A Year of Meatless Meals: March 2016

For a vegetarian version of this pea soup, substitute the chicken broth for a vegetable mushroom broth. Garnished mint leaves add a contrasting bite and an extra dash of green to this 30 minute soup.

Ever tried tempeh? This soybean-based veggie protein is a great option for vegetarian or vegan sandwiches and wraps because of its firm texture and incredible flavor adaptability. We love it here with a quick soy sauce hit, layered over earthy kale.

This is the kind of satisfying, protein-rich veggie burger everyone will love, kicked up with a splash of hot sauce.

One egg adds 6g protein to this vegetarian plate; the yolk is also a creamy dressing.

Here's a sauce so good you'll want to eat it by the spoonful. Make a double batch, and stir into whole grains, drizzle over vegetables, or use as a sauce for lighter mac and cheese.

Grating jalapeño, ginger, and garlic allows them to infuse the coconut milk with bold flavor quickly, while caramelizing the mixture intensifies the savory-sweet appeal of this saucy noodle bowl.

Sure, you could simplify this by just topping the salad with crumbled goat cheese and chopped pistachios. But our method ensures that each grassy, creamy bite of cheese contrasts with the salty, crunchy nuts. Serve with pasta or chicken.

Brussels sprouts are the new kale! Here they're quickly browned and still slightly crunchy. To save time, slice them with a mandoline or a food processor fitted with the slicing blade attachment.

This dish is most popular in the summer but delicious year-round. Korean naengmyun noodles are made from wheat and buckwheat and are wonderfully chewy; Japanese soba is an adequate substitute but lacks the chewy texture. Because of the noodles' firm texture, the dish comes to the table with scissors, and you are to snip a few times and then mix everything together after enjoying the initial presentation.

Why "ultimate" mac n' cheese? Because the sauce in this recipe is creamy, not grainy; it's flavored with shallots, gruyère, and white wine, like fondue; and it's topped with crunchy sourdough bread crumbs.