Eggplant Parmesan, or Eggplant Parmigiana, is possibly my very favourite vegetarian dish. Of that long list, it may also be the least healthy, unless of course you count french fries or ice cream. When done properly eggplant parmagiana should be a melty mess of tomato sauce, breaded eggplant, and stringy cheese.

Admittedly, this recipe isn’t quick. Between the breading and the frying it takes at least 30 minutes to make, but it is worth it. Before all the local eggplants disappear and we are into the butternuts and cranberries, make this on a rainy afternoon.

Yes, this recipe does call for topping fried shrimp with a mayonnaise and ketchup mixture. Yes that really is how they make it, and no it isn’t health food. However, this is a fun and easy appetizer recipe that can easily be a conversation piece for your next party. Serve with cold beer.

This beet and potato roesti is a perfect appetizer eaten on the couch during a cozy night in. Eat the crunchy slices with your fingers, dipping them in sour cream or yogourt. Almost as good as homemade perogies.

Possibly explaining why I can’t stop making it?

Here is a zucchini appetizer recipe for lazy summer evenings. Fritters are quick to make and endlessly flexible. This version uses sharp cheese, scallions and parsley to flavour the zucchini. If you like these, next time try feta and mint or basil and goat cheese.

These fritters are shallow fried so make sure your oil is hot enough that it isn’t just absorbed straight into the fritters and made greasy. If you have very small and young zucchini you may be able to skip the salting and squeezing step, but as it will help you control the moisture content it is usually worth it.

I can be a stubborn creature. Before culinary school, a beurre blanc wouldn’t have appealed to me at all. I either thought it was too rich, too bland, or just old-people food. (Sidebar: I am not sure I had ever actually had a beurre blanc before.) Though certainly rich, a good beurre blanc is anything but bland. The day we made it at school it was a revelation. What a beautiful butter sauce it is when perfectly smooth and balanced!

This particular beurre blanc recipe is not the classic simple sauce, but rather one aromatized with orange as the citrus — rather than the typically lemon — and chives for a bite. The bright orange colour is a great place to sit some fresh shrimp. Make sure you serve this alongside some crusty bread for dipping and a glass of light Chardonnay.

This tuna recipe is a variation with a more citrusy twist. The raw onions are soaked in water briefly to take the edge off (a great trick for Greek salad by the way). The only complaint I received was that there wasn’t enough — even though this was only the appetizer.

Rather than doing it in a pan, this tuna recipe can also be done on the grill and served immediately. By doing it in a pan and freezing it briefly before slicing it is simply easier to get a clean cut. Feel free to do it a few hours ahead of time, store it in the fridge, then slice and served cold when you are ready for it.

Consider this recipe a twofer. First, it makes an excellent appetizer as grilled chicken satay is always a crowd pleaser. Secondly, you can turn it into a full meal by using the grilled chicken to top a salad or serve alongside some steamed rice and vegetables.

As a room temperature dinner salad this worked very well. You can toss the extra coconut peanut sauce with some cooked asian noodles and blanched mixed vegetables like broccoli. A nice touch is to also toss in some fresh raw vegetables like cucumber, green onions, peppers or snow peas. If you plate the noodles on a bed of lettuce you get that nice fresh crunch as well.

I know, I know and I am sorry but does it help if I promise this is the last kale recipe for awhile and it’s a good one? This kale spanakopita recipe was inspired by a neat idea from a farmers market and comprises the last of my fall kale. This give us all at least 6 weeks of kale-free recipes before the summer harvest begins.

Now, unlike fettucine alfredo and mushroom soup, spanakopita is one of the few dishes I ate when I was a vegetarian that I never got sick of. Traditionally, spanakopita is a savoury Greek treat made with spinach, feta, onions fresh herbs, and eggs. If done well, the crispy pastry is delicate and buttery with a soft and fresh interior.

Kale works just as well as spinach. Better even, as it has a bolder flavour and holds it’s texture. Because the eggs are omitted this recipe would be very easy to adapt to be vegan, swap the butter for olive oil and simply omit the cheese or substitute tofu or nuts.

Tostadas are like little Mexican pizzas, messy, fun to eat, and endlessly adaptable. This beef tostada recipe is all about the marinade on the flank steak. To celebrate the season of citrus, mix together this spicy orange and chipotle sauce — would be great on chicken too.

If you actually look at the calorie count of this recipe you will be pleasantly surprised, compared to pizza this is actually quite healthy — especially if you avoid frying the tortillas. Plus, if you have leftovers you can make a killer taco salad.

Pork belly, if cooked just right, has an inherent balance to it. A textural balance. A crispy exterior with a tongue-tender interior creates a lovely symmetry for the palate. But unfortunately, it is also more than half fat and very decadent.

Now, try pork belly paired with light flavors. It is no longer just texturally balanced but something different entirely. These pork belly lettuce wraps are topped with a sweet fennel and apple salad with an earthy miso dressing. This makes a sexy and inviting appetizer, or have several as a main course.