Easy, Meatless Dinner Ideas?

What about pasta and broccoli with garlic and olive oil? That is always my stand by dish when I don't really want to cook dinner and need something quick and easy. My hubby loves it.

Just cook the broccoli like you normally do and then chop it up fine. Sauté the garlic in the olive oil until it starts to brown. Then throw the cooked broccoli in the olive oil/garlic. I usually season with garlic salt. Then add the cooked pasta. I throw in a little more olive oil and a little butter and sometimes some more garlic salt if needed.

Get a crusty bread and make a salad...YUMMY!

How about Spaghetti (no meat), salad, and rolls, Cheese Enchiladas with rice and salad, Veggie Pizza and Salad, Veggie and Black Bean Quesadillas, rice and salad. Just some ideas!

I cook almost everything without meat...enchiladas, quesadillas, pastas, stir fries. Lots of hearty vegetables, black beans, portobella mushrooms (can also be used as burgers). For some other ideas go to all recipes.com or bettycrocker.com.

I make baked ziti either meatless or with zucchini or yellow squash instead of meat. I have people who hate veggies love it. You could do the same with lasagna (with the squash)

how about soup/salad and bread. Bear Creek makes really good mixes that you can add anything to (beans, veggies) or top (cheese, sour cream). Not sure if they sell it where you are.

Meatless lasagna with veggies. I saw a Bobby flay throw down with zucchini slices length wise fried and used as the noodles, broccoli diced, cauliflower with carrots diced, and sauteed, etc. stewed tomatoes pureed for the sauce. Looked mighty tasty.

This baked rigatoni dish is a family favorite. It basically has most of the components of lasagne but is super easy to assemble and vegetarian. In addition to the tomato sauce, I also put on a thin layer of pesto on mine just because we like it that way. Here's the recipe:

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/baked-ziti-with-crunc...

How about a chalupa bar?

Cook a couple cans of refried beans on the stove and mix in 1 or 2 cans of mild rotel or chopped tomatoes and green chillis. Bake the chalupa shells. Then, everyone can top their chalupa shells with the beans and lots of delicious toppings like cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, onions and salsa. You could also make a delicious tortilla soup with out chicken. Chalupas and tortilla soup would make a delicious meal!

What about a meatless lasagna? You could layer in finely chopped broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, shredded carrots, etc. I've done this during Lent and my kids actually like it :)

Depending on what type of group, another idea is to make your own pizzas with all of those veges and different types of cheese.

One of our favorite meals is "Chicken" Parmesan. I buy the Morningstar Italian (fake) chicken patties and bake them in the oven until they are crispy, about twenty minutes. Then I melt thinly sliced Parmesan cheese over the top. Serve with a side of tomato sauce, some pasta and a salad. I have a stomach condition that makes it hard to digest meat. It was really hard to get used to but this recipe really helps when I have a meat craving. Better than the original in my opinion. I've served it to guests many times and always get rave reviews!

Why not just make the lasagna with out the meat? Or do a vegetable lasagna. I've never made one, but I've eaten my fair share and they are YUMMY! I almost like it better than regular lasagna.
I'm sure there are recipes on cooks. com.

Well the obvious answer here is a pasta with vegetables. Look on the internet for some recipes. Also, black or red beans with rice is a delicious possibility. The Zatarain company makes super easy boxed meals with this.

ricotta/herb stuffed huge shell(i would plan 3 per adult 1 per young child) with marinara sauce yum with some bread and a salad. if you dont want to make them yourself i bet if you stop by your local italian deli they make them.

chili with no meat served a top large baked potato. then i make a chili bar with all the fixings on the side. but i'm not sure about the iron content in beans. or serve on top of pasta. salad on the side.

bbqed marinated veggies and shrimp(scallops perhaps) skewers. rice on the side.

salmon with asparagus and mashed potatoes/or roasted potatoes. (roasted can do it all in the oven)
salmon piccata instead of chicken piccata with aspargus and mushrroms on top of mashed potatoes.

if youre worried about not filling them up set out veggie appitizers or mini cheese pizza muffins/bagel bites/pizza bites. or have a dessert for sure mmmm. good luck.

Stir fry with tofu. Cut the tofu into cubes and mix it with a little low-sodium soy sauce, then do a mix of vegetables. People can pick out what they don't like. Serve with brown rice. Lots of fiber & protein, very filling.

Or, bean enchiladas - spread some refried beans on a large tortilla, add some other beans (black, kidney, pinto), a handful of frozen corn, some chopped peppers, some onions, and some cheese (cheddar or Mexican blend). Add, increase or reduce ingredients as needed for special problems. Put in anything else that you think would go nicely. Sometimes I put in a few frozen peas. Roll up & fasten with toothpick. Line them up on a baking sheet, top with tomato sauce mixed with cilantro or with bottled enchilada sauce (leave it off your husband's) and bake for 20 minutes. You can add a little more cheese to the top for the last 10 minutes. Serve with brown rice. You can make the enchiladas ahead of time and put the baking sheet in the fridge, and the rice cooks itself in 45 minutes. Just put the baking sheet in the oven for the last 20 minutes of the rice cooking time - but have it at room temp for about 20 minutes too.

BTW there is a phenomenal company (actually based in your state of Missouri) which makes a great digestive product that has solved so many people's acid reflux, it's astounding. It's patented so it's safe, unique and effective - all food, no drugs. My husband can eat a lot more things now that he's been on it. But in the short run, you can leave any troublesome vegetables out of your husband's enchilada - I used to leave out the onion and reduce the peppers, then put 2 toothpicks in my husband's so I knew which one was less spicy!

You could also do a veggie lasagna with eggplant, zucchini and peppers in the sauce, and just leave out the meat. You could use all ricotta or you could use half tofu and half cottage cheese - just mix in the food processor with whatever herbs you are using (basil, Italian seasoning, etc.).

Tilapia Fillets breaded with Panko only on one side with steamed Asparagus and short grain brown rice.

I hear ya. I have high cholesterol and am also anemic. So, coming up with dinner ideas is challenging. Plus, I am not much of a cook. I am a fast learner though.

Recently, my husband, who is a chef, taught me how to make Tilapia fillets with a Panko mixture applied to only one side.

I apologize if I sound really elementary with this recipe, but I truthfully don't cook that often. My husband does most of the cooking, but I have to say, I have never messed up this recipe. I better knock on something quick!

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

First, get some Tilapia fillets. They are super easy to cook and cook really fast. I buy them at Costco not frozen.

Dust both sides with salt and pepper.

In a small dish combine plain Panko (Don't substitute with bread crumbs. It won't be as crispy.) with finely diced, fresh garlic, finely chopped parsely, and extra-virgin olive oil. Don't add too much oil. I like to add it to the mixture last. You want to still be able to feel the panko. Don't drench it with the oil.

How much of this mixture you make depends on how many fillets you will be making. If the meal is for over 6 people I would definitely start with, at least, 3 cups of plain Panko.

Liberally bread only one side of each tilapia fillet with your Panko mixture.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush with extra-virgin olive oil. Don't skimp on the olive oil, but don't pour it on either. A nice, light coating will do.

I wondered why you couldn't use a baking dish and my husband said you wouldn't get the same crisp on the fish. Good to know....

Place your fillets on the parchment paper and bake in the oven for about 10-13 minutes. The Panko should look nicely browned and a toothpick should easily slide through the fish. Be careful when removing the fillets from the baking sheet. Oh....don't broil this fish. I'm not sure why, but my husband says just don't. 8)

Serve with a side of steamed asparagus, also dusted with salt and pepper and a piece of lemon on the plate. If you want to add a starch, you can make Lundberg Short Grain brown rice. It is the BEST brown rice I have ever eaten.

A nice white wine with dinner should top it off.

I think a salad bar is nice, quiche, banana or zucchini breads or rolls. I tried an eggplant croquette recipe I found on recipes.com that was really good and easy. Potato or vegetable casseroles, cornbread, vegetable soup, broccoli cheese soup. Grilled or stuffed mushrooms like they have at 54th Street Grill, there are tons of meatless dishes that are "main" dishes.
Eggplant parmisean, ever tried it at Olive Garden? Theirs is the best!
Ever tried "breakfast" for dinner? Waffles, pancakes with different toppings, yogurt and granola, omelets don't need meat.

Broccoli fettuccine with salad and breadsticks!
Salmon patties, mac and cheese, and a veggie

What about spaghetti, tortelli, lasagna, stuffed shells, rigatoni, or ziti with meatless sauce? You can add a nice salad and bread to make it a meal.

Nice pot of soup and breadsticks. Meatless Chili and cornbread. Cheese or Veggie Pizzas.

Also, add a dessert if you want to.

google meatless mooshu. i love it!

what about a spinich quiche dish without meat, or a bean soup? I would do something simple and add a salad to it.

M

What about a vegetable lasagne with an alfredo sauce? You could use broccoli, califlower, carrots, even add chicken if you wanted to!

What about fish? I thought many people do that on those days. Can you do something with shrimp?