Mother's Day meals: Appetizers

Three choices: One for the omnivore, one for the vegetarian and one for the vegan — all mouthwatering.

Mon, Apr 26 2010 at 11:19 AM EST

Photo: saraheiman/Flickr

Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 9 this year. If you’re going to cook a meal for the special mom in your life, I’ve hunted down some recipes for you to consider. And, just in case you’re the person who will be making me something special for Mother’s Day, or any other day, all of these recipes make my mouth water.

I know I’ve got readers who are meat eaters and some who are not, so I chose these Mother’s Day appetizers with that in mind. Choose the most sustainable or organic ingredients you can afford for these treats, and you’ll make mom even happier.

For the omnivore mom

Crab stuffed mushrooms – According to Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch, most crab is sustainable (one exception is imported king crab). Mushroom caps stuffed with cheesy crabmeat will make a delicious start to a Mother’s Day meal.

For the vegetarian mom

Apple-Nut Blue Cheese Tartlets – Pre-made miniature phyllo tart shells are filled with blue cheese, apples and walnuts. They sound delicious as is, but I wonder what they’d be like if you switched out the apples for pears. I bet either works really well.

For the vegan mom

Vegan Squash Crostini – Winter squash and shallots are pureed with almond butter. The mixture is spread onto a toasted baguette and served warm. I’m not a vegan, but I’d happily start a meal with this.