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I've been trying out some rather spectacular vegetarian recipes. I'm sharing the wealth. And I'm asking you to share the wealth too! Post your favorite, underappreciated vegetarian dishes here. 2 gold stars if they're easy to make.

I must say it seems like the cooking times / prep seems to be shorter for some of the dishes I've been making too, as opposed to meat dishes. I guess vegetables cook faster + there can be fewer ingredients (meat usually requires the extra steps of making a marinade if you really want it to taste good).

So here's mine. And it's super easy. And frickin good. REALLY good.

I give you, in about 30 minutes of prep time start to finish:

Soba With Green Beans + Silky Tofu

For the dressing
4 tbsp tamari/soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp Asian chili sauce
5 scallions, chopped

the rest
1 packet soba noodles
1/2 lb green beans
1 lb silky tofu (or other consistency tofu -- your preference, really)

1. Mix ingredients for dressing in a bowl. (Wasn't that easy?)

2. Dice up tofu into cubes if using firm tofu. If using silky, just put in a bowl and break it up a little with a spoon. Spoon some dressing over it to taste (about 6-8 spoonfuls for 1 lb of tofu). Mix, and set aside.

3. Wash green beans + break off ends. Cut up/break with your hands the pieces so they're about 1-2 inch in length. Bring water to low boil and cook beans for about 3 minutes. You want them bright green + still a little crunchy. Don't overcook.

4. At the same time you are boiling water for the beans, boil another pot of water for the soba. Soba has a short cooking time, check your packet for instructs.

5. Mix a single portion of the soba + green beans in your bowl, add just one spoon of dressing over it and mix to coat (the dressing is very salty, go easy. The tofu will also be very salty, so leave the noodles mostly plain). Then spoon as much of the marinated tofu as you want over the top and mix up.


Note: You don't have to, but I'd store the items in separate containers if you have leftovers. So you can mix the portions as you like them later, noodles to greenbeans to tofu to any extra dressing. You can eat this hot or cold.


Ok. Your turn.

Vegetarian Thai curry

1 1/2 C dried chickpeas, soaked overnight & drained
3 C light coconut milk (still rich and tasty, not quite so calorific)
3-6 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks (peeling makes the sauce smoother but is not necessary if the skin is scrubbed well)
14 oz can diced tomatoes

2 tsp fresh grated ginger
2 tsp paprika or sweet chili powder (optional if using fresh chilis)
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp powdered turmeric (optional)

1/4 C minced fresh coriander

1 large bunch fresh basil, stemmed, large leaves torn in two
1-2 T tamari soy sauce
1-2 tsp cayenne pepper or to taste or 1-3 ripe red jalapeno or serrano
chilis, minced, or to taste

So I increase the garlic, lighten the coconut milk, and increase the oomph of the curry powder by using more and fresher ingredients, increase the basil because I believe basil is a vegetable, and bump up the pepper as needed at the end.

The basic combination--chickpeas, sweet potatoes, coconut curry--is genius, and quite forgiving of what you do to it.

Quote "1 1/2 C dried chickpeas, soaked overnight & drained
"

@Static if you want to make this in the same day you can get Garbanzo beans from Trader joe's which are same as Chickpeas. They are already soaked, boiled etc...ready to eat. Only thing check the salt content of the dish before you add any additional salt.

I use canned ones anyway. I personally never soak and cook chickpeas, because I am just too lazy. The canned ones are fine for most uses, except maybe salads.

Lentil Pie

Here's a nice way to serve lentils or use up leftovers:

1. Make a savory pie crust according to your favorite recipe or buy a frozen one.

2. Cook a 1 1/2 cups of lentils, spiced in any manner that makes you happy.

3. Mash a pound or so of potatoes -- I prefer to leave the skins on, add a lot of butter, a bit of cream and grated romano cheese.

4. Pour the lentils into the pie crust.

5. Spread the mashed potatoes on top of the lentils.

6. Top with a bit of extra-sharp cheddar.

7. Cook at 350 F for about half an hour.

An easy snack or lunch, from Trader Joe's:

Red Pepper Wraps
All ingredients are the Trader Joe's brand.
1 pkg Joe's Chili Flour Tortillas
1 small tub of Whipped Cream Cheese
1 jar of Peso Alla Gnovase
1 jar of Fire-Roasted Red Peppers
1 pag of "Spring Mix"

Spread chili tortilla with a layer of the whipped cream cheese, then a layer of the pesto. Place a row of the roasted red peppers down the middle of the tortilla. Then, add a bit of the spring mix. Roll tightly & serve in slices as an appetizer or cut in half for a sandwich-style lunch or dinner.

NOTE: That pesto is cool stuff. Mix it with mayo (1 spoonful pesto to 3 spoonfuls mayo) and you've got an awesome spread for sandwiches.