Skip to main content
Food

vedging out…

Vegetarian-recipes

Vegetarian-recipes

Okay, vegetarians and vegetable enthusiasts…I need your help! Bob and I have realized we don't eat nearly enough vegetables. We want Ruby to eat well-balanced and healthy meals, and cooking for her has made us more aware of the lack of vegetables we consume ourselves. So we've decided to make one vegetarian dinner per week in addition to being better about making sides that go with our non-veg dishes. But I have the hardest time coming up with vegetable-only meals that don't leave us hungry again two hours later.

We went to the best vegan restaurant in Philly last week called Vedge, and I was blown away by the deliciousness of what they were able to whip up without any meat. I think vegetables get a bad rap for being tasteless, but it's just a matter of what you do with them. I'd love your suggestions for some delicious, filling, and tasty vegetarian meals that non-vegetarians would also love to eat! If you have any suggestions, please leave the link below, I'll add the favorites to my recipes board and start experimenting away! Hopefully, it will inspire me to come up with some new concoctions to share my progress with you all…

Follow Joy Cho / Oh Joy!'s board Recipes on Pinterest.

{Sources, left to right, top to bottom: Sweet potato tahini crostini by Love and Lemons, Linguine with asparagus and egg by Martha Stewart, Cauliflower and broccoli cheese by Jamie Oliver, Super green toast by Det Grona Skaffieriet.}

121 comments

  1. Lovely pics. We do a lot of grilled vegetables like brussels sprouts, asparagus, broccoli, most of the time just season it with oil, salt & pepper and bake it in the oven. Super healthy & delicious and needs minimum prepping.

  2. Here are some recent favorites:
    http://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/green-beans-new-potatoes-and-olives – This was very filling after topping with a fried egg
    http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/portuguese-baked-eggs – Filling enough for dinner with some bread
    http://www.nytimes.com/recipes/12944/jean-georges-vongerichtens-squash-on-toast.html – I cut back on the olive oil. It’s not quite enough for dinner, but great for breakfast, lunch, or a snack
    http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/01/warm-butternut-squash-and-chickpea-salad/ – Love eating this over some arugula for dinner
    Vegetable curries, tacos topped with lots of veggies, and kale salads are all go-tos.
    My boyfriend and I are both vegetable fans, but when we joined a CSA in the spring, most of our meals became vegetarian (or vegetarian + a little bacon :P) without even trying. We really focused on eating all 8 veggies from our share each week, and we started thinking about vegetables as the center of the meal rather than just a side dish. I would definitely recommend joining a CSA.

  3. I have trouble incorporating veggies into my meals as well. Consequence of growing up as an extremely picky child (sorry, mama!). Lightly roasted veggies are usually my go to, they’re delicious mixed with some sweet chili. I also like to stir fry leafy veggies with diluted oyster sauce and garlic.

  4. Ruby would love the “flower” shaped squash in this easy quinoa squash dish: http://www.edibleperspective.com/home/2013/11/12/test.html
    And this salad would be a perfect way to get TONS of good nutrients before the main course: http://www.pbs.org/food/kitchen-vignettes/shredded-kale-caesar-salad/
    (Aube over at Kitchen Vignettes/PBS Food has some amazing, easy, seasonal veggie dishes. Plus, I feel like you’d love her little video recipes – they remind me of your Oh Joy! video collabs).
    Also, you know how you can “sneak in” tons of leafy greans and fruits into a smoothie or juice and still have it taste fabulous? Think in the same way when making soups (you can blend them right up in a jiffy), or even when making pizza – adding a handful of greens right on top adds that extra pop of nutrition, color, AND flavor without being an unsatisfying salad.

  5. roasting or grilling vegetables are a delicious way to eat them. i put olive oil, a little salt & pepper on them, and they are ready to go. i’m assuming you’re concerned about the lack of vegetables because of health reasons? i’d buy a juicer! juicing is an amazing and affective (and delicious) way of getting the vitamins and minerals you need from vegetables, simply because you get the most out of them by eating (or drinking) them raw. kids love vegetable juices. just throw an apple in and they’ll never know they are drinking carrots or kale 🙂 good luck!

  6. I am the same way – definitely don’t have enough veggies in my diet. Brussels sprouts and asparagus have been my saving grace – these two things I could eat any time with any dish.

  7. Eggs florentine! This is one of our favorite meals…you can switch out the spinach for tons of other veg, I like fried green tomatoes being from the south. Truly, you can’t go wrong when you start with hollandaise sauce, poached eggs, and a crispy english muffin. Julia Child’s recipe is my go – to.

  8. This is great as-is, but I’ve successfully vedged it in the past by swapping chicken broth for veggie, half-and-half for coconut milk, and carrots, peas, and potatoes for the chicken (you just have to let it stew a bit longer). I also like to add an extra tablespoon of curry–makes it more spicier = more filling. Serve with good bread!
    http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/12/easy-mulligatawny/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+pwcooks+%28The+Pioneer+Woman+Cooks%21%29

  9. My new roots has great options. This soup is one of my faves
    http://www.mynewroots.org/site/2009/10/reader-request-my-favorite-recipe-four-corners-lentil-soup-2/
    Also, anything from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi. An older favourite, but these quesadillas are amazing:
    http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/may/24/recipe.foodanddrink
    And so is this caramelized garlic tart, though maybe this has more cheese than veggies 🙂 http://britishfood.about.com/od/adrecipes/r/caramelisedgarlictart.htm

  10. My fav’s are either all veggie or mexican pizzas. stews and veggie chili is a great way to use up a lot of veggies and has tons of flavor. my fav sites are epicurious.com and food.com (although make sure to read reviews first before trying any recipes, i’ve hit a few duds)

  11. For me the key to make main vegetarian dishes is to cook with a lot of flavors so that it doesn’t taste bland. I usually use Thai curry pastes and Indian spices to make my vegetarian main dishes.
    Currently, I am loving this stir-fry cabbage dish: http://herbivoracious.com/2008/10/five-minute-ind.html. The spice blend just goes so well together, and I can’t wait to use lentils, potatoes, and some other root vegetables in place of cabbage.
    You can make vegetarian ground meat with tofu – http://norecipes.com/blog/vegan-ground-meat/
    Favorite side dishes:
    drain a can of chickpeas, pat dry, spread them over a baking sheet in a single layer, sprinkle sea salt, pepper, and cayenne, olive oil over. bake at 400* for ~15-20 mins.
    broccoli – line the florets up on a baking sheet, sprinkle sea salt, pepper, olive oil and a few squeezes of lemon over it. bake at 400* for ~10-12 minutes.
    And finally, Indian soy chunks are amazing: http://www.tarladalal.com/glossary-soya-chunks-619i

  12. Mark Bittman’s How to be a Vegetarian has changed our lives. For real! My mom got in and now, we are ALL vegetarians in the family. Seriously, so many yummy things… There is also an app with all the recipies!

  13. http://www.meatfreemondays.co.uk/
    This is a great website for meat-free recipes, I have the book and it’s great, such yummy and interesting food! I became a vegetarian 3 years ago and never looked back, but trust me books like these really help. I’ve got a couple of really fancy vegetarian books but they’re not down-to-earth enough for everyday cooking. The McCartney gets the balance right 🙂

  14. Here’s my recipe for our go-to meatless meal: Dice roma tomatoes and an onion,(about 6 small ones to one large onion, mix with a tablespoon of minced garlic, some basil, oregano, and parsley to taste, a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and about a cup of balsamic vinegar, and you have bruschetta! A quick easy meal for hot weather, it keeps nicely in the fridge for a few days. Serve on small pieces of garlic bread with slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, or toasted pita, or even scoop with tortilla chips. Great with lemonade or iced tea. If Ruby likes salsa, she’ll love bruschetta.
    Other favorites are grilled cheese dipped in tomato soup (our rainy-day favorite), taco salad with black beans instead of meat, veggie sir fry, meatless pad thai, fresh spinach salad with sliced strawberries, sunflower seeds, walnuts, crunchy noodles, and strawberry vinegarette dressing, veggie soup cooked all day in the crock pot with crusty bread for dipping, pizza with veggie toppings (you could even get Ruby involved with making her own bagel/French bread/English muffin pizza herself), mac and cheese casserole with broccoli as the side dish, pasta with meatless sauce or meatless lasagne with salad and garlic bread, eggplant parmesan, stuffed bell peppers (I do one recipe with meatless pasta sauce, rice, Italian spices, and mozzarella cheese, and one with couscous, diced apricots, and pine nuts), and for side dishes, we love cooked carrots with a little honey and brown sugar on them, steamed broccoli with a bit of lemon juice and Mrs. Dash, or fresh whole green beans, sugar snap peas, carrots, or cucumber slices for the delicious crunch, dipped in hummus for some protein.

  15. We do a lot of eggs and beans for protein in our vegetarian meals. Also, check out Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. It’s an awesome resource with lots of different variations to try.

  16. You simply must check out http://www.ohmyveggies.com. Kiersten’s a genius — she always thinks of ways to make veggies delicious and familiar.
    Some of my favorite items:
    Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
    Homemade Fruit Leather (she has a ton of different kinds)
    Lemon Gremolata Pizza with Cauliflower Crust
    Baked Sriracha Butternut Squash Fries
    Caramelized onion and Eggplant Tart
    Etc.
    She also has a great Pinterest account where she pins other recipes from talented bloggers: http://www.pinterest.com/ohmyveggies/
    🙂
    K

  17. Not a formal recipe but an easy meal that we eat at least once a week in my house, and that has approval from my “meat and potatoes” husband. We just cook up a batch of quinoa or brown rice, lentils (Trader Joe’s actually has a precooked pack that you just heat up), lightly roasted veggies or sauteed veggies, edemame, anything really. We just add whatever we want to a bowl, sometimes over salad greens, and top with a little goat or feta cheese and a simple lemon, garlic vinaigrette. Quick, easy and delicious.

  18. I’ve been a vegetarian for 10 years but I didn’t really start cooking very often until a few years ago. Now I’m finally starting to develop an array of go-to vegetarian meals. A few of my favorites are:
    This amazing honey roasted vegetable + smoked gouda baked penne from How Sweet It Is: http://www.howsweeteats.com/2013/09/honey-roasted-vegetable-smoked-gouda-baked-penne/. I’ve made it twice and it is so delicious, and packed with vegetables!
    Also, this Risotto Primavera from The Everygirl is delicious. I’ve made it four or five times so far… http://theeverygirl.com/feature/dinners-are-served-10-vegetarianmeals-for-less-than-50/
    Good luck!

  19. Making your own sauce is an easy way to quickly add a whole gamut of vegetables. For example throw some cooked zucchini and yellow squash in with your typical tomatoes to blend up a great veggie-laden sauce! Add to pasta, make into soup…possibilities!

  20. I’ll give you a couple of our current faves in rotation:
    1) Red lentil curry w roasted cauliflower and basmati rice ( we use light coconut milk and stock to cut down on fat)
    2) Brown lentils w Spanish romesco, fennel, onions and tomatoes (w quinoa or polenta, whatever we have) top w whipped feta, goat, or fresh grated Parmesan
    3) Eggplant involtini or eggplant panzanella
    4) Butternut squash stew (this is our #1 go-to!) we just don’t add the chicken.
    http://www.cookincanuck.com/2011/11/hearty-chicken-stew-with-butternut-squash-quinoa-recipe/
    5) roasted veggie tacos or burrito bowls w avocado crema and black beans (add fave cheese & cilantro)
    6) mushroom, garlic, broccolini (or asparagus or spinach or kale) over creamy polenta. We top with toasted walnuts or pine nuts for crunch and use a bunch of diff mushroom varieties.

  21. I’m not a vegetarian, and my husband is one of those stubborn meat-and-potatoes kind of guys, but he is good about trying things when I make them. One thing I’ve making lately that we both really like is stuffed acorn squash. There are tons of recipes online, but I usually add my own spin by just using whatever veggies we have on hand, quinoa, and goat cheese.

  22. Yay for the Vedge shout out, it’s one of my all-time favorites! I’ve been a vegetarian all my life and I can’t imagine a vegetarian meal not being filling.
    I think the key thing to cooking vegetarian is reframing the way you think about meals in general. In my experience, most “meat eaters” plan meals by decided what their main item will be (i.e. what meat) and then what sides they will serve. In vegetarian cooking, it is more about how everything goes together to be a meal, not one thing front and center with everything else accompanying. Also, try using brown rice, quinoa, lentils, tofu, or seitan to make things seem a little “heartier”.
    I have a little series on my blog called “what mama’s cooking” where my mama (vegetarian for 30+ years) shares some of her delicious recipes. Some favorites:
    Escarole and Lentil Soup (http://sequinsnspices.blogspot.com/2013/10/what-mamas-cooking-escarole-and-lentil.html)
    Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
    (http://sequinsnspices.blogspot.com/2013/09/what-mamas-cooking-roasted-vegetable.html)
    Lentils and Swiss Chard Pasta
    (http://sequinsnspices.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-mamas-cooking-lentils-swiss-chard.html)
    Eggplant Sliders
    (http://sequinsnspices.blogspot.com/2013/06/what-mamas-cooking-eggplant-sliders.html)
    Quinoa, Tofu and Mushrooms
    (http://sequinsnspices.blogspot.com/2013/06/what-mamas-cooking-quinoa-tofu-and.html)
    Hope this helps!!
    xx Molly

  23. These dishes all look absolutely wonderful! I have the hardest time incorporating veggies into my diet as well so I’ll definitely be reading through all of these comments. Thanks Joy!
    xoxo,
    Chelsea & The City

  24. Maybe this is in the “not enough vegetables” category, but for simple everyday meals I just think
    1 protein (I eat a lot of salmon, but steak and etc is perfectly fine)
    1 starch/carbohydrate like brown rice or noodles
    1 heaping plate of greens like bok choy, broccoli, asparagus, chinese greens. I don’t think it’s tiresome at all, with a like garlic and olive oil (which also prevents overcooking by protecting the vegetables) you really appreciate the deliciousness of the plants themselves. And I’m by no means a meat-hater–I just happen to not eat it very often during the week (don’t get me wrong, I love a good medium-rare burger or pulled pork shoulder pasta)

  25. Mark Bittman is so good at this kind of adjustment and attentiveness.
    The breadth of his writing and recipes is amazing and very veg-forward. Like this: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/18/dining/going-vegan-if-only-for-a-day.html?_r=0
    Harvest to Heat is a great cookbook highlighting farmers and chefs. It has tons of great veg recipes: http://harvesttoheat.com/
    Sprouted Kitchen is another great one: http://www.sproutedkitchen.com/
    I also love and adore Food52.com. It’s amazing. I could see you doing a great collab with them.

  26. I’m not vegetarian, but a couple of veggie options I’ve enjoyed from around the web are…
    Creamy avocado pasta
    http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/creamy-avocado-pasta/
    Spaghetti with kale and lemon
    http://bevcooks.com/2012/12/spaghetti-with-kale-and-lemon/
    Spicy roasted broccolini with quinoa (made this one a ton of times, it’s SO EASY!)
    http://www.designsponge.com/2012/01/in-the-kitchen-with-gaby-dalkins-spicy-roasted-broccolini-quinoa-salad.html
    Pea, mint and feta risotto
    http://www.designsponge.com/2009/05/in-the-kitchen-with-pia-jane-bijkerk.html
    And a great side dish I’ve also made numerous times is pan fried brussels sprouts with brown butter!
    http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/10/pan-roasted-brussels-sprouts-with-brown-butter-and-toasted-pecans
    Happy cooking!

  27. A super easy side dish I learned from my Spanish hostmom is sauteed spinach and garbanzos — sautee the can of garbanzos first (I sautee in olive oil, lots of garlic, a bit of chili powder), then add lots and lots of spinach until it cooks down a bit! I usually pair it with tortilla de patatas, which is vegetarian but not very good on the veggie front.

  28. some our veg meals include:
    vegetarian bibim bop (replace meat with tofu)
    veg risotto (mushroom, asparagus, leek…)
    soup (cabbage, black bean, lentil…) i make a big batch and we can usually get two meals out of it
    tofu veg stir fry (we usually do bok choy or broccoli)
    noodle stir fry with veg
    pasta with veg pesto (there are so many pesto combinations out there!)
    also cauliflower pasta, one of my fav, except it’s not completely vegetarian since we put a little anchovy paste.
    also, japanese curry, i load it up with lots of veggies (onions, carrots, potatoes, zucchini)
    enjoy!

  29. I think the trick to not feeling hungry a couple hours later is protein. Add in some tofo, quinoa, beans, or nuts to a veg recipe; or search out recipes that include these items or others with a protein punch.

  30. Joy, Bob, and Ruby:
    Try this first:
    http://www.peasandcrayons.com/2012/09/baked-black-bean-sweet-potato-flautas.html
    My children love it , my husband loves it…it’s one of the best vegetarian dishes I’ve made. An easy spinach quiche would be my second recommendation. Again, my children gobble it down like its candy…they have no idea the amount of greens they are consuming! While roasted veggies and pureed veggie soups are great ideas, they aren’t always appealing to children.
    And last but not least. A green smoothie with kale and/or spinach is a super easy way to insert more vegetables without cooking anything new. Ice, 40% greens, 60% fruit, 1 cup of water…boom!
    xoxo,
    Annie from Brimful

  31. Personally i have a hard time making vegetable/non meat meals at home that aren’t all brown/beige/yellow that i think are delicious. But I have found that adding lots spinach to things is pretty easy and tasty. Making Pizzas or little crostinis with lots of veggies on it is great too. Or a Mexican food medley with beans, avocados, tomatoes, etc is also great. And the quality of the veggies I think helps too and they taste good on their own.
    Buuutt… what I mostly do is eat indian food at restaurants to get my delicious vegetarian meals. Samosa House in West LA is my place of choice—simple and cheap, but delicious! Mmmm, i want to go there for lunch!

  32. We eat vegetarian every night. The key to a filling dinner is legumes and starch. Black bean and kale/collard tacos/enchiladas, lentil soup/stew, and roasted veggie (usually cauliflower or broccoli) pasta are all regular menu items. We also make sure to eat salad every night and finish the meal with fruit.
    We made this this week and it was delicious (we altered it a bit): http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/jan/19/recipes-under-5-chickpea-pumpkin-estofado
    And we often get a lot of inspiration from here: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/series/recipes_for_health/

  33. I’m vegetarian and my boyfriend is a dedicated omnivore, but we cook a ton of vegan recipes that satisfy both of us! Here are a few of our favorites from the last year:
    These stuffed peppers are a great introduction to tempeh and full of vitamin c:
    Roasted Peppers with Sicilian Tempeh Stuffing
    http://www.braisenwoman.com/2012/10/roasted-peppers-with-sicilian-tempeh.html
    We’ve been cooking a lot from Ottolenghi’s cookbook “Jerusalem”, which has some KILLER vegetable dishes:
    Butternut Squash & Red Onion with Tahini & Za-atar
    http://www.braisenwoman.com/2013/11/cooking-books-roasted-butternut-squash.html
    I’ve found that soups are a great way to get large amounts of vegetables into your diet, especially pureed soups like this one:
    Curried Butternut-Coconut Bisque
    http://www.braisenwoman.com/2012/10/recipe-curried-butternut-coconut-bisque.html

  34. Hi Joy,
    I love Yotam Ottolenghi’s cookbook Plenty, and Alicia Silverstone’s The Kind Diet has some great recipes. Good luck!

  35. We’re on a 1 veggie only meal a week as well. Sometimes we’re really good and have 2! Some of our go to options are risottos and pastas. Also a good barley, couscous or quinoa salad is good for the littles. Smitten kitchen has some tasty options on her site I’ve found. We really love her cauliflower and sun-dried tomato pesto!

  36. I am planning on getting “The French Market Cookbook: Vegetarian Recipes from My Parisian Kitchen” by Clothilde Dusoulier for Christmas , in order to get more ideas.
    My son is exactly the same age as Ruby, and in France, children this age are not supposed to eat meat for dinner. So, I could definetely use some new ideas (and plan to read all the comments more thoroughly).
    In general, rice or pasta with all kinds of vegetables is a staple at home.

  37. I’ve been pescatarian (no meat except for fish) for 3 years but primarily eat a vegetarian diet and have a daughter that is 19 months old and eats the same diet. She does a great job with veggies, especially black beans and loves hummus. Below are some of my fave recipes that are great this time of year! Hope you give some of them a try.
    http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Butternut-Squash-and-Cheddar-Bread-Pudding-355792 so delicious that I save it for holiday dinners!
    http://www.wholeliving.com/131519/sweet-potato-kale-and-ricotta
    filling yummy simple!
    http://www.marthastewart.com/338110/roasted-spaghetti-squash-with-herbs?czone=food/produce-guide-cnt/produce-guide-fall&center=276955&gallery=275670&slide=262285
    an interesting and yummy alternative to spaghetti squash
    http://www.halfbakedharvest.com/crispy-buffalo-quinoa-bites-salad/
    just try them SO good!
    http://www.closetcooking.com/2012/02/sweet-potato-and-black-bean-quesadillas.html
    a bit of work but worth every minute!
    GO VEG!

  38. My boyfriend is vegan (I still eat meat) and I cook all vegan food at home. I have NEVER had a problem with not feeling full. Anything Indian, although sometimes complicated, is delicious and super filling. Otherwise, these are my favorite blogs with mostly vegetarian fare:
    http://www.whatscookinggoodlooking.com
    http://www.mynewroots.org
    http://www.thefirstmess.com
    And there are SO many good vegetarian cookbooks. The Martha Stewart book “Meatless” is a good start if you don’t have that one already.

  39. Some of my favorite vegetarian meals:
    I love this Sweet Potato Poblano Hash for breakfast or lunch:
    http://tasty-yummies.com/2012/04/11/sweet-potato-and-poblano-hash-gluten-free-dairy-free-with-vegan-option/ (you can make it without the poblano if that is too spicy)
    Also, check out White Beans & Cabbage recipe from Super Natural Everyday by Heidi Swanson.
    I really enjoy tarts too. I haven’t tried making any recipes, but I always eat this butternut squash, swiss chard and ricotta tart from the vegetarian take-out place by my house.
    Making a vegetable pizza is a good way to incorporate vegetables in your meal. I recently just made an Artichoke, Roasted Pepper & Ricotta pizza that was delicious! See recipe here: http://amateandarottweiler.blogspot.com.ar/2013/11/homemade-artichoke-roasted-pepper.html
    Hope you get a chance to try these! They are all very delicious!

  40. I’m a vegetarian and whenever I crave a certain traditional meat dish I figure out a way to substitute a veg for the meat. Lentils are a great sub for ground meat. Roast cauliflower or other veggies and use them with a sauce. There’s always a good substitute. Good job and good luck!

  41. A recent favorite, though we substituted farro for the rice blend, which I think makes it a little heartier:
    http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2013/10/miso-sweet-potato-and-broccoli-bowl/
    And, though this soup isn’t vegetarian, I don’t think you would miss it if you left the sausage out, it has so many other delicious elements:
    http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2013/01/lentil-soup-with-sausage-chard-and-garlic/
    Both of these were hits with our one year old, as well as us!

  42. You have to get the Ottolenghi Plenty cookbook. Completely delicious and different and really opened my eyes to how amazing and filling and delicious and awesome vegetarian food can be. All his books are great buy I’ve found Plenty (which is only vegetarian) to be the most approachable.

  43. Susan and I are on the same wavelength. Roasted veggies are so easy! And, you can mix and match to make different flavors. My personal fave is sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots and onions tossed with olive oil and sea salt. Yum!
    As for juice/smoothies, they are also super easy. You can mix up a few batches and then freeze in ice-cube trays for later. When you want one, you can toss a few cubes in the blender with OJ, apple juice, coconut water, etc. to smooth them out again. But, when we’re feeling lazy (most of the time) we buy Odwalla/Bolthouse Farms/Naked juices with veggies. Our little guy LOVES THEM.

  44. Smitten Kitchen has really great vegetarian dishes. I made this butternut squash, lentil, arugula, and goat cheese salad this weekend and it was excellent! I would recommend including the arugula.
    http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2010/10/spicy-squash-salad-with-lentils-and-goat-cheese/
    This is another one of my staples – I make it every few weeks. Easy, fast, and unique flavors. I do double the chickpeas so it is more filling, and the yogurt sauce gives you some protein too so I find it quite filling. It is only in the Smitten Kitchen cookbook, but I found it on another site online
    http://www.sweetpeasandgreentea.com/roastedeggplants/

  45. We got a Vitamix and now we throw spinach and other veggies in all of our smoothies in the morning.
    The Vitamix has changed our relationship to veggies. Now we eat more fruits and vegetables every day (smoothies, soups, sorbet etc.). The machines are expensive but well worth it.

  46. Hi Joy! Love that your adding more vegetarian dinners to your lineup! Once you have a few under your belt, it’s easy to keep on adding in a few more at a time!
    I really love these Pumpkin Chickpea Fritters – would probably go over really well with Ruby, too! – http://www.simoneanne.com/journal/2012/03/pumpkin-chickpea-fritters/
    This chard or kale quiche is SO good & healthy & pretty, too. I eat it a ton & LOVE making little variations of it – http://www.simoneanne.com/journal/2011/11/chard-quiche/
    Homemade veggie pizza is super delicious, too. I know the bread of the pizza dough isn’t the best, but I always think that with whole wheat crust, no cheese, & seriously piled HIGH with veggies, it’s a pretty dang good choice. So tasty & easy, too.
    & I love this way of eating a potato – purple & with a ton of yummy garlic & onions!: http://www.simoneanne.com/journal/2012/04/baked-purple-potato-garlic-peeler/
    Hope that helps! 🙂

  47. I adore Vedge! Before they opened Vedge the owners had another great restaurant off South–Horizons. Had you ever gone there? It was (nearly!) just as delicious.
    I tend to eat/make a lot of Indian food because it is so filling and so delicious! There are tons of vegetable combinations to try with it as well! Here is one recipe for chana saag that I use quite frequently (I sub a fresh bunch of spinach for the frozen and sometime fry some paneer instead of the chick peas). http://www.honeywhatscooking.com/2010/11/chana-saag-chickpeas-and-spinach-cooked.html

  48. Hi
    This article from the New York Times is amazing. I have tried many of these recipes and they are winners — the flavours are sometimes surprising and unusual.
    http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/22/dining/22mlist.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
    I recommend adding to your salad repertoire. With every meal we also have a salad to eat from. Of course, being Australian we eat a lot of salads as for a lot of the year it is too warm to want to cook anything.
    Enjoy!

  49. I love this idea, Joy! We eat vegetarian most nights and I love it! I an so much more creative with the food we eat because of it!
    We love this soup
    http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2013/01/carrot-soup-with-tahini-and-crisped-chickpeas/
    This, without the meat:
    http://www.perrysplate.com/2011/02/sweet-potato-foil-packet-tacos.html
    I can’t get enough of this salad
    http://www.perrysplate.com/2013/01/roasted-carrot-and-chickpea-salad.html
    This quiche is amazing
    http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2008/01/leek-and-swiss-chard-tart/
    Happy vegetable eating!

  50. Here are some easy and tasty recipes I’ve made recently.
    Quinoa fried rice – http://bobbyandlily.com/2013/11/12/quinoa-fried-rice/
    Pistachio pesto pasta – http://clementinedaily.com/2013/08/on-the-menu-pistachio-pesto-pasta/
    Mediterranean orzo salad – http://bobbyandlily.com/2013/11/21/mediterranean-orzo-salad/ (minus the chicken)
    Incorporated roasted veggies into smoothies – http://bobbyandlily.com/2013/11/21/roasted-beets-persimmon-fall-smoothie/
    Would love to see what recipes you come up with for your family.

  51. 101 cookbooks and smitten kitchen are my go-to sites for delicious and filling vegetarian recipes. I also love Yotam Ottolenghi’s vegetarian cookbook “Plenty” for amazing recipes. Some of my online favorites:
    mushroom bourguignon (amazing flavor)
    http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/01/mushroom-bourguignon/
    shredded brussels sprouts with apples and tofu (favorite brussels recipe, sweet and savory)
    http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/shredded-brussels-sprouts-apples-recipe.html
    okonomiyaki
    http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2013/05/japanese-cabbage-and-vegetable-pancakes/
    orzo super salad (delicious lunch staple)
    http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/orzo-super-salad-recipe.html
    tomato and corn pie (lovely in the summer)
    http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/08/tomato-and-corn-pie/

  52. i saw that a few people linked to specific recipes from 101 cookbooks. as a vegetarian, i love her recipes…i haven’t tried one that i would not make again and heidi really takes the time to think about the nutritional aspect of each recipe (creating complete carbohydrates, etc.)

  53. Skip all the rest and go straight to Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s Post Punk Kitchen (www.theppk.com)!!!! I’ve made over 20 of her recipes and every last one has been beyond delicious! She has a website/blog and several books(www.theppk.com/books/)!

  54. I’m not a vegetarian, but most of the meals I cook at home are meatless. (For budget reasons and because I’m a veggie fiend.) One dish that is always a hit with vegetarians and meat eaters is mujadarah, spiced lentil with caramelized onions, which I bulk up with a bunch of kale:
    http://www.eatyrgreens.com/middle-eastern-spiced-lentils-kale-with-caramelized-onions-mujadarah/
    If you want even more veggie goodness in a portable form (perfect for lunches or travel meals on the road, especially during the holidays!), here is a recipe that stuffs the spiced lentils and kale into whole wheat pockets with roasted sweet potatoes:
    http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-spiced-lentil-sweet-potato-and-kale-whole-wheat-pockets-181100
    This butternut squash orzotto (barley risotto) is warm and filling and gets its creaminess from a surprising heap of shredded butternut squash, which cooks down into a soft sauce:
    http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-creamy-butternut-squash-amp-barley-risotto-with-toasted-pecans-recipes-from-the-kitchn-184319
    And if you want straight-up awesome-tasting veggies, this is the BEST preparation for roasted vegetables, tossed with a bright, toasty, umami-filled dressing of miso and lime. I double the dressing and mix in cooked quinoa if I want a one-bowl main dish:
    http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-roasted-winter-vegetables-with-misolime-dressing-recipes-from-the-kitchn-184621
    Enjoy your foray into the world of vegetable cooking! As Angelenos, we have an incredible bounty of vegetables year-round — we’re so lucky!

  55. What a nice post and collection of comments. I applaud you for trying to eat more vegetables.
    The American diet usually consists of a “spotlight” entree and then a few sides which are usually carbs. It’s challenging to come up with a vegetarian main dish when you haven’t been vegetarian. If you just think about your plate being a collection or two or three items, no one is more imporatant than the other, then you won’t feel like your missing anything. Also, I make a one pot Minestrone Tuscan Bean soup with something from each food group; there’s lots of recipes on my site but i think moderation is key and don’t replace meat with too many carbs. Nice post!

  56. hi!
    i have a bunch of my very favorite vegetable focused & vegetarian recipes here as part of a series of watercolors i made and illustrated
    gimbleandgyre.com
    some of my favorites i have up there are:
    beet and poppyseed raviolis–gorgeous red jewel colors
    http://gimbleandgyre.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/web-beet.jpg
    and this wonderful braised fennel:
    http://gimbleandgyre.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/web-fennel.jpg
    vegetables are in so much need of more attention. they are beautiful, delicious, and make us healthy and beautiful too! win win win.
    if you would like any recipes in text format, just reach out!

  57. Broccoli casserole!
    With cream of mushroom soup, almonds, cheddar cheese, and some eggs to fluff it up. All topped with crushed cheez-its! Spice it however you like, but traditional salt and pepper is always good.

  58. Smitten Kitchen is a great resource, for starters. There are a lot of veggie recipes on her blog because Deb was a vegetarian for a long time, and even the non-vegetarian ones on her site often include a healthy amount of vegetables, so at least you have a little more balance in the meaty dishes! Also, her recipes are foolproof and always delicious.
    A few years ago, my mom gave me a book that SOUNDS super cheesy, but actually has a ton of really great recipes. It’s called “The Meat Lover’s Meatless Cookbook.” I was skeptical at first (since at the time I was already vegetarian), but the recipes are solid, and many of the recipes can be broken down into a main dish and a side if you don’t want to cook both together. It’s also a really nice guide for cooking without meat, if that aspect is something you want to read more about.
    Cooking without meat is honestly really easy, and once you start eating more meals without meat as the central focus, you won’t miss it. My husband is a very active, very hungry 6’3″ man and he doesn’t feel deprived or underfed by eating primarily vegetarian dinners. Also, you can always add an egg to a veggie meal to make it feel more “complete” if you’re super hungry!

  59. These are some of my favorites (and my super carnivorous boyfriend adores these as well):
    1. Spaghetti Squash Noodle Bowl: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/32932640997925542/
    2. Pea & Asparagus pasta: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/32932640997868379/
    3. Mushrooms and farro: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/32932640997632980/
    (I add chopped kale to this, and shredded chicken. I also cook the mushrooms in a pan when I’m not in the mood to roast/short on time.)
    4. Cauliflower, chickpea, and couscous stew. http://www.pinterest.com/pin/32932640996721410/
    (I double the spinach and add mushrooms
    5. Cauliflower pizza! http://www.pinterest.com/pin/32932640996436296/
    Spaghetti squash is fantastic in general. It’s crunchy though so it’s not exactly like pasta but works well with tomato-based pasta sauces.
    Also, adding mushrooms and chopped kale (or other leafy greens) never hurts, especially in soups/stews.
    If you want a creamy soup, you can blitz some white beans and add that instead of actual cream. It’s really filling and much healthier.
    Good luck!

  60. Some of our current favorites:
    Tom Douglas’ tomato soup is delicious and a great weeknight dinner. Don’t skip the croutons.
    http://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/toms-tasty-tomato-soup-with-brown-butter-croutons
    Orangette’s curry squash soup. Perfect for chilly nights.
    http://orangette.blogspot.com/
    101 Cookbook’s Broccoli Crunch. The perfect balance of savory and sweet.
    http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/broccoli-crunch-recipe.html
    Also, check out the book “Keepers”. We’ve made some great salads out of it recently that were big hits with our kids. Bon appetit!

  61. All veggie meals can definitely be filling, though this mostly means more cheese and butter (: My all-time favorite recipe would be Pasta Shards with Fresh Herbs and Poached Eggs (http://www.familycookbookproject.com/recipe/3072873/pasta-shards-with-fresh-herbs-and-poached-eggs.html) which is very filling and really delicious! I would look for pasta recipes, they you can find a lot that are meat-free and filling! Another good one is Linguine with Frenched Green Beans and Parsley Pesto (http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/741184-Linguine-with-Frenched-Green-Beans-and-Parsley-Pesto-).
    Enjoy!
    – Kevin
    http://kevinscrumbs.co/

  62. My go to for using vegetables is pizza. Here is the crust I use…
    http://addiahinspired.com/?s=Pizza&submit=Search
    In my opinion, one of the best vegetarian cookbooks is The Greens Cookbook.
    http://www.amazon.com/Greens-Cookbook-Extraordinary-Vegetarian-Celebrated/dp/0553051954/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1385071153&sr=1-1&keywords=the+greens+cookbook
    Also, I love My New Roots. The raw pad Thai and raw tacos are great and filling!
    Here is a sandwich I make…
    http://addiahinspired.com/2012/07/24/recipe-lentil-hummus-and-summer-vegetable-sandwich/

  63. I recommend Gwyneth Paltrow’s cookbook, “It’s all good.” I’m vegetarian and gluten-intolerant and I try to eat only a small amount of dairy so her cookbook is great for me! So many delicious recipes. It’s the best cookbook I’ve ever bought!

  64. I just made cauliflower couscous from the NYT last week and thought it was really delicious. So much so that I ate half of the batch for dinner and the entire rest for lunch the next day. I added an extra step of draining the simmered cauliflower through cheesecloth before tossing with the brussels sprouts and shallots.
    Really good, would be great as a side but I loved it as a big bowl of ‘couscous.’
    http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/11/13/visiting-the-source-a-chef-in-the-field-cauliflower/?_r=0

  65. Make sure you get some carbs with your veggies, also good is everything with cheese or eggs – then you should leave the table with a proper filled tummy! Everything out of the oven and gratinee is just yummy – try cauliflower, brokkoli, pasta or potatoes mixed with veggies. Or even veggie lasagne with aubergines! I also love falafel or any other homemade veggie patties.
    Just don’t make cooking more complicated as it is and take your favourite vegetables (ideally in all rainbow colors)!
    If I can be a veggie since 11 years, you can do it too 🙂

  66. I am slowly turning vegetarian and realising I enjoy the taste of vegetables way more than meat (once you know what to do with them). http://www.greenkitchenstories.com is amazing! Books I’d recommend Ottolenghi’s Plenty, River Cottage Veg Everyday, Dennis Cotter For the Love of Food.
    Growing up in a small town in Australia we had vege and herb patches at school that we grew and tended to ourselves. One of my best memories is picking vegetables early on a winter morning and eating them straight out of the ground. So delicious and crispy! This will make you truly appreciate vegetables! I’m pretty sure I’d rather eat any vegetable raw. Soggy over cooked vegetables is so bleh! Anyway I’d really recommend taking Ruby to a vege farm or something if you’re able kids love that.

  67. I roast brussel sprouts with a little olive oil, red pepper, and salt, then place on top of polenta, then top with a fried egg. YUM! If you want a teeny bit of meat, sprinkle on some lardons or a bit of bacon.

  68. I;ve been vegetarian for a long time now. Favorite cookbooks are as follows:
    Alice Waters – Vegetables (super cheap used on amazon)and The Art of Simple Food
    Yotam Ottolenghi- Plenty (delicious and visually beautiful)
    Heidi Swanson- All of her cookbooks and her blog 101cookbooks.com
    Deborah Madison- Vegetable Literacy and Vegetarian Cooking for Everybody

  69. It is very important to have good thoughts in mind to write a beautiful post and your mind seems very clear only then you have written such a beautiful post, it is worth praising on this post, the amount of praise this post will be less.

Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow Along

[instagram-feed]