Okay, Meatless Monday can be as easy as throwing some pasta in a pot and calling it a day with some marinara sauce. If there are no veggies, then it doesn't count!
Justin doesn't look forward to Monday nights. He tries to get out of it. He hopes it's a work night for him so he can feast on pizza or wings. But he always ends up enjoying what I cook. In fact, I called him earlier today to let him know I was going to make the Grilled Portobello, Bell Pepper and Goat Cheese Sandwiches for dinner tonight. Except I forgot the recipe so I found the Summer Vegetable Crepe recipe (see below) and picked up ingredients for both (or for what I could remember since it's been a few years since I've made the Portobello sandwiches). Justin was helping me unload the groceries while I told him I was going to make these crepes instead tonight, but we'll have the Portobello Sandwiches another night this week. It took about 15 seconds until he turned around and (very dramatically) stated that he definitely couldn't eat TWO meals in one week with out meat. Well, actually, unless he plans on cooking, yes, he will be eating two meals with out meat in one week. I'm such a horrible girlfriend.
In my first post, I introduced you all to Mondays at my house, but I didn't tell you about any of my favorite recipes. I was a vegetarian for 6 years, and have cooked meatless meals several times a week for the past 8 years since I reverted back to being a carnivore. I know my way around a meatless kitchen.
I'm always using new recipes so I've definitely tried tons. Here are a few of my absolute favorite spring and summer meatless dishes. They are tried and true...you can feel good about whipping up these meals and knowing that your meat-loving family will enjoy them. I usually don't serve a side dish with these dishes since most of them are already packed with veggies and all of them are very filling.
Summer Vegetable Crepes - packed full of healthy veggies
(the lemony-sauce is the best part)
(you can find a meat version here...which I've also made and is equally amazing)
Even I was skeptical about this one. It definitely converted me into loving asparagus on pizza.
This is one dish that I've made so many times I basically have it memorized. So it's not springy or summery, but I keep the ingredients for this on hand at all times so if I'm ever "too tired" to make dinner on a cold spring night, I can just throw the ingredients in the dutch oven and there's hardly any work involved. And it's hearty and yummy.
I leave out the shrimp. Okay, so not exactly choked full of veggies. There are mushrooms and spinach...and it's still an awesome pasta dish. Made with Greek yogurt.
It was a goat cheese burger that turned me from being a vegetarian. Had I known of this sandwich at the time I may never have tried meat again. No one will miss the meat when they try this.
Tri-Color Stuffed Peppers
source: Recipes from a Vegetarian Goddess (Karri Allrich)
I love stuffed peppers, but I don't always want a greasy stuffed pepper for dinner. Here's my favorite alternative.
Serves 6
- 2 T evoo
- 1 Spanish onion, diced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 c. chopped mushrooms
- 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 1/2 c. pine nuts
- 2 1/2 - 3 c. Spanish rice, cooked
- 2 T fresh cilantro (or parsley), chopped
- 3 large bell peppers, halved, seeded
- 1 c. marinara sauce (home made or bottled)
- 1/2 c. your favorite salsa
- feta cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and saute the onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic, mushrooms, tomatoes, and curry powder. Stir and cook until the mushrooms are done, about 7 minutes. Add in the pine nuts, stir and lightly mix. Remove from heat. Add in the cooked Spanish rice and chopped cilantro and toss to mix.
2. Oil a large, shallow baking dish and place the halved peppers, cut side up, in alternating colors. Stuff the peppers with the rice mixture pressing it in firmly.
3. Combine the marinara sauce with the salsa and mix well. Top each pepper with a generous spoonful of this spicy marinara sauce and some feta cheese. Pour about an inch of water into the bottom of the baking pan and cover with foil. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the peppers are fork tender.
Baked Eggplant with Goat Cheese
Serves 4
source: Recipes from a Vegetarian Goddess (Karri Allrich)
- 2 medium sized eggplants
- evoo
- 1 c. Italian style bread crumbs
- 6-8 roma tomatoes
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 T capers, rinsed
- 1 tsp marjoram
- 2 T chopped parslay
- sea salt
- black pepper
- 5 oz. chevre goat cheese
- 1 T evoo
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
1. Slice the eggplant into 1/4 in. thick slices. Brush lightly or spray slices with olive oil. Dip slices into a bowl of bread crumbs and arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown and slightly crisp. Remove from oven.
2. Reset the oven temperature for 375 degrees. Oil a large baking dish and arrange the eggplant slices, overlapping if you need to. Cover the roasted eggplant with tomato slices and sprinkle with garlic, capers, marjoram and parsley. Add a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Top with goat cheese then drizzle with 1 T of evoo.
3. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15-20 min until heated through and cheese is melting.
These aren't the only recipes I enjoy, but they are a good start. If you are already a vegetarian or are looking for some healthy meatless meals, then these are some great choices.
Enjoy!
Mary
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