For my vegetarian friends, especially the ones who eat bacon

Back in high school, I was a vegetarian for precisely 2 1/2 months. It was for ethical reasons, and I still harbor some connection to that general ethos... somewhere under countless layers of primordial carnivorousness. I've commented in the past about my personal belief in the ethical superiority of vegetarians--a conviction that, though strong, has not yet resulted in any major transformative impact in my own eating habits.

Recently, I came across a great article in Slate about one man's personal vegetarian perspective, and it instandly made me think of a very specific Seattle-based vegetarian couple (you know who you are). These poor friends are periodically tormented by me as I exploit their deep-rooted, still smoldering love of bacon (in a mostly joking manner)... so much so that one of my new year's resolutions was to stop tempting them with any form of cured pork belly goodness (notwithstanding the fact that copious quantities of beef jerky are now being consumed by the pregnant half of this couple).

And so I offer you, my bacon-loving vegetarian friends (I'm specifically thinking of another such afflicted individual in San Francisco) an homage to your credo with some actual, straight up, pure vegetable goodness from some recent meals at home...

Wok-charred broccoli with garlic and olive oil
Sweet and nutty, with wafts of fragrant garlic

Dim sum style chinese broccoli in oyster sauce
Tender and sweet, with savory, velvety notes from the oyster sauce

Sauteed pea shoots with garlic and sesame oil
Fresh, clean and crisp, with just a hint of richness from the oil

Wok-fried long beans with blistered chinese sausage
Wait, this one isn't vegetarian!

Well, three out of four isn't bad. Somehow, the pork product always manages to find its way in...