#56 No meat edition
While I will always be an omnivore, there was a time when I tried to learn to cook vegetarian dishes.
I have a daughter who was a vegetarian (not vegan) for years. To feed her properly according to her chosen diet, I had to rewire my brain. I’ve cooked plenty of meat and vegetable stir fries in my life but nothing prepared me for vegetarian cooking. It wasn’t just a matter of omitting meat. Do that and a dish loses so much flavor. I had to learn to compensate by using ingredients and cooking methods that I had never heard of before. Here are some of the best vegetarian dishes I have cooked for my daughter, Sam.
Mushroom burgers
Chopped oyster mushrooms, bell peppers, carrot, onion and a little garlic are mixed with chickpea flour paste, formed into patties and fried until browned and crisp.
Pepper garlic mushrooms
Mushroom lovers, rejoice! This dish is so versatile that you'll want to create version after version after version.
Cheesy mushroom rice
If stirring rice in broth for half an hour to make risotto isn’t your thing, try an easier way to make a risotto-like rice dish. This cheesy mushroom rice makes a great starter or side dish.
Crispy Buffalo cauliflower florets
Think of it as vegetarian Buffalo chicken wings — batter-coated cauliflower florets tossed in thick and sticky sweet-salty-spicy sauce that coats the florets without ruining the crispness.
Tempura-style crispy green beans
Lightly battered and deep-fried, tempura-style crispy green beans is served with a creamy spicy sauce made with Japanese mayo and Sriracha. Great as finger food or side dish.
Lemon garlic mushrooms over mock saffron rice
If cooking tasty and filling meatless dishes is a challenge to you, think fresh mushrooms. Use them in place of meat for bulk, flavor and texture.
Stuffed bell pepper
Bell pepper stuffed with cooked rice, onion, garlic, paprika, mushrooms, cheese and parsley is drizzled with olive oil, baked and served in a shallow pool of homemade chunky tomato sauce.
Baked squash with Parmesan
Thick slices of squash are drizzled with butter in which garlic had been browned, topped with panko and Parmesan, and baked.
Fried rice style cauliflower
Some food bloggers call it cauliflower fried rice although there is no rice in this dish. Instead, chopped or grated cauliflower is substituted for rice for a low-carb side dish.