Lentils with Broiled Eggplant and Greek Yogurt

Friends, neighbors, and readers of our site often ask me for our favorite vegetarian recipes.   As you probably know, we are not vegetarians, so the list of main dish recipes in my arsenal without using an animal, seafood, or dairy protein, is somewhat limited.   We do enjoy plant and grain-based dishes and are trying to incorporate them more frequently into our diet, however, we’re never going to give up a perfectly roasted chicken or a nice, thick juicy steak prepared on the grill.

Puy lentils that have been cooked with aromatics

Several months ago I asked friends on Facebook which vegetarian cookbooks they really enjoyed as our vegetarian cookbooks are older and do not focus on the whole grains, vegetables, and fresh herbs that have become mainstream in the last several years. Vegetables have become so popular that many chefs are opening restaurants that are vegetable centric. We knew there were many new cookbooks out there with far more inventive and tasty dishes than the old standards, such as Vegetable Lasagna or a cheesy egg frittata, that’s why I was curious. Thankfully for vegetarians, cooking and eating has become a whole lot more interesting in recent times.

Seasoning the lentils with red wine vinegar and olive oil

The one book that was suggested by several people was Plenty, by London’s Yotam Ottolenghi. Born in Jerusalem, Ottolenghi is a British-based chef, restaurateur, and writer. He is not a vegetarian, but his gorgeous and creative use of vegetables and grains is impressive in this book and I’m sure in his other vegetarian cookbook, Plenty More. It is said that we eat with our eyes and that’s especially true with many of the dishes featured in this book.

Beautiful fresh eggplant