10 recipes for popular vegetarian dishes, daily diet and sample menu for the week

The diet of a vegetarian differs from the diet of the average person in that followers of this diet do not consume meat from animals, birds, fish, or seafood. Some individuals refuse eggs, honey and milk, clothing made from genuine leather and fur, and products with ingredients of animal origin. This is done for ethical, environmental, economic, medical or religious reasons.

Vegetarians do not eat animal meat.

Philosophy and varieties of vegetarianism

Recently, plant-based nutrition has become popular everywhere.
Vegetarianism is a common type of diet throughout the world. Stores sell many products that are designed specifically for people who follow a predominantly plant-based diet.

Not everyone understands why followers of this movement adhere to such strict rules in food. Others, on the contrary, want to join the movement and also change their lifestyle.

The philosophy of vegetarianism is to minimize the exploitation of animals, that is, it carries humanistic goals. Also, adherents of the movement care about nature and the environment, since the spread of livestock farming has a negative impact on the environment.

Many more vegetarians monitor their health, which is why they come to this lifestyle. They give up not only junk food, but also bad habits, force themselves to exercise, watch their figure, etc.

How to replace meat and fish?

Meat, poultry and fish are sources of large amounts of protein. The average person gets his daily protein intake from these foods.

Vegetarians are advised to consume more plant protein:

• nuts;
• legumes;
• cereals;
• cereals, etc.

It's actually not that hard to replace animal foods in your diet. The main thing is to develop a habit. For example, buy different nuts every day and eat at least a handful a day.

You also need to plan your diet, that is, calculate the amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in advance. You can do this yourself, taking into account the person’s lifestyle and body weight.

General information

Everyone knows that vegetarian cuisine completely excludes meat. As for other products of animal origin - fish, milk, eggs - it all depends on the type of vegetarianism that a person adheres to.
But in any case, many people think that the restrictions that exist for vegetarians lead to the fact that the diet under this system is not very varied. In fact, such a statement is a big misconception. After all, vegetarian food can be original and very diverse. Both first and second courses, and numerous sweets - all this can be prepared without animal products. This article contains fairly simple recipes that can be used every day to diversify your vegetarian menu. All these vegetarian recipes with photos do not require too expensive or exotic products. But such dishes are very tasty and healthy for the body. Therefore, vegetarian cooking may be of interest not only to those who profess the principles of this movement.

How to maintain a balance of vitamins and minerals?

To maintain your health, you need to eat more raw vegetables and fruits , more nuts and grains. Also eat less fat, flour, and sweets.

It is recommended to undergo tests from time to time for preventive purposes. After a sharp refusal of animal food, hemoglobin may decrease.

He is supported on a plant-based diet with a large amount of greens, pomegranates, and cereals, as they contain iron. It is very important to eat so that the body has enough vitamins and minerals. For example, with a lack of vitamin C, hemoglobin can be greatly reduced, even if you drink it in capsules.

Vegetarians, as well as people with other types of nutrition, are recommended to take courses of vitamins in order to prevent deficiency of certain elements . Particular attention is paid to vitamins A, B, iron and calcium.

Vegetarianism has a positive effect on health if you eat a varied and balanced diet. Many doctors follow a plant-based diet and promote it to their patients. Although many people may have different opinions on this matter.

Diet for the day and sample menu for the week

Vegetarians, like people with other types of nutrition, are recommended to take courses of vitamins in order to prevent deficiency of certain elements.
The diet for a vegetarian is compiled on the same principle as for a person who eats meat and dairy products. It may vary depending on the severity of the type of nutrition, as well as individual characteristics. If there are any health problems, then the list of products is compiled taking this factor into account.

You can eat the same thing, but replace the usual ingredients with plant-based ones. Instead of cow's milk, add soy, nut or rice milk.

Replace the meat with soy texture too. They may taste strange at first, but you can get used to it.

It is important to learn how to properly prepare such food, because it is different from the usual.

It is not prohibited to use spices, sauces, seasonings and other additives for taste.

It is advisable to immediately create a menu for the week ahead , so that later you don’t have to think about recipes and dishes, eating according to plan. For several days you can cook soup, simmer stews, bake something floury, prepare side dishes and snacks. It is not recommended to make portions for seven days in advance; it is better to take care of yourself for 3-4 days, and then eat fresh.

Vegetable dishes will not stay in the refrigerator for a long time and will quickly spoil. If a person leads an active lifestyle or plays sports, then he should buy vegetable protein powder or eat more beans, nuts, and grains.

Be sure to read: When is it better to eat fruit: in the morning or in the evening, before or after meals, after what time, how much

Below is a sample vegetarian menu for the week:

Almost a meat cutlet

Bulgur is an invaluable find for a vegetarian diet. After all, this is a generous source of vegetable protein, and its reserves need to be replenished daily. In addition, this cereal is rich in B vitamins, which help fight irritability and fatigue, and also ensure sound sleep. In terms of nutritional composition, bulgur cutlets with mushrooms and vegetables are in no way inferior to meat cutlets.

Ingredients:

• bulgur – 250 g
• champignons – 100 g
• onion - 1 head
• zucchini - 0.5 pcs.
• spinach - 1 handful
• garlic - 2-3 cloves
• flour - 130 g
• olive oil - 1 tbsp. l. into cutlets + for frying
• salt, black pepper - to taste
• bread crumbs - 150 g
• lettuce leaves for serving

First of all, boil the bulgur in salted water until tender. Place the cereal in a colander to cool and remove excess liquid. Grate the zucchini on a medium grater and squeeze thoroughly with your hands. Chop the onion and spinach as finely as possible, chop the champignons into small cubes. Pass the garlic through a press.

Combine bulgur, zucchini, spinach, mushrooms, onions and garlic in a deep container. Sift the flour here, add salt and pepper to taste, knead into a homogeneous thick mass. We form it into neat cutlets, roll in ground breadcrumbs, and fry in olive oil on both sides. Serve the finished cutlets warm on lettuce leaves.

Several recipes for popular vegetarian dishes

Below are detailed instructions to help you prepare the most popular and common vegetarian dishes.

They will please even those who are not used to eating plant foods. You can change the recipe to your taste and add something else.

Vegetarian borscht

Vegetarian borscht
Meat in borscht can be replaced with beans. It turns out to be a very tasty, satisfying and simple soup.

Components:

• beets (2 pcs.);
• cabbage (small head);
• potatoes (4-5 pcs.);
• carrots (1-2 pcs.);
• onion (1 pc.);
• beans (150-200 grams);
• vegetable oil for frying;
• salt, dry herbs, spices, pepper to taste.

Preparation:

1. First, chop or peel all the vegetables: beets, cabbage, onions, potatoes, carrots and others to your taste.
2. Pre-soak the beans or open the can. Red, white, or any other will do.
3. Fry vegetables in vegetable oil, boil potatoes and beets.
4. Bring the soup until half cooked over low heat. Salt and add spices to taste. 15 minutes before turning off the burner, throw beans and fried vegetables into the broth.
5. Let it brew on the stove, covered, and add fresh herbs if desired.
6. Serve with sour cream, pepper or just as is.

It is recommended to think about a snack: for example, sandwiches on skewers with vegetables or mushrooms.

Beans stewed in tomato sauce

Beans stewed in tomato sauce
Beans are very healthy, and they are extremely easy and quick to cook.

The following ingredients are used to extinguish it:

• carrots (2 pcs.);
• onion (1 pc.);
• fresh or dried herbs (to taste);
• salt and spices (to taste);
• vegetable oil.

You can add champignons, tomato, bell pepper, Brussels sprouts or cauliflower, garlic and other ingredients.

Preparation:

1. Soak the beans first or use ready-made ones from a can.
2. Chop all the vegetables in advance, mix them with beans and place in a frying pan or slow cooker. All ingredients have the same cooking time.
3. Fill the dish with water, pepper and salt, add vegetable oil.
4. Cook over low heat for half an hour, stirring occasionally
5. 10 minutes before removing from heat, add about two or three tablespoons of tomato paste or ketchup to the beans.

Potato-tomato casserole

Potato and tomato casserole
Potato casserole with tomatoes is prepared from a minimum amount of ingredients:

• potatoes (7-9 pcs.);
• tomato (2 pcs.);
• sauce or mayonnaise (to taste, about 4 tablespoons);
• spices (to taste);
• vegetable oil for greasing the mold.

The sequence is:

1. Peel and boil the potatoes, then mash them into a puree, add salt and a little vegetable margarine.
2. Grease a baking sheet with vegetable oil and place the puree on it in an even layer.
3. Place slices of chopped tomato on top.
4. Grease the casserole with a thick layer of mayonnaise or sour cream sauce.
5. Bake for 20-30 minutes, preheating the oven.

Be sure to read: Budget but effective diet for weight loss: creating a menu for the week

You can find lean sauces if you don’t want to eat animal products.

Apples baked with nuts and dried fruits

Apples baked with nuts and dried fruits
Apples with nuts and dried fruits are a snack for tea or a light snack. It is highly not recommended to replace a full breakfast, lunch or dinner with them. If we consider this as a separate dish, then eat it with something else to fill up.

The fruit must be washed, cored and filled with dried fruits, nuts, and if desired, add a drop of syrup, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and chocolate chips. Place in a preheated oven for a few minutes and the dish is ready.

Energy bars

Energy bars
Bars that quickly replenish energy should be high in calories, satisfying and contain a large amount of protein.

For their preparation they are most often used:

• dried fruits:
• nuts;
• seeds;
• cereals;
• various oils and pastes.

Below is a very unusual recipe, and the sequence of actions is as follows:

1. Take several types of nuts, dry fruits, oatmeal, seeds.
2. Mix everything thoroughly, put an additional spoon of cocoa powder in the container with the ingredients.
3. Pour 100 ml of any plant milk into this mixture.
4. Add a spoonful of peanut butter.

Mix everything thoroughly. If it turns out liquid, then you should add a little more cocoa powder. Shape the bars and bake a little in the oven for 5-10 minutes so that they do not fall apart.

Apple strudel

Apple strudel
The dough for the future strudel should be prepared without eggs and milk. Despite this, it turns out quite tasty and soft. You can also buy ready-made ones in the store.

You will need:

• packaging of finished dough;
• yogurt or sauce (to taste);
• apples (2 pcs.);
• sugar, spices to taste (cinnamon, vanilla, etc.).

Preparation:

1. Cut the apples into thin slices, it is advisable to add cinnamon or a little vanilla to taste.
2. Thaw the dough in advance, knead it, place it on a greased baking sheet. Place apple slices evenly on top.
3. It is recommended to cover the apples with sour cream sauce on top - you can buy soy or regular yogurt based on plant milk.
4. Place the baking sheet in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes (at medium temperature).

Traditionally, strudels are served with ice cream. It can be replaced with frozen berries or a banana cut into slices that had been in the freezer beforehand.

Green smoothie

Green Smoothie
There are so many variations on how to make green smoothies. In fact, you can put any fruits, berries, and vegetables into the blender.

The simplest smoothie recipe is made from the following ingredients:

• banana;
• kiwi;
• green apples.

These fruits can also be mixed with any plant milk: almond, hazelnut, rice, buckwheat, soy, coconut. It will give a creamy taste.

There are also plant-based drinks with chocolate, vanilla and other additives.

Lentils with stewed vegetables

Lentils with stewed vegetables
Lentils are a vitamin-rich product that people should consume with any type of diet. It is relatively simple to prepare, since this culture does not require pre-soaking and cooks a little longer than buckwheat.

You will need:

• lentils (200 grams)
• onion (1 pc.);
• tomatoes (2 pcs.);
• peppers (1-2 pcs.);
• zucchini (1 pc.);
• eggplants (1 pc.);
• a little garlic (2 pcs.);
• carrots (1-2 pcs.);
• mushrooms (about 200 grams).

The cooking sequence is as follows:

1. Lentils need to be cooked and drained in advance.
2. Peel the vegetables to be used.
3. Chop all the ingredients, place in a saucepan along with the lentils, add water, sunflower oil, salt, pepper, spices and start stewing.

Usually 10-15 minutes over medium heat is enough. You can eat the stew with a side dish or separately.

You should try adding some kind of sauce to the stew to enrich the taste of the dish. The choice depends on the preferences of the cook: the easiest way is to make tomato or use ready-made paste or ketchup.

Pear salad with arugula

Pear salad with arugula
This appetizer is rarely prepared, since not everyone likes its flavor combination. There are recipes for salad with arugula and pear without cheeses.

You will need:

• arugula;
• fresh pear;
• cashew nuts;
• walnuts;
• balsamic vinegar;
• olive oil;
• sour green apple;
• lime juice

You can exclude ingredients and add your own. Cut the components into any shape, add the quantity of certain components to taste. This combination of products will not leave even the most experienced cooks indifferent.

Baked pancakes

Baked pancakes
List of ingredients for preparing the dish:

• potatoes (5-6 pcs.);
• flour (50-60 grams);
• salt and spices (to taste);
• sunflower seeds are not enough for frying.

Draniki without eggs and cracklings are prepared according to the following recipe:

1. Grate raw potatoes on a fine grater in the required quantity.
2. After the vegetable gives juice, add about two tablespoons of flour (about 50 grams) to the bowl.
3. Mix everything thoroughly, add salt, sugar and spices to taste.
4. Heat the frying pan, grease it with oil and start cooking.

Be sure to read: TOP 18 most high-calorie foods: dishes for quick weight gain (mass)

Thanks to flour and potato juice, the potato pancakes will not fall apart. They are eaten with sour cream, mayonnaise or vegetables.

Allowed cheese pleasure

A proper vegetarian diet must include quinoa, nutritionists say. This grain, native to Latin America, contains more protein than any other grain. It also contains a lot of fiber, healthy carbohydrates and folic acid. These elements should be in the diet of those who do not eat animal products. We suggest preparing quinoa with tofu and vegetables.

Ingredients:

• quinoa - 200 g
• water - 400 ml for quinoa + 100 ml for raisins
• tofu – 150 g
• broccoli - 100 g
• cauliflower – 100 g
• almonds - 50 g
• raisins – 50 g
• olive oil - 1 tsp. for quinoa + 3 tbsp. l. for frying
• parsley - 2-3 sprigs
• garlic powder - 1 tsp.
• breadcrumbs - 60 g
• salt, black pepper - 0.5 tsp each.

Wash the quinoa, pour boiling water, add a pinch of salt and 1 tsp. olive oil. Cover with a lid and steam for 15 minutes. Separately, pour boiling water over the raisins.

At this time, chop the tofu into large cubes, roll in a mixture of ground breadcrumbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Heat a frying pan with oil and fry the cheese on all sides until crispy. Blanch broccoli and cauliflower in boiling water for 5 minutes, cool, and separate into inflorescences. Lightly mash the almonds with a rolling pin. Mix the prepared quinoa, cauliflower and broccoli onto a plate. Decorate everything with golden tofu cubes, almonds with raisins and chopped parsley.

What to do if you don't have time to cook?

If you don’t have the time or desire to cook something, but have a desire to eat plant-based foods properly, then you should pay attention to ready-made kits sold in supermarkets.

Frozen vegetables are quick to prepare, inexpensive, healthy and tasty. Cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, broccoli, mushrooms, berries, eggplants, pumpkins, zucchini, sweet potatoes, and also sets of other vegetables - all this is sold everywhere.

You should also pay attention to what you have never tried before.

In addition to rice and buckwheat, vegetarians eat mung bean, chickpeas, quinoa, bulgur and other types of crops that people with a standard diet rarely buy. But in vain, these cereals are very healthy and contain a huge amount of essential substances.

The most common questions

There are a number of the most common and popular questions about vegetarianism that are asked to representatives of this movement. Answers to some of them are given below.

Do vegetarians eat fish or eggs?

Many vegetarians eat dairy products and eggs. Pescetarians also eat seafood. It all depends on what specific ideology a person adheres to.

How to diversify your diet?

To diversify your diet, you need to look for alternatives to regular foods. For example, in addition to all the well-known cereals, there are chickpeas, mung beans, and bulgur. They are very healthy, tasty, and they make a lot of interesting dishes. It is also recommended to pay attention to soy products: tofu, curds, and so on.

How not to get upset at the holiday table?

As a rule, there is no talk of breakdowns, since most people approach this diet consciously and their desire to eat meat disappears. If there are no goals and this is just a gastronomic experiment, then you should not strictly limit your food preferences.

In order not to eat something harmful at the holiday dinner, it is advisable to prepare separate alternative dishes with herbal ingredients for yourself. For example, if someone eats meat, then you can fry potatoes, mushrooms, and vegetables for yourself. They are nourishing, tasty, and therefore it will be much easier to cope with cravings for animal food.

Varieties of vegetarianism

There are several types and subtypes of vegetarianism. There are people who do not eat meat, fish, or poultry, but eat dairy products, honey and eggs. Such people are representatives of classical vegetarianism. A more strict type of diet that excludes the consumption of any animal products is called veganism.

People most often become vegans solely for ethical reasons , since in addition to nutrition, this philosophy implies a complete rejection of the livestock industry.

Vegans refuse wool, leather clothes and shoes, do not wear fur, and try not to visit zoos, circuses and similar entertainment venues. Their position is to distance themselves from animal exploitation as much as possible.

There are also pescatarians. These are people who do not eat the meat of warm-blooded animals. In other words, those who eat only fish and seafood, as well as eggs and dairy products.

You can't ruin pizza with vegetables

Any dish can be vegetarian, even pizza. Meat ingredients can successfully replace mushrooms. It is a complete source of plant protein, including 18 essential amino acids. And although this is a fairly nutritious product, it is digested easily and quickly. There are many variations of vegetarian pizza with mushrooms. We offer this recipe.

Dough:

• flour - 230 g
• water - 125 ml
• dry yeast - 1.5 tsp.
• vegetable oil - 1 tbsp. l.
• salt, sugar - 1 tsp each.

Filling:

• champignons – 300 g
• tomatoes - 2 pcs.
• corn - 50 g
• green basil - 1 sprig
• tomato sauce - 3 tbsp. l.

Dissolve yeast and sugar in a bowl with warm water, leave in a warm place until a fluffy cap appears. Sift the flour and salt in a heap, make a well in the center, pour in the suitable dough and the vegetable matter. Knead and knead the soft dough with your hands, cover with a towel, and put in a warm place for an hour.

Cut the champignons into wide slices and the tomatoes into beautiful slices.

Divide the dough into two parts, roll out a round layer from each. Lubricate them with tomato sauce, lay out mushrooms and tomatoes, sprinkle with corn. Bake the pizza in the oven at 200°C for 15–20 minutes, and before serving, decorate with green basil leaves.