Creamy Tahini Lemon Dressing with Fresh Herbs

Partial as I am to thicker salad dressings, I generally prefer creamy dressings over vinaigrettes. This creamy tahini dressing with lemon juice and fresh herbs is my latest favorite, and I've made it several times over the past few weeks already.

Tahini itself works as a cohesive and creamy base for the stronger elements of the dressing, and so while the tahini is not the most prominent feature of the dressing, its sesame taste comes through and enhances all of the other flavors. It is a robust dressing that goes well with bold-flavored greens like spinach and kale as well as broccoli and mixed sweet bell peppers. It's thick enough to use as a dip.

Spicy South Indian Tamarind Vegetable Soup

On a cold winter night — of which we've had plenty here for the past too long — there's almost nothing as comforting and warming as a hot bowl of spicy vegetable soup. And when it's as cold as it's been here lately, I say that the spicier, the better.

Gujarati Dal (Khatti Meethi Dal)

I've been cooking Indian creations for years. My interests in Indian food happily coincided with my transition to a vegetarian diet many years ago. As the main staple of a vegetarian Indian diet are legumes, protein is hardly a concern. Continued research and experience has opened up a whole new culinary world to me that was closed until I became a young adult and began to discover and refine my palate.

Amazing Lentil Energy Bites

Protein bites are an excellent and delicious way to start your day and are also very handy to have around when a little needed pick-me-up snack is required at any point during the day. I always try to ensure some bite-size protein snacks are on hand. I've made dozens of different such snacks over the years, and I will always be making new ones. They have become an essential homemade staple.

Portobello Mushroom "Steaks"

Succulent and flavorful mushrooms are an ideal way to satisfy a craving for earthy mushrooms. Baked in the oven for roughly 30 minutes in an olive oil and balsamic vinegar marinade with aromatic seeds, herbs and spices, these mushrooms are filling enough to showcase as the center piece of a meal when served with other grilled or cooked vegetables, and perhaps a light soup on the side. Though I haven't eaten meat for over 25 years — yes, that includes fish too — these are decidedly meaty in texture and I even used a steak knife to cut them into bite-sized pieces. An absolutely pleasurable dining experience for those of us who simply can't get enough mushrooms and you certainly do not need to be a vegetarian to enjoy them.

No-Bake Almond Butter Cookies

When a craving for a cookie hits, I find that there are really no viable or tasty options available other than making my own, or having some homemade ones on hand. It's nearly impossible to conveniently purchase just one cookie, other than an overly sugary one from a local coffee stop — otherwise, the choice seems to be to buy an entire bag at the grocery store, again of usually inferior quality and certainly over-priced if not. I don't want a whole bag of cookies that I won't really enjoy, nor a half dozen or more from the grocery store bakery. Thankfully, with a little planning ahead, I can make up a reasonably sized batch that will keep well in the refrigerator and, in many cases, can be stored in the freezer.

These almond oatmeal cookies are just one example, and one of my new favorites, because they don't even require any baking time and they are so good for you that you can even enjoy one for breakfast. Just good healthy rolled oats stirred on the stove top into a pot of coconut oil and delicious almond butter sweetened with natural maple syrup and flavored with cinnamon, then pressed into cookie shapes and refrigerated. If you liked chewy fresh baked oatmeal cookies as a child or as an adult, you will love these cookies as they have much the same taste but stay chewy for as long as you keep them in the refrigerator — for up to a few weeks without losing their freshness and appeal. And eating one of these non-baked cookies is a much better option than store-bought oatmeal cookies and if enjoying for breakfast, a far healthier choice than a bowl of boxed, sugary nuked cereal.

Classic Mulligatawny Soup

Mulligatawny, meaning literally pepper water, is an English creation and essentially based on South Indian rasam. Rasams are brothy soups that typically feature tamarind and chilies, and though there is not actually a definitive version of Mulligatawny soup, my preference has always been the ones more closely influenced by South Indian cuisine. There are very many different preparations that have evolved over time. Usually quite brothy, there are also creamy versions and ones that are not quite so hot or spicy.

I call this one a classic because it is loosely based on memories of one of the first vegetarian Mulligatawny soups I ever tried, and that was at a local Indian restaurant in the city I reside in. It was free of chicken broth, and thus a viable option for vegetarians. It also most closely resembled a classic rasam. Basically, I wanted to recreate my initial enjoyment of a brothy and chili-infused preparation. I know that when hit with chills or sniffles, this Mulligatawny always seemed like the soup to go to. After many years of making my own Mulligatawny, I hit the jackpot with this one. And my best friend Basil has been waiting for me to create just the soup he so fondly remembers, and with his eager nod and exclamations of approval, I'm quite satisfied that I did indeed finally achieve the result I was looking for.

Mung Beans in a Creamy Tomato Coconut Milk Sauce

Sweet and creamy green mung beans cook up quickly and pair well with so many different spices that they always make for an easy, nourishing and tasty midweek dinner. So long as your beans haven't been sitting around for months in your pantry, they really only require three to four hours soaking time, rather than an overnight soak. Despite the longish list of ingredients, this dish of earthy mung beans simmered in a tangy spiced tomato, coconut milk and tamarind sauce comes together in very little time and has an array of delicious flavors that would make it a star on any occasion. It is certainly a welcome change after many of the rich and filling meals enjoyed over the holiday season.