I am a vegetarian. And I love food. The kind of vegetarianism I want to gently explore here is not the kind that forces you to eat quinoa and seven esoteric vegetables with every meal. It is the kind that celebrates and appreciates good flavor and good health.

See below for photo credits

While I was at school in Sarasota, Florida, I was a member of a 12-person dinner group. Three nights a week on a two-week rotation, we’d gather together and be fed by whatever the pair of the evening had chosen as a menu. We worked hard to nourish and surprise each other, and the fact that we were all vegetarians was almost an afterthought to the pleasure of good food, good friends, and good conversation. That kind of vegetarian cooking doesn’t have an agenda–it’s just about combining good produce and simple techniques to provide a flavorful and satisfying meal.

A veggie-centric diet worked well for me as a college student and continues to do my current budget (and my health) proud: fresh vegetables can stretch a dime pretty far. And now that I live much further north, my love of all things leafy has the added perk of keeping my diet balanced through the winter. This is the time of year when many people vow to take control of their eating habits, and simplicity is a key factor in making that shift last all year round.

Almost no one does vegetables better than Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks. This is one of my favorite simple treats from the site; I love her delicious Kale and Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes recipe because any leftovers can turn into a wonderfully warming bowl of potato soup the next day with the addition of some good stock.

Kale and Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

3 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
sea salt
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (we recommend Biancolilla by Olio Taibi)
4 cloves garlic, minced (this is a great time to use that new garlic gadget)
1 bunch kale, large stems stripped and discarded, leaves chopped
1/2 cup warm milk or cream
freshly ground black pepper
5 scallions, white and tender green parts, chopped
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish (optional)
fried shallots, for garnish (optional)

Full recipe is available at plummelo.com

Don’t be scared of vegetarian cooking; there’s nothing sneaky or secret about it. One of its many charms is that it’s simple: everyone eats vegetables (if they don’t want to get scurvy!). At my house it’s all about shamelessly picking favorites, and then exploring them in as many different recipes as possible. I decided on this recipe because I love kale and seem to be in a contest with myself to cook it as many different ways as possible.

Sweet potatoes, broccoli, mushrooms, and even pomegranates are a few other staples of my winter diet. You can check out some other vegetarian gems, along with my notes, at my Plummelo profile. And stay tuned! In February I’ll get much more in depth about my old cooking group as we talk about sharing food with friends.

Do you have a veggie-centric favorite recipe? Share it in the comments.

Top photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_t_in_dc/ / CC BY-ND 2.0

Second photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/galant/ / CC BY 2.0