Archive for the 'The Veggie Table' Category

As seasons change, so do the menus. Sure, it’s sad to pack up the grill and say “arrivederci” to dining al fresco, but there is something exciting about the first crisp autumn days and the chance to make warm, comforting foods again. If you’re anything like me, fall foods are synonymous with pumpkin, but that doesn’t only mean pumpkin pie. Full of vitamin A and fiber, pumpkin works well with breakfast, in a smoothie and other non-pie sweets.

Here are some of my favorite pumpkin recipes.

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There’s no missing the umpteen faux meat products at the supermarket. Ground “beef,” tofu hot dogs, veggie burgers and “chick-un” — you name it and a veg-friendly “meat” option exists. Here’s what I think of some of these substitutes and a few words of warning.

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The hot, sticky summer we know and love here in New England has finally come. I’ve tucked away my oven mitts and am giving my stove the rest of the season off. So how do I keep cool with my food? I slice up a coleslaw — a cabbage slaw, a broccoli slaw, you name. And guess what? No mayo!

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Pineapple is one of those fabulous fruits that takes my taste buds on a tropical vacation! I can eat pineapple plain, no problem, but lately I’ve been grilling it to get that hint of smoky summer flavor.

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When I switched cold-turkey (pun alert!) from a meat-eating to a vegan diet, I was pleased to see I could still eat fries, chips and salsa, and my secret guilty pleasure, Swedish Fish (it’s not real fish, you see). But I quickly realized I’d stumbled into a common veggie pitfall — eating junk food in place of fresh, whole, plant-based meals.

Here, I’d adopted a vegetarian diet for health reasons but was barely eating my good-for-me vegetables. I started experimenting with vegan and vegetarian cooking, and my mind — and my palate — quickly opened up to a delicious world of whole grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts and fruits. A good, healthy mantra for anyone is “all things in moderation.” Jumping into a junk-food vegetarian diet without any balance was definitely not that.

If you’re new to vegetarianism or looking to test it out, don’t make my same mistakes. Here are common pitfalls to avoid.

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