Recipes so packed with flavor, you won't even notice they're vegetarian

My dear friend Cheryl Mothes is trying to help us all start off the New Year on a healthy note after all of the very rich foods we have eaten over the holiday. She has contributed a few vegetarian recipes for us to try. I have tried several of the recipes she has given me and they are all delicious. She always says they are so packed with flavor you won't even know they are vegetarian, and she's right. Give these recipes a try to kickstart your New Year.

Colorful Veggie Salad

• 1 cup chopped fresh broccoli
• 1 cup chopped fresh cauliflower
• 1 cup thawed edamame (soybeans that come frozen)
• 1/2 cup chopped red pepper
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup sweet Vidalia onion salad dressing

Mix all in a large bowl, chill and serve.

This "red and green" salad, with the almonds and edamame, has lots of great protein and "crunch." For other times of the year you can use any color of pepper and any nuts, or substitute other dried fruits for the cranberries. You can also use ranch dressing or any other dressing that's a favorite.

Sparkling Kumquat Salad

• 1/3 cup walnut pieces, toasted
• 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh fennel leafy tops
• 1 recipe Sparkling Vinaigrette (see recipe below)
• 12 cups torn mixed salad greens
• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup kumquats, seeds removed and thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl combine walnut pieces, pomegranate seeds, fennel tops, and 1 tablespoon of the Sparkling Vinaigrette; set aside. In a large salad bowl combine salad greens, sliced fennel, kumquats, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with remaining Sparkling Vinaigrette. Toss gently to coat. Sprinkle the salad with the walnut mixture. Makes 10 side dish servings.

Sparkling Vinaigrette: In a blender container or small food processor bowl combine 1/2 cup coarsely chopped and seeded kumquats, 1/2 cup chilled sparkling white wine or chilled alcohol-free sparkling white grape beverage, 1/4 cup walnut oil, 1 quartered shallot, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander or ground cardamom. Cover and blend or process until nearly smooth.

Vegetarian Sausage and Bean Cassoulet

• 3 cans of different beans; black beans, garbanzo beans, white beans, kidney beans, you choose
• 2 boxes of Morningstar Farms sausage patties, broken into pieces
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 3 medium carrots, sliced thinly
• 2 small onions, diced
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth, can be purchased, or buy vegetable bullion cubes and dissolve them in water
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Mix all ingredients in a 3-quart casserole dish and bake at 350 for 30 minutes until bubbling, or microwave until heated through.

FYI, Schnuck's has a large selection of Boca and Morningstar Farms vegetarian substitutes. The sausage patties are really good.

Butternut Squash with Tomatoes and Leeks

Serve this on a bed of brown or wild rice for a wonderful vegetarian main dish.

• 1 butternut squash, about 2 pounds
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 leek, including green tops, washed and finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 cans diced tomatoes, Italian seasoned, drained
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth, or 3/4 cup water with one vegetable bullion cube
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

Halve the squash, scoop out the seeds and any fibers, peel it and cut it into very small cubes, about the size of the diced tomatoes. Warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a wok or frying pan, add the squash and stir and toss every 15 to 20 seconds until lightly browned (3-5 minutes) and transfer to a dish. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, then leeks, tossing every 15 to 20 seconds until softened (2-3 minutes). Add the garlic, tomatoes, and stock and simmer for 1 minute. Return the squash to the pan and stir and toss all ingredients together. Cover and cook over medium high heat until the squash is tender (7-10 minutes). Uncover and add the basil, stirring and tossing to combine. If any excess moisture remains, cook uncovered until it evaporates. Serve immediately.

Chopped Salad

Here's a great idea for potluck dinners. Marinate and tote the cut-up vegetables separately in re-sealable plastic bags, then unpack and arrange them in rows on a platter just before serving. Makes: 8 to 10 servings

• 1 (15- to 19-ounce) can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained
• 2 small green sweet peppers, seeded and cut into bite-size chunks, 1 *½ cups
• 1 medium cucumber, cut into bite-size chunks, 3 cups
• *½ head or about 2 cups radicchio or 1/4 head red cabbage, coarsely chopped
• *½ of a 16-ounce package radishes, halved or quartered, about 1 *½ cups
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 8 ounces feta cheese, cubed

Coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley and/or mint

Place beans, sweet peppers, cucumber, radicchio, and radishes in separate self-sealing plastic bags. For dressing, in a screw-top jar combine oil and lemon juice. Cover and shake well. Add honey, salt, and cracked pepper to taste, covering and shaking well after each addition. Pour 1 to 2 tablespoons dressing into each bag. Seal bags. Chill 2 to 4 hours, turning bags occasionally (beans, green peppers, and cucumber may be chilled up to 24 hours). To serve, arrange vegetables and dressing along with feta cheese in strips on a serving platter. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and/or mint. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Roasted New Potatoes with Blue Cheese-Ranch Dressing and Green Onions

• 2 pounds new red and/or yellow potatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup canola oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup real mayonnaise
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss potatoes with oil on baking sheet, then season with salt and pepper. Roast 25 minutes or until golden brown and tender. Arrange potatoes on serving platter. Meanwhile, whisk buttermilk, mayonnaise, mustard and garlic in medium bowl, then season, if desired, with salt and pepper. Gently stir in cheese and green onions. Spoon sauce over potatoes and serve.

Not very many people use kumquats on a regular basis, but this salad may change your mind about kumquats.

Have a great rest of the New Year week, and until next time, happy cooking.