OT Vegetarian Dishes?

[ShoWStoppeR]

hey ya'll. I'm not much of a meat eater, and I'm in need of some new dishes to try at school. mind you I'm doing it on a college kids budget and time lol but any ideas, throw them at me! thanks :)

peace, love, and happy cheering

showstopper

 

[cheerheart4life]

Veggie Pizza made with pita bread or a tortilla, pizza sauce, cheese, and your favorite veggies!!

 

[Eyes On The Prize]

Veggie Pizza made with pita bread or a tortilla, pizza sauce, cheese, and your favorite veggies!!

Pizza dough is also very easy (and fairly cheap) to make. And you can use it for all sorts of things, not just pizza (like garlic sticks!) You could also make veggie calzones! Here's the recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/quick-and-easy-pizza-crust/
Also, on the cold winter nights, you could try making soup (freezes/stores very well if you make large batches). Homemade soup is the BEST. Quiche is good (if you put in the right ingredients) and stir-fry is very, very easy to make (you can even steal a bunch of veggies and rice from the cafeteria if you need to).

 

[njallday]

i recommend going to the library and checking out the college vegetarian cookbook. it is basically budget-friendly yet easy and healthy vegetarian meals.

beans and rice are cheap and together they make up a complete protein. lately i've been on a kick of black beans, brown rice, some canned or frozen corn, a little chopped up tomato and monterey jack cheese on a tortilla. (i put it all on the tortilla and broil it.. then roll it when the cheese is all melted.)
I also make a lot of soups/chili in bulk and freeze them in serving size containers.

Veg-Head Three-Bean Chili Recipe : Rachael Ray : Food Network this is the chili i make, which i could live off of. i also make a parmesan-string bean soup and roasted red pepper soup that are also awesome and freeze well! let me know if you want the recipes!

if you want to try any frozen veggie burgers, i recommend morningstar farms garden veggie patties. it's not all soy unlike a lot of other brands - it's actually veggies. they aren't that cheap, but i'd recommend getting one box so you always have something quick to go to in your freezer. (also p.s. to any other vegetarians, i recently learned burger king has this exact veggie burger on their menu!!!! so now i actually have something to order :))

i am not supposed to eat soy anymore, so i've stopped eating most imitation meats.. but there are a lot of meat "substitutes" if you want to try them. I have tried a few of the "chicken" nuggets and most aren't bad. and they're quick. just throw them in the oven. (i'd recommend the brand Gardein)

when i lived at school I didn't have a full, functioning kitchen - only a microwave... and the vegetarian options at the dining hall got old fast. I ate a lot of the "steamer" veggies with microwaveable brown rice. also gets old quickly so i feel your pain. i have so many amazing vegetarian cookbooks and dishes, but not many are college friendly. they require a whole lot of time and effort.

 

[youbetterwork]

I'm a vegetarian! I think the hardest thing is to eat protein. Do you have quorn in the US?? Quorn fillet is the best thing ever. And tuna. You can do sooo much with it. Quorn fillet goes great with rice, pasta, potatoes and salad. I love tuna pie, try it! Veggie sushi is great too. And cottage cheese (keso?), I eat that with everything.

 

[youbetterwork]

i recommend going to the library and checking out the college vegetarian cookbook. it is basically budget-friendly yet easy and healthy vegetarian meals.

beans and rice are cheap and together they make up a complete protein. lately i've been on a kick of black beans, brown rice, some canned or frozen corn, a little chopped up tomato and monterey jack cheese on a tortilla. (i put it all on the tortilla and broil it.. then roll it when the cheese is all melted.)
I also make a lot of soups/chili in bulk and freeze them in serving size containers.

Veg-Head Three-Bean Chili Recipe : Rachael Ray : Food Network this is the chili i make, which i could live off of. i also make a parmesan-string bean soup and roasted red pepper soup that are also awesome and freeze well! let me know if you want the recipes!

if you want to try any frozen veggie burgers, i recommend morningstar farms garden veggie patties. it's not all soy unlike a lot of other brands - it's actually veggies. they aren't that cheap, but i'd recommend getting one box so you always have something quick to go to in your freezer. (also p.s. to any other vegetarians, i recently learned burger king has this exact veggie burger on their menu!!!! so now i actually have something to order :))

i am not supposed to eat soy anymore, so i've stopped eating most imitation meats.. but there are a lot of meat "substitutes" if you want to try them. I have tried a few of the "chicken" nuggets and most aren't bad. and they're quick. just throw them in the oven. (i'd recommend the brand Gardein)

when i lived at school I didn't have a full, functioning kitchen - only a microwave... and the vegetarian options at the dining hall got old fast. I ate a lot of the "steamer" veggies with microwaveable brown rice. also gets old quickly so i feel your pain. i have so many amazing vegetarian cookbooks and dishes, but not many are college friendly. they require a whole lot of time and effort.

Do McDonald's have McBean in the US? I love it :) I eat fish so I mostly order Filet o Fish there! Subway is my favorite fast food place though.

 

[Deleted member 1556]

I've been a veggie since first grade, so PM me if you ever need these recipes/inspiraration!
I eat a lot of black beans- chili with Morningstar Grillers and black beans is soo good! Also black bean burritos, which are really easy to do.
Do you have a food processor or mixer? If you do. try making soups. I have recipes for aspararagus soup, chilli, french onion, etc.

 

[njallday]

Do McDonald's have McBean in the US? I love it :) I eat fish so I mostly order Filet o Fish there! Subway is my favorite fast food place though.

no mcbeans.. at least not that i've ever seen. what is it? i don't eat fish, so mcdonalds is tough to eat at, other than french fries and a side salad.

overall, im not a fan of fastfood but i love that the veggie burger that burger king sells is a brand i know and trust and is actually extremely healthy. (of course they try to add mayo and cheese but i skip all of that.) so in a pinch, at least i know i am eating something good for me. if only they had a whole what bun.. a girl can dream i guess :p

 

[Emily Jane]

I'm a vegetarian! I think the hardest thing is to eat protein. Do you have quorn in the US?? Quorn fillet is the best thing ever. And tuna. You can do sooo much with it. Quorn fillet goes great with rice, pasta, potatoes and salad. I love tuna pie, try it! Veggie sushi is great too. And cottage cheese (keso?), I eat that with everything.

I second Quorn if it's sold in the US.

 

[kristenthegreat]

I'm kinda unintentionally vegetarian (not so much by choice as by price lol)..and I eat lots of bean dishes. I basically get most of my protein from beans, occasional canned tuna, and nuts. I eat lots of oatmeal, yogurt for breakfast as well as eggs (because they're cheap and I'm not really a veggie). Rice and beans are my go-to. I tend to make a kinda of chili/soup with a can of black beans, some chopped tomato, and some onion and bubble it up on the stove until hot. Add some rice and cheese and it's SO good. Make all your meal basics in bulk and freeze when possible. I have a HUGE thing of caramelized onions in my fridge that I put on EVERYTHING.. Something cheap to add to your diet? KALE. Big frilly leaves of nutritious value! Protein, vitamins, fiber, a bit bitter (which apparently aids digestion?), good sauteed with some olive oil and a bit of seasoning.

 

[jcheermom]

My husband is a recent vegatarian, as of January 1st, and consequently I have had to adjust my cooking and shopping routine. I have found many sources of tofu, which he likes to substitute for chicken: tofu steak and tofu that I put in salads for him as well as serve with sauces such as alfredo, marsala, picata, and paprikash (some of these are available in jars pre-made). Also, there is a section in dairy that has lunch meats and sausages and brats that are vegatarian and serve as a good source of protein to serve with spaghetti and tomato sauce. My biggest concern is to make sure that he is eating enough protein daily, which is why I make sure that I include tofu or meat substututes, such as veggie burgers, chicken strip substitute, or chicken patty substitute in his meals. This being new to us, we are still experimenting with what he likes and doesn't like and will eventually find meals and recipes that we can make for the family that we can adjust to feed him and still allow the rest of us to eat meat. But until then, we will try the items we find and I will use the suggestions I am also seeing here, so thanks!!

 

[Mom Jeans]

We eat tofu alot, it has a lot of protein and whatever you mix it into, it will take on the taste of that item. Really great for smoothies, it doesn't change the taste.

 

[youbetterwork]

no mcbeans.. at least not that i've ever seen. what is it? i don't eat fish, so mcdonalds is tough to eat at, other than french fries and a side salad.

overall, im not a fan of fastfood but i love that the veggie burger that burger king sells is a brand i know and trust and is actually extremely healthy. (of course they try to add mayo and cheese but i skip all of that.) so in a pinch, at least i know i am eating something good for me. if only they had a whole what bun.. a girl can dream i guess :p

That's too bad! No one orders them here, but they have it if you ask :) It's a patty made of beans!

 

[ShoWStoppeR]

thanks for all the ideas guys! its very helpful :) I'm a big fruit eater, but fresh fruit doesn't exactly fit my college kid budget.... that's more of a mommy I'm home and love you very much so please buy me groceries thing lol
I lived on alot of pasta and rice my first semester, mostly because of no time. But i'm ready to explore a little bit lol