Spinach, Chickpeas, and Tomato Sauce with Eggs

This vegetarian-friendly dinner is bursting with protein, iron, and fiber and comes together in just about half an hour (not counting the chickpea soaking time.) It's tasty and flavorful but also simple enough to appeal to even the pickiest of palates. Make this for adults or children and expect everyone to enjoy it.

As mentioned in some of my past posts, I strongly urge you to use dried chickpeas. They do take a little more advance planning, but it's worth it for the additional flavor and nutrition. Canned chickpeas are drenched in salt but the dried have almost none. And, as long as you plan, they're barely any more work. Simply follow the directions on the bag of dried chickpeas but they will probably direct you to either soak them in cold water overnight or boil for 2-3 minutes and then let soak for an hour or so. Go this route and your heart and health will thank you in the long run!

Difficulty: easy
Time: 30 minute

Roasted Cauliflower Bisque

Yum! This soup is thick and creamy with the comforting yet enticing flavors of roasted cauliflower. The roasting process brings out a deeper flavor with hints of sweetness that perfectly lightens while making the normally quiet flavors of cauliflower more complex. It's a warming soup that will keep you happy as these spring evenings remain cool outside.

I paired the soup with cous cous and some freshly grilled salmon, but it is versatile enough to go with a wide variety of meals. In fact, you could even make it as stand alone vegetarian dinner, perhaps paired with some nice, fresh, crusty bread for dipping. It'll also make wonderful leftovers for lunch all week, easily re-heated at work, so make extra.

Time: 1 hr 25 min
Difficulty: medium-easy

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato, Spinach, and Burrata

Yum! If you haven't had burrata before, you're in for a treat. It's fresh mozzarella stuffed with cream, a.k.a. rich, indulgent luxury. That's right, it's not world's healthiest cheese but it's so luscious and creamy that a little bit goes a long way. In my opinion, I'd rather splurge on a small amount of the good stuff than have a large amount of mediocre ingredients.

I made this dish as a stand alone since it's already filled with veggies, is bulked up by whole wheat spaghetti, and the burrata makes it filling. This dish was more than enough for my husband and myself - but feel free to make a side dish and spread it out over even more people!

Difficulty: easy
Time: 30 min

Pumpkin Lasagna

Alright, I admit, this probably would have worked better if I weren't so far behind in my posts and had published back in the cold winter months when I first cooked it. However, it turns out that having homework hinders the upkeep of blogs, so hopefully I'll be forgiven once you taste this feel-good meal. I prepared a hot, hearty, and healthy pumpkin lasagna. I made the noodles from scratch for extra flavor and health, but you can always substitute dried pasta if you want to shorten the time-span of this involved dish considerably. I did, however, start with canned pumpkin rather than an actual whole pumpkin. With no added salt, it's a reasonable shortcut to take!

I served this dish with a fresh pear and goat cheese salad, but really anything light and crisp would go well. The lasagna is thick and creamy so you'll want something to contrast it on the side. And, you may want to make extra.. you'll definitely be wanting this for lunch again the next day!

Difficulty: medium-hard
Time: 1 hr 45 min

Spinach and Caramelized Onion Baked Potato

I have to admit, baked potatoes are a rarity for me. While I love potatoes, I tend to default to roasting them more than anything else with the occasional mashed or grilled variety. However, on a rainy day I ended up going this route after rummaging through my fridge and couldn't have been happier. This mainstay was classed up with caramelized onions, spinach, and fresh mozzarella to produce a hearty vegetarian meal.

You can always make smaller portions of this meal as a side, however. In my case I let it be the main feature with some leftover butternut squash soup on the side. It was a perfect, hot meal to enjoy as I was cozy in my house, listening to the rain outside!

Difficulty: medium
Time: 45 min

Grilled Tofu with Ginger and Sesame

I had never grilled tofu before this experiment, but I'll most definitely be grilling it again in the future. This recipe has you grill it as a "steak" meaning one flat slab of tofu. It will help draw in tofu skeptics since it is recognizable as a typical shape and form for a protein, but will then quickly convert them to regular tofu eaters with its delicious flavor and texture. The ginger and sesame glaze pairs perfectly with the smoky grill flavor.

I served my tofu steaks over basmati rice and alongside some fresh, grilled asparagus simply coated with a touch of olive oil and a generous helping of black pepper. It made for a quick, delicious dinner. You could easily swap out the sides, however, to best suit your mood. Let us know in the comments if you come up with the perfect combination.

Difficulty: easy
Time: 1 hr 15 min

Mushroom and Fontina Bread Pudding with Squash and Pear Bisque

I really need to get better about posting, even if a graduate school schedule has hijacked normality. However, hopefully the amazing recipes below make up for my delinquency. As the cold weather persists, make these dishes for some delicious, home baked warmth that will fill your house with tantalizing smells and warm you inside and out.

I prepared some healthy twists on classic comfort food below. First, there is a savory bread pudding complete with rich cheese and filling bread. However, with mushrooms for some umami flavor, whole wheat bread for fiber, and a lightened load of calories with skim milk and no-sodium-added vegetable broth, you'll be going back for seconds without feeling guilty. Along with the bread pudding comes a creamy pear bisque that you can enjoy without any worries that it's filled with heavy cream and salt. Scoop it up eagerly and your arteries will thank you.

Difficulty: medium
Time: 2 hrs 15 min