Vegetarian Middle Eastern Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

For years I have been meaning to make a vegetarian version of cabbage rolls — shortly after starting my blog back in 2007 in fact. As my mother never made cabbage rolls, and because I adopted a vegetarian diet when I was 18, I never did eat a traditional cabbage roll as far as I can recall, as they are usually made with pork or beef for the cabbage stuffing. As I enjoy coming up with vegetarian versions of meaty classics, and in this case, a vegan-friendly version too, it's a wonder it took me so many years to get around to doing so. Looking for something to make with a mushroom soup I had been craving for a while, cabbage rolls seemed like just the thing.

Whole-Grain Kasha Bread with Chia Seeds

This earthy bread goes well with any variety of meals, and it is very easy to make if you have a food processor or high powered blender. No kneading required. It's an ideal accompaniment to soups and stews, or just on its own, perhaps slightly toasted, with butter or your favorite nut or seed butters. It's also gluten-free, should that be a consideration. I do not have a gluten intolerance, but I do enjoy dense breads such as this one, especially when they are as easy to make as this one is.

Vegetable Vindaloo with Chickpeas

One of my favorite ways to dress up vegetables for an Indian meal is to cook them in a vindaloo sauce. Originating from the Goan region on the southwestern coast of India, vindaloo sauces are fragrant, hot and spicy, but tangy too through the addition of vinegar, tamarind or lemon juice, and are used not just for cooking or marinating vegetables and meat but also chickpeas or eggs.