Lemon Roasted Potatoes

A low-fat tasty potato dish.

• 6 potatoes (unpeeled)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Wash potatoes and cut each into 8 pieces. Toss in a large bowl with all the ingredients. Bake in an uncovered baking dish at 350 F for 30 minutes or until soft.

Portobello Tacos

• 2 cups chopped Portobello mushrooms
• 1 cup chopped broccoli
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup sliced onion
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped lettuce
• 1/3 cup chopped tomato
• 1/2 cup guacamole (optional)
• 4 - 6 flour tortillas

Fry up the onions, mushrooms, broccoli, and carrots in olive oil. When cooked to tenderness, remove and make up tortillas with veggies, chopped tomato, lettuce, and guacamole. Tortillas may be warmed up ahead of time in the microwave or on a stovetop pan.

Flavor-Packed Veggie Chili

Chili is one of those meals that is just downright American. The problem is, however, that most chili recipes are packed with meat and a lot of the ones that aren't just don't have a lot of flavor. If this has been your experience, then you're trying out the wrong chili recipes. Try this fantastic vegetarian dish recipe that is chalked full of so many fruit, nuts, and spices that you won't think anything's missing:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium tomato
• 1 can yellow corn, drained
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 cups kidney beans, cooked & drained
• 2 cans tomato sauce (8 ounce cans)
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 3 drops hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon cumin, ground
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon basil, dried
• 1 teaspoon oregano, dried
• bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup whole cashews (unsalted)
• shredded cheese Cheddar or Monterey Jack

Melt the butter in a large saucepan then add the onion, and celery and sauté until crisp. Throw in the corn, beans, tomato sauce, tomatoes, chili powder, pepper sauce, garlic, basil, cumin, bay leaf, oregano, and pepper and bring the mixture to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and allow everything to simmer for 30 minutes. Next, add the cashews & raisins and continue to simmer for around 20 minutes (the nuts and raisins should be tender at this point). Serve the dish with the cheese sprinkled on top.

Orzo Salad

• 1 1/2 cups orzo (rice-shaped pasta; about 10 ounces)
• 1/3 cup (packed) chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup (packed) chopped Kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives
• 1 cup finely chopped radicchio (about 1 small head)
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced

Cook orzo in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain well. Transfer to large bowl. Add sun-dried tomatoes, oil, vinegar and olives and toss to blend. Let stand until cool. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before continuing.) Mix chopped radicchio, pine nuts, chopped basil, Parmesan and garlic into orzo mixture. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Vegetarian Pizza Pie

Do you find it a little hard to believe that a pizza pie can have any flavor without handfuls of pepperoni slices or sausage pieces? Well, believe it or not, there are countless delicious pizza recipes that are topped with items that didn't once live on a farm. Try this exotic vegetarian recipe for a fabulous Thai pizza that won't leave room for any complaints:

• Vegetable cooking spray
• Pizza dough
• I cup of canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 8-ounce can of pineapple chunks
• ¼ cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small jalapeño, chopped
• ½ teaspoon garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon cumin, ground
• ¼ cup salsa (spiciness depends on personal taste)
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Coat a pizza pan with cooking spray and spread out the dough on the pan. Combine all ingredients, except the cheeses, and spread them across the dough. Bake the pizza until the cheese is browned (about 15 minutes).

Almond Loaf

Delicious served with mixed vegetables on the side.

• 2 large onions
• 1/3 cup oil
• 3 oz spaghetti
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
• 2 cups ground almonds
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp sage
• Rind and juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper

Peel and slice the onions and fry in the oil for 10 minutes over a low heat. Cook the spaghetti until tender, but not overcooked. Drain the spaghetti, and add the remaining ingredients. Stir and put into a greased loaf pan. Cover and bake at 375F for 1 hour.

The Oh-So-Versatile Couscous

Couscous is healthy dish that is often times a staple in many vegetarian diets. The key to enjoying couscous on a regular basis is to play around with its versatility and create exciting new dishes. Here is a charming variation of the dish that's sure to be a hit:

• 3 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 3/4 teaspoon of oregano, dried
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 3/4 cup couscous
• 2 (6 1/2 ounce) jars of artichoke hearts (quartered and drained)
• 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

In a saucepan, combine water, bay leaf, oregano, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Then, stir in couscous and return to a boil. Finally, cover the pot and remove it from the heat. Let it sit for 5 to 7 minutes. Finally, stir in the walnuts, artichoke hearts, parsley, and lemon juice.

*Serve the dish alone or on pitas.

Great Veggie Sandwich Idea

Some of the most popular lunch choices today are sandwiches but often times there aren't very many vegetarian options in that department. If you want to create your own delicious veggie sandwiches, try this low calorie vegetarian recipe for veggie pocket sandwiches:

• Vegetable cooking spray
• 1 medium eggplant, cut into cubes
• 1 large sweet potato cut into ½ inch slices
• 1 large bell pepper (red or green), cut into ¾ inch pieces
• 1 large onion cut into slices
• 1 large tomato cut into wedges
• 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 4 pita pockets, halved
• Salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Then, line a deep pan with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray. Bake vegetables for about 30 minutes until they are browned. Next, combine vegetables in a bowl. Mix the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and then drizzle over the vegetables. Toss the mixture until veggies are coated. Stuff spoonfuls of veggies into the pita pockets and you're done.

Good Counrty Breakfast, Vegetarian Style

Just because you've given up meat, doesn't mean that you have to give up big delicious breakfasts complete with sausage and eggs (ahem, imitation sausage and eggs). Fantastic Foods offers a mouth-watering tofu scramble that will definitely please any breakfast crew. Want to add a little oomph to that mix? Try this easy vegetarian recipe:

• 1/2 cup grits
• 1 cup water
• salt (optional)
• margarine or butter (optional)
• 1 block of firm tofu, drained
• 1 packet of Tofu Scrambler mix
• 1 tablespoon yeast flakes (optional)

Boil the water and add grits (this is also when you would add the margarine and salt). Simmer the mixture for five minutes. While the grits are cooking, sauté the tofu and the Scrambler mix together in accordance with the instructions. Add the grits to the fried mixture and sauté for some more. Allow the grits to brown a little bit around the edges but don't burn them.

*Serve this dish with some soy-based breakfast “sausage” and some sliced fruit to really complete the meal.

Quick Brown Bread

• 3/4 cup rye flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup cornmeal
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (or 1 cup plain yogurt or soy yogurt plus 1/2 cup low-fat milk or soy milk)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup or molasses
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the first 5 ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour each of the wet ingredients into it. Stir vigorously until the wet and dry ingredients are completely combined. Pour the batter into a lightly oiled, 9X5X3 inch loaf pan. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool on a rack briefly, then slice and serve while still warm.

Light Mushroom Gravy

A great low fat gravy recipe perfect for mashed potatoes or veggie roast.

• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup each diced carrot and celery
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 tbsp tamari
• 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/4 tsp each dried thyme and sage
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup water
• salt and pepper to taste

Saute mushrooms, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in 2 tbsp of the stock for 5 mins. until the onion is soft. Stir in remaining stock, tamari, parsley, yeast, thyme and sage. Mix flour and water separately, and strain mixture into pan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 mins.

Quick and Healthy

Looking for some healthy fast food to take on the go? Preparing easy vegetarian meals to enjoy on the go is simple, try these fantastic Mexican meals that you can easily prepare in minutes:

1. Quick Quesadillas: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put some whole-wheat tortillas on a cookie sheet. Put heaping spoonfuls of canned black beans on top followed by salsa, scallions, and fat-free cheese (or vegan cheese). Bake for 10 minutes.
2. Fast Veggie Chili: Heat up some low-fat canned vegetarian chili and pour over a plain baked potato or cooked brown rice. Sprinkle some fat-free cheese (or vegan cheese) on top and add low fat sour cream and scallions.

Hunza pie recipe

What, Exactly, is a Spaghetti Squash?

I bet you've walked through the produce section in your local grocery store a thousand times and still have no idea what half of those strange gourds are. What would you use them for anyway? Well, dinner for starters. Vegetarian meal options are so plentiful that you've probably never heard of half the ingredients in some of them. Are you on the hunt for an easy vegetarian recipe to prepare? If so, head over to that mystery gourd section and find yourself a spaghetti squash.

These gourds range from ivory and pale yellow to orange in color, are cylinder-shaped, and usually weigh between 4 to 8 pounds. Select one with an even hue and no spots. While you're at the store you will also need to pick up olive oil, pesto sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, and grated Parmesan cheese.

To start off, slice the squash in half horizontally and remove all of the seeds. Then, cover with cellophane wrap and microwave on high for 10 to 12 minutes (if your squash is larger you will need to add a few minutes). Let it cool for 10 to 20 minutes then, using a fork, "comb" the innards of the gourd into spaghetti-like strands and set aside.

Next, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the squash. Mix in the pesto and cook long enough to heat through and then add 4 ounces of the mozzarella cheese and a fourth a cup of the Parmesan cheese. Mix all of the ingredients together until the cheese starts to melt and serve.

Please 'Em All

Cooking meals to satisfy both vegetarians and meat-eaters isn't as difficult as you might imagine.. It's very possible for vegetarians and meat-eaters to dine together at the same dinner table. Many meals are a combination of grains, veggies, and meat. The trick is to serve each thing seperately or to leave the meat as the last ingredient and remove a vegetarian porion before adding it.

Some suggestions include: a pizza that only has meat on one side, tacos or fajitas (have each person prepare their own), pasta with meatballs served on the side, or barbecued meals with a mixture of burgers, hotdogs, veggie kabobs, veggie burgers and vegetarian hot dogs. Some other really great meatless options are breads, beans, potatoes, couscous, rice, veggie casseroles, and desserts.

Couscous Tabouleh

• 1 cup raw couscous
• 2 large firm, ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, to taste
• 2 or 3 scallions, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried mint, optional
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Place the couscous in a heatproof dish and pour the boiling water over it. Cover tightly; let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork, transfer to a mixing bowl, and allow to cool to room temperature or until just slightly warm. Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Chill for 1 to 2 hours before serving, if desired.

Falafels are a Snap

Falafels are a delicious vegetarian favorite that are guaranteed crowd pleasers. Thankfully, you don't have to travel to the Middle East or spend all day making preparations to enjoy them. Instead, you can pick up a convenient falafel mix and make them in a snap.

Once you have prepared the mix, serve it in pita pockets with fresh sliced tomatoes and cucumbers. To really give it an authentic taste, try making a fantastic sauce to serve over the falafels. You can easily do an Internet search to find a tasty yogurt sauce or try the cucumber sauce below.

• 1 container of plain yogurt (6 ounces)
• 1/2 cucumber (peeled, seeded, and finely chopped)
• 1 teaspoon of dried dill
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Drizzle the sauce over the pita or use it for dipping.