Vegetarian Delights: A Confessions of a Foodie Offspring

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Monday, October 5, 2026

Monday Recipes

It's Monday, time to get the work week going. Here are six vegetarian recipes to get your week started just right, including Broccoli and Cheese Crustless Quiche and Garden-Style Lasagna. Enjoy!

VEGETARIAN REUBEN SANDWICH

This yumminess is from Ali Slagle in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Ali wrote, "The Reuben sandwich — corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing on rye bread — has inspired many meat-free versions. Tempeh, seitan, vegetables and mushrooms have stood in for the corned beef, but they’re not really needed, because outsize quantities of the other traditional elements make a punchy, gooey sandwich on their own. Both sides of the buttered rye get melted Swiss. The mountain of sauerkraut doesn’t warm long enough to lose its crunch. The specks of pickles and onion in typical Russian dressing become layers in the sandwich. And while the dressing has mayonnaise and ketchup, as usual, it also has coriander and black pepper to evoke corned beef’s brine, plus hot sauce for kick. Because this rejiggered sandwich relies mostly on condiments and pantry staples, this homemade Reuben is within reach any day."

I think I may have just found my new favorite sandwich!

Total Time: 15 minutes; Yield: 1 sandwich

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024029-vegetarian-reuben-sandwich. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes (case in point), guides, and more.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 tablespoon ketchup

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

Salt and pepper

2 slices rye bread

2 slices Swiss cheese

1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/4 cup thinly sliced white onion or shallot

1/2 cup very well drained and squeezed sauerkraut

1 dill pickle, sliced, or 2 dill pickle sandwich slices

Preparation

In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, hot sauce and coriander. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust pepper and hot sauce until the dressing is just a bit too intense, as it will be tamed by the sandwich fillings.

Spread the dressing on both slices of bread. Reserve the bowl and any remaining dressing. Top each bread slice with a slice of Swiss cheese. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-low. Add the bread, cheese side up. Swirl the bread slices around the skillet to mop up the butter. Cover the skillet and cook until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add the onion and a pinch of salt to the reserved bowl and stir to coat in the residual dressing.

Top one slice of bread with the sauerkraut, pickles and onions. Flip the other slice on top of the fillings and press lightly to adhere. Cook for just a minute on each side until the sandwich has melded. Cut and eat warm.

BROCCOLI WITH ASIAN TOFU

Optional: Delicious served on top of brown rice or Asian-style noodles (soba or udon).

Yield: 4 servings

Serving size: 2 slices tofu, with broccoli and marinade mixture

Source: Deliciously Healthy Dinners

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/995.shtml

Ingredients

1 pkg (16 oz) firm tofu, drained

2 Tbsp lite soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil (optional)

1/2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp fresh ginger root, finely chopped or shredded (or 1 tsp ground ginger)

1 lb fresh broccoli, rinsed and cut into individual spears

1 Tbsp peanut oil or vegetable oil

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

4 Tbsp garlic, peeled and thinly sliced (about 8 cloves)

1 Tbsp sesame seeds (optional)

Cooking spray

Directions

Slice tofu into eight pieces. Place on a plate or flat surface covered with three paper towels. Top with four more paper towels. Top with another flat plate or cutting board. Press down evenly and gently to squeeze out moisture. Throw away paper towels. Replace with fresh paper towels and press again. (The more liquid you remove, the more sauce the tofu will absorb.)

Place tofu in a bowl just big enough to hold all eight pieces lying on their widest side without overlapping.

In a small bowl, stir to thoroughly combine soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, and ginger into a marinade, and stir thoroughly. Pour over tofu. Carefully turn the tofu several times to coat well. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick saute pan coated with cooking spray. Add broccoli and saute for about 5 minutes, until it turns bright green and becomes tender and crispy. Remove broccoli from pan and set aside.

Heat a grill pan or flat saute pan over high heat. Drain tofu, reserving marinade. Place on grill pan to heat for about 3 minutes. Gently turn. Heat the second side for 3 minutes.

At the same time, in the saute pan over medium-low heat, warm the peanut oil, crushed red pepper, and garlic until the garlic softens and begins to turn brown, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add broccoli and reserved marinade, and gently mix until well-coated.

Place two slices of tofu on each plate with one-quarter of the broccoli and marinade mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional).

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 183; Protein: 14 g; Fat: 11 g; Sodium: 341 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Dietary Fiber: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 13 g

BROCCOLI AND CHEESE CRUSTLESS QUICHE

This is from the May 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 42). It is in an article titled Calci-yum!, and begins, "Enjoy this no-crust savory custard pie with a salad for lunch or dinner. For a variation, substitute 5 cups spinach for the broccoli. Serve with warm whole-grain bread."

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/broccoli-and-cheese-crustless-quiche/. Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

2 tsp. olive oil

1/2 cup thinly sliced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

5 cups broccoli florets

1-1/4 cups 1% milk

1 cup shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

4 large egg whites, lightly beaten

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 Tbs. grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook, stirring often, 1-1/2 minutes. Add broccoli, and cook, stirring often, 1 minute. Spread mixture in pie pan.

Combine milk, cheese, mustard, egg whites, eggs, salt, pepper and nutmeg in large bowl. Pour over broccoli mixture; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake 40 minutes, or until top is golden and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

GARDEN-STYLE LASAGNA

This recipe is by Cooking Light and posted on MyRecipes. It begins, "Vegetable lasagna is a crowd-pleaser and a classic make-ahead dish. You can use precut onions, matchstick-cut carrots, and broccoli, in addition to precooked noodles, to speed up preparation. If you make it ahead, let it cool completely, then cover and chill. The next day, heat single servings in the microwave. Freeze leftovers for dinner."

Makes 12 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/garden-style-lasagna.

Ingredients

Cooking spray

2 cups chopped onion

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons olive oil, divided

2 cups chopped zucchini (about 8 ounces)

2 cups chopped yellow squash (about 8 ounces)

2 cups thinly sliced carrot (about 8 ounces)

2 cups chopped broccoli (about 6 ounces)

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (about 2-1/4 ounces)

3-1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk

1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Dash of nutmeg

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1-1/2 cups 1% low-fat cottage cheese

2 cups (8 ounces) preshredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

12 precooked lasagna noodles, divided

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Spoon onion mixture into a large bowl.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and yellow squash; sauté 4 minutes or until tender and just beginning to brown. Add to onion mixture.

Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced carrot; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add chopped broccoli; sauté 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add to onion mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss well to combine.

Place flour in a medium saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook 2 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg; stir until smooth. Stir in spinach.

Combine cottage cheese and 1-1/2 cups mozzarella; stir well. Spread 1/2 cup spinach mixture in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 noodles over spinach mixture in dish; top with half of cottage cheese mixture (about 1 1/2 cups), half of vegetable mixture (about 2 1/2 cups), and about 1 cup spinach mixture. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining spinach mixture over noodles; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella.

Cover and bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

GOLDEN TOFU NOODLE BOWL

This is from Hetty Lui McKinnon in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Hetty wrote, "Fresh and brimming with crisp textures, this Vietnamese-style rice noodle bowl is inspired by bún chả, the pork and vermicelli dish from Hanoi. This vegan version offers golden cubes of turmeric-coated tofu, served with crunchy raw vegetables and a zesty dipping sauce. The sauce is a vegan take on the Vietnamese staple nước chấm sauce, relying upon lime, maple syrup, soy sauce and garlic to replicate the complex umami and signature sour-sweet-spicy notes of the original. Serve with the sauce on the side, so each person can dress the salad to their liking. Don’t skimp on the herbs, as they add an essential herbal aroma to the dish."

Ready in: 40 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/786478904-golden-tofu-noodle-bowl. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.

Ingredients

For the Salad

Salt and black pepper

8 ounces rice vermicelli noodles

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 (15-ounce) block extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes

2 medium carrots (about 5 ounces), coarsely grated

2 Persian cucumbers, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch slices

1/2 head (about 6 ounces) romaine lettuce, thinly sliced

1/3 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

1 handful fresh basil leaves, for serving

1 handful fresh cilantro leaves, for serving

For the Vegan Nước Chấm

1/2 cup lime juice (from about 4 limes)

5 tablespoons maple syrup or brown sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari

1 garlic clove, finely grated

1 Thai red chile, finely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Start the salad: Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the rice noodles and cook according to package instructions until tender, using a wooden chopstick or tongs to gently separate the noodles. Drain, refresh under cold water, and drain again.

Meanwhile, add the olive oil, turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt and a big pinch of black pepper to a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add the tofu and toss gently to coat.

Heat a medium skillet on medium high for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tofu cubes and cook until golden all over, about 2 minutes per side (depending upon the size of your pan, you may need to cook in batches).

Make the vegan nước chấm: Place the lime juice, maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, Thai chile and salt into a bowl and whisk to combine.

Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the noodles, season with a pinch of salt and toss them to loosen them up. Divide the noodles among four wide bowls or rimmed dinner plates. Nestle bundles of the tofu, carrots, cucumbers and lettuce on top, along with small handfuls of peanuts, basil and cilantro. Serve with a bowl of the nước chấm on the side.

Tip

The noodle bowls and the sauce can all be prepared 24 hours ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to serve. Since the sauce is not added until the time of eating, everything stays fresh and crisp.

JAMBALAYA WITH SAUSAGE

This yummy vegan recipe is from One Green Planet. If you've never checked the site out, please do!

Anyway, the recipe begins, "This Vegan Jambalaya is a meatless twist to a Cajun favorite! The spicy flavors meld together with rice and beans for a great one-pot meal. Beans, rice, and vegan sausage take center stage in this hearty vegan jambalaya. Traditional Cajun comfort food can dish out as much or as little heat as you’d like. For an added kick, use vegan Cajun sausage and even fire-roasted tomatoes."

To view this online, go to https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/jambalaya-with-sausage-vegan/.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon vegan butter

1 14 oz package vegan sausage, sliced

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

3 celery stalks, chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced

2-3 tablespoons cajun seasoning, divided

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 14 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 14oz can black or red beans

2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice

3 cups vegetable broth

fresh chopped parsley and green onion for topping

Preparation

In a large pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat over medium-high. Add the sliced vegan sausages and 1 tablespoon of the cajun seasoning and sauté until browned. Transfer to a clean plate and set aside.

In the same pan, add the tablespoon of vegan butter and let it melt. Then add in the veggie mix. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add in 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper. Stir and cook for 1 more minute.

Next, add the crushed tomatoes, beans, Worcestershire sauce, rice, and veggie broth to the pan. Stir well, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer (covered) and cook for 25-30 minutes, until the rice is cooked. Stir frequently to make sure the rice doesn’t burn and stick to the bottom of the pot. Add vegetable broth as needed if the mixture starts to dry out.

Add the cooked vegan sausage back into the pan and mix. Remove from heat.

Top with chopped parsley and green onions, and enjoy!