The Mediterranean Vegan

Risi e bisi is a pea risotto from the Venetian region of Italy. The dish is traditionally prepared on April 25th, the feast day of Venice's patron saint, St. Mark. Serves 4 What you need: 1 onion, diced 4 tbsp margarine 1 tbsp parsley 1.5 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 2 cups fresh or frozen peas 1/2 cup white wine 2 cups short grain rice, dry 7 cups vegetable broth, hot In a large pan on medium heat, melt 3 tbsp margarine and add the diced onion. Sauté for around 10 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the salt, pepper, spices, and peas and sauté for another 5 minutes. Pour the wine into the pan and stir for around 3 minutes. Add the dry rice and stir until it has soaked up all of the liquid. Add the broth, cup by cup, while continuously stirring for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is cooked. Add 1 tbsp of margarine after removing the risotto from heat and serve immediately.

Zeytinyagli Mantarli Kuskonmaz is a Turkish salad consisting of asparagus and mushrooms. In this recipe, I added some leftover wild rice that I had. This works as a hot dish or a cold summer salad. Enjoy! Serves 2-3 What you need: 3 tbsp olive oil 10-12 mushrooms, sliced 1 bundle of asparagus, chopped 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 3 tsp lemon zest or lemon juice 2 cups cooked rice (optional) In a large pan, heat the 3 tbsp olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the chopped mushrooms, asparagus, salt, pepper, and lemon zest and sauté for 10 minutes. If you are using rice, add the cooked rice and mix for another 3 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

This casserole dish originates from Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine and is similar to a shepard's pie. Its name translates to "tray of potatoes." This dish traditionally contains meat, which I substituted here for lentils. Enjoy. Serves 4-6 What you need: 1 cup breadcrumbs 2 tbsp parsley 2 tbsp margarine or olive oil for the potato layer 3 large potatoes, peeled and chopped 2 cups plain soy milk 3 tbsp margarine or olive oil 1 tsp salt for the rice layer 4 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, diced 1.5 cups dry lentils 1.5 cups dry white rice 6 cups vegetable broth 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1.5 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 cup pine nuts Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F). Lightly grease a large casserole dish. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of bread crumbs at the bottom of the casserole dish. In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add the potatoes. Boil for 20 minutes on medium heat and drain with a colander. While the potatoes are boiling, start making the rice. Place the pine nuts in the ove...

Mujaddara is a popular dish throughout Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan. It can be made with groats, wheat or rice and its two variants include yellow mujaddara (red lentils) or brown mujaddara (green lentils). Serves 4 What you need: 1 cup lentils, uncooked 6 cups water 1 1/2 cups white rice 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp five spice powder 6 tbsp vegetable oil 2 yellow onions, chopped fresh parsley In a deep pan, add the lentils and the water and bring to a boil. Simmer for around 20 minutes and then add the rice and the spices. Simmer for another 20 minutes. You may need to add more water depending on how fast it evaporates. Taste the rice while cooking and add more water if necessary. In a separate pan, fry the onions in the vegetable oil until the onion becomes brown. Serve the mujaddara and garnish with the fried onions and a pinch of fresh parsley.

I was inspired to make this after trying a very terrible version at a local vegan restaurant with my friend Ines. Unfortunately it was my first time trying this delicacy, so I didn't have much to compare it to. After making this recipe, I now know what real arroz con leche should taste like...and its amazing! Serves 4 What you need: 1/2 cup white rice 4 cups soy milk 1 tsp cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick 2 slices orange peel 1/4 - 1/2 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract In a small pot, add the soy milk, rice, cinnamon, and orange peel and bring to a boil. When it starts boiling, reduce to low-heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for around 45 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Top with more cinnamon and serve hot!

Here is a recipe for the Valencian classic arròs al forn, which means "oven rice." Typically this is made with a variety of sausages and other meats, so this recipe leaves out the meat and substitutes the beef stock for vegetable broth. Serves 3-4 What you need: 3.5 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, chopped down the middle once and with skin 2 tomatoes, 1 sliced and 1 grated 2 cups cooked chickpeas 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp salt 2 1/2 cups short-grain rice, uncooked 1 pinch saffron 5 1/2 cups vegetable broth, hot 1 potato, sliced 1/4 inch thick (.5 cm) Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F). Typically you would use a ceramic dish for this. You'll need a pan that can go on the stove-top as well as the oven. If you don't have one, first follow the instructions for the stove-top and then move the ingredients to an oven-safe pan. In a large pan on medium-high heat, sauté the onion and garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil for 7 minutes. Add the grated tomato and chickpeas and saut...

The Greek dish prassorizo is the same concept as spanakorizo but with leeks. Serves 3 What you need: 2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, diced 3 leeks, chopped 2 carrots, chopped 2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 2 cups short-grain rice 5 1/2 cups water In a large pan on medium-high heat, sauté the onion in the olive oil for five minutes. Add the leeks and carrots and sauté for another 15 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, and rice and stir for 1 minute. Add the water and let boil, stirring occasionally for around 18 minutes or until the rice is completely cooked with a creamy texture.

This recipe comes from Greece. The word yemista/gemista means stuffed in Greek, and there are various combinations of vegetables used for this oven-baked dish. Yemista is often stuffed with minced meat and rice, but the vegetarian version is just as common. Kalí óreksi! Serves 4-6 stuffed vegetables What you need: 2 1/2 bell peppers 2 tomatoes 1/2 cup olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 onion, diced 1 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced 1 1/2 cup spinach 1 tsp parsley 1 tsp oregano 2 tsp basil 1 cup water 2 cups short-grain rice 1 tsp salt Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Carefully remove the tops of two peppers and two tomatoes (or more depending on how many you make) using a sharp knife. Remove the seeds from the peppers and scoop out the insides of the tomatoes with a teaspoon. Put the tops of the vegetables and the insides of the tomatoes to the side. Chop up the other half of the bell pepper to use in the rice. In a medium frying pan, sauté the onion and garlic in the 1/2 cup olive oil u...

I needed something to do with my leftover pumpkin from "thanksgiving," so I made traditional risotto alla zucca . Risotto is a popular dish in Northern Italy, and there are several different ways to make it. You can also use butternut squash or another winter squash if you don't want to get a pumpkin. Serves 2-3 What you need: 2.5 tbsp margarine 1 onion, diced 1/2 cup white wine 2 cups cooked pumpkin, chopped (boiled or baked) 2 cups short-grain white rice 5 cups vegetable broth 1 tsp salt pinch of nutmeg In a deep pan, melt 1.5 tbsp margarine and add in diced onions. Sauté onions until clear and add dry rice to pan. Mix the rice in until the butter is absorbed into the grain. Now add the 1/2 cup white wine to the pan and stir until completely absorbed by the rice. Mix in the 2 cups pumpkin and 2 cups vegetable broth. Set a timer for 17 minutes. Stir until the broth has soaked into the rice. Keep adding vegetable broth, cup by cup, waiting for the broth to absorb and then...

There are several debated methods for this French staple ratatouille. Here is a simple recipe for the dish. It can be served with rice, bread, or pasta. My friend Adrianna and I made it with whole wheat pasta. Serves 4 What you need: 1 eggplant, diced 1 zucchini, diced 1 onion, diced 4 cloves garlic, diced 2 carrots, diced 1 bell pepper, diced 5 tomatoes, diced 3 tsp salt 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp pepper 1 tsp basil 1 tsp marjoram 2 tbsp olive oil In a large pan, sauté onions and garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil until soft (around 15 minutes). Add in tomatoes and stir occasionally for another 7 minutes. Add all other vegetables and spices and cover, stirring occasionally for around 30 until all vegetables are cooked thoroughly. Remove lid and let cook for another 1o minutes until the sauce thickens. Add more salt and pepper if necessary and enjoy as a side or sauce.

Kushari is one of the most popular dishes in Egypt and happens to be vegan! Enjoy. Serves 2-3 What you need: 1 cup white rice, cooked 1 cup pasta (any kind), cooked 1 cup lentils, cooked or canned 1/2 cup chickpeas/garbanzo beans (optional) 2 cups tomato sauce (with or without vegetables) 1 tsp red pepper flakes 1/2 onion, diced 1 tbsp margarine salt pepper Make the rice, pasta, and lentils according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, make the simple tomato sauce . Add the red pepper flakes to the tomato sauce while cooking. Add diced onion and margarine to a small pan and fry until caramelized (around 25-20 minutes). Mix the rice, pasta, and lentils together. Top with the tomato sauce and caramelized onions. Add salt and pepper to your liking. You're done!

Spanakorizo is a Greek rice dish made with onions, spinach, olive oil, and lemon juice. In this version I added garlic, mushrooms, and dill. Serves 3 What you need: 1 yellow onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, diced 8-10 white mushrooms, sliced 5 cups fresh spinach 1/2 tsp dill 1/3 cup olive oil 1 1/2 cup basmati rice 6 cups water 2 tbsp lemon juice salt pepper In a deep pan, sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil until transparent (15-20 min). Add the mushrooms, spinach, and dill and sauté for another 7 minutes until the spinach is wilted. Add the rice along with the water. Stir occasionally on medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until rice is cooked. Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper and stir. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Patlicanli Pilav is a common dish in Turkey and is cooked similar to the Spanish food paella . Serves 3 What you need: 1 large eggplant 2 medium tomatoes 1/2 yellow onion 2 tbsp olive oil 1 cup dry basmati rice 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth 1 tsp parsley 1/2 tsp fresh mint salt pepper Cut the eggplant into bite size cubes and sprinkle them with salt to remove the bitter taste. Let the eggplant sit in a colander for 15 minutes to drain out. While waiting for the eggplant, dice the onion and tomatoes. In a large skillet on medium heat, sauté the eggplant in 1 tbsp of olive oil for around 10-15 minutes (or until brown and soft). Remove from skillet and set aside. In the same skillet, sauté the onion in 1 tbsp of olive oil until golden. Add the diced tomatoes and sauté for another five minutes. Add the eggplant back into the pan. Sprinkle in the 1 tsp of parsley, 1/2 teaspoon mint, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. After stirring in the spices, add the 1 cup of uncooked basmati rice to the mix...