1/24/2014

Beyond Garden Veggie Patties: Vegetarian Cooking Ideas

By Marissa Velazquez


If you and your family have recently made the switch to vegetarian eating, you may be having trouble coming up with a variety of recipes. Despite the health benefits of a meat-free diet, it can get boring eating the same old garden veggie patties every day. Here are a few ideas for recipes that will break up the monotony and help you get in needed protein.

Beans and Rice With Cheese is fast and easy to cook. The ingredients are cheap, and you can stretch them so they will feed multiple people or last for multiple meals.

Boil rice as directed on package. You can use either white or brown rice. White rice will absorb the flavor of the beans better, but brown rice has a higher fiber content. Start your rice first, because it will take about 20 minutes to cook. In a separate pot, sautee 1 small onion, a few minced cloves of garlic, and one or two carrots, diced. Add a can of black or small red beans, or blackeyed peas, and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and cook until carrots have reached the tenderness you prefer. Serve over rice, and sprinkle with shredded cheese.

Marinated Baked Tofu is fast and easy, too. Another plus with this recipe is that it does not create a lot of dishes.

Many people think that tofu is bland, but it does not have to be. Marinating tofu can make a huge difference in the flavor. To make a ginger marinade, combing water, soy sauce, fresh minced garlic, fresh minced ginger, and sesame oil. Place sliced tofu (firm or extra firm) in this liquid and let it marinate for at least thirty minutes. Meanwhile, grease a cookie sheet and set the oven to 425 degrees. When the tofu has finished marinating, place it on the cookie sheet with sesame seeds sprinkled on top, and bake for 30 minutes. Turn the cookie sheet, and bake another fifteen minutes, adding more marinade if necessary.

Veggie Burgers With Flair will make your kids excited for their meal. Make it even more fun with a creative side dish!

Just like regular hamburgers, veggie patties are not very exciting when they are served with only ketchup and mustard or lettuce and tomato. However, there are manny ways to spice them up. One way is to try new flavors, like spicy bean burgers, mushroom burgers, or even more exotic flavors like masala. Adding different toppings is fun too. Try spicy pickles, grilled onions, or a cabbage slaw. You could even make a vegetarian "bacon cheeseburger, " using veggie bacon and, if you are vegan, dairy-free cheese.

Cooking for a vegetarian diet can be tricky, but it does not have to be tedious. Have fun experimenting with new recipes and branching out beyond the usual garden veggie patties and plain tofu stir fry. Trying different seasonings and different forms of protein can take your vegetarian cooking to the next level. You will appreciate it, as will all of the people you cook for. Buy some cookbooks and create your own collection of your favorite recipes. Have fun experimenting with new things.




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