Easy Vegetarian Recipes

Archive for the ‘Easy Vegetarian Recipes’ Category

[View with PicLens]

Easy Vegetarian Pecan Crusted Medjool Dates

by April’s Recipe Winner: LISA S.! This is her first guest blog post with many more to come. Feel free to email any recipes questions to her at Lisa (at) easyvegetarianrecipesblog.com.

Hello All!

I am so excited to be the winner of April’s Easy Vegetarian Recipes Contest! I simplified my “Veggie Shrimp Creole” to make it as quick and easy and possible, without sacrificing flavor. I hope you will all like it as much as my family and friends do, and now would like to share an easy, easy recipe that tastes just like candy. It is a great dish for vegetarians, diabetics, or anyone who just loves good food.

Enjoy!!

Pecan Crusted Medjool Dates

Ingredients:

• 4 large, fresh, in season Medjool dates for each plate served
• Mixture of coarsely and finely chopped pecans

Directions:

Place pecans in a shallow dish. With a sharp paring knife, slice halfway around the pit of each date, remove the pits, and flatten the dates. Press each date firmly into the pecan mixture, shaking off the excess if necessary.

Sun dried tomato always adds a nice edge to dishes. Especially in salads and pastas. Here’s an awesome California Pizza Kitchen Broccoli and Sun-Dried Tomato Fusilli recipe.

Ingredients:

1 pound dry fusilli pasta
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
About 12 oil−packed sun−dried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced
1 quart blanched broccoli florets, drained (bite−size pieces)
1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese (reserve 1/4 cup for garnish)

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Heat olive oil in a large non−stick frying pan over high heat. Add salt and garlic; when the garlic just begins to brown, add thyme and sun−dried tomatoes. Toss and add broccoli. When broccoli is heated through, add drained pasta (if pan is not large enough, combine in a large mixing bowl while ingredients are hot). Add 1 cup Parmesan cheese to all, sprinkling and stirring to mix.

Serve in warm bowls with a fresh dusting of Parmesan cheese.

I actually like to add about double the broccoli and I’m also a big fan of the broccoli stalks. It’s crunchy and sweet so I recommend not throwing it out and adding it to your recipes. Let me know what you think and if you’ve altered it in any way.

[View with PicLens]

Easy Vegetarian Butterfinger Recipe

I love the fact that candy is classified as vegetarian! This is the original Butterfinger recipe as far as I can find. I have a real soft spot for buttery and toffee types of candy, so I was stoked to find this easy vegetarian Butterfinger recipe.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Peanut Butter
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
Melted Milk Chocolate

Directions:

Cook syrup, sugar, and water to 310 F. Remove from heat. Stir in warmed peanut butter (warm slightly in microwave)
until well blended. Pour into a greased (buttered) 8″ X 8″ pan. Score mixture into desired size bars. When COMPLETELY cool, dip in melted milk chocolate (use a double boiler to SLOWLY melt) and set on wax paper until chocolate has hardened.

Now I’m sure your dentist will love you for making these, but like the awesome easy vegetarian caramel rice krispies treats, don’t get suckered into making these twice a week because they’re so yummy and easy to make (like some of us).

I forget about sweet potatoes until about Christmas time, but this is a nice easy vegetarian Boston Market Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe that is great all year round. I would even put in both the categories of sides and desserts.

Ingredients:

3 large sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 stick butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Crunch Topping:
1/3 cup melted butter
1/3 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 tblsp. cinnamon

Directions:

Boil potatoes until tender. Take skin off when cooled and able to handle. Put in a large bowl and whip them until fluffy. Add all other ingredients. Pour into a greased casserole and top with the crunch topping. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

This is not so sweet I wouldn’t serve it as a side, but let me know your thoughts/opinions and if you have a variation.

[View with PicLens]

Easy Vegetarian Boston Market Dill Potato Wedges Recipe

Somewhere along the way, regular old french fries stopped working for me.  Since then I’ve just made up variations of my own fries and here’s an easy vegetarian Boston Market Dill Potato Wedges recipe that’s got a nice kick.

Ingredients:

• 7 or 8 new red potatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced fine
• 1/4 pound butter
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. celery salt
• 2 tsp. dried dill weed

Directions:

Wash potatoes well and boil until barely soft. Drain, and cut potatoes in wedges. Melt 1 stick of butter, in large frying pan (use only real butter) and saute garlic for about one minute. Add potatoes and the rest of the seasonings. Pan−fry the potatoes until they are lightly brown.

These are great with a nice dinner, but this is also great in bulk for parties.

[View with PicLens]

Easy Vegetarian Black-Eyed Pea’s Baked Squash Recipe

I LOVE squash! I know this sounds funny but those funny shaped veggies have always been a favorite because even if they are just steamed with a little butter, it’s yummy. Of course I feel great after eating a meal full of veggies, so that’s just another perk.

Here’s a hearty easy vegetarian Black-Eyed Pea Baked Squash Recipe.

Ingredients:

• 5 pounds medium−size yellow squash
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup bread crumbs plus additional bread crumbs for topping
• 1 stick butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Salt, to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• Dash of pepper

Directions:

Cut tips off squash and cut each squash into 3 or 4 pieces. Drop squash into a large saucepan with enough boiling water to cover. Return to boil, reduce heat and cook until tender. Drain in colander and mash. Combine with beaten eggs, 1 cup bread crumbs, butter, sugar, salt, onion and pepper. Turn into 3−quart casserole that has been lightly greased or sprayed with nonstick spray. Cover with light layer of bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

This is a great alternative to a baked potato. Let me know what your thoughts are and if you have any variations to this recipe you’d like to share.

[View with PicLens]

Easy Vegetarian Applebee’s Spinach Pizza Appetizer

There are a couple of vegetarian raw and cooked pizza appetizers that I’ve loved for years. This is a yummy easy vegetarian Applebee’s Spinach Pizza Appetizer recipe that is sure to be a hit!

Ingredients:

• Pita Bread (2 or 3 whole)
• 1 − 10 oz. pkg frozen spinach
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 med. onion
• 5 or 6 plum tomatoes
• 8 Ounce pkg fresh mushrooms
• 3−4 cloves garlic
• 1 Teaspoon of each of the following spices:
• basil, parsley, cayenne pepper
• 1/2 to 1 cup rice milk
• 4 Tablespoon flour

Directions:

Thaw spinach completely, press out all water. Heat milk in saucepan, when hot but not boiling stir in flour. Stir until sauce begins to thicken, turn heat down. Add nutritional yeast and spinach. Stir constantly until thick and gooey, only about 3−4 min. In separate pan, saute onion, garlic, until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes, mushrooms, and spices. Saute until just done. Preheat oven to 425. Using a very sharp bread knife, split each pita bread so that you have two round flat pieces instead of one thick one.

Place each piece of bread on a cookie sheet or pizza pan. Spread spinach sauce over each. Top with tomato mixture, being careful to avoid the juice. Bake for 5 to 7 min. Watch closely so that the edges of the pita don’t burn.

Let me know what you (or more importantly your guests) think of this recipe.

[View with PicLens]

Esther’s Easy Vegetarian Sausage Rolls

Better than real meat sausage rolls? Yep. This is an awesome easy vegetarian sausage roll recipe from Esther S. This is actually great for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1 small onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 cup low fat cottage cheese
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp mixed dried herbs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 2 sheets puff pastry

Directions:

1. Put the eggs, pecans, onion, garlic, cottage cheese, soy sauce, herbs and salt in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and mix well with the breadcrumbs and oats.
3. Cut each sheet of pastry in half.
4. In the middle of each half sheet of pastry put 1/4 of the mixture in a sausage shape. Dampen one edge of the pastry with water and roll the pastry around the mixture to make a sausage roll.
5. Place the sausage rolls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush the rolls with beaten egg or milk.
6. Put in the oven at 400 degrees (F) for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Let us know what you think of Esther’s easy vegetarian sausage rolls. Email info (at) easyvegetarianrecipesblog.com or leave us a comment.

[View with PicLens]

Here’s an easy vegetarian potato soup. It’s delicious and pretty easy to make…besides, anything with Tabasco is worth a try.

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups potatoes, diced but unpeeled
• 1/4 lb butter
• 2 Cups finely diced yellow onions
• 1/2 Cup flour
• 1 quart warm water
• 1/4 Cup vegetable broth
• 1 Cup potato flakes
• 2 Cups heavy cream
• 2 Cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
• Salt, pepper, garlic powder and dried basil to taste

Directions:

Saute onions in melted butter for 10 minutes in large kettle. Add flour to onions and butter and cook for four to five minutes, stirring until flour is absorbed. In a separate container, combine water, vegetable broth, potato flakes, and seasonings. Stir until thoroughly mixed and no lumps remain. Add to onion mixture, one pint at a time. Add milk and cream, stirring until smooth and lightly thickened. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. In a separate container, the potatoes should be covered with water, brought to a boil, and simmered for 20 minutes. Combine the potatoes with the soup to  complete.

[View with PicLens]

Easy Vegetarian Fried Pickles Recipe

I LOVE fried pickles. I tried it once at Nate’s Seafood & Steakhouse many moons ago, and I believe it was the best part of my meal. Here’s an easy vegetarian fried pickles recipe.

Ingredients:

Seasoned Egg Wash:

• 1 Egg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/3 teaspoon Tabasco

Seasoned flour:

• 2 cup flour
• 1/2 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• Oil for deep frying
• Klauson Whole Pickles

Directions:

Whip together all ingredients for seasoned egg wash, set aside. Mix ingredients for flour mixture in a shallow dish. Slice pickles 1/8″ thick. Dip into flour mix, then egg wash, then flour mix again. Fry until golden brown, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels. Serve with dipping sauce of ranch dressing, ketchup or horseradish sauce.