Jamaican Stew – Vegan Style

I’m so excited to share with you the first ever reader submission to T-Bones and Tofu.  I am posting this recipe as submitted with a big dose of gratitude to my friend – and reader – Jonathan Lee.  Jon sent me a text on one of our cold, wet Houston days a couple of weeks ago to share that he had made a big pot of Jamaican stew via a vegetarian adaptation of a family recipe.  The best part?  Jon’s not even vegetarian.  (But his brother is, so the part where we cook for those we love rings clear here.) 

Eat it now: Mushrooms for Healthy Eating

This mixed mushroom soup from 101 Cookbooks is sure to warm a winter night - and is a healthy choice.

Mushrooms hold a special place in my diet and in my food curiosity.  I’m sure, on occasion, you too have pondered how certain plants came into the diet of mankind.  Mushrooms pose a particular curiosity for me, as so many are toxic.  I imagine it must have taken just a few particularly delicious edible varieties to spur our predecessors into prizing the food and, ultimately, commercially farming the fungus for consumption.  The acclaimed royalty-only food of the ancient Egyptians is an excellent, low-cal, low-fat substitute for meat in many styles of dishes.

And, I don’t know about you, but it’s that time of year for me.  While I try to set new goals year-round, something is always special about the start of a calendar year.  I guess I think of it as a time for renewal – which, for me, seems to always be a great opportunity to reevaluate what I’ve been putting on my plate.  A few healthy mushroom-centric meals make sense right now, especially as the vitamin-D-packed fungus is available from at least two local growers virtually year-round in southeast Texas.

Carrot and Dill Soup

Carrot & Dill soup from Real Simple magazine is another great place to start.

Oh friends!  I am so sorry I’ve been without contact for so long.  My camera is broken!

I know!  A complete and total travesty for a food blogger, especially one who cooks at night.  And, sadly, I have not contacted the powers that be about warranty coverage.  (It’s okay to cross your fingers for the camera.)

Silken Turnip and Potato Soup with Grilled Asparagus and Roasted Mushroom Salad

mushroom and grilled asparagus salad

A few weeks ago, I noticed on my geek holidays calendar Tolkien Reading Day is tomorrow.  Only after learning about the origins of Tolkien Reading Day did I realize how truly geeky my geek holidays calendar really is.  None the less, I figured if there is any way to celebrate this sham of a holiday it would be by serving a meal a hobbit would adore.

Of course, with hobbits, the question is which meal.  (If this isn’t your first Tolkien Reading Day celebration you undoubtedly already know that hobbits eat at least seven meals a day: breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner and (later in the evening) supper.  You might also know that if you’ve recently looked up hobbits on Wikipedia.)