Vegetarian cooking is part of the culinary heritage of humankind and is today considered fine cuisine and gourmet eating. Vegetarians, those who practice a daily diet that excludes meat, fish, poultry, and game, come in all varieties.  There are not many families without at least one vegetarian among them these days and most group meals end up with at least a few vegetarian diners.

A preferred vegetarian diet can be motivated by health, a personal philosophy of environmental and ethical impacts, religion or spiritual views, a means to maintaining a healthy body weight, or economic reasons. With the new food pyramid guidelines recommending more plant-based foods as a low-fat protein source and a nod to a seasonally motivated diet, many people are choosing to include more wholesome vegetarian cooking as either part of their diet or as their full-time constant diet. This is called being a flexitarian. I guess that means flexible rather than one thing or the other exclusively. This gives the meat eater a chance to gradually shift and look at foods with a new perspective of more options.

Cooking for vegetarians requires no special equipment or fancy techniques, although many vegetarian dishes utilize exotic ethnic flavor combinations. There is also a bit of basic know-how in protein-combining, such as pairing cheese or beans with vegetables, to provide a well-balanced meal. Other basic protein-balanced food combinations are rice and beans or tofu, beans and vegetables with pasta, or vegetables with rice. Just eating piles of carbohydrates (beans, grains, bread, legumes) doesn’t work in the long run for most people.

If you are following a meat-based diet and are just learning to accommodate a vegetarian, or beginning to practice a vegetarian diet, please be reassured–it takes plenty of thought and creativity to create a non-meat menu with variety. All types of vegetarians appreciate dining according to the seasons, taking advantage of fresh produce and herbs, not only for flavor but in overall fresh quality combined with basic ingredients such as dairy, beans, or grains. Do note that vegetarianism is usually very dependent on high amounts of complex carbohydrates, which may not be overall compatible if you are serving a diner who is following a high-protein or no-carb diet. Some restricted diets, such as low-fat, low-sodium, sugar-free, yeast-free, and dairy-free, all benefit from vegetarian alternatives.

There are three main categories of vegetarianism and, as the cook, it is important to know the difference. I usually create recipes that skirt all three.

Ovo-lacto-vegetarians, is the most common diet most people associate with being a vegetarian. They eat eggs, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, grains, honey, nuts and seeds, beans, and legumes. Grains include not only whole grains such as rice, wheat berries, and oats, but also pasta, couscous, yeasted breads, and unleavened ethnic flatbreads, such as tortillas and chapatis.  Tofu, a preferred type of protein for vegetarians, is a fermented product made from soybeans and all types of vegetarians can eat it. Please note that all soy products will be eliminated in the diet of a person who is or has experienced a reproductive cancer since it stimulates estrogen production.

Lacto-vegetarians do not eat eggs, but the rest of the diet is the same as for the ovo-lacto-vegetarians–dairy products, fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds, with an emphasis on beans and legumes for protein. Cheese, milk, cream, butter, yogurt, buttermilk, and sour cream are important food choices. Also there are some lactos that do not eat certain types of vegetables, such as onions, garlic, and certain greens, so it is always best to ask. There is an entire branch of Indian lacto-vegetarian vegetarian cooking, based on Ayurvedic principles. This diet emphasizes the subtle energy components of each food that complements a yogic lifestyle and practices, which is becoming increasingly popular in the West.

A new type of vegetarianism that is very popular, especially with animal rights activists, is the vegan (pronounced vee-gan). I could never have predicted how widespread veganism would become and give new lifeblood to the vegetarian cooking scene. It started with some popularity in the college age genre and has just expanded since then. This is a strict form of vegetarianism that chooses only nuts, grains, legumes, nutritious cold-pressed cooking oils, fruits, and vegetables. That includes pasta and tofu, but since there are no dairy products, that even means no butter (enter Smart Balance). Vegans also eat no honey, refined sugar, vinegar, or soy cheese if it contains casein or whey. All recipes that call for dairy cheese, sour cream, or mayonnaise can be made with easy to find soy alternatives.

Buying by the Seasons

Food that tastes good and looks appealing will never be out of style and choosing seasonal produce is one of the essential ingredients that make it so.

Since beginning my culinary career, I have been examining the way the seasons affect my cooking and the power that ingredients have in creating good food.  While certain American chefs are touted for being the first tastemakers to advocate a return to eating with the seasons, it is a way of cooking and eating that is as old as the art of cooking itself:  working with the ingredients as they become available seasonally.

The vegetable section of a supermarket produce department, farmer’s market, or roadside fruit and vegetable stand is a changeable world, often changing daily due to seasonality and availability. Sophisticated farming and shipping techniques give us varieties in an abundance throughout the year and there are an estimated three times the amount of items available today than just 15 years ago.  But an intelligent shopper will still consider seasonality of importance.  For produce in optimum condition, it is best to select vegetables in their prime growing and shipping times. The more delicate a vegetable, the more important becomes the issue of seasonality and the local growing area.  Most vegetables stop ripening as soon as they are picked, and since they are perishable, for example as with tomatoes, they are picked under ripe for easy transport. This is especially true for long distance shipping. While the vegetables may look good, they did not develop a yummy flavor and appealing texture.

While it is easy to forget the definitions of a season with such a vast year round availability and efficient world-wide transportation bringing food to restaurants and supermarkets, we are, as cooks, always linked to seasonal produce.  It’s all about timing: fresh herbs, many colored eggplants, and corn all summer long; sweet potatoes, root crops like beets, and winter squash in the fall; tomatillos, citrus, and spaghetti squash in the winter; asparagus, fava beans, and peas-in-the-pod in the spring.  All must have their due respect.

While some vegetables are available year-round–like peppers, cabbage, mushrooms, and zucchini–many have peak seasons. I encourage you to take the time to seek out the markets that sell really good produce. And unless they look really good, don’t bother. But don’t be so intimidated you feel out of luck if you miss a day at your local farmers’ market–many excellent dishes utilize high-quality frozen staples such as artichoke hearts, baby lima beans, green peas, and even bell pepper strips. Every so often I will pick up a bag of precut mixed fresh vegetables for stirfrys or a big container of organic baby spinach.

An appreciation for ethnic cuisines and an awareness of the important role vegetables play in good health and satisfying eating have prompted small-scale specialty farmers and merchants alike to offer us less familiar produce, like Chinese long beans, along with our American favorites, such as onions, carrots, celery, and cabbage. Have you ever used fresh water chestnuts in place of canned? They are remarkable!

Unusual and rare vegetables show up in multi-colored tomatoes and mini-vegetables. Careful selection and storage are important if you want the best quality.  Taking time to handpick your produce assures this further. When experimenting with unfamiliar ethnic vegetables, such as chayote, nopales, exotic mushrooms, or kabocha winter squash, take the time to cook them for yourself before serving to guests. That way you can judge their overall character, taste, and texture to see if they fit in your cooking style.

Out of season items are usually very expensive, about twice the regular seasonal price. Respecting seasonality means recognizing that foods are available all year, but recognizing that they are at different stages at different times during that year. Garlic is more mild in the spring and fresh greens are more delicate as well.  Fresh peas only appear in early summer so frozen petite peas are an excellent alternative the rest of the year. The same goes for artichokes. Tinned tomato products are superior to many hothouse and imported fresh tomatoes out of season.

You may not think of dried beans as having a season, but they most certainly do. Dried beans are harvested in the early fall. Fresh dried beans have more moisture than say beans that have sat for a year, using less liquid to cook and having a better texture.  This also applies to split peas and lentils.  Specialty sources for dried beans is one of the fastest growing avenues of specialty farming and market gardening with tasty varieties like Jacob’s Cattle, Zuni Gold, and Gigandes. Flageolets, the epitome of beans that are so popular in French cooking, and Le Puy baby green lentils are now available in the US market.

Nuts and dried fruits, such as currants, chestnuts, pecans, and dates, as well as freshly pressed olive and nut oils, newly harvested rice and oats, all show up in the fall months and are essential in seasonal cookery.

• Vegetarian Paella

• Buddha’s Delight with Buckwheat Noodles