Vegetarian recipes that keep the flavour

Are you reducing your meat intake? You’re not alone, as more and more Canadians convert to vegetarian and vegan diets.

The side dishes are easy enough to make vegan; most are by their nature. In my recipes for this week’s article,

I’ve opted for PC Butter Alternative (a vegetable-based alternative) instead of a traditional butter.

I’ve also let the vegetables be the star. Roasting goes along to bring out many vegetables’ natural sweetness and personality.

This year, instead of traditional fall meat-based proteins consider making a vegan roulade featuring spinach, mushrooms, and roasted peppers the center piece.

The nice thing about a roulade is you can slice it for the crowd. Serve it with a vegan gravy and some delicious sides and enjoy!

ROASTED BEET SOUP WITH HONEY ROASTED HAZELNUTS

4 servings

1 tbsp vegan butter

4 tsp honey

1 cup hazelnuts

½ tsp salt

1 lb red beets

1 large head garlic

4 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 bay leaf

4 thyme sprigs

4 vegetable stock

2 tbsp lemon juice

Directions: Start by making the honey roasted hazelnuts. Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt vegan butter and honey in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Mix with nuts. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 5 minutes. Stir. Continue baking stirring every 1-2 minutes until the syrup thickens and turns golden brown. Remove from oven. Add salt and mix thoroughly. Let cool and roughly chop. Next roast the beets. Set oven to 450°F. Drizzle beets with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap in tinfoil. Roast until soft, about 60 minutes. In the last 20 minutes, slice the top off the head of garlic and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and wrap tightly in foil. Roast until soft. Once cool, peel and roughly chop beets. Squeeze roasted garlic from the cloves. Finally heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook onion and celery until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the beets, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Purée in a blender until smooth. Add lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with honey roasted hazelnuts.

SAVOURY ROAST PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS

4 Servings

4 large portobello mushrooms, steams and gills removed

4 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 small zucchini, diced

1 bell pepper, finely diced

1 ¼ cups mixed mushroom

1 clove garlic, mind

Splash white wine

1 cup bread-crumbs

4 sage leaves diced

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 F. Toss mushrooms in 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet gill-side up. Place a sauté pan over mediumlow. Add remaining olive oil, onions, zucchini and peppers. Sauté until vegetables are soft. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add mushrooms. When mushrooms have released their water and soft, add white wine. Add the breadcrumbs and sage, stir. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Fill mushroom caps with the stuffing. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Note: for vegetarian version top with

mozzarella cheese before baking.

ROASTED BRUSSEL SPROUTS

8 to 12 Servings

1 ½ - 2 lb large Brussel sprouts, outer leaves removed, trimmed, halved

½ lemon, juice, zest

1 tbsp garlic, minced

3 tbsp olive oil

Pinch salt

Pinch black pepper

Directions: Place Brussel sprouts in baking dish. In a bowl, whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, and olive oil. Pour oil mixture over sprouts and season generously with salt and pepper. Place in an oven preheated to 400 F. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm.

HASSELBACK POTATOES

8 medium yellow fleshed potatoes 1 stick vegan butter, melted

Pinch salt

Pinch pepper, freshly cracked

½ cup cheddar, grated (optional) Chives, chopped, for garnish Directions: Preheat to 450 ̊F. Firmly grasp potatoes by ends. Carefully cut potatoes into thin slices leaving a ¼-inch at bottom of potato to keep it intact. Place the potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet. Brush the potatoes with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Serve

SPICE ROASTED CARROTS

4 servings

1 tbsp brown sugar 2 tsp paprika

1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp coriander ½ tsp salt

4 tsp olive oil

2 lb carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise

2 tbsp each roughly chopped mint, parsley and cilantro

Directions: Preheat oven to 450°F. Stir together sugar and spices. Toss carrots with spice blend and olive oil until evenly coated. Place on a parchment or foil-lined baking tray. Roast until tender and browned, about 20 minutes. Serve on a platter garnished with fresh herbs.

VEGAN MUSHROOM AND SPINACH ROULADE

6 Servings

2 tbsp PC vegan butter, plus extra for brushing

½ sweet onion, finely sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

125 g mix mushrooms, sliced

2 tsp herbes de Provence

10 oz baby spinach

2 roasted peppers, roughly chopped 2 cans chickpeas, rinsed

2 tbsp olive oil

¼ cup water

1 tsp salt

¼ cup breadcrumbs

1 cup flour

Vegan gravy*, to serve

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 F. Place a large sauté pan over mediumlow heat. Add butter and onions. Sauté until soft. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add mushrooms and herbes de Provence. Sauté until mushrooms are soft and release liquid. Add the spinach and saute until lightly wilted. Set aside. Place chickpeas, olive oil, water, salt and breadcrumbs in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add flour and mix until a dough forms. Place on a flour work surface and kneed until pliable. Cover a 15-inch by 9-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the chickpea flour and spread until is about ½-inch thick. Place the wilted spinach and mushrooms in the middle, leaving ½-inch of room on each side. Top with pieces of roasted red pepper. Using parchment to guide you, roll the over the stuffing to form a roulade. Brush with more melted vegan butter. Bake in oven for 40 minutes. To serve place on a platter and slice. Serve with vegan gravy.