Vegetarians, I need your help!

McMomma02
McMomma02 Posts: 43 Member
in Recipes
Grocery day is Tuesday! I need to plan my menu so I can keep $$ low!!!! I'm a beginner vegetarian cook and would really appreciate it if you could share your absolute favorite lunch and dinner recipes! Please! I want to hit my journey hard core and get under 200 by the end of September, that's 30lbs in 3 months!
Love anything I get! Thank you all so much!!!
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Replies

  • sistrsprkl
    sistrsprkl Posts: 1,013 Member
    edited June 2015
    You're welcome to add me if you want to see what I eat. Eggs, beans, salads, veggie burgers, cottage cheese and yogurt are all staples. Also whole grain quesadillas and nuts. Can't get any cheaper than rice & beans for meals!
    eta, I also make veggie fried rice and veg soups a lot.
  • Vune
    Vune Posts: 672 Member
    I'm not veggie, but I'm poor and I effing love tofu. I'll sprinkle a fun seasoning mix (like Moroccan) on it, and throw it on the George Foreman grill while I cut veggies and prep the rest of the meal. It's also super helpful to cook a large pot of rice for the week, then reheat in a skillet with soy sauce, vinegar, whatever seasoning, nuts, seeds, and sometimes even nutritional yeast. You can throw your veggies on the grill with the tofu halfway through the cooking process, too. It's very customizable.
  • CookieBev
    CookieBev Posts: 10 Member
    Try this one:
    Spicy Tomato & Mushroom Pasta

    1 tsp olive oil 1 ½ lbs. Tomatoes, finely chopped
    1 bunch green onions, cut into ½" lengths 1 tsp ground cumin
    1 garlic clove, crushed Sea salt (sun-dried)
    4 oz button mushrooms, halved Lemon & lime slices and cilantro leaves to garnish
    1 fresh red chili, seeded and finely chopped

    In a saucepan, heat oil and cook green onions, garlic, mushrooms and chili 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes, cumin, sea salt and mix well. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

    Uncover and simmer 10 minutes until sauce has thickened. Garnish with lemon and lime slices and cilantro leaves and serve with freshly shredded zucchini or cooked wholewheat pasta.
  • McMomma02
    McMomma02 Posts: 43 Member
    Thank you all so much <3
    sistrsprkl, Vune, CookieBev I will friend you
    Your recipes are very welcomed <3
  • pink_daisychain
    pink_daisychain Posts: 26 Member
    lentils are a fav of mine and you can do loads with them. I like to make a dhal which is is really nice and have it with salad or brown rice.
  • McMomma02
    McMomma02 Posts: 43 Member
    pink_daisychain wrote: »
    lentils are a fav of mine and you can do loads with them. I like to make a dhal which is is really nice and have it with salad or brown rice.

    Thank you <3
  • CanadianDaddyphant
    CanadianDaddyphant Posts: 8 Member
    Ramen and mac'n'cheese can stretch pretty damn far for lunches with the addition of fresh veg.

    This is one of my wife's favourite lunches: I'll make up two packets of ramen noodles (ditch the seasoning packets - nothing but sodium), and stir fry about four cups of peas, onions, shredded carrots, and whatever other veg is in the freezer or fridge - celery, corn, zucchini, etc. I usually use mostly water to water-fry them, with a bit of vegetable oil or sesame oil. Then just add the cooked noodles, a bit of soy sauce, and fry it all together until the bottom layer is a little crispy. That makes enough for at least four lunches, vegetarian, for less than $5. And that's assuming you had to buy fresh veg and didn't just use up what was around.

    Omelettes are a good option too, if you like eggs.

    We're vegetarian, low-sodium, and low-carb, if you want to add for ideas. We make like 90% of our food, eat out very little (a combination of aforementioned dietary restrictions and budgetary restrictions).

    Also, hie thee to a bulk food store as soon as you can and stock up on beans, rice, quinoa, nuts, nut butters, etc.
  • MlleKelly
    MlleKelly Posts: 356 Member
    Add me as a friend if you'd like some help/inspiration.

    I get a LOT of my cheap, delicious recipes from www.budgetbytes.com. There's a whole section that's vegetarian/vegan and there are several recipes that you can make vegetarian by switching the chicken or whatever to a meat-free substitute.

    I eat a lot of rice, beans, lentils, eggs, yogurt, pasta...and cheese. God help me if I don't get cheese.
  • McMomma02
    McMomma02 Posts: 43 Member
    CanadianDaddyphant wrote: »
    Ramen and mac'n'cheese can stretch pretty damn far for lunches with the addition of fresh veg.

    This is one of my wife's favourite lunches: I'll make up two packets of ramen noodles (ditch the seasoning packets - nothing but sodium), and stir fry about four cups of peas, onions, shredded carrots, and whatever other veg is in the freezer or fridge - celery, corn, zucchini, etc. I usually use mostly water to water-fry them, with a bit of vegetable oil or sesame oil. Then just add the cooked noodles, a bit of soy sauce, and fry it all together until the bottom layer is a little crispy. That makes enough for at least four lunches, vegetarian, for less than $5. And that's assuming you had to buy fresh veg and didn't just use up what was around.

    Omelettes are a good option too, if you like eggs.

    We're vegetarian, low-sodium, and low-carb, if you want to add for ideas. We make like 90% of our food, eat out very little (a combination of aforementioned dietary restrictions and budgetary restrictions).

    Also, hie thee to a bulk food store as soon as you can and stock up on beans, rice, quinoa, nuts, nut butters, etc.

    Wow that sounds really good! Thank you so much for this love! I think my kids would love it too!
    <3
  • McMomma02
    McMomma02 Posts: 43 Member
    MlleKelly wrote: »
    Add me as a friend if you'd like some help/inspiration.

    I get a LOT of my cheap, delicious recipes from www.budgetbytes.com. There's a whole section that's vegetarian/vegan and there are several recipes that you can make vegetarian by switching the chicken or whatever to a meat-free substitute.

    I eat a lot of rice, beans, lentils, eggs, yogurt, pasta...and cheese. God help me if I don't get cheese.

    :) love it
    I'm totally checking out that website!
    Thanks love <3
  • CanadianDaddyphant
    CanadianDaddyphant Posts: 8 Member
    MlleKelly wrote: »
    I get a LOT of my cheap, delicious recipes from www.budgetbytes.com. There's a whole section that's vegetarian/vegan and there are several recipes that you can make vegetarian by switching the chicken or whatever to a meat-free substitute.

    Second this recommendation. BudgetBytes is amazing. Her tomato soup recipe is a staple in our house.

  • dufus12
    dufus12 Posts: 393 Member
    So glad I stumbled on this - have bookmarked budgetbytes! Looks good....and just the thing for new ideas! I have already seen a recipe for lemon and pepper zucchini,,,,which looks pretty tasty!
  • sheldonklein
    sheldonklein Posts: 854 Member
    Mujadra. 1 cup lentils, 1/2 cup bulgur and a couple of deeply browned onions. Garnish with yoghurt. Simple, delicious and can be made in quantity.
  • katkins3
    katkins3 Posts: 1,360 Member
    If you Google vegetarian recipes, you will find a lifetime supply to choose from.
  • MlleKelly
    MlleKelly Posts: 356 Member
    sheldonklein wrote: »
    Mujadra. 1 cup lentils, 1/2 cup bulgur and a couple of deeply browned onions. Garnish with yoghurt. Simple, delicious and can be made in quantity.

    I just made mujaddara from Budget Bytes on Friday night! Omg, so delicious! I used chili-infused olive oil for carmelizing the onions to add a little subtle heat. I didn't think to garnish it with a yogurt, though. Maybe sour cream? Mmm...there's one serving left in the fridge. I'll have to make it again and try more garnishes.
  • MlleKelly
    MlleKelly Posts: 356 Member
    Also, my favorite favorite FAVORITE recipe right now is the Black Bean & Avocado enchiladas. It's one of those vegan meals that you would never realize is vegan until someone told you. So filling, so delicious, and depending on the tortillas you use, really reasonable in the calorie department.
  • McMomma02
    McMomma02 Posts: 43 Member
    MlleKelly wrote: »
    Also, my favorite favorite FAVORITE recipe right now is the Black Bean & Avocado enchiladas. It's one of those vegan meals that you would never realize is vegan until someone told you. So filling, so delicious, and depending on the tortillas you use, really reasonable in the calorie department.

    Is this recipe off Budget Bytes too? Amazingly yummy sounding!!!
    <3
  • McMomma02
    McMomma02 Posts: 43 Member
    Thank you everyone for the support <3
  • ediewharton
    ediewharton Posts: 23 Member
    Skinnytaste has tons of really good vegetarian recipes. I drink a yogurt smoothie for breakfast every day (yogurt, frozen strawberries and blueberries banana, splash of milk). If you use Greek yogurt, you can really increase your protein intake. For lunch, I often eat Skinnytaste's Carmelized Onion, Red Pepper, and Zucchini Frittatas. I will often snack on ricotta with a few slices of bananas or strawberries or add ricotta to pasta and marinara (fills me up without eating a ton of pasta and adds some protein). I also like to snack on nuts (use the 100 calorie packs). I also add veggie sides to most of my meals (roasted veggies).
  • McMomma02
    McMomma02 Posts: 43 Member
    ediewharton wrote: »
    Skinnytaste has tons of really good vegetarian recipes. I drink a yogurt smoothie for breakfast every day (yogurt, frozen strawberries and blueberries banana, splash of milk). If you use Greek yogurt, you can really increase your protein intake. For lunch, I often eat Skinnytaste's Carmelized Onion, Red Pepper, and Zucchini Frittatas. I will often snack on ricotta with a few slices of bananas or strawberries or add ricotta to pasta and marinara (fills me up without eating a ton of pasta and adds some protein). I also like to snack on nuts (use the 100 calorie packs). I also add veggie sides to most of my meals (roasted veggies).

    FABULOUS!! Thank you love!

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