Veggie Bacon

Butternut Squash - Feels Like Fall

2010-10-19T21:26:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while I make something that tastes so good, I shock myself (which in turn forces me brag to the people around me about what a great cook I am). This is one of those times.

Partly due to my zealous aversion to food waste, most of my recipes are the direct result of a mad dash to eat fresh produce about to turn. So per my usual, I had a butternut squash that I was afraid was on the brink of going bad. At about 7:30pm, I decided to embark on a rather ambitious, time consuming dinner for a weeknight.

I decided to roast the squash with salt, pepper, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red chili pepper flakes, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese. The squash cooked for about 45 minutes at 375 degrees until it got nice and browned (I cropped this picture so you couldn't see my dirty oven - thank you photoshop).

The rest of this recipe was just stuff I had laying around: brown rice, vegetable stock, frozen collard greens, walnuts. I brought 2 and a half cups of vegetable stock and 1 cup of brown rice to a boil and then let it simmer for about an hour. After about 45 minutes, I defrosted the collard greens in the microwave and dry toasted the walnuts in a separate pan. Once the rice was cooked, I stirred in the collard greens, as well as some salt, pepper, and butter, and added the cooked butternut squash.

I finished by topping the butternut brown rice pilaf (I don't actually know what a pilaf is - does this count?) with more parmesan cheese and the toasted walnuts.

To me, this was a near-perfect fall dish. Well worth the time spent waiting for the rice to cook.

The Westward Waistline Expansion: Day 6

2010-06-26T21:40:00.000-07:00

We've reached the end of the road and it is Heaven(ly)

Today was the final day of our cross-country trip, and it was a little bittersweet. As much as I was ready to be done sitting in a car for 8 hours a day, I was also a little sad that our road trip adventure was ending. Mom and I had a LOT of laughs this week, and saw some pretty amazing things along the way.

We skipped hotel continental breakfast for the first time this morning and actually went out to eat. We found a place called Bandits Barista Espresso Bar in the hotel guide book - unfortunately, in Elko that means a greasy spoon diner in the bottom of a casino. There was a stuffed polar bear in the lobby - I'm not kidding. I actually had a mini panic attack while we were waiting to be seated, and Mom had to reassure me that it would be ok. "Look Katie: if that little 5 year old boy isn't scared to eat here, you shouldn't be either!"

The White King and his liberal slots - looks like a perfect place for breakfast

Once again, I was pleasantly surprised. True, the only vegetarian option on the breakfast menu was the pancakes (I am not a baked goods/pastry/maple syrup girl), but I ordered eggs and hash browns off the a la carte menu. The waitress was even sweet enough to oblige my request for extra vegetables in my $1.99 eggs. And they actually tasted pretty good!

So, no offense to anyone who hails from the Silver State, but Nevada is creepy. I mean, super creepy. It is full of ghost towns and prisons and strip clubs - oh my!

A thriving Nevadan metropolis

However, once we got out of the desert, things started to improve. We stopped for lunch at a restaurant called the Black Rock Pizza Co. in Sparks. Mom and I split the Mt. Rose pizza, an olive oil and garlic pizza topped with artichoke hearts, smoked roma tomatoes, basil, gorgonzola cheese, and walnuts. Good Lord, it was delicious - kind of pricey but so worth it.

Notice that my slice is covered in hot pepper flakes. I actually don't have any tastebuds - I've burned them all off.

After a totally satisfying lunch, we got back onto I-80 heading towards South Lake Tahoe. Rather than try to describe what we saw next, I'm just going to provide a photo montage - enjoy!

Umm, there are bears here???

Finally back in California! Have you missed me the past two weeks, Golden State? We checked into our hotel and promptly stuck our feet in the cool, clear lake. PS - the water is totally warmer than the ocean in Santa Barbara. I'm just saying...

We decided to have dinner at a place on the lake called the Lakeside Beach & Grill Restaurant. We had a steamed artichoke appetizer, and I had a Mediterranean platter for dinner, which was full of flatbread, hummus, kalamata olives, and veggies. There weren't a ton of vegetarian options on the menu, but what I ordered was really tasty and filling. The sunset view wasn't bad either.

Lesson(s) Learned: Get ready, here's my big finish...

1. I am able to spend 24 a hours day with my mom, 8 of which enclosed in a tiny Honda Civic, and enjoy every minute of it. Can you say the same? (I know - that's because my mom is the coolest).

2. Finding vegetarian food on the road was not nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. There are plenty of cool, funky restaurants throughout the country. There was almost never a menu with no vegetarian options at all, and even then, servers were more than happy to alter the menu to meet my needs (even at a steakhouse in Nebraska). Oh, and there is always Dominos for a cheese pizza last resort.

3. Having a AAA book is better than a GPS. It provides descriptions and directions to restaurants I never would have found otherwise, and when you have dietary restrictions it helps to do a little extra research.

4. I wouldn't be able to do cool things like move to Lake Tahoe if it weren't for the support of my family and friends. Thank you.

5. Oh, and Lake Tahoe is ridiculous! It's going to be a great summer.

The Westward Waistline Expansion: Day 5

2010-06-25T19:05:00.001-07:00

Taking it with 1 billion grains of salt...

We left Rock Springs this morning heading for SALT Lake City, UT and the Great SALT Lake Desert (which includes the Bonneville SALT Flats). I'm feeling thirsty just thinking about it. The remainder of the drive through Wyoming was pretty boring, although we did start to see snowcapped mountains in the distance. We also found a place (if you can even call it a 'place') called Little America, WY. We were bombarded with roadside billboards, sort of like South of the Border in the Carolinas, but not nearly as funny or racist. What we found, however, was little more than a glorified gas station with a playground. They didn't even have any "Little America" postcards - lame! We bought some 95 cent coffee and continued on our way.

TRUE patriotism lives on in Little America, WY

Soon afterwards, however, we crossed the border into Utah and were rewarded with this:

Someone is coming snowboarding with me in Park City. I mean it.

Yikes! I had always heard that Utah was beautiful but really had no idea it was this picturesque. Not only was the drive breathtaking, but we also found a great place to eat lunch in Salt Lake City. At the suggestion of our AAA tourbook, we stopped at The Dodo Restaurant in Sugarhouse and it was fabulous. The highlight was the Roasted Tomato Polenta Cakes with avocado spread and tomato-pine nut relish (see below). I had a mushroom, feta and spinach quiche with a side of gazpacho soup for my actual meal; everything was delicious and reasonably priced.

We continued westward out of Salt Lake City and into the desert. This was the part of our trip Mom and I were most worried about, prompting us to buy about 10 jugs of drinking water just in case something happened in that 40 mile long stretch of highly travelled commercial highway. We weren't exactly in the wilderness, but were prepared with enough food and drink to take us into 2011. You can never be too careful. Edward Abbey is one of my favorite authors, and I was really looking forward to seeing some of his beloved Utah desert up close. Although our brief journey through the Great Salt Lake Desert wasn't exactly Desert Solitaire, it was still amazingly beautiful landscape. The sand was so starkly white, and the mirages looked like giant lakes with floating icebergs in the desert.

That being said, getting into Elko, NV was anticlimactic to say the least. There were a couple of restaurants in 'town' and I'm sure that I could have found a cheese pizza somewhere, but instead opted to eat cheese and crackers and drink wine in the hotel room.

Dinner of Champions

We also ended up digging into that box of emergency supplies in the car, and had some canned vegetarian Hormel chili. Meh. Better than venturing out into Elko after dark.

Lesson(s) Learned: Be prepared. Even if you aren't stranded in the desert, you may get stranded at a Days Inn in Elko.

The Western Waistline Expansion: Day 4

2010-06-24T19:47:00.001-07:00

Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam...

When you think of the Great Plains, you probably think of wide open grasslands but good god - neither of us were prepared for the nothingness we encountered today. From Western Nebraska to Cheyenne, WY we saw approximately 4 houses and about 5,000 cows. LOTS of wide open spaces. Is this what the Dixie Chicks were referring to??

We stopped for lunch in Cheyenne and loved how cowboy kitschy it was. We ate at a trolley-car-turned-diner called the Luxury Diner, which was perfectly tiny and charming. And lo and behold, they had a veggie sandwich that wasn't bad. The fries were really good (Stacy, I thought you were on a diet...). Mom even met a celebrity - who knew John Wayne was still kickin' it in Cheyenne?!

She took this just to make my aunt jealous (that means you, Lil!)

I hope they replaced those signs on the actual railroad track...

We took the 'scenic' route from Cheyenne to Laramie on Happy Jack Road (SR 210). It turned out to be the best part of the day. We drove through Medicine Bow National Forest, and it was breathtaking. We even drove past snow-capped mountains (see below - thumbs up!).

Overall, the landscape was rugged, uninhabited, and perfectly western. The change from Midwest to West was tangible. Oh, and we passed the Continental Divide! We were hoping for a whole tourist stop complete with statues of Buffalo Bill and funnel cake, but there was only a dinky green sign on the side of the highway that we passed by so quickly that we couldn't even get a picture. Fail, Wyoming. We will forgive you, IF you show us a bison tomorrow. And speaking of wildlife, Mom saw elk! I only saw a dead one on the side of the road, but am hopeful for what tomorrow may bring.

How did that rock get UP there??

For dinner, we walked to a chinese restaurant down the road from our hotel in Rock Springs, WY. I ordered vegetable lo mein; it was so boring that I am not going to post a picture. Use your imagination.

Lesson(s) learned: I am really tired of driving but invigorated by the pioneer spirit!

The Western Waistline Expansion: Day 3

2010-06-23T20:27:00.000-07:00

Nebraska is a pancake (not the delicious, chocolate chip variety).

Today was certainly an educational day. Do you know how much corn is being grown in Middle America?! Holy Toledo - err...Omaha? Anyway, there was a lot of pastoral Americana to be had today; a true feast for the eyes. One pleasant surprise: wind power! Iowa (note the $6 t-shirt) is chock full of beeeeautiful turbines, pumping out clean energy. Be still, my hippie heart.

Today we stopped for lunch in Omaha, NE. Mom and I had done a little online research the night before and found directions to a Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives Restaurant that we were excited to try. Alas, the restaurant closed at 2pm and we arrived at exactly 2:19pm. We proceeded to drive aimlessly around Omaha for about 2o minutes, getting increasingly annoyed until we stumbled upon this:

You had us at "rainbow umbrellas" - the restaurant is called McFoster's Natural Kind Cafe. Come on, seriously? You're making this too easy. The menu was full of fresh produce and embarrassingly exciting vegetarian options. I ordered the 'Morrockin' Salad' with falafel and hummus on top of tons of vegetables. Mom ordered a salmon sandwich with a beautiful grain salad on the side. This was truly a gift from Omaha, and a reassurance that maybe I was being too snobbish to assume that it would be difficult to find vegetarian food in Middle America.

After a very long drive through very flat country, we finally arrived in North Platte, NE. However, the history nerd inside me got really excited to hit part of the Lewis and Clark Trail between Iowa and Nebraska (Shout out, Dr. Thorp!). We settle into our third Comfort Inn of the trip, but found that there were VERY few dining choices in North Platte. We decided on a place called Whiskey Creek Wood Fire Grill. Uh-oh. At least there were fun Wild West amusements on the way! Mom just had to tempt a grizzly.

So, actually quite typically of steakhouses, there were zero vegetarian options on the menu apart from the house salad (aka: iceburg lettuce with shredded cheese and ranch.) I went with what they called rattlesnake pasta, which was supposed to include red peppers, onions, and chicken - I just asked them to hold the chicken. What I got was a buttery, creamy bowl of pasta with one pathetic slice of onion in it. Of course it tasted good, it just wasn't what I wanted. But I felt validated that even at a steakhouse in Nebraska, I could find something fattening to eat and wouldn't starve. God Bless America.

Lesson(s) Learned: There are hippies everywhere. Even Nebraska.

The Westward Waistline Expansion: Day 2

2010-06-22T19:07:00.000-07:00

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the Midwest.

On the second day of our roadtrip across the country, Mom and I traversed Indiana, Illinois, and part of Iowa (all the best 'I' states). Most of it was very flat, and it was VERY hot and humid outside, but we actually made some pretty cool side trips and found some hidden midwestern gems.

After leaving Toledo, we continued to head west. We felt it was kind of a shame to drive so close to Lake Michigan and not actually see any of it from the highway, so we detoured to Indiana Dunes State Park to have a picnic lunch on the beach. Yes, beaches NOT on the ocean - seagulls and everything! Who knew? This was also a way to avoid crappy road food, instead opting for soynut butter sandwiches, apples, and Sunchips. After lunch, I officially stuck my feet in Lake Michigan and we continued on our way.

We also felt like it was kind of a shame to pass so close to Chicago and not even see the skyline, so we did a quick loop through the city which turned into a trafficky mess. It was cool to see Chicago, though, however briefly. It is definitely a place I would like to come back and actually visit in the future.

We got as far as Iowa City, where we decided to post up for the night, and it ended up being such a great surprise! For two people who had never been to Iowa before and had no idea what to expect, we were quite impressed when we arrived in this cute college town on the Iowa River. It was still hot as hell, but we really enjoyed walking along the river and through the Downtown area. We had dinner at Masala Indian Vegetarian Cuisine, which you can probably guess from the name, specializes in vegetarian and vegan dishes. The food was delicious and inexpensive - they even had organic wines for under $5 per glass! Way to go, Iowa!

Lesson(s) Learned: College towns offer lots of dining options for vegetarians; fewer hotel options if it happens to be freshman orientation.

The Westward Waistline Expansion: Day 1

2010-06-21T18:52:00.000-07:00

Holy Toledo!

Today, Mom and I embarked on our journey across the country. I took a job in Lake Tahoe, CA and Mom was awesome enough to agree to drive out with me. As I've never been farther inland in the US than West Virginia, this should be quite the adventure.

As a vegetarian, I thought it would be interesting to see how difficult it would be to find meatless fare on the road. Just in case, we packed a LOT of emergency snacks (and charles shaw).

We drove about 8 hours from Virginia to Ohio, stopping outside of Pittsburgh for lunch. We dreamed of french fry sandwiches at Primanti Brothers, but alas, did not have a GPS to guide us there. We settled on the Eat n' Park, a chain restaurant that we had long laughed about (shouldn't it be PARK and then EAT?). Either way, we were pleasantly surprised. For what seemed like a shlocky chain restaurant, they actually had a good number of vegetarian options. They even conveniently listed all of their vegetarian dishes on the back of their menu. Mom and I both ordered gardenburgers, which we found sufficiently delicious. We also had an adorable server named Tina whom we will probably reference for the remainder of the trip.

We made it as far Toledo. Maumee to be exact. Maumee, OH. We'll send you a postcard. We settled quite nicely into our Comfort Inn with our car snacks and Charles Shaw, but took a recommendation from the front desk and hoofed it over to the Holiday Inn restaurant across the street. The place was completely empty - not entirely shocking considering we were in a street comprised solely of hotel chains and Friendly's restaurants on a Monday night - but we were exctied to see the $4.50 house wine. I was a little concerned that there was exactly one vegetarian dinner option on the menu, but que sera, sera. The vegetarian pizza was fine, and Mom really liked her Walleye.

Lesson(s) Learned: Ohio is full of tractors and corn. If all else fails, order pizza.

Vegetarian Pasta Carbonara

2010-02-21T15:41:00.000-08:00

I know this may sound a little weird, since bacon is one of the main ingredients in pasta carbonara. But I was making it for Ace last week to use up some pancetta I had in my refrigerator, so I decided to try to make a vegetarian version for myself using veggie bacon. It was awesome! I was pleasantly surprised to find that the veggie bacon added enough of a salty, smoky flavor that it really tasted similar to traditional carbonara. I also added onions, which I don't believe are traditional in this recipe, but added a nice extra layer of flavor. This is still a pretty unhealthy meal, but taking out all the bacon fat has to help, right?

Olive Oil - 3 turns around the pan
Butter - a generous pat, maybe a tablespoon
Spaghetti - 1 pound, cooked to al dente
Yellow or White Onion - 1/4, diced
Garlic - 1 or 2 cloves, chopped
Veggie Bacon - 6 strips, cut into 1-inch pieces (I used MorningStar brand)
Parmesan Cheese - Grated, a handful
Parsley - chopped, a small handful
Eggs - 2, beaten
Crushed Red Pepper
Salt and Pepper

Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, saute 2 to 3 minutes more. Add veggie bacon, saute until cooked through, about 5 more minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add pasta, toss to coat with bacon, onions, garlic, and oil. Add eggs, toss until pasta is coated, being careful not to let eggs scramble. Add cheese, red pepper, parsley, salt and pepper. Toss and serve. Serves 4.

Note - Unfortunately, I found out the hard way that leftovers don't reheat well. The eggs make them kind of chewy. You'll be better off just stuffing yourself the night you make it and eating it all.

Valentine's Day Pancakes

2010-02-14T10:08:00.000-08:00

Pancakes are one of the easiest breakfasts you can make (besides cereal and milk, I guess), but for some reason the people you make them for seem to appreciate them like you've slaved over them all morning. This morning, I tried to be cute for Valentine's Day, so I added white chocolate and strawberries. It was like dessert for breakfast, and the bf loved it!

One Batch Prepared Pancake Mix*

White Chocolate Chips - 1 cup

Dried Cranberries - 1 cup

Strawberries - large, about four; two quartered and two cut into fans**

Butter, Maple Syrup, Cocoa Powder

Preheat a griddle or skillet to medium high heat (about 375 degrees, if using a griddle). Add chocolate chips and cranberries to pancake batter. Melt a little butter or lightly spray oil onto the griddle or skillet to make sure the pancakes won't stick. Using a 1/4 cup measure, pour pancake batter onto griddle or skillet; this should make small - medium sized pancakes. Once pancakes begin to make bubbles that don't close and edges look dry (probably 5 min at most), flip with a spatula. Allow to cook for one minute more. Arrange on plate with strawberries, serve with butter and maple syrup and cocoa powder for dusting.

*I've tried making pancakes from scratch several times, and unfortunately they never seem to turn out quite as tasty as when I make them with pancake mix. If you're better than I am at making pancake batter, by all means, make them from scratch! If not, there are a lot of good pancake mixes out there (you don't have to use Bisquick!). Whole Foods sells a store-brand whole wheat pancake mix that's cheap and tastes great.

**To make strawberry fans - cut two large strawberries into thin sections lengthwise, leaving the sections connected at the top near the leaves. Spread the sections gently into a fan, being careful that they don't come apart.

Veggie "Chicken" Noodle Soup

2010-02-09T16:41:00.000-08:00

Here's another of my recent soup creations. This one mimics chicken soup surprisingly well. The first time I made it, I added the noodles uncooked and they kind of came apart in the soup and made it really thick (more of a stew than a soup). I didn't really mind the consistency, but if you're looking for something more like traditional chicken soup, add the noodles cooked to al dente a few minutes before you're ready to serve.

Extra Firm Tofu* - One 14 oz package, cut into approx 1 inch cubes

Olive Oil - Three turns around the pan

Yellow Onion - One, diced

Celery - Three to four ribs, chopped

Carrots - Three to four, peeled and sliced

Garlic - Two to three cloves, finely chopped

Vegetable Broth - Three containers (96 oz)

Poultry Seasoning - Two tsp (use fresh if you can find it, if not, dried is okay)

Egg Noodles - One 16 oz pkg, cooked to al dente

Salt and Pepper - to taste (I needed to add a decent amount of salt to make it taste right to me)

*Coat tofu with soy sauce, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots until softened, about five minutes. Add garlic and cook two to three minutes more. Turn heat to medium low and add broth. Add poulty seasoning. Simmer at least thirty minutes. Add tofu and noodles, season with salt and pepper. Serves at least six.

*Note - leftovers may need to be reconstituted with 1-2 cups water or broth.

Mirepoix - did you know that was a word?

2010-02-06T18:22:00.001-08:00

I didn't. I just Googled it and learned something new. I'm into making soups lately, and I'm finding that there are about a million different kinds of vegetarian soups that you can make that are delicious (see the Black Bean Soup recipe below). The reason I bring this up is that many of these soup recipes begin with onion, celery, and carrot sauteed in butter or oil. From what I've just learned via Google, this "holy trinity" is a french concoction referred to as a mirepoix, and is the base for many soups and stews. Although I didn't know the word for it, I did know that this simple combination of flavors is a wonderful basis for most vegetarian soups that you care to dream up. Try throwing some winter vegetables and store-bought broth into a pot with a "mirepoix" (sounds so fancy!), and you'll have easy home-made vegetable soup.

http://classical-french-cuisine.suite101.com/article.cfm/mirepoix

Black Bean Soup

2010-02-06T18:00:00.000-08:00

This spicy, smoky soup is really hearty; it actually makes a decent substitute for chili. I made it tonight while we were snowed in and wanted something to eat that would warm us up.

Olive Oil - Enough to coat the bottom of the pan

Yellow Onion - 1/2, diced

Carrots - 1 to 2, diced

Celery - 2 ribs, diced

Garlic - 2 to 3 cloves, chopped

Poblano Pepper - 1/2 (or more if you want more heat) chopped small

Black Beans - 2 15 oz cans, liquid reserved from one can

Vegetable Broth - 2 cups

Frozen Corn - about 2 cups

Onion Powder

Garlic Powder

Cumin

Chili Powder

Cayenne Pepper

Salt and Pepper

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion, carrots, and celery until tender, about five minutes. Add garlic and poblano pepper. Saute five minutes more. Reduce heat to medium low. Puree beans (adding liquid from one can) in a food processor or blender until soft but still kind of chunky. (I don't have a food processor, so I have to use a blender. It works fine.) Add beans to pot and stir to combine. Add broth, and season with onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer up to one hour. Add corn and allow to heat through, five to ten minutes. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, hot sauce, and tortilla chips.

Fun with Polenta

2010-01-04T19:16:00.000-08:00

Don't be intimidated of polenta - it's just ground cornmeal (ever heard of grits?) and is both delicious and really versatile.

This was my first attempt at cooking polenta, and it turned out really well. I bought a tube of pre-cooked polenta, sliced it into 1 inch rounds, and sauteed the slices in a pan with a little olive oil over medium heat, about 5 minutes per side, until golden.

I topped the rounds with basic marinara sauce that I doctored with some extra veggies. I sauteed 1/2 of a large red onion (sliced into strips), 1 red bell pepper (sliced into strips), and 3 garlic cloves (chopped) in olive oil until they were soft, about 5 minutes, and then added marinara sauce from a jar. Just because, I also added some frozen veggies (a pre-packaged mix of broccoli, carrots, snow peas, and kidney beans) from the back of my freezer solely because they had been in there forever and I wanted to get rid of them to make space.

Top with grated parmesan cheese and you have a really quick, inexpensive dinner. One log of polenta fed myself and my two hungry roommates. I had tons of sauce leftover, which I will use for another quick vegetarian meal later this week.

Snack - Toasted Chick Peas

2009-11-10T15:03:00.000-08:00

This is a really tasty snack that's both satisfying and healthy - a great combination that is sadly all too rare. This makes a great party snack.

Chick Peas (Garbanzo Beans) - 1 can, drained

Olive Oil - drizzle

Garlic Powder

Paprika

Salt and Pepper

Add olive oil to medium saute pan set to medium high heat. Add chick peas and seasonings (to taste). Toast until browned and fragrant, about ten minutes. Serve warm.

Hero

2009-11-10T14:59:00.000-08:00

Sigh...

Baked Ziti

2009-11-01T16:43:00.000-08:00

I confess that this baked ziti recipe is pretty far from being healthy**...but it's really good! This is one of those dishes that come out looking impressive with minimal work. It's great to make for a crowd because it's cheap and easy to make a lot of, plus everyone will love it. Who doesn't love cheesy pasta, after all?

Pasta - 1 lb, any shortcut variety, cooked to al dente

Crushed Tomatoes - One 28 oz can

Olive Oil

Onion - white or yellow, 1/2 chopped

Garlic - 2 to 3 cloves, chopped

Basil - fresh, handful julienned (cut into small strips)

Ricotta Cheese - One 16 oz container

Egg - 1*

Mozzarella Cheese - 1 cup, shredded

Dried Oregano - 1 tbsp

Crushed Red Pepper - 1 tsp

Garlic Powder - 1 tsp

Salt and Pepper - to taste

*I know it sounds a little wierd to add an egg, but you'll find that it will bind the dish together nicely. Without the egg, it can be a little messy.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cover the bottom of a medium saucepan with olive oil (set to medium low heat). Add onion, saute until tender. Add garlic, then tomatoes and basil. Simmer for a few minutes to combine flavors. Add ricotta cheese, stir until combined. Season with oregano, red pepper, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Empty pasta into a large casserole (or any oven safe dish). Add sauce and egg. Stir to combine. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 25 min, or until it begins to bubble and cheese melts and browns slightly. Serves 4 - 6. I like to serve/eat this ziti with a tossed salad, garlic bread, and whatever red wine I have in the house.

**To keep this from being absolutely horrible for me, I use whole wheat pasta and low fat cheese. I think that it still tastes rich enough that I don't mind the switch.

Restaurant Challenge #003: Lucia's

2009-10-26T09:13:00.000-07:00

Veggie-Bacon Restaurant Challenge #003

Lucia's

Herndon, VA (www.restaurant.com/LuciasRest)

Lucia's is one of those small family-owned neighborhood Italian restaurants that are so common in places like New York, but so rare in Northern Virginia. In fact, it's rare pretty rare to find any restaurants at all in Northern Virginia that aren't boring chains. For this reason (and other reasons), we think that Lucia's is a find. They have great pizza and sandwiches, as well as some really good traditional Italian entrees. One of my favorite things to order at Lucia's in their Linguine con Pesto...basic but fabulous.

As we've said before, Italian restaurants are easy places to go as a vegetarian, because they almost always offer a wide selection of vegetarian dishes. Lucia's is no exception. For meatless entrees, they offer:

Pasta with marinara sauce

Pasta ala Norma (with fried eggplant)

Penne al Arriabiata (with spicy marinara sauce)

Cheese Tortellini

Fettucine Alfred0

Penne con Funghi (with mushrooms)

Linguini con Pesto

Gnocchi

Baked Ziti

Cheese Ravioli

Manicotti

Spinach Lasagna (which is wonderful, and available on Monday nights for half price)

They also offer a Cheese (provolone and swiss), Caprese (fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and pesto), Agrigento (grilled peppers, fresh mozzarella, olive spread), primavera (roasted peppers, eggplant, fresh mozzarella, olive spread), Giardina (grilled vegetables and melted cheese), and Eggplant Parmigiana Sandwich. For lunch, you can get any sandwich with fries and a drink for $7. I think this is a great deal.

Last time we went to Lucia's, Katie and I split a Large Mediterranean Salad and a Unique Veggie pizza. We also ordered Whole Wheat Penne with Pesto. The penne never came, but that didn't matter, because we had a ton of food with the pizza and the salad. We also split a carafe of their house chianti, which wasn't all that cheap, but was very good. We love the Mediterranean Salad at Lucia's, which comes with olives, feta cheese, and giardinera (Italian pickled vegetables). I often order a mediterranean salad and their homemade minestrone for lunch. The pizza was great too. It comes with roasted peppers, spinach, artichokes, and tomatoes. It could have used a bit more spinach, but the vegetables all tasted great, the cheese was good, and the crust was chewy (in a good way!) and tasty.

Despite forgetting the penne, the staff was very helpful and friendly. Our waiter actually gave us a discount on our pizza - we like to think it's because we're cute, but sadly that probably had nothing to do with it :)

Veggie-Bacon verdict: Lucia's is a great find, and we find ourselves going there again and again. The staff is friendly, the food is good, and there are a lot of options for both vegetarians and carnivores.

The Windows 7 Whopper

2009-10-24T14:31:00.000-07:00

This is absolutely disgusting (sorry to the guy in the picture, but come on!)...

I'm certainly not one to judge you for eating a burger, but I can't even begin to imagine what eating what...almost 2 lbs (?) of Burger King beef in one sandwich does to your body. PLEASE...if anyone out there eats one of these, send me pictures to post (amandalriley@gmail.com)!! Maybe we'll create a vegetarian version and have a ridiculous regular burger vs. veggie burger competition! Is it coming to the U.S.? I think you can only get one in Japan so far.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1222380/Burger-King-marks-launch-Windows-7-SEVEN-patty-Whopper.html

Black Beans

2009-10-17T20:16:00.000-07:00

Beans are another excellent source of protein for a vegetarian diet. Black beans are a good choice, because of their high levels of antioxidants.

Check out the article below for more information on why black beans are great for you...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/12/031205053236.htm

Nachos

2009-10-17T19:36:00.001-07:00

Nachos are one of Ace's favorite football foods. He asked me to make them tonight to eat while we were drinking beer and watching Virginia Tech play Georgia Tech. Unfortunately, the Hokies lost to the Yellow Jackets 28 - 23, but at least the nachos were good.

Black Beans - 1 15 oz can, drained

Yellow Onion - 1/4 of a medium onion, chopped

Garlic - 1 clove, chopped

Olive Oil - 3 turns around the pan

Cumin - 1/4 tsp

Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt and Pepper - to taste

Heat olive oil over medium heat in saute pan. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add beans and garlic. Saute for approximately 10 minutes, until liquid from beans is evaporated and mixture begins to thicken (mash beans a bit with a wooden spoon as you are cooking them). Add cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Turn heat to low and keep warm.

Avocado - 1, chopped

Lime Juice - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Place in medium bowl and mash with a fork. Set aside.

Preheat broiler to high.

Tortilla Chips - 1/2 bag

Cheddar Cheese - 1 cup, grated

Salsa - 3-4 big spoonfuls

Pickled Jalapenos

Black Olives

Sour Cream - 3 big spoonfuls

Cover a cookie sheet with tortilla chips. Top chips with bean mixture, jalapenos, olives, salsa, and cheese. Broil until cheese is melted. Top with guacamole and sour cream. Serves 4+. If you're classy, scoop the nachos off of the cookie sheet with a spatula and place them on a platter to serve. If you're like me, make your man eat them off the cookie sheet.

Note: Be careful not to burn the chips under the broiler. I'm horrible about this, and usually burn everything that I attempt to broil. As you can see in the picture above, I completely burned the nachos tonight - I actually set off the fire alarm. Peek at the chips every minute or so to be sure not to repeat my mistake. They should only stay under the broiler for a few minutes, tops.

Mushrooms

2009-10-17T19:13:00.000-07:00

Many vegetarians eat a lot of mushrooms, as they can be a great meat subtitute. Portobello mushrooms, in particular, have a taste and texture that can convincingly mimic beef. A grilled portobello cap is one of my favorite substitutes for steak or a burger (Katie hates mushrooms, and consequently thinks I'm nuts for loving grilled portobellos.)

Many people are under the impression that while mushrooms are tasty, they don't really have much nutritional value. Not true! Mushrooms are low in calories, and high in fiber, protein, potassium, and selenium (an antioxidant that works with vitamin E to fight free radicals - and cancer).

If you're interested, check out this article on the health benefits of mushrooms...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/02/050218161310.htm

Mushroom Risotto

2009-10-16T16:50:00.001-07:00

I love to make risottos, because it makes me feel like such a chef. They're actually not very difficult. They can be a bit time consuming, but basically, if you can stand in the kitchen and stir rice around in a pan, you can make risotto.

Mushrooms - 2 packages (I used cremini and shitake), cleaned, stemmed, and chopped

Olive Oil - 3 turns around the pan

Garlic - 2 large cloves, chopped

Arborio Rice* - 1 cup

White Wine - 2 cups of whatever you have in the fridge

Hot Water - 2 cups

Parmesan Cheese - 1/2 cup, grated

Fresh Thyme - 2 to 3 sprigs, leaved removed from stems

Black Truffle Oil** - 1 to 2 tsp (optional)

Salt and Pepper - to taste

*You can almost always find arborio rice in your grocery store in the aisle with all the other rice. I've never tried to make risotto with any other kind of rice, but my understanding is that you need the starch from the arborio rice to give the risotto its texture. The starch will release as you're stirring and give the risotto a wonderful creamy texture.

**I recently found a small bottle of truffle oil in the aisle with the olive oil at Wegman's. It was a little expensive, but worth the investment. If you've never tasted a truffle before, you haven't lived! Adding truffle oil to your recipes will add a strong, rich, almost buttery flavor that I bet you'll love.

Heat olive oil in large saute pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and saute until slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add rice and garlic and saute until rice is fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add more oil if necessary to keep rice from sticking. Add 1 cup of wine. Simmer, stirring constantly, until wine is absorbed. Repeat with second cup of wine, and then water, one cup at a time. Add thyme, cheese, and truffle oil, if using. Taste, and add salt and pepper as necessary. Simmer 1 to 2 minutes more to combine flavors and melt cheese. Serves 4.

I served this risotto with a side salad of arugula tossed in olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

California Trip

2009-10-14T17:08:00.000-07:00

Mom and I just got back from a week long trip to Santa Barbara to visit Katie, and I've completely fallen in love with California. It's a vegetarian's dream come true! It blew my mind how easy it was to find great vegetarian food everywhere. There are great vegetarian restaurants with really creative menus on practically every corner, and even the regular restaurants all seem to have alot of vegetarian dishes. The last time I went out there, Katie and I actually found a veggie hot dog at a hot dog stand in Santa Monica. Crazy! Here's the vegetable platter that I got for dinner one night at a place called SoHo:

Being an East Coast suburban girl, I don't think I ever truly understood how amazing real fresh locally grown produce could be. Mom and I went to the farmer's market in downtown Santa Barbara one day while Katie was in class, and I was like a kid in a candy store. I couldn't believe how many local farmers there were, selling the most amazing looking organic produce for so cheap!

We went back to Katie's apartment that night and made an absolute feast out of everything we'd bought. We made a spaghetti squash with roasted vegetables, a beet salad with red and gold beets, and tossed salad with arugula and heirloom tomatoes, and we had this awesome organic Italian wheat bread that we found at the market. It made a ton of food that was amazingly filling, considering it was all vegetables!

Veggie-Bacon Recommendation: If you get to California and you get a chance, visit a farmer's market. They're amazing - you won't be sorry. Oh, and if you're a fan of Trader Joe's and cheap wine, buy a case of Charles Shaw. It actually costs 2 freaking dollars a bottle out there! Insane!

2009-10-14T17:04:00.000-07:00

A friend recently forwarded this picture to me in support of our Veggie-Bacon efforts. Thanks, Mike. I would totally be a carnivore...if I was a T-Rex.

Leeks

2009-10-07T17:57:00.000-07:00

Leeks can be kind of pain, but they add a really delicious mild onion flavor to whatever you put them in. I used leeks in the soup listed below, and I just wanted to quickly show how I dealt with them.

The dark green tops of leeks are too tough to eat, so you want to start by cutting off the root end and the dark green tops, leaving just the white and light green parts. Leeks grow in sandy soil and have lots of layers, so those layers tend to be filled with dirt and grit. I find that the easiest way to remove the dirt is to chop the leeks first (in half lengthwise, and then into half moons), and the dump the chopped pieces into a bowl full of cold water. Swish them around in the water and let them soak for a minute or two, and all the dirt should fall to the bottom. Fish them out of the water with your hands or a large slotted spoon, and they should be good to go.

Potato Leek Soup

2009-10-07T17:34:00.001-07:00

This is a really thick and creamy soup that I made for dinner tonight to celebrate the colder weather. Making soup from scratch always sounds impressive, but this is really very easy.

4 Large Potatoes - peeled and diced

2 Leeks - cleaned and chopped into half moons

Milk - 2 cups

Vegetable Broth - 2 cups

Butter - 4 tbsp

Flour - 3 tbsp

Veggie Bacon - several slices, cut into small pieces and sauteed until crisp

Green Onions - a handful, chopped

Cheddar Cheese - a handful, shredded

Salt and Pepper - to taste

Cover cubed potatoes with salted water in large saucepan and bring to boil. Boil 15 minutes, or until fork tender. Heat 2 tbsp butter in second large saucepan. Add leeks and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add flour and remaining butter to leeks, stir until flour is absorbed into the butter. Mash the potatoes with a fork and add to pot with leeks. Add milk and broth, stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. If soup is too thick, add additional broth. Garnish with veggie bacon, green onions, and cheese. Serves 4+.

Five Ingredient Dinner – Baby Broccolini and Butternut Squash with Quinoa

2009-10-07T17:31:00.000-07:00

3 cloves garlic
½ red onion
½ lb baby broccolini
½ cup quinoa
1 handful cubed, frozen butternut squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)

First, I chopped garlic and cut red onion into chunks. I put a pot of water on the stove to boil (high heat) while I washed and trimmed the ends off the broccolini. When the water came to a boil, I salted it and dropped in the broccolini. I let the broccolini cook for 5 minutes, drained, and placed in a bowl of ice water to cool off quickly.

In the same pot I just drained (and rinsed out), I added a cup of water to bring back to a boil. Once it came to a boil, I added ½ cup of quinoa. I put the lid back on and reduced to simmer, letting the quinoa cook 10-12 minutes until all liquid was absorbed.

While quinoa cooked, I put olive oil in a sautee pan and added chopped onions and garlic. These cooked 4-5 minutes until softened, then I added cooked, cooled broccolini and defrosted, cubed butternut squash (to defrost the squash, I just microwaved for a minute). Make sure to dry excess water off broccolini or the oil might splatter. I stirred all the vegetables together, and seasoned with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.

To put it together, I topped the cooked quinoa with the veggie mixture.
(Serves one hungry girl - if you have a more petite appetite, you might have leftovers)

Walnuts

2009-10-07T17:24:00.000-07:00

If you're going to be incoporating more vegetarian meals into your diet, it's a good idea to be conscious of including non-animal derived sources of protein into what you're eating. Eating nuts and nut butters (the more natural, the better - regular peanut butter is full of hydrogenated oil and sugar) is a great way to incorporate more healthy protein into your diet.

I added raw walnuts to the spinach salad below, because I've been reading lately about how great they are for you. They're full of Omega-3 fatty acids, which we could all use more of. If you're interested, this article has a ton of reasons to eat more walnuts...

http://walnutsweb.com/walnuts/Health+Benefits+of+Walnuts

Spinach Salad

2009-10-05T18:34:00.001-07:00

Baby Spinach
Walnuts
Red Onion - thinly sliced
Veggie Bacon - Chopped into 1 inch (0r so) pieces and sauteed until crisp

Dressing:
Dijon Mustard - 2 tbsp
White Wine Vinegar - 2 tbsp
Olive Oil - 1/4 cup
Salt and Pepper - to taste

Toss and serve. The tangy mustard and vinegar tastes awesome with the sweetness of the walnuts and red onion and the saltiness of the bacon.

Our Little Tofurky Fan

2009-10-04T16:28:00.001-07:00

Our cat, Moochie, loves Tofurky and other various soy products. If this carnivore isn't afraid of vegetarian eating, you shouldn't be either.

Quick Lunch - Spinach Wrap

2009-10-04T16:24:00.000-07:00

To make this wrap, I sliced about half of a white onion and sautéed it with two cloves of chopped garlic over medium heat and seasoned with salt and pepper. Once the onions began to soften, I added fresh baby spinach. I kept adding spinach as it wilted until I had enough to fill a tortilla (about 3 big handfuls). I also added crushed red pepper flakes at this point. Last, I put all the cooked vegetables in a tortilla (I used whole wheat) and topped with parmesan cheese. Delicious and super easy.

NY Times Article - "Woman's Shattered Life Shows Ground Beef Inspection Flaws"

2009-10-04T11:36:00.000-07:00

Eating a hamburger left this woman paralyzed...

"Meat companies and grocers have been barred from selling ground beef tainted by the virulent strain of E. coli known as O157:H7 since 1994, after an outbreak at Jack in the Box restaurants left four children dead. Yet tens of thousands of people are still sickened annually by this pathogen, federal health officials estimate, with hamburger being the biggest culprit. Ground beef has been blamed for 16 outbreaks in the last three years alone, including the one that left Ms. Smith paralyzed from the waist down. This summer, contamination led to the recall of beef from nearly 3,000 grocers in 41 states.

Ms. Smith’s reaction to the virulent strain of E. coli was extreme, but tracing the story of her burger, through interviews and government and corporate records obtained by The New York Times, shows why eating ground beef is still a gamble. Neither the system meant to make the meat safe, nor the meat itself, is what consumers have been led to believe."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/health/04meat.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

2009-10-03T10:04:00.000-07:00

Amanda and I cooking our first vegetarian meal together - I believe it was plastic.

Restaurant Challenge #002: The Barge

2009-09-22T18:30:00.000-07:00

The Barge

Dublin, Ireland

I just got home from a long weekend Dublin, Ireland, which was awesome! Ace (the bf) and I spent four days in downtown Dublin sightseeing and hanging out with the Irish. Dublin is a great city to be a tourist, because it's surprisingly small enough that most everything you want to see is within walking distance, and its full of great shops, beautiful old buildings and cathedrals, and little local hangouts full of really friendly people.

I have to admit, though, it was hard to be vegetarian in Ireland! The Irish are the epitomy of meat and potatoes folks, and they don't seem to spend too much time worrying about eating their fruits and vegetables. I mostly survived on french fries (chips) and Guiness while I was there, not that this was really anything to complain about. Ace and I did try to do the tourist thing and stick to the traditional looking Irish pubs, which probably didn't help my cause. We saw a number of restaurants offering different kinds of cuisine (we saw a great looking Mongolian Barbecue place in Temple Bar), where it probably would have been much easier to find vegetarian options. That being said, I did manage to find a few vegetarian dishes at the places we went.

We stayed in the Hilton Dublin, and there was a bar and restaurant right next to our hotel called The Barge. We didn't actually go in until the last day that we were there, because it looked like just another little pub on the corner. We stopped in on our last day there to grab lunch, and were surprised to find that the place was actually huge inside, and offered all kinds of food. There were at least three stories inside with bars on each one, and there was also a cafeteria style section with hot food, what appeared to be a coffee bar, and an area serving soups and sandwiches. We went to the soup and sandwich area where I ordered an "egg mayonnaise" sandwich and cauliflower soup. It turns out that egg mayonnaise in Dublin means egg salad, and the egg salad at the Barge was good. I got egg salad, lettuce, tomato, and cucumber on white bread, which was pretty basic but exactly what I wanted. The cauliflower soup was really good, very rich and comforting.

The waitress told me that the soup was vegetarian when I asked, but I'm not entirely convinced it wasn't made with chicken broth, unfortunately. I'm not one to worry about this all that much (it's not like it's going to kill me if it was chicken, after all), but this is definitely one of the hazards of eating out as a vegetarian - there are sometimes hidden animal derived ingredients in what you order in food that appears to be vegetarian. You just have to decide to either be vigilant about asking your server what goes into the food you're ordering, or you have to decide that you're just not going to worry about it.

The Veggie Bacon Verdict:

The Barge worked out okay, but finding anything vegetarian in Ireland is hard! Be prepared to check several different restaurants, and look for places that offer choices other than traditional Irish fare.

Super Easy Marinara

2009-09-16T14:09:00.000-07:00

This recipe is so simple, but I wanted to post it since it's one I use all the time, almost always using ingredients I already have in the pantry. We talked about the great marinara at Tutto Bene, but this one is also delicious and is one of the easiest things you'll ever make. I never use spaghetti sauce from a jar any more, because this one is cheaper, healthier (because you control the ingredients), and tastes better.

Olive Oil - 3 tbsp

Onion* - 1/4 to 1/2 (depending how big it is), diced

Garlic - 2 large or 3 small cloves, chopped

Crushed Tomatoes** - One 28 oz can

Garlic Powder - 1/2 tsp

Dried Oregano - 1 tsp

Crushed Red Pepper - 1/4 tsp

Salt and Pepper - to taste

(If you have fresh basil, oregano, or parsley in the fridge, throw this in the sauce too. If not, don't worry about it.)

*I like to use a sweet yellow onion, such as Vidalia, but use whatever you have on hand.

**Try to use good quality canned tomatoes, as this is really what makes the sauce good. My favorite brand is Cento. If you like chunkier sauce, use diced tomatoes instead of crushed.

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, then garlic, and cook until onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and reduce heat to medium low. Stir in garlic powder, oregano, crushed red pepper, and fresh herbs if you're using them. Cover and allow to simmer for at least 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pasta***, drizzled with extra olive oil and covered with grated cheese.

***My go-to meal when I'm feeling tired or lazy is whole wheat angel hair pasta with this sauce, a basic tossed salad with olive oil and red wine vinegar, and a bottle of cheap red wine. I eat a lot of pasta (most vegetarians do, because it's easy), so I try to stick to whole wheat so that I don't load up my body with empty carbs. If you're not into the taste of whole wheat pasta, try mixing it with half regular white pasta to get yourself accustomed to it. I've also been told that Dreamfields pasta is a really good alternative, though I admit that I haven't tried it.

Restaurant Challenge #001: Tutto Bene

2009-09-09T11:30:00.000-07:00

Veggie-Bacon Restaurant Challenge #001:
Tutto Bene, Arlington, VA

As part of our mission to make vegetarian food easier to eat, this is the first in our series of local restaurant reviews. Rather than just reviewing how good the food, service, price, etc. is, we’re going to let you know how easy it was for us to find delicious vegetarian options.

One of the first questions that you get asked as a vegetarian is, “how hard is it for you to go out to eat?” We don’t know about you, but going out to eat is one of our favorite things, and we totally weren’t about to give it up when we gave up eating meat. But we were both pleasantly surprised to find that it’s very rare to go to a restaurant and not find anything on the menu that we can eat. Sometimes we have to be a little bit creative (we often eat an assortment of appetizers or sides for a meal, rather than ordering an actual entrée), but we’ve found that often these meals are our favorite ones.

We love going out to eat, but it can be really hard to convince non-vegetarian friends and family to come with us to vegetarian restaurants. This doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t go out to regular restaurants with them and find plenty of veggie options! To make this a little easier, we’re going to try out some local places and let you know whether we think you should try them out or skip them.

Last Friday, Katie and I went to Tutto Bene in Arlington, VA (http://www.tuttobeneitalian.com/ABOUT_US/about_us.html) for the rehearsal dinner before our friend Carla’s wedding. Tutto Bene, we discovered, is a small hole-in-the-wall type Italian restaurant in the middle of Arlington, near Ballston mall. For a Friday night, the place was practically empty, which left the bartender and our server free to be extra attentive to our party. That being said, the service wasn’t fabulous, but it wasn’t awful either.

Tutto Bene offered the following vegetarian entrees:
Eggplant Parmigiana
Grilled Vegetables
A Risotto of the Day, which happened to be Vegetable
Spaghetti with Marinara
Cheese Ravioli
Gnocchi with Marinara
Manicotti
Ravioli Alla Panna (Ravioli with cream and cheese)
Fettucine Alfredo
Capellini with tomatoes, garlic, basil and olive oil

They also offered a margherita, veggie, and white pizza, as well as several meat-free soups, salads, and appetizers.

All in all, we were impressed with the vegetarian options available. Italian restaurants, though, are often pretty veggie-friendly. There are usually several meat-free pasta and pizza dishes to choose from. This one offered most of your typical vegetarian options that you’re going to find at the neighborhood Italian place (spaghetti with marinara, cheese pizza, eggplant parmigiana, fettucine alfredo). We were pleased to see some options that were a little less conventional, however, in addition to these classics.

For an appetizer, we split the fried zucchini. It wasn’t the best we’d ever had, but it wasn’t the worst either. It came French-fry style (cut into sticks), and was a bit greasy. The breading was good, though, and so was the marinara that came with it as a dipping sauce. There was a ton of it, too, which made us happy (we hate small portions!).

For our entrée, we ordered the Grilled Vegetables. We thought this dish sounded a little weird, so we had to try it. Once again, we were pleasantly surprised! We had visions of a pile of soggy vegetables on a plate, but this was far from the truth. It was a beautiful dish of perfectly grilled vegetables arranged on a bed of linguine, topped with a generous dollop of goat cheese and covered in the same great marinara that came with the fried zucchini. When Katie cut up the vegetables and stirred them into the goat cheese and marinara, a chunky, rich sauce was created which was delicious with the linguine. She ate every bite! This dish was definitely a hit.

The Veggie-Bacon verdict: Tutto Bene was a success! There were plenty of options for vegetarians and for carnivores, and the old stand-by veggie options were supplemented with some creative and tasty meat-free dishes. We’d definitely go back.

The way we see it...

2009-09-08T19:33:00.000-07:00

Vegetarian food doesn’t have to be weird. And you don’t have to be a vegetarian to eat it. Think of some of your favorite classic junk food - pizza with extra cheese, french fries, microwave popcorn - they’re all vegetarian! In fact, we guarantee that you eat vegetarian food all the time; you just don’t think about it.

Some vegetarians are perfectly content to live off of nothing but bulgur wheat and sunshine, and turn their noses up at a piece of greasy bacon. But not all. We have been vegetarians for years, and bacon still smells pretty damn delicious to us. We understand that a lot of meat dishes taste really good, and in order to willingly and happily swap them out for vegetarian dishes, the veggie stuff has to taste equally good or better. Our recipes will give you some veggie options that will taste so good, that you’ll forget (or at least forget to care) that you’re eating vegetarian food.

There’s a misconception that eating vegetarian food requires a major life change. If you’re going to try becoming a vegetarian, we recommend you don’t do it all at once. That rarely works, and it will only make you feel like you’re missing out. We don’t know about you, but we love food. We also hate diets, because they only make us feel like we’re missing out on the delicious food that we love so much. Many people view becoming a vegetarian the same way they view going on a diet. That it’s all about completely changing the way you eat overnight and giving up the all the things that you like to eat (or feeling like a total failure when you cheat and eat a potato chip). No one can stick to that! Or at least, no one can stick to that and be truly happy. We say, what’s the point of that?

Rather than making the switch cold turkey, why not try replacing a few carnivorous dishes a week with vegetarian ones? This may be as far as you’ll ever want to go with it, and that’s totally cool. Or maybe, like us, you’ll go veggie all the way and never look back.

There are countless benefits for you and for the world you live in to cutting some of the meat out of your diet. But, it bothers us when someone tries to make us feel guilty for how we live our lives. We’ve found that eating vegetarian has suited our lives and the things that we’re into, and that’s why we do it. But that’s our lives, not yours, and we don’t know what suits your life. Don’t let us make you feel guilty with any of this. If you want to go home tonight and eat a rack of ribs with chicken nuggets on the side, go right ahead - we won’t judge you. That’s not what we’re trying to do here. We just want to give you some options that you may not have realized that you had before, and provide you with some resources that make meatless eating seem a little less intimidating.