The year isn't completely over yet, but with only a few more recipes to go, why not take a look at my 4th year trying brand new vegetarian meals?

WE COOKED MORE THAN 250 NEW RECIPES THIS YEAR!!!

I say "we" because the hubs deserves credit for bringing a decent portion of these recipes to life. He often comes up with spice innovations as well. Credit where credit is due, after all.

Who Inspired Me (other than my husband)?

I referenced 138 blogs this year to come up with some of the most my most innovative meals to date. In previous years, I've leaned heavily on popular blogs like Minimalist Baker and Connoisserus Veg, but this year I spread the love. Not one blog was referenced more than 10 times. Here are the "top blogs":

• Eating Well (referenced 10 times)

• Eat Drink Shrink (7)

• Hello Fresh (6) Thank you friends for recommending!

• Floating Kitchen (5)

• Inspiralized (5)

• One Green Planet (5)

• Food & Wine (4)

• Naturally Ella (4)

• Pickles & Honey (4)

My Favorite New Ingredients

This year was the first time ever I cooked with #hibiscus flowers and #halloumi. This year was also the first year I had ever tasted hibiscus outside of tea. It definitely was not my first time trying halloumi, but definitely the first time eating it any other way than just as a sauteed appetizer. Some stand out recipes include:

• Hibiscus Flower Enchiladas

• Hibiscus Breakfast

• Palak Halloumi

• Grilled Halloumi & Summer Vegetable Tacos

• Halloumi Peanut Curry

• Halloumi Curry with Coconut Sambal

• Za'atar-Crusted Halloumi with Sumac Veggies & Couscous

What are my plans for these ingredients in 2022? Halloumi will be just everywhere and in every way possible LOL. As far as hibiscus, I am dead set on creating a "Jamaican" ravioli. Stay tuned.

My Favorite Quarantine Ingredient

So we're not in quarantine anymore, but you never know when I knew lockdown will pop up. #Apples are a great staple for this because they keep for so long. This year, the recipes I chose made a pretty common flavor sing. Here are my favorites:

• Onion Soup with Apples (MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE)

• Savory Cornbread Stuffed Apples

• Sweet Potato Biscuits with Poached Eggs and Apple Pesto

• Sri Lankan Spicy Green Apple curry

Other Favorite Recipes (yours included!)

Here are some of the most clicked on recipes. You may have already enjoyed them on your own, or maybe you bookmarked them and never gave them another second thought. No time like the present to give it a go!

Bowls

• Spicy Grilled Peach Salad

• Summer Vegetable Gnocchi Salad

Breakfast

• Savory Dutch Baby with Roasted Broccoli (makes a great Brinner, too!)

• St. Paddy's Day Guinness Biscuits

Curry

• Curry-Coconut Mushroom Chowder (Not exactly curry, but curry is in the name :) )

• Instant Pot Banana Curry

Pasta (my favorite categorty)

• Spinach & Cashew Tortellini

• Buffalo Jackfruit Alfredo

• Beyond Meat Shish Barak

• Taco Stuffed Shells

Sandwiches & Such

• Crunch Wrap with Lentil-Mushroom Filling & Sweet Potato Nacho Sauce

• Spinach and Avocado Stuffed Mushrooms

• Wasabi Risotto Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms