How does a full day of healthy vegan eating sound?

Its a new decade, and many peoples New Years or should I say New Decades? resolution is to eat healthier. However, sometimes even when you want to eat healthier, you dont want to give up the foods you love ... like pasta. Here are three vegan recipes inspired by some of my favorite dishes: cereal, risotto, and any stuffed pasta.

To start the day, a hearty bowl of oatmeal is always a healthy way to go. Bag those sugary cereals for a delicious fiber-filled alternative. Add citrus for that much-needed vitamin C in the winter and chia seeds to start your day on the right note.

When it's time for lunch, enjoy this Tomato Farro Risotto-Stuffed Eggplant, which you can prepare in advance for a quick weekday lunch. Its as delicious as your favorite risotto perfectly creamy, but without the cream or butter.

For dinner, try this Mushroom Marinara Vegetable Ravioli.

Anessa Petteruti of East Greenwich is a student at Brown University. She publishes her recipes at http://www.foodfinessa.com.

Winter Glow Oatmeal Bowl

3 cups almond milk (or any type of milk)

1 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

cup walnuts, chopped

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon chia seeds

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Fresh grapefruit, sliced

Fresh banana, sliced

1 tablespoon muesli

1 teaspoon honey

Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the oats, walnuts, maple syrup, chia seeds, and lemon juice and cook until the oats are tender. Remove from heat, and transfer to a bowl. Top with sliced grapefruit, banana, muesli, and a drizzle of honey.

Serves 1.

Tomato Farro Risotto-Stuffed Eggplant

2 large eggplants, cut in half and insides removed and chopped

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

cup farro

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large tomato, chopped

cup white wine

cup almond milk

cup fresh parsley, chopped

cup fresh basil, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place halved eggplants on a baking sheet, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast eggplants for 15-20 minutes or until slightly brown.

While eggplants are roasting, prepare the risotto. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add the farro, 2 cups of water, and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Allow to simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, then cover and cook until farro is fully cooked.

In a separate saucepan over medium-low heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, minced garlic, chopped eggplant, and chopped tomato. Cook until eggplant and tomato are fully cooked. Add wine, almond milk, parsley and basil. Then add cooked farro, and allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Add about 3 tablespoons of risotto to insides of each roasted eggplant half. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Mushroom Marinara Vegetable Ravioli

FOR THE VEGETABLE RAVIOLI

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 large eggplants, diced

3 cups mushrooms, diced

cup parsley, chopped

cup basil, chopped

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

FOR THE MUSHROOM MARINARA

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups oyster or cremini mushrooms

3 large tomatoes, chopped

cup tomato puree

cup white wine, like Pinot Grigio

cup fresh parsley

cup fresh basil

cup fresh oregano

Fresh herbs for garnish, optional

Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional

For the ravioli filling, in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, heat the olive oil until warm. Add minced garlic, and saut until fragrant. Add the eggplant and mushrooms, and saut until soft and tender. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, mix together the parsley, basil and lemon zest. Fold in the sauted eggplant and mushrooms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate while you make the pasta dough.

To make the dough, add flour, salt, and eggs to the bowl of a standing mixer with a dough hook. Mix until the dough comes together (if too sticky, add a couple more tablespoons of flour). Knead the dough on a well-floured surface until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

On the same well-floured surface, roll the dough out until it is -inch thick. Run the dough through a pasta machine, flattening it until it is 1/8-inch thick. Cut into 3-inch circles. Add about 1 tablespoon of filling to the center of half of the circles. Using your finger, spread a little water around the edge of each piece, and place another circle on top, sealing each raviolo.

Prepare the mushroom marinara before boiling the ravioli by sauteing the garlic in the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large saucepan. Add the mushrooms, and saut for 3 minutes. Add the fresh tomatoes, tomato puree, white wine, parsley, basil, and oregano, and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the ravioli to a pot of boiling water, and boil until they rise to the top, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, gather and drain the ravioli, and place them in the marinara. Allow to cook in the marinara on low heat for 1 minute. Serve with fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Makes 4 servings.

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3 vegan recipes to help your healthy-eating resolution stick - The Providence Journal