Ideas for simple vegetarian dinners

I'm not vegetarian, but husband and I are trying to reduce our meat intake, and we try to eat meatless meals most of the week, although we do still eat fish and chicken. These are a few of our favourite recipes, which you can find on Pinterest. They are all very easy!

Aubergine and sweet potato red Thai curry.
Smokey tomato and halloumi bake.
Lentil lasagne with creamy goats cheese.
Mushroom and black bean chilli.
Mushroom curry with spinach and chickpeas.
Mushroom stroganoff.
Aubergine and potato moussaka.
Butternut squash gratin with blue cheese and sage.

Chilli paneer and naan bread.

I've been veggie for nearly 50 years and have many Rose Elliot books, which were invaluable in the early days when vegetarianism was less common and recipe books were thin on the ground.

I was thinking recently that I haven't heard anything about her or seen any new books for quite a while. She had a magazine column years ago, but never seemed to be tempted (or invited?) down the celebrity cook route. Does anyone know if she's still working?

If you really wish to impress, mushroom wellington tastes and looks great.

I’ve enjoyed all these too,especially the eggs and asparagus (although I realise vegetarians may not eat eggs- you could just leave them out.)
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/may/17/potato-asparagus-lettuce-recipes-fearnley-whittingstall

This is my quick supper: put some pasta on to cook. Then take some spring onions, and little tomatoes. Sauté them in some nice olive oil. Add mushrooms, broccoli, aparagus, baby sweet corn, courgettes etc- whatever you have in the fridge. Add the herbs you like: basil, oregano, parsley, chives...fresh, frozen or dried. Garlic too, if you like it. When the pasta is cooked toss with butter ( if you like) and black pepper, then put veg mixture on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan ( or veggie option) and eat with bread, garlic bread or breadsticks and a nice glass of wine. Takes about 20 mins all told. You can also add rocket, peas or spinach just before the end, or eat with a green salad on the side.

bought some mushroom 'sausages' today, fancied something a little different, they were delicous, might be worth looking in the vegetarian section of supermarkets for inspiration

My fall back is cauliflower cheese with veggie sausages or burgers and new potatoes.

I’m a carnivore (lamb chops are my favourite!) but I do eat vegetarian evening meals about 3 times a week. Really like black eyed beans cooked Indian style with rice. Also pasta shells cooked, then stuffed with a mix of ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan cheeses and mixed with basil and baked with a tomato sauce with more mozarella and Parmesan on top.

You can still make his shepherds pie or lasagne using frozen soya mince. It's very edible so you could all eat it. My son has been a veggie for years now so I've got loads of recipes but if you want something simple that always goes down well if he is pescatarian, you could put a good sized chunk of salmon on one oiled tray and some chicken breasts on another. Put a spoonful of red pesto on each one then top with a thick slice of cheddar and bake in the oven. The fish will cook quicker than the breasts so allow for that. Then serve with mini roasties sprinkled with oregano and some green beans. Or roasted veg. Always goes down well with mine and it's so simple. I usually plonk the salmon/breasts on a few baby spinach leaves too as they soak up the oil from the pesto nicely and wilt down with the hot plates and the hot food on top. You can use green pesto if you prefer.

We don't eat Quorn as it disagrees. It's a mould protein unlike soya. Not everyone can tolerate it. First couple of times it gave me the trots and pain but the second I vomited. It seems, having checked online, it disagrees with a lot of people. It gives my son a funny tummy too.

Make what you usually make him but with Quorn mince

Take about 1 dl of red lentils per person. Rinse the lentils well and put them on to boil with a finely chopped onion, and salt.

They should be just covered with cold water. Bring them to the boil, turn down the heat and let them simmer until they are soft and the water has more-or-less been absorbed. Keep an eye on them while the simmer, as they do tend to boil dry.

When the lentils and onions are cold, mix in one egg for a portion for 4 people, 2 eggs if you are cooking for more, pepper and cumin to taste. Add two ´three tablespoons of flour and stir well. The result should be a firm enough mixture for you to form it with a spoon into "meat balls" and fry gently until golden brown.

Boiling the mixture takes about 25 minutes.

You can serve these warm or cold with potatoes and carrots and a little melted butter.

You can use any kind of flour you like, wheat, wholemeal, corn flour or potato flour.

They are ideal on picnics as they taste good cold and keep very well.

Another fish recipe that does not taste fishy is white fish and tomato pie. Layer up tomatoes ( fresh on tinned) then fish. Then again and end with tomatoes and finally a mix of bread crumbs and finely chopped onions. Some Marge on top. Bake about 30 minutes or so. I have to be in the mood for fish and this works for me.

Buy a packet of filo pastry. Lay it out - double layer, and brush with butter. Lay chopped up vegetables on it - any and all sorts - roll it up, brush with butter and bake. Serve with a salad dressed with vinegrette and any other vegetable you've got. Plenty of small bread rolls and cheese on standby. Starter: soup.

The fish cake recipe is good. I make them but put horseradish sauce into mix ( not tartare ). It spices it up.

Veggie pizza with garlic bread?

winterwhite - you could try sardines in fishcakes. Probably best the ones in tomato sauce. Mix with mashed potatoes, an egg, then fry in spoonfuls.
Otherwise - our cat and dog used to come running when I opened a tin of sardines .

I was Veggie for 25 years. It is actually very easy- get down to the library & get a couple of Veggie cookbooks rather then buy some you may not use often. I never liked Quorn but you can make some delicious easy recipes & probably the rest of the family will enjoy them too.

BBC food has loads of recipes. Being veggie (I have for 40 years and vegan for a year) I find it so much easier now than back then to find recipe books and now recipes online. Supermarkets are full of ready prepared both veggie and vegan. I know you will enjoy cooking the food. Oh and make gorgeous colourful salads as well.

Try The Green Roasting Tin: Vegan and Vegetarian One Dish Dinners. Wonderfully easy to prepare and cook with lots of tasty recipes. Much used book in our family.

Does anyone have any good ideas for turning sardines into anything other than on toast, sandwiches, jacket potato filling? I love them, and they seem under-used.

jacq10 I've got an old Rose Elliot book - Not Just a Load of Old Lentils. I used to use it a lot.
She has different sections on pasta dishes , pastry dishes etc As well as soups and desserts., and cheese.
As far as I remember she uses mostly pulses as a protein .
And a lot of nuts.

I like this one -

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/12355/roasted-peppers-with-tomatoes-and-anchovies

Any type of pasta can be dressed up
Jacket potatoes with cheese/beans. Risotto, lasagna, Linda macartney sausages, pieminister do a great vegan pie. X

Google recipes, hairy bikers do vegetarian, also nom nom, Mary berry, there are loads just get yourself a note book and copy in to it or just save it to your phone. Curry's are great made with chickpeas and cauliflower popcorn are very nice. Good luck ?