Easy Vegetarian Recipes
Make Healthy Eating Simple - And Delicious!

We all need a selection of great vegetarian recipes. Eating some meatless meals every week is an easy and healthy way to add variety to your diet.

Eating less meat is a good idea for lots of reasons:

• your health

  Eating less fat and more fiber is a good thing!

• our planet

  It takes many fewer resources to produce a vegetarian meal than a meat meal.

• your budget

  Grains, vegetables and beans are economical!

• your eating enjoyment

  Once you get out of the habit of eating just meat and potatoes and begin collecting delicious vegetarian recipes, you'll discover a whole world of interesting dishes.

• a strict vegetarian or
• someone who wants to start making healthier choices or
• someone eager to try new foods

you'll love these delicious vegetarian recipes. Most are quick meals, and all are easy to make. You may be surprised to find that you don't even miss the meat!

My Favorites

Here are a few vegetarian recipes that I make again and again because they are so very tasty. These are all good choices when you have guests, when you want to treat yourself, or when you need to become re-inspired about cooking.

• Looking for quiche recipes? This Crustless Zucchini Quiche is surprisingly fast and easy to make - and it always turns out perfectly!

• For a very special meal, make Spanokopita. I always assumed that this was a difficult dish to make - until I found this easy recipe.

• My favorite squash casserole recipe uses lots of garlic and feta. I call it (surprise!) Squash with Garlic and Feta!
  
  
• This page of vegetarian recipes wouldn't be complete without the best ever Twice Baked Potato Recipe. I can never get enough of this meal! It takes a bit more time than most of my recipes, but it is worth it!

Beans

Beans are the obvious choice for a meatless entrée. They are filling and nutritious, packed with protein and fiber. Most importantly, they taste great - especially when you use some great bean vegetarian recipes like these.

• My favorite beans are black beans - and my favorite black bean recipe is Balsamic Black Beans.
  
  
• Another great black beans recipe is Bean and Tortilla Stacks. It is as fun to make as it is good to eat!
  
  
• I have so many good Black Bean Recipes that I created a whole page for them! Click here to visit it.
  
  
• My favourite of all pinto bean recipes is this attractive Quesadilla Pie.
  
  
• I tried a number of baked bean recipes before I discovered Tangy Baked Beans with Apple. Now it's the only baked bean recipe I use. It's a hearty, warm, cheesy meal - real comfort food.

• I thought that kidney beans were just for making chili - but to my surprise, not all kidney recipes involve chili powder! Zesty Kidney Beans have a unique and delightful flavor.

Lentils

Like beans, lentils are members of the legume family. Unlike beans, lentils don't need to be soaked before cooking, which makes them a good choice for a quick meal.

• Lentil Skillet Supper is one of my favourite lentil recipes. It is quick and easy to prepare. It's a comforting hearty supper for a cold winter's evening.
  
  
• South of the Border Lentils is another fast and tasty choice.

• This Sweet and Sour Lentils Recipe is a good choice to take to potlucks. It is delicious hot or cold.

Grains

What is a grain, anyway? It's actually a grass seed! The grass seeds we eat include wheat, corn, rice, barley, oats and many more. Visit a whole foods store and you may be surprised at the variety of grains available.

• Couscous

  Okay, so couscous isn't exactly a grain - but it's made from wheat, which is a grain.

  • The name of Couscous-Feta-Chickpea Veggie Delight describes it well, so I won't say more except to say that it is colourful and delicious!

• Oats

  Oats are a common cereal grain - but they are not just for breakfast. They can also be the basis for delicious main course dinners!

  • For something completely different, try this Vegetable Casserole with cheese and oats.

• Rice

  If you have eaten only white rice, there is a whole new world waiting for you to discover. There are more varieties of rice than you ever imagined! Have fun experimenting with the different varieties until you find your favorite. (Mine is basmati.) Keep in mind that brown rice is much more nutritious than white rice. Many great vegetarian recipes use rice as their base.

  • Curry Fried Rice is a filling and complete meal. You can spice it up as much, or as little, as you choose.

  • This Rice Pilaf Recipe with Spinach and Feta can be either the main course or a side dish. It's as attractive as it is delicious!

• Quinoa

  Quinoa (pronounced "Keen Wah") has been called the most nutritional grain in the world. It is easy to cook and has a pleasant nutty taste. I love the smell of cooked quinoa - it smells like peanut butter!

  • Quinoa is the basis of the best Veggie Burger recipe I have found.

Tofu

Tofu is made from soybeans - but that short description doesn't tell you anything about the amazing versatility of tofu. Since it has almost no taste of its own, it can hide undetected in a casserole, stew or pudding. Since it absorbs flavors exceptionally well, you can spice it up and make it the centerpiece of a meal.

Have you never tried tofu? Are you perhaps a bit tofu-phobic? (I was!) Try this delicious dairy-free chocolate pudding made with tofu. I'll be very surprised if you don't love it. Perhaps then you'll be willing to give tofu another chance!

• Marinated Baked Tofu is one of my favourite vegetarian picnic recipes. It's good for lunch or a snack anytime.

• When you taste Tofu Feta Pie, you might think that it is a quiche - but it contains no eggs. It has a wonderfully sweet flavour.

Vegetables

Of course, vegetables are the basis of some wonderful main course vegetarian recipes!

• This delicious Spaghetti Squash Casserole Recipe makes a delicious, cheesy entrée.

For a selection of vegetarian side dishes, and for cooking directions for my favourite vegetables, visit my Vegetables page.

The right spice can turn a dish from good to stupendous! For an encyclopedia of herbs and spices, as well as information about ethnic cuisines - with recipes - and an eclectic selection of articles on cooking, wine health and more, visit this site.

Home from vegetarian recipes to healthy quick meals.