Food Features

Enjoy these delicious vegetarian recipes! All recipes are vegetarian, although some may need to be adapted for a total vegetarian/vegan diet.

Quick Fare for Busy Families

staples

Busy families wanting to make healthy last-minute meals need to keep staple ingredients on hand. Continue reading

Appetizing Artichokes

Artichoke

Artichokes are an edible, Mediterranean vegetable that make a great appetizer for two or three people. Half of a medium globe by itself is equivalent to ¼ cup vegetables and 30 Calories. Continue reading

Chocolate Velvet

Chocolate Velvet

We return to Canada to feature this sensuous and creamy dessert. The secret ingredient, avocado, makes it thick and rich, yet avocado cannot be detected in the flavor, so you can play a guessing game with tasters. Continue reading

Spice Up Your Meals in March

spices

Tired of bland, boring food? Spice up your meals this month with two great recipes from our Vegetarian Nutrition DPG Recipe Contest. Now is the time to try new recipes to spice up your meal routine. Continue reading

Layered with Love

layered with love

This Valentine’s Day treat the ones you love with a little Mexican style parfait. This dish includes three layers – a savory bean and mushroom layer, a smoky red pepper and corn layer, and a refreshing tomatillo-avocado salsa. Not into the parfait look? This dish can also be “wrapped” with love in a tortilla. Continue reading

Entertaining with Avocado

Fall Coleslaw and Open Face Sandwich

When it comes to dressing up your dishes this holiday, go green (use avocados)! Although 82% of the avocado’s Caloric content is derived from fat, the majority of that fat is monounsaturated. The avocado is also a good source of potassium and vitamin C. Continue reading

The Many Colors of Fall

Winter Squash

The many colors of fall are best reflected in the produce that comes into fruition in this last growing season of the year. No produce better reflects this than winter squash. Continue reading

Beat the Heat with a Frozen Fruit Treat

frozen fruit treat

Frozen fruit such as grapes, blueberries, and strawberries make a delicious and nutritious treat during the warm, summer months. They are an excellent replacement to sugary popsicles and the flavor is all natural! Preparation is the key to properly freezing … Continue reading

Boost Your Fall Palate with Colorful Dishes

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Many seasonal gardens are dying back for the year; however this shouldn’t limit your palate to dull dishes. Excite your taste buds with two colorful and flavorful plates. Continue reading

Crunch into Crispy Collard Chips

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Tired of snacking on potato chips? Need something to munch on during the day without adding a lot of Calories to your diet? This crunchy recipe is rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C.
Continue reading

End of Summer Sautéed Eggplant Parmesan

Summer_Bounty_th

August is a great time to start bringing in the harvest. Tomatoes and eggplants are now ripe for the picking all over the United States. What better way to enjoy this bounty than through a wonderful recipe that combines the … Continue reading

Going Green in July

Go Green!

Although most Americans associate the colors red, white, and blue with the month of July, summertime is a great time to go “green” from growing or buying produce from the local markets to saving some “green” by cooking at home. Continue reading

Picatta without the Chicken

Vegan "Chicken" Picatta

Hungry for a bit of chicken picatta, but don’t want to “ruffle the feathers” by using poultry? Seitan is a vegan protein source made from wheat gluten. Seitan is more chewy and springy than other meat alternatives, making it a … Continue reading

Celebrate Spring with a Spicy Mexican Salad

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May is a great time to celebrate the growth of new, green shoots of life in gardens across the country. Spicy Mexican Salad by Brenda Davis, RD, and Vesanto Melina, MS, RD, is a wonderful, raw salad that features delicious sprouted lentils. Continue reading

Food Art for your Palate

food art palette

We are often told that we “eat with our eyes.” Some recipes are enticing just looking at them. Continue reading

Romancing the Stomach

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No matter if you plan to spend February 14th by yourself, with a loved one, or with several loved ones, everyone can agree that a great meal can add a lot of “love” to the festivities. Continue reading

Taking Comfort in Warm Food

warm biscuits

Winter is a time to take comfort in warm food. The weather outside might be frightful, but winter meals need not be. Three Vegetarian Nutrition members submitted recipes that are sure to become your favorite comfort food for cold weather! Continue reading

Festive Dips for All Occasions

black bean salsa

December is a time of celebration for many people around the world. However, it is often hard to find a healthy dish to bring when you need it. Continue reading

Sweet and Spicy Peanut Soup

Sweet and Spicy Peanut Soup

When the weather starts to turn cool, it’s time to “turn up the heat.” This spicy twist on a traditional soup adds a kick to an otherwise sweet soup. Continue reading

Time to Harvest

Fresh Herbs

September is here and it is time for the harvest. If your garden included herbs — now is the time to reap the harvest before the frost comes. Herbs such as thyme and oregano, which are used for their leaves, … Continue reading

Farmers Market Pockets

Farmers Market Pockets

August is the month for harvesting the fruits of labor from a busy spring and summer growing season. This crispy pocket recipe is a wonderful way to enjoy a small “bounty” of vegetables. Continue reading

Beat the Heat with a Frozen Fruit Treat

Frozen Fruit Treat

Frozen fruit such as grapes, blueberries, and strawberries make a delicious and nutritious treat during the warm, summer months. They are an excellent replacement to sugary popsicles and the flavor is all natural! Preparation is the key to properly freezing … Continue reading

Pina Colada Grilled Dessert

Pina Colada Grilled Dessert

Pineapple has been a symbol of welcome in many cultures for centuries. It is an excellent source of vitamin C and manganese. So fire up your grills and welcome spring with this tasty dessert. Please note temperature may vary depending … Continue reading

Beet Winter Blues Away With Salad

Salad

Celebrate the end of winter by combining these winter and spring fruits and vegetables into a crunchy salad. Continue reading

Fruity Rice

Fruity Rice

Rice is a staple for breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout the world. This simple, easy to prepare dish is a flavorful way to get your day started and allows for many different variations. Continue reading

Buckwheat Molasses Cookies

Buckwheat Molasses Cookies

Make this season’s baking even more flavorful by substituting some of the all-purpose flour in your recipes with other flours. This recipe calls for the use of buckwheat flour. Continue reading

Pavlova

Pavlova

Pavlova is the national dessert of New Zealand. Serve with fruit, typically persimmons, kiwi fruit, and tamarillos, as well as heavy whipping cream. Continue reading

Liquid Gold Dressing

Dressing

Two tablespoons of this dressing provides your days’ supply of omega-3 fatty acids, along with 80 percent of your vitamin B12, and tastes great on baked potatoes, rice, steamed vegetables, and pasta, as well as salad. Continue reading

Peach and Raspberry Slush

Peach and Raspberry Slush

Summer is the time to celebrate the bountiful harvests of the bush berry and tree fruit seasons. This combination is a refreshing drink that has a little zing to it because of the ginger. Continue reading

Grilling Time for Salads

Grilled Fruit

Although many people are familiar with grilling vegetables, grilled fruit can also add a wonderful flavor to any summer supper. Continue reading

Triple Your Fruit, Triple Your Benefits

Triple Berry

This summer, triple your benefits by combining the fruits of this season.This triple berry recipe is a family favorite and is packed full of vitamin C, potassium, phytochemicals, and of course, flavor! Continue reading

Papaya and Tomatillo Salsa

Papaya and Tomatillo Salsa

For those of us in northern climates, May marks the beginning of warmer weather, cookouts in the backyard, and, best of all, the summer salsa season. Although many think of this dish as a spicy showcase for tomatoes, other fruits and vegetables such as tomatillos, cucumbers, papaya, and peaches can also be used to make this delicious dish. Continue reading

It’s a fruit…it’s a vegetable…it’s a fungus!

mushrooms

Although people don’t often associate the word “fungus” with gourmet cooking, mushrooms can make a wonderful, tasty, and healthy contribution to one’s daily diet. Continue reading

Banana Split Waffles

Banana Split Waffles

Create a special, healthy treat fit for just two or the whole family with this spin on an old soda fountain favorite. Continue reading

Cranapple Fruit Soup

Cranapple Fruit Soup

Tired of the same old winter soup? Looking for a healthier, sweet food this winter season? Try fruit soup. Continue reading

Be Like the Squirrels and Go Nuts!

Nuts

This holiday season take a lesson from the squirrels and save some room for nuts in your diet. Continue reading

Sweet Potatoes for Any Season

Lemony Pepper Sweet Potato Fries

Although most people only think about this starchy vegetable at holiday times when it finds its way into sweet side dishes or baked into pies, sweet potatoes make a wonderful addition to lunch or dinner throughout the year. Continue reading

The Many Edible Faces of Eggplant

Eggplant

While strolling down the aisles of the farmer’s market lately I was surprised by the variety of eggplant that I could find. If you love eggplant dips, give this recipe a try. Continue reading

Want Cool, Want Crisp? Get Kohlrabi!

Kohlrabi Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

Kohlrabi can be eaten cooked or raw. It comes in a variety of colors from light green to dark purple, although in both varieties the flesh is white beneath the skin. Continue reading

When It Comes to Corn, You Get An Earful!

Corn

Even though some corn products may be receiving a bad rap from the media, it is still important to promote corn in its lesser processed forms as a valuable, starchy vegetable. Continue reading

Incredible, Edible Garlic

Garlic

Garlic has been used as a medicinal herb for many years and has received some attention in the past as a possible functional food for lowering total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, although much research still needs to be done to prove this. Continue reading

Asparagus and Grape Stuffed French Omelets

Asparagus and Grape Stuffed French Omelets

As fruit and vegetable intake recommendations have increased Americans need to look for new and innovative ways to add more fruits and vegetables to their daily diet. This recipe combines steamed asparagus and grapes to produce a very colorful and flavorful omelet. Continue reading

March is National Nutrition Month — So Bring Out the Vegetarian Nutrition!

National Nutrition Month

March is a month to be proud of our profession and all the accomplishments we have achieved over the past years. Now is the time for us to shine, not only as dietitians, but as vegetarians and vegans. While planning … Continue reading

Dress Up Your Drinks (Without Dressing up the Calories)

Mock Glögg

For many people, New Year’s Eve marks the end of high-Calorie laden holiday season. While many Americans will reach for the nearest diet book, why not reach into your spice cupboard and refrigerator and learn to dress up your drinks without dressing up the Calories? Continue reading

Fruit of the Season

Dried Fruit

Looking for a way to bring more fruit to the table this winter? Consider dried fruit. Although some dried fruit looks different from the fruit from which it is derived, dried fruit is still rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Continue reading

Entertain Them With Beans

Sweet & Spicy Bean Dip

The holiday season is fast approaching and football season is in full swing. Looking for a new recipe to try this season? Tired of the same old bean dip? Try this recipe featuring Great Northern beans. Continue reading

Above All, Keep Food Safe

Fruits and Vegetables

September is National Food Safety Education Month. Food safety affects all diets and is a crucial, though often overlooked part of a healthy diet. Although many potentially hazardous foods (PHF) are of animal origin, any food can be implicated in a food borne illness outbreak if mishandled. Continue reading

Zucchini — Abundant in Production and Culinary Options

Zucchini

Summer months are a time of abundant growth — blooming flowers, rows of corn, berries on the bush, and zucchini. Every time I buy a zucchini at the local farmer’s market I am either given one the size of a small boat or given enough to fill a small boat. Continue reading

Get if Fresh!

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Nothing says summer like fresh fruits and vegetables. Take advantage of the season by feasting on local, fresh fruits and vegetables. Continue reading

Let it Grow!

Tomatoes

This little shoot may not look like much, but it is the beginning of something big for my family. This little shoot will bear a bountiful, summer harvest of juicy, ripe tomatoes right on my back stoop. Continue reading