This recipe is one of the simplest recipes of all time, but it is one of my favorites.

There are a million variations, none of them wrong.

Alter the spices, the measurements, the temperatures, the cooking time, whatever, but it still comes out as baked asparagus.

Less time will make it more crisp, more time will make it more tender.

Obviously, more spices will up the flavor, less with give you more of the natural asparagus flavor.

Sometimes I like to just drizzle some plain olive oil on the asparagus and just bake it with no seasoning.

This batch, I tried the white asparagus mixed in with the green asparagus that we all love so much.

It is prepared the same way, but the flavor is very different. White asparagus is milder and not as good, but it is a nice change when mixed with the green.

Start by mixing the seasonings into the olive oil in a small bowl. Let it sit for a while to soak the flavors into the oil.

Next, trim the bottoms off of the stalks.

Preheat the oven to 425.

Brush the olive oil on to the asparagus on a baking sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, turning them over once during the baking.

Serve hot.

That’s seriously how easy this dish is.

A couple of variations to try are replacing the basil with red pepper flakes or chili powder, or drop the salt for a slightly healthier version.

Ingredients

1 pound of fresh asparagus

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. basil

3 tbsps. olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

This is another simple, but rewarding recipe, a basic baked side with mashed potatoes, onion, garlic and cheese.

The best results will come if you use a cast-iron pan to bake, but a regular casserole dish could do the trick as well.

Start by peeling and washing the potatoes, then quartering them.

Boil them until they are cooked all the way through.

While they are boiling, preheat the oven to 450 then dice the onion and saute in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil with the garlic.

The onion and garlic should be nice and browned and set aside by the time the potatoes are done.

After the potatoes are good and soft, drain them and return to the pot you boiled them in.

Drop in the margarine and mash with a potato masher. Mix in the onions and garlic, then add salt, pepper and spices.

Lightly oil the cast iron pan with some olive oil.

Scoop all of the potatoes into the pan.

Top with the shredded cheese.

Bake until the cheese is lightly browned, about 15-20 minutes should do it.

This is easy to make into a vegan dish by just using Daiya to top it and Earth Balance for the margarine.

Ingredients:
3 to 4 pounds of potatoes

1 small onion

2 tsps. minced garlic

3 to 4 tbsps. olive oil

1/2 stick margarine or butter

1/2 to 3/4 cup shredded cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp. chili powder (optional)

1 tsp. cumin (optional)

Fried rice is usually vegetarian until they put the meat in it, so this is an easy dish to make into something vegetarian.

The ingredient list makes it look kind of complicated, but once the items are all collected it is a simple to create this meal.

Cook the rice first and set aside. It should be able to cool off a little while you mix everything else together.

Cut all of the veggies, then heat up a few tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is hot, add the ginger and garlic and fry for a minute or so, stirring the whole time.

Start frying the onion for a couple of minutes.

Add the pepper and carrot, heat for another two minutes or so.

Stir in the sesame oil while these heat up.

Add in the silken tofu and stir well.

Next, toss in the broccoli and heat briefly.

Add the rice and pineapple and stir well.

The sauce will be mixed into the wok as you continue to stir the mixture.

Pour in the soy sauce or Bragg’s liquid aminos, then add the curry powder and sugar all while stirring.

Heat thoroughly, but don’t overcook or the broccoli will get limp and no one likes that.

About 2 to 3 minutes should be enough time.

Serve soon and enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups cooked rice

1 cup pineapple chunks

1 pepper, diced

1 onion, diced

1 carrot, shredded

1 stalk of broccoli, chopped

1 to 2 cups of silken tofu

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. minced ginger

2 to 3 tbsps. soy sauce or Bragg’s

1 tbsp curry powder

1 to 2 tsp sugar

1 tbsp. sesame oil

Vegetable oil for pan frying