: Pizza Potatoes, a terrific idea [...]

Read the full article →

Vegan Eggplant “Parmesan”

September 17, 2006
Thumbnail image for Vegan Eggplant “Parmesan”

I haven’t had eggplant parmesan in so many years that I’ve literally forgotten what it tastes like, so I can’t promise that this tastes like the “real thing,” but I can promise that it is delicious–rich and creamy inside and a little crunchy outside. The method I used is taken from a recipe by Bryanna [...]

Read the full article →

Taco Salad

September 14, 2006
Thumbnail image for Taco Salad

I mentioned before that there are two salads that I have gotten into a rut of eating all the time. Well, this is one of them (and I notice from the comments that many of you are taco salad fans too.) What you see is a bed of spinach and baby lettuces tossed with lime [...]

Read the full article →

Shiitake, Sweet Potato and Zucchini Foo Yung

September 5, 2006
Thumbnail image for Shiitake, Sweet Potato and Zucchini Foo Yung

I’ve been interested in trying my hand at Paper Chef for a while. It’s a blogging event/contest hosted by Owen at Tomatilla! and anyone can participate. It works like this: On Friday we’re given a set of four ingredients to use and we have to come up with a dish over the weekend. I may [...]

Read the full article →

Shirataki Noodles with Tomato Pesto

September 4, 2006

Somewhere on the internet, people must be talking about shirataki noodles because dozens of visitors a day come here searching for shirataki recipes. Shirataki noodles aren’t really difficult to use, but in the interest of being a helpful internet citizen, I thought I’d offer up some info, as well as a new shirataki recipe. First, [...]

Read the full article →

Eggplant Paprikash

August 29, 2006
Eggplant Paprikash

Yes, it’s my weekly eggplant recipe! I know you’re as excited as I am. After all, you can never have too much eggplant. As part of my agenda to convert everyone into Eggplant Lovers (aka Aubergine Admirers and Brinjal Buddies), I’ve transformed the traditional Hungarian chicken paprikash into a vegan dish worthy of an eggplant. [...]

Read the full article →

Eggplant and Tofu in Spicy Garlic Sauce

August 17, 2006
Thumbnail image for Eggplant and Tofu in Spicy Garlic Sauce

I know some of you are probably tired of seeing eggplant here. Eggplant recipes appear on this blog so often that I could probably change the name to FatFree Eggplant Recipes. But there’s a reason for that: I love eggplant! I think it’s one of the most versatile vegetables around. If you’ve been avoiding it [...]

Read the full article →

Orange Couscous Curry

August 14, 2006
Thumbnail image for Orange Couscous Curry

It was 9:00 on Sunday morning, and I needed to have a potluck dish ready by 10:30. To complicate matters, I had little desire to cook or even to attend the potluck–I was thoroughly immersed in a mystery novel and could have happily stayed curled up in the recliner with it all day. Nevertheless, I [...]

Read the full article →

Grillin’ in the Rain (Orange-Ginger Tofu)

August 10, 2006
Thumbnail image for Grillin’ in the Rain (Orange-Ginger Tofu)

Last night I barbecued in the rain. I had this grand idea to marinate tofu in orange-ginger sauce and cook it along with chayotes on the grill. I was so busy planning what I was going to cook that it never occurred to me to look out the window and notice the dark storm clouds [...]

Read the full article →

Black-eyed Pea Gumbo

August 8, 2006
Blackeyed-Pea Gumbo

Yesterday was the first day of school, and I don’t know who was more excited, my daughter or I. She’s in a new school and riding the bus for the first time, and, best of all, her best friend is in her class. She was so eager to start that yesterday she woke up at [...]

Read the full article →

Pasta with Roasted Vegetables and White Bean Pesto

August 5, 2006
Pasta with Roasted Vegetables and White Bean Pesto

I was out of town for a few days this week, visiting my family in steamy southeastern Louisiana, and when I got home, I had a bunch of vegetables I’d bought before I left that were in danger of going bad if not cooked quickly. (My husband, apparently, did not cook one vegetable while I [...]

Read the full article →

Stuffed Eggplants and Not-So-Dirty Rice

August 2, 2006
Stuffed Eggplants

I bought some baby eggplants last week and spent several days agonizing over what to do with them. I wanted to keep them whole because to me it totally defeats the point of having little eggplants if you chop them up into pieces that could be any old eggplant. If you’re not familiar with baby [...]

Read the full article →

Thai Red Curry with Mango Chutney

July 29, 2006
Thumbnail image for Thai Red Curry with Mango Chutney

While researching uses for mango chutney, I stumbled upon a recipe for Crawfish Curry that I just had to try to veganize. Anything that combines elements of Louisiana cooking with Thai and Indian cuisine is just mixed-up enough for me. I had to lose the crawfish, though, and since nothing can ever really replicate its [...]

Read the full article →

Spiced Lentils and Rice

July 27, 2006
Thumbnail image for Spiced Lentils and Rice

This is a “throw it all into your rice cooker and walk away” recipe. I’ve recently started experimenting with putting foods other than rice into the rice cooker, and I love not having to watch over it as it cooks. The one I own is a super-cheapie Black & Decker with two settings, Cook and [...]

Read the full article →

Inari Sushi and Kale with Mushrooms and Water Chestnuts

July 21, 2006
Thumbnail image for Inari Sushi and Kale with Mushrooms and Water Chestnuts

Every now and then I prepare a meal that I’ve been reluctant to blog about because it’s not at all fat-free. Inari are rice-stuffed pouches made of fried tofu, and they’re very easy to make if you buy Inarizushi No Moto in a can. I’ve been working on a way to make the pouches myself, [...]

Read the full article →

Artichoke Pesto Pasta Salad

July 19, 2006
Thumbnail image for Artichoke Pesto Pasta Salad

Last weekend I attended yet another potluck dinner. Something about the summer just screams “potluck,” I guess. For this one, I threw together not one but two pesto pasta salads: a regular one made with semolina pasta and olive oil, to share with the crowd, and a fat-free, healthier version made with whole wheat pasta [...]

Read the full article →

Eggplant Creole

July 18, 2006
Thumbnail image for Eggplant Creole

I needed a vegetable dish to go along with the Okara “Crab” Cakes, so Sunday’s dinner included this vegan version of the traditional Louisiana dish Shrimp Creole. I chose eggplant to replace the shrimp, not because it tastes anything like shrimp but because, unlike most vegetables, it holds its shape without becoming mushy and it [...]

Read the full article →

Okara "Crab" Cakes

July 17, 2006
Thumbnail image for Okara "Crab" Cakes

If you make your own soymilk, you know what okara is–it’s the soy pulp that’s left after all the “milk” is strained out. And if you’ve been throwing it out, you need to stop that right now because it’s very valuable stuff: It has almost as much protein as tofu but has 32 times as [...]

Read the full article →

Patty Pan Squash Stuffed with Cajun White Beans

July 13, 2006
Thumbnail image for Patty Pan Squash Stuffed with Cajun White Beans

You would have thought I’d never seen fresh vegetables. My husband wanted to shop as men do: Get in, get something, and get out. But I dragged him from stall to stall at the farmer’s market, comparing the quality of the tomatoes and zucchini, sighing in disappointment that I’d gotten there too late to get [...]

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →