Popeye Would be Proud
As a meat eater, I never realized how difficult it used to be for a vegetarian to enjoy a delicious meal in a restaurant until I began to socialize with one. Most of the time, the only entrée available was a plate of bland steamed vegetables. So, my friend would end up with a salad, some pasta, or the occasional veggie burger. It opened my eyes and made me read menus from a different perspective. I even reviewed my own recipe collection and made a list of my favorite recipes that did not include meat. It made me think: why aren’t professional chefs offering creative dishes that could be enjoyed not only by vegetarians, but by everyone? Welcome to 2024.
There are more than 1,000 varieties of vegetables cultivated in the world, and spinach tops the list as the most nutritious. I guess Popeye was right after all! Fresh is best, but frozen veggies are convenient and can be just as healthy provided they have no additives. Even canned vegetables can be nutritious. Choose organic and avoid added sugars and salt. Whatever you do, don’t overcook them. They lose nutritional value and simply taste bad.
Vegetarianism began in ancient India and was advocated by all three major religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. The earliest recorded evidence is as far back as the 6th century BC. The word was not invented until the mid-19th century. Before then, non-meat eaters were referred to as Pythagoreans after Pythagoras, the ancient Greek philosopher and mathematician who is considered the father of vegetarianism.
Many other well-known historical figures have also embraced vegetarian diets at some point in their lifetimes, including Ben Franklin who is thought to have introduced tofu to the western world. Other vegetarians you may know: Leonardo da Vinci, George Bernard Shaw, Albert Einstein, Mr. Rogers, Christie Brinkley, and all the Beatles.
Meatless diets have been criticized in the past because they can be deficient in protein, some vitamins and minerals, fatty acids, and iodine. According to the National Institute for Health, at the turn of the 21st century “the former prejudices that vegetarianism leads to malnutrition were replaced by scientific evidence showing that vegetarian nutrition reduces the risk of most contemporary diseases.” There is no doubt that vegetarian diets result in a lower intake of saturated fat and cholesterol and a higher intake of several important nutrients. All of this contributes to reducing health risk. Well-balanced vegetarian diets are now considered good for everyone including children, pregnant women, the elderly, and athletes.
Anywhere from four to ten percent of Americans now identify themselves as vegetarian or vegan. What is true for many is that meat is no longer the centerpiece of the meal, at least some of the time. There appears to be a generational shift toward vegetarianism that is perhaps best embodied by the term “flexitarians”—people who eat vegetarian most but not all the time, according to thehill.com.
There are many types of vegetarian diets; some include eggs, some don’t. Some include fish. Some don’t include any dairy at all, or even honey. I’m focusing here on meatless meals that may include dairy and eggs but no fish—in other words, food that does not involve harming an animal.
I am not going to spend much time on the somewhat ordinary. For example, Caesar and other green salads can be found at almost every eatery in town, as can all kinds of pasta served with various vegetables and sauces. You can also readily find risotto, gnocchi, mac ‘n cheese, and pizza, of course. Speaking of pizza, try the Harvest Pie at Lucky Bones or one of the many creative vegetarian options at Panico’s.
Scrumptious Salads
Every year there seems to be one thing that is all the rage in our restaurant scene. This year, it is roasted beet salad. Of the 40-plus restaurants I regularly survey, 15 of them have some version of it this summer. Some add goat cheese; others pair them with burrata and serve them with arugula. Watermelon and feta is still a popular combination at Grana, Ocean 7, the Cricket Club, Bryne, and Vintage.
If you like fruit in your salad, Tisha’s has created a blueberry vanilla goat cheese watercress salad with poached pears and candied pecans, dressed with a raspberry vinaigrette. Harry’s is highlighting summer peaches over mixed greens (also with goat cheese) plus pistachios and poppyseed dressing.
The Washington Inn has a different take, combining asparagus with pea tendrils and snow peas flavored with lemon, served atop frisée and arugula with green goddess dressing. They also pair Tuscan kale and radicchio with watermelon radishes, cherry tomatoes, and snow peas flavored with mint, served with red quinoa and Manchego cheese topped with pistachio dressing. Now that’s a mouthful!
Savory Soups
Many of our fine restaurants prepare onion soup, but if you are a strict vegetarian, make sure to ask if it is made with beef and/or chicken stock, as it often is. Provence has a lovely rendition made with mushrooms. Lucky Bones serves a Cuban black bean soup; the Cricket Club spices up cauliflower bisque with curry. Good Earth and Sea Salt have delicious tomato gazpacho, and the Washington Inn is celebrating summer by adding strawberries to their refreshing version.
Appetizing Apps
Brussels sprouts are still a popular appetizer and can be found at Ocean 7, tempura fried at the Mad Batter, and drizzled with Balsamic honey at Exit Zero Filling Station, which also prepares curried vegetable meatballs. Vintage serves spanakopita with avocado tzatziki. Panico’s pairs tzatziki with zucchini and eggplant. If you eat dairy,try the pimento cheese dip at the Magnolia Room or the baked brie at Freda’s and Vintage. For something unusual and fun to eat, sample the charred haloumi at Bryne. The Cricket Club continues the focus on vegetarian cuisine started by their sister restaurant, the Mad Batter, by offering more delicious apps like hummus with a variety of veggie accompaniments, as well as fried tomatoes, loaded potato muffins, and for something really different—jackfruit flatbread.
The Main Event
Many of our dining establishments have outdone themselves by creating new and unexpected vegetarian entrees. Cauliflower Steak at the Cricket Club, the Blue Pig and Good Earth. Vegetable “crab” cakes will surprise you at the Mad Batter, Good Earth, and Louisa’s.
Here are a few more delectable creations that may entice you to forget all about meat:
Ebbitt Room: Shakshuka with crispy tofu, seasonal vegetables, chickpeas, and couscous
Elaine’s: Gluten-free garlic parmesan butternut squash noodles with tomatoes, spinach, carrots, and Mediterranean olives
Mad Batter: Vegan Paella, Nachos, and Seitan hot “wings”
Magnolia Room: Bourbon Glazed Sweet Potato, Red Quinoa, Braised Cabbage & Mushroom, Asparagus, Scallion Sauce
Ocean 7: Stuffed Acorn Squash (Spinach, Tri Color Couscous, Roasted Red Pepper, Goat Cheese)
Washington Inn: Harvest Vegetables (black lentil hash, cauliflower, oyster mushrooms, garlic sautéed spinach, pickled fennel, and carrots with curry vinaigrette)
Two eateries in Cape May deserve special recognition: Good Earth Organic Eatery and Bella Vida Café. Both offer vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options as well as non-vegetarian dishes for the carnivores in your crowd!
Good Earth serves all organic, homemade items—even their breads. They serve some of the most creative vegetarian options on the island. Try the Asian quinoa or the bean meatballs in Bolognese sauce. There is also yellow Thai coconut curry and many interesting pastas and risottos. They serve lunch Thursday through Monday and dinner every day except Tuesday.
Bella Vida serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day except Wednesday. For starters: plantain bites topped with black bean corn salsa and a quinoa plate with grilled broccoli, asparagus, carrots, tomatoes, and avocados with sesame ginger dressing. Create your own pasta dish, indulge in a Costa Rican Casado bowl, or try the Linda Christine, a dish comprised of portabella mushrooms, roasted peppers, caramelized onions, garlic spinach, and mozzarella or vegan cheese. The menu is extensive and includes so many unusual items, many with a Costa Rican influence, I couldn’t possibly cover them all here. You will just have to go and see for yourself.
I want to introduce you to my secret weapon when it comes to vegetables, The Victory Garden Cookbook by Marion Morash. People say there’s never been a cookbook like it, and I couldn’t agree more. It was my mother’s go-to source for cooking vegetables and continues to be mine. I own more than 300 cookbooks, but there are two I couldn’t live without. The Joy of Cooking and this one. First printed in 1982, it is as relevant today as it was then, and it is easy to use. It contains more than 800 recipes, and I have never prepared one from this book that we didn’t love! It also includes basic information on how to plant, grow, harvest, and store vegetables as well as shopping tips for non-gardeners.
Some people eat vegetables for health reasons, some for ethical, ecological, or religious reasons. I eat them because they are simply delicious! Bon Appetit.
