What can I cook that's easy but tasty for my vegetarian girlfriend?!
What can I cook that's easy but tasty for my vegetarian girlfriend?
I'm a meat eater but my new girlfriend is vegetarian, no problem but I'm short on ideas for what to cook when she comes over. Ideally something that can be prepared in less than half-an-hour. Please include or link to recipe if possible.
Answers:
Look for recipes on vegetarian tacos with salsa and maybe a vegetarian meat substitute or the old favorite pizza.
cyprus potatoes, carotts, sweet corn and of course salad.
10 mins
xxx
and a banana for dessert
I'm a veggie. Just do a homemade pizza. It's tasty and easy and it isn't too OTT. I used to buy the bases frozen and then add my own toppings but if you have a bread maker you can do the dough in those.
Otherwise go to http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/selec...
She's a star!!
mac n cheese
This one is a fav around our house. And I love it because it is one pot cooking.
Boil a large pot of salted water. While waiting on that, take a bunch of washed asparagus and take one stalk grasping each end, bend, where it breaks throw the bottom part away (it will be dry and stringy) now take the broken asparagus and put it with the rest and cut them to the same length. Now cut them into 2 inch lengths. When the water is boiling place the asparagus in the water. Wait 3 minutes and remove (keep the water though, you need it to boil the pasta)and run cold water over them to stop the cooking process (about 1 minute will do). Now boil 1 pound of penne pasta according to the directions. When done rinse with cool water and set pasta aside(empty the pot you still need it for the remainder of the dish)
While pasta is boiling take 2 large tomatoes and deseed(cut in half and remove the seeds by running under cold water) and dice. Take 8 oz of mozeralla cheese and dice into pieces the same size as the tomato. Take 3 cloves of garlic and mince, and about 8 leaves of basil and do a rough chop.
Now in the same pan that you had the pasta put 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat. Now add the garlic and stir off and on for 3 minutes and add the tomatoes contnuing to stir for about 3 minutes. Next add the asparagus and stir, add the pasta and stir. Add the basil and stir. Now everything is warm, turn the heat off, add the cheese and stir just to spread it evenly throughout the pasta.
Put the pasta in a bowl, top with parmasan, and a sprig of basil, and your done. A delicious meal, good for anyone. If your quick at chopping should take less than 30 minutes.
well, it takes more than an a half hour but it will show her you care lol
Vegitarian Lasagne or Mushroom Lasagne.
im too lazy to get a link but those are some ideas for a more romantic night and they are pretty delicious!
You could always opt for the 'frittes a la speece' which in English would be chips and sauce. It never fails.
stir frys are always a great choice cause you can saute your meat choice in another pan and add it to yours
vegtabale kabobs, if she eatsd fish...some vegatarians do,,, that is a bonus
look at foodtv.com or the foodtv.ca.. it is easy to get recipes even looking by ingredients
I have just had the BEST veggie meal eva for my tea and it took 4 minutes to cook.
It was from Tesco and it was pumpkin ravioli - you just boil it for 4 minutes. It comes with flavoured olive oil and grated cheese that you sprinkle over at the end of cooking.
It was BRIll and so easy - I stir fryed a bit of brocolli to go with it (4 mins also)
How nice of you for making an effort for yout gf! I'm sure she will appreciate your cooking and see it as a sign of respect.
For dessert: Fruit salad with tropical fruit and berries, cover with whipped soy cream and crushed hazelnuts.
There are many vegetarian/vegan recipe sites, so have a look.
Buy some large field flat mushrooms...the bigger the better because you are going to stuff them.
wash them then cut stalks off. Stuff with sun-dried tomato, fresh coriander, grated parmesam cheese and sliced smoked bacon. Wrap in foil with a knob of garlic butter.
bake in oven gas number 5 for about twenty minutes.
serve with freshly buttered french stick and fresh green salad.
serve fresh pineapple and strawberries for pudding with melted chocolate dip
VEGGIES PESTO W/ PENNE PASTA
This is a wonderful dish!!
1 of each: red, yellow & green pepper (cut into strips)
1 red onion (cut into about 1 in. pieces)
1 each: yellow squash & zuccinni (cut into circles or 1/2 circles)
1 pkg. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 lb. penne pasta
1 pkg. Knorr's pesto sauce
1 pkg. Knorr's garlic herb sauce
about 2-3 tablespoons of chopped garlic (in the jar)
saute garlic and a little butter and black pepper
meanwhile, boil pasta
add veggies to garlic butter & saute together. cover to cook evenly, but stir occasionally.
meanwhile, cook both pasta sauces in same pot by directions.
once pasta is drained and veggies are done, add everything together.
enjoy!! ( for you - I have also made this with bitesized pieces of chicken, as well)
BBq some pork ribs, she will convert
The easiest for a beginner to vegetarian cooking are probably stir fry's-just heat some vegetable oil in a wok and stir fry beansprouts,noodles,mushrooms and any veg you have and maybe some tofu or quorn.You can add rice too if you like it.
If you want meat with yours fry some chicken or prawns or something separately and add them to yours when you serve it.
Another easy option are vegetarian pizza's.Buy a big cheese and tomato pizza from a supermarket and add other stuff to it-mushrooms,fresh tomato,extra cheese,veg and again either tofu or a meat substitute like quorn.
If you want meat on yours do 2 smaller pizzas and add some meat to the 1 you will eat.
If you both like pasta you can just do some penne or something in a tomato sauce.Maybe add some mushrooms to it.Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top when you serve it.
Cooking for her is a good idea-it shows you care and that you put the effort in to make something she can eat.
this takes a little more than half an hour, but it's soooooooo worth it:
http://www.fatfree.com/recipes/mexican/m...
there are also a lot of other vegetarian recipes on this website. Good luck.
Simple Thai Pizza
Ingredients (use vegan versions):
pizza crust (I use the easy, yummy, and Quick Pizza Crust recipe from this site or Rustic
Crust)
2 teaspoons ginger, freshly grated (or 1/2 teaspoon powdered)
2 tablespoons peanut or sesame oil
3 tablespoons peanut butter, unsalted & all-natural
1/4 cup tamari
1 lime, juice only
1/2-1 teaspoon Thai green curry paste (make sure to check label for fish sauce or shrimp
paste)
8 oz. of your choice of protein - Morningstar Farms Chicken Meal Starters, or Thai-Style
marinated baked tofu
1 bunch scallions, chopped (white and light green parts only)
1/2 cup carrot, shredded or julienned
1/2 cup pineapple, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, loosely packed
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450*F.
Mix the ginger in with the oil. Brush mixture (I use a silicone basting brush) across the pizza crust.
Bake for 5 minutes in the preheated oven.
Mix together the peanut butter, tamari, lime juice and curry paste. Spread this on the crust and top with remaining ingredients. (TIP: If you are using MSF Meal Starters, put them on the pizza BEFORE the sauce and they will absorb lots of extra flavor.)
Bake for 10 additional minutes.
Makes a great appetizer for parties.
Serves: 6-10 slices
Preparation time: 15 minutes prep + 10 minutes baking
she will love it!
When in doubt: PASTA! Here's 2 easy sauces
Olive Oil, Garlic, and Crushed Red Pepper Sauce:
Takes 5 minutes:
1 lb. of dried pasta (I like bowties or penne)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 Cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup water taken from the water you cooked the pasta in
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Cook the pasta according to the package directions (Don't forget to save 1/4 of the water when its done for the sauce)
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring for 30 seconds, making sure it doesn't brown. Add the pasta water, red pepper, salt, and parsley and bring to a boil. Toss in with the cooked basta.
*if you want to get fancy, toss in some saute'd veggies (broccoli, zuccini and squash)
BASIL PESTO (do not make this one if she's vegan!)
Takes 10 minutes to prepare
1lb dried pasta (your choice, again i like the bowties best)
1 small clove garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves, washed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup (about 1 ounce) grated Parmesan
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. PLace the garlic, pine nuts, basil, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. While the machine is running, drizzle in the oil through the feed tube, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan. Spoon over the cooked pasta.
*make it fancy:
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 2 small zucchini (thinly sliced), 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4-5 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup torn fresh mint leaves. Spoon over the pasta with basil pesto.
*****Make the meal special.
Serve with a simple spinach salad (spinach leaves, tomato, vinegarette) and fresh bread (buy a nice loaf and put it in the oven so its warm and crunchy). Serve with wine and sparking mineral water. Dessert: buy sorbet and put a few scoops in 2 wine glasses and keep them in the freezer until the meal is done. It will be a nice surprise for her. I like raspberry and strawberry. All of this should take you less than 30 minutes to prepare. Play some nice music and light some candles. Even better: if you have a patio and a patio table eat outside! Good Luck!
pasta :) with sun dried tomatoes mmm
Dang, that's easy. My sweetheart isn't strictly a vegetarian, but she likes veggies way more than meat.
Grill 1 or 2 large Portobello mushroom caps with a little butter or light olive oil until tender and cooked through, possibly with a slice of cheese on top if she will eat dairy.
Dice up a bunch of: sweet/bell peppers (we like the red/orange/yellow ones), onions, celery, cabbage, and carrots and cook up in a small amount of liquid in a pot. When nearly cooked, add a can or two of stewed tomatoes. Add a couple of tablespoons of light olive oil, and any spices you might like. Sometimes I throw some corn and/or peas in there too.
Do something like the above, but stir fry instead (omitting the stewed tomatoes, but possibly adding diced fresh tomatoes.
Make fried rice with some of those same ingredients (without tomato) and possibly some scrambled egg. Add some soy sauce or ginger soy sauce.
I just made a chowder for the sweetheart of peppers and corn. Dice one large pepper and one med onion, sautee in some olive oil until nearly cooked. Stir in the kernels from two ears of fresh corn. When hot, add in one diced tomato. Add some chopped scallion/green onion. Add about a tsp of chicken bouillon if she'll eat that, and enough milk to make something like a thick soup. Add a tbsp of butter if you're using skim milk. Dash in a bit of red pepper flakes. This soup is good hot or cold.
stir-fry some veggies w/olive oil and cover with seseme seed & ginger sauce
set asid w/rice
veggie soup
veggie stew
veggie bake
veggie lasagna
veggie spag bol
pizza
veggie curry
jacket potato
Hey, try this site, which lists recipes by ingredients:
http://www.catteacorner.com/ingredients....
That way, if you already have a few vegetables on hand, you can get ideas.
If she is a lacto-ovo vegetarian, she would not eat rennet, which is made from the stomach lining of calves. So be careful about certain cheeses (dairy) that are not vegetarian.
Veggie Stir fry over rice
Sesame peanut noddles
Baked Ziti
Veggie Kababs
PASTA WITH HERBS AND EGGS
No heavy sauces here; in this dish pasta is lightly coated with a delicately perfumed misture of herbs and just-cooked eggs. It should be served with lots of freshly grated Parmesan and milled black pepper, a round of fluffy, crusty bread and a green salad. Home-made pasta is called for - my preference being mixed green and white fusilli noodles.
250g pasta
60ml olive oil
10 ml butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bunch slim spring onions, chopped
75ml sunflower seeds
1 ml dried origanum
5 eggs, beaten
2ml sea salt
60ml chopped fresh basil leaves
60ml chopped parsley
Cook pasta in plenty of salted water, toss with a dash of oil and set aside.
Heat oil and butter in a large frying pan, add garlic, onions, sunflower seeds and origanum and toss over low heat unti seeds are golden brown.
Mix in cooked drained pasta, and when thoroughly heated, add lightly beaten eggs with salt and herbs.
Sir over lowest heat until eggs are just cooked and serve immediately.
Quorn fajitas.
Really simple to make. Pop to asda/tesco buy a fajita pack and what ever veg you like (mushrooms, peppers,sweetcorn etc) you can even buy it all ready washed and cut to save more time. Bung it all in a wok/frying pan cook for 10 mins and serve in the wraps with cheese and salad
Very yummy meal (n im not even a veggie)
You can buy lots of meat alternatives from the supermarket. Today I bought some vegetarian meat balls from asda, and made a spagetti bolognaise style sauce added lots of yummy chunky vegtables and served it with whoemeal spagetti. It was yummy. You could also add some garlic bread as a side serving, and a crunchy salad.
No offence mate but, whatever you like, without the meat, and use tasty vegetables, herbs and cheeses etc. it is pretty obvious, also add something like a meat alternative, this helps. I should say vegetarians only like tasty food, not boring stuff like chips, or margharitta pizza, instaed put lots of cheese ,mushrooms, peppers, and cooked spinnach and ricotta cheese pizza is the best.
good luck
There's heaps of stuff that you eat anyway that's vege, you just don't think about it! Pizza, pasta, baked potatoes - just leave out the meat! For something special, how about frying some onion, peppers, sweetcorn and mushrooms, and then added some beaten eggs to make an omelet + serving with salad and chips or potatoes? I think it's so nice of you to be asking! :) Hope all goes well xxx
A good salad with many variety of vegetables and some well done pasta made of integral wheat followed by a good sauce with mashrooms.