We take so much effort to prepare meat, poultry, fish, etc., and no wonder they taste so good. But, why are we so laid back when it comes to vegetarian dishes. Let’s take a look at some interesting vegetarian dishes that your family is sure to welcome wholeheartedly…
Parents often find themselves struggling to get their kids to finish their veggies. Force feeding can be frustrating for both the parent as well as the child. But what’s the solution? Well, how about trying out some new dishes, that are not only pleasing to the palate, but also furnish the body with all the essential nutrients. So prepare yourself to embrace peaceful, enjoyable meals with your family! Let’s take a look at the different recipes you can prepare.
Rainbow Fajitas
Children love a bit of drama and color. So let’s give them what they want for their dinner tonight. Rainbow fajita is a tortilla roll filled with various kinds of colorful vegetables.
Ingredients
- 8 flour tortillas (8 inch)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 yellow squash, halved and sliced into strips
- ½ cup salsa
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation
- In an aluminum foil, wrap the tortillas, and place them in the oven. Turn heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake for 15 minutes.
- Heat oil over medium to high heat in a 10 inch skillet. Add garlic, onions, red and green peppers, and stir continuously. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir the vegetables in the oil squashing them. Stir in salsa, cumin, and salt. Cover and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Add the vegetable mixture evenly in the center of the warm tortilla, and sprinkle some cheese and cilantro. Roll up the tortillas, and serve.
Tip: Serve with hot salsa sauce or add jalapeno peppers if you like your fajitas spicy hot! However, where kids are concerned, it’s better to cut down on the spice.
Vegetable Ratatouille
This stewed vegetable dish can be served on its own, or along with some steamed rice or noodles.
Ingredients
- 2 onions, sliced into thin rings
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium eggplant, cubed
- 2 zucchini, cubed
- 2 medium yellow squash, cubed
- 2 green bell peppers, seeded and cubed
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 chopped red bell pepper
- 4 plum tomatoes, chopped
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
- Heat 1½ tablespoons of the oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft.
- Heat 1½ tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet, and sauté the zucchini in batches until slightly browned on all sides. Remove the zucchini and add to the large pot with the onions and garlic.
- Saute all the remaining vegetables in batches, adding 1½ tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet every time you add a new batch of vegetables. Once the vegetables are sautéed, add them to the large pot.
- Season with salt and pepper. Add the bay leaf and thyme and cook over medium flame for 15 to 20 minutes. Cover the pot.
- Add chopped tomatoes and parsley to the large pot. Cook for another 10-15 minutes and stir occasionally.
- Remove the bay leaf and adjust the seasoning according to taste.
Tip: Serve with crepes and mixed green salad. You can freeze the extra ratatouille to be eaten later. You can also prepare a casserole with the leftovers.
Indian Vegetarian Korma
The Indian vegetarian korma is a dish that calls for curry powder. It’s always good to try something new and since it comprises lots of vegetables, it’s healthy as well.
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 potatoes, cubed
- 4 carrots, cubed
- 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced
- 3 tablespoons cashew paste
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1½ tablespoons curry powder
- 1 cup frozen green peas
- ½ cup green bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro for garnish
Preparation
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium flame. Stir in the onion and cook until tender. Mix in ginger and garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute.
- Mix potatoes, carrots, jalapeno, cashew paste, and tomato sauce. Season with salt and curry powder. Cook for 10 minutes stirring continuously or till the potatoes are tender.
- Add peas, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and cream into the skillet. Reduce to low flame, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
Tip: Korma is a type of gravy that should be served with rice or bread.
Broiled Tofu with Coconut, Mango Salad
This colorful salad is sure to not only brighten up the meal, but also the faces of those around the dinner table. The excellent mix of vegetables, fruits, and tofu makes it a delectable delight for hungry mouths.
Ingredients
- 1¼ oz. tub extra firm tofu
- ½ cup canola oil
- ½ cup flour
- 1 cup roasted macadamia nuts
- 1 stick margarine
- 1 tablespoon red curry paste
- ½ cup unsweetened, shredded coconut, lightly toasted
- 2 mangoes, diced
- 4 cups spinach
- Juice of 2 limes
Preparation
- Drain and press the tofu. Preheat oven to broil. Pour the canola oil into a 13″x 7″ baking dish.
- Heat the baking dish on the middle rack of the oven for 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, combine flour and macadamia nuts in a food processor, pulsing until coarsely chopped, with chunky bits of nuts.
- Place the flour mixture in a shallow bowl for dredging. In the same food processor, add margarine and curry paste and pulse till smooth and evenly mixed.
- Coat each piece of tofu with the curried margarine, using about 1 teaspoon on each side. Dredge tofu in the flour mixture. Press generous amounts of nuts into the tofu.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and carefully add tofu. Broil tofu on the middle rack for 10 minutes. Turn tofu pieces over and broil for another 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, prepare the coconut mango salad. Toast coconut on the lightest setting in a toaster oven.
- Peel the mangoes and dice the flesh into ½ inch cubes. Toss coconut, mango, and spinach into a large salad bowl.
- Squeeze lime juice over the salad and toss them again. Divide equally into 4 dinner plates.
- Remove tofu from the pan draining off excess oil on a plate lined with paper towels. Lay 2 pieces of tofu on top of the coconut mango salad. Serve immediately.
Tip: Drained and pressed tofu has a firm consistency, thus, will not crumble when you broil them in the oven.
Such vegetarian dishes are sure to increase the excitement around the dinner table. While each family is different, their taste preferences also vary. Thus, tweak the recipes accordingly, and prepare a meal your family will enjoy!
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