Vegetarian recipe suggestions please!!!

KittyPandaBunny
KittyPandaBunny Posts: 18 Member
The title says it all really. I don't like meat and am trying to transition to fully vegetarian. I certainly don't eat plain or bland food however I do find myself cooking the same maybe 5 or 6 dishes all the time. Does anyone have any vegetarian recipes they're willing to share? Preferably thing I can make quickly or in bulk.

Also I'm really new here so if anyone wanted to add me, I'd really like some friends!!

Replies

  • Geocitiesuser
    Geocitiesuser Posts: 1,429 Member
    Rice and beans. Goodness gracious how I love rice and beans. You can add almost anything to them, and spice them almost anyway. You can cook it up in mass portion it, and freeze/fridge portions well.

    Sometimes I'll get lazy and just down brown rice and a can or two of goya low sodium black bean soup.

    You can up the protein by putting in any sort of veggie protein (soy, tofu things), or just have a protein replacement on the side. (rice and beans plus a veggie burger, or a protein shake, etc).
  • GSchro7
    GSchro7 Posts: 5 Member
    What kind of food do you usually eat? Do you have certain ethnic food that you're partial to?
    There are numerous options, just want to know what your preferences are so I'm not sending you useless recipes.
  • KittyPandaBunny
    KittyPandaBunny Posts: 18 Member
    GSchro7 wrote: »
    What kind of food do you usually eat? Do you have certain ethnic food that you're partial to?
    There are numerous options, just want to know what your preferences are so I'm not sending you useless recipes.

    I normally eat things like bean chilli, curries, mushroom stew. No real ethnic preference, just lots of flavour!! I'm really willing to try most things. Except anything with avocados. With how hyped up they are, I am mightily disappointed haha :disappointed:
  • Treece68
    Treece68 Posts: 780 Member
    Make mashed potatoes. In a pan saute garlic, onion & carrots. Ad asparagus & cherry tomatoes put on low until and cover till tomatoes pop open. Serve over mashed potatoes. I uses turkey sausage with this usually but it is good by itself. (You can also use rice instead of potatoes.
  • KittyPandaBunny
    KittyPandaBunny Posts: 18 Member
    GSchro7 wrote: »
    Do you use tofu? I make a lot of stir fry veggies or tofu with a peanut sauce that is pretty good!

    Also, download the food monster app. They have thousands of vegan recipes (I haven't looked for vegetarian) and I get some good ideas.

    I've only had tofu when out a couple of times and haven't liked it much because it's so... gooey? Is there a way to cook it so that it isn't like that or does it's texture have to be like that.

    Thanks for the recommendation! I'll check it out!
  • GSchro7
    GSchro7 Posts: 5 Member
    If you don't like tofu, have you tried paneer (Indian cheese)? It's much firmer than tofu and actually has a slight flavor to it unlike the tofu.
    When I was vegetarian, I made a lot of curries with paneer. Now I make lentils or chickpeas, which are also good options.
  • KittyPandaBunny
    KittyPandaBunny Posts: 18 Member
    GSchro7 wrote: »
    If you don't like tofu, have you tried paneer (Indian cheese)? It's much firmer than tofu and actually has a slight flavor to it unlike the tofu.
    When I was vegetarian, I made a lot of curries with paneer. Now I make lentils or chickpeas, which are also good options.

    Ooh that sounds really good and isn't crazy expensive at my local supermarket. I'll definitely give it a go!
  • saxtonk
    saxtonk Posts: 1 Member
    There are lots of great blogs online to check out. My favs are https://deliciouslyella.com/ , http://minimalistbaker.com/ , http://www.isachandra.com/ , and http://www.nomeatathlete.com/vegetarian-recipes-for-athletes/ .
    Isa has a great tofu recipe that you press then marinate and bake...so good!
  • TejahBee
    TejahBee Posts: 23 Member
    We make tofu all the time. You have to get extra firm and press/drain it well. Lentils are a great filler for any meal, as they are crazy fast to make and taste awesome with some seasoning. We also make egg drop soup sometimes with veggie broth. Add mushrooms, peppers, and rice.
  • aimjudson
    aimjudson Posts: 3 Member
    I love making a big batch of chick pea salad for the week. It adds as a small side for our lunches that are packed in protein and fiber.
    Going to second Thug Kitchen as well, another great cook book is "Oh she glows" vegan as well.

    2 cans chick peas (well rinsed)
    1 can of black beans (well rinsed)
    1 bell pepper
    1 small package of cherry tomatoes
    Feta cheese optional
    Tofu optional
    Just toss is a bit of balsamic dressing and your good to go!
  • RedfootDaddy
    RedfootDaddy Posts: 274 Member
    Definitely check out Budget Bytes, she has a ton of vegetarian recipes and I've never had a dud from her yet.

    I'm not a fan of tofu, and some meat replacements can be iffy, but black beans and chickpeas can go a long way to fill up dishes.
  • mom2colbyj
    mom2colbyj Posts: 119 Member
    I make a lot of veggie stir-frys, veggie fajitas, and veggie packed breakfast burritos. I also like soups and stews and never have 2 that are exactly the same because I just toss in whatever I have available or what's in season. If you're looking for specific recipes I love and highly recommend the Oh She Glows blog.
  • bebeisfit
    bebeisfit Posts: 951 Member
    I think Pinterest has a ton of ideas. I also like Mark Bittman's book - How to cook everything vegetarian. Most libraries will have it, no pictures, but . I like the Food52 website, they have a whole section of vegetarian recipes. Vegetarian Times as well.
  • smdevos
    smdevos Posts: 15 Member
    Cookie and Kate has a lot of good vegetarian recipes that are flavorful and veggie-centric:

    http://cookieandkate.com/
  • gekeller
    gekeller Posts: 1 Member
    edited April 2017
    Tofu straight from the container is bland and a little bitter. Press the block of tofu to remove the excess water by putting it on a plate with another plate over it, and put a can or two on the top plate to add some weight. i put the entire thing in the sink for 30 minutes to let the water drain off. I then crumble the tofu for eggless salad, or cut it into cubes or cutlets.

    Amazon sells a tofu press that makes it easy.

    To take care of the blandness, make a marinade to soak the tofu in. I like soy sauce (or tamari) with some toasted sesame oil, a little honey or mirin, 5 spice powder, chopped ginger and/or chopped garlic. BBQ sauce, or something similar, works well too (Google tofu marinade for recipes). Let it soak for at least 1 hour (overnight is best). Make sure you leave some marinade on the tofu when you bake it. Removing the water seems to make the tofu more absorbent.

    I bake the tofu cutlets at 350 until they get a brown glaze (about 50 to 60 minutes), carefully turning them over halfway through baking. The marinade makes the pan sticky, so I either use oiled foil, or a silicone baking sheet. You could also pan fry them in oil. The tofu is very flavorful this way, with an almost custard interior if you serve them right away. They firm up when they cool, like the pressed and flavored tofu you see in the markets, but loose the custard texture.

    I do the same kind of thing with 1/2 inch cubes of tofu in a stir fry. Cook them separately in oil and remove from the wok to a paper towel lined plate, then add them to stir fried veggies when you add the seasoning sauce.

    Good luck and be creative. Creativity feeds the soul, while the tofu feeds the rest.
  • yellingkimber
    yellingkimber Posts: 229 Member
    gekeller wrote: »
    Press the block of tofu to remove the excess water by putting it on a plate with another plate over it, and put a can or two on the top plate to add some weight. i put the entire thing in the sink for 30 minutes to let the water drain off. I then crumble the tofu for eggless salad, or cut it into cubes or cutlets.

    I usually use a textbook or two on top of my plates to really get the extra water out of there. After thirty minutes, I empty out the bottom plate and put the books back on top. I can usually get about an 8th of a cup more water out of there, which it nice because I marinate it in some soy sauce and add just a touch of moisture back in. Then, I cut it into cubes, season it with whatever ethnic flair I'm going for that day, and bake it until it's pretty crispy.

    The main trick to getting good tofu is to buy extra firm and make sure you get the water out of it.

  • Frobie
    Frobie Posts: 29 Member
    This is a really good Tofu Tikka Masala recipe that I love to make!

    http://kindnesskitchen.ca/tofu-tikka-masala/
  • snugglesworthjr
    snugglesworthjr Posts: 176 Member
    Roasted japanese sweet potato + black beans + parmesan cheese + sunnyside up egg on top = yum!

    Pair it with:
    Arugula + extra virgin olive oil + lemon juice + salt/pepper
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    I'm working my way through the 1,000 Vegan Recipes cookbook. I have just made Argentinian Bean and Vegetable Stew (note: for truly accurate calories, weigh your vegetables. I just went with a generic '1 red onion' etc., but I've also got quite a bit to lose and I'm not sweating whether my onion was 45 or 60 calories split 6 ways. I've been told that when you get down to the last 10 lbs or so, every little bit counts that much more.)

    2vjrtfr0qoa0.png

    Heat oil on medium in large pot. I used a 5-qt Dutch oven. Add onion, garlic, red pepper, and squash (the recipe actually called for a medium butternut squash but I find them a pain to peel, seed, and chop, so I used 2x284 grams of frozen), cover, and cook 10 minutes.

    Add diced tomatoes (undrained), chilis, broth, spices, and sugar, bring to a boil, and then simmer 20 minutes uncovered.

    Add corn, kidney beans, and salt and simmer until heated through and all veggies tender. Taste and adjust seasonings.

    Add orange and heat through.

    Serve garnished with parsley.
  • amelialoveshersnacks
    amelialoveshersnacks Posts: 205 Member
    I love lentil dahl. I don't have a set recipe as I sometimes use red lentils or yellow split peas or both, sometimes I'll add quinoa. I also prefer coconut based over tomato. I cook in bulk and freeze. I use Ayam branded coconut milk/cream as I find it doesn't 'split'. Another one I like is palak paneer.
  • mutantspicy
    mutantspicy Posts: 624 Member
    TejahBee wrote: »
    We make tofu all the time. You have to get extra firm and press/drain it well. Lentils are a great filler for any meal, as they are crazy fast to make and taste awesome with some seasoning. We also make egg drop soup sometimes with veggie broth. Add mushrooms, peppers, and rice.

    Yeah agreed lentils will be your friend. Red Lentils cook really quick 20min or less. Any type of recipe that would normally use ground beef, say lasagna, spaghetti, chili, etc. You can use spiced red lentil and sometimes combine with black beans to fill up the recipe and get the texture and flavor.

    That said, this is one my faves. it like a red thai curry, really flavorful and spicy.

    https://vegangela.com/2014/01/09/coconut-curry-lentil-soup/
  • su05
    su05 Posts: 2 Member
    Hey! You could try what I like to call "rainbow quinoa"! Just steam all the veggies you'd like.. I steam broccoli, peas, sweet corn, carrots and sweet potato (if I can get my hands on it). Then, blanch 1 or 2 tomatoes and grind them with some fresh basil and a little garlic (you can skip it if you don't prefer garlic or if you're about to be kissed LOL) . Meanwhile, cook quinoa according to the instructions on the box. In a pan, add butter/olive oil/ghee, and sauté some finely chopped onions and bell peppers.. I love the colour and flavour of all three peppers.. then add the tomato- garlic paste and let it cook for about 2 mins. Add the steamed vegetables and let them cook with the sauce. Season with some salt & pepper. Add the cooked quinoa. Garnish it with a handful of toasted and crushed peanuts (love the crunch!) and some red cabbage if you'd like and viola! It fills you up quick ,tastes really good andddd it looks like you're eating a rainbow which only makes you a better unicorn!
  • danijane95
    danijane95 Posts: 3 Member
    gekeller wrote: »
    Press the block of tofu to remove the excess water by putting it on a plate with another plate over it, and put a can or two on the top plate to add some weight. i put the entire thing in the sink for 30 minutes to let the water drain off. I then crumble the tofu for eggless salad, or cut it into cubes or cutlets.

    I usually use a textbook or two on top of my plates to really get the extra water out of there. After thirty minutes, I empty out the bottom plate and put the books back on top. I can usually get about an 8th of a cup more water out of there, which it nice because I marinate it in some soy sauce and add just a touch of moisture back in. Then, I cut it into cubes, season it with whatever ethnic flair I'm going for that day, and bake it until it's pretty crispy.

    The main trick to getting good tofu is to buy extra firm and make sure you get the water out of it.

    I put my salad bowl on top of mine as it's always so heavy with fruit!
  • misslibralove
    misslibralove Posts: 21 Member
    I make kale, wild rice and mushroom casserole that makes a good portion so I can just heat it up and go. I cook up wild rice in the rice cooker. Sautee onions set aside, then kale set aside, then cremini mushrooms with thyme, add back kale and 3tbs flour, I add 1 cup heavy cream and 1 cup veggie broth , salt, pepper and add about 6 cups of cooked wild rice. I then add some grated white cheddar mix it in and put some on top and the mushrooms on top and then bake it in a large cast iron skillet at 375 until the onions are browned. So good! And good reheated
    I make this zucchini manicotti which is so good. I make zucchini noodles into ribbon shapes with a spiralizer then I make ricotta cheese with cooked spinach, thyme, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, 1 garlic clove. I then layer marinara sauce first, some zucchini noodles, then the ricotta mixture, more zucchini noodles, more marinara and top it with mozzarella and bake it for about thirty mins at 375. It can be a little watery from the zucchini but when you reheat it the next day it stays firm
  • maryjennifer
    maryjennifer Posts: 124 Member
    Check this list that includes majority of vegetarian recipes: https://www.changeinseconds.com/recipes/
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,925 Member
    Veggie lasagna is not quick but good for batch cooking and freezing.

    Grate, shred or finely chop any veg you have lying around (courgette, carrot, spinach, onions) and lightly sautée with some garlic and salt and pepper. Mix this up with a tub of cottage cheese. Make a bechamel sauce with a tablespoon each of butter and flour and 500 ml milk. Add a handful of grated hard cheese to the bechamel. Assemble lasagna starting with a drizzle of bechamel followed by uncooked lasagna sheets and then veggie/cottage cheese mixture. Be careful not to overlap pasta sheets as those bits won’t soften. Repeat finishing with veg or bechamel. Sprinkle with some hard grated cheese. Let sit 4 hours before baking so pasta can soften or freeze for later use. Bake 20 minutes loosely covered with foil and 10 minutes uncovered. A sharp knife or skewer stuck into the lasagna should tell you if the pasta has cooked through. Thaw frozen lasagna a day in the fridge or use the defrost setting on the microwave prior to baking.
  • kirstyboak1998
    kirstyboak1998 Posts: 3 Member
    Cauliflower and potato korma with coconut milk!, meatless meatballs and pasta, chilli con carne minus beef extra beans! All delicious, satiating and low in calories! Just make more for more calories ☺️ using basic ingredients and quick and easy to make. Follow me to see these dishes in detail! Constantly trying new things. I’m vegan btw so these dishes are all vegan too!
  • abright51
    abright51 Posts: 1 Member
    Parmesan cheese is not vegetarian, so look for vegetarian Parmesan style cheese

    For all cheeses it is best to check whether they have vegetarian rennet