In Dominique Crenn’s book, Rebel Chef In Search of What Mattered Most, I was drawn deeply to her chapter on “The Ethical Kitchen.” It is impressive how this honored chef who sees food as poetry makes vegetables the center of her elegant dishes. While she is not a vegetarian, she understands that “too many people eat a meat-centered diet, when for the health and for environmental reasons, meat should be a secondary ingredient.” I love her message: think before you eat, and consider where the food comes from. It is well-documented that industrial farming is not only inhumane to the animals, it is also harmful to the environment and ourselves.
An OPL Recommended Book — Rebel Chef, In Search of What Matters.
Author: Dominque Crenn
You can read our brief synopsis of this book here.
As a French chef living for decades in the United States, Dominique sees how we “like to buy cheaply and discard, creating unneeded waste.” All of this comes into play in her amazing vegetable-forward meals, where she makes vegetables shine in new, creative ways and works to avoid food waste.
Dominique Crenn’s book inspired me. While I will never come close to being able to create the dishes (out of my league), it motivates me to think about the ingredients in my vegetarian dishes and how to make them shine. The more vegetarian dishes I eat, the more I crave them. Here are two of my go-to vegetarian recipes. Additionally, we have two more from our home chefs. Enjoy!
Pasta with tomato sauce and dollops of pesto
Fried rice with a sunny-side-up egg, topped with ginger & garlic toasted
Lemon Butter Zucchini Orzo – Home Chef Sarah Biddle
Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze – Home Chef Sarah Biddle
Let us know how the recipes came out at your home. Please share your favorite vegetarian or vegan recipes.
