Not just for Monday! I love a good meatless meal — it can be a great way to add veggies to your life, save some money (sometimes), and have some new creative (food) adventures! I am not a fan of foods that are trying to be meat (meat crumbles, the veggie burgers that try to be meat, veggie dogs, etc…), but that’s just me. I prefer to use ingredients that are more natural (I try to avoid processed foods in general…) and have their own unique tastes — meat gets to be meat, veggies and other ingredients get to be themselves!
My favorite meatless hacks are simply replacing black beans for things. Yes, it is that simple (often). Chicken enchiladas can become black bean enchiladas with this simple swap (as can almost any other Mexican dish). You can also use other beans — garbanzo beans (chick peas), pinto beans, cannelloni (white) beans… seriously, any of them will be great and provide a good protein boost! I frequently keep dry beans on hand — you can soak them overnight and cook them OR if you have an electric pressure cooker, you can cook them up fast (one of my favorite hacks!) Beans (especially garbanzo) are often used it Indian recipes as well – so these are great places to look for ideas.
Another great way to make vegetarian dishes is cauliflower. Yes, I know all the rage is to use them for carb substitutes, but I love to use them instead of (typically chicken) in recipes. Have you ever tried buffalo cauliflower? If you are a huge fan of all things buffalo (like me!) then you are for sure missing out if you haven’t experienced the amazingness that is buffalo cauliflower.
Zucchini, summer squash, and eggplant work great if you are making a lasagna or similar Italian dish!
My other favorite vegetarian dish is the bowl… Start with a layer of brown rice or quinoa… Then add some roasted veggies — my favorites are carrots, broccoli, and squash (of the winter variety)… Then top it with some condiments. Lately my favorite is a tahini-lemon dressing! You can also add an asian inspired sauce (sesame oil, soy sauce, a bit of brown sugar) or simply hot sauce! This is a meal that can be prepared ahead of time – prepare your grain, the veggies, your sauce, and then store them separately in the fridge. When you are ready to eat, simply heat and assemble! YUM!
Eggs are also a great meatless meal. They are so versatile, keep for a long time in the fridge, and are quick to prepare. My favorite way to have them is as a frittata — you can basically use any veggies from the fridge — saute them up, pour scrambled eggs on top (add cheese if desired — this is highly recommended!) and cook it. You can finish it quickly in the oven also (be sure to use an oven safe pan!) Such a fun and delicious way to not let those almost gone bad veggies get wasted!
What are your favorite meatless meals? What are your biggest challenges with having a meatless meal? I’d love to hear both so we can share the wins and tackle the obstacles together!!
xoxo, Gretchen