Golden Pumpkin Toor Dal Soup

Beautifully golden in color, this warming and spicy toor dal soup is partially blended until brothy and creamy with vibrant spicing and sweet fresh pumpkin. The finishing touch is a warming takra — a blend of whole spices, which can include sweetener and dried chilies and asafetida, cooked in hot oil or ghee over high heat briefly and then poured into the cooked soup. In this case it adds a pleasant and vibrant sweetness to the soup that balances the tartness from the addition of lemon juice. For a creamier soup, use less water and blend until most of the ingredients are broken down. Myself, I like a bit of texture to my soup, so I left some chunks of pumpkin as I didn't wish to fully purée it.

Palak Paneer (Spinach with Paneer Cheese)

Palak paneer (or saag paneer) is a very popular North Indian dish that regularly appears on menus throughout the world. Succulent pieces of paneer cheese are served up with creamy cooked spinach and a blend of spices. I adore this dish and as with most dishes that can be enjoyed at restaurants, there is nothing finer than making your own version at home.

Penne with a Spicy Eggplant and Mushroom Tomato Sauce

I'm still recovering after spending much of the summer in and out of the hospital. I am delighted to finally be home and have started making meals again. A craving for pasta was the inspiration for this thick and chunky, robust and luxurious tomato sauce featuring eggplant, cremini mushrooms and some spice for a bit of heat, all served over hot fresh cooked whole wheat penne. It's easy to prepare, especially once the preparation is done, and the pasta cooks while the sauce simmers away. I used whole wheat pasta because it has a pleasant chewy texture and makes for a nice contrast with the mushrooms and spices included in the dish. Serve with a crusty bread and you have a fine and filling lunch or dinner. Nothing else is really required and I assure your diners won't be leaving the table hungry.

Homemade Vegan Parmesan Cheese

I enjoy playing around with vegan alternatives to foods that are traditionally vegetarian or meat-based. As a vegetarian, my avoidance of meat is understandable, and though I am not officially a "vegan," I often prefer a meal free of all dairy products.

Vegan cheese is something that I find rather intriguing — homemade that is, because most of the store-bought cheeses I have tried, usually sent to me from companies that want me to try their products, are nothing like real cheese. They lack flavor, are often rubbery in texture, and contain oils and soy proteins that I would ordinarily rather avoid. I've had great success making salad dressings that usually contain dairy, most notably a Caesar salad dressing that I must say I find even more enjoyable than my usual mayonnaise-based dressing.