7 Favorite Vegetarian Recipes from the Internet: A List

I love being a vegetarian. I never have to worry about undercooking my food, and choosing a dish from a restaurant menu is always ridiculously easy (and sometimes annoying—when all I have for my choices are Salad #1 and Salad #2). This, of course, does not always automatically mean that I am eating healthier. Last night, my friend and I entertained ourselves making ravioli out of Japanese pumpkin, wonton skin and ricotta cheese. It was slathered in butter sauce and butter-soaked sage leaves, and though I may have shaved several months off my life span, I would probably do it again in a heartbeat. Thanks to the internet, I am never in shortage of new and delicious vegetarian recipes—to cook for myself, and also for my non-vegetarian friends. Here are my favorites, already test-driven in the kitchen by yours truly. Spinach Tofu Wontons with Dipping Sauce This baby is my secret weapon for potlucks and dinner gatherings. (Do I measure my self-esteem by how much people enjoy my contributions to potluck gatherings? Maybe.) I’ve deep-fried these wontons into crisp, golden triangles (see accompanying photo), and I’ve also steamed them in tangy Worcestershire sauce. Both versions are finger-lickin' good. Really Good Vegetarian Meatloaf I cooked this for my family last Christmas, and I was surprised by the meaty taste of this non-meat meatloaf—composed of lentils, onion, cheese, and cleverly seasoned with barbeque sauce and other spices. Spaghetti-stuffed Peppers Filling an emptied pepper with spaghetti and capping it with the stemmed part of the pepper looks just so darn cute. Soba Noodle Salad I am a big fan of weird taste and texture combinations. Such as this soba noodle salad, which is a sensory overload of crunchy peanuts, tangy lime juice, sweet mangoes, bell peppers and garlic—all mixed in with the earthy flavor of Japanese buckwheat noodles. Vegan Macaroni and Cheese Casserole Thanks to some of the ingredients in this recipe, I had a chance to visit the local co-op by my apartment that sells bins of nutritional yeast and other vegan-friendly goodies. Lacking completely in cheese, this vegan mac and cheese is filling, but not heavy. Gourmet Vegetarian Sandwich with Potato Chips This is quite possibly the best sandwich I’ve ever eaten. It’s a funky combination of ridiculously healthy and ridiculously unhealthy—all encased between two slices of whole-grain bread. I like to tell myself that all the vegetables in the sandwich cancel out the collateral health damage from the fattening cream cheese and potato chips. Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce Thankfully, for the people who do not have the time or the money to own a pasta-making machine, wonton skins can be used as a fake replacement for making ravioli. Warning: be prepared for the inevitable food coma that comes immediately after consumption.