cheese

For vegetarians, it can be tricky to get all of the protein you need every day. Especially if you have just committed to a vegetarian diet and are learning to cook all over again. Eating proteins with whole grains is important. Combinations like rice and dahl, or corn and beans, provide all of the amino acids necessary for a ‘whole protein’ which your body needs to survive. Quinoa is a seed (not a grain) that contains all of the amino acids necessary for a whole protein. So it’s very good to include in your diet.

Quiche is something I always think of as a fancy dish. I'm not sure quite why I think of it as fancy... maybe it's the French name. Whether you think it’s fancy or not, it is a great dish to make for a lunch party, or even a dinner. And is just as good when served at room temperature as it is warm, making it the perfect “make ahead” dish.

Focaccia has become a national dish of Italy, and many regional versions can be found. This version is probably a cross between the local country cuisine of the Puglia region, where breads are enriched with the ingredients of the pastoral people – tomatoes, herbs and oil – and those southern versions adding cheese. This recipe makes a large, thick focaccia (it can only just be called a “flat bread”) filled with a variety of tasty, herby, melty, mouth-watering ingredients. Serve focaccia hot from the oven. Makes 1 thick, 25-cm (10-inch) bread.

This rich favorite consists of lightly steamed vegetables in a Mornay sauce, topped with grated cheese and baked until golden brown. It combines wonderfully with a light soup and bread accompaniment. Serves 6-8.
This particular recipe is from The Higher Taste cookbook which is a great little cookbook with some absolutely fabulous recipes in it.

This pizza recipe is from Kurma’s cookbook Great Vegetarian Dishes and is delicious. Toppings are up to you. In our house we like to put olives (green or black), broccoli, green peppers, eggplant, tomatoes and basil among other things on top of our pizzas. I also like to make a little extra to send to school with my daughter for her lunch on her school’s pizza day. Make sure that you check any cheese that you buy to make sure that they are vegetarian using microbial rennet instead of animal rennet. I also suggest buying a pizza stone if you like a crispy crust on your pizza.

This delectable thyme-scented tart is filled with spinach and three types of cheese: ricotta, feta and Swiss. Using a good quality, ready-made puff pastry ensures trouble-free, quick preparation time. This tart is also excellent served cold for picnics.

Tender pasta sandwiched between layers of tasty béchamel sauce, cheese, spinach and herbed tomato sauce, topped with more cheese and baked until firm---whenever we serve Vegetarian Lasagna at Gopal’s Restaurant our clientele become practically ecstatic. “Could you possibly give us the recipe?” they ask. So here it is.

[From Kurma's book Great Vegetarian Dishes.]

Tapioca flour is used in this recipe to make the bread, and is combined with cheese, butter and milk to make a cheesy, delicious and chewy bread-like substance. Tapioca flour is available in health food stores, some Latin stores, and in Asian supermarkets. Going to an Asian supermarket will save you a lot of money over a health food store, but be sure to look specifically for tapioca starch.

The great thing about quesadillas is their versatility. Any veggies or cheeses can be used. Feel free to play around with them; the combinations are endless.