A Vegetarian in Paris

Ok, so I'm a horrible cook, like a HORRIBLE cook. One time, I was cooking with a friend, and I was given the task to chop peppers. Within two minutes while my friend was testing the stove, I managed to chop one pepper and slice a part of my thumb. Thankfully, I was alright, but I had accepted the fact that I do need to be fully supervised when cooking or someone will get hurt or sick. However, I am inclined to learn especially when I do have to cook for myself while in Paris.

Before my arrival to the city, I was told that it was difficult for a majority of restaurants to accommodate to the vegetarian diet. If anything, I got creative and researched whatever recipe would compliment the vegetable and fruit ingredients I would get at the farmers' market up the street from me. "When is butternut squash in season?" "How do you cook lentils?" "How long do you sautée carrots, celery, potatoes, and vegetable broth for?" By that time, my mom and Google were tired of answering my random questions. But when getting better at almost anything, practice makes perfect, and cooking constantly has made me more confident in the craft, thankfully.

Because I'm certainly no master cooking, at least not yet, I'm leaving some vegetarian and or vegan recipes for readers to try out. These are recipes I have used since I have been here in Paris, and they are life savers. For the record, I do eat eggs because it gives a high amount of protein, of which I lack immensely of in my diet, and it provides a great source of vitamin A, E and K and B12. And it's not all greens and power foods taking up room in my stomach. Grilled cheeses and Lu Prince biscuit cookies forever hold a special place in my heart. I wanted to be sure these disclaimers were included in this post for transparency. With that, let's get to the recipes--enjoy!

Moroccan-Inspired Butternut Squash Stew

I have family friends from Morocco who now live here in Paris. They have shown me many amazing Moroccan recipes which made me so excited to try at home. From preparing couscous to roasted vegetables, I learned to pair different foods together that I never really thought could be paired with before. For example, this Butternut Squash Stew recipe from Women's Day which groups raisins, dried apricots, with cumin and couscous. "Butternut squash edges into new territory with this Moroccan-inspired dish, which is filled with aromatic cumin, ginger, and cinnamon."

What I like about preparing butternut squash is that the seeds serve as a snack; the seeds taste similar to sunflower seeds but has more of an acquired taste.

Lentil Risotto

Lentils have been my go-to alternative to rice or pasta noodles. Don't get me wrong, I love mac-n-cheese as much as the next person, but lentil's changes things up a bit. Lentils offer a lot of health benefits consisting of preventing digestive disorders, reducing the risk of heart disease, and increasing energy in terms of production and metabolism. And paired with superfoods, like quinoa, you have a super healthy meal--check out Food52's recipe on Lentil Risotto. "The pairing of red lentils and quinoa is perfect for a plant-based, protein-packed risotto. The lentils cook quickly and lose their shape, adding to the creaminess of the dish, while the quinoa provides a pleasantly nutty flavor and bite."

I choose my fruits and vegetables based on the season. My great aunt advised eating the foods that have the colors of the season. So, I refresh on strawberries in the summer and savor sweet potatoes in the fall and winter.

Roasted Broccoli

Preparing broccoli for dinner is one of the easier meals for me to prepare. Especially when I bake the broccoli, it frees up time to cook sides with it like couscous, pasta and or other vegetables. Depending on what I pick up from the farmers' market on the way, that's most likely will be paired with such a simple yet healthy food. I've learned that it comes to vegetarian meals, the foods that normally play as the sides are now the stars of my meals. Here is a recipe from bon appétit that gives broccoli the star power it deserves. "For more variations and veggie inspiration, check out our roasted veggie matrix."

I would love to know what you think and how these recipes turn out if you try them. I would love to know if you have any other recipes and/or cooking recommendations especially for a vegetarian, like myself. Any expertise is appreciated!

-Madison

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