Here's an idea I came up with for a tasty vegetarian meal without having to resort to packaged soy or faux meats. Do you like sausage? Did you know that the sausage flavor you love so much has nothing to do with it being made of meat? It is merely the seasoning used in the sausage that gives it that distinctive flavor.

So to make any vegetable taste like sweet Italian sausage, just saute or grill the vegetable in olive oil, with some sliced onions and add a pinch of fennel seed, some garlic, a dash of cumin, salt and pepper - to taste.

I have found garlic powder works better than fresh garlic because it soaks into the vegetable. I have found sliced or diced Italian zucchini is the best vegetable for making this faux sausage but any vegetable will do.

This "vegetable sausage" and onion mix tastes great on top of a bowl of spaghetti and tomato sauce.

Yum!