Recipes for World Vegetarian Day

I don’t suppose that I personally fit into any strict eating category, but I can say that I mostly don’t eat meat. That’s pretty meaningless for the most part, but I do stand by the idea that fewer animal products in our collective diets would be far more sustainable than the industrial farming processes that are so prevalent today. I am not vegetarian and The Messy Apron is not a vegetarian recipe site. I think there are, however, more plant-based recipes posted here than there are meaty ones. Put simply: that’s just the way I like to eat.

Perhaps, unlike the way everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, we aren’t all inclined to be vegetarian on World Vegetarian Day, which is today. That doesn’t mean that we can’t explore the plant-based world of delicious dishes without converting completely. If you’re at least a little ve-curious, there’s a lot of tasty and satisfying, not to mention healthy stuff that’s worth your time and attention. For this post, I’ve kept my list of vegetarian ideas seasonal, that is, particularly satisfying and accessible in a Midwestern fall.

I like to get proteins from beans and peas, and I like things bursting with complex flavors. Vegetarian curries, such as the Roasted Tomatillo and Chickpea Curry I just posted, Chickpea and Spinach Curry, Winter Squash and Onion Curry with Yogurt Sauce, and Split Pea and Vegetable Curry cover those bases with deliciousness to spare.

 

I also like vegetable-based stir fries, and have posted a few that are especially formulated for this time of year: Root Vegetable and Cabbage Stir Fry with Ginger and Lemon, and Spicy Spaghetti Squash Stir Fry.

 

While they take a little longer to put together, I also love savory pies. Some of my favorites for fall are Chard Tart with Feta Cheese and Olives, Winter Squash and Leek Empanadas with Sage (folded-over pies!), and Winter Vegetable Galettes with Cheddar, Mustard and Caramelized Onions.

 

I personally prefer to forgo foods with fake meats, or other products that are imitating meat, in favor of more unique dishes. I do believe, however, that the veggie burger has the potential to be a noble thing. The Beyond Burger made by Beyond Meat is very good. It does fall into the category of being at least somewhat meat-like, especially in texture. (It’s also gluten, soy, and GMO free.) The veggie burgers I make, like Lentil Barley Burgers, or Beet and Carrot Burgers may not be especially meat-like, but I still love them on a bun, especially with pickles. 

Falafel, which pretends to imitate nothing, may be the most noble veggie-burger-like substance of them all, whether you make it in patty form or roll it in balls to fry up as an appetizer.

The ultimate comfort of a casserole can be had in meatless form, too. For cheesier fare, there’s Macaroni and Cheese with Roasted Poblanos and Smoked Paprika, Macaroni and Cheese with Sweet Potatoes and Green Onions, and Cheesy Baked Pasta with Sour Cream and Onion.

 

And there’s Kale and Wild Rice Casserole, too.

A seasonal, hearty salad can also be great with no weary sacrifice needed. Bean salads like Lentil Salad with Curry Lime Yogurt Dressing and White Bean Salad with Green Olives and Tarragon are particularly satisfying.

As are grain and roasted vegetable-based salads like Wheat Berry and Squash Salad with Seeds and Sage and Roasted Autumn Vegetable Salad with Molasses Mustard Vinaigrette.

 

And please allow me to mention some of my favorite vegetarian hot soups and stews like Noodle Bowl with Spicy Greens, Squash and Pinto Bean Chili, and Curry Carrot Soup. (I was surprised to see how many of my soup recipes include chicken broth. Many of them wouldn’t have to, and could be made with vegetable broth instead.)

And a couple more more vegetarian recipes that are good in any season. They’re both easy and wonderfully flavorful. First, there’s Italian Chickpeas, the first recipe I ever posted, way back in 2009, and later re-posted here with better photos.

And Soup Beans is a versatile concoction that has so many, many uses beyond its simplest: poured over rice or mashed potatoes. 

You will probably note that most of these dishes aren’t vegan, and that I rely on eggs and dairy quite a bit. That may seem like cheating to those who prefer to keep as many animal products out of the mix as possible, and that’s cool.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the great meat-free stuff you can eat and be happy, especially if you like food in general and like trying new things. I rely heavily on a few good cookbooks for recipes and ideas, especially:

Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison (I just have the older edition)

How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman (again, I have the older edition)

Super Natural Cooking and Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson

At Home with The Culinary Institute of America: Vegetarian Cooking

And a couple others that I’d like to get to know better:

Passionate Vegetarian by Crescent Dragonwagon

Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero

Whether you’re looking to change your life completely, are on the fence about the whole plant thing, or are particularly ve-curious, I hope you take some time to consider what good stuff there really is to enjoy that is plant-based or at least mostly so. You don’t have to be one way or another. You don’t have to be dogmatic about anything. You don’t have to try to convince anyone else that one particular way is best. You definitely don’t have to be guiltily weeping into your free-range turnip stew. You really should just enjoy your food, enjoy your time in the kitchen, and enjoy your world.

World Vegetarian Day kicks off Vegetarian Awareness Month. You can get more information about that here.

Another post like this one: 12 Seasonal Favorites

One year ago: Fluffernutter Cream Cheese Dip (or Spread)