KEEP THAT GOOD STUFF COMING:   It's not just for rabbits, you know!

Here is a page of vegetarian recipes to serve to "Meat and Potatoes" guests.   The secret of success here is to use the wonderful products made of soy which look and taste just like meat!   You'll find them in the produce department of your grocery store.  They taste great, are very low in fat, have no colesterol and -- if YOU don't tell -- no one will know the difference!

For a printable version of each recipe please click on the name of the recipe.

Let's start this page with an antipasto salad (just to keep those bunnies up there happy).   This will taste as good as the high fat stuff, but it's a lot better for you, and you can eat a huge bowl of it accompanied by a nice warm loaf of multi grain bread.   You really need a salad spinner:  They are inexpensive, and your greens will be much better!

SALAD FOR TWO

3 cups each of mixed baby greens and romaine lettuce
Thinly sliced sweet onion
Veggie pepperoni slices
Veggie provolone strips
Red and green pepper strips
Fresh tomato chunks
Sliced fresh mushrooms
Roasted soy nuts
2 oz. Crumbled feta cheese
Sliced black Greek olives

Lightly salt greens in large bowl & add freshly ground pepper:   sprinkle with 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and toss well.  Then sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. Red wine vinegar and toss again.  Put into two large pasta bowls and arrange remaining goodies on top.

If you're one of those folks who just can't eat a big salad and call it a meal, make your salad smaller, leave out the pepperoni, provolone and feta, and make this pizza to go with it:

VEGGIE PIZZA

Mix yeast into water to dissolve.  Add sugar and oil.   Beat in whole wheat flour.  Add enough white flour to make a very stiff dough.  Cover and put in warm place to rise till double.
Oil a large baking sheet or pizza pan and spread dough with oiled hands.
Let rise 20 minutes.  Bake 8 minutes at 375 degrees.  Take out of oven and QUICKLY top with your favorite thick LOW FAT spaghetti sauce.  Sprinkle lightly with oregano.  Add veggie pepperoni slices (a lot of them), any lightly sautéed vegetables you want, and top with grated mozzarella (low fat or veggie).  Use 8 oz. For a large pizza.  Bake 8 more minutes, 'til done

LAZY DAY LASAGNA

If the pizza above sounds like too much work, try this recipe for a couple of days' food, or for a large bunch of people:

12 oz. Whole wheat lasagna noodles
1 pkg. Veggie ground round
2 tubs no fat ricotta cheese
4 oz. grated mozzarella
2 oz. Grated fresh parmesan
1 large onion chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, chopped very fine
2 diced large green peppers

8 oz. fresh mushrooms sliced
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. dried basil crushed
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 can or jar low fat spaghetti sauce
4 oz. can tomato sauce
1 egg & 1 egg white
1 cup water

If you hate green peppers, substitute 1 package of frozen chopped spinach cooked and drained -- or if you're really into broccoli, substitute a package of it.
     Sauté garlic and onion in oil in large non-stick skillet until onion is transparent.  Add mushrooms and green peppers and sauté 4 minutes.  Crumble the veggie ground round into this and remove from heat.
     In a large bowl  beat  egg and egg white, basil, parsley, and ricotta.  Stir in mozzarella.
     Mix spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce and water.  Spray 10" x 14" pan and put in 1/4 of the sauce, then a layer of UNCOOKED noodles.   Don't put noodles too close together, as they will expand quite a bit as they cook.  Add half of cheese mix, then half of vegetable-meat mixture and 1/4 of the sauce.  Sprinkle with parmesan.  Repeat this process.
     Top with final layer of noodles and last 1/4 of sauce and parmesan. 
     Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes, then uncover and bake for 20 minutes.   Take out of oven, cover and let sit for 15 minutes to firm.

From friend Barbara:

A DESSERT

1 #2 can crushed pineapple in its own juice
2 bananas, pureed
1 large package frozen strawberries thawed enough to mix
1 medium can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup 7 Up or Sprite

Mix all of the above together and freeze in custard cups.

Take out of freezer about 30 minutes before serving.

A DESSERT MOLD

1 8 oz. Package nonfat cream cheese
1 8 oz. Carton yogurt to match whatever berries you choose
1 package sugar free vanilla pudding
2 cups 1% milk
6 cups mixed berries - your choice
1 angel food cake cut in slices
1 jar all fruit jam to match berries

   Beat cream cheese and yogurt and add prepared pudding.
   Mix in berries (cut if large).  Layer in dessert mold and chill for 8 hours or overnight.  Serve with no fat whipped topping and drizzle melted jam artistically on plate.

ABOUT 30 YEARS AGO I visited a place called Camcote House which was a delightful home filled with wonderful old English antiques and surrounded by an herb garden created with love and care.   Carol, the owner, served a fantastic tea with real scones, homemade clabbered cream, and desserts rich beyond imagining.  I purchased two of her little cookbooks and still treasure them.   Her recipe for herbed carrots has not only been voted the best carrot recipe ever by everyone who has tasted it, but has been responsible for my children calling home when I hadn't heard from them in a long time.   "Mom, I have to have that carrot recipe again!"  The herbs sound strange, but do not substitute others and do not leave out any or the special taste just won't be there. Here it is:

HERBED CARROTS

One pound of carrots cut in 1 1/2" lengths.  Cut the fat ends in half lengthwise so all the pieces are about the same size.  Steam until tender.  Add 1/4 tsp. EACH of dried basil, marjoram and summer savory.  Add 2 Tbsp. veggie butter or a heart healthy margarine such as Smart Balance and serve.  The original called for real butter but you don't need that cholesterol.  Serves 4

And from a truly beautiful friend in Ohio comes this recipe, which can be used as a vegetable or the best appetizer ever:

SPINACH-ARTICHOKE CASSEROLE

Grease an 8" x 10" oval casserole.  Put in 1 can quartered and drained artichoke hearts.  Over this put two boxes of frozen chopped spinach which have been thawed, drained and squeezed nearly dry.  Cover with this sauce:

8 oz. Low fat cream cheese
2 Tbsp. Mayonnaise

2 to 3 Tbsp. Milk
Freshly grated pepper, salt

Mix sauce ingredients well.  Spread on spinach.  Top with 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan or romano cheese.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees 30 min.

For details on using this as a dip see the printable version.