Looking back on 2021, one of the things I enjoyed the most was the quality time spent in the kitchen discovery new vegetarian recipes and eating some really good food. I made wide variety of meals and here are my favorites from the last year:

5. Lentil Hot Pot – This recipe gets bonus points because I got to use my cute soup crocks. It also reminds me of the lentil breakthrough I had this year. I’m not sure why it was so difficult for me to cook lentils properly, but I finally got a handle on them with this and a couple other recipes. This Lentil Hot Pot, recipe by Healthy Living James , is a perfect comforting dish for fall and winter. The herb combination creates a full flavored bite. (The recipe was included in an Insta post and I could not find it on the website. It’s listed at the end of this post.)

4. Vegan Lemon Florentine – It’s no secret that I am a big fan of pasta. Our default at home is a hearty red sauce with lots of basil, but I do like variation. I found this dish, recipe by The Vegan 8, when I was craving something cheesy and spinachy. It satisfied the pasta Alfredo urge without the being too rich and heavy.

3. Noodle-Free Pad Thai – Pad Thai is a favorite and I’ve tried several recipes, but just can’t seem to get the noodles right. So it seems that this recipe by Minimalist Baker was made just for me. This recipe is so tasty, it’s loaded with veggies and it’s so colorful. Who needs noodles anyway? Now I just need someone to invent an easy way to make carrot ribbons.

2. Spicy Kale Coconut Fried Rice – I just love the flavors in this dish, recipe by Cookie and Kate. It’s full of Thai flavors, coconut and fresh veggies. There’s just enough of a spice kick to keep things interesting. The nice thing about this and some of these other recipes is that you can really adjust the veggies you use based on what you have on hand or what looks good at the market. I love making this in my ceramic saute pan, that way I use only a little bit of oil. And with one pan, the clean-up is super easy.

• 1. Asian Quinoa Power Bowl with Ginger and Miso Dressing. This bowl, recipe by Fit Living Eats, was easily my favorite of the year. The biggest reason is the ginger and miso dressing. Trust me, make a batch and drizzle it on everything. I love making the components and having them in my fridge, so I can throw a fresh bowl together for lunch or a meal on the go.

I made lots of other great Meatless Meals and you can check them out on my Instagram Feed. Let me know if there are any recipes you’d recommend in 2022. I’d love to give them a try. Until then enjoy!

***************************************************************************************

Cheesy Lentil Hot Pot by Healthy Living James (11/3/21 Instagram Post)

Makes 2-3 Servings

• Ingredients
  • -1 Tbsp Oil
  • -1 red onion, diced
  • -3 garlic cloves, crushe
  • -200g mushrooms, sliced (about 7 ounces)
  • -2 carrots, grated
  • -1 cup frozen peas
  • -1 tsp dried rosemary
  • -1 tsp dried thyme
  • -2 bay leaves
  • -1 can green lentils, drained
  • -1 can diced tomatoes
  • -2 Tbsp tamari
  • -1 large potato
  • -125g grated cheese (about 4 ounces)

Heat a pot with oil, onion, garlic, mushrooms and carrot. Saute until tender, 2-3 minutes.

Add peas, herbs, bay leaves, lentils, tomatoes and Tamara. Stir and allow to simmer.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Thinly slice the potato and add to the water. Cook 2-3 minutes to soften. Drain and place on top of the lentil mix.

Top with grated cheese and bake at 200* C (about 400*F) for 25 minutes.

*I could not find canned lentils, so I cooked up about a cup of lentils. I also added a splash of red wine to the simmering mixture and it was a nice addition. I also put the divided the mixture into individual crocks for the final bake.