We all have times when we want to impress others. Perhaps we want to cook a delicious meal for our sweetie's birthday, anniversary, or Valentine's Day. Maybe the in-laws are coming over. Or maybe you're having an intimate dinner party with friends.

I have been a vegetarian for about 20 years now and I have a broad library of recipes I love to use, but sometimes I get tired of making the same things over and over, even if they are classics amongst my friends and family. Here are a few new recipes I recently tried that were easy and turned out incredibly well. They are healthy versions of the classic meat recipes, and vegetarian. If cooking for vegans, be sure not use use any products that have egg, whey, milk, or other animal-derived ingredients.

To Start: Exotic Greens

This is a salad, but not just a plain garden salad or a boring Caesar: it's rich with colors and flavors, as well as nutrients! This salad will provide about 6 large servings, so modify it to suit how many guests you'll be serving.

Ingredients

3 cups fresh spinach

1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped roughly

1/2 head red cabbage, shredded

1-2 large carrots, shredded

1 can hearts of palm, sliced or cut into bite-sized pieces

1/2 cup blueberries (or cranberries)

2 nectarines/tangerines/other small, sweet orange citrus fruit, peeled and quartered

slivered almonds

ginger dressing (easy recipe follows)

Toss all ingredients together except citrus fruits and almonds. Add those as a garnish.

Ginger Dressing

1 cup olive oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root

1/2 teaspoon prepared Dijon-style mustard

1/4 cup vinegar (rice vinegar works best)

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, mustard, and vinegar. When these are combined and mixed well, add olive oil in a steady stream, whisking constantly. When all the oil is incorporated into the dressing, pour into a glass jar and chill until serving.

Main Dish: Chik'n Carbonara

This is an interesting dish with savory flavors. It can be considered a comfort food. Reading over the directions may seem daunting, but it's not very difficult to make. Serves about 6-8.

Ingredients

1 package unbreaded vegetarian chicken strips (I used Morningstar Farms Meal Starters)

1 large red onion, chopped

6 veggie bacon (any fakin' bakin') strips

1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 cup green peas

16 ounces Alfredo sauce (I made my own, recipe follows)

1 package linguini or other delicate pasta, cooked and drained

1/2 cup wine (optional)

a few dashes olive oil

Cook chikn strips in a frying pan in a dash of olive oil until lightly browned and slightly crispy. Set aside.

Chop uncooked bacon strips and fry in a large empty frying pan with a touch of olive oil. Cook at least 5 minutes until crispy. Add the onion, wine, and garlic, and cook on low to medium heat for about 5 minutes until onions start to become translucent.

Add Alfredo sauce and cook a few minutes. Add peas and chikn. Stir well and cook another 5 minutes. Serve hot over linguini. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Homemade Alfredo Sauce (Healthier version!)

1/2 cup vegan butter (Earth Balance is my favorite)

2 teaspoons garlic powder

about 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (or vegan alternative)

1 8-ounce package Neufchâtel cream cheese (or vegan alternative)

2 cups soy or almond milk

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

dash salt and pepper

Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add cream cheese and garlic, stirring constantly with whisk until creamy and melted. Add milk in small amounts while whisking. Stir in parmesan, salt, pepper, and yeast. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency, usually after about 8-10 minutes.