[marymayk]

Hey, I am vegetarian and loving it! Its been about three years.... but I've got a big problem. I'm not too experimental with food and I'm getting bored with what I eat...I'm in a food rut. Lately I'd rather just make a protein shake then figure out what to eat. Can anyone suggest something easy and tasty to eat (something that has nutritional value)
Also- I'm not to message boards....out of curiosity....what other sites do you guys visit? Any with message boards?

[Xuzi]

My favorite quick and easy veggie meal is black bean soup with quesadillas!

Black bean soup:
2 cans black beans, drained
1 cup salsa (I prefer deli style salsa)
1.5 cups vegetable broth
lime juice and cumin to taste

Combine all ingredients - except one can of beans - in a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a pot, add the remaining can of beans and warm over medium-high heat. Serve with quesadillas made with whole wheat tortillas for dipping.

Soooooo yummy.

[teckeygirl]

What sort of vegetarian are you? It may seem like a rude question, but different people follow a different set of "rules" for themselves.

Some people will eat fish.. some will eat dairy.. some will eat eggs.. some wont eat anything that is in any way an animal product. Whether to include these things or not can make a big difference in a menu

[Elanajel]

Some options:

hummus and vegetables in a whole wheat pita

Cooked grain salad (barley, millet, quinoa, etc.) with chopped vegetables (scallion, celery, red onion, broccoli, etc.) with a light vinaigrette dressing

Rice pilaf mixed with a can of drained chickpeas

Refried beans--fat-free type--mixed with fried onion, served with any salsa you enjoy

Plain ff yogurt mixed with fresh fruit and grape-nuts

[mauvaisroux]

There is an area for vegetarians on the Alternachicks board - I am afraid it is not as busy as the rest of the boards here but there is some info and some good recipes.

[marymayk]

thanks for all your help. Everything seemed good to me...I'm gonna try some of them out this weekend! The black bean soup and the other suggestion...the rice pilaf with chickpeas.

To answer some questions: I don't eat any meat- fish included. I am not vegan though I try to not do dairy. I would cut it out completely but I like Dairy Queen Ice Cream a bit too much.

Thanks everybody

[teckeygirl]

the vegetarian meals I love the most that fit in your guidelines are:

Vegetarian chili - I add lots of vegetables and different kinds of beans everytime but I absolutely LOVE homemade chili. It's pretty fast and can make a lot or a little. I like to make a lot and save the rest for lunches and dinners.

Veggie lasagna - this has to be a favorite of mine because you can change the type of vegetable used and completely change the flavor - eggplant, zucchini, spinach, mushrooms.. all do well. The great thing about this is that you can cook once for more than one meal and lasagnas are fairly sturdy as far as the freezer goes. Just cut out single serving portions and you have some quick meals for later.

If you like tofu there is a lot you can do with that because it basically takes on the flavor of whatever its cooked with. stirfrys are so easy and quick to cook. Also very versatile - you can throw just about any vegetable together with some garlic or your favorite spices.

Ethnic foods in general have lots of vegetable options. I like fried rice or lo mein with lots of vegetables, stirfrys like I said before... Enchiladas, burritos, tostadas, tacos - all can be made vegetarian. Pizza is a great FAST one too! You can use cheese or no cheese its great either way. If you use an english muffin half, a dab of tomato sauce and your favorite vegetables you can have a delicious lunch in 5 minutes.

[LovesBassets]

Have you ever tried Quorn? It's an import from Europe. It's fungi-based, but don't let that scare you because it's DELICIOUS!! It's guaranteed 20% protein and has relatively low carbs. One Quorn cutlet has 10 grams of protein and 20 grams of carbs. It comes in cutlets, roasts, nuggets, and patties, and has a garlic & herb breading -- which I'm pretty sure isn't actually "bread-ing," but rather "flaked Quorn" made to look like breading. I really enjoy it. It is tough to find, though, but maybe you can check out local health food stores or search online.

[NoChick]

I am in the course of becoming a vegetarian due to my desire of losing weight. I am looking for some good tips on how to become a full vegetarian ? Do you have any diet plans or something?

[Suzanne 3FC]

Hi NoChick, welcome to 3FC Unfortunately, being a vegetarian isn't an automatic weight loss plan, since many sources of protein or meat substitutes are high in fat and/or calories. We have a vegetarian forum here that might interest you, it has some tips, recipes and more. It's under our Alternachicks section.


LovesBassets, to say Quorn is a fungi is a bit of a stretch Well that's what THEY tell us because it makes us think of mushrooms, but instead it's more like mold that is grown in big vats. It's also been known to make a lot of people very ill with nausea and vomiting.
http://www.cspinet.org/quorn/