If you put the pot of water on even before you take off your coat, then it will be boiling by the time you’ve exchanged your coat for your apron (if you wear one – and does anyone, any more?) and dinner will be on the table ten minutes later.

Which makes this the world’s most perfect weekday vegetarian recipe, doesn’t it?

Vegetarian pasta recipe: Lemon Pine Nut Tagliatelle
This is from The Italian Farmhouse Cookbook by Susan Herrmann Loomis. She’s written a few books, all very worth reading. I serve this with a salad.

1 cup (gently packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Zest of 2 lemons, cut into fine (julienne) strips
1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
Fine sea salt
1 recipe fresh pasta dough cut into tagliatelle (about 1 3/4 pounds)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges (optional)

Mince the parsley and place it in a large shallow bowl. Add the oil, lemon zest, and pine nuts and mix until well combined. Season with salt, cover, and let sit for at least 2 hours at room temperature.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the tagliatelle, stir, and cook until it is al dente (tender but still firm to the bite), 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.

Add the hot pasta along with the cooking water immediately to the prepared sauce and toss until the sauce is thoroughly distributed. Season with salt and pepper and toss again.

To serve, use two spoons and carefully scoop up the pasta, making sure to get pine nuts with each serving. Serve with lemon wedges if desired for squeezing atop the pasta.

Pasta perfection
Pasta is the perfect staple for weekday meals – I mean, heat it up, throw in whatever is around, and fast and satisfying and delicious. Don’t believe me? Here are a few more pasta recipes to help change your mind!

• Nicole Kidman’s Crispy Orecchiette with Broccoli, Pine Nuts & Garlic
• Asparagus with Shiitakes, Bowtie Pasta and Spring Peas
• The “To hell with Mario Batali” perfect vegetarian pasta recipe

Well, in both cases, you’d be wrong. Because I have an Ina Garten recipe for vegetarian sushi that not only does not call for any butter, but is downright low fat.

And did I mention it is great fun to make (especially with kids)?

Vegetarian recipe for Vegetable Sushi
Thanks for this recipe go to the very talented and totally adorable Ina Garten and her The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook.

1 1/4 pounds sushi rice (2 3/4 cups)
3 cups water
1/4 cup mirin, plus additional for moistening nori
5 sheets nori (1 package)
4 teaspoons wasabi powder, mixed with 2 teaspoons water
1/2 cup small-diced red onion
1 carrot, julienned
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
1 scallion, julienned (green part only)
1 hothouse cucumber, seeded and julienned
1 (10-ounce) jar pickled ginger

Sushi Dipping Sauce:
1/2 teaspoon wasabi powder
1/4 teaspoon water
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon minced pickled ginger
1 teaspoon minced scallion (green part only)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons good soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil

Place the rice in a strainer and rinse under cold running water until the water is fairly clear, about 5 minutes. Shake the water out and allow the rice to dry in the strainer for 15 minutes.

Put the rice in a pot with exactly 3 cups of water and cook covered over high heat until it starts to foam, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and sprinkle with 1/4 cup mirin. Replace the lid and allow the rice to steam for 15 minutes. Place in a bowl and cool to room temperature.

To prepare the sushi, place a bamboo sushi roller flat on a table with the bamboo reeds horizontal to you. Sprinkle lightly with water. Place 1 nori sheet on top, smooth side down, and moisten lightly with mirin. With damp hands, press 1 1/4 cups rice flat on top of the nori, leaving 1 1/2-inch edges on the top and bottom, but pressing all the way to the sides. Make sure the rice is pressed even and smooth.

Spread 1/4 teaspoon of wasabi paste in a horizontal stripe near the lower edge of the rice. Over the wasabi, lightly sprinkle the red onions in a horizontal stripe. Place strips of carrots in a horizontal stripe, on top of the wasabi and onions, and follow by piling the red and yellow peppers, scallions, and cucumbers on top, making a tight, straight bundle of vegetables. Place 1 layer of pickled ginger slices on top.

To roll the sushi, pick up the near edge of the bamboo roller and hold it with the nori, then pull them up and over the vegetable bundle until the nori reaches the rice on the other side. Press the roller to make a round bundle, then roll the bundle to the far edge of the nori and press again to make a round bundle. (The nori should totally enclose the rice and vegetables in a round tube, but the ends will have rice and vegetables sticking out.) Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients. Keep the rolls under a damp towel and refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, slice off the ends with a very sharp knife and slice each roll into 8 equal pieces.

Meanwhile, for the sushi dipping sauce, combine the wasabi powder and water to make a paste. Mix in the red pepper flakes, ginger, scallions, vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Serve the sushi at room temperature with the dipping sauce.

If you like Asian recipes (and, really, who doesn’t?!), here are more incredibly tempting vegetarian recipes to try:

• Buddha’s Delight
• Snow Cabbage with Bean Sheets

This is one of the cookbooks every vegetarian should have in their library. Well, I say that, but my copy is mysteriously missing. Ah well. I haunt the used bookstores in the hopes of tripping across one but, apparently, other people treasure their copy too much to give it up. Still, I’m hopeful.

And, for now, I have this recipe.

Chard and Onion Omelet (Trouchia)
From Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone by Deborah Madison
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red or white onion, quartered and thinly sliced crosswise
1 bunch chard, leaves only, chopped
Salt and freshly milled pepper
1 garlic clove
6 to 8 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped basil
2 teaspoons chopped thyme
1 cup grated Gruyere
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 10-inch skillet, add the onion, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until completely soft but not colored, about 15 minutes. Add the chard and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until all the moisture has cooked off and the chard is tender, about 15 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, mash the garlic in a mortar with a few pinches of salt (or chop them finely together), then stir it into the eggs along with the herbs. Combine the chard mixture with the eggs and stir in the Gruyere and half the parmesan.

Preheat the broiler. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet and, when it’s hot, add the eggs. Give a stir and keep the heat at medium-high for about a minute, then turn it to low. Cook until the eggs are set but still a little moist on top, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the remaining Parmesan and broil 4 to 6 inches from the heat, until browned.

Serve trouchia in the pan or slide it onto a serving dish and cut it into wedges. The gratinéed top and the golden bottom are equally presentable.

Cooking with eggs
Want some more egg recipes? Coming right up …

• Julia Child’s rolled omelette with herbs
• Asparagus with fried eggs and Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Cherry Clafoutis

You’re wrong.

How do I know you are wrong? Because I tripped across this wickedly decadent vegetarian recipe from famous vegetarian and actress Alicia Silverstone.

It’s sweet and gooey and crunchy and everything you need for a proper indulgence, short of actual sex!

Vegetarian recipe for better than sex (almost) Peanut Butter Crispy Rice Treats
Thanks to Alicia Silverstone!

1 3/4 cups brown rice syrup
1 pinch sea salt
3/4 cup peanut butter or almond butter (all natural)
1 box brown rice crisps cereal
1/2 cup grain-sweetened chocolate chips (optional)

Heat rice syrup with a pinch of salt in a saucepan over low heat. When rice syrup liquefies, add peanut butter and stir until well combined and heated through.

Pour entire box of cereal into a large bowl. Pour rice syrup mixture on top. Use your hands to incorporate everything together (mix in grain-sweetened chocolate chips at this point, if using).

Press down into an 8- ×8-inch or 9- ×13-inch baking dish. Wet your fingers as your press down to keep them from sticking. Let cool for 1 hour before cutting into squares.

So what’s your favorite vegetarian indulgence (oh do share!)?

Oh, and speaking of sharing, here are some more sweet vegetarian recipes:

• Anthony Bourdain’s vegetarian recipe for Clafoutis
• Pudding Crème aux Pommes (Apple and Bread Pudding)
• Gâteau Chocolat & Courgette (Chocolate & Zucchini Cake)

In this recipe, he uses fennel which is one of my secret ingredients (“What’s that taste? It reminds me of, oh, what is it?” You and I know, it is anise!)

In this recipe, Emeril Lagasse mixes fennel with some greens for a very tasty result. You’ll see.

Vegetarian recipe for Roasted Fennel and Green Bean Relish
We can thank Emeril Lagasse and his book, Emeril’s Creole Christmas, for this one.

1 large bulb fennel (about 1 pound), trimmed, and thinly sliced lengthwise
2 cups thinly sliced onions
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound haricots verts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place fennel and onions in a roasting pan. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Transfer to oven and roast until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, about 1 1/2 hours. Let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Add haricots verts to boiling water and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer haricots verts to ice water-bath to cool. Drain and set aside.

Combine fennel mixture with haricots verts and transfer to a serving platter. Serve at room temperature.

Speaking of fennel, here are a few other recipes which take advantage of it’s uniquely wonderful taste:

• Fennel, red onion & hazelnut tart
• Vegetarian and Bugs Bunny Soup
• Charlie Trotter’s Shaved Fennel and Apple Salad

This time, I got my inspiration from an American chef who specializes in Mexican cuisine. Now, I’m not crazy for Mexican food (I like it well enough, but if I was stranded on an island, I would not crave it), but there is something about this dish, something special, that makes me think I am not appreciating Mexican food to it’s fullest and I need to explore a bit more.

But, for now, I think I’ll whip out my pot and make a batch of …

Vegetarian recipe for Arroz Verde al Poblano
(Green Poblano Rice)
This tasty, tasty dish is from the talented chef Rick Bayless’ cookbook Rick Bayless’s Mexican Kitchen. It’s amazing how such a simple dish can be so tasty.

1 2/3 cups water
2 fresh poblano chiles, stems and seeds removed, and roughly chopped
12 sprigs cilantro, plus extra for garnish
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
1 cup rice, preferably medium grain
1 small white onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

The flavoring: In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the water and chiles, bring to a boil, then partially cover and simmer gently over medium to medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the chiles are very soft. Pour the chile mixture into a food processor, add the cilantro (stems and all), and process to a smooth puree. Press through a medium-mesh strainer into a bowl and stir in the salt.

The rice: Wipe the pan clean, add the oil and heat over medium. Add the rice and onion, and cook, stirring regularly, until the rice is chalky looking and the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook a minute longer.

Add the warm (or reheated) chile liquid to the hot rice pan, stir once, scrape down any rice kernels clinging to the side of the pan, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Uncover and check a grain of rice: It should be nearly cooked through. If the rice is just about ready, turn off the heat, re-cover and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes longer to complete the cooking. If the rice seems far from done, continue cooking for 5 minutes or so, retest, then turn off the heat and let stand a few minutes longer. Fluff with a fork, scoop into a warm serving dish, decorate with cilantro sprigs and it’s ready to serve.

Advance preparation: The rice can be made several days ahead; turn out the fluffed rice onto a baking sheet to cool, transfer to a storage container, then cover and refrigerate. Reheat the rice in a steamer basket set over boiling water.

Variations and improvisations: An obvious variation is to use 3 or 4 long green (Anaheim) chiles, or to mix poblanos and long greens with hotter chiles like jalapeño, manzano or habanero. Grilled corn cut from 1 cob or 1 large grilled zucchini (cubed) are tasty vegetable add-ins. About 1 cup coarsely shredded roast (or barbecued) pork or smoked salmon, mixed in toward the end of cooking, will make green rice a full meal.

The more rice, the better
Rice recipes are pretty good things to have in your repoitire – rice is a reliable addition to the pantry, and it’s brilliant that it can be both sweet and savory. Don’t believe me? Let me present some extra rice recipes for your enjoyment:

• Red beans and rice
• Lemon Rice Pudding
• Lentils, rice, and red onion salad

And, better still, their amazing vegetarian recipes to make.

Like this beauty.
Vegetarian recipe for Seitan Piccata
from The Millennium Cookbook: Extraordinary Vegetarian Cuisine

Herb Crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/3 cup polenta
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 cup soy milk
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
6 servings (1 1/2 pounds) marinated seitan, cut into medallions
1/4 cup canola oil

Piccata Sauce:
2 teaspoons minced garlic
6 paper-thin lemon slices
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 cups dry white wine (you can use non-alcoholic wine)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot, dissolved in 3 tablespoons cold water
Thin lemon slices and minced fresh parsley or chives for garnish

In a shallow bowl, combine all the ingredients for the herb crust. In another shallow bowl, combine the soy milk and mustard. Dredge the seitan with the crust mixture, dip in the soy milk mixture, then dredge again in the crust mixture. Cook the seitan in a dry nonstick pan over medium-high heat until lightly brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Keep warm in low oven.

To make the sauce: Wipe out the pan and place it over medium heat. Add the garlic and toast until lightly browned. Add the lemon slices, the remaining sauce ingredients. Boil until the volume is reduced by almost half. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook until thickened. Serve the hot sauce over seitan. Garnish with more lemon slices and parsley.

Lemons, lemons, and more lemons
It’s the lemons that grabbed my attention here. But, then, I have a wekness for lemons. If you do, too, here are some tempting lemon vegetarian recipes to add to your list.

• Roasted Artichokes with Lemon
• Lemon Meringue Treats
• Fried Pastry Twists with a Honey, Sesame, and Lemon Sauce

Probably because I’m eating a lot of Indian food (excellent, spicy, tasty vegetarian dishes). And nothing goes better with Indian food than a heaping spoonful of chutney.

And, bonus good news, not only is it silly easy to make, but it is way, way cheaper than buying it.

After the jump, I’ve got  recipe for apple (yes, chutney is not just mangoes anymore!) chutney I learned at culinary school. It is amazing stuff, and it makes so much you can share if you want to. But don’t feel obligated!

Almost vegetarian recipe: Apple chutney
3 large green apples, peeled and large diced
4 ounces onions, medium dice
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 fluid ounces cider vinegar
6 ounces brown sugar
3 ounces crystallized ginger, minced fine
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cinnamon sticks, ground
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 fluid ounce apple brandy
1 fluid ounces lime juice

Cook everything except the lime juice and the brandy over a low heat for about 45 minutes (keep it to a light simmer). You want to soften the apples and the onions and reduce the liquid, but you do not want to turn the liquid syrupy (add a splash of water, say a few tablespoons, if needed to prevent this). Then add the brandy, reduce a bit more, then add the lime juice and remove from the heat.

Taste, adjust seasonings as needed.

Refrigerate leftovers (and there will be leftovers, this makes 2 – 3 cups of chutney) and enjoy with sandwiches, curry, eggs, and so on.

Just don’t eat it at three in the morning when it is too hot to sleep and you’ve got a serious case of the munchies. It’ll give you heartburn.

Trust me.

Now that you’ve made your chutney …
If you need something to enjoy with it, here are three almost vegetarian recipes I like:

• Indian almost vegetarian recipe: Potatoes with Cumin Seeds
• Curried tofu
• Lassi
  

I do now. But, for some reason, it took me a while to get a taste for it.

I can’t imagine why. If ever there was a carbohydrate just made for me – warm and creamy and satisfying – this is it.

Old Fashioned Creamy Grits
This is from Edna Lewis’ and Scott Peacock’s The Gift of Southern Cooking

2 cups water, or more
2 cups milk, or more
1 cup stone-ground or regular grits
kosher salt
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. unsalted butter

Heat the water and milk in a heavy-bottomed saucepan until just simmering.

While the milk is heating, put the stone-ground grits into a large mixing bowl and cover with cool water. Stir the grits assertively so that the chaff floats to the top. Skim the surface carefully and remove the chaff. Drain the grits in a fine strainer. (If you are using regular grits, skip this step.) Stir grits into the simmering water and milk. Cook, stirring often, until the grits are tender to the bite and have thickened to the consistency of thick oatmeal. As the grits thicken, stir them more often to keep them from sticking and scorching. Regular grits are done in about 20 minutes, but stone-ground require an hour or a little more to cook, and you will have to add additional milk and water as needed.

Season the grits generously with salt and stir in the cream and butter. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, until serving. Serve hot.

To serve with your grits …
Southerners (and my husband) might sit down to a steaming bowl of grits (especially for breakfast), but I tend to serve them underneath something – vegetables, tofu, whatever. Here are some recipes I tend to serve with my grits (none of which any Southerner would approve of, I’m afraid, but vegetarians are like them!):

• Pan-Roasted Mushrooms
• Mustard-crusted tofu with kale and sweet potato
• Broccoli Florets with Meyer Lemon Olive Oil

Oh, and it’s easy. My favorite type of recipe.

Roasted Garlic
There are a lot of ways to roast garlic this one is from Govind Armstrong’s cookbook, Small Bites Big Nights. Feel free to make a larger amount if you like; I always do.

3 cloves garlic
Extra-virgin olive oil

Place garlic in a small skillet and add enough oil to cover. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and continue cooking until golden and soft, about 15 minutes total.

So now what?
Well, Smear this on slices of baguette. Drizzle it on roasted broccoli. Mash it into some mashed potatoes. In other words, use it anywhere you want that wonderful garlic taste.

Can’t get enough garlic
No worries. I’ve got some gorgeous recipes for you.

• Twice-Baked Garlic Soufflés
• Gigantes beans in tomato sauce
• Totally vegetarian non-recipe, recipe