Need a Halloween costume? Check out this list inspired by 2025 pop culture

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Halloween is arguably a snapshot of the year’s buzziest pop culture moments, an homage, if you will, to all the trends and memes that had their 15 minutes of fame, brought back for one night as niche Halloween costumes.

If you’re looking for inspiration for costumes you can throw together (and, naturally, impress your friends on social media with), here are Halloween costumes from 2025’s biggest pop culture moments.

A Labubu on display inside The Labu’Tique Shop in Anaheim on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. Local and out-of-town customers come to shop for everything Labubu, including many outfits and accessories. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Labubu

The must-have accessory of this year. By now, everyone’s heard of a Labubu, even if they still don’t quite understand the phenomenon. The costume is similar to any other animal costume: you’ll need a furry body suit and rabbit-shaped ears on a headpiece. To help distinguish your costume from the Easter Bunny, paint on the toy monster’s signature sharp-toothed grin and craft a PopMart tag and key ring. Bonus points if you can incorporate the blind box component.

Also see: Map of where to find Labubu dolls in Southern California

Louvre Heist

Police officers work by a basket lift used by thieves Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at the Louvre museum in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Just in time for Halloween this year is the world’s most talked-about burglary: the Louvre Museum jewelry heist. To accomplish this look, throw on a yellow or orange construction vest over a sleek black ensemble and pair it with a ski mask or black beanie. To make it more specific to the heist, you can wear a tiara and other jewels, and instead of a bag with a dollar sign, write “Louvre Jewels” on it.

K-Pop Demon Hunters

This image released by Netflix shows characters Zoey, from left, Rumi and Mira in a scene from “KPop Demon Hunters.” (Netflix via AP)

The Netflix movie is so popular that the streaming service is working with AMC to bring it to theaters. The most recognizable reference will be to the protagonists in the movie, the K-pop girl group Huntr/x members Rumi, Mira, and Zoey. There are a few costume options with this, but their “Golden” outfits make for a great group costume. Additionally, there’s the Saja Boys, who are behind the film’s other catchy tune, “Soda Pop.”

RELATED: Huntr/x from ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ joins KIIS-FM Jingle Ball at Intuit Dome

Cynthia Erivo, left, and Ariana Grande in a scene from the film “Wicked.” (Universal Pictures via AP)

Wicked

Last year, the first installment of “Wicked” hit theaters just after spooky season, so Elphaba and Glinda weren’t quite as “popular” for Halloween costumes. Now, with the release of part two of the phenomenon, “Wicked: For Good,” just around the corner and nearly a year of fandom between the two, your favorite character from Oz could make the perfect Halloween costume. The two iconic witches will be the most recognizable reference from the musical, but there’s also plenty of supporting characters to make up the remainder for a group costume, including Fiyero, Boq, Nessarose, Madame Morrible, and the Wizard.

The Life of a Showgirl

Taylor Swift’s latest album has given Swifties plenty of options for Halloween costumes this year. The most on-the-nose will likely be a Vegas Showgirl costume, or one of the decades-spanning showgirl ensembles Swift wears in the “The Fate of Ophelia” music video.

And for those looking for a couple’s costume inspired by Swift and her recent engagement to Travis Kelce, besides the Eras Tour outfit paired with Kelce’s 87 football uniform, you can also reference their Instagram announcement post and go as an English teacher and gym teacher.

Blue Origin NS-31 Astronauts

This image provided by Blue Origin shows, first row, seated, from left: Lauren Sanchez and Kerianne Flynn and standing in back from left: Amanda Nguyen, Katy Perry, Gayle King and Aisha Bowe in West Texas. (Blue Origin via AP)

Remember back in April when Katy Perry and Gale King went to space? While the controversial voyage might seem like a lifetime ago, chances are it’ll be making some appearances again for Halloween. While this can be a group costume, it also works if you want to spotlight Perry and accessorize with a daisy and the Lifetimes Tour setlist.

(L-R) Yoonchae, Manon, Daniela, Lara Raj, Megan and Sophia of KATSEYE attend the 2025 Teen Vogue Summit at NYA WEST on Sept. 20, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Teen Vogue)

Katseye Gap Commercial

The popular girl group has become well-known this year for their hit song “Gnarly,” which they performed for the first time in the U.S. at Wango Tango in May. However, the moment that many are still talking about is their Gap commercial. The ad campaign launched on the heels of Sydney Sweeney’s controversial American Eagle ad, which became a major talking point for political commentators over the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.”

Related: Wango Tango becomes a beach party with new Surf City U.S.A. venue

The Katseye commercial not only featured the girl group and dancers (unlike the American Eagle campaign) but also a catchy dance to the throwback hit “Milkshake” that went viral on TikTok. The costume is also easy enough to pull from your closet if you’re in a pinch, just wear denim on denim.

Coldplay Couple

The fan cam seen round the world: Frontman of Coldplay, Chris Martin, could be heard saying “Oh look at these two” as what appeared to be a happy couple flashed across the screens. But the pair didn’t wave or smile; instead, they looked panicked, ducked down, and turned away from the camera. Martin jested, “either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”

The video went viral, internet sleuths did their thing, and their identities were splashed across every gossip rag in town. To nail the costumes of the most infamous Astronomer executives ever (a New York data firm), you’ll need a CEO in a light blue polo and a head of HR rocking a black tank top. Be prepared to reenact the bit throughout the night.

Megan Thee Stallion enters the villa joined by contestants Iris Kendall, Hannah Fields, Amaya Espinal, Olandria Carthen, Michelle “Chelley” Bissainthe, Huda Mustafa and Cierra Ortega during Love Island USA season 7 episode 15. (Photo by: Ben Symons/Peacock)

Love Island Contestants

Love Island USA was the most talked-about show of the summer, and even if you didn’t watch season 7, chances are you’ve seen the chatter trending online.

ALSO SEE: Love Island’s Iain Stirling reflects on the hit reality TV show that’s taking over the country

The main component of the costume is the mic-pack necklace that the contestants wear. You can either wear a swimsuit, sunglasses, and a cover-up, or a going-out club outfit. Or if you want to be more specific to this season, you can wear a “Mommy’s Little Meatball” shirt. Another prop that will help make the costume more recognizable is printing out the confessional room background on a poster board and attaching it to your back for the night.

Dancing with the Stars

The ABC reality dance competition show is celebrating its 20th anniversary and experiencing a resurgence in popularity. While there’s always the ballroom dancer outfit to wear, you can also get even more specific with this season’s cast. Go as Robert Irwin and bring a crocodile as an accessory. Be one of the women of MomTok and carry around a Swig soda cup that everyone drinks on “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” Be Olympian Jordan Chiles and rock either a UCLA gymnastics or Team USA jacket with plenty of medals around your neck. Or go as comedian Andy Richter by wearing a tiara and a sash that says “People’s Princess” because if you know, you know.

Jet2 Holiday

It’s not often that the song of the summer is a song that was first released a decade ago, but that’s what happened when Jess Glynne’s 2015 single “Hold My Hand” got a new life in 2025 as the song from the “Nothing beats a Jet2 Holiday” commercial. Funny enough, the commercial is actually from 2024, but took off this summer. Because of this, expect to see plenty of Jet2 flight attendants. Bonus points if you can convince someone in the group to go as an airplane.

A cosplayer dressed as Wednesday Addams during New York Comic Con 2025 at The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for ReedPop)

Wednesday Addams

Tim Burton’s “Wednesday” returned to Netflix for its second season this summer. Jenna Ortega’s more gothic version of the Addams family character has given the black dress and braids combo an updated look while still remaining a recognizable costume.

The First Wives Club or Annie Hall

FILE – Diane Keaton attends the Ralph Lauren Spring/Summer 2024 collection during New York Fashion Week on Sept. 8, 2023. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

Expect to see some costumes this year that pay homage to the late Diane Keaton. One that will likely be popular for trios is “The First Wives Club,” particularly the all-white set, with Keaton, Goldie Hawn, and Bette Midler all wearing it as they sing Leslie Gore’s girl-power anthem, “You Don’t Own Me.” Another great Keaton nod would be her iconic ensemble in “Annie Hall,” a look that Vogue World 2025 recreated as a tribute to the star just weeks after her death.

FILE – Kendrick Lamar performs during halftime of the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

Kendrick Lamar at the Super Bowl

The start of the year gave us Kendrick Lamar’s Halftime show at the Super Bowl. The rapper’s grin to the camera while performing the diss track “Not Like Us” became an instant meme. The bell-bottom jeans and blue varsity jacket, paired with black gloves, a black cap, and a chain necklace (and a whole lot of swagger), will make this costume easily recognizable.

Sabrina Carpenter

Sabrina Carpenter will headline Friday night at the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Here she performs on stage during the second day of the Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

Sabrina Carpenter has given her fans plenty of outfit inspiration to replicate for Halloween costumes over the past year. From her Short n’ Sweet Tour-inspired looks, to her music video for “Tears” from her latest studio album, “Man’s Best Friend.” Most recently, the popstar played double duty on SNL, acting as both host and musical guest for the show’s Oct. 18 episode. Her “Manchild” outfit became a hit among viewers and is easy enough to replicate with a yellow top that reads “Live from New York” on the front and pink bottoms that read “It’s Saturday Night” on the back. Pair it with a hair brush and your hair in a high ponytail, and you’re set.

Superman

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows David Corenswet in a scene from “Superman.” (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

An oldie but a goodie. Expect to see the iconic superhero make a return this season, thanks to James Gunn’s latest iteration of the DC comic starring David Corenswet. The costume will likely go two ways: Superman in his timeless bodysuit and cape, or his alter ego, Clark Kent, dressed as a reporter with a Superman symbol peek-a-boo. It can be turned into a group costume with Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane, or Krypto, the superhero’s cape-donning canine.

Government Shutdown

FILE – A sign that reads “Closed due to federal government shutdown,” is seen outside of the National Gallery of Art on the 6th day of the government shutdown, in Washington, Oct. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

The 2025 government shutdown, which began on Oct. 1, is the second-longest in U.S. history. Surprisingly, turning this into a Halloween costume is easier than you might think. You can grab either an Uncle Sam or Statue of Liberty costume and wear a “Sorry We’re Closed” sign around your neck.

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Younger Americans less concerned about political violence and free speech threats: AP-NORC poll

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By JONATHAN J. COOPER and AMELIA THOMSON-DEVEAUX, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — In the tumultuous political climate marked by this year’s assassinations of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah and a Democratic legislator in Minnesota, younger adults are less worried about political violence than older adults, according to a new AP-NORC poll.

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About 4 in 10 U.S. adults are concerned about political violence directed at conservatives or liberals, the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found, but anxiety about violence on either side of the political spectrum is lower among young adults.

There’s also a substantial partisan divide, with Republicans and Democrats expressing high concern about violence against their own side — and fewer saying they’re worried about violence against the other side.

When it comes to fundamental rights, U.S. adults are most likely to say that freedom of speech and freedom of the press are facing a major threat. Fewer Americans see threats to the right to vote and the right to bear arms.

“I worry because anytime political violence happens, it seems like it can be a snowball effect,” said Ryan Striker, a 34-year-old music teacher in Manchester, New Hampshire, who is liberal but politically independent and opposes President Donald Trump.

In June, state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot to death in their home and state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were wounded in what the Justice Department called the shooter’s “calculated plan to inflict fear and violence upon Minnesota elected officials and their families.” Kirk was shot dead in September while addressing an audience on the campus of Utah Valley University in what authorities also called an act of political violence.

Younger adults are less worried about violence, free speech threats

The poll found that 44% of U.S. adults are “extremely” or “very” concerned about political violence directed at conservative political figures or organizations. A similar percentage, 41%, are concerned about violence directed at liberal figures and groups.

There’s a large divide among generations, however.

About half of adults age 60 and older are highly concerned about political violence directed at conservatives or liberals, compared with about 3 in 10 adults under 30.

“I remember Kent State. I was around then,” said Tony DiGiovine, a 74-year-old musician and retired electrical engineer from Phoenix and a Democrat. “The National Guard really isn’t trained to patrol our streets. Neither are our armed forces. Something’s going to go wrong.”

The National Guard shot and killed unarmed students who were protesting the Vietnam War at Kent State University in 1970.

There’s a similar generational pattern when it comes to concern about limitations on liberals’ and conservatives’ free speech.

About 4 in 10 U.S. adults overall are “extremely” or “very” concerned about threats to conservatives’ or liberals’ free speech. But among adults ages 60 and older, about half are highly concerned about threats to conservatives’ free speech, while only about one-quarter of adults under 30 say the same. There’s a smaller but still substantial gap for liberals.

Fundamental rights seen as threatened

Asked whether various fundamental rights were under threat, the poll found about half of U.S. adults see a “major” threat to freedom of speech and about 4 in 10 say the same about the freedom of the press. Fewer, about 3 in 10, say there are significant threats to the right to vote and the right to keep and bear arms.

There was no age divide among Americans who see a “major” threat to free speech. The finding suggests that younger adults do think freedom of speech is threatened, but they’re less personally concerned about how it could affect liberals or conservatives than older adults.

“It’s concerning that we seem to be getting to the point where we stop talking, we stop compromising, and people vilify their opponents,” said Craig Tenhoff, 58, an independent of Simi Valley, California.

Only about 2 in 10 adults under 30 say the right to vote faces a “major” threat, compared with about 4 in 10 adults ages 60 and older.

Republicans worry about violence against conservatives, Democrats worry about it against liberals

U.S. adults who identify with a party are more likely to be worried about violence against organizations or figures that share their ideology, while most independents are not highly concerned about political violence in general.

About 6 in 10 Republicans are “extremely” or “very” concerned about political violence directed at conservative political figures or organizations, while only 27% are highly concerned about political violence directed at liberal political figures or organizations.

On the other hand, about 6 in 10 Democrats are “extremely” or “very” concerned about political violence directed at liberal political figures and organizations, while 38% are highly concerned about political violence directed at conservatives.

These findings are particularly pronounced among people at extreme ends of the political spectrum: Conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats are much likelier to be concerned about violence directed at their side than more moderate members of their coalition.

About one-quarter of independents are “extremely” or “very” concerned about political violence directed at conservatives or liberals.

Max Anderson, an independent who describes himself as liberal, said he’s concerned about violence from across the political spectrum.

“I think a lot of people my age aren’t generally doing good right now,” said Anderson, a 23-year-old college student in Fort Collins, Colorado. “So I think all of a sudden, those more extreme avenues of action just feel like a better option.”

There are major partisan divides about the extent to which freedom of speech, freedom of the press and the right to vote are currently threatened. About two-thirds of Democrats say freedom of speech and freedom of the press are facing a “major threat,” while only about 3 in 10 of Republicans say this about freedom of speech and about 2 in 10 say this about freedom of the press.

Jeff Milligan, a 72-year-old Republican from Logan, Ohio, said he’s more concerned about violence directed at conservatives than liberals. Milligan used to be more worried about threats to fundamental rights than he is now.

What changed for him?

“President Trump was elected,” he said.

The AP-NORC poll of 1,289 adults was conducted Oct. 9-13, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.

Cooper reported from Phoenix.

Bail Crackdown on Ballot Ignores Mental Health Crisis, Advocates Say

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Paul Barrows spends his nights half expecting a late-night call from his son, who is prone to manic late-night walks that leave him lost and disoriented. Barrows’ son, who’s is his thirties and lives with schizoaffective disorder, has recently found a modicum of stability at a Fort Worth group home after languishing for over two years in Denton County Jail due to a backlog of psychiatric hospital beds. Barrows asked that the Texas Observer not use his son’s name to protect his privacy. 

When early voting recently opened across the state, Barrows told the Observer that he thought about his son when he voted against Proposition 3, the constitutional amendment that would require judges to deny bail to defendants accused of certain crimes punishable as a felony. The longtime federal law enforcement officer believes the measure will disproportionately harm people like his son who have had run-ins with the law due to mental health crises. 

“The state is refusing to address the mental health concerns in the community,” he said. “The general public doesn’t always understand the ramifications of what they are voting for. All they see is the term ‘violent felonies,’ and I don’t think the public understands how that affects those with mental health issues.”

Amid a slew of propositions and, in North Texas, a state Senate District 9 race to replace Kelly Hancock, Prop 3 has far-reaching implications for public safety, overcrowded jails, and state-wide mental health treatments. The debate over the role of bail has intensified at both the state and federal levels, with President Donald Trump recently condemning cashless bail policies as a “disaster” for major cities. While conservatives have pushed for tighter limits on pretrial release, reformers argue Texas’ criminal justice system already overly ensnares non-violent Texans struggling with untreated mental illnesses.

Krishnaveni Gundu’s years of advocating for the humane treatment of incarcerated individuals and the release of non-violent offenders while they await trial have led her to a hard conclusion: Chronic underfunding of mental-health services sits at the heart of Texas’ public safety and incarceration crises. With an estimated 34 percent of the Lone Star State’s inmate population having a mental health disorder, the executive director of the Texas Jail Project said Prop 3 is a distraction from real reforms that could make the state safer.

“We are opposed to Prop 3 because this is going to overload an already overburdened pre-trial detention system,” Gundu told the Observer. “Because of overcrowding, the jail system is already the largest warehouse of people with mental illness in the state of Texas. We cannot keep punishing our way out of this mental health crisis.”

Data from the national advocacy group Mental Health America ranks Texas dead last—51st when the District of Columbia is included—in access to mental health care, and this is despite $1.6 billion in state mental healthcare expenditures in 2024, based on state disclosures submitted to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.  

Prop 3’s author, state Senator Joan Huffman, did not respond to a request for comment by press time. In a recent social media post, Huffman said, “A vote for Prop 3 is a vote for safer streets and a vote for every victim of crime in this state that deserves justice.”

In June, at Houston’s Crime Stoppers office, Governor Greg Abbott signed a package of bail reform bills into law including the measure that put Prop 3 to a popular vote, telling the crowd that “Your efforts have led to a rewriting of the Constitution of the State of Texas to ensure criminals like those who harmed your families will never be out on the loose again.” 

The June bail package also included Senate Bill 9, allowing prosecutors to appeal “bad” bail decisions; Senate Bill 40, barring public funds from supporting nonprofit bail programs; and House Bill 75, requiring magistrates to justify arrests lacking probable cause.

With his three decades of law enforcement experience, Barrows has seen firsthand how often the job of dealing with individuals going through a mental health crisis falls on the police. Jailing those individuals doesn’t address the root cause of the problem, he said. In February, Barrows testified before the Senate Committee on Finance, speaking about his son.

“He’s been arrested 15 times in more than 30 encounters with law enforcement,” Barrows told the senate committee. “He cycled through the criminal justice system, which is ill-equipped to address his mental health care needs. He needed long-term civil commitment where he could be in a hospital in a setting where he could live with dignity and purpose.” 

According to 2024 state data, targeted public spending on mental health directly correlates with reductions in arrests, reincarceration, and psychiatric hospitalizations. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s Mental Health Grant for Justice-Involved Individuals allocated $25 million in 2024 to support roughly 27,000 Texans through ongoing or one-off behavioral health services. The agency’s 2024 report shows that 97 percent of participants who received ongoing services—like outpatient competency restoration—were not rearrested, while 98 percent of those same participants did not require hospitalization for mental health reasons. 

Barrows still remembers his son’s promising future after he received a soccer scholarship to Austin College. His mental health problems eventually made classwork impossible. After dropping out of college, he moved to North Texas, where he was charged with criminal trespassing multiple times. In mid-2022, while off his medications, he got into an altercation with two men in Denton and stabbed a homeless man, causing non-fatal injuries. He was charged with a felony soon after and spent two-and-a-half years in the Denton County Jail system due to being found incompetent to stand trial and to a shortage of available beds at a state facility. He was eventually released with time served after accepting a plea deal for a misdemeanor assault charge. 

“If you look at all the charges [he] has been facing, he kept getting arrested for misdemeanor after misdemeanor and never connected with the appropriate level of care,” Gundu said. “We wait for a victim to be created before we provide treatment at a state hospital.” 

Prop 3 and other “tough on crime bills” are a distraction, Gundu said, adding that state officials refuse to connect the dots between public safety and mental health because they don’t want to be in the business of managing long-term mental health care for the state’s most vulnerable population.  

The post Bail Crackdown on Ballot Ignores Mental Health Crisis, Advocates Say appeared first on The Texas Observer.

This 3-course vegan meal is great for Vegetarian Awareness Month

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By Shaylah Brown, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

I first tried Rasta pasta six years ago.

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My friend was hosting her birthday party, a paint-and-sip night in Brooklyn. She is Jamaican and Nigerian, so I wasn’t surprised to find the creamy Jamaican dish on the menu. When I had the first bite, I knew immediately that I would be getting seconds and maybe thirds. I was enticed.

The dish is a Jamaican play on Italian alfredo pasta. Think jerk seasoning, Scotch bonnet peppers, ginger and thyme. Right away, I wanted to understand how to replicate it in a way that suited my dietary needs as a vegetarian leaning toward veganism who also avoids dairy products.

It was in 2021, while dating a guy who is Jamaican by way of India and Costa Rica, that I first made the Jamaican pasta dish. About a month into getting to know one another, in an effort to be impressive, the words “I am great at making Rasta pasta” escaped my mouth — even though at that point I had only tasted it.

But I had a jerk seasoning recipe from a good college friend from the Virgin Islands, and I thought to myself: How hard could it be?

Surprisingly, it turned out amazing, and I have since dubbed myself a Rasta pasta expert and connoisseur. From my practice with vegetarian cooking, I believe it’s because of the coconut milk.

October is Vegetarian Awareness Month, and as a flavorful introduction to this plant-based lifestyle, I tested a three-course vegan meal that sings the plant milk’s praises.

Beyond its many nutritional benefits, coconut milk adds a subtle sweetness to cooking, making it the star of any dish. October to December is also peak season for coconut, so it’s the throughline for the pasta dinner that starts with a spicy tom yum salad and concludes with no-bake coconut-chocolate doughnuts for dessert.

I know the three dishes may not seem like they go together but they actually do, as Thai and Caribbean food both have Indian influences.

There is a historical context to this through the migration — sometimes forced — of Indians to the Caribbean as indentured servants under the British between 1838 and 1920. This created an Indo-Caribbean influence that shows up in places like Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana and led to different foodways.

India also conducted trade with Southeast Asia, specifically Thailand, so it’s not unusual to see roti and curries on both Caribbean and Thai menus.

When I looked at both flavor profiles, I understood that there was a nexus. Many of the ingredients in the bright tom yum salad, like ginger, lemon grass and garlic, could also translate to the Rasta pasta.

The original recipe for the salad calls for six Thai chiles, but if you’re sensitive to spice, use fewer. I also added coconut oil to the salad dressing mix as a way to tie two foods that would not typically go together, and substituted Thai chiles for the (very hot) Scotch bonnet peppers typically called for in the pasta sauce. Both dishes are citrusy and extremely colorful.

For vegetarians and vegans alike, the meal is nutrient-dense, an important consideration when adopting a plant-based lifestyle. That includes the spring mix salad, which features the refreshing addition of mint, cilantro, tomatoes and lemon grass and is garnished with scallions.

Rasta pasta typically is used in a sauce made with heavy cream and butter, spinach and bell pepper, and mixed with chicken and shrimp. To make it vegan, I used portobello mushrooms instead, which have the same tender texture as meat. Sautéing the peppers first allows the mushrooms and shallots to soak up extra flavors.

To add the requisite spice, I used three types of jerk seasoning — Walkerswood jerk seasoning paste , a salt-free jerk seasoning blend from Penzeys Spices in the Strip District and dry rub Island Spice jerk seasoning — but you can also make your own personal blend. The heat in this dish is subtle because the coconut milk tones it down.

The no-bake coconut chocolate doughnuts served for dessert reemphasize the coconut flavor, both in the dough and the icing. I completely botched the round cakes on my first try, so I offer a small piece of advice: Do not go overboard on the coconut milk!

“As needed” can be quite subjective, but if you use too much as I did initially, you’ll end up with a soupy dessert.

The end result was an unexpected pairing of flavors. But I feel it was a perfect way to enjoy a delicious Vegetarian Awareness Month.

Spicy Tom Yum Salad

PG tested

Vegan chili paste — I used the Thai Home brand — and brown sugar add a spicy-sweet kick to this salad dressing. A cucumber garnish tones down the heat.

For salad dressing

6 Thai chiles, finely chopped

2 tablespoons of minced garlic

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons of lime juice

3 tablespoons of tamari or liquid aminos

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon vegan Thai sweet chili paste (nam prik pao) or sambal oelek chili paste

For salad

6 tablespoons finely sliced lemongrass

6 tablespoons of finely sliced kaffir lime leaves or lemon thyme

1 cup chopped cilantro

1 cup chopped mint leaves

8 grape tomatoes, halved

1 teaspoon vegetable or coconut oil

3 cups spring salad

1/3 cup of chopped scallions, for garnish

Sliced cucumber, for garnish

In a small bowl, whisk together the salad dressing ingredients until sugar is dissolved and mixture is smooth and well combined, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator.

Place chopped lemongrass, lime leaves, cilantro and mint leaves in a large bowl with tomatoes and shallots. Toss with oil. Add spring salad mix to the bowl and toss the ingredients together.

Pour salad dressing over the mixture and gently toss to coat.

Divide on salad plates using tongs. Garnish with sliced scallions and sliced cucumber.

Serves 6.

— adapted from “Vegan Thai Kitchen” by Sarah Jansala with Rendo Jansala

Rasta Pasta

PG tested

I used Veggie Craft Rotini pasta, which is made of quinoa, cauliflower and lentils, all of which are a good source of iron for vegans and vegetarians.

You can buy jerk seasoning at a spice shop, Caribbean or Mexican market or on Amazon. You can also make a jerk seasoning at home with a blend with peppercorns, cayenne pepper, paprika, thyme, coriander, red pepper flakes, Scotch bonnet pepper, garlic, ginger, cumin, onion powder and salt and black pepper.

For pasta sauce

1 14-ounce can coconut milk

1/2 cup jerk seasoning blend

1/4 cup maple syrup or honey

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons cumin

1 tablespoon coriander

1 lemon, halved and squeezed, or 1/3 cup of lemon juice

1 bay leaf or sprig of thyme

1/4 cup lemon thyme

2 Thai chiles, chopped

For pasta

8 ounces dry pasta

1/3 cup olive oil

1 large red bell pepper

1 large green bell pepper

1 large yellow bell pepper

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 shallot, chopped

2 cups chopped mushrooms

1/2 cup of frozen spinach cup or 1 cup of fresh spinach

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup chopped lemon grass, for garnish

1/2 cup of chopped scallions, for garnish

Place all sauce ingredients in a saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce to low heat and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once finished, keep warm on very low heat.

Meanwhile bring a pot of water to boil. Add pasta, and cook for 8 minutes, then drain and set aside in a large pot.

Heat oil in a saute pan, then add sliced peppers and cook until their color is still bright, but they have browned slightly and are aromatic. When cooked, chop and then add to the pot of pasta.

To the same saute pan, add garlic and shallots and saute until tender and aromatic, about 2 minutes.

Add chopped mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid. Then add spinach along with salt and pepper.

Once mushrooms are browned and tender, remove the mixture and add to pasta.

Pour warm sauce over the mixture, and toss to combine with a large spoon.

Place two scoops of pasta in a bowl, and top with sliced lemongrass and scallions.

Serves 6.

— Shaylah Brown, Post-Gazette

Coconut Chocolate Doughnuts

PG tested

This recipe is easy but takes some time. After shaping the dough into doughnuts, you’ll need to place the rounds in the freezer for about 2 hours to set.

For doughnuts

1 cup oat flour

1 cup coconut flour, plus more for dusting

1/4 cup cacao or cocoa powder

2 tablespoons carob powder

1 pinch Himalayan salt

1 cup gooey, pitted dates

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup coconut oil, plus more for pan

For icing

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup almond butter

1/4 cup cacao powder

1/4 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup of coconut milk

Place oat and coconut flours, cacao and carob powders, salt, dates, maple syrup, vanilla and coconut milk in a food processor, and pulse at medium speed until combined. Gradually add in coconut oil until you get a smooth, dough-like consistency. If you do not have a food processor, chop dates very fine and mix in a bowl with other ingredients.

Place the mixture to the side while you make icing.

In blender, combine maple syrup, coconut oil, almond butter, cacao, vanilla extract and coconut milk and blend until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, mix the ingredients by hand in a bowl until you have a pourable consistency.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly oil it with coconut oil.

Mold doughnut mixture into 4 small mounds, pressing in the center to create a hole, then place each doughnut on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

Place baking sheet in freezer and allow doughnuts to set for at least 2 hours, then remove from freezer and allow them to thaw (this should take about 30-45 minutes).

Pour icing into bowl, and dip doughnuts into icing to coat.

Transfer doughnuts to a dessert plate, top with slivered almonds and a dusting of coconut flour, and serve at room temperature.

Serves 4. — adapted from “The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook: The Must-Have Resource for Plant-Based Eaters” by Emily von Euw, Kathy Hester, Linda and Alex Meyer, Marie Reginato, Celine Steen and Amber St. Peter

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