Vegetarian / vegan meals

lots of fruits & vegetables, raw instant oatmeal, brown rice, beans, Luna bars, sweet potatoes and unsalted/raw nuts!

I love oats, fruit, nuts/seeds & cinnamon for breakfast, it's delicious! For lunch I like a tex mex salad: black beans, corn, rice, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers & avocados. Yum!

I'm not vegan but I intentionally include vegan meals and vegan days in my diet. Today I had a delicious farro salad:

1 c farro (cooked)
1/2 small yellow onion
1/2 green pepper (I used two small mini peppers)
1/2 c raw pumpkin seed
1/2 c dried cranberries or raisins
1/2 c (or one ear) grilled corn on the cob (boiled would be fine, too)
1 t dried Italian seasoning
1 T red palm oil (any healthy oil is fine)
1 T agave nectar (I used honey but that's not vegan)
2T nutritional yeast
2T chia seeds

Cook the farro according to package directions. Chop onions and peppers and combine with pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, and corn. Then mix this with the farro. In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients and add seasoning, yeast, and chia seeds. Combine this mixture with farro mixture and you're ready to go. It should serve about 12 1/2 cup servings at about 105 cals per serving. I think its really yummy and filling.

If you're stumped when it comes to decision-making time, how about stocking the fridge or freezer with a couple of veggie-friendly casseroles that are ready to go with no decisions? Two of my favorites:

VEGGIE ENCHILADA CASSEROLE:
In a round 9-inch casserole dish or pie pan layer the following from bottom up:
Spritz of Pam or olive oil cooking spray
1 corn tortilla
2 or 3 tbsp refried beans
layer of raw spinach (or thinly sliced zucchini or eggplant
2nd corn tortilla
another swath of beans
another layer of green veg
3rd corn tortilla
Pour 12 - 16 oz of your favorite salsa or canned enchilada sauce over the top, and sprinkle on some shredded cheese (or veggie shreds if you're going vegan) on the top. Bake at 350 for about an hour covered in foil, then take the foil off for 15 - 20 minutes--or until it looks like the sauce is thickened and not too soupy. Last batch I made yielded 6 servings that were 211 calories each, and it reheats GREAT!

BACKWARDS EGGPLANT (or ZUCCHINI) LASAGNA
It's called "backwards" because the veggies are reversed with the pasta: thin slices of either eggplant or zucchini take the place of the pasta noodles; and then a couple of thin layers of either whole-grain couscous, quinoa, millet or brown rice are included in the filling.

First, slice a whole medium eggplant or two medium zucchinis longways in thin planks and set aside. (I've seen some recipes where people peel the veggies first, but I don't).

Then make the cheese filling by mixing together well the following:
1/2 pkg (7 oz) low-fat ricotta [or vegan substitute]
1/2 pkg (7 oz) firm tofu--crumbled (the tofu lightens up the ricotta, and also adds protein!)
1 - 3 cloves of garlic (depending on your taste)--chopped fine
basil, and other herbs can be added as well

In a 9 x 12 baking dish, layer from the bottom up:
Spritz of Pam or olive oil cooking spray
* 1 layer of thinly sliced zucchini or eggplant planks
* 2 - 3 tbsp of your favorite pasta sauce spread over the planks
* half of the cheese mixture evenly distributed
* ~ 1/4 cup of COOKED brown rice, or UNCOOKED couscous, quinoa, or millet (these will rehydrate and cook during the baking process, but the rice won't so it needs to be precooked)
* thin layer of fresh spinach, then press down lightly to spread out the cheese & grain layers below
* 2nd layer of zucchini or eggplant planks
* 2-3 tbsp pasta sauce
* the remaining cheese mixture
* another layer of grain
* another layer of spinach-- and then press down the cheese and grain layer
* 3rd layer of zucchini or eggplant planks.

Cover with remaining pasta sauce, and bake in at 350 degrees for about an hour covered in foil, then take the foil off, sprinkle on parmesan cheese if desired, and continue baking for another 15 - 20 minutes --or until it looks like the sauce is thickened and not too soupy. My last batch (made with millet and eggplant) yielded 6 servings of only 194 calories each. Again, reheats FABULOUSLY-- also great to divide and freeze in individual portions for lunch on the go.

Try The Minimalist Baker website--they have lots of yummy vegetarian and vegan recipes, such as burgers, falafels, pizza, stir-fries, and baked goods. I can guarantee you that they will taste awesome; I've tried a lot myself.

Vegetarian chilis, frittatas, ratatouille, and veggie burgers are my go-tos for the weekdays. I just make a big batch on the weekend and throw things into Tupperware.

As for the person above who said not to get into a habit of snacking on seeds and nuts--I disagree! You will NOT gain weight snacking on them as long as you keep portion sizes reasonable and they fit into your daily caloric needs.

you can make all kinds of awesome stuff with lentils. I'm an omnivore, but I still like making "meat balls" and "sausage patties" and stuff like that with lentils. i'm very fond of lentils in general and they're a big part of my diet.

I eat pretty simply (boring) but feel free to add me to see my diary. Lots of salads, sandwiches, protein shakes, soups in the winter, eggs (I'm lacto-ovo, not vegan), nuts, beans, etc...