Summer is kicking our butts this year! Japan is in a serious energy crisis after March 11, and the current power grid is at just over 90% capacity... Which means everyone is being told to cut back power usage. Here in Yamanashi it's a matter of policy, but nearer to Tokyo, it's mandated that businesses, public offices, and schools that don't reduce their power consumption by 15% will face massive fines. But I digress.

Since we are saving power, we're not running the aircon at home much, and I've found that on HOT, HOT days like this, meaning 36C / 97F (that are near 100% humidity), I've completely lost my appetite for meat. So for the past two weeks we've been eating lots of vegetarian dishes.

Now, I've never been a vegetarian, and I've made it through 30-something years of my life, pretty much eating meat at EVERY meal without exception, so now when I want to try something different, I'm at a bit of a loss. All of my cookbooks and recipes involve meat in some way, and though I've done alright for the past two weeks, I'm starting to run low on good ideas.

I would really appreciate being able to expand my meatless dish horizons with any contributions from the rabble. Links to websites are cool, and if you happen to have any pictures of the dish (in addition to the recipe), that's even better! The only guideline that I would kindly ask, is to not include recipes involving commercially sold meat substitutes (like tofurkey, veggie burgers (that you buy pre-made), TVP/TSP, Quorn, etc...) mainly because I can't buy that stuff around here very commonly.

For the record though, last week I made a fantastic gaspacho, and I found an awesome recipe for "creamy taco mac." http://www.crumblycookie.net/2011/06...eamy-taco-mac/. <-- That's my contribution, right there... ;-)