5 Easy Vegetarian Meals for Everyone - Healthy Meatless Recipes

Meatless meals can be just as tasty as those meals loaded with meat. Your body likes variety, so giving it a meal without meat is a nice change that could be healthier, too, if you're giving it too much meat, a substance that is harder to break down.

I'm not a vegetarian, but I love eating meatless meals quite often. In the course of a day, I might have one meal with meat, maybe two, or even zero. I often have cereal or some form of eggs for breakfast, a salad perhaps for lunch, and maybe a burger, fish, or some type of chicken casserole for my evening. It varies, but I do like to mix it up.

Even those who eat meat recognize that our bodies only need a certain amount of protein per day. Often, meatless meals, at least one or two per day, can give us what we need.

Whether you're a vegetarian or someone just wanting a change from too many meaty meals, this article contains some great ideas for meatless meals . . . besides just salads.

Mexican-style (or Tex-Mex) wrap-ups with flour tortillas are an easy, quick meal that I eat often. You can use corn or flour tortillas, but I find that flour tortillas are easier to use and tastier for uncooked wraps.

For protein, just open up a can or make your own refried beans. Spread the beans in the tortilla and add some grated cheddar cheese. After about 30 seconds in the microwave, add any of the following items:

• chopped white, yellow, or green onions
• shredded lettuce (I prefer Romaine, but any kind will do)
• chopped tomatoes
• sliced or chopped black olives
• taco sauce or salsa--red or green (salsa verde)
• sour cream (This is great for spreading on the tortilla as the last ingredient, providing an adhesive that will hold the wrap together after you roll it up.)

If you prefer a hot, meatless meal, make some meatless enchiladas in the oven. Try these fiesta enchiladas for flavor that pops in your mouth!

Experiment with hot enchiladas by layering tortillas (I find that corn cooks up better) with refried beans, cheese, onions, black olives, and enchilada sauce. Cook at about 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until tortillas brown and cheese melts. Serve with a refreshing salad. For burritos, spread refried beans into flour tortillas and bake until slightly browned. Top with salsa and sour cream.

Pasta tastes great with or without meat. I often make spaghetti without meatballs. Here are some tasty meatless pasta ideas:

• Spaghetti without meat sauce. Choose canned or jarred spaghetti sauce (or make your own spaghetti sauce if you're ambitious!) Add your choice of onions, garlic, any color of bell peppers, black olives, and mushrooms. A very tasty meal.
• Noodles with Alfredo Sauce--Boil egg noodles (or other) as directed, adding canned or homemade Alfredo Sauce. Add a vegetable or salad for a great meal.
• Cold Pasta Salad--Boil egg noodles or elbow macaroni as per instructions. Add your favorites--black olives, green onions, red onions, bell peppers, tomatoes or more veggies. Add shredded cheese, if you want. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan for added flavor. Stir it all up with Italian salad dressing for a great flavor.

There are tons of meatless meals with eggs that you can make.

Read about 10 Best Ways to Make Eggs Recipes for veggie omelets, devilled eggs. scrambled, poached eggs, and more!

What are the best ingredients for omelets? This article also helps guide you in how to make an omelet into a meal by adding additional ingredients (many without meat) for many different kinds of omelets..

Love egg salad? Try these egg salad recipes for many ways to make it, mostly without meat.

The most obvious meal in itself with potatoes is the baked potato. Potatoes are easy and fun to load up with lots of ingredients, mostly veggies, along with some protein sources.

After baking your potato for an hour or so in the oven or just a few minutes on each side in the microwave (my preferred method), open it up to add your favorite ingredients:

• butter (stick with the real stuff!)
• green onions (or other types, but green are my favorite on baked potatoes)
• shredded cheese, most likely cheddar
• sliced black olives
• steamed broccoli

Yum! Now, after you've chosen some of the above, add some protein if you'd like by adding:

• chopped hard-boiled eggs
• several Tbs up to half a cup of your favorite canned beans--chili beans, black or pinto beans, Western or Ranch-style beans, even kidney beans

Don't forget the sour cream! Chopped chives are a great addition, too. If you want other ideas on how to cook potatoes try these easy favorite ways to cook potatoes, many of which can be paired with beans and a side vegetable for a complete meal.

Beans are a cheap meal and great source of protein. Whether you like pinto beans, red beans, navy, or Northern beans (or more), beans are cheap, easy to make, and can be done a variety of ways.

After boiling or cooking beans in a slow cooker as instructed, you're ready for a great, healthy meal. In a hurry? Choose your favorite canned beans. Consider the following:

• Fix a couple of cups of rice according to instructions. Serve on a plate topped with pinto, red, or black beans. Pour salsa on top for a tasty dish. Canned or fresh corn also makes a nice side dish for this meal.There are many side rice dishes you can make to go with beans.
• Fry chopped potatoes and onions until tender, or bake sliced potatoes until softened. Serve with your choice of beans. For ketchup lovers, don't forget the ketchup for your potatoes. Spinach--canned or fresh--also makes a great veggie side dish for this meal.

Here are some protein values for some of the ingredients in the recipes in this article:

Cheddar Cheese: 1 oz = 7 grams

Eggs: 6 grams per large egg

Cottage Cheese: 1/2 cup = 15 grams

Pinto and other beans: 1/2 cup = 7-10 grams

Potatoes: 3 grams

Sour cream: 1 Tbsp. = 1/2 gram

Broccoli, 1 large stalk, 7 grams

Rice, 1 cup cooked, 5 grams

I thought these numbers were very encouraging. Eat meatless meals and still get your protein!