Quick and Healthy Vegetarian Recipes

Eating right can be tough, especially when you don't have the time to think up a nutritiously sound meal before you can even begin to put it into action. Quick fixes are certainly hard come by, though fortunately I have a few up my sleeve. As I happen to be a happy pescetarian (with mostly vegetarian tendencies) these are all vegetarian friendly, healthy, simple meal solutions that don't skimp out on taste or satisfaction.

Eating right can be tough, especially when you don't have the time to think up a nutritiously sound meal before you can even begin to put it into action. Quick fixes are certainly hard come by, though fortunately I have a few up my sleeve. As I happen to be a happy pescetarian (with mostly vegetarian tendencies) these are all vegetarian friendly, healthy, simple meal solutions that don't skimp out on taste or satisfaction.

Black Beans and Rice with Plain Yogurt

My mom used to make this for me when I was a little girl. Contrary to all the exceptional gourmet meals she produced throughout my childhood, this simple dish never failed to glamorize me, and instantly became one of my favorites of hers.

In my childhood my mom would put sour cream over my black beans and rice, but this recipe calls for low-fat plain yogurt--a healthy alternative that tastes surprisingly similar when used as a substitute for sour cream.

1 can black beans
1/2 cup brown rice
1 1/2 tbs low-fat plain yogurt

Cook the brown rice according to the instructions provided on its packaging. When the rice is nearly finished cooking, pour the beans in a sauce pan and heat gently over the stove. When the beans are heated and the rice is finished cooking, combine them in a bowl (I find it most satisfying to put the rice in first and spoon the beans over the rice). Add the yogurt last. Mix and enjoy.

Tip: If you have an avocado handy, you can cut a half of it into cubes and add it to your beans and rice as well. It's not a traditional part of the dish as per my own history with it, but it's quite a yummy addition. I made this discovery one day while I was preparing my black beans and rice and I saw that I had an extra avocado that someone had given me, just sitting on the table twiddling its thumbs.

Pasta and Sautéed Tomatoes with Mozzarella

This is a new favorite of mine that I discovered one day when I had to be creative in the kitchen on a time crunch.

whole grain pasta (shapes like penne and fusilli work best)
your favorite jar of pasta sauce
4 Campari tomatoes, sliced in halves
mozzarella cheese (small balls sliced in half work best)

Cook your pasta according th the instructions provided on its packaging. When the pasta is nearly ready to be drained, begin heating the sauce in a small saucepan; drizzle some olive oil in a separate pan and sauté the halved tomatoes for 3 minutes. Once the pasta is cooked and drained, combine pasta, sauce, and sautéed tomatoes in pan and mix. Serve in a bowl. Immediately add the mozzarella, mixing it in to your hot dish so that it becomes slightly melted.

Tip: For taste, add a bit of fresh cracked pepper to your finished dish. I also like to sprinkle a little oregano over my tomatoes while they are being sautéed. Feel free to get creative with your own favorite spices while preparing this tasty dish.

Vegetable Stir-Fry

There's really no uniform list of ingredients I have for this recipe, as I've made it with anything from shrimp (I still eat most seafood) to tofu to nothing more than pure vegetable love. Still, it's a simple, quick and easy recipe, and when it comes to eating right it's difficult to go wrong with a health-conscious stir-fry:

First, select your ingredients. I can never go without:

baby portobello mushrooms
green peppers
red peppers
broccoli
yellow squash

You'll also need:

1/2 cup brown rice
1 fresh lime
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
low-sodium soy sauce (I always use Trader Joe's version)

Cook your rice according to the instructions provided on its packaging. While the rice is cooking you can prepare your vegetables--wash and slice them, chop your garlic, and squeeze the lime for its juice (use one half of the lime). Then in a pan, drizzle some olive oil and add your vegetables; sauté for 1 minute. Add chopped garlic, soy sauce, and lime juice. Sauté for another 2 or 3 minutes.

Once the rice is finished cooking, spoon some onto a plate or into a large bowl; layer the stir-fry over your rice, grab a pair of chop-sticks, and enjoy your quick and healthy meal!

Tip: If you do decide put shrimp or tofu in your stir-fry, sauté either one of these in the pan with a little olive oil for 1 minute before adding the vegetables.