Vegetarian Entrees for the Non-Vegetarian

Cafe Society
1

OK, Himself & I are not vegetarian. (He has been in the past, I’m a carnivore, for the most part.) However, I know I’m not getting enough fruits & veggies, and we’re trying to eat “lighter” in the evening because he doesn’t even get off work until 8 pm.

So, I’m asking for Doper help: What would you recommend as a filling, yet reasonably “light” entree which is primarily vegetable based? My restrictions are largely allergic; I have allergies to corn and peppers. I shouldn’t eat mushrooms although I’m not officially “allergic” to them. (I have a mold allergy so sometimes I react to large quantities of mushrooms.) I have tried eggplant a couple ways (moussaka & parmesan) and unfortunately do not like it.

I know I can find lots of recipes online, but I’m looking for something that falls more into the “tried & true” category; something not too involved to make after a day at work but tasty. I’m not trying to replace all meals with vegetarian entrees, just a couple a week.

Obviously, since I’m already a carnivore, if there’s something like eggs, or bacon for flavoring, or things like that, it’s ok. Strictness is not necessary.

I hope this request makes sense. Help a girl out? :slight_smile:

2

I just looked through my cookbook at Recipezaar, and here’s a couple you can try.

This sausage and lentil stoup can be made with veggie sausage, and removing the mushroom won’t hurt it a bit.

This pumpkin curry soup is to die for, and couldn’t be easier. Puree it in a blender or with a stick blender for a creamy texture. Awesome with a slice of hearty crusty bread, and filling enough for a meal.

This pasta with black olives and capers is really, really good. It’s rather high in sodium, so it shouldn’t be for every week. It also freezes well, so you can make a double batch and freeze half for a really quick dinner. Do yourself a favor and buy sliced olives.

Finally, this Tomato and chickpea salad is a great light entree. Again, serve it with a good bread for a complete meal.

3

I recommend both Quick Vegetarian Pleasures and Vegetarian Express Lane, which is out of print, but available used. Both of my copies are worn and food stained and most of the recipes really are *fast * and tasty. None of the recipes call for anything you can’t find at the local grocery.

4

How about a simple caprese salad? Delicious and simple: I use plum tomatoes, fresh (FRESH!) thick chunks of mozzerella, and fresh basil, toss together with some extra virgin olive oil and that’s it.

If you’re not too picky, maybe some small egg salad sandwiches?

I recently returned to vegetarianism (I was a vegetarian for ten years, for the past three I’ve been eating meat again and I got huge. Plus, grew myself a nice little gallstone and had surgery to remove the whole damn thing… sure,* maybe * it wasn’t the meat thing, but can you blame me for feeling a little wary about the meat thing? :wink: Fine. It probably wasn’t the meat. It was probably the deep fried, crispy golden coating encasing the meat.) Anyway, I’m glad you started this thread, I’ll have to keep an eye on it. I’m a little rusty, and new ideas are always good.

5

I find that you can’t go wrong with pasta: saute whatever you want, then toss with the noodles and you’re good to go. Very quick and very customizable, and if Italian-style pasta is still too heavy, you can use any kind of oriental pasta. You can even make it really decadent simply by slicing up a lobster tail into the saute.

I too am a die-hard carnivore (and a couple months ago I started working out again, so I’m actively trying to eat meat), and veggie dishes aren’t my specialty. The mushroom problem is unfortunate, because I have developed a couple of killer mushroom dishes recently. But really, the pasta idea is always pretty foolproof for me.

This book is also pretty helpful, but requires a lot of weird appliances and weirder ingredients. Tasty, though.

6

Onions, garlic, zucchini, chopped up to your preference, sauteed until wilted (put the onions in the pan first, and add zucchini when the onions are nearly soft). Dump in a can of diced tomatoes (or a few diced fresh tomatoes). Heat through, until zucchini is done to your liking. Pour over cooked hot pasta (bow ties work beautifully). A little parmesan would probably be nice, but all I need to add at the table is a teensy touch of salt. And a nice cold glass of anything.

I could eat this 3 times a week, and be happy about it.

7

Mexican food, Indian food, stir-frys and Italian pastas are easy to adapt. Most vegetarians don’t eat a lot of food that is specifically vegetarian. Mostly it’s the same food everyone else eats but without the meat.

As for light meals…well, here are a few suggestions:

A bowl of split pea soup with crusty bread and fresh apple cider
Make-your own bean tacos with fresh from the food processor salsa
Chinese greens sauted with garlic and soy sauce over brown rice
Use leftover pasta in a cold pasta salad made with raw veggies and ceasar salad dressing
Fruit salad dressed in yogurt, cinnamon and honey
Fresh green beans cooked in canned tomato sauce, garlic and lemon, served with bread
Veggie fajitas (just fry whatever veggies you have around and add spices) with toritllas
Veggies, lentils and rice cooked in stock in one dish
Roasted root vegetables- the more exotic the better- with rosemary sprigs layed on top as they roast

8

Take your favourite veggies - Even if it’s just some carrot sticks and celery (a nice, sour apple like a granny smith is also good for this), serve with fresh, homemade hummous (chick peas, tahini, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice - blend/process until smooth and creamy). Wonderful, tasty snack, perfect for in front of the TV when you really want something crunchy to gnaw on. Hummous thinned down with a bit more lemon juice and olive oil also makes a great salad dressing.

Root vegetables like potato or pumpkin go great into curries in place of meat. Chick peas also. I’m a hardcore carnivore, but I love me some korma with potato, chickpeas and a bit of fresh tomato in it.

I have a spinach and potato “pie” that I’ve made a couple of times with great applause as well. Steam some spinach and some potato dice until tender. Let cool, then mix with a lightly beaten egg and some sharp cheddar cheese. Mine included sauteed bacon and mushrooms, but you can leave them out if you want. Place the filling on a piece of premade puff pastry, then top with another piece of puff pastry. Decorate the top with sesame seeds, paprika, ground pepper and bake until the pastry is golden and crispy. Slices go well with a salad, or cold the next day for lunch. Yummm.

9

Hubby’s website has a number of vegetarian and vegan recipes - he has one for Tofu “Schnitzel” with a roasted shallot vinaigrette, but it does have a portabello mushroom in it - he says, ‘Just leave it out’ . . .

The link’s in my profile . . .

Olive

10

Use “cooking crumbles*” instead of ground beef. Almost no one can tell the diff. Ground beef burritos? Perfect. Spagetti sauce with ground beef? Excellent. Whatever your fave ground beef recipe might be, just substitute and you’re golden.

Dunno about “light.” I’ve never quite figured that out.

There’s also " BOCA Meatless Original Burger" but I can’t find a link.

11

Deep fried, firm tofu substitutes nicely

12

Strong but balanced Flavors and Sauces are the key to a great and satisfying vegetarian dish. It appeals to wont and flavor.

13

Tomatoes, avocado, and cucumber, sliced thinly or cubed, and drizzled with vinaigrette. And Mozzarella if desired.

14

As far as I’m concerned, there is no better vegetarian cuisine than Indian. Flavors come from herbs and spices, not from fat, so it’s not just delicious, it’s very healthy. This book is designed for the Western cook, featuring amazingly delicious recipes that don’t require hunting down arcane tools or obscure ingredients or mastering difficult techniques. Highly recommended.

15

I, too, think that Indian’s have perfected vegetarian cooking.

I’d recommend a book by Madhur Jeffrey. I have one that has meat dishes in it, but her vegetarian recipes are so good, and so sustaining. Cooking from her book is the only time I’ll not have meat at supper. However, it’s not always “easy”.

I think that Indians have approached vegetarian cooking as “we’re going to make good vegetarian dishes from scratch.” Whereas, in America, vegetarian cooking seems to try to subsitute other things for meat (crumbles, spinach lasagna, eggplant parmesan, garden burgers, etc.) and I think that’s a mistake.

For quick and easy and light. . .put a piece of fish under the broiler for 10 minutes and eat it with a salad.

If you need to get filled up, make pasta with garlic and butter and eat some bread with it.

Nothing wrong with just eating rice and steamed asparagus.

If I’m primarily eating salad, I need something heartier in it. . .croutons, pecans, feta cheese, etc.

16

Thanks to everyone for the wonderful ideas!!!

Keep 'em coming! :slight_smile:

17

**Spaghetti with Sauteed Onions, Feta and Herbs **

8 oz. spaghetti (dry measure)
2 TB lemon olive oil (if you can some made with Meyer lemons, go for it)
1 large red onion, cut into rings
1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram (dried works fine too, just use a bit less)
4 ounces feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until tender and beginning to brown, about 15 minutes adding salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the marjoram, and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the cooked pasta and toss with enough reserved cooking liquid, 1/4 cup at a time, to moisten. Toss with the feta cheese. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to bowls and serve.
**Orecchiette with Mixed Greens and Goat Cheese **

1 cup dried orecchiette pasta (bowties will work fine too)
2 cups Mediterranean-style mixed salad greens
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes (packed in olive oil), chopped
1 tablespoon goat cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
Pinch salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the water.

In medium bowl, mix the salad greens with the sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese, and Parmesan. Top with warm pasta and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss to combine and wilt the greens. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper, or to taste. Garnish with additional Parmesan, if desired, and serve.
Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Swiss Chard and Pecorino Cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 bunches Swiss chard, trimmed and chopped (use more or less depending on your personal taste. You can also substitute arugula, spinach or mustard greens)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
8 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino cheese
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the chard and saute until it wilts, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, wine, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer until the tomatoes begin to break down and the chard is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season the chard mixture, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring frequently, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the spaghetti. Add the spaghetti to the chard mixture and toss to combine.

18

This is really good, and packed with lots of veggies too. I usually cut back on the brown sugar as well as skipping the orange juice since I rarely have it on hand. It’s better with the sesame seeds toasted but hey, that’s optional too when Im hungry and don’t feel like bothering.

Soba Noodle Salad with Vegetables and Tofu

DRESSING:
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon bottled minced or minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 teaspoon chile paste with garlic

SALAD:
4 cups hot cooked soba (about 8 ounces uncooked buckwheat noodles) or whole wheat spaghetti
3 cups very thinly sliced napa (Chinese) cabbage
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (12.3-ounce) package firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes

To prepare dressing, combine first 9 ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a whisk.
To prepare salad, combine noodles and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing, tossing well to coat.

Yield: 5 servings (serving size: 2 cups)

19

This is adapted from a Cooking Light recipe. They used roasted red peppers on top; I didn’t like them. But by all means use 'em (a 7 oz. bottle, drained) instead of zucchini if you prefer. If you do use red peppers then cut the basil and oregano by half. This goes together very quickly, so don’t let the ingredient list spook ya.

2 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. dried basil, divided
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried oregano, divided
1 10 oz. carton egg substitute
1 10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and pressed dry
2 tsp. butter
2 small zucchini, thinly sliced
2 cups sliced Vidalia or other sweet onion
2 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese*

Mix together all the ingredients through the eggs into a bowl and set aside.

Spray a 10" skillet with Pam. Quickly saute the sliced zucchini until slightly softened; add half the basil and oregano to the pan toward the end. Dump onto a plate and set aside.
Put butter into skillet and add onions; saute on medium-low heat about 5 minutes until slightly softened. Add hash browns and cook, stirring occassionally, about 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Moosh potato/onion mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the skillet.
Pour the egg mixture into the potato shell in the skillet. Spread zucchini slices over top. Cook 7 minutes at low heat until eggs begin to set.
Preheat broiler.
Sprinkle the frittata with the crumbled cheese. (*You can substitute any kind of cheese you like, if you don’t care for feta.) Put the skillet under the broiler and broil for @5 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned. (Feta won’t melt, so don’t go by that. Other kinds of cheeses will.)
Cut into four wedges and serve.

This is great with a generous salad on the side.