Brussels Sprouts Kulambu (Brussels in a Spicy Tomato Sauce)

Brussels sprouts might not be native to India, or that commonly used there to this day, but their rather strong and earthy flavor is perfectly complemented by Indian spicing. I had some Brussels on hand in the fridge that originally I was simply going to steam and slather with some butter and salt and pepper, but when I got to thinking about a side that would compliment some fried dal cakes, I couldn't resist dressing them up with some tomato, tamarind and spices. This dish is ideal served over rice, along with appetizers and a legume main.

Guacamole Omelette

I asked my husband to cook me a nice breakfast for my birthday a few weeks ago. He doesn't ordinarily have to cook at all as I take care of pretty much all the food around the house. I don't mind — in fact, I enjoy cooking and frequently find myself looking at recipes when there's no cooking to be done — but I thought that it would be nice to have someone cooking for me for a change.

While he doesn't have a grand imagination in the kitchen, he did come up with the idea of this guacamole omelette and cooked it for me too. So this is actually his dish, but I'm claiming it for my own because he did use my own homemade guacamole recipe. Spicy, tangy and creamy fresh guacamole snuggled up in eggs is absolutely delicious, and easy enough for my husband's talents in the kitchen. Best of all, making a batch of guacamole ahead of time left plenty over after the omelette to snack on.

Portobellos Stuffed with Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

This succulent mushroom-centered presentation could easily be classified as a salad I suppose. A side dish perhaps, but honestly, the mushroom and spinach steal the show and deserve to serve as the centerpiece of a meal. Nutritional yeast lends a cheesy element to this dish and then there are the robust flavors of sun-dried tomatoes and black olives, complete with the meaty texture of the portobellos. Serve with a creamy vegetable lentil soup and a side of brown rice for a completely satisfying meal.

Chana Vada (Chana Dal Peanut Patties) with a Tamarind Chili Sauce

I will admit that I have a hard time keeping up with all of the different names for Indian dishes, as the cuisine varies so much depending on every region's unique traditions and influences. Indian savories often have me a bit confused, even though I started cooking Indian food soon after adopting a vegetarian diet, and that was over twenty years ago.

Urad and Toor Dal with Fresh Fenugreek

Sometimes a gentle Indian meal with split dal is just the thing I crave. I adore the creamy texture and mellow yet unique flavor of urad dal mixed with toor dal and smoky, aromatic spices. Fresh fenugreek is a must in this dish and it was a delight to find some at my local Indian grocery store. It imparts a slight bitterness and pepperiness but a highly pleasing and subdued contrast to the tomato and spice components of the dal. I served it with hot white basmati rice, but it certainly would go well with naan or any other Indian flat bread and a side vegetable dish to complete the meal.

I'm reposting this recipe from the archives with some updated photos and revisions.

Raw Peanut Butter Chocolate Nut Squares

Over the past few years I've become especially smitten with raw treats, often packed with nuts and seeds, sometimes dried fruits, nut butters and coconut oil. Naturally sweetened, featuring quality ingredients, raw treats move beyond dessert and are an ideal way to pack some wholesome nutrition into a power snack for breakfast, lunch or a little after dinner treat.

Peanut butter is a weakness of mine, though I have no reason to feel guilty for that, and here it stars with walnuts, almonds, cashews, and coconut all topped with a thin layer of dark chocolate. I don't think I need to go into the blissful experience that a combination of peanut butter, nuts, chocolate and vanilla ensures. Naturally sweetened with maple syrup, you only need one small square to feel satisfied, though the temptation to eat more than you actually need is one that is hard to resist. You have been warned.

Roasted Red Pepper, Tomato and Lentil Soup with Dates and Lime

Soups figure in my kitchen year round. In addition to the comfort they provide on a cold winter's day, or relief on warmer days, they are an ideal way to serve up a healthy and delicious dose of valuable vegetable goodness. Extra produce that you may have on hand needing attention also may find the way into a pot of vegetable soup. Really soups are a blank canvas for the chef in you to explore.

One of the latest soups to grace my table was this rich and robust vegetable soup with roasted red pepper, tangy tomato and delicate red lentils, with a subtle but not understated spiciness and an underlying sweetness from dates and zestiness from lime. The layering of flavors and textures is an experience as a whole, yet each mouthful is slightly different making this soup all the more interesting and satisfying.

Avocado and Tomato Salsa with Chipotle

One can never have enough ideas for salsas as far as I am concerned. Not only do they feature as a condiment or dip, they sometimes occupy a central role in the main dish. This salsa is perfectly suited as an appetizer or an accompaniment to a fine dinner. As creamy chunks of avocado fill out this salsa, it was the star of a recent meal as a topping for hummus served with some flat breads. The chipotle adds a fairly intense and smoky heat that lingers, all the while cooled and tempered by the chunks of refreshing avocado. It's a snap to whip up too, and requires no cooking time at all. I do recommend the fresh herbs here for additional flavor and freshness. Certainly some Kalamata olives would be a fine addition, and next time I make this a handful will be included in the mix.

Bangalore Sambar with Toor Dal and Lima Beans

Sambars have been an ideal meal solution these days, especially those made with earthy toor dal and sweet tangy tamarind. Warming and satisfying, I took refuge from the bitter cold hovering over a bowl of this sambar that featured as the main course of the meal. This time, I added some cooked lima beans to the creamy toor dal for some meaty texture and seasoned it with my favorite south Indian spices. A little unconventional I suppose, but very authentic tasting with the more traditional spicing.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

I love mushrooms. I could quite literally eat them every single day without tiring of them. And I do love soups. Until I tried this recipe for Hungarian soup, I thought I had a a favorite mushroom soup recipe, but now I'm not so sure.

I've had this recipe up for one my all-time favorite mushroom soups for over seven years, but I've never forgotten about it all this time and felt that it is just that good that I should share it again for all those readers who have come along since that time, complete with updated photos. Creamy, fragrant and just perfectly seasoned with paprika, lemon and dill, I am confident that this Hungarian soup will also become a favorite for anyone who missed it the first time.

Quinoa Blueberry Bites

These little bites are essentially a muffin. As they are gluten-free, dairy-free and contain cooked quinoa and rice flour, they don't rise as much as the muffins that are typically baked in my kitchen. But that's not a bad thing. They certainly are packed full of goodness and natural sweetness. And moist. Enjoy them shortly after they come out of the oven for that melt-in-your-mouth experience, when the blueberries are still warm. The applesauce also makes a bolder flavor when they are fresh.