A Month of Meatless Meals October 30, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Food & Drink, Vegetarian Recipes.trackback
Those of you who’ve been reading SLTW for any length of time have no doubt picked up on the fact that I’m a vegetarian for three primary reasons: (1) better for me; (2) better for the planet; and (3) better for the animals I would otherwise be consuming.
Many readers have expressed the desire to incorporate more meatless meals into their own cooking.
For those of you who are interested in saving money (while saving the planet), here’s a list of Menu Ideas for a Month of Meatless Meals:
1. Stir Fried Veggies over Rice, Vegetarian Egg rolls
2. Veggie Burgers, Steak Fries, Baked Beans
3. Broccoli Alfredo, Salad Bar, Rosemary Garlic Bread
4. Rustic Lasagna, Italian Bread, 3 Bean Salad
5. Fondue or Raclette, Baguette, Broccoli & Cauliflower
6. Thai Noodles with Peanut Sauce (with Veggies)
7. Split Pea Soup with Homemade Croutons
8. Macaroni and Cheese, Tomato Soup
9. Greek Salad, Hummus, Pita Chips
10. Cheese Quesadillas or Nachos, Refried Beans, Salsa
11. Mexican Curry, Rice, Raw Veggies with Dip
12. Tomato Pie, Sautéd Zucchini
13. Vegetarian Lecsó, Rice, Three Cheese Bread
14. Harvest Soup, Crusty Cuban Bread
15. Veggie/Cheese Subs, Versatile Pasta Salad
16. Spanokopita, Tabbouli Salad with Tomatoes
17. Veggie Fajitas (onions, peppers, broccoli, carrots)
18. Zucchini Boats, Roasted Root Veggies, Fruit Salad
19. Vegetarian Chili, Rice, Grated Cheese, Cornbread
20. Sausage and Peppers Pizza (Boca sausage)
21. Curried Veggies over Rice, Peanuts, Chutney
22. Two-Grain Veggie Casserole, Cole Slaw, Fruit
23. Shepard’s Pie (Peas, Carrots, and Potatoes)
24. Spaghetti with Garlic Basil Sauce, Italian Bread
25. Thanksgiving: Mashed Potatoes, Stuffing (with sautéed Celery and Onions), Glazed Carrots, Green Beans Almondine, Bourbon Sweet Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce, and . . . PIE!!!
26. Pasta Primavera with Basil Pesto, Bruschetta
27. Morningstar Farms Hotdogs, Baked Beans
28. French Onion Soup, French Bread, Salad
29. Cheese Pizza (w/veggie toppings), Salad Bar
30. Spinach-Rice Casserole, Steamed Carrots
None of these recipes contain exotic ingredients. All can be made quickly, easily, and inexpensively (except for Raclette ~ it’s expensive).
Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg: Nine Bean Soup * Curry Dip * Fun with Food ~ Kid’s Lunches * Veggie Wraps * A Sunset Dinner Cruise * Veggie Tacos * Veggie Kabobs * Fiber Up Your Diet * Bon Appetit!
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Spirit Lights The Way 
Thanks for these! We’re not vegetarians, but we definitely like to have several meatless meals a week. I’m always looking for yummy recipes!
I find that the transition (to more meatless meals) is easiest when the food looks like food we love.
Thank you Nancy I love trying out your offerings!!
I’ll be adding more individual recipes in the weeks ahead, but thought I’d give a “recap” with links to some of the already posted recipes.
Food and the desire to eat well is something that most of the planet shares.
Watch out for the Morning Star Farms imitations of food. I had the misfortune to be raised on that and other meat “substitutes,” and I’m still struggling to clean out my innards. My Adventist upbringing has given me a jaded view of health food.
As for me, I like my vegetables–after they’ve been processed and incorporated into a tasty animal, that is. Still, many of your suggestions look like good side dishes.
Mostly we eat “real food” (sans processing) but occasionally we enjoy a Boca burger or veggie dog.
What I’ve been meaning to do is learn to make veggie burgers on my own. I have several recipes with veggies, oatmeal, beans and seasonings to try. But I need to do some experimenting to see which ones appeal.
Bravo, great list.
Thanks.
Coming up with 30 ideas for the list was EASY . . . I kept thinking of other soups, and casseroles, and side dishes to include.
Adding in all the links . . .time-consuming. 🙂
love this idea,,, will definitely give this a try!
Great. Thanks for swinging by!
Fantastic list Nancy. I will bookmark and be back often for inspiration. This post is really a great idea.
Thanks, Tammy
I keep index cards in my recipe box with Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner ideas listed. If we get “stuck in a rut” with meals, I flip through them to jump start our menus.
What a simple and useful idea this is. The monthly menu plan I mean. People are always wondering what I eat every day as a vegetarian.
Any favorites that aren’t on the list???
Spill the . . . beans. 🙂
[…] A month of meatless meals […]
[…] A Month of Meatless Meals * Moosewood Cookbooks * Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) * […]
I had no idea! But now I have a great resource in you!!! Thank you Nancy!!
Have FUN as you revamp your diet, Kate. We’ve been vegetarian for 17 years. I would NEVER go back to the Standard American Diet.
Honestly, it has only been just over a week and already some of my issues are better!! Thank you for your support and encouragement!
Yay! Fruits and veggies and beans and nuts and grains are just what the doctor ordered.
Wow! Now that’s a bunch of good-looking recipes! This will keep me busy for a while!
Best of luck with the transition.
We found that taking favorite recipes and adapting them to “meatless” was easier than trying to start from scratch.
Stir fried chicken ~> stir fried broccoli
Spaghetti with meat sauce ~> Spaghetti with onions and peppers
Chicken curry ~> Curried veggies
This is a good resource for info:
http://www.pcrm.org/health/diets/vsk/vegetarian-starter-kit-calcium
There are links to articles on:
Vegetarian Foods: Powerful for Health
The Three-Step Way to Go Vegetarian
Protein Myth
Tips for Making the Switch to a Vegetarian Diet
Cooking Without Eggs
Calcium in Plant-Based Diets
What About Milk?
The New Four Food Groups
Achieving and Maintaining a Healthy Weight
The Veganizer: Changing Your Regular Meals Into Low-Fat Vegan Meals
Vegetarian Diets for Pregnancy
Vegetarian Diets for Children: Right from the Start
Recipes for Health
[…] For more menu ideas: A Month of Meatless Meals […]
Oh yeah! I like these. Must have been before I found you!
Nancy, so eggs are out? 😀
Never been a fan of eggs . . . except in brownies!
Well, I mean can I still eat mayo? I love eggs… 🙂
Enjoy! Lots of vegetarians eat eggs and mayo. Only vegans avoid all animal products, including honey.
Yes, I have been googling and you just have to find what works for you… like everything else. I could do vegetarian but not vegan… worrying about gelatin.. nope. But I think I will just concentrate on eating better with veggies and I checked your Month of Vegetarian post and will check the category you mentioned in Kate’s post. It’s a good day to do this… cold here!
Have fun! I always get more done on cold days . . . that’s why I’ve been largely unproductive in Florida. Ha!