Though my favorite bean is probably chickpeas, mung beans are a close second. The addition of fresh tomato and un-fried onion and green chilies add a nice crunch to this spicy dish. I have adapted the recipe from 1,000 Indian Recipes by by Neelam Batra. This extensive collection of delights was a gift from my dear friend Susan. As I noted before, this cookbook is not strictly vegetarian, but there are lots of vegan and vegetarian ideas for spice blends, condiments, starters and snacks, soups, salads, vegetables dishes, paneer, legumes, curries, breads, desserts and beverages. I particularly enjoy the wide range of recipes from various regions of India.

Read this recipe »

It's no secret to my friends or to regular readers of this blog that I consider quinoa to be an absolutely essential staple grain in anyone's kitchen and diet. As simple to cook and as versatile an ingredient as ordinary white rice, quinoa's light and fluffy texture and a delicately sweet and nutty taste make it a treat on any plate even on its own. But it's an almost perfect balance of essential amino acids and proteins — rare in the plant kingdom — that make quinoa such an important food, especially for vegetarians. You just can't lose.

Read this recipe »

Years of being a vegetarian have taught me the basic essentials of a balanced meal: in rough proportion and description of value, a serving of legumes and whole grains for proteins, minerals and essential fatty acids, and a serving of fresh vegetables for vitamins and fiber, with a few good fats from whole dairy products or olive oil thrown in.

Read this recipe »

There are very few things that please me as much as cooking up a nice dinner for valued family members. Scones are always such a comfort food and I served up these spiced cheese biscuits with a little Mexican flair with macaroni and paneer cheese with spinach as a special treat for my Dad and his sweet girlfriend, my good friend Andrew, and of course my husband. Much more nourishing than take-out, and usually much tastier. And moving around in my kitchen helps to keep me warm in these chilly autumn days — I'm okay with that!

Read this recipe »