I have a confession to make. Deep breath. Here goes...my name is Carla, I'm Cuban-American and I'm a vegetarian. It's a rather new development, as in a 17 month old development if you catch my drift. Jeremy and I started reading up on the meat industry and decided that it was just a smart decision for our family's health to go vegetarian. My mom and dad, though super supportive, think we're a bit batty.

Over Thanksgiving, my mami tried to convince me that in the spirit of the holiday Dessa should have some turkey. She didn't have any. Almost every time I've gone home since we went meatless, my parents have asked if we're still vegetarian; they think this is all just a fad. And I'm sure they're worried that Dessa is totally malnourished since she's not having a chuleta on a regular basis.

Dessa is a picture of health and we've gotten the green light from our doc to eat as we want. My only concern is how I'll be able to share the wonderful, rich, savory goodness of some of my favorite foods with her. I don't crave meat often, but there are favorites that sometimes cross my mind—picadillo, un pan con bistec from Dos Amigos, empanadas and pollo empanizado. Can I fry some breaded tofu and make it taste the same? Not so much.

I've tried my best to give Dessa some home cooked rice and beans with maduros (my favorite meal, simple and scrumptious). I'm not a chef so I have no idea how to translate the rich flavors of Latin food into vegetarian alternatives.

I'm asking for some advice here ladies! Are any of your families vegetarian? Are any of you amazing cooks who know how to translate Latin flavors into meat-free recipes? I've tried and tried but sprinkling Adobo on tofu just ain't cutting it!