I need vegetarian recipes

Options
kbeckley11
kbeckley11 Posts: 203 Member
My husband and I decided to go vegetarian for a month. I'm a big meat eater, so trying to think of vegetarian recipes is hard for me. I know I could just go online and find some. But I want recipes that other people who are trying to eat healthy have tried and enjoyed. Does anyone have any good recipes for me? No mushrooms please! :happy:

Replies

  • kruegekm
    kruegekm Posts: 6 Member
    Options
    One of my favorite websites for vegetarian food is fatfreevegan.com. This recipe for ethiopian lentils is great. I usually make a big thing of the berber spice and use it several times. ITs quick and easy (especially if you have a rice cooker, which is where I make mine).

    Enjoy!

    Ethiopian-Inspired Red Lentil Soup

    Ingredients
    1 large onion, chopped
    1 pound potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
    1 + 1/4 cup red lentils (picked over and rinsed)
    3 cups water
    2 garlic cloves, chopped
    2-3 tablespoons berberé spice mixture, below
    1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
    1 pound green beans, fresh or frozen, cut into bite-sized pieces
    1-2 cups water
    salt to taste
    3-4 cups fresh spinach

    Berberé Spice Mixture (mix all together and store in jar):

    1 Tbs. ground cardamom
    1 Tbs. ground coriander
    1 Tbs. fenugreek
    1 Tbs. ground nutmeg
    1 Tbs. ground cloves
    1 Tbs. ground allspice
    1 Tbs. cinnamon
    1 Tbs. paprika
    1 Tbs. turmeric
    1 tsp. cayenne (use more to taste)
    1 Tbs. ground black pepper
    1 Tbs. ground sea salt (optional)

    Instructions
    Sauté the onion in a non-stick pan until it starts to brown. Add the potatoes, lentils, 3 cups water, garlic, and spice mixture. Simmer, covered, over low heat until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes, green beans, and enough additional water to create a thick soup. Check the seasoning, adding salt and more of the spice mixture if needed, and cook for about 15 more minutes. Just before serving, stir in the spinach. Serve immediately. Makes 6-8 servings.
    Preparation time: 10 minute(s) | Cooking time: 45 minute(s)

    Number of servings (yield): 6

    Nutrition Facts
    Nutrition (per serving): 283 calories, 15 calories from fat, 1.8g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 207.6mg sodium, 1295.6mg potassium, 56.1g carbohydrates, 12.7g fiber, 2.8g sugar, 16.3g protein, 8.4 points.
  • rmdaly
    rmdaly Posts: 250 Member
    Options
    Cooking Light and EatingWell websites both have a good selection of vegetarian recipes.
  • TKHappy
    TKHappy Posts: 659 Member
    Options
    There are tons of websites!! Which is fabulous...you can also just omit the meat from ordinary recipes!! My diary is open and I'm a vegetarian, if you want to get a idea! :)
  • marmitegirly2
    marmitegirly2 Posts: 35 Member
    Options
    You could try substituting veggie mince in some of your normal recipes. My family is not veggie but I am, but I often use veggie mince in mexican food or lasagne (things with added flavour) and they love it, but it's much healthier and lower cal. You can also substitute half the 'meat' with lentils.

    I also like veggie fajitas with loads of peppers, onions (and mushrooms though you could leave those?), sometimes quorn chicken style pieces, chunky veg like squash works well as does kidney beans. Pan fry the veg (I use a griddle pan) with suitable spices and then add some tomato puree/passata in with the veg and beas to cook through for a while. Use to fill a tortilla wrap and add some avocado salad or guacamole/sour cream/creme fraiche if you like. Sometimes I bake the filled tortillas with some more tomato sauce & grated cheese. Sometimes I just use refried beans and veg, sometimes I use the mixture and serve with brown rice.

    Spanish omlettes are good and you can also shove in any veggies you like or sometimes I add some sun-dried tomatoes from jars. They seem to add lots of flavour but not that many calories for the yumminess.

    Obviously lots of pasta dishes. If you make a tomatoe sauce they are not that high in calories.

    Aubergine parmigianna - I find if you make it, it can be much lower in calories as you can control the cheesy sauce. Parmesan packs in a lot of flavour for the calories.

    Feta, spinach & sun-dried tomato filo pie - I like Jamie Oliver's recipe in 30 minute meals or the one on the BBC website below. I know you have to use butter for the filo, but you get a lot of satisfying crunch compared to shortcrust pastry so I use filo a lot. Often I roast whatever veggies I have, buy some filo pastry, cut two sheets in half and then lay the four pieces on top of each other. Chuck in the roasted veg, sometimes some pine nuts, fold up one sheet at a time (brush lighlty with butter) and scrunch so it's like a parcel. Bake in the oven until golden brown and crispy. Yum.

    Lastly, try the BBC and BBCgoodfood websites. You can filter by vegetarian/course etc and lots of the top rated recipes are vegetarian - lots of stews, soups, veggie lasagnes, sweet potato topped shepherd's pie etc.

    Hope this helps and enjoy!
  • kbeckley11
    kbeckley11 Posts: 203 Member
    Options
    Thanks for the suggestions everyone!
  • VeganInTraining
    VeganInTraining Posts: 1,321 Member
    Options
    My hubby has joined me as a pescatarian for the month which has caused me to really try and make quality, tastey vegetarian foods.

    2 of our favs are :

    Lentil tacos
    drain some lentils, add taco seasoning according to the directions on the pack, and serve like any other taco

    Bibimbap (Korean for "mixed rice")
    cook up some rice, top it with a variety of sautteed veggies (I like to do tofu, chickpeas which I marinate in teriyaki, spinach, asparagus, and bean sprouts) fry an egg and thow it on top of that......I'm one of those "presentation is everything" people so I like to make it look all pretty is presenatation matters to you, google image it, I also google image it when I want ideas for more toppings

    If I think of some other good ones I'll let you know. good luck on this endevour!
  • kmacgera
    kmacgera Posts: 137 Member
    Options
    In our pantry we have...

    Pintos: chili, burritos, refried, in a tex-mex salad.
    Garbanzos: hummus or curried. We buy falafel mix rather than make from scratch. Dried hummus from Sunflower Market is good.
    White Northern Beans: "bean & bacon soup" without bacon, can use liquid smoke to substitute.
    Lentils: stew, soup, casseroles.
    Soy: tofu, soy milk, edamame.
    Any beans for: minestrone, salads
  • LaurieMaynard
    LaurieMaynard Posts: 18 Member
    Options
    Gingery Vegetable Stir-Fry

    Sauce

    1 tablespoon minced garlic
    2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
    1/4 cup mellow white miso
    2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
    2 tablespoons maple syrup
    3 tablespoons low-sodium tamari
    2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
    Pinch of red-pepper flakes
    1/2 cup water

    Stir Fry
    2 tablespoons coconut oil
    3 cloves garlic, minced
    1 yellow onion diced
    1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
    1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
    1 bunch asparagus, chopped into 1" pieces
    1/2 cup chopped bok choy
    1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli
    1/2 cup chopped carrots
    1/2 cup mushrooms, stemmed and chopped (omit if you want of course)
    1 cup shredded cabbage (optional)
    1 cup brown rice or quinoa, cooked
    3 scallions, chopped
    Sesame seeds (optional)

    To make the sauce: Place the garlic, ginger, miso, arrowroot, syrup, tamari, oil, pepper flakes and water in a blender. Blend until smooth.

    To make the Stir Fry:
    In a large wok or saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers, asparagus, bok choy, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms (if using), and cabbage. Stir to combine. Cover and let the veggies steam for about 5 minutes. If they start to stick, add a small amount of water. Add the sauce to the wok and continue to stir-fry for a few more minutes to incorporate the flavors. Serve over the rice or quinoa and garnish with the scallions. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds (if using) before serving.
  • WhatDoesLisa
    Options
    Try the website Food52. One of the founders is a food writer for the New York Times and I am just crazy for the recipes.
  • LaurieMaynard
    LaurieMaynard Posts: 18 Member
    Options
    1 cup brown rice (I would use 2 for more than 3 burritos)

    1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

    1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips

    1 green or yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips

    2 teaspoons ground cumin

    2 tablespoons chili powder blend

    1/2 teaspoon sea salt

    Ground black pepper

    1 can (15 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes

    1 can (15 ounces) organic black beans, drained and rinsed

    1 package sprouted or whole wheat tortillas (sprouted is DELICIOUS!)

    Extras (optional) (I didn't use any)

    Cheese (preferably nondairy)

    Avocado

    Salsa

    Tempeh bacon

    Rinse the brown rice and prepare it according to the package directions. While the rice is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet. Add the bell peppers and onion and saute until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the cumin, chili powder, salt and black pepper to taste, and continue cooking for 2 more minutes, stirring to incorporate all the spices with the peppers and onion. Add the tomatoes and stir to mix. Lower the heat and cover, cooking for about 5 minutes, until the peppers are really soft. Remove from the heat. Add the beans to the skillet and stir to incorporate.

    To assemble: Heat a tortilla over a low open flame on the stove (I put mine in a 400 degree oven for just enough time to warm the shells). Place the tortilla on a flat surface. Spread a very small amount of grated cheese (if using) over the entire tortilla. Add 1 scoop of the filling to the bottom third of the tortilla. Top with 1 scoop of the rice. Add avocado, salsa, or tempeh bacon (if using) and roll up the tortilla.
  • LaurieMaynard
    LaurieMaynard Posts: 18 Member
    Options
    Lentil Soup (A great post workout meal!)


    1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil

    1 large sweet onion, chopped

    4 cloves garlic, minced

    1 large shallot, diced

    3 stalks celery, finely chopped

    3 carrots, peeled and diced

    2 teaspoons dried tarragon

    1 teaspoon dried thyme

    1 teaspoon paprika

    5 plum tomatoes, diced, or 1 can (15 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes

    6 cups low-sodium vegetable stock or broth

    2 cups French lentils

    2 bay leaves

    1 teaspoon sea salt

    Ground black pepper

    In a large soup pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic and shallot. Saute for about 10 minutes, or until the onion and shallot are a little brown. Add the celery, carrots, tarragon, thyme, paprika. Add the tomatoes and a splash of water. Stir to combine. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the stock or broth, lentils, bay leaves, salt and pepper to taste. Turn up the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Once it's boiling, cover the pot with a lid, turn down the heat to a simmer, and cook covered for about 45 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Makes 6 to 8 servings
  • LaurieMaynard
    LaurieMaynard Posts: 18 Member
    Options
    My husband and I are in our third week of being vegetarian. It's the best move we've ever made! We feel great! It's been fun trying out new foods and recipes. The ones I have posted above are the recent ones that we have enjoyed. The burrito's work out to about 298 calories a piece using half a cup of rice. You can certainly use less, or more. The Gingery Stir Fry is about 526 calories per serving based on a 7 serving recipe. The lentil soup is 249 calories per 1.5 cups. Try taking a trip to your local health food store. They are usually extremely helpful and can guide you in the right direction for protein shakes and vitamins. Enjoy and good luck!
  • snugglesworthjr
    snugglesworthjr Posts: 176 Member
    Options
    Don't you think vegetables have feelings too? They cry every time you bite into them, you just can't hear it because you're too busy chewing! Stop eating them :(
  • kforre6618
    Options
    Google Paleo diet recipes, ginger lemon girl or gluten free goddess as these have some good vegetarian recipes. Enjoy.:smile: