Category Archives: Vegetarian Main Dish

Fried Chickpea Gyro Salad

Fried Chickpea Gyro Salad by Alison's AllspiceWhen I first stared to eat more plant-based meals, I can across a recipe (now long lost) that marindaded and fried chickpeas.  It is such a simple process that completely transforms the humble chickpea.  Here I use a gyro inspired marinade to make fried chickpea gyro salad.

I have posted a very similar recipe before, my fried chickpea gyro bowls, made with a base of rice, chopped vegetables, and tzatziki sauce.  While I love grain bowls, I was craving a salad this time, so I adapted the recipe. Continue reading

Lentil Quinoa Stuffed Pepper Stew

Lentil Quinoa Stuffed Pepper Stew by Alison's AllspiceOne of my favorite recipes to make for work lunches is my Italian lentil quinoa stuffed peppers.  It is a rather time consuming recipe to make.  You have to boil the quinoa, the lentils, assemble the peppers and bake for 50 minutes.  Quin Continue reading

Tahini Garlic Sriracha Noodles

Tahini Garlic Sriracha Noodles by Alison's AllspiceEvery cook has a back pocket recipe that they can whip up in no time that is delicious and satisfying.  For me, that has always been peanut noodles, until now.  Now that I have discovered tahini garlic sriracha noodles, I have a new go-to recipe! Continue reading

Chipotle Sweet Potato Hominy Soup

Chipotle Sweet Potato Hominy Soup by Alison's AllspiceHave you ever tried hominy?  I have to admit that testing this recipe was my first time cooking with hominy.  It has a pleasant nutty flavor and soft, fluffy texture.  Try it in this chipotle sweet potato hominy soup to see what I mean!

I loaded this soup up with lots of vegetables to make it hearty and filling, but still light.  Sweet potato is the star of this dish, right behind the hominy, and so I added chipotle for a sweet and spicy kick. Continue reading

Mushroom Farro Chili

Mushroom Farro Chili by Alison's AllspiceIt’s Superbowl weekend, and I cannot think of a better food to celebrate game day than a big bowl of hearty chili.  No two chili recipes are the same, and this mushroom farro chili is no different.  Meaty mushrooms and chewy farro take this veggie chili to the next level!

I made some variations to this chili recipe specifically because it incorporates mushrooms.  Mushrooms have a lot of umami (savory) flavor, so I wanted to overall flavor of the chili to be rich in umami as well. Continue reading

Roasted Beet and Chickpea Salad

Roasted Beet and Chickpea Salad by Alison's AllspiceI have not always liked beets.  I think the first few times I had beets as an adult, their flavor was misrepresented as being all-together earthy and bitter.  Yes, beets can be earthy, and sometimes bitter, but they can also be subtley sweet and almost floral.  If you work with those flavors properly, you can make beets taste great.   Roasting beets is one way to bring out their sweetness, like in today’s recipe, roasted beet and chickpea salad. Continue reading

Spicy Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk

Spicy Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk by Alison's AllspiceLentils are seriously my favorite plant-based protein.  So versatile and inexpensive to boot!  Lentil soup is a classic way to prepare them, and I have yet to decide what my favorite lentil soup recipe is.  Maybe it’s because there are so many ways to make it, like this spicy lentil soup with coconut milk.

I made this soup spicy in three different ways.  First, I used red pepper flake early in the cooking process, so it had time to release its spicy flavors into the dish. Continue reading

White Cheddar Broccoli Cauliflower Soup

White Cheddar Broccoli Cauliflower Soup by Alison's AllspiceBefore I developed this recipe, I had never tried to make homemade broccoli cheddar soup.  Broccoli is (one of) my favorite vegetables, so it was about time!  I made some tweeks to my recipe, and thus named it white cheddar broccoli cauliflower soup.

For me, making a dish healthy is not about subtracting “bad” ingredients, it’s about adding more “good” ingredients.  Therefore, I tried to load my recipe with lots of vegetables to balance with the the fat from the dairy. Continue reading

Mushroom and Pickled Onion Sandwiches

Mushroom and Pickled Onion Sandwiches by Alison's AllspiceWhenever I enjoy a sandwich, I want it to be over-the-top.  So full of flavor and texture that you’ll beleive its the best food in the world.  These mushroom and pickled onion sandwiches are rather simple, yet loaded with both texture and flavor.

Lets start by discussing the texture.  The silky cheese coats the mushroom pieces helping to hold them together, pickled onions add brightness, and the lettuce and toasted bread add crunch. Continue reading

Red Lentil Dal Spinach Bowls

Red Lentil Dal Spinach Bowls by Alison's AllspiceRed lentil dal is a popular Indian dish where red lentils are stewed in aromatics and spices until super flavorful.  It is fast, inexpensive and easy so it’s no wonder why it is popular.  Today, I want to share my twist on this class, red lentil dal spinach bowls!

To get started, lets discuss red lentils.  Red lentils are the fastest cooking lentil, have a sweeter and milder flavor, and tend to get kind-of mushy when cooked.  Kinda. Continue reading