Browsing Tag

vegetarian

Soup's On!

Borlotti Bean Minestrone with Basil Walnut Pesto

February 1, 2026

My love affair with fresh shell beans started at a farm stand piled high with borlotti bean pods. Bringing sacks of them home, I split each pod open to pop out the pretty pink and white beans—about a cup’s worth for every pound of pods.

Simmered in salted water, the fresh beans took only 30 minutes to cook to creamy tenderness (!) So quick, compared with the overnight soaks and long cook times necessary with dried beans. Add to this their mildly nutty flavor and good protein content (15 grams per cup) and you’ll understand why I fill my vegetable-packed minestrone with fresh shelled borlotti beans whenever I get the chance.

Fresh shell beans are in peak season late summer through fall, but grocery stores may randomly have them fresh (and frozen) at other times of the year. Beyond borlotti (which are also known as cranberry beans,) the shell bean family includes other velvety varieties: lima, and cannellini, for example, which would also work well in this satisfyingly nutritious soup. And if you can’t find these beans fresh, canned will also work as a substitute. Continue Reading…

Curry Favor

Vegan Curry Kolkata

January 13, 2026

If you’ve pledged to eat more veg this year, try this Calcutta-style vegetable curry! Dairy-free and vegan, it’s built on an aromatic mustard oil base with loads of fresh curry leaf and other good stuff.  You’ll begin with black mustard seed that you heat ‘til it’s popping, then come the curry leaves, sweet cinnamon stick, bay leaf, clove and cardamom, plus paprika, golden turmeric, ginger, garlic, shallots, green chili, garam masala, coriander leaf & coconut milk.

And of course: The vegetables! I made mine with parsnip and carrot, oven roasted to caramelly tenderness, but this recipe would work with squash, peas, and potatoes, too –whatever your healthy heart desires. You can also vary the heat of the curry by using a hotter or milder chili pepper.

To make the dish, I peel the carrot and parsnip first, then gather and measure all the spices, (laying them out in order of usage) while the vegetables roast. When the curry is nearly done, I get a pot of long grain basmati rice going so I can be sure to serve everything as soon as it’s ready. Continue Reading…

Vegetarian

Sherried Mushroom + Walnut Loaf

January 14, 2022

I once lived in a big, pale-green commune of sorts, where vegetarian was how you cooked, if you cooked at all. (Raw food was the other way most people ate.) The best meals were communal, and one recipe I loved for its fabulous flavor was this sherried mushroom-walnut loaf—delicious hot with gravy and veg, and just as good cold, sliced like an elegant pate. Several moves later, I missed the recipe enough to recreate it for my family. During these close-quarter months, this is a great healthy option for you to make: A mix of sherry-steeped baby bella (crimini) mushrooms, onions, brown rice and walnuts baked into a loaf with sage and parsley, this is a moist and meaty meal. Top it with mushroom gravy made with more criminis, onion, sherry and stock, and serve it with some mashed potatoes and garlic spinach on the side. Continue Reading…

Celebrity Recipes

Frank Sinatra’s Favorite Spaghetti

February 17, 2021

In a 1973 interview with long-defunct Mainliner magazine, Frank Sinatra said, “Everything I know about cooking, I learned from my mother.” Mrs. “Dolly” Martin Anthony Sinatra lived in a home Frank built for her on the grounds of his Palm Springs estate. Her simple tomato, garlic and herb spaghetti sauce recipe was Frank’s favorite. We’ve tested it and see why he loved it—meatless, but full of flavor, it’s become our family favorite, too. Continue Reading…

Summery Salads

Summery French Lentil Salad

June 30, 2020

Greens are great, but for savory satisfaction in a summer salad, I love this cool and crunchy lentil and veggie toss. Made with tiny French green lentils, seasoned with spice and simmered to soak up white wine and broth until tender, the salad is finished with the bright crunch of carrot and celery, sprinkled with parsley plucked from the garden, and topped with pretty pink quick pickled red onion. Dashes of Aleppo pepper and smoked paprika go well with the lentils’ natural pepperiness and a dollop of whole-milk plain yogurt adds cool contrast. I often dish this up on its own, with fresh baked bread and some French cheese alongside. But it’s also nice served in butter-lettuce cups. Oh—and the pickled onions are so easy to make! They’ll keep well in the fridge for a full month. You’ll love them on your tacos, too. Continue Reading…