[OMFG!You'reActuallySmart!]

I don't know what is available in Louisiana but you could try portabello mushrooms (large mushrooms) with balsamic vinegar or just red wine, then toss it on the grill. If you like garlic, put garlic on it. However you cook it, make sure the gills are facing upward. They have a wonderful taste and are very juicy and can be eaten whole or you can even slice them up and put them in a salad or whatever else. It's common in Italy so you can make an Italian-like meal and toss them in.

Another thing you could try is "fake meat" made of soybean. It tastes somewhat like meat but is purely vegetarian and the texture differs from that of meat, so you may like it if you haven't already tried it. I'm sure you've already tried tofu.

You can also try some Japanese foods using vegetables, such as sushi and inarizushi (amazing stuff). If you eat fish and shellfish, you can make different types of sushi. You can also try various tempura-battered foods, in my opinion, batter anything in tempura and it's amazing. I'm also a fan of udon noodles, often bought in supermarkets and it takes just a few minutes to cook. I'm not sure if it's available in Louisiana but bean sprouts with black beans, green onions, white onions, possibly some celery and a few spices makes a wonderful dish. Again, I don't know what's in Louisiana but if you can get your hands on a good wok, then you can make unbelievable things.

If you like potatoes, try making vichyssoise. It's a traditional French potato-leek-cream-stock soup all blended up. It's pretty thick so it's quite filling. Whenever I make vichyssoise, I cook enough to serve an army so we have soup for at least two days.

Since Louisiana has lots of spicy foods, you can make pepper soups using chili peppers and jalapeno peppers, along with some celery, vegetable stock, rice, beans and whatever else. If you want or can intentionally burn the outside skin of the pepper in order for it to be peeled off so you're left with just the soft pepper, minus the skin and the white bitter stuff on the inside.

If you have a particular style you like or general idea, then I may be able to help some more.