Black-Eyed Pea Curry with Coconut and Tomato

Humble preparations often steal much of the attention at the dinner table and black-eyed peas dishes certainly do just that. A particularly earthy legume, they just so happen to shine when served up for dinner with modest spicing, and in this case, some creamy coconut milk and robust tomatoes to fill everything out. Very easy to prepare, making it a good go-to recipe for days when there is little inclination or time to cook up something more elaborate, serve with some rice or other favored grain and a vegetable side and your mid-week meal turns into a veritable nourishing feast.

Thai-Style Creamy Coconut Lentil Mushroom Soup

My experience cooking Thai food is relatively recent, but since I started experimenting a few years ago it has probably become my favorite cuisine — aside, of course, from Indian. I find the unique fragrances and flavors of Thai ingredients — coconut, lemongrass, galangal and, of course, chilies — quite irresistible, as well as being easy to combine with all sorts of vegetables to make healthy and delicious meals.

I've lately been making an effort to incorporate even more vegetables into my meals, and the presence of part of a head of cauliflower and some homemade Thai green curry paste in my refrigerator led naturally enough to a Thai-style vegetable soup. With the addition of earthy green lentils, tangy tomatoes, red peppers, bean sprouts, plump oyster mushrooms — also an essential of Thai cooking, in my humble opinion; coconut milk, tamari sauce and an assortment of spices, the result was a creamy, fragrant, hearty and nourishing soup that made the best of a blending of Thai and other south Asian cuisines. Each bowl — and in fact each spoonful — was a wonderful contrast in seasonings and textures that made it a big hit with me, my husband and my best friend Basil.

Pumpkin Energy Bites

It is time to celebrate the pumpkin season once again. While I do not relish the onslaught of winter, the fall harvest is a treat to be savored. This year, I bought a larger pumpkin, in addition to two smaller ones, roasted them up, and what I didn't use right away, I froze in 1 cup bags for future use to keep me going year round, because pumpkin is just not about 2 months of the year.

Pumpkin pie is coming soon, but energy bites keep me going throughout the day and they make for a fine quick breakfast. Yes, these do contain some chocolate, but it is fine quality dark chocolate and who says chocolate can't be enjoyed in moderation for breakfast? Certainly not me. Besides, with all of the other good nut, seed and dried fruit stuff in these little bites, you would have to be a strict purist without any real gain if you eschewed these delights. Just saying…

Whole Wheat and Corn Paratha

Indian meals are always a special treat when served with homemade flat breads. One of my favorites are flaky and substantial parathas, a griddle-fried bread often made with whole wheat flour and folded over a few times during the kneading and rolling process to create a layered bread that puffs during frying. They tend to be somewhat rich, especially if you use ghee or butter, as they are brushed several times during rolling and drizzled with butter or oil while cooking. Sometimes they are stuffed with vegetables and chutneys. Whether stuffed or more basic, they are always delicious as a snack or meal accompaniment.

Miso Noodle Soup with Mixed Vegetables and Paneer

Asian and Indian flavors come together here for one nourishing and stunning bowl of soup. White shiro miso nestles up with tender plump golden brown cubes of fried paneer cheese and loads of vegetables — snap peas, mushrooms, bean sprouts, red pepper, corn and kale. To fill it out even further, rice noodles make an appearance for an extra creamy bowl of bliss. My husband asked if I used coconut milk here, but it wasn't even necessary, as much as I adore adding coconut to soups and grains.

Raw Peanut Butter Truffles

Raw and healthy homemade treats are pretty much a staple in my house these days. Sometimes you want a sweet that is satisfying, without the guilt, and these little truffles certainly fall into that category. They come together in hardly anytime at all, and with a bit of patience, as they are best chilled in the fridge before serving, these little bites will provide a nice dose of protein and most importantly, satisfaction to the palate. Decadence in this case is good for you.

Chickpea Quinoa Pumpkin Burgers

Holidays are a low key affair with me, and although they are often an opportunity to celebrate with more elaborate food spreads, I really need no excuse to fuss around in the kitchen for hours to create unique and special meals. This past weekend was Thanksgiving in Canada and I went with something easy, preferring not to spend too much time cooking, but as humble as these little burgers might sound, they are actually an exquisite way to celebrate pumpkin season with the company of friends. Just because.

Packed full of protein, these spicy patties with a moist and meaty texture are a perfect vegetarian substitute when the craving for a "burger" hits. Chickpeas provide the base and the addition of quinoa and tahini adds a pleasant undertone of nuttiness to accompany the sweet pumpkin. The mingling of flavors is hard to resist, as is the fragrance that fills the kitchen while they are baking, and an experience your palate won't soon forget. Yes, they are that good.

Indian Mung Bean and Toor Dal Soup

Sometimes a simple legume soup with loads of ginger and warming spices is just what is needed, especially when one is cold and has a tender tummy. The pictures really don't do this soup justice, but a glance at the ingredients ought to portray an idea of the goodness within. It's an easy soup to prepare and is made up with staples most cooks familiar with Indian food will likely have on hand at any given time. The addition of coconut milk adds a pleasant creaminess to the soup that tempers the spices somewhat and fills out the legumes. Earthy whole mung beans and toor dal are a match made in heaven.

Roasted Vegetable Stuffed Omelette

I don't tend to eat eggs all that often, but there are times when eggs demand to be cracked from their shells and made into something packed full of goodness and protein. Omelettes are always wonderful with little adornment, but to top it up a notch, I folded them up with some oven-roasted vegetables for an especially satisfying and filling dinner. The assortment of peppers, eggplants and mushrooms is my own choice, but the roasted flavors and textures blend wonderfully … feel free to use your own vegetable ideas, but just make sure that they're all fairly soft and quickly roasting vegetables. Just right for these chilly fall days.