A few good vegetarian recipes?!
Does anyone have a few good recipes that I can try while I learn more about it. I got a cookbook about it but as you know it takes awhile to get used to making changes in dirt.
Thank you!
Answers: My husband is thinking about going more vegetarian. He loves meat but for health reasons we want to cut back on it.
Does anyone have a few good recipes that I can try while I learn more about it. I got a cookbook about it but as you know it takes awhile to get used to making changes in dirt.
Thank you!
You should learn how to cook and work with tofu - how to press it, marinate it, etc. It's not a big deal once you do it once or twice. That'll make every recipe much easier.
Some of my favorite recipes (I don't have measurements really, just taste it and judge whether you need more or less of something, and most things are your choice how much veggies or tofu you want in a dish):
Scrambled Tofu -
You crumble firm tofu into a skillet with a little oil and add some diced veggies ( I like onion, carrot, zucchini and spinach). I like to keep it 50% tofu, 50% veggies... and season it like you would scrambled eggs. I like to add nutritional yeast as well, it has vitamin B12 in it and tastes a little cheesy.
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Tofu Peanut Rice Noodles (sort of like pad thai)
I prepare rice noodles according to the instructions on the box (you can buy these in just about any store but they might be in the Asian food section). I sautee some onion, green and red bell pepper and tofu pieces (I like to use pressed, marinated and baked tofu for this one, and I cut the tofu into little cubes). I stir the rice noodles with the tofu-veggie mix and add some peanut butter, soy sauce, salt and pepper, red pepper flakes, and SOMETIMES a little bit of coconut milk, usually I like peanut oil instead. Yum :)
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Quinoa-stuffed Squash
This one you should use a recipe for here is one I found:
http://www.recipezaar.com/250483
It just saves me some time typing it, this one has a bit more to it than just vague instructions.
The easiest way to learn vegetarian cooking is to cook like you always do, just don't add the meat. Making spaghetti? Leave out the ground beef in the sauce. Pizza? Add cheese and veggies instead of pepperoni. Chicken parmesean? Substitute eggplant. Want stuffed peppers? FIll with rice and shredded squash instead of meat. This way you don't need to learn new ways of cooking, you just tweak your favorites a little. It makes the switch to being meatless so much easier, since you are still eating familiar foods.
Over time, you'll learn to substitute different vegetables and cook with a wider range of ingredients. By then, it won't seem like such a big diet change!
Vegetarian Times is a great resource for veggie meal ideas. Check their recipe finder: http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/
Tabouleh
(Parsley and Cracked Wheat Salad)
85 grams (3 oz., 1/2 cup) burghul
2 bunches flat-leaf parsley
(about 30 gr. before washing, or 1 1/2 cup chopped)
1 bunch fresh mint
(about 10 gr. before washing, or 1/2 cup chopped)
3 green onions or 1 small onion
1 large tomato
90 milliliters (3 oz., 6 Tbs.) lemon juice
60 milliliters (2 1/2 oz., 4 Tbs.) olive oil
salt
1 head romaine lettuce (optional)
Leave the burghul in water for about 2 hours, then wash and squeeze out. Wash and chop the parsley, mint and green onions very fine. Dice the tomato. Combine all ingredients including burghul. Add salt to taste, lemon juice, olive oil and mix well. Serve in a bowl lined with lettuce leaves. This salad can be eaten with a fork, but the traditional way is to scoop up a bite of the mixture in a lettuce leaf and pop it into the mouth.
theres no reason why you shouldn't keep the same type of meals in your home,just replace the meat with either more veg or try some of the replacements like quorn mince or quorn chicken fillets etc
There are recipes everywhere! You can pick up great veggie cookbooks at safeway, william sonoma, and any bookstore. If you get a book, you can learn more about the ingredients and actually teach yourself how vegetarian eating works.
Another great place (one of my favorite places for any recipes) is www.allreciepes.com and search for vegetarian, or whatever!