Saturday, October 10, 2009

Quick Lunches For Vegetarian Meals

By Laura Cokherell

For a healthy meal choice, vegetarian lunches are not only one of the best choices but one of the easiest meals to make. Because there are so many options from pure, fresh ingredients, quick lunches can be made in no time.

With just a few ingredients from any grocery store, these easy vegetarian recipes require just a minimum of preparation and make putting together vegetarian lunches easier than you might think.

A simple meal can be made with plain yogurt (regular or soy) mixed with cut up fresh fruit, like berries, bananas, apples, or peaches, some sweetener like honey or agave syrup, and some chopped nuts, like almonds, walnuts, or pecans. Mix it all together and serve along with some whole grain crackers or some toasted whole grain bread slices.

Make a simple vegetable salad with steamed edamame beans, jicama cubes, chopped red bell peppers, and pitted black olives tossed in a store-bought olive oil vinaigrette. Serve this salad along with a bowl of cooked rice tossed with some soy sauce and lemon juice.

A cooked vegetarian burger or hotdog makes a quick meal and can be served on a whole grain bun with a selection of toppings (mustard, ketchup, tomato slices, pickle slices, cheese, etc.) along with a simple side dish of steamed vegetables dressed with some salt and pepper, olive oil, and vinegar.

For a quick salad meal, try cutting up the cooked vegetarian burger or hotdog into pieces and add to some mixed salad greens, pickle slices, diced tomatoes, and some shredded cheese (cheddar or Swiss are good choices) and toss with Italian dressing and serve with a cup of soup on the side.

Try a simple bean spread made from canned chickpeas (rinsed, drained, and mashed) combined with shredded carrots, diced red onion, cumin, and low-fat sour cream. Take a soft tortilla shell and spoon the bean mixture into the shell and top with some chopped, pitted green olives and radish sprouts. Serve some baked pita chips with this simple wrap sandwich.

A salad of canned black beans (rinsed and drained), corn kernels, chopped tomatoes, chopped walnuts, chopped fresh cilantro, and rice vinegar all tossed together makes a quick lunch. Add some warm rolls and whipped cream cheese spread for a simple side.

A sandwich always makes a quick lunch meal. Use some cheese slices on whole grain bread and top with thinly sliced tomatoes, sprouts, fresh basil leaves, and thin slices of avocado. Serve a bowl of vegetable soup and baked sweet potato chips on the side.

Take some crusty bread and cut two slices and toast. On one side of one slice of bread, spread some mustard and spread some basil pesto on the other slice. Layer the mustard side with flavored baked tofu, thinly sliced, and top with some drained, marinated artichoke hearts and a slice of sharp cheddar cheese. Melt the cheese by placing the sandwich under a broiler or in a microwave or toaster oven until cheese melts and then top with the other slice of bread. Serve sandwich with carrot and celery sticks and baked potato chips.

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