This recipe is a great meal to cook if you’re a vegetarian beginner and your dinner-mates will think you’re a well-seasoned chef.

The other bonus is that it doesn’t take too long to make and there usually aren’t any leftovers.

Serves 4

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Ingredients

Balsamic Marinade
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Eggplant Steaks
1 large eggplant (about one pound)
1.5 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, drained
2 medium-sized red bell peppers, roasted*, peeled, seeded, and cubed
4 ounces feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
1/2 cup pitted black olives, preferably Greek or Moroccan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or Italian parsley
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 6.5-inch pita bread
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 bunch fresh oregano, for garnish

Directions

1. To make the Balsamic Marinade: Combine all ingredients, slowly adding the oil and stirring to combine well. Set aside.

2. Prepare a hot charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. Place a vegetable grilling rack on the grill. Or preheat the broiler.

3. To make the Eggplant Steaks: Cut the eggplant lengthwise into four 1/2-inch-thick slices to resemble steaks. Brush the “steaks” with the marinade.

4. Grill or broil the eggplant for 2 minutes on each side, or until tender but not soft. Remove from the heat, and place 1 steak on each serving plate.

5. Put the chickpeas, bell peppers, feta, olives, and oregano in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir to combine well. Add some marinade, and stir again. Toast or grill the pita bread, cut into pie-shaped wedges, and set aside.

6. Spoon 1 to 2 scoops of the pepper-olive mixture onto each eggplant steak with some mixture pooling onto the plate. Sprinkle with vinegar, place several pita wedges on the plate, and garnish the eggplant with several sprigs of fresh oregano. Serve immediately.

* Roasting Bell Peppers: Place peppers under your broiler until the skin is charred, turning frequently, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove the peppers from the broiler, place them in a paper back and close the top. Let stand for about 10 minutes. Remove the peppers from the bag and peel off the charred skin. Slice the peppers into strip sand remove the seeds.

Per Serving: 460 calories, 18 gram protein, 16 gram fat, 65 grams carbs, 10 mg cholesterol, 1,060 mg sodium, 10 g fiber

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 eggplant, cut into 1/2″ cubes
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
1.5 tablespoons curry powder, or to taste
1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets
8 ounces green beans, cut into 1″ pieces
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, cover, and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the eggplant and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Cover and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the jalapeno pepper and curry powder, then add the cauliflower, green beans, tomatoes, stock, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. If a thicker sauce is desired when the vegetables are tender, use an immersion blender to break up some of the vegetables (or remove up to 2 cups of the solids and liquid from the pot, puree them in a blender or food processor, and return them to the pot.)

Per serving: 141 calories; 3 g fat; 5 g protein; 26 g carbs; 10 g fiber; 0 mg chol; 364 mg sodium

This meal is lots of fun and the flavors are fantastic. I had never heard of it until I got an issue of Vegetarian Times magazine back in 2007 and found the recipe. Typically it’s served with bacon or ham, but by swapping out the meat and adding in fake-bacon, the meal is completely veg. Actually, if you substitute something else for the honey in the sauce then it’s completely vegan!

Cheers to health and prosperity!

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar, divided

2 tbsp honey

3 tsp olive oil, divided

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp salt, divided

1 large bunch collard greens, chopped

4 slices meatless bacon strips, chopped

1 small onion, chopped (3/4 cup)

3 ribs celery, chopped (3/4 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp)

1.5 cups cooked long-grain white rice

1 (15.5 oz) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed

Directions

Whisk together 2 tbsp vinegar, 2 tbsp honey, 1 tsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp chili powder, and 1/2 tsp salt – set aside (this is the “flavor sauce”).

Cook collards in a pot of boiling water – salted – 15 minutes. Drain, reserve 1/2 cup of liquid.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon, onion, celery, garlic, and 1/2 tsp chili powder. Cook 8 minutes, or until translucent. Add collards, 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid, 2 tbsp vinegar, and remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Cover and cook 10 minutes or until greens are tender. Transfer to a platter.

Add rice and beans to skillet. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup cooking liquid, and cook 3 minutes or until heated through. Serve rice and beans over greens. (That rhymes).

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If you’ve tried this recipe, let me know how it turned out in the comments section below!

Also, let’s debate – is honey vegan? Are bees harmed in the making of honey? Comment below.

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Try out a subscription to Vegetarian Times Magazine

Aside from being adventurous, all the ingredients in this meal are simple and your grocery store should carry them all. One thing that spooked me when becoming vegetarian was all the weird ingredients. I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to find them at my grocery store, let alone figure out how to pronounce them!
This recipe comes from the Vegetarian Times magazine, September 2007 issue. I have been subscribing since 2002 and can’t tell you how please I am to find exciting new recipes in my mail box every month!

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 6-oz jar marinated artichoke hearts
1 14-oz package extra-firm tofu, drained and cubed
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp black pepper, divided
2 tbsp olive oil
4 medium carrots, thinly sliced (about 1.5 cups)
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup whole wheat couscous
2 garlic cloves, minced (2 tsp)
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts thinly sliced (1.5 cups)

Directions

Combine artichokes and liquid, tofu, cumin, and 3/4 tsp black pepper in non-stick skillet. Cook over high heat 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring constantly. Transfer to bowl and set aside.

Heat oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots, leeks, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook 10 minutes or until carrots are tender and leeks are lightly brown.

Meanwhile, bring tomatoes and 2/3 cups water to boil in saucepan. Stir in couscous, cover, and remove from the heat. Let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with fork.

Add garlic and reserved tofu mixture to the vegetable mix in the skillet. Cook 3 minutes over medium-high heat or until heated through. Serve tofu and vegetables over the tomato couscous.

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Like I state in the video, this meal can easily be vegan if you withhold the Parmesan cheese. Let me know how you like it in the comments section below!

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
1 cup risotto (arborio) rice
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 red or green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
8 oz button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano
4 cups boiling vegetable stock
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained and chopped (optional)
salt and pepper
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs or bay leaves, to garnish

Directions

Heat the oil in a deep pan. Add the rice and cook over low heat, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes, until the grains are thoroughly coated in oil and translucent.

Add the garlic, onion, celery, and bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the oregano.

Gradually add the hot stock, a ladleful at a time. Stir constantly and add more liquid as the rice absorbs each addition. Increase the heat to medium so that the liquid bubbles.

Cook for 20 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is creamy. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, if using, 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in half the Parmesan until it melts. Transfer the risotto to warmed bowls. Top with the remaining cheese, garnish with flat-leaf parsley or bay leaves, and serve at once.