Summertime comes with days when you can be too hot to function, much less cook. This cool, flavorful, and refreshing dense bean salad is satiating and quick to make, no stove needed. For the pita, I use whole wheat ones from Trader Joe’s, which you can toast, lightly heat on a grill, or eat cold, which is what I did on the roasting hot day I made this bean salad. With an assortment of summer veggies, a can of rinsed black beans, and some seasoning, you’ll have a nutritionally balanced meal in minutes, and you can continue your summer festivities in peace.

In the summer heat, I always require meals packed with veggies, preferably partially in a cold salad form, and this meal does that. With a healthy dose of protein and fiber from the slightly crunchy roasted chickpeas, and additional flavor and texture from the crispy-edged, tender-centered zucchini, this grain bowl is off to an excellent start, but for additional veggies, I paired it with a robust cucumber salad and an umami-packed, creamy sundried tomato yogurt-based sauce.

On my Greece Trip this year, I was able to enjoy many delicious flavors, some that were quintessential Greek flavors, some were plant-based twists, and some were unfamiliar but eye-opening. For this trip, unlike my first one, I stayed in the Athens area. Then on the last couple of days, I travelled about 30 minutes outside of the city to stay at a beach resort. There was a little restaurant on the beach with excellent views, and I spent that sunny afternoon writing, reading, taking photos, and snacking. One of those snacks was an eggplant dip, packed with a twangy flavor and garlic.

Sometimes you need a quick dinner that feeds a group without too much work. This dish, and variations of this dish, are that for me. Bursting with summery flavors like aromatic fresh tomatoes and addictive garlic, umami from the mushrooms, and bright lemon, this dish cannot miss. For additional fiber and nutrients, I always pair a pasta with veggies, and in this case it was a crisp, flavorful lemon-garlic asparagus, gently sautéed until perfectly tender.

Something I hear often when it comes to sharing that I eat plant-based, or that I eat a lot of vegetables, are statements like “You don’t find your food to be bland?” or “I don’t know how to cook or flavor vegetables.” Let me tell you, as a lifetime plant-based eater from an island mother, I know how to season and flavor my food, and I never miss any meals. Keep reading to learn my favorite methods, ingredients, tips, and tricks for flavor-boosted meals, so that you can happily eat your veggies.

Eggplant is a diverse vegetable that can be cooked into sauces and dips, eaten as a main course as a fritter, and disguised into other food items like falafel. Today, I will show you two easy recipes for eating eggplant. Eggplant’s deep blue-purple hue indicates that it provides a source of Vitamins K and C along with a host of other healthy minerals like choline, folate, potassium, manganese, and more.