Need Quick 'N Easy Vegetarian Recipes

Have you tried fried rice? Just fry some eggs, add (cooked) rice, and vegetables and you're set. Costco sells a delicious organic frozen veggie mix that I use all the time, the veggies are cut nice and small for toddlers.

I would try to introduce some soy products, like tofu, which can be disguised many many ways and takes on the flavor of what you coook it wuth. It is a great source of protien.

I think its time she eats what the rest of you eat.Sounds to me you are letting her run your life and believe me, it will,in the end,make you miserable.My daughters were the same way and I had twins.They didn't want to eat meat at all and I told them they would have to eat a tiny bit and would cut it up small.She will learn to eat it.
Now,if it was back in my day ,we were raised on a farm and in povery times and learned if we didn't eat what was put in front of us,we didn't eat and yes,we learned to LOVE everything,lol.

Quesadillas - cheese, sweet potato and black bean are great (and you can mush the beans so she doesn't notice them). I agree with other posters to try tofu. You can also try the veggie sausage - my daughter loves those, same goes for veggie burgers (just check the label for nuts if you are worried about that). Finally, try making egg dishes rather than just eggs - strata (savory bread pudding), frittata, etc. Try "breakfast" dishes for other meals and have a cooked fruit (sauteed apples are great) instead of a veggie.

You can keep trying to get her to eat meat, but as long as you don't mind eating vegetarian, that's probably just as healthy for all of you. Finally, I don't believe in "cooking" alternate meals for my kids either, but if I make a meat dish my daughter doesn't like, I just make sure she likes the sides and I let her have a stick of cheese instead. I figure I'm not a short order cook, so I'm not cooking a different meal, but at the same time I don't cook things that I don't like to eat, and it seems unfair to force foods on my daughter just because she's too small to cook for herself.

Quinoa is a wonderful food. It is a complete protein for humans so it will satisfy her nutritional requirements for protein all in itself. Dress it up in many ways for variety. Buy it in the bulk section of some grocery stores and most health food stores. Rinse it very well in a sieve. Cook it like rice (twice as much water as quinoa). Its done in about 15 minutes (when water is all gone). It has a nutty flavor. You can find all sorts of recipes online, but for a quick dinner I just add my favorite pasta sauce and/or a little cheese. Or you can throw a veggie boullion cube in its cooking water for a different flavor. If you have a few more minutes, saute up some veggies and add it in.

I think you should pick up a vegetarian cookbook!
Maybe introduce tofu or other types of beans. I know my girls always enjoyed chick peas and black beans as finger foods.
You should also start trying many different ways of preparing meats for her. Try seasoning it and cutting it into tiny pieces. Sometimes I think little ones reject the texture- so giving it to her cut into tiny strips or shreds might give her a different feel.
Good luck,
S.

This is always a hit & super easy! I've brought it to family picnics and it goes quick. It is nice and light on a hot summer night!

Need:
1 carton of tiny tomatoes (like cherry or grape)
1/3 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 lb (half box) angle hair or similar pasta
bread crumbs

first prepare the pasta according to directions.
While that cooks, combine the basil, olive oil and tomatoes (half or quarter those first if you like).

When the pasta is done, add the tomato mixture.
Add the bread crumbs before serving.

This dish is awesome warm, cold, or even reheated in Microwave.

Good luck!
I've had a hard time with the meat thing too! I can't wait until that passes!

Well I can't say I blame her for not wanting meat. I've been a vegetarian for over 10 years, but even when I was younger and ate meat, I was extremely picky about it. Don't push her to eat meat if she really just doesn't want it. Just make sure you teach her how to eat healthy. Keep everything else the same, just make a different protein for her.

I am lucky enough now that I married a chef and he's very creative with vegetarian things for me.

Try making hummus. It's very easy and lasts for a good amount of time. We make ours very simply. A can of chick peas, some lemon juice, about 4 or 5 cloves of garlic (we love garlic) and olive oil. If you have a food processor, it's so easy.

"Meat"loaf is good too. I'm not sure on the exact ratio of things since my husband makes it, but it's lentils, black beans, chick peas, ketchup, bread crumbs, and egg. We don't put it in a loaf pan, just form in on a baking sheet. You can freeze that too after you cook it so you'll always have something handy.

One of my favorites is tofu nuggets. We even had the pickiest kids eating it. Cut up extra firm tofu into nugget sized pieces. Coat them in flour, then milk, and then bread crumbs (we use panko bread crumbs). They bake up very nicely.

We've been raising our 19 month old vegetarian even though my husband is a meat eater and we've always found ways to get her protein and she loves them all.

There are a lot of "fake meat" products in the health food and frozen foods sections. They are generally soy or veggie based. Cascadian Farms comes to mind as one brand. Of course, if it's the texture of the meat, this may not help.
Good luck,
J.

Hi J. :)

Sounds like your little darling is getting everything she needs from her diet. When I was little, my brother refused to eat meat and I remember my mother being very concerned. She would take the time to chop up ham or crabmeat(used to be very affordable) verrrry fine, and add it to waffles or pancakes. Now, we know that meat isn't something you need to eat every day, and this is the time of year to enjoy summer's bounty.

I love, basically, a stir-fry of summer veggies in a couple of table spoons of olive oil, like your choice of, summer squash, zuchinni, green onions, green beans, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers... whatever you like, and serve it over pasta or rice or by itself... if you like it saucier, add some ragu, have some crusty bread and cheese on the side... heaven. :)

And for a snack, there's nothing like fresh picked tomatoes, cut in chunks and sprinkled with a little sugar... try it. :)

L. :)

Hi - my son 12mth son loves this...I boil beans, steam carrots and parsnip, then blend all together...never know about the beans but lots of protein. Good luck!

as for mac n cheese. Try Annie's shells and cheddar brand and you add some peas, chopped spinach, any kind veggie you will throw in it and maybe some cut up veggie burger? instead of plain mac n cheese.

It may sound gross but my son eats ground turkey mixed with apple sauce( sort of like pork chops & apple sauce or turkey with cranberry) So you can cook up some ground turkey set some asside for her( I freeze it in ice cube trays) & take the rest & make tacos, sauce, manwich. Hope this helps