Though many vegetarians have a signature vegetable burger, I'm not one really to serve patties in bread typically. Sure, I do make little bites all of the time, usually served with some chutney or sauce, alongside a meal. Often they even make up the entrée, paired with rice, a vegetable side and perhaps a flat bread. But somehow I got to thinking that maybe I did want to come up with a "veg burger" and, after much thought, I am now sharing a vegetable burger that, in all modesty, I will assert is probably the best that I have ever eaten.

Everything is here. Legumes, grains and vegetables. On top of that, they are baked rather than fried. I served them in a toasted English muffin, with some spinach leaves and a simple spicy tomato chutney, with a pickle on the side. So excited was I with the result that I called up my best friend Basil to drop over for a little bite. The verdict was a positive one, echoing my husband's rave review.

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As much as I enjoy a simple pot of fresh cooked and buttered white rice to go along with my meals, I'm always on the hunt for other quick and easy ideas for rice. That's why I zoomed in almost immediately upon this ridiculously simple but wonderfully inventive recipe for peanut butter rice when I recently received a copy of A Taste of Tanzania: Modern Swahili Recipes for the West by Miriam Rose Kinunda. Why had I never thought of this before? Just stir in some natural peanut butter and salt into the rice cooking water, and you've got a pot of delicately flavorful rice that not only adds a little protein to your dinner but also quite nicely tempers the heat of a spicy curry if you happen to be serving one. This easy idea is in my permanent repertory of rice dishes now. I'm interested to try it with other nut butters like almond or cashew, but I do find that the peanut butter has a much more pronounced taste that will go along with other stronger flavored meals.

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This easy and attractive chutney was made up to go along with curried quinoa and wild rice savory cakes. Bold and assertive, with a layering of intriguing sweet, tart and peppery flavors from the mango, coconut, fresh orange and lime juices, dried apricots, chilies and cilantro, this a refreshing accompaniment to Indian savories. Also consider serving alongside basmati rice and a soup or dal curry for a most satisfying meal.

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After successfully baking falafel instead of frying them, it was time to take things further with a twist. This time I used quinoa in place of the chickpeas. The rather unorthodox mixture of nutty quinoa and tahini was nearly authentic in taste in texture, sans chickpeas. Go figure, but it worked perfectly. The lemon tahini sauce I served them with was the bomb. If desired, you can serve them in pita pockets with the sauce.

Thankfully, I rarely dine alone, but on this occasion, I almost wished I did because I wanted to keep them all to myself. Well, that is a bit of an exaggeration, as I always enjoy serving food to my husband and best friend Basil. However, they are really easy to make so surely these are now a frequent addition to the table. I am one of those grazers that likes to snack on various things throughout the day, rather than to eat large meals and these are simply ideal. Certainly, this is a new healthy favorite.

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