Flirting with vegetarianism is cheap, colourful, and generally leaves you feeling like you've done yourself a solid.
Turn your morning eggs into a comforting masterpiece with this recipe that touches on egg curry with rice. There are many versions in India, but perhaps the most famous is this Malayali breakfast dish from Kerala, a tangle of browned onions, curry leaves, green chillies and tomatoes. Try it with rice dosa, or some buttered toast!
Source: Quadrille / Martin Pool
Adam Liaw, of upcoming Destination Flavour Down Under, says miso and eggplant are a killer combo, particularly in this dish, known in Japan as nasu dengaku. The extra roasting of the miso gives a lovely nutty-sweet flavour.
Miso and eggplant are a fantastic combo. Source: Adam Liaw
Eating the rainbow is a cinch with this warm lentil salad with beetroot and pumpkin. It's sweetened with pomegranate molasses – a thick, tangy syrup made from the dark red juice of the pomegranate fruit.
Source: Hardie Grant Books
Spring garlic is the straight, leek-like stems of growing garlic. It’s somewhat sweeter than mature garlic and lovely in spinach tartlets such as these. A handful of aged cheddar adds bite.
Spring garlic and spinach tartlets
This roasted spiced pumpkin with tahini-lemon dressing is an easy winter-vegetable win. Serve it on a bed of greens as a salad, or – and here's an idea – use it as a pizza topping. Via the food dept.
Stuffing vegetables means little effort yet maximum kudos. Our roasted capsicums are filled to the brim with rice, herbs and baharat – an aromatic spice blend used in Middle Eastern cuisine.
Stuffed red capsicums Source: Alan Benson
Paneer is a firm Indian cottage cheese you probably recognise from spinach-based curry palak paneer. Here, blackened paneer skewers are served with a fresh tomato relish.
Blackened paneer skewers Source: Murdoch Books
Turn a handful of ingredients into O Tama Carey's fabulously light and crunchy cabbage salad with chilli, mint and sesame seeds. (Suddenly ho-hum cabbage becomes Mr Personality.)
Cabbage salad with chilli, mint and sesame seeds Source: Benito Martin
Start simple with this super-quick tofu and lemongrass. Eaten alongside bowls of steamed rice, chilli greens and a dipping sauce, it makes the perfect light weeknight meal. Via My Darling Lemon Thyme.jpg?imwidth=1280)
Israeli-born chef and veg lover Yotam Ottolenghi says this colourful riot of roasted sweet potatoes and sweet figs is one of the most popular dishes at his eponymous delis. It wholly depends, though, on the figs being sweet, moist and perfectly ripe.
027_Sweet-potato-and-Fig_48593745 Source: SBS Food
Mushroom ragù with soft polenta and taleggio calls for an array of mushrooms (king brown, Swiss brown and oyster) with lots of garlic and herbs sitting atop a creamy base of soft polenta. You are excused for drooling.
Of his chickpea, pumpkin and cavolo nero cassoulet, Gourmet Farmer Matthew Evans says, "This is such a great one-pot meal, you'll probably want to become a vegetarian for the winter."
Chickpea, pumpkin and cavalo nero cassoulet Source: Alan Benson
Served warm, rustic hummus with cumin and pine nuts is a perfect winter’s dish. Don't forget the Lebanese bread. Via Dirty Kitchen Secrets
Source: Sarka Babicka
Buckwheat is a gluten-free grain that's quick to cook and high in protein. With an earthy, nutty flavour, it teams perfectly with haloumi grilled with honey and lemon.
Source: Benito Martin
In this wholesome dish, the quinoa is cooked "risotto-style", producing a soft, creamy result without the starchiness of rice. Using vegetable stock makes this a great vegetarian option.
A great midweek meal for burger-loving vegos, these zesty quinoa numbers are a great reminder that meat doesn’t have to be the centre of every bun.
Still hungry? Check out our complete vegetarian recipe collection.
A veggie burger can be just as good as the meaty options. Source: Benito Martin
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