[MamaChicken]

Hit me with your menu! Okay, so DH and I have decided to go vegetarian again finally and I am looking for some menu items. We have a 10yo DS, 2yo DD and I am nursing my 6mo twins. Neither of the older ones are very picky, so no worries there. I don't like using a lot of pre-packaged stuff, so no need to "pretend" that there is meat in the dishes. I do need some good high quality protein. I would love some great warm-weather suggestion since that is what I struggle with most.

Eggs, dairy, etc are fine.

So what are some of your mainstays?

 

[maciascl]

We love to make taco/burritos with sauteed veggies, rice, beans...whatever we have around. Sweet potato & black bean is a wonderful combination.

We also do alot of pastas. Generally I'll sautee some garlic & veggies then add some of the pasta cooking water & nutritional yeast to make a sauce. Then toss it all together. YUM!

We are getting a little bored, so I can't wait to see what others post too.

 

[eepster]

Hummus and pita is our warm weather go to dish.

 

[cathe]

Here's stuff we eat a lot in summer:

- Quiche
- Bean and brown rice salads
- Potato salad with lots of stuff in it
- Grilled veggies -- esp. asparagus, green beans, zucchini, eggplant (toss in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and a splash of balsamic vinegar--then grill or toast in 400 degree oven -- about 10 mins. per side)
- Grilled portobello mushrooms -- I've been hooked on those lately eat them plain or as a burger
- Veggie chowders -- I just chop up whatever veggies are in season and cook in enough veggie broth to cover (also add some herbs). Then add cooked beans, frozen corn and soymilk to make it chowdery.

 

[catnip]

My hot weather favorites are cold sandwiches: chickpea tuna salad in a pita or tofu egg salad on fresh rye bread, with carrot-apple-raisin salad, or pitas, hummus and this salad:

2 cups boiling water
2 cups bulghur wheat

1 bunch parsley, chopped in a food processor
1 sprig mint, chopped in a food processor

1/2 red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 cup dried fruit (I use a combo of raisins and chopped unsulphured apricots)
1/4 cup chopped roasted almonds
2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Fresh ground pepper
Juice of one lemon
2 TBS olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

Combine bulghur and water, cover and set aside for at least 10 minutes. I usually leave it for about an hour so it has cooled to room temp. Combine with the rest of the ingredients and chill.

I usually make this first thing in the AM so that it is cold and ready to eat at dinner time.