Three Inventive Vegetarian Recipes You'll Want to Make Again and Again

The collective dream of amateur cooks, if you could argue that there even is one, may be creating a healthy, easy, and delicious meal. The trifecta, if you will, of any weeknight dinner. But for most mere mortals (read: excluding professional chefs), this concept can often prove to be somewhat elusive.

Colorful, inventive, vegetarian dishes are, however, the best incarnation of this dream. And now one new cookbook will allow readers to whip up dishes just like that. Naturally Nourished is the latest book from Sarah Britton, whose website My New Roots is something of a cult favorite. Below, Britton shares three such recipes — all of which we're sure you'll want to cook again and again. Her cauliflower steaks with chermoula and eggs could replace any burrata, while sprouted mung bean avocado mango cups will likely become something of a go-to. As for your new rich-yet-healthy indulgence? Our money’s on Britton’s red velvet roasted garlic beet soup.

Cauliflower Steaks With Chermoula and Eggs

Serves 4

Ingredients2 heads of cauliflower 1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee Fine sea salt

Chermoula1 garlic clove 2 pinches of fine sea salt ¼ tsp. smoked hot paprika (ground chipotle would also work) ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 1 tsp. ground cumin ½ tsp. ground coriander ¼ cup / 60ml cold-pressed olive oil ¼ cup / 60ml freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 packed cups / 60g fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus extra for garnish 2 packed cups / 60g fresh cilantro leaves, plus extra for garnish 4 to 8 large eggs (1 or 2 eggs per person)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit / 200 degrees Celsius. Cut the cauliflower from top to bottom into ½-inch / 1.3cm-thick slices. Save any florets or small pieces for another dish. Rub the cauliflower with the coconut oil and season with salt. Place it on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast until golden and tender but not mushy, 20 to 30 minutes.

2. While the cauliflower is roasting, make the chermoula: In a food processor, pulse the garlic until minced. Add the salt, spices, oil, and lemon juice, and pulse to combine. Roughly chop the herbs, add them, and pulse until the desired consistency is reached—it’s delicious smooth or left a little chunky. (This step can be done ahead of time; leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.)

3. Poach the eggs: Bring a shallow pot of water to a simmer over low heat. Gently stir the water to create a whirlpool. Crack 1 egg into a small dish, then carefully transfer the egg to the center of the whirlpool. Poach the egg for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the egg from the water with a slotted spoon and place it on a clean kitchen towel to absorb any water. Repeat with the remaining eggs.

4. To serve, place a generous dollop of chemoula (about ¼ cup / 60ml, or more as desired) on each plate, followed by 2 cauliflower steaks. Season the cauliflower with salt, add 1 or 2 poached eggs, and top with a sprinkling of fresh herbs. Enjoy immediately.

Red Velvet Roasted Garlic Beet Soup With Mustard-Spiked Yogurt

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients2 ¼ pounds / 1kg beets 1 head of garlic 1 T plus ½ tsp. coconut oil 3 leeks 2 teaspoons dried thyme 3 bay leaves Fine sea salt 1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice 4 cups / 1 liter vegetable broth ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper ½ cup / 125g plain yogurt (preferably goat or sheep) 1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit / 200 degrees Celsius. Wrap the beets in foil and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Slice off the portion just below the garlic bulb stem revealing the cloves. Spread ½ teaspoon of the coconut oil on top, wrap the bulb in aluminum foil, and set on the baking sheet. Roast until the beets are tender when pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the leeks. Remove the dark-green tops, slice the white and light-green parts in half lengthwise, and give them a good rinse to remove any dirt in between the layers. Then slice the leeks crosswise into chunks.

3. In a large stockpot, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of coconut oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and a few pinches of sea salt and stir. Add the thyme and bay leaves. Cook until the leeks soften, 5 minutes.

4. When the beets are roasted and are cool enough to handle, slip off their skins, cut them into chunks, and add them to the pot with the leeks. Add the broth, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the leeks are totally soft, 3 to 4 minutes.

5. Remove the foil from the garlic and squeeze the bulb from the bottom to extract the cloves directly into a blender. Scoop the bay leaves out of the pot and discard. Transfer all of the remaining ingredients and blend on high until smooth. Season with salt. In a separate dish, stir the yogurt and mustard together, swirl into each bowl of soup, and enjoy.

Sprouted Mung Bean and Mango Avocado Cups

Serves 2 as a main, 4 as a side

IngredientsDressing2 T freshly squeezed lime juice 1 T cold-pressed olive oil 2 pinches of flaky sea salt

Salad1 large ripe mango 3 cups / 180g mung bean sprouts ½ packed cup / 20g chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems 1 shallot or ¼ red onion, minced A few pinches of crushed red pepper flakes Fine sea salt 2 large ripe avocados

Instructions

1. Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, and salt.

2. Prepare the salad: Peel and cut the mango into bite-size pieces. In a large bowl, combine the mango with the bean sprouts, cilantro, shallot, and pepper flakes. Pour the dressing over top and toss to coat. Season with salt.

3. Slice the avocados in half and remove the pits and a small portion of the flesh to create a space in each half for the filling.

4. Fold the extra avocado flesh into the salad, then fill each avocado with plenty of salad, letting it spill over the sides. Serve immediately.

Rollover Make extra sprouted mung bean salad and serve it over cooked brown rice for a complete lunch the next day.