3 Simple Vegetarian Recipe Ideas

With more and more people choosing vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, raw or other “specialty” diets, vegetarian recipe ideas can seem more the norm than the outlier. The Maharishi University of Management cafeteria offers exclusively vegetarian fare; yet, diners who are vegan or gluten-free often have little difficulty finding something to satisfy their hunger. Whether you are in a college cafeteria or prepping for a dinner party, it can still be a challenge to whip together a great tasting meal and cater to everyone’s dietary needs.

Vegetarians eat a diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, cereal grains, nuts, seeds and possibly dairy products and/or eggs. The, sometimes confusing, difference between vegetarians and vegans is that vegans avoid dairy and eggs; Vegans may also choose to avoid honey, wool, down, and leather in their lifestyle.

Some college campuses are getting hip to the jive and are offering more food choices in their cafeteria. Maharishi University of Management’s cafeteria serves organic vegetarian meals three times a day and sources many locally grown ingredients; some grown right on campus! Watch the video for an inside peek:

 

You don’t have to be a student to sample the food on campus at Maharishi University of Management. The cafeteria is open to visitors at lunch time (for the cost of a meal) or if you’re thinking of becoming a MUM student, you can come for a  visitors weekends and eat in the cafeteria all weekend.

Here are three helpful vegetarian recipes to have in your mind’s pantry:

1. The appetizer: Guacamole with Home-made Tortilla Chips

Homemade Tortilla Chips

Ingredients:

12 6” corn tortillas (check that they’re certified organic and non-GMO)

1 Tblsp. Vegetable oil

Fine salt

Directions: Brush both sides of the tortillas with oil, stack the tortillas and cut them into sixths. Spread the chips in a single layer on large baking sheets, you’ll probably need two. Season them with salt. Bake until golden brown, approximately 12 -15 minutes, rotating the sheets once to get an even color.

Guacamole:

Ingredients:

Ripe avocadoes (budget ½ an avocado per person, or a 1 if you really like guacamole)

1 lime

Salt

Pepper

Directions: De-pit the avocados, scoop them from their skin, remove any nasty brown bits and mash them all together with a fork. For a creamier guacamole, use a food processor. Add the salt, pepper, and lime juice to taste.

2. The entrée: Build-your-own Burrito

Instructions and Ingredients:

Place the following ingredients on the table in their own dish:

• 6 10” flour tortillas
• 2 c black beans (either from a can and heated or soaked and cooked)
• 2 c cooked rice
• 1-2 c lettuce, finely shredded
• ¼ c cilantro, finely chopped
• 2-3 tomatoes, diced
• 1 c grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
• sour cream
• salsa

3. The dessert: Mayan Chocolate Brownies

 

Directions: Prepare your favorite boxed or homemade brownies, adding ¾ teaspoon ground chile pepper and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the batter. These measurements are for a batch that will bake in a 9 x 13” pan. Serve the brownies with dulce de leche ice cream and sprinkle with cinnamon for a delightful presentation.

Brownie recipe:

Ingredients:

• soft butter, for greasing the pan
• flour for dusting the pan
• 4 large eggs
• 1 c sugar
• 1 c brown sugar
• 8 oz. melted butter
• 1 ¼ c cocoa, sifted
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ c flour, sifted
• ½ tsp salt
• Don’t forget the chile and cinnamon!

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Butter and flour an 8” square pan.

In a mixer, beat the eggs until light and fluffy, they’ll be a light yellow color. Add both sugars. Beat until blended. Add remaining ingredients and mix to combine.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes. Cool almost completely before cutting.

If you enjoyed this post or have any great vegetarian recipe ideas of your own please comment below!

Additional info: Vegetarianism Penn State Here

 

Anna Bruen is a MUM alumnus who graduated with a degree in Sustainable Living. Anna is the resident blogger here at MUM. To learn more about Anna take a look at her introduction post.

Tagged as: vegetarian