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My DS is an aspiring vegetarian. He does eat fish depending on the preparation and type.
Dinner has become increasing difficult to plan, let alone prepare. We, as a family already follow a low fat lifestyle. We do not eat fast foods or ready prepared.
There are only so many vegetables to prepare in so many ways. Any dinner ideas that everyone can eat? . I can always modify to add or delete the poultry or meat.


HELP

We're meat eaters here, but there are lots of meat recipes that you can modify to make them vegetarian.

Do you have any of the Looney Spoons books?? They have lots of healthy and veggie recipes.

Some suggestions;

Thai pizza -- I make a whole wheat crust. Peanut sauce instead of tomato and lots of veggies: bean sprouts, shredded carrots, green pepper, red pepper, green onions.... whatever veggies you like!! And mozzarella.

Pasta -- lots of pasta options. I make a simple pasta with a can of tomato sauce, spices, and cheese. Baked macaroni and cheese. I have a great recipe from the Canadian Living web site for a pasta & chicken recipe (just eliminate the chicken).

http://www.canadianliving.com/CanadianLi...idRe=16458

Soup -- You can make lots of soups with veggie broth instead of meat broth. Borscht and sorrel soup are two of my favourites.

Salad -- Make salads more interesting than lettuce. Add tomatoes, cucumber, nuts, seeds, raisins, cheese..... you can also make homemade salad dressings, like Caesar and maple balsamic.

Check out these web sites for recipe ideas:

http://www.allrecipes.com
http://www.epicurious.com

Do searches for veggie recipes -- I'm sure you'll find lots!!

Thanks smoodgie! Lots to choose from.......Maybe I can get DS to look at this too!

I am vegetarian and my husband is not.

Often we will cook something in which he can add meat to once I've taken my share. For example, if we are making a stir-fry or a spaghetti sauce we'll cook it all up without meat. Then I'll fill my plate with what I would like and he'll add his meat and cook a little bit longer.

Also, I'll often just eat the side dishes such as veggies, salad, potatoes, etc and have a protein drink and I'm good to go.

And my husband likes plenty of vegetarian dishes as well.

Cooking on the barbecue is easy too b/c I can grill up veggies while he cooks his meat.

K

As a veggie of 25+ years, I have a # of recipes - unfortunately a lot of them are experimental and in my head, so difficult to write down - I will however endeavour to post some and post some interesting sites.

caro

Some recipes ...some of these are dinner party and appetizer type specials, although the concept could be adapted for everyday use. Will start a separate thread with more. You should never have asked ...
CREAMED SPINACH DELUXE

1/4 cup water
4 6-ounce bags baby spinach leaves

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 bay leaf
1/2 dried small red chile, such as Japones or de árbol
1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk

1/2 cup whipping cream

Bring 1/4 cup water to boil in large pot. Add half of spinach to pot; toss until wilted but still bright green, about 3 minutes. Add remaining spinach and toss until just wilted. Transfer spinach to strainer set over large bowl. Press on spinach to release all liquid. Transfer spinach to work surface; coarsely chop. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, bay leaf, dried chile, and peppercorns; sauté until onion is soft but not brown, about 3 minutes. Whisk in flour and salt. Cook until mixture is pale gold and has nutty aroma, whisking constantly, about 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Boil until thick, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Strain béchamel sauce into medium bowl.

Heat cream in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until just simmering. Add béchamel; whisk until mixture is smooth and begins to simmer. Add spinach and stir until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Test-kitchen tip: Be sure to remove as much water as you can from the cooked spinach (otherwise the finished dish may be watery, rather than creamy).

GOAT CHEESE SOUFFLES IN PHYLLO CUPS WITH FRISEE SALAD
You can make the soufflés 4 hours ahead (keep at room temperature). Put in a 375°F oven for 8 minutes to reheat.
Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 hr
click photo to enlarge

For phyllo cups
6 (17- by 12-inch) phyllo sheets, thawed if frozen
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
For soufflé filling
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 large eggs, separated
1 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup)
5 oz soft mild goat cheese, crumbled (2/3 cup)
For salad
1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz frisée, torn into bite-size pieces (8 cups)
6 radishes, cut into very thin wedges
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Special equipment: a muffin pan with 12 (1/2- or 1/3-cup) muffin cups

Make cups:
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Cover stack of phyllo with 2 overlapping sheets of plastic wrap and a dampened kitchen towel. Put 1 phyllo sheet on a work surface and brush with some butter, then top with 2 more sheets of phyllo, brushing each with butter.
Cut buttered stack into 6 (4 1/2-inch) squares with a sharp knife, trimming sides as needed. Line each of 6 muffin cups with a square. Make 6 more phyllo cups (4 are extra, in case of breakage) in same manner with remaining pastry sheets and butter.
Bake cups in middle of oven until golden, about 8 minutes, then cool completely in pan on a rack.
Make filling:
Increase oven temperature to 400°F.
While cups are cooling, melt butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then whisk in flour. Cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add milk in a stream, whisking, and bringto a boil, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in mustard, yolks, and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano until combined, then fold in goat cheese. (Cover surface of mixture with wax paper if not using immediately.)
Beat egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer until they just hold stiff peaks. Fold one third of whites into sauce to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
Spoon batter into 8 phyllo cups and sprinkle with remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake in middle of oven until soufflés are puffed and golden, about 15 minutes.
Make salad while soufflés bake:
Whisk together vinegar, mustard, and salt in a bowl, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified.
Just before soufflés are ready, toss frisée and radishes in a large bowl with just enough dressing to coat. Mound salad onto 8 plates and sprinkle with chives, then make a small nest in center of each.
Place a soufflé cup in each salad and serve immediately.
Cooks' notes:
• Phyllo cups can be made 1 day ahead and kept in pan, carefully wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature. (Extra phyllo cups can be filled with ice cream or fruit for dessert the next day.)
• Soufflé filling (without egg whites) can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature and stir (to loosen) before proceeding.

FLATBREAD WITH CARAMALIZED ONIONS

2 T olive oil]
3 large onions, chopped
1 T brown sugar
2 t balsamic vinegar
½ t salt and ½ t pepper
½ lb frozen puff pastry, defrosted but still cold
6 oz brie, diced
6 oz blue cheese, diced
2 T chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in pan, fry onions and cook till wilted.

Add sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper. Reduce heat and cook approx. 15-20 mins. Until onions are caramelized. Cool.

Roll pastry into rectangle about 12 “ x 16”. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

HUMOUS

1 can chickpeas drained
3 T tahini
3 garlic gloves, minced
3 T chopped parsley
1/c c olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
½ t ground coriander
½ t ground cumin
salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender.
pread onions over pastry. Dot with cheese and parsely.


Refrigerate if not baking immediately.

Bake in preheated oven 400 for 20-25 minutes. Cut into 20 pieces and then cut each piece in half diagonally, making 40 triangles.


SPINACH CLASSIC DIP


2 pkg frozen chopped spinach
1 c mayonnaise
1 c sour cream
1 pkg Knorr vegetable soup mix
Sour dough round
1 c sour cream
3 green onions, chopped
1 can water chestnuts, chopped
Parsley flakes
Dash lemon juice

Combine all ingredients except sour dough bread. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Cut a top in the sour dough. Scoop out insides and save to dip. Place mixture in top of cut out bread. Place on platter with cut up bread around it.

Can bake this in oven at 300 for 20-30 minutes.

I've been a vegetarian for most of my life...and its really not all that hard. My Dh is a meat lover and in the summers we bbq a lot...i like marinating firm tofu and then bbq that, plus lots of veggies, zuchinni, mushrooms and red onions...yummy. A great source for receipes is william sonoma...they have this one ricotta eggplant dish that is amazing...tastes like canneloni but without pasta.