Need Vegetarian / Clean Dinner Ideas

MorningWhispers

It is too hot to spend a lot of time in the kitchen right now (no AC at my house) and I don't want to turn on the oven.

I am challenging myself to go 8 weeks on a vegetarian diet and I am at the end of week one and not sure what I can make besides veggie burgers (homemade), salad, bean burritos and steamed veggies.

I don't want to buy something that is premade - I don't mind prep work, I just don't want to have to spend a lot of time in front of the stove.

I own a juicer, a blender, a mixer and a crockpot.

All ideas welcome.

QueenWino

A big quinoa and black bean salad w/cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red bell, cilantro, jicama if your store carries it, and a cumin, lime juice, ancho chili powder, olive oil vinaigrette - w/any additional veggies from fridge thrown in is a great healthy filling staple. I also like to caramelize onions and make a grilled Portobello, onion wrap. It's especially good if the mushrooms are marinated in a balsamic vinegar, olive oil, rosemary or oregano mix. Blue cheese thrown in if desired. Hope this gives you inspiration!

wideeyedla

Spinach Saag Paleo style (if you like Indian food, this will rock your world)
Large colander full of baby spinach, cleaned and trimmed. (I bought a 5 lb bag, I'm guessing 2 of the small bags would work for this - the stuff shrinks)

In food processor (or your handy dandy Nutribullet, if you have one, and if you don't, I highly recommend it) pulse until ALMOST pureed 1 medium onion, 3 cloves of garlic, 2 inch piece of ginger.

Melt 2 T of coconut oil in a LARGE pan.

Add one T of quality curry powder and stir until fragrant.

Stir in onion mixture until translucent.

Add spinach and stir occasionally until spinach is wilted and liquid is gone.

Add 1/2 cup of full fat coconut milk. Stir well until heated through.



If you are doing Primal, go ahead and add some Paneer cheese (you can easily make this at home, by the way). You can google the recipe - basically it's like making yogurt cheese, but using ricotta cheese instead (drain, weight and drain some more, then cut into cubes).

wideeyedla

I've done this one without the meat in it as a side - it's really delicious. You could add fresh edamame, or another type of bean for protein. Most of my recipes have meat in them, but could be made with a non-meat subsitute as well, and they are all squeaky clean

Mushu in Minutes (going to take longer if you prep all the veggies yourself). 3 skinless boneless chicken breast
2 bunches scallions -- white and green chopped
1 8 oz package shredded cabbage -- or coleslaw mix
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup shredded carrots
1 8 oz package broccoli coleslaw mix
1 large clove garlic
2 teaspoons arrowroot powder (replaces cornstarch in most any recipe)
1/4 cup dry sherry (this was my cheat - you can replace with broth)
1/4 cup coconut amino (soy sauce replacement, or you can use Tamari sauce which is usually gluten free, but has soy in it).
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

lpina2mi

I often keep some sort of bean salad in the fridge. Here are 2 common ones:

Tex-Mex Black Turtle Bean Salad: black turtle beans, celery, carrots, onion, jicama, cubanelle pepper, corn kernels, olive oil, white vinegar or apple cider, minced garlic, ground cumin, salt, ground ancho pepper, ground chipotle pepper

Meditterranean Chi-Chi Salad: garbanzo beans, parsley bunch , leek, bell pepper, feta, toasted sesame seeds, olive oil, juice and zest of lemon, garlic clove minced, mint, sumac

lpina2mi

Spinach Saag Paleo style (if you like Indian food, this will rock your world)
Large colander full of baby spinach, cleaned and trimmed. (I bought a 5 lb bag, I'm guessing 2 of the small bags would work for this - the stuff shrinks)

In food processor (or your handy dandy Nutribullet, if you have one, and if you don't, I highly recommend it) pulse until ALMOST pureed 1 medium onion, 3 cloves of garlic, 2 inch piece of ginger.

Melt 2 T of coconut oil in a LARGE pan.

Add one T of quality curry powder and stir until fragrant.

Stir in onion mixture until translucent.

Add spinach and stir occasionally until spinach is wilted and liquid is gone.

Add 1/2 cup of full fat coconut milk. Stir well until heated through.



If you are doing Primal, go ahead and add some Paneer cheese (you can easily make this at home, by the way). You can google the recipe - basically it's like making yogurt cheese, but using ricotta cheese instead (drain, weight and drain some more, then cut into cubes).

Sounds deliciousl

wideeyedla

You guys are making me wish I could eat legumes

youngcaseyr

I usually stick with a simple "formula" of grain + vegetable + protein and add any seasoning or sauce depending on what I'm in the mood for.