Menu Challenge: A Vegetarian Dinner Party

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Dinner parties are always rather fun. The only aspect that I am not so fond of is the rigorous cleaning that takes place beforehand. While I adore cooking for other people, my love for scrubbing the cook top, polishing the counter, and washing the dishes happens to be drastically less. My family also has more cooking magazines than we can count - my mother started something of a collection years ago, and I have taken up the hobby. The chore of stacking Food Network, Rachel Ray, and Eating Well magazines nicely deserves an award.

I also happen to know that some people have a hard time accommodating their guests; admittedly, I am typically the subject of this irritation. In fact, the renowned Ina Garten recently captioned an Instagram, stating "I love having summer parties but it's gotten harder to plan a menu now that it feels like everyone is on a special diet." This is completely understandable. However, I try to view diverse eating habits as a challenge.

Today, for instance, we are hosting my dad's band mate and her husband, who are both vegetarian. Especially now that I have viewed the documentary Food, Inc. for summer AP Human Geography homework,  I respect their choice not to eat meat. Cooking vegetarian is a bit of a difficulty, though, for someone who doesn't eat grain or beans. For someone who could NEVER give up a nice, juicy steak. Challenge accepted.

So, dear reader, I present to you...(drum roll please)... my Vegetarian Dinner Party Menu! I've made the entree before - perhaps you'll recognize it? But the dessert is new, as are the side and the appetizer. I hope you enjoy it! This one is for you, my vegetarian friends.
Welcome to our dinner party. Close your eyes, and imagine a table blanketed in a white cloth, sporting silverware and a variety of bowls and platters. A nice scene, more or less. But now, let's go into the interesting bit - the food!
The Blue Moose of Boulder Dip with
Veggies, Nuts, and Rice Crackers.
Avoid the latter, and you're good to go!
(Unless you want the resistant starch)

 My family absolutely LOVES the Blue Moose of Boulder Hatch Green Chile Cheddar Dip. When we visit out local Costco, it is certainly one of the first items to be piled into the cart. Pair it with crisp, fresh vegetables, and you've got an excellent start to your dinner. My parents are also fond of Eat Smart Sweet Kale Salad Kit - it takes less time to prepare, a valuable element in regard to dinner parties. However, I avoid the cranberries, as they typically have a lot of added sugars. The same is true for most salad dressings, so I'd advise selecting your own. Oil and vinegar is always great!

As for the Keto Lasagna Stuffed Portobellos, well... I've written about those. You know my opinion on them. They're fabulous. 100% amazing. For your vegetarian guests, omit the sausage, and you're good to go. I'll be keeping my sausage, though.

 Finally, for dessert I've prepared a Keto Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake. The Keto Diet blog has a reputation for reliably tasty desserts in my family, so I was ready to try something new. Thank goodness I did! It was oh so good! My family says it is the best Keto dessert I've ever made, and our guests couldn't believe it was gluten free, let alone grain free.

This was, undoubtedly, the best part of the meal. We each had a tiny slice, expecting to indulge in another. Alas, the cake was so incredibly rich and filling, and that one bitty sliver was plenty. I would highly recommend the Keto Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake from the Keto Diet Blog to anyone. It's a fantastic way to sneak in some veggies. Moist, with a mouthwatering chocolate flavor and an excellent texture, it will be a recurring item on my menus. Mmmmm! I'm salivating just thinking about it! Note that I used Hershey's Extra Dark Cacao Powder, and did not make the glaze. For one, I don't have liquid stevia. For another, the cake truly didn't need it. It was amazing, just the way it was (Bruno Mars).
There you go, everyone! Enjoy your Vegetarian Dinner Party Menu. Which of these recipes did you enjoy the most?

 Bon Appetit!
-Maya

 Photo by Photos by Lanty on Unsplash, Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash, Graphic by Maya Epstein,
Photo by Maya Epstein, Photo by Maya Epstein

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