Taco Salad
I readily admit that I am not perfect when it comes to animal-free everything. I try to avoid animal products (and aimed to avoid the weird "hidden" gems like gelatin for years as well…I don’t anymore), but I will occasionally eat a bowl of clam chowder – no bacon – and I am most certainly not vegan (I love cheese too much), though more power to everyone who is able to do it healthily! J It’s not a health or weigh issue to me; I just hate the thought of unhappy animals penned up all day waiting to be slaughtered. I have also never been that fond of the taste of meat, and it actually used to make me feel quite sick as a teenager. All that certainly made for an easier transition.
I have been a vegetarian for I couldn’t even tell you how long now. Probably like many people, I “dabbled” with being a vegetarian as a teenager. I started by only eating chicken and eventually abandoned meat entirely. Sadly, it only half stuck. Once I went off to college and had to actually take care of myself, frozen meals became more regular and the closest place to shop – a sketchy 7-11 convenience store – didn’t sell anything that would suit a vegetarian. Well, maybe potato chips, but that’s not really the route you wanna take either! J At some point between 17 and maybe 19, I went back to my vegetarian ways and I think that’s when it stuck…clams aside. Poor clams!
I’m not going to lie. I hate to cook. I can follow a recipe and make things taste ok, but the standing and chopping just kills me. And onions, oh onions. So, so many tears! Some ways that I’ve learned to cope with my cooking difficulties are to seek out healthy-ish vegetarian frozen meals, eat fresh uncooked foods like salads (often pre-made), and most recently to use a slow cooker or Crock Pot…and use pre-cut vegetables if possible! J
Of course like most people, I eat out once in a while. Over the years, restaurants have definitely become more aware of the growing number of vegetarians out there and have learned to adapt to the changing consumer make up. I used to find that my only options for a vegetarian meal out would be an appetizer, usually hoping the kitchen would remember to hold the meat. Mozzarella sticks were a common staple in my early 20s. Like I said, I didn’t become a vegetarian for health reasons! J Though I do occasionally need to have the meat held, there are usually at least a couple meat-free options on most menus. Even Burger King and McDonald’s offer Veggie Burgers these days (thought not my first dining out choice)! Ethnic restaurants are often an excellent choice for dining out. Indian food is probably my absolute favorite – Mattar (or Mutar) Paneer and Saag Paneer are my go-tos.
Eating Out - Brioche French Toast at The Cheesecake Factory (brunch)
So, for the tips and tricks? Probably my biggest tip is to try new things. If you cut out meat and expect a vegetarian hamburger to taste like the real thing, you will be disappointed. It may taste just as good…some are much better, but it will definitely be different. I find the best thing to do is to seek out entirely different foods. That said, I still eat a lot of variations on meat-based dishes. There’s a Vegetable Shepard’s Pie recipe (check it out here) that I absolutely love. My dad – a self-proclaimed meat and potatoes guy – actually thinks he likes it better than the real thing! I eat a lot of different chilis – my favorite is here and uses Quinoa (you need to try using quinoa because it's amazing). I do eat some meat-substitutes like fake chicken patties or meatless hot dogs when I need something quick and easy, but I’ve tried to cut back on the processed “meat replacements” lately.Vegetable Shepard's Pie
One of my many food “phases” included salads from Trader Joe’s. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you, I am so deeply sorry because I have grown to love practically everything about the place! J They have some incredible pre-made meatless salads that are truly filling and pretty well-balanced nutrition wise…I think! One of my favorites is the Mozzarella & Tomato Salad (basically a Caprese Salad), which consists of greens, balls of mozzarella cheese, grape tomatoes, olives, green onions, pine nuts, and a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. That’s about it and it’s delicious! Not only that, to make it yourself would involve very little chopping…if any! Another fantastic salad that even my meat-loving father loves is a Taco Salad (from The Vegetarian Family Cookbook, page 76). It’s also delicious, pretty easy to make and great for a hot summer day. I never used to be a salad person, but my eyes have opened to the glorious ways one can turn a salad into a meal.
Trader Joe's Mozzarella & Tomato Salad
Now for the life-changing device know as a slow cooker. I just recently started using one and am kicking myself for not doing so sooner! It does involve some prep time, which for me means at least an hour for the “10 minute prep” listed in the recipe. I guess I’m insanely slow. Some sautéing is occasionally in order, but once that’s done, you throw everything into the cooker, turn it on and wait a few hours. I find it’s great for soups, stews and chilis, but I have also made a surprisingly good lasagna in it as well. My favorite recipe, at least in terms of ease, is probably this one for a Vegetarian Taco Soup. You literally open some cans and dump them in. Done. That’s my kind of cooking. J
Last but not least are easy casseroles. I am terrible at preparing a meal and getting everything ready right on time, so anything I can prepare in advance and cook later is perfect. Some take a lot more work than others, but I have found a few that are not only quick, but yummy as well! My most recent favorite is here for a Salted Caramel Apple French Toast Casserole. Oh. My. God. Perhaps not the most balanced of meals, but it’s delicious and perfect if you need a filling breakfast for a lot of people, or feel like that breakfast-for-dinner kinda meal. Another love is a Caprese Lasagna Roll recipe (found here) that tastes delicious, isn’t overly cheesy, and the fresh tomatoes and basil make it taste so fresh and just…there aren’t words! J
Salted Caramel Apple French Toast
As I was writing this post, it occurred to me that it would be wonderful to have a way for all of us to share recipes, snacks, tips, tricks, etc. But how? Pinterest of course! J I started a Group Board titled “Vegetarian Recipes – Group Favorites,” and I think all of the recipes linked in this post are there as well as many more. If you would like to check out some of my online favorites, just click the board link here, and if you’re interested in contributing to the board, let me know your Pinterest User Name in the Comments, via email at MakeUpGuineaPig@gmail.com, or send me a request through Pinterest (my User Name is simply "MakeUp Guinea Pig") and I’ll send you an invite to join the board. That way we can all share our love of veggie eating goodness together. J I think it will be fun!
As an additional note, if you’re looking for a good (and free) Recipe, Meal Planning and Shopping List app, check out Copy Me That. I know that it’s available for iPhone, but not sure about Android. You can use it on your computer as well as mobile too. I’ve been using it for a few months now and it’s making my life a lot easier! J And no, this is not sponsored in any way by anyone. It’s just a really useful app!
I guess this turned more into a bit of my favorite recipes, but maybe it will give you some starting off points to slowly make the transition, or to vary up your already vegetarian diet. I may not eat the healthiest vegetarian foods, and I’m not an expert in balanced meals or high protein diets, but these types of foods have been working for me. If you are in need of some inspiration, definitely check out Pinterest…either the Group Board, or just generally. There are so many recipes of all kinds pinned there – that’s how I’ve found most, if not all, of these recipes. If you are interested in more vegetarian-related posts, please let me know and I’ll see what I can come up with. I hope you’ve enjoyed this minor tangent today. It’s kind of nice to discuss something a bit different once in a while. Please give me your thoughts, or add some of your own favorites, tips or tricks in the comments, and don’t forget to let me know your Pinterest User Name if you’d like to contribute to the board! J
Trader Joe's Mozzarella & Tomato Salad
Salted Caramel Apple French Toast