Vegan Fire & Spice: 200 Sultry and Savory Global Recipes is currently one of the top selling vegetarian cookbooks on Amazon.com. The concept behind the recipe collection is simple, yet unique: Chef Robin Robertson scoured the globe for the spiciest, most flavorful ethnic dishes and reminds us that even though we westerners are happy to season our French fries with ketchup and ranch dressing, the rest of the world prefers a rainbow of such ‘fire and spice’ taste explosions as curry, cayenne, jalapenos, wasabi, ginger, and, well, you get the idea. Read my review to see what I think about this new cookbook by author and chef Robin Robertson. For a little taste of the book (pun intended!) try some of these flavorful recipes from Vegan Fire & Spice which have been republished with permission:

• Indian Lentil Sambar
• Jamaican Jerk-Spiced Tempeh
• Middle Eastern Chickpea Soup
• Vegan Pasta Puttanesca from Italy
• Cookbook Review: Vegan Fire & Spice
• Compare prices online

Broiled eggplant cutlets can be a light entree on their own, or, you can use this cooking method to prepare the eggplant when using it another recipe, such as baba ganoush or eggplant ratatouille. Because of it's soft and spongy texture, eggplant lends well to broiling, rather than frying or sauteeing, as it tends to absorb any oil that it is cooked in. That means that if you fry eggplant, you'll likely end up with a dish that is very high in fat. So, next time you have a recipe that calls for cooked eggplant, try using this method to broil eggplant. I really like the combination of garlic and eggplant, so I might use garlic salt or add a sprinkle of garlic powder when broiling eggplant.

Video: How to Broil Eggplant
Related Recipes:

• Pasta Puttanesca with Eggplant
• Vegetarian Eggplant Ratatouille
• Tabasco Spiced Eggplant Cutlets
• Mashed Indian Eggplant (Baigan Ka Bharta)

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon have come up with another fun fact for us vegetarians to share around the water cooler or at a cocktail party. Although it's not quite yet common knowledge, more and more people are coming to understand that a plant-based diet is better for the health of the planet than one that includes meat. I've blogged in the past about how vegetarianism is better for the environment than hybrid cars, but Christopher Weber at Carnegie Mellon has taken it a step further and done some rather interesting math. According to his calculations, which are based on the amount of carbon emissions produced during food production and transport, eating locally produced food can help reduced one's personal planetary footstep, so by all means, shop locally and enjoy your Farmer's Markets, but reducing your meat intake, and red meat in particular, does even more. Swapping your hamburger for a veggie burger just one day per week will save as much carbon energy as is produced by driving 1860 kilometers. So, if you've been thinking about the environmental effects of that long commute to work everyday, or are thinking about investing in a hybrid car, from an environmental point of view, you'd be better off just going vegetarian.

In summary, here's your fun fact of the day: Eating meat just one day a week for one year is environmentally equivalent to driving 1860 km or 1156 miles, about the distance from Los Angeles to Seattle.

News Link: Food miles don't feed climate change - meat does

Photo courtesy GoVeg.com

Wondering what to do to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year? Chelsie, About.com's Guide to Mexican Food suggests that you whip up a batch of classic lime margaritas while you think about it! Cinco de Mayo is the perfect time to celebrate, with plenty of music, drinking, dancing and of course, lots and lots of fabulous Mexican food! If you've had just a little bit too much fun on Cinco de Mayo, may I suggest trying some filling vegetarian breakfast burritos on seis de Mayo (May 6) to help cure that hangover? Here's some resources that may help you out, whatever your plans are for Cinco de Mayo this year:

• Vegetarian Cinco de Mayo Party Foods
• More Vegetarian Party foods and Appetizer Recipes
• Vegetarian Mexican Food
• Fresh Lime Margaritas (pictured)
• What is Cinco de Mayo?

Photo courtesy Chelsie Kenyon, About.com Guide to Mexican Food

It used to be that mock meat meant veggie burgers, seitan and Tofurkey, but these days, there's a new "mock meat" in town, one that many vegetarians aren't quite sure what to do with. Although the technology is not quite there yet, sooner or later, scientists will be able to grow muscle tissue from a few "starter cells", independent of a full organism. In essence, this means that we'll be able to eat "test tube" or in vitro bacon without sending Babe to the slaughterhouse.

If you're vegetarian for health reasons, obviously you'd want to avoid this in vitro mock meat, as it would be just as unhealthy as the real deal. But what if you are vegetarian for animal cruelty, religion, environmental concerns or other reasons? Would you eat meat produced in a lab, not on a farm? "Tissue engineers" claim that the meat might actually be safer to eat, as the risk for bacterial cross contamination and disease exposure would be reduced. Further, the meat tissue wouldn't actually be genetically modified or cloned, just "artificially grown", so it might be safer than eating Dolly the Sheep as well.

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) thinks in vitro or "test-tube" meat is a good thing, and they're putting their money where their mouth is: they're offering $1 million to the first person who can put in vitro chicken meat in American grocery stores. Although PETA certainly doesn't speak for all vegetarians, they are an innovator, leader and a very loud voice when it comes to making waves and changes and if nothing else, they've certainly got the discussion rolling on this one! After being vegetarian for nearly 20 years, I personally have no desire at all to eat chicken, no matter where it came from, though I imagine that there would be a market for such a product, and the vegetarians at PETA seem to think it would be ok to eat it.

Scientists say it's a question of "when", not "if" test-tube meat becomes a reality. So, will you be lining up to buy it? And, if you did, would you still consider yourself a vegetarian?

News Link: In search of a Test Tube Hamburger
PETA link: PETA Offers $1 Million Reward to First to Make In Vitro Meat

Photo courtesy Stock.chng

Pesto with fresh basil is colorful and aromatic - a treat for the eyes and nose as well as the taste buds! Here's four things you can do with fresh homemade pesto, or, if you prefer, a store bought pesto (just read the label to make sure it doesn't contain anchovies). If you're vegan, you'll need to make your own homemade vegan pesto, as I've yet to find a store-bought pesto that is vegan.

1. Pesto Pasta
   Ok, so this one is probably a no-brainer, but probably the most popular use for pesto is on cooked pasta. Try my easy vegan pesto recipe tossed with pasta, or try this fancier recipe for a California-style avocado and pesto pasta.
2. Make a Pesto Pizza (pictured)
   After pasta, a pesto pizza is probably the most popular way to use pesto. You can use this recipe for a vegetarian pesto pizza with feta cheese, or, you can get creative and add your favorite toppings. Roasted garlic, tomatoes, artichoke hearts and black olives all go well with pesto. You can also try this recipe for an Italian pesto pizza.
3. Make a Pesto Dip for Veggies, Pita or French Bread
   Vegetarian or vegan pesto can work as an appetizer or hors d'oeuvres when paired with fresh veggies, sliced French bread, or even pita and crackers. Or, try this recipe for a creamy pesto dip with bell peppers and sour cream. You might also want to try this recipe for a pesto cheese dip - it's super easy with just three ingredients.
4. Pair it with potatoes!
   Liven up an ordinary side dish like mashed potatoes, baked potatoes or even potato salad with a flavorful pesto. Even if you're using pre-made ingredients, you can add that homemade touch!
5. Get Creative! I'm sure there's dozens of fun ways to use pesto that aren't listed here. You can make a fun pesto pasta for kids with beans and tomatoes, or try making an Italian vegetarian pesto lasagna. Have another favorite way to use pesto sauce? Share it in the comments!

Pictured: Feta and Pesto Pizza, recipe and photo courtesy of the Wheat Foods Council.

Lentil soup is one of those recipes that should be in every cook's repertoire. Lentils are available in most grocery stores and are very cheap. For us vegetarians, lentils are a healthy and low-fat source of protein, and they provide plenty of fiber as well. Make a meal out of your soup by serving it with some crusty French bread and a light side salad, or add a vegetable side dish as well. If you've never made lentil soup before, you can watch this quick video which will show you just how easy it is to make lentil soup. Here are a few vegetarian and vegan lentil soup recipes:

Basic Vegetarian Lentil Soup Recipe

Lentil and Vegetable Soup

Crockpot Lentil Soup Recipe

Barley and Lentil Soup

Video: How to Make Lentil Soup

There's enough dietary restrictions during Passover already, but if you're vegetarian or vegan, what are you left with, besides plain matzo? The answer is lots! Try out some of these vegetarian Passover recipes, including vegetarian appetizers, entrees and desserts, and a recipe for vegan matzo ball soup. All of these vegetarian Passover recipes are kosher for Passover and most are vegan as well.

How many times have we heard this, "I'm a vegetarian but..." followed by "....but I eat fish" or chicken or some other quite clearly non-vegetarian item. While this is a pet peeve for many vegetarians, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Clearly, people who are "vegetarian but...." see the value in reducing the amount of meat in their diets, and see vegetarianism as a good thing, though they are just as clearly not vegetarian! Which brings me to my point. The English language just doesn't have a good word for someone who eats a mostly vegetarian diet but occasionally eats fish or chicken. The only word, pescetarian, used to describe a "seafood and vegetarian" diet is awkward, uncommon, and difficult to say and spell. Technically, the word "pollotarian" refers to someone who eats a vegetarian diet with chicken also, but obviously this word is not yet in the common lexicon!

Recently, I met a woman who runs what she calls a veggiquarium restaurant, meaning she serves only fish and vegetarian meals. Veggiquarium! I think it's catchy! It makes sense and you don't have to know latin in order to understand what it means, but I'm curious as to what you think. Is "pescetarian" good enough? Or should we adopt this new word into our collective vocabulary - "veggiquarium"?

Photo courtesy Stock.xchng

Kids love cheese-filled quesadillas for a quick vegetarian lunch or after-school snack. You can even sneak in some finely chopped veggies such as tomatoes or lightly steamed broccoli, if you're trying to get your young ones to eat more vegetables. Vegetarian Mexican quesadillas are quite filling when eaten alone, or you can serve with sour cream and salsa on the side for dipping.

• Cheese and Bell Pepper Quesadillas
• Black Bean and Feta Quesadillas
• Easy Baked Bean Quesadillas (pictured)
• Caremelized Onion Quesadillas
• Spinach and Gruyere Cheese Quesadillas
• Breakfast Quesadillas