Vegetarian Information

Salsas, bean dips, guacamole and other dipping favorites don’t need to be scooped up with unhealthful chips. Use strips of red pepper, cauliflower or broccoli florets or that old faithful, celery. For a new veggie dipper twist, peel a raw sweet potato and slice it into thin “chips”, and dig in!

Tri-Color Chunky Dip
1 16-ounce can small red beans
1 10-ounce can shoepeg corn
2-4 tablespoons hot red pepper relish, or to taste
1 bunch green onions, white part only, sliced thin
1 red or green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

Mix all ingredients together and chill.

Yield: About 3 cups

Spicy Peanut Dip
Note: You can make this as zippy or mild as you like, depending on the heat of your favorite salsa. Add Tabasco sauce to your taste if you want to turn up the heat.

1 cup crunchy style peanut butter
1 cup medium-hot salsa (bottled or home-made)
2 tablespoons brown sugar or the sweetener of your choice, to taste (optional)
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, using a fork to mash up any chunks of salsa. Serve with raw veggies.

Yield: about 2 cups

Spinach-Artichoke Dip or Dressing
1 10-ounce bag baby spinach leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can white beans, drained
1 bunch green onions, sliced (white part)
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
pinch cayenne, to taste
juice of one lemon
2 6-ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped fine

Place all ingredients except the artichokes in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Put the puree in a serving bowl and stir in the chopped artichoke hearts. Serve it with your favorite vegetable dippers or use it to dress a tossed salad.

Yield: About 3 cups

Read my Good Food Book FREE, with 100 healthful recipes.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

Free weekly newsletter on fitness, health, and nutrition.

Tags: diet, dips, healthful recipes, healthy recipes, nutrition, recipe, recipes, vegetariandiet, dips, healthful recipes, healthy recipes, nutrition, recipe, recipes, vegetarian

Share This

Posted by admin under Vegetarian Tips | No Comments »

Chili seasonings bring out the best in vegetables and beans; your family and friends will never miss the meat. You can improvise with these recipes, using whatever type of beans you like, and adding or subtracting other ingredients to match your personal preferences. You can always freeze any leftovers.

Easy Veggie Burger Chili
4 frozen veggie burgers
1 16-ounce bag frozen pepper-onion mix
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 16-ounce can pink beans
1 16-ounce can chick peas
2 cups frozen corn
1 tablespoon mild chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
pinch cayenne, to taste
Cooked barley or other whole grains of your choice

Break the veggie burgers into 1″ chunks. Combine them with all of the other ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes or more, until ready to serve. Ladle over the cooked whole grains of your choice.

6-8 servings

Chafing Dish Chili
This recipe will serve a crowd; it’s perfect for a buffet, or just freeze the leftovers for future “fast food” meals.

2 large onions, chopped
2 green peppers, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons mild chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
5 cups bouillon (or bouillon + beer)
1 pound green lentils
1 cup uncooked bulgur
2 28-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes, undrained, broken up

Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30-40 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Turn off the heat and let it sit until ready to serve (or make ahead and refrigerate.)

Reheat and transfer to a chafing dish or other buffet serving dish. Surround with mugs or small bowls with handles, and your choice of:

Optional serving accompaniments
Fat-free sour cream
Salsa
Chopped cilantro
Red, green and yellow bell pepper slivers
Guacamole
Cooked whole grains
Bottled hot pepper sauce

10-12 servings

Squash Chili
1 winter squash, about 2 pounds
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 pound mushrooms, quartered or cut in 1/2″ pieces
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon mild chili powder
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
pinch cayenne, to taste
2 cups bouillon
1 red bell pepper, cut in 1/2″ pieces
1 can small red or pink beans, drained
2 cups frozen baby lima beans
2 cups frozen corn
2 tablespoons cider vinegar, or to taste
freshly ground black pepper
Cooked barley or other whole grains of your choice

Pierce the squash with a knife in 2 or 3 places. Set in a microwave dish and microwave on high for 3 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Return to the microwave and cook about 8 minutes more, or until you can easily remove the flesh from the skin.

Meanwhile, bring the onion, mushrooms, garlic, spices and bouillon to a boil in a large pot. Reduce the heat and simmer 5-10 minutes or until the onion is softened. Add the squash flesh, cut in chunks, along with the red pepper, pink beans and lima beans. Return to boiling, reduce the heat and simmer 5-10 minutes more, or until the lima beans are cooked. Stir in the corn and vinegar and adjust the seasonings. Serve over cooked whole grains.

6-8 servings

Read my Good Food Book FREE, with 100 healthful recipes.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

Free weekly newsletter on fitness, health, and nutrition.

Tags: chili, diet, healthful recipes, healthy, nutrition, recipe, recipes, vegetarian, vegetarian chilichili, diet, healthful recipes, healthy, nutrition, recipe, recipes, vegetarian, vegetarian chili

Share This

Posted by admin under Vegetarian Tips | No Comments »

A flavorful, mild curry powder or curry paste, or a bottled curry sauce, makes just about any combination of vegetables into a gourmet meal. Try these recipes and then experiment with your own favorite vegetables, whole grains and beans. Serve the curry over cooked whole grains. If you like, serve the curry with small dishes of your choice of — mango chutney, hot lime pickle, chopped salted peanuts (or my favorite, the small Spanish peanuts), lime wedges, shredded coconut, sliced bananas, chopped cucumber, plain yogurt. Each diner can dress up the curry with their own selection of condiments.

Green Bean-Potato Curry
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons curry powder
pinch cayenne, or to taste
3 cups bouillon
6 medium potatoes, cut in bite-size pieces
1 28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, chopped
3 cups green beans (fresh or frozen) in 1″ pieces
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Cooked brown rice, barley or other whole grains of your choice

Bring the onion, garlic, spices, bouillon and potatoes to a boil and simmer 30-40 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Add the tomatoes, beans and spring onions and cook 5-10 minutes more, or until the beans are just crisp-tender. Serve over cooked whole grains.

4-6 servings

Mushroom Mix Curry
4 medium red potatoes, cut in chunks
2 cups bouillon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon mild curry powder
1 teaspoon grated fresh gingerroot
pinch cayenne, to taste
1 16-ounce bag frozen pepper-onion mix
1 16-ounce bag frozen corn-black bean mix
1/2 pound button mushrooms, quartered if large
1/2 pound portobello mushrooms, cut in chunks
Cooked brown rice, barley or other whole grains of your choice

Cooked barley or other whole grains of your choice Bring the potatoes, bouillon and seasonings to a boil in a large pot. Reduce the heat and simmer 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are just tender. Add the frozen vegetables and mushrooms; return to boiling, then reduce the heat and simmer 5-10 minutes. Add more bouillon if the mixture seems too dry. Serve over cooked whole grains.

4-6 servings

Any Vegetable Curry
2 onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup bouillon
1 tablespoon curry powder
pinch cayenne, to taste
6-8 cups vegetables (choose at least two and as many as you like, such as potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, zucchini, yellow squash, etc.), cut in bite-size pieces
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 can chick peas, undrained
1 cup yogurt
Cooked brown rice, barley or other whole grains of your choice
Lime wedges
Bottled mango chutney

Cook onions, green pepper and spices in the bouillon to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the longer-cooking vegetables (potatoes, carrots, etc.), return the pot to boiling, reduce the heat and simmer 10-15 minutes. Add the shorter-cooking vegetables, raisins and chickpeas and cook 5-10 minutes more, or until all the vegetables are tender. Just before serving, stir in the yogurt. Serve over whole grains, accompanied by the lime wedges and chutney.

6-8 servings

Read my Good Food Book FREE, with 100 healthful recipes.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

Free weekly newsletter on fitness, health, and nutrition.

Tags: curries, curry, diet, nutrition, recipe, recipes, vegetables, vegetarian, whole grainscurries, curry, diet, nutrition, recipe, recipes, vegetables, vegetarian, whole grains

Share This

Posted by admin under Vegetarian Tips | No Comments »