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. Get the recipe.
Pepper garlic mushrooms – Mushroom lovers, rejoice! This dish is so versatile that you’ll want to create version after version after version. See the recipe.
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. Get the recipe.
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. Check out the recipe.
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. See the recipe.
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. View the recipe.
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. Get the recipe.
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. Go to the recipe.
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. Get the recipe.
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