Banh Mi Chay (Vietnamese Tofu Sandwiches)

I love sandwiches.

Who doesn't, right? They are the a perfect combination of taste and texture, and are often bookended by God's greatest creation: bread. I remember going on the Atkins diet in college to try to lose my freshman 15 (more like freshman 20). Breadless for 4 months. That was a dark, dark time.

Sweet & Spicy Red Pepper Hummus

Hummus: a beautiful, beautiful food. So easy to make, so deliciously satisfying. In the past decade, it has it become a staple in the grocery aisle, but only in the past 3 years has in been offered in a crazy array of flavors.

Thai Basil Stir-Fry

Heading out of town, a fridge full of leftovers from this week. Any rational individual would heat up some veggie lasagna and hit the road. I, however, am rarely rational when it comes to food.

In the mood to cook, I wandered out to my little herb garden to see what was happening. Some of them have been looking a little worse for ware lately (so sorry, dear mint), but my Thai basil is looking absolutely beautiful.

Classic Balsamic Vinaigrette

Some people are intimidated by the idea of making their own salad dressings, but it is so simple, and so very worth it. Store-bought dressings are full of sugar, preservatives, and all types of crazy stuff. When you have a beautiful, locally gown, bright green head of buttery lettuce, you don't want to drown it in chemicals. To let it shine, dress it in a light sweet vinaigrette. A vinaigrette is a simple dressing based on a 1:3 proportion of vinegar to oil, and has endless flavor possibilities.

Ra-ta-touille!

I just got this month's issue of Vegetarian Times in the mail. The cover features autumn produce. Not so fast,my friends.