Meatless Mains 
Lauki ki Sabzi (Indian Squash) – Vegan, Gluten Free
If you’ve ever been to an Indian grocery, no doubt you’ve noticed the enormous, pale-green squash. It’s variously called bottle gourd, lauki, long melon, opo squash, and calabash squash. It’s more similar to summer squash (zucchini, yellow crookneck) than winter squash (butternut, acorn), with a thin skin easy to pierce and a light, delicate,… Read More ›
Bhindi Bhaji (Indian Spiced Okra) – Vegan, Gluten Free
It was at my new favorite restaurant Jaipur I fell in love with bhindi bhaji. Of course, I’d had bhindi bhaji before. (Bhindi bhaji is a “dry” curry- a dish without a sauce or gravy; something you’d eat with bread, not rice.) It’s a very popular vegetarian main dish, although it can also be served… Read More ›
Meatless Monday: Moe’s Southwest Quinoa (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Okay, so Moe’s Southwest Grill doesn’t actually serve quinoa. But Moe’s (and Chipotle) did serve as inspiration for this recipe. It was Monday, I had to cook dinner from odds and ends, my partner and I are on different work schedules so we’d been missing out on our regular “Moe Monday” burrito bowl lunch deals…. Read More ›
Meatless Monday: Tuscan White Beans & Greens (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Sometimes, I hesitate to share a recipe because it seems almost too simple, too basic. But, there’s a reason why some of these very simple recipes have been around forever – like this classic white beans and greens dish from Northern Italy. It’s a combination of fast + foolproof + delicious. (Not to mention naturally… Read More ›
Leafy Lentils (Vegan, Gluten Free)
These Leafy Lentils from The China Study Cookbook are quick, easy, and delicious – and a hit with picky omnivores.
Lemon Tahini Quinoa Salad
This vegan, gluten-free Lemon Tahini Quinoa Salad is one of those perfect summer dishes. Light, healthy, with minimal time spent in the kitchen. Take it to your next potluck or cookout.
Stuffed Acorn Squash With Indian Spices (Vegan, Gluten Free)
I have to make acorn squash at least once each fall – otherwise it just doesn’t seem like Autumn! This version still has the familiar “butter,” apples, raisins, and nuts. But now it’s salty as well as sweet, with a touch of garlic, a complexity of spices, and even a dash of heat.
Black Eyed Peas and Collard Greens Stew (Vegan, Gluten Free)
On those rare evenings I cook only for myself, I often prefer something simple and fast – like this black eyed pea and collard green stews. It’s simple, it’s fast, it’s low fat and nutritious, it’s tasty – plus it’s vegan and gluten free!
Dal Makhani (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Dal Makhani is a decadent Indian dal, made from creamy black lentils and lots and lots of butter and cream. My version is completely dairy-free with considerably less calories, yet is still creamy and satisfying.
Masoor Dal (Red Lentil Curry)
Masoor Dal was the first dal my partner taught me to make, and I’ve made it almost every week since. It’s delicious. It’s comfort food. Best of all, it’s FAST!
Aloo Nutrela Curry (Potatoes with Soy Nuggets)
This is an unusual little vegan curry, one you won’t find in Indian restaurants. It tastes almost like a beef and potato stew in a rich onion gravy. It’s classic Indian comfort food – perfect for the coming autumn.
Vegan Beef Stroganoff
BEEF STROGANOFF! With its rich sour cream sauce, marinated beef and mushrooms, and hearty egg noodles, it’s classic omnivore comfort food, perfect for winter or these final chilly, damp nights of spring. But like my mother’s spaghetti with meat sauce, beef stroganoff has proved another dish difficult to veganize. Leaving out the “meat” entirely… Read More ›
Vegan Beef Stew
Perhaps it’s the winter weather – snow and ice is sooo unusual for Charlotte, NC! – but lately my partner and I have been cooking and eating a lot of comfort foods. Rajma and curried red lentils over rice have been finding their way into our bowls with increasing regularity over the past few weeks…. Read More ›
Creole Hoppin’ John / Skippin’ Jenny
On New Year’s Day in the South, it’s traditional to eat a meal of black eyed peas, collard or turnip greens, and cornbread. This is supposed to bring you luck and money – the peas represent coins, the greens represent folding money, and the yellow cornbread represents gold. Sometimes people from – elsewhere – make… Read More ›
Super Speedy Chana Palak (Indian Chickpeas with Spinach)
Today we’re going to do a non-traditional, slightly subversive take on an Indian dish – Chana Palak (chickpeas and spinach). My partner maintains chana palak is not traditional Indian cuisine anyway. He swears he never ate it in India and first learned about it when he dined in Indian restaurants in the US. He claims it’s an… Read More ›
VegCharlotte 