How to Create Fast Vegetarian Meals and Snacks

If you happen to be a vegetarian it can seem like your quick fix meal options are even more limited. Fast and healthy vegetarian foods do exist, but having the right ingredients is essential. Here's how you can create healthy and almost instant vegetarian meals with easy ingredients and recipes.

Here are some things to include in your pantry to make quick meals easy to prepare:

Beans: A terrific source of protein and fiber, beans are a staple for many vegetarians. Look for dark red, black, pinto, and refried varieties in the can. These can be rinsed and tossed into a salad or heated and eaten as a main entrée or side dish.

Tortillas: Tortillas aren't just for burritos anymore. Try filling them with veggies for a wrap style sandwich. Even peanut butter and jelly roll up perfectly inside a whole wheat tortilla. Two brands that I really like are "Don Pancho's High Fiber Low Carb Low Fat wraps, and Mission whole wheat flour tortillas with Omega 3 fatty acids that are good for heart health.

Rice: There are so many varieties of rice available that it's almost impossible to get bored with them. You can toss a handful of vegetables and a cup of sauce into a bowl of cooked rice and it's the perfect lunch.

Vegetables: Keep diced and sliced vegetables in a covered plastic container for easy access. Replace them every couple of days, and you will have an easy to grab snack or ingredients for a salad at your fingertips. I recommend tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, carrots, celery, and snap peas.

Bagged leafy greens: These ready to eat salad makings are a Godsend for busy vegetarians. Try grabbing a big bag of baby spinach and a few smaller bags of mixed greens. Dole offers several varieties of bagged salads including a Spring Mix which includes mustard greens and other herbs.

Salsa: Full of vegetables and packed with flavor you can't go wrong with a great salsa. You can top your tortilla with it, dip sliced veggies into it, or add it to some beans and rice for a spicy snack. Homemade nachos can be made in less than 5 minutes in the microwave. Be sure to check the label for the indication about how hot a particular brand is before you buy, especially if children are going to be eating it.

Fruit: Apples, bananas, and berries are an excellent snack. They also happen to be pretty portable which is a plus if you're bringing them to work or school. Fruits go perfectly with a low fat yogurt or all by themselves.

Oatmeal: Oatmeal is a healthy meal that stays with you for hours. It's so versatile that you could probably eat it every day and not run out of ways to enjoy it. Try it with berries and almonds, soy vanilla milk and a little brown sugar, or even a few chocolate chips. Kids of all ages will love a swirl of chocolate and strawberries on top of a warm bowl of oatmeal.

Yogurt: I recommend yogurt for a super fast snack that provides protein and satisfies a sweet tooth without adding a lot of empty calories. Add some crushed peanuts or almonds for a crunchy effect. Many vegetarians find the gelatin often used in yogurt to be a problem. If that's the case for you try looking for Nancy's or Stonyfield Farm brand yogurts. Neither company uses gelatin in their dairy yogurt, and both companies offer a soy yogurt as well.

Now that you've got your pantry and refrigerator stocked with vegetarian goodies here are a couple of recipes to get you using them. All of these recipes are quick to make and are great for a busy vegetarian to pack in a lunch box or thermos.

Easy Vegetarian Wrap (prep time approximately 5-8 minutes)

1 tortilla or "wrap"

¼ cup of canned black beans drained

A handful of chopped raw spinach leaves

1 Tablespoon of shredded part skim mozzarella

1 Tablespoon sunflower seeds

Your preferred amount of salsa on top

Place tortilla or wrap on a microwave safe plate and then arrange other ingredients on top of the wrap in thin layers. Microwave the open wrap for approximately 45 seconds or just until the cheese starts to melt. Roll the tortilla up burrito style and enjoy!

Peanut Butter Banana Wrap (prep time 3-5 minutes)

1 tortilla or "wrap"

1 ripe medium- large banana

1-2 Tablespoons natural peanut butter

1/3 cup of low sugar cereal such as Cheerios

Lay the wrap on a plate and spread the peanut butter over the entire surface. Arrange sliced bananas on top of the peanut butter, and then sprinkle the cereal over the bananas. You can roll the tortilla up as you would a burrito or you can leave it open and slice it pizza style! (Kids love this!)

Spruced Up Tomato Soup

1 can low sodium tomato soup

½ cup chopped spinach or other leafy greens

½ cup dark red kidney beans -drained

¼ cup of salsa

dash of garlic and onion powder

Prepare soup according to the directions on the can. Add all the ingredients to the soup pan one by one and heat thoroughly. Store this soup in a thermos and enjoy it at work.