We at Gentlemen of Sweden enjoy both cooking and serving food, cooking is something the modern gentleman should master. Anyone can call and order pizza (no offense to pizza!!) but a home-cooked dinner is rarely wrong. Personally, I don’t think you should have to be a trained chef but it doesn’t hurt to be able to cook and serve a good and healthy meal if needed. So with that said, we thought we would present 3 vegetarian options that we at Gentlemen of Sweden like.

Quinoa salad

When you just need something quick and easy to throw together, a Quinoa Salad with Vegetables and Herbal Dressing is high on the list. It’s easy to make, tastes delicious and is nutritious. All you need to do is boil some quinoa, add some fresh vegetables and top with a dressing made from olive oil, lemon juice, fresh herbs and garlic and you’re done.

Although quinoa salad may not sound like much to the world, it has a long and ancient history as it was an important crop for the Inca people in the Andes. Quinoa has been rediscovered for its nutritional value and the combination of quinoa and fresh vegetables represents a balance between tradition and modern health awareness. The dressing, made with olive oil, fresh herbs and lemon juice, has its origins in Mediterranean cuisine that emphasizes simplicity and freshness.

This is how you do it:

1. Rinse 2.5dl of quinoa thoroughly under cold water, this will remove any bitterness and make the dish taste much better.
2. Cook the quinoa: Add the quinoa and 5dl water to a saucepan. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for about 15 minutes until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is soft. Then leave it to cool.
3. Cut half a cucumber, a few cherry tomatoes and an avocado into pieces. Also chop fresh herbs such as parsley, basil and mint.

Preparation:

1. Mix the prepared vegetables and quinoa in a large bowl.
2. For the dressing: Mix 4 tbsp olive oil, the juice of one lemon, chopped herbs and 1 finely chopped garlic clove. Stir well and season with salt and pepper.
3. Pour the dressing over the quinoa salad and mix gently.
4. Serve immediately as a delicious and healthy meal.

Speaking of healthy and nutritious eating, this dish is rich in dietary fiber from quinoa and vegetables, and it contains healthy fats from olive oil and avocado. The dressing adds an extra dimension of flavor and healthy fats.

Eggplant Parmigiana

If you have a little more time, you can try an Eggplant Parmigiana, originally known as “Melanzane alla parmigiana”, this Italian classic comes from the south of Italy, more precisely from the region of Campania. It is a tribute to the region’s rich agricultural traditions and the wide variety of vegetables. The dish used to include Parmesan cheese and eggplants fried in olive oil, and it has evolved over time into today’s version with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. It represents Italian cooking at its best – simple but flavorful.

This is how you do it:

1. Cut two medium-sized eggplants into 1 cm thick slices. Place them on a tray, sprinkle with salt and leave to soak for about 30 minutes to draw out excess liquid and soften the bitterness.
2. Rinse the eggplant slices thoroughly and dry them with paper.
3. Prepare the tomato sauce: Chop the onion and garlic. Sauté them in olive oil until soft. Add a can of crushed tomatoes, dried basil, salt and pepper. Let the sauce simmer for about 20 minutes, don’t skimp on time this is where the flavors come out! Preparation:
4. Fry or grill the eggplant slices in olive oil until golden brown on both sides.
5. Preheat the oven to 180°C. In an ovenproof dish, layer the eggplant slices, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and fresh basil.
6. Repeat the layers until the ingredients are finished. Finish with a layer of mozzarella cheese on top.
7. Bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.
8. Leave to rest for a few minutes before serving. Serve with a salad and preferably freshly baked bread.

Eggplant Parmigiana is a filling dish that contains both carbohydrates from the tomato sauce and protein from the mozzarella.

Mushroom and truffle risotto with roasted vegetables

Last but not least on the list is another Italian dish, mushroom and truffle risotto, which is a symbol of northern Italian cuisine, especially Lombardy and Piedmont. Risotto is said to be a comforting, devotional dish that binds Italian families together around the dinner table. Mushroom and truffle risotto is a more sophisticated version, reflecting the regions’ rich forests and truffle-hunting traditions. The truffle oil, which imparts a deep and intense flavor, has a long history as a delicacy in Italian cooking.

Mushroom and truffle risotto with roasted vegetables is quite an advanced dish in all its simplicity, getting the right consistency of the risotto can be a little tricky at first so feel free to try the dish a few times before inviting a date home for joint cooking.

Prepare a creamy mushroom risotto by frying the rice with onions and garlic, adding vegetable stock and red wine in batches. Stir in chopped mushrooms and a dash of white truffle oil for extra flavor. Serve the risotto with roasted root vegetables and pickled red onions for an elegant and flavorful dining experience.

This is how you do it:

1. Cut 250 g of mixed mushrooms into slices. Chop one onion and two cloves of garlic.
2. Preheat 1 liter of vegetable broth in a saucepan and keep it warm.
3. Wash and peel root vegetables such as carrots and beets and cut them into even-sized pieces. Preparation:
4. Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add the mushrooms and fry until golden brown.
5. Add 300 g of risotto rice and stir until the rice is translucent.
6. Add a dash of white wine and let it cook into the rice.
7. Add the vegetable stock a little at a time, stirring and letting the liquid boil down before adding more. Continue until the rice is creamy and al dente.
8. Stir in 2 tablespoons of white truffle oil and 2.5 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Roast the prepared root vegetables in the oven until golden brown and soft.
10. Serve the risotto in deep plates, topped with roasted vegetables and possibly some extra parmesan cheese.

This is a real comfort meal with creamy risotto and roasted vegetables. The risotto provides a balance of carbohydrates and proteins while the truffle oil adds a unique flavor profile.

These were some of our vegetarian favorites, of course we have more but we will save that for a post a little later. Do you have any favorites that you like to cook and serve? Feel free to comment below, we love tips, preferably good ones!