This is an easy dressing that you can mix up in minutes with common ingredients you already have in your kitchen. It’s the best!
Ingredients:
1/3 c. red wine vinegar
1/4 c. of chopped fresh dill OR 1 Tbsp. dry dill weed
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
Whisk all above ingredients together until well blended.
Then add 2/3 – 3/4 c. extra virgin olive oil, and whisk again.
Serve over a salad that includes Romaine lettuce, sliced sweet onion, sliced green bell peppers, cucumbers, black Greek olives (Kalamata), and tomatoes. Top with crumbled feta cheese (look for vegetarian) if desired.
( Note: Sometimes I toss everything above with cooled cooked wholegrain pasta to make a complete meal.)
Good Eatz Green Cafe, 701 Penn Ave., West Reading, PA 19611. 610-670-4885. Open Monday – Saturday 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. http://www.GoodEatz.org.
Good Eatz is a new restaurant on the main strip in the quaint shopping district of West Reading. Advertised as a green cafe, you can expect to find quality organic ingredients in an ecologically responsible environment. Their baked goods are not only organic, but gluten-free. Many vegetarian, and even vegan, options are available, and the friendly and helpful staff is more than willing to make alterations to suit your dietary requirements. This is a blessing for those who avoid eating out because of complicated dietary restrictions or preferences. The decor is modern and relaxed without being too trendy. I found the menu to be reasonably priced for the quality and variety of menu selections.
Last night I visited with a few friends, all of us ordering vegetarian dishes. My sauteed vegetable wrap was a delightful surprise for someone who has gnawed through many dry tasteless wraps at restaurants before. This wrap at Good Eatz was by far the BEST vegetable wrap I have ever had. It included a generous amount of broccoli rabe, butternut squash, onions, cubanel pepper, grilled asparagus, and hummus in a big gluten-free wrap. Included was a generous side serving of quinoa pasta vegetable salad garnished with an organic orange slice and a whole dried date. Delicious.
Other dishes ordered at our table included the Harvest Salad, a compilation of roasted butternut squash, grilled asparagus, dried cranberries, spiced walnuts, and cherry tomato served on a bed of mixed greens with a cranberry white balsamic vinaigarette. The pasta primavera included a whole grain gluten-free pasta with a variety of organic vegetables tossed with an aoli sauce served with grilled whole grain gluten-free bread.
The entire presentation of each entree was lovely besides being delicious and ample enough to satisfy the most ravenous appetite. After considering ordering bottled water with our meals we were encouraged by the waitress to try their filtered tap water to drink. Another surprise — this tap water tasted better than the spring water we have delivered to our home! (More restaurants should consider the quality of water they serve. Bad water even changes the taste of food).
I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who is concerned about their food choices and the environment. If you want to enjoy an evening out or just a quick lunch knowing that you are eating for the health of your body and the planet, then Good Eatz is the perfect destination. My meal came to under $10.00 with tax. What a deal! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
While browsing the Internet I came across this article which I thought would be helpful to people who are new to the vegetarian lifestyle. I remember searching for hours for things I could eat when I made the switch (grocery shopping took forever!). I hope this is useful as you set up your vegetarian kitchen. When you have the common ingredients already on hand cooking is a breeze.
A vegetarian pantry has different needs from a more general pantry. It is important to keep vegetarian foods on hand that will provide energy and nutrients; and substitutes for other non-vegetarian food products. This article will help you achieve you goal of a well-stocked and healthy vegetarian pantry, all in the span of just a few hours.
Steps
Clean out your pantry. If you are changing to a vegetarian diet, or even if you are simply updating an existing impoverished vegetarian pantry, it is time for a good clean out. Remove all out-dated food, any food with unsuitable animal-derived products (ovo-lacto vegetarians can keep more foods than vegans) and remove anything that lacks labels but you aren’t quite sure what it is. Wipe down all the shelves and allow to dry.
Go shopping. It is always a good idea to stock a new pantry with as many fresh items as possible at the same time, so that the items date together. If you are simply restocking, keep items that are still plenty in date but note them. Make sure to write a list of the items that you need, so that you are not overwhelmed by choices or forgetful as to what you need.
Select your items in food groups. A vegetarian pantry that is stocked with the basics should contain:
Pasta and noodles: pasta made from grain products (e.g., wheat pasta, rice pasta), noodles (e.g., udon, buckwheat etc.). Try to avoid quick-cook noodles; these tend to have a lot of the healthy nutrients removed and are often high in trans-fats.
Instant mixes for veggie burgers, falafels, etc. Try to prefer organic options and low sodium.
Vegetables and fruits: There are various ways of storing these in the pantry:
Tins/cans of fruit in natural syrup, tins/cans of some vegetables. Try to avoid sourcing a lot of your fruit and veggies in this way because canned varieties lose nutrients, have high sodium, and can leach chemicals from the can soldering/composition into the food over time. Always choose cans that are free from dents, and be sure to check use-by dates.
Preserved fruit and vegetables. Follow the instructions carefully if you make your own at home.
Dehydrated fruits and veggies can also be kept in the pantry for reconstitution.
Dried fruit. A must for both eating and cooking with. Apricots, peaches, pears, apple, nectarines etc. are all great choices. Beware of added sugar; dried pineapple, strawberries, paw-paw, kiwifruit etc. often have considerable added sugar.
Nuts and seeds: Nuts and seeds should be eaten quickly to ensure that they remain fresh. Only purchase small amounts at a time. It is handy to always have on hand walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, pecans and sesame seeds. Peanuts are a personal choice given modern allergy problems. Nut and seed butters are also very useful to keep on hand; consider tahini, peanut butter, cashew nut butter, almond butter etc. Some require refrigeration on opening.
Flavourings: There are a number of key flavourings that no vegetarian pantry should be without. These include:
Nutritional yeast
Soy sauce, shoyu, tamari; look for low sodium options
Vegetable broth/stock cubes, liquid or powder – check ingredients carefully!
Cheese sauce or cheese substitute sauces in packets; packet soups
Seasoned vegetable salt (there are numerous good brands around)
Concentrated liquid stock or flavouring derived from vegetable, herb and spice sources (a few drops will do each use)
Curry powder
Seasonings such as herbs, spices, salt, pepper etc. Dry your fresh herbs for seeing the winter through
Seaweed products for seasoning, including dulse
Flavoured vinegars, dressings
Sweeteners such as raw and organic sugar, stevia, rice syrup, agave syrup, honey, maple syrup, xylitol etc. Select whatever suits your needs, preferences, and dietary requirements.
Have a few treats in store. It is useful to have some treats on stand-by for guests, children and the munchies. Good products include dark chocolate, soy chocolate, chickpea crisps, wasabi peas, sugar-free cookies (sweetened with alternatives), microwave popcorn and raw kernals, etc.
Keep a few quick packet mixes for cakes, muffins and pancakes. Prefer organic and low-sugar versions where possible. It isn’t always possible to be a saint and make your own baked goods from scratch; having these packaged possibilities still allows you to add fresh fruit, macadamia oil in place of saturated fats and you have the choice of using eggs or not. This is far better than resorting to store-bought goodies.
Have milk on hand. It is always handy to have some shelf milk on hand for times when you run out and guests arrive. Depending on your needs, you can purchase dairy, soy, nut, grain and other milks that can be shelf-stored. Flavoured milks are also handy, including chocolate, vanilla and strawberry.
Keep an eye on use-by dates and discard products that go beyond these. They might seem all right, but once stale, items never taste quite as fresh. They also do not provide the same nutrients as fresher, in-date items. Circulate goods at the back of the pantry and bring them to the front at least monthly, if not more often. It’s easy to forget about items you can’t see, and the less you waste the happier your wallet will be.
Tips
Places to stock up on vegetarian pantry foods include health food stores, health food co-ops, large health-food oriented super-stores or supermarkets, fruit and vegetable stores, some bulk/wholesale stores, local markets (farmer’s markets etc.) and straight from boutique stores on farms.
Don’t over look your local supermarket. Many “regular” grocery stores are now catering to the Vegan crowd by offering several varieties of soy milks, tofu and vegetarian meat substitutes as well as organic produce.
Some specialty grocery stores are also great to visit in and discover new flavours and textures; try Chinese, Lebanese, South African, Italian, West Indian, Samoan, etc. stores for new ideas.
Some artificial sweeteners, while low in calories, have been implicated in health problems in some individuals. Research carefully before choosing an artificial sweetener option. Stevia is a good, natural sweetener alternative that avoids potentially problematic chemicals.
Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world’s largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Stock a Vegetarian Pantry. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.
I got this recipe right off a box of Mori-Nu Silken Tofu. The box credits “Mari Oser’s Soy of Cooking” (Chronimed Publishing: Minn. MN) 1996. I hope you like it as much as we do. It is wonderful for parties served with fresh veggies or crackers. You could probably hollow out a bread bowl and serve the dip with little squares of bread, too, which I’ve done with other recipes but not this one specifically. (This recipe doesn’t have as much mayo as others I’ve made, so I’m not sure if it would soak into the bread and make it soggy or not). However you serve it — this recipe is a keeper!
Ingredients:
1 pkg. Mori-Nu Silken Soft Tofu, drained
1.75 oz. pkg. onion soup mix
1/2 c. mayonnaise (I use Vegenaise)
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and pressed into colander
8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1/4 c. thinly sliced scallions
Method:
Drain tofu and pat with paper towels. Place tofu in food processor, and blend until smooth. Add dry onion soup mix, mayo, and garlic; blend. Add spinach, and blend. Add water chestnuts and scallions; pulse just until chunky.
Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Makes 4 1/2 cups.
Okay, here is another good zucchini recipe for your bumper crop. This is a creamy soup with a beautiful green color — it even looks healthy! It can be eaten hot or cold and can be frozen if you want to double the recipe and save some for another time.
Ingredients:
1 qt. cubed zucchini (do not peel)
1 1/2 c. water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 vegetable bouillon cubes OR 2 packets G. Washington’s Golden Seasoning and Broth
1 tsp. dry dill weed
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 Tbsp. margarine or organic butter (I substitute olive oil for this)
Method:
Combine all ingredients (except onions and butter) and cook until fork tender, about 7 – 10 minutes. Cool.
Meanwhile, Saute the onions in butter (or olive oil). Cool.
When everything has cooled to room temperature put it all in a blender and puree until creamy and no chunks remain. Or, if you have a submersible stick blender you don’t even have to wait for the soup to cool. You can just blend it in the pot while it’s still hot.
It is summer, and if your garden is anything like mine you have enough zucchini to feed an army. If not, the farmers markets have them in abundance, and they’re very inexpensive right now.
This recipe was originally given to me by my niece and has been used by our family for years. It is the one all the kids ask for when they leave home and start cooking for themselves. I have made a few adjustments to make it even more vegetarian (healthy). In our house it is the main course and always served with cranberry sauce. Ingredients:
3 c. cubed zucchini (do not peel)
3 lg. carrots, shredded
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 can cream of mushroom or celery soup
1 c. Sour Supreme imitation sour cream
1/4 – 1/2 c. margarine or organic butter (you decide which you think is the healthier choice)
1/2 bag Pepperidge Farms Herb Flavored Stuffing Mix (The original recipe calls for 1 box of Stove Top Stuffing Mix, but they all contain chicken broth, so I don’t use it)
Stir fry the zucchini, carrots, and onion until just tender (do not add water as zucchini is very moist). Set aside.
In a bowl mix together the soup and imitation sour cream.*If you are using the optional Chick’n Strips add those to the bowl now and gently stir. (It’s good with or without them).
In a pot melt the margarine (or butter), remove from heat, and add stuffing mix. Toss to coat. In a glass casserole dish layer:
1/2 stuffing mixture
the zucchini stir-fry mixture
the soup/ imitation sour cream mixture
the remaining 1/2 stuffing mixture
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes
This recipe may be doubled for a crowd — just bake it a little longer.
This is another good way to use Vegetarian Taco “Meat.” It is also an excellent way to use leftover brown rice and mashed potatoes. (I always like to cook large quantities of rice and Taco “Meat” so there is always some in the freezer to use in this recipe). I have served this Shepherd’s Pie to carnivores, and they don’t believe me when I tell them that it really doesn’t contain any meat. It is a hearty, filling meal served with any vegetarian gravy (Hain’s gravy mixes are good in a pinch — just add water, heat, and stir and you have gravy!)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. Taco “Meat” (see recipe)
1 1/2 c. cooked brown rice
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 small carrot, diced
1 c. bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. each dried parsley and basil
3/4 sea salt, if desired
2 tsp. oil
In a small pan saute the onions in oil until translucent. Then add celery, garlic, and carrot; cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Put vegetables into a large mixing bowl and add bread crumbs, rice, and Taco “Meat.” Add the dijon mustard and spices; mix well. (Add a little water or broth if it seems too dry. It should be the consistency of raw meatloaf).
Place mixture in a lightly oiled 9″ x 9″ baking pan. Spread a thick layer of mashed potatoes on top (I have used prepared instant mashed potatoes when I didn’t have leftover mashed, and they work great).
Bake uncovered for 30 – 40 minutes at 375 degrees. (When done you may want to sprinkle a little rice Parmesan cheese or Gomasio (sesame seasoning) on top just for looks. Serve with vegetarian gravy and a salad.
This is a recipe that was given to me by my niece, Debbie. I have changed some of the ingredients to make it vegetarian, and it is delicious. This is something perfect to take to a picnic or covered dish dinner. Bet there won’t be any left to take home!
1 recipe for Vegetarian Taco “Meat” (above)
1/3 c. vegetarian sour cream (I use Sour Supreme, Better Than Sour Cream, by Tofutti)
1/3 c. Vegenaise
1/2 c. shredded cheddar veggie cheese
1 Tbsp. chopped onion
1 c. Bisquick baking mix
1/4 c. cold water
1 – 2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 c. chopped green bell pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a square baking pan (8″x8″ or 9″x9″)
In a bowl mix together the Sour Supreme, Vegenaise, veggie cheese, and onion; reserve.
In another bowl mix the baking mix and water together until a soft dough forms.
Pat the dough into the prepared pan, pressing the dough 1/2 inch up the sides of the pan. Layer taco “meat,” tomatoes, and green pepper in the pan. Spoon Sour Supreme mixture over the top. Sprinkle with paprika if desired.
Bake about 25 – 30 minutes until edges of dough are light brown. Enjoy!
This is one of the first recipes I ever posted, and it is still a family favorite. Sometimes the simple meals are the best. I make this stew often because it’s so easy, uses simple ingredients you can find anywhere, no exotic spices or expensive equipment needed. If you have a very big pot and a wooden spoon, then you can make this and know that you are feeding your family a delicious, home-cooked, plant-based meal.
I found this easy recipe years ago in a magazine, and have used it many times since. It makes A LOT. (You need a very large stock pot to accommodate the recipe — a traditional dutch oven will not do). This recipe is great when you are cooking for a crowd, but if you are cooking for just one or two you can use the leftovers to make one of the variations on different nights so you don’t get bored. It also freezes well, so you will always have something on hand when you are too busy or too tired to cook. Serve with a crusty wholegrain bread and maybe a salad.
I hope you love this recipe as much as I do!
RECIPE
Makes 10 (2-cup) servings: 258 cals.; 18 g. protein; 4 g. fat; 45 g. carbs.; 1.54 mg. sodium; 0 mg. chol.; 12 g. fiber
1 1/2 bags (1 lb. ea.) dried lentils
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 c. chopped onions (1 12 oz. bag frozen)
2 Tbsp chopped garlic (6 cloves)
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
10 c. vegetable broth
1 can (28 oz.) stewed tomatoes
1 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 bags (1 lb. ea.) assorted frozen vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, & red pepper work well)
3 Tbsp. wine or balsamic vinegar
Sort and rinse lentils. In a very large pot saute onions and garlic in olive oil for 4 – 5 minutes. Add lentils and cook 1 minute, stirring. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute stirring. Add broth and spices. Break up tomatoes into pieces with back of spoon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until lentils are very soft (ab. one hour).
About 10 minutes before serving add frozen vegetables and vinegar. Heat through.
MIRACLE FAT-BURNER STEW VARIATIONS:
To one (2-cup) serving of stew, stir in any of the following and simmer 3 – 5 mins.
CHINESE:
1/2 c. cubed firm tofu
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. peanut butter (reduced fat)
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1 sliced scallion
MEXICAN:
1/2 c. salsa
Heat through and top with 1/4 c. shredded veggie cheese
Hello, Vegetarians! I have been a vegetarian for 16 years, taught healthy living and vegan cooking classes for 10 years, and I’m still learning. This blog was originally intended for vegetarians living in Berks County, PA, the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. However, anyone can appreciate the recipes and pertinent information. The restaurant reviews will be especially helpful for those of us who like to eat out but are trying to live a healthy, vegetarian lifestyle. As we’ve traveled, moved, and sampled food in many areas the restaurant reviews have become more broad, so check them out– you might find one near you! I welcome any healthful information you would like to share, too.
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