No Croutons Required - The winner and May's Challenge

The voting is complete and the winner of April's mushroom challenge is Suganya of Tasty Palettes who submitted this beautifully tempting Baked Portobello stuffed with cheese and tomato sauce, served over lemon and olive oil dressed greens. This is a mushroom lover's dream! Congratulations Suganya! You had some tough competition.

Holler will be hosting the next edition of No Croutons Required. As those of us in the Northern Hemisphere finally look forward to summer it's time to bring on the salad. Holler invites us to "add a cheese be it blue, crumbly, creamy, pongy, smoked, gooey or chewy. From vegetarian to vegan." Warm or cold, your entries are most desired. Your submissions are due by May 20th. For a recap of the guidelines, please go here.

Whenever I get the opportunity to see my Dad, I always like to make a special meal for him. Always open to the prospect of experimenting with flavors — especially when heat is a central component! — I decided upon a Mexican meal which included these spicy black bean pastries (or "pasties") that I only slightly adapted from my now cherished copy of World Vegetarian Classics by Celia Brooks Brown.

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Tunisian in origin, some version of the spiced and stewed pepper and tomato dish with eggs known as "shakshouka" can be found almost anywhere in the eastern Mediterranean where it is a popular staple in local bakeries and diners, served in pita breads or with pieces of leavened bread on the side to soak up the rich juices. This variation comes largely from Celia Brooks Brown's World Vegetarian Classics, which I've come lately to adore, with my characteristic addition of a little hot pepper twist to give it an extra kick. A glorious and warming breakfast on a cool spring morning for me, this "shakshouka" would make an equally colorful, surprising and popular dish to serve guests for lunch.

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Despite the Indian origin of the "chonk" or oil-fried spice seasoning in this very simple tomato sauce from Yamuna Devi's Vegetarian Table, it makes a beautiful and versatile deep-flavored pizza or pasta sauce as well.

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