Vegetarian inspiration, in case it's useful

MzFury

Things to build veg meals around:

Proteins:

Mix of legumes and whole grains, or all legumes... As they are higher-energy foods, be sure to be using whole grain pasta and rice and measuring out your quantities.
About to make a hummus using cannelini beans and shelled edamame today, instead of chickpeas.

eggs, cheese, greek yogurt (if ovo-lacto)

Starches:

Obviously whole grains and legumes work here too, but also:
sweet potatoes (great pureed with cooked cauliflower for mash! wonderful browned in the oven, too, of course)
butternut and winter squashes - roast, seed, peel and puree, or wash, halve, deseed, slice thin, coat in cooking spray or light amount of oil and roast slices - you can eat the skin roasted, and it's good!
other root vegetables: turnip, carrot, parsnip, beet, jerusalem artichokes, celeriac... most of these things benefit immensely from being roasted in wedges or chunks or boiled and mashed. Beets can be roasted whole, slower, skin slipped off, and cut into a recipe...

some "meaty", low-energy/high nutrient vegetables:

Mushrooms (of course)
Eggplant (roast slabs till truly browning)
Dense greens like spinach, kale, mustard greens and chard
roasted cherry tomatoes - when the pan drippings go brown, almost as lovely as meat pan drippings...
Avocado (exception to low-energy - but great to add for good fats and low cal for the creaminess)
Artichoke
Fennel - roasted or grilled
roasted poblano or Hatch (NM) chiles

"meaty" flavor additions: chipotle powder or chiles - smoke flavor adds a meaty richness; berbere and curry spices; smoked paprika.

Example vegetarian meal:

Base: 1/2 cup cooked puy lentils and 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
Add: 1 - 2 cups mixed roasted or grilled vegetables
Season: splash balsamic vinegar, tsp EVOO, OR moroccan or other spice mix (good to cook with roasted veg)
Vegan: 1 Tbsp toasted walnuts, pecans, almonds or pumpkin seeds
Ovo-lacto: 1/2 - 1 oz soft goat cheese or crumbled goat/sheep feta OR
1/4 cup nonfat or 2% plain greek yogurt, mixed with a squeeze of lemon juice and fresh herbs (mint is good) drizzled over top to serve
Green: handful baby spinach, mixed into hot lentils, 1/2 cup steamed broccoli (or roast with vegetables) or green beans

Nikkie_too

Thank you! I've a couple of veggie friends I cook for now and then, and my repertoire is limited. I do meatless meals on occasion too, and plan to play more with lentils, quinoa, and bulgur wheat just for my little ol' self.

mjshanks23

Good stuff!

Believe it or not, I was a vegetarian for years and even then my vegetable consumption was limited to the few bland things I could think of. These suggestions rock! I can't wait to mash up some of the veggies that you suggested!