By Alicia Eler
From Star Tribune
Every time I’ve gone to Istanbul to visit family, I stuffed my face with spicy köfte kebab and other meaty dishes. One of my fondest food memories in Turkey happened when I was 11 and we were driving through the countryside, en route to my grandfather’s old flour factory with my entire extended family. We stopped to eat at a roadside restaurant where they … killed a chicken and served it to us.
I’ve since been told I have “vegetarian vibes” — am I just that crunchy? — and I’ve certainly tried and failed at being vegan. But during a recent trip back to Istanbul, I discovered a new trend: vegetarian versions of all my favorite Turkish meals….