 (Photos by Justin Tsucalas; food styling by Nichole Bryant for The Washington Post) | Week 4: People pleasersGluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, paleo, Whole 30, flexitarian, keto, oil-free, sugar-free…. These days, it seems that everyone has a different style of eating. And that can make it overwhelming to plan a dinner that will please everyone at the table — especially when you factor in personal tastes. Sometimes the complexity of the "what to make for dinner?" algorithm is enough to short circuit your brain! But what about a meal that actually works for everyone, all at once? This week, we're sharing two concepts that are simple and customizable — so they're suited to fit several diets at once. Gluten-free? No problem. Vegan? Got ya covered! Need a little meat? Here ya go. Consider these your new Swiss Army knives of dinner recipes.  | This week's recipes | Mediterranean Cauliflower Platter
This bountiful platter has something for everyone, with golden turmeric cauliflower, an herb-laden quinoa salad and pita wedges for scooping up all the fixin's. Extra-Stuffed Veggie Burritos
These burritos are bursting at the seams, filled with lime-scented quinoa and veggies flavored with smoky adobo.  | Your shopping list | Click this link for an easy-to-save shopping list that includes ingredients for both recipes.  | Re-imagining 'dinner' | Alex and I grew up in America's Midwest, where a "square" meal looked like this: meat, potato, veggie. As kids, we even had little plastic foods in our play kitchens so we could create fake plates that looked like that, too. Of course, there's nothing wrong with this conception of a meal! But as we began to learn more about how other cultures approach dinner, it began to open up so many more answers to the daily question: "What's for dinner?" Meals can take all different forms, and one of our favorites lately is a big platter. This week's Mediterranean-style platter makes for a massive and beautiful "snack dinner," where everyone fills their plate with goodness based on their tastes. Snack platters are an excellent option for no-think weekly dinners — and you can easily swap in purchased components, depending on your energy level. All about the platterWhen making a big platter dinner, think about contrasting colors, textures and flavors. This week's recipe features golden, roasted turmeric cauliflower and a tangy quinoa salad that's a play on Middle Eastern tabbouleh. Meat eaters can add prosciutto or another cured meat, and a few choice cheeses would make a lovely addition for vegetarians. Now, here's the important part: When you're creating a platter meal that's plant-powered, make sure to think about plant-based proteins for the vegan and vegetarian options. Don't just pile on raw veggies! They're tasty, but your vegan and vegetarian eaters will be hungry again an hour later. It's an oversight Alex and I see even in top restaurants that offer veggie-based options. Instead, think about nuts, whole grains (quinoa, bulgur wheat), legumes (beans and lentils), hummus and other protein-packed ingredients to keep the meal filling for everyone at the table. Of course, there are lots of variations on the customizable platter theme. Think: build-your-own salads, baked potato bars, and, of course, the mighty burrito! Each reflects what customizable eating is all about: offering all sorts of options for eaters to choose from. Next time you're planning to feed an army (of hungry family, friends or colleagues), remember the Swiss Army knife approach. Not only does it make entertaining a breeze, but piling your plate with ingredients to your own liking is just plain fun.  | Recipes | Mediterranean Cauliflower PlatterThis is a free-form way to feed different styles of eaters all at once, with savory, turmeric-roasted cauliflower; a fresh tabbouleh-style quinoa salad scented with parsley and lemon; warm olives; and pita wedges for serving it up. Roast the cauliflower in advance and reheat it in a 400-degree oven until warmed through just before serving. Cook the quinoa in advance and store it refrigerated; bring to room temperature and mix it together with the remaining ingredients just before serving. Want to add extra protein? Carve out a spot (or add side plate) for prosciutto and/or a variety of cheeses. For easy printing and scaling, view this recipe at washingtonpost.com/recipes. Ingredients3 to 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes. Cook time: 30 minutes. For the cauliflower
1 large head cauliflower (2 pounds), cored and cut into florets
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (from 1/2 lemon)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt For the quinoa
3/4 cup dried quinoa, rinsed as needed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or more as needed
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
1/2 medium red bell pepper, seeded and minced (½ cup)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from the lemon you zested above)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper For the olives
1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
3/4 cup canned ripe green olives, drained
Pinch dried thyme For the platter
1 cup hummus
1 English (seedless) cucumber, thinly sliced crosswise
Handful roasted, salted almonds
Two pitas, cut into wedges
Sweet paprika (optional) StepsThere are a few components to prepare for this platter, so we'll be multitasking! Start with the cauliflower and preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss together the cauliflower, oil, thyme, cumin, turmeric, lemon zest and salt in a mixing bowl until evenly coated, then spread in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast until fork-tender, about 25 minutes. While that's roasting, get that quinoa salad cooking: Combine the quinoa, salt and water in a medium saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then cover and cook, gently bubbling, for 13 to 17 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. (If making ahead, refrigerate until serving.) If you're making the quinoa salad right away, here's a trick for bringing that steaming hot quinoa to room temperature quickly: Spread it in an even layer on a baking sheet for about 3 minutes. Now, transfer the quinoa to a medium bowl and mix it with the parsley, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, lemon juice, oil and black pepper. Taste, and add more salt as needed. The salt should perfectly balance the pop of the lemon! Finally, let's make those warmed olives. Combine the oil and garlic in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook for 1 minute, then add the olives and cook for 5 minutes until warmed through, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Add the thyme, crushing it with your fingers as you sprinkle it over the olives. (You can skip this and go with straight-up olives in a pinch, but it adds great flavor with minimal effort.) Channel your inner Matisse and arrange the roasted cauliflower, quinoa salad, olives, hummus, cucumber slices, almonds and pita wedges on a platter. Garnish the hummus with paprika, if desired. Nutritional facts (per serving): Calories: 560; Protein: 20 g; Carbohydrates: 58 g; Fat: 31 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 1070 mg; Fiber: 14 g; Sugar: 9 g. Extra-Stuffed Veggie BurritosPacked with colorful veggies and nutrient-dense quinoa, this dish proves plants can be the star of the show. The secret to irresistible flavor is the sauce (adobo) from a can of chipotle chiles, which brings a smoky, tangy undertone to the sauteed peppers, mushrooms and pinto beans. Customize these burritos to your liking, with cheese, your favorite salsa and hot sauce. Chipotles in adobo are sold in most major grocery stores, on the international aisle. You'll use a small amount of the adobo in this recipe; you can freeze the rest. Want to add extra protein? A few strips of sliced steak added to the burrito filling would do the trick. Make the bean and vegetable filling in advance and refrigerate; reheat in a skillet until warmed through just before serving. Make the quinoa in advance and refrigerate; bring to room temperature and add the lime juice and salt just before serving. For easy printing and scaling, view this recipe at washingtonpost.com/recipes. Ingredients2 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes. Cook time: 20 minutes. For the quinoa
1/3 cup dried quinoa, rinsed as needed
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup water
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice For the burritos
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced crosswise
4 ounces sliced cremini (baby bella) mushrooms
One 15-ounce no-salt-added can pinto beans, including the liquid
1 tablespoon adobo from a can of chipotle chiles, or more as needed
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon granulated garlic (a.k.a. garlic powder)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Two 9- or 10-inch flour tortillas
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup baby spinach or other tender salad greens StepsStart with the lime-scented quinoa: Combine the quinoa, salt and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so that the water bubbles gently. Cover and cook for 13 to 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy. Turn off the heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork, then stir in the lime juice. While the quinoa cooks, let's get those burrito veggies going. Heat the oil until shimmering in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the red and green bell peppers, scallions and mushrooms. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender and slightly blackened, stirring occasionally. Add the pinto beans and their liquid, the adobo, cumin, garlic powder and salt. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid thickens. Taste, and if you'd like a little more heat, add a touch more adobo. Now that the filling is done, warm the tortillas (don't skip this step, since you'll need the tortilla to be pliable enough to roll). Place a tortilla on the grate above a stovetop burner (or in a dry skillet), then cook on medium heat for a few seconds per side, flipping with tongs, until warmed through and pliable. If you are using a gas burner, the tortilla edges will char a bit. Repeat for the second tortilla. Everyone has their burrito-rolling best practices. Here are ours: Place the tortillas on individual plates. Spread half of the limey quinoa on each one, at the center. Top each with about half of the bean mixture (you may have a little more than you need, depending on the size of your tortillas), and half the sour cream and spinach or other greens. Fold the tortillas in half over the filling, then tuck them around and underneath the filling, forming a tight roll. Fold in each side of the burritos, then roll them up. Cut in half and serve. Nutritional facts (per serving): Calories: 710; Protein: 23 g; Carbohydrates: 92 g; Fat: 28 g; Saturated Fat: 7 g; Cholesterol: 15 mg; Sodium: 1010 mg; Fiber: 17 g; Sugar: 8 g. Did you make the recipes?We want to see how they turned out! Share your Voraciously Plant Powered newsletter dishes with us on Instagram with #eatvoraciously. Next week: Two ways to take full advantage of tofu's versatility — and turn skeptics into true believers. Have a question? Email us at voraciously@washpost.com. Message @eatvoraciously on Instagram. Sonja and Alex Overhiser are authors of the cookbook "Pretty Simple Cooking" and bloggers at the recipe website A Couple Cooks. Find them at @acouplecooks on Instagram and Twitter. | 
Email 
