I will confess that until now I was unfamiliar with kugel. It is a baked Jewish dish, somewhat like a casserole or pudding, made with noodles and eggs and sometimes potatoes. There are endless variations with different vegetables, seasonings and sweeteners — sometimes nuts or dried fruit and cinnamon are included. Depending on how sweet they are, they can be served as a side, for dessert or for breakfast or brunch. These savory and slightly sweet cabbage and leek snack-size kugels make for an excellent breakfast.

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I've often thought of adopting a vegan diet, but there are just a few things that I would sorely miss and paneer cheese is surely on the top of that list. Here luscious cubes of tender paneer and plump buttery chickpeas are spiced and cozied up with tomatoes and herbs. The gravy really brings out the goodness of the essential ingredients in this satisfying dish. Paneer always pairs so well with any number of legumes, and we must not forget the spice.

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I'm gradually "unbaking" my way through Rawsome Vegan Baking by Emily von Euw. For those unfamiliar with this inspired cookbook, a wide array of unique raw creations featuring cookies, bars, cakes and cupcakes is offered up complete with droolworthy photos. It should be sinful really, but in fact the recipes, sweetened naturally and often containing nuts, dried fruits, cocoa or carob and coconut oil to bind, are actually good for you. I've tried quite a few recipes so far from this book and truly this is one of the most interesting cookbooks published so far this year.

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Legumes appear on my menu pretty much everyday and chickpeas usually make their appearance at least once a week in some shape or form. Since this has been a rather cool summer, I decided to feature them in a stunning soup. Roasted chickpeas I've always enjoyed but I've yet to share a recipe with my readers in this space. Here they are roasted with spices and then featured as a topping for a nourishing lentil and vegetable soup with creamy coconut milk.

The list of ingredients might seem long, but the process is really quite straightforward. The soup can be served without the roasted chickpeas with ideal results, but the addition of the lightly browned and slightly crunchy peas really elevate this spicy soup into something extra special. It's well worth the effort and won't fail to delight the taste buds and impress your family and friends.

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