Go meatless with these tasty dishes

Though we aren't full-fledged vegetarians, we have been trying to cut back on the amount of meat we eat. When I put eggplant on my kids plates the other night, they raised their eyebrows so fast, they almost disappeared. But by the end of dinner, both had voluntarily taken a bite or two and shrugged their shoulders. If you're a parent of young children who don't really like to try new foods, then you know that I counted that as at least a partial success!

Being a vegetarian doesn't mean munching on carrots and lettuce all day. In fact, some of the best dishes I've tasted lately have been meat-fee. Ediets has an excellent list of 10 meatless snacks and meals that includes some of my favorites, like:

• hummus
• "guacamame" (a guacamole and edamame blend)
• spinach-stuffed mushrooms
• baked tofu
• veggie cold cuts
• eggplant lasagna
• smoothies
• roasted veggies

I'd love to hear from our vegetarian and vegan readers...what are your favorite meatless snacks and meals?