I need ideas for healthy meals for vegetairans. I am bored of only been able to eat veg as a side?

Question

I really enjoy cooking in the kitchen, and need some imaginative ideas of what to do that is healthy. Because, I am an unhealthy vegetarian lol, I eat a lot of cheese, and I know I shouldn't.

There must be other ways of making nice meals which are healthy but not 'boring'.

Also, I need quick and easy lunchbox ideas, as I can never 'be bothered' in a morning to make anything nice, and, likewise in the evening, after I finish making dinner, I want to relax for a bit.

Maybe some evening meals which I can 'recycle' for lunch?

Answer 1

lasagne just use chopped mushrooms and plenty of veg, things like courgettes, peppers, onions, instead of mince, then do it with a tomato sauce, layers of lasagne and the cheese that u love

Answer 2

Explore the world of meat substitutes.  I used to be the queen of Morning Star Farms Chick Patties that I made into chick patty Parmesan.  Also beans are a great food for you--if you don't like them, learn to.  You can make lots of great things with them, like "burgers", chili, burritos, hummus, etc.  Identify your favorite veggies and don't be scared to use them often.  Then you can do stir fries and soups

(like meatless minestrone--a big pot will last you for several meals).  My advice would be to get a nice vegetarian cook book and take some time to study it.  See what you might like or be willing to try.  Don't immediately discount something because you don't like one or a few ingredients.  Think about whether you can omit them or substitute them with something that you do enjoy.  

Answer 3

Use quorn as a meat substitute  

Answer 4

I am a big fan of roasting up a pile of vegetables.  

For dinner sautee your roasted vegetables in a favorite sauce (I like satay) and toss them over some noodles or rice for a delicious stir fry.  

For lunch the next day take some of those same roasted vegetables, toss them in with some spinach for a delicious salad!

another favorite in my house is Fried Tofu Steaks.   Drain then marinate a block of tofu (marinate in whatever you want, I use a mild BBQ sauce watered down with some veg stock).   Let marinate in the fridge all day.

When you get home slice into about quarter inch thick slices, coat with cornstarch and throw into some hot oil.    It isn't the healthiest option, however served with a nice salad is pretty good.   You can make extra and use the fried tofu steaks as part of a sandwich the next day.  Just throw on some tomato and lettuce.

Another big hit in my house is strata, which is pretty much a cassorles.  I just layer eggplant, polenta, tomato sauce, zucchini, mushrooms onion, pretty much any veggie you have in the house in a cassorole dish, back at 375 for an hour and instant meal with little work and only one dish.  Keeps very well and makes a great lunch hot or cold.  (you can toss in some ricotta (there is a vegan alternative for it as well) if you want to quench that cheese craving.

Answer 5

carrot sticks, celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, sugar snap peas, yellow squash, broc, cauliflower, etc. with whatever you like to dip them in.

grilled portabello mushrooms burgers, can be fixed at night and take in lunch and reheat.

lo mein with lots of veggies

Answer 6

Just about all you want can be found at the bbc goodfood website! They provide a vast searchable database which contains many vegetarian and vegan dishes, each with their nutritional breakdown included and with member reviews provided. They also provide estimated times for the preparation of the meal, and all these categories (and more) can be specified for in the search also!

To make any dish more interesting just the addition of a few herbs or spices, or a condiment can vastly improve flavour and on the cheap also... A little torn basil in tomato dishes for example?

Humous and veg sticks are a great little lunch box munch or humous and salad sandwiches, which are nutritionally great, quick and tasty!

Hope there is something here for you, happy eating!!

Answer 7

Hi there, we Greeks  eat allot of vegetarian dishes all very filling and good for us  as well, we have things such as lentel soup, traditional bean soup, chickpea soup, blackeyed beans and silverbeet stew, lima beans in a tomato stew, fresh fava bean stew, green beans,zuchini and potato stew, stuffed vegetables with rice and pine nuts,  spinach and rice caserole,  eggplant stew,fried mushrooms , vegetarian pasta,the list goes on and on! you should look into it by google,  Greek food recipes  

Answer 8

what about  home made leek and  potato soup ......mmmmmmmm

Answer 9

If you like marrow or never know what to do try this recipe.

Marrow Provencale.

1 Medium size marrow,

75g/3 oz. Butter,

1 Medium size onion (chopped)

1 Small garlic (chopped)

1 Small green pepper (chopped),

1 400g.Tin of tomatoes,

100g/4 oz. Grated cheddar cheese.

1. Peel marrow. Cut into 2cm/l in. rings,

2. Remove seeds from centre,

3. Cut rings into 2cm/1 in. cubes,

4. Melt butter in large saucepan. Add marrow, fry for 10 minutes (or until gold)

5. Transfer to plate,

6. Add onion, garlic and green pepper to remaining butter in pan. Fry gently until pale gold.

7. Add tomatoes and marrow. Mix well.

8. Arrange half the mixture in fairly large heatproof dish.

9. Cover with 50g/2 oz. cheese.

10. Add rest of marrow mixture.

11. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

12. Bake, uncovered, in centre of moderately hot oven. (190c, 375f, or gas 5.) for 30 minutes.

This will serve 4 people.

I always serve it with some pasta.

Answer 10

Enjoy the wholesome goodness of some freshly peeled carrots.

Answer 11

For quick and easy stuff, buy some frozen quorn pieces, fry them off with the relevant spice and sauces and either have a stir fry or fajitas. Obviously if you eat fish, then the range of stuff you can cook is vast

Answer 12

try a veg curry if u can not make most shops sell the sauce for veggies or if u eat  pasta get a nice pasta sauce and past a and make a veggie pasta bowl

Answer 13

Peperoni in agrodolce:

you need:

2 red onions

2 red peppers

2 yellow peppers

A little bit of winegar

A glass of water

2 spoons of sugar

oil

a little bit of salt

It's better if you use a wok.Put the wok on the fire with the oil inside. Cut onions and peppers.

Put the vegetables into the wok and let them cooking for few minutes, then add water, salt, winegar and sugar. Cook for 20 minutes and the dish is ready!

I often eat rice and vegetables for dinner.

A kiss from Italy and sorry for my English!

Answer 14

there's lots of blogs for vegetarians and vegans out there with great ideas- try these and the links in them

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/

http://nanok.com/veg/