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In case you haven’t noticed, prices are going up on many goods! This includes prices on meat! I recently asked readers about their favorite bean based and vegetarian meal ideas. Here are some recipe favorites and tips that can hopefully give you some good ideas so you don’t have to always rely on meat.
Here are some reader favorites:
Pinto beans & cornbread
Cuban Black Beans over whole grain rice and toasted sweet potato. Taco salad made from meatless crumbles and or beans of choice. Lots of “bowl” combos.
You can cook as usual but google plant based versions of what you cook. Jackfruit is a great substitute for pork. Make you own pizza works well. Hummus can be used to make Mediterranean style sandwiches. Bean, cilantro and lime taco with tomatoes or salsa on top is delicious too.
Boca Burgers are amazing!!!
Mornigstar Spicy Black Bean Burgers are delicious too!
Gardein fake meat, can’t tell the difference.
I cook meatless at least twice a week. -Breakfast for dinner every Wednesday (waffles and fruit or eggs and hashbrowns for example)
– A pasta with homemade tomato sauce, sauteed veggies and fresh mozzarella
– Vegetarian chili over baked potatoes
– Soup and grilled cheese
– Crockpot potato soup
-Mac n cheese with peas (my kids’ favorite)
-Lots of Mexican dishes are so easy to make meatless.
Just a suggestion. I save by reducing the amount of meat in recipes where I can. Such as using a half pound of ground beef in spaghetti instead of whole pound. Likewise in chili. Just use more beans.
Not really vegetarian but Fifteen bean soup in a Crockpot. Grab a bag and then I go to the butcher/ meat department and get a ham bone cheap (sometimes I get a few and freeze them). If they don’t have any, I use chicken stock instead. Soak the beans and cook with the bone or stock in a Crockpot. Serve with cornbread.
My best way to save is by following my husband’s cardiologist! He advised my husband to prevent the “widow maker” by eating no more than 4 ounces of meat at every meal. When he asked how we could weigh meat servings when we ate out, the doctor told us the palm of our hand is about four ounces for adults.
-Black Beans and Rice
-Baked Mac N cheese
-Veggie Soup w/grilled cheese sandwiches…
-Bean and Cheese burrito/quesadillas/nachos
Vegetarian Chili
Minestrone Soup
Cuban Black Bean Soup
Potato Soup
Cauliflower “Fauxtato” Soup
Various Salads
Pasta Primavera
Slow cooker Coconut Chickpea Curry from the Family Freezer
Southwestern Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Taco Style Lentils & Rice Hilbilly Housewife (I add 1/2 lb. ground beef, so my husband will eat it.)
Eggplant Parmesan. You can use Eggplant in Chili. It absorbs the flavors well and provides “body” to the dish.
Budget Bites Vegetable Enchilada Casserole
What are your favorite vegetarian recipes? Let me know if you try any of these!
