Vegetarian Recipes

Think vegetarian and gourmet can’t go hand-in-hand? Think again!

Many of the world’s leading chefs create delicious, healthy, affordable vegetarian meals – and you can, too.

There are many reasons people choose to become vegetarians. Lately, two of the more popular reasons for eating vegetarian (at least some of the time) are money and health.

Cutting meat from the diet is undoubtedly easier on the pocketbook, and many scientific studies show that eating little or no meat leads to better health.

So whether you’re a full time or a part time vegetarian, here are some tips for great vegetarian recipes and cooking.

 

Balance

A good balance of protein, fat, and complex carbohydrates is vital to good health. Protein can easily fall by the wayside if you cut meat from your diet, so be sure to include beans, nuts, seeds, tofu and eggs in your diet.

Carbohydrates should be complex, meaning they don’t come from processed foods like white flour. Beans and whole grain breads and pasta are a good source of carbs. Fats are important, too – just make sure they come from healthy foods like avocado, olive oil, flax, and nuts.

 

Better Nutrition and Taste

Experiment with oils. Not only can the right cooking oil add better nutrition to your diet, but it can make a recipe taste considerably better. In particular, experiment with flax seed oil, peanut oil, walnut oil, and different types of olive oil.

 

Pump Up Flavor

When recipes call for beef or poultry broth, stock, or bullion, vegetable stock is a fine substitute, but it may taste bland. Adding fresh minced garlic can pump up the flavor – or use red wine instead.

 

 

Take Your Time

Rice is a vegetarian staple, but because it can take a little while to cook, it’s tempting to choose instant rice. However, instant rice is low in nutrients. If you don’t want to stand in front of the stove and cook rice, invest in a rice cooker.

It will still take the rice a bit to cook, but you won’t have to babysit it.

 

The Classic Substitute

If you have meat or poultry dishes you really enjoy, try substituting beans. This works particularly well for soups, stews, and casseroles. For variety, experiment with different types of beans.

 

Recommended Vegetarian Recipes

Dirty Dish from Susan’s Garden

This quick and easy dish is made with corn, artichokes, carrots, green beans, and truffles.

 

Truffle Omelet

In just 15 minutes, you can serve this truffle or mushroom omelet for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

 

Ravioli with Cepe Mushrooms

Replace the duck grease and stock in this recipe with vegetable stock or wine, and you’ve got a hearty, delicious vegetarian meal.

 

Eggs with Fresh Mushrooms

It doesn’t get much easier than this! This dish takes just 10 minutes to cook and combines egg protein with the nutrients of a variety of vegetables.

 

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