by: Melinda Carnes

Gone are the days of serving American cheese on white bread. Now mealtimes are more exciting thanks to the wide variety of gourmet cheeses which come in many different textures and flavors. Gourmet cheeses can comprise the appetizer, main course, or even dessert.

by: Randy Powell

Modern advertising is constantly pounding us with ads about how and where to eat. Or what we should be eating. Common sense tells us that a much of this “food” is unhealthy but it taste so good that you can’t resist. What is sure to eventually happen is a downward spiral of […]

by: Núria Roig
Extra virgin olive oil has become such a symbol of healthy eating that it is hard to believe that it was once accused of increasing the harmful cholesterol. It was a fat, so it had to be bad for us. Fortunately, we left those times behind and now olive oil and most […]

You might be SAD.  SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) affects many individuals during the short days of winter when vitamin D stores in the body are low.  Vitamin D is synthesized by the body during exposure to sunlight…but how many of us spend our winter days in a cubicle, leaving for work in the morning before […]

Delightfully moist and slightly sweet.

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
½ cup unbleached white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup apple juice
1 cup well-mashed, cooked sweet potato
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, sift together […]

An impressive and healthful dish, this could easily serve as the centerpiece to a Vegetarian Thanksgiving feast!

1 medium pumpkin, about 10 inches in diameter

1 baking dish of cornbread, baked, cooled, and chopped into 1-inch cubes

4 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
6 cups fresh autumn greens (for […]

2 cups cranberries
1 cup water
1 cup packed brown sugar

Rinse the berries and remove and obvious stems.  Dissolve brown sugar in water in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the berries to the sugar-water and boil lightly until all the berries have popped open.  Stir frequently to make sure the sugar doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.  Simmer […]

¾ c butter
2 c onion, chopped
2 c celery, chopped
1-2 t salt
pepper to taste
3 t sage
3 t thyme
1 t marjoram
1 t rosemary
½ c fresh parsley, chopped
2-3 T apple cider vinegar
16 c bread cubes*
4 c green apples, chopped
1½ c lightly toasted walnuts, minced
2 […]

2 pounds butternut squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons dried sage
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup half-and-half
3 scallions including green tops, chopped
3/4 pound penne pasta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Preheat the oven to 450F.  , Peel, seed, and dice the butternut squash into […]

Filling and Sauce:
2 cans pumpkin, or 1 small pumpkin halved, seeded, roasted until tender, and mashed
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small carrot, grated
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream

Pasta:
2 cups […]

The holidays can be difficult for vegetarians, with extended family and friends extending offers of bountiful meals laden with meats and dairy.  In fact, the centerpiece of the Thankgsiving holiday is a huge turkey, roasted to perfection, often with a ham on the side.  Stuffing and gravy round out the meal, leaving a vegetarian to dine on […]

Here is a great idea: a grocery list printed especially for vegetarians and vegans.  Twenty-five sheets on a cardboard backing with a magnet to attach to your fridge.  The list includes common items including produce, dairy, and baking supplies, as well as some more unusual items like hummus, tofu, veggie crumbles, and granola.  A neat gift idea, […]

Last weekend, my wife and I got married.  It was a wonderful day that went off without a hitch - vegetarian menu for the reception notwithstanding.  We were a bit concerned about a negative reaction from our omnivorous family members, especially after a conversation with my wife’s grandfather before the wedding.  We had stopped by to visit, […]

Knitters and crocheters alike will tell you that they quickly tire of shopping chain store aisles of synthetic, mass-produced Red Heart and Lion Brand yarns.  Luckily we live in a modern world full of Earth-conscious options that are as beautiful and unique as they are eco-friendly - and they are only a mouse-click away through […]

Vegetarian kids get plenty of good nutrients.
Don’t worry about vegetarian kids getting their nutrients. As with adults, a meatless diet is considerably healthier.

Protein: More and more health authorities agree that the optimal diet receives 65 percent of its calories from carbohydrates, 20 percent from fat and 15 percent from protein. You can get […]

Vegetarian Matters is pleased to announce our new vegetarian and vegan product reviews!  We will be posting new reviews about one each month, highlighting useful animal-friendly products and their manufacturers.  In addition to being animal-friendly, we will try to seek out products that are made using environmentally-friendly methods by independent manufacturors.