So many possibilities.... corn on the cob, grilled veggie kabobs, watermelon, the amazing amount of vegetarian salads and hors d'oeuvres. This 4th of July I am serving a variety of hors d'oeuvres including some vegetarian options for me and another guest. Here are a few vegetarian hors d'oeuvre recipes....
* Cheese-stuffed Cherry Tomatoes -
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese 2 Tbsp buttermilk
1 pk (4 oz) garlic and herb cheese spread (allouette) 36 cherry tomatoes
1) cut off tops of tomatoes, remover center, invert onto paper towel lined baking sheet to drain
2) mix cheese spread and buttermilk in processor until smooth, add cheddar pulse 2-3 times
3) place cheese mix into tomatoes
4) refrigerate at least 1 hour
* Artichoke Dip - Great with crackers
1 can or jar of artichoke hearts 1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup minced garlic 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1) preheat oven
2) drain artichokes, finely chop artichokes in food chopper
3) mix artichokes, mayonnaise, garlic, and cheese
4) place mixture in a small, shallow greased baking dish (8x8)
5) bake at 350* for 35 minutes or until golden brown
6) Refrigerate to chill befor serving or serve warm
* Vegetable/Chip Dip -
1 package Hidden Valley Ranch dip 1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1) mix ingredients together
2) place in refrigerator to chill before serving
I love the combination of green peppers and onions. In fact it is my favorite pizza toppings. I use sauteed green peppers and onions for many of my dishes. Here are a few...
* Peppers and Rice - Saute green peppers and onions then add your favorite vegetarian spaghetti sauce and pour over white (or brown is you prefer) rice. I like to add red, yellow, and orange peppers to this as well. I learned this delicious dish from my Mother-in-law. I usually cook chicken on the side for my husband.
* Goulash - Saute green peppers in onions and add to cooked pasta (such as elbow macaroni, or small shells) and add tomato sauce. I like to you Italian tomato sauce since it is already seasoned. You can add a beef alternative if you like. I add beef when making it for the meat-eaters in my life.
* Mexican wraps - Fill a tortilla with sauteed green peppers and onion, rice and beans, avocado slices, and vegetarian black beans. Roll it up and top it with shredded cheese (I like to use Mexican blend), salsa, and sour cream. I put chicken pieces in them for my family and friends.
How do you like to use green peepers and onions???
Today I had one of my favorite fast food dinners...Taco bell. They have a new meatless item on the menu!!! Okay, I'm sure it has been there a while but I just discovered it and tried it today. It is a 7 layer burrito.The items include cheese, seasoned rice, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole, and reduced fat sour cream. It was tasty!
Taco Bell also offer other veggie items including cheesy bean and rice burrito, cheese wrap, bean burrito, fresco bean burrito, cheesy nachos, not to mention their fabulous sides. However, my favorite thing about Taco Bell is that they will make ANYTHING on there menu without meat. They do charge the same price for items with or without meat though. The magic Taco Bell word is "SUBSTITUTE". In years past I would get annoyed because they charged the same price for taking meat off and then charged me $0.25 extra per item to add beans. Then a nice cashier explain that if they substitute the item it doesn't charge extra.
So my final conclusion is that Taco Bell is Veggie Friendly!
I am a vegetarian because I am allergic to meat! You read that correct... allergic! It's okay through because I never liked the taste of meat products. In fact, I am the only vegetarian I know that doesn't eat tofu, soy, or any other types of meat alternatives. I also don't like seafood.
Since I don't eat meat or seafood, eating out can be both tricky and frustrating. I created this blog to share my experiences with others and hopefully meet other vegetarians like myself.
I live in Northeast Ohio. So the majority of the restaurants will be from this area.
Reminder: This is my blog! So the posting are my experiences. Some things differ depending on location, server, and/or manager on duty!
