Cooking for vegetarian guests? Not a problem. Vegetarian meal ideas are easy to come by, and not difficult to execute. Serve delicious, healthy vegetarian dishes without a lot of stress. All it takes is a trip to the grocery store for prepared meals or an easy to follow vegetarian cookbook.
Use Prepared Vegetarian Gourmet Meals
A simple trip to the grocery store can quickly solve a vegetarian meal dilemma. There are a number of chain grocery stores that carry gourmet prepared meals in the deli section. Some example vegetarian meal ideas include roasted vegetables, marinated tofu dishes, and risotto or pilaf side dishes.
Grocery stores that specialize in gourmet meals will have a larger selection of vegetarian prepared meals. In fact, stores like Whole Foods Market sell both hot and cold gourmet meals to go. To complement a gourmet meal, the prepared selection from Whole Foods is extensive. Soups, main dishes and sides are all pre-packaged and ready to heat. They're located in the deli section. This can be an incredible time saver.
If there's no gourmet grocery store nearby, the frozen foods section of any grocery store stocks vegan and vegetarian frozen dishes. Frozen vegetarian dishes are more casual than gourmet, and they're sold in individual servings, but they can do in a pinch.
Morningstar Farms has a large selection of frozen prepared foods, mainly breakfast and convenience foods like veggie sausage and burgers. Four veggie burgers can be had for under $5 and are great grilled. Amy's is another brand of vegetarian frozen dinners. Amy's offers a wide variety of convenience foods like burritos and veggie pot pies. Amy's offers dishes from around $3 for burritos to $5 and up for sides and main dishes. Kashi, known for their cereal line, also offers a frozen vegetarian line featuring pilafs and pizzas. Any of these frozen convenience foods can be obtained for well under $10 per serving.
When deciding on vegetarian prepared dishes, look for meals that would be appealing to vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. After all, vegetarian cooking isn't just for vegetarians. Also, choose something that will be filling enough to make up a main course for vegetarian guests; make sure it's a high protein dish. Examples of high protein dishes include anything with beans, lentils, nuts or tofu.
Easy Vegetarian Cookbooks Anyone Can Master
The great thing about vegetarian cooking is many recipes are simple and easy to prepare. Vegetarian cookbooks come in all types, from exotic specialties to everyday meals. Even 30 Minute Meal maven Rachel Ray has written a vegetarian cookbook called Veggie Meals. The meals in this book rely on everyday canned and boxed products to make vegetarian cooking simple. Some fast and filling recipes? Try her simple Ginger and Scallion Couscous Salad or Pumpkin Black Bean Soup. Plus, enough can be made to serve non-vegetarians as a side dish.
Vegetarian cookbooks feature healthy recipes that are high in protein and nutrients. Some of the vegan and natural-living cookbooks may call for unusual ingredients or extra steps, but there are just as many vegetarian cookbooks written for people on the go.
There's even a cookbook called Vegetarian Meals for People On-the-Go by Vimala Rodgers. The recipes in this book are a little more involved than in Veggie Meals, but they also have a more appealing presentation value for guests. Plus, Rodgers includes a comprehensive section on vegetarian cooking basics. Want to know about legumes? How on earth is tofu used? She's got you covered. Some easy gourmet meals include Vimala's Holiday Nut Loaf and Avocado Shiitake Sushi.
Not sure which cookbook to try? Test the waters online. Most online recipe websites will have gourmet meal menus and vegetarian meal ideas, with recipes of varying difficulty. These are easy to find, and easy to add to any menu.
When cooking for vegetarian guests, just like when buying prepared meals, choose a recipe that works as a main dish. Just like prepared meals, look for something that has a good source of protein like rice, beans, lentils, tofu or nuts. And prepare enough so non-vegetarians can sample the dish as well.
Cooking for Vegetarians is Easy
Cooking for vegetarians isn't any more difficult than cooking for carnivores. With a little help from grocery prepared meals and quick and easy vegetarian cookbooks, anyone can easily prepare a vegetarian gourmet meal.
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