Dinner Ideas

Note: Dinners listed as links, have recipes available on this site. Others will have their recipes added in the future.

American:

  • Baked Potato - filled with broccoli and topped with a cheese sauce, sour cream and chives.
  • Chicken-less Stew - mock chicken and vegetable stew. Serve with artisan bread.
  • Corn Chowder - robust chowder made with potatoes and cheese. Serve with a whole grain artisan bread.
  • Lentil Nut Loaf - topped with gravy and served with mashed potato and a side of steamed vegetables.
  • Lentil Vegetable Soup - a hearty soup made with potatoes, vegetables and greens. Serve with a whole grain artisan bread.
  • Macaroni & Cheese - cheddar and jack cheese macaroni served with a steamed green vegetable (asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts or green beans).
  • Mashed Potatoes & Gravy - serve with a side of steamed vegetables and sautéed tofu, edamame or mock turkey.
  • Salad - with nuts, nut butter, legumes or cheese as the main dish. Serve with a hearty bread. Salads can have hundreds of variations. Some common themes are; Mediterranean/Greek, Parisian, Asian and Italian.
  • Southern - mashed sweet potatoes, greens (collards, chard or kale), black-eyed peas and cornbread.
  • Tofu a la King - peas, carrots and cubed tofu in a mushroom gravy sauce served over rice, ramen or toast.
  • Vegetable Chili - kidney and garbanzo bean vegetable chili. Serve with cornbread.

Chinese:

  • Braised Bean Curd - fried tofu in a brown sauce. Serve with rice and a veggie side dish.
  • Braised Eggplant - eggplant cubes in a brown sauce (Hoisin). Serve with rice and tofu.
  • Chow Mein - oriental vegetables in a light sauce served over crispy noodles.
  • Egg Foo Young - mixed veggies (bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, sliced cabbage, spring onions, mushrooms and water chestnuts) in an egg patty. Serve with sauce/gravy and rice.
  • Fried Rice - rice with mixed vegetables and scrambled egg or tofu.
  • Lo Mein - oriental vegetables in a light sauce served over soft noodles.
  • Moo Shu - shredded vegetables (often cabbage, mushrooms, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, snow peas and bell peppers, also scrambled eggs) in a wrap
  • Stir-Fry Vegetables - oriental vegetables in a brown sauce. Serve with rice and tofu.
  • Sweet & Sour Vegetables - oriental vegetables in a sweet & sour sauce. Serve with rice and tofu.
  • Veggie Side Dishes: Broccoli & mushroom or garlic, Spinach and garlic, Green bean, Snow peas & water chestnut or mushroom, Bok choy with mushroom or cashew.

French:

  • Crepe, Savory - avocado, spinach, onions, tomato pesto with melted Swiss or provolone cheese and topped with a dollop of sour cream.
  • Quiche - serve with salad or roasted potatoes.
  • Ratatouille - mixed vegetables in a slightly tomato base served over couscous, polenta, rice or penne. Serve with a side of tofu or with melted cheese on top.
  • Soufflé, Spinach - serve with salad and roll or bread. Frozen entrée available at Target stores garden lites.

Indian:

North Indian meals are like a combo plate and generally have two formats;

  1. Rice, dal (or chole or rajma) and a curry (one or two). The legumes provide some protein however, for a little extra, the curry can contain some paneer (cheese), soya chunks or tofu. Optionally include a little yogurt or raita on the side.
  2. Chapati or nan with a dry curry. Again the curry can contain some paneer, soya chunks or tofu otherwise include a side of chole, rajma, yogurt or raita.

Curry Dishes; Choose one or two for a meal.

  • Aloo Gobi - potatoes, cauliflower and peas.
  • Aloo Mutter - potatoes and peas.
  • Aloo Soya - potatoes and soya chunks.
  • Alu Jeera Masala - potatoes spiced with cumin.
  • Baingan Bhartha - mashed eggplant.
  • Bhindi Masala - spice okra curry.
  • Channa Masala - (or Chole) garbanzo beans in a spiced tomato sauce.
  • Kofta - potato and mixed vegetable balls in a creamy tomato gravy. Frozen entrée available Deep.
  • Mattar Paneer - peas and cheese cubes. Frozen entrée available Amy's.
  • Mushroom Matar - mushrooms and peas in a tomato sauce.
  • Navratan Korma - 9 vegetables in a cream sauce. Frozen entrée available Deep and Amy's.
  • Palak Paneer - chopped spinach and cheese cubes. Frozen entrée available Deep and Trader Joe's.
  • Paneer Kadai - (or Karahi Paneer) green and red bell pepper with cheese cubes.
  • Paneer Tikka Masala - cheese cubes in a creamy, tomato sauce. Frozen entrée available Amy's and Trader Joe's.
  • Rajma - kidney beans in a spiced tomato sauce.
  • Shahi Paneer - cheese cubes in a tomato, cashew and milk sauce.
  • Soya Mutter - soya chunks with peas in a rich sauce.

Yogurt Dishes;

  • Raita - lightly spiced yogurt with raw cucumber and often chopped tomato.
  • Dahi Vada - oil fried patties made from a dal (moong or urad) batter served in a thick yogurt sauce. Typically drizzled with a tamarind chutney which can also be simulated with apple butter.

One Dish Meals;

  • Kadhi - in this version, mixed veggies (spinach, corn, edamame) are added to a thickened buttermilk broth. Served over rice, this is a complete meal in itself.
  • Khichuri - rice, dal (red lentil), potato and a few mixed vegetables in a thick porridge-like stew. Serve with a little yogurt.
  • Vegetable Biryani - spiced basmati rice with mixed vegetables, yogurt and cashews. Serve with raita.

Italian:

  • Eggplant Parmesan - breaded eggplant cutlets covered in marinara sauce and melted mozzarella. Serve with spaghetti and garlic or artisan bread. A small salad goes well with this meal. Frozen entrée available Michael Angelo's.
  • Fettuccini Alfredo - mushrooms, spinach and dried tomatoes with fettuccini all covered in a reduced-fat creamy parmesan sauce.
  • Frittata - mixed bell pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, tomato, parmesan and pesto filled frittata. Serve with fries, bread or salad.
  • Lasagna, Spinach - whole grain pasta, spinach, ricotta cheese and marinara sauce. Serve with salad and garlic or artisan bread.
  • Lasagna, Vegetable - whole grain pasta, mixed veggies, ricotta cheese and marinara sauce. Serve with salad and garlic or artisan bread. Frozen entrée available Amy's and Michael Angelo's.
  • Pasta Primavera - pasta twists (fusilli, rotini or radiator) with broccoli, tomato, peas, carrots and tofu cubes in a creamy cheese sauce.
  • Pesto Pasta - pasta tossed with pesto, feta and cherry tomato halves. Serve with small salad and garlic or artisan bread.
  • Pizza - whole grain crust, topped with pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella and veggies.
  • Polenta - creamy polenta (with parmesan) served with Italian-style Vegetables (with black-eyed peas).
  • Ravioli - with marinara sauce. Serve with a side of steamed veggies and garlic or artisan bread.
  • Risotto - serve with some steamed greens and sautéed tofu. Frozen entrée available Amy's and Trader Joe's.
  • Spaghetti - whole grain pasta with marinara sauce. Can include veggie meatballs (Amy's, Morningstar, Trader Joe's, Veggie Patch) in the sauce or have sautéed tofu on the side. Serve with a side of veggies and garlic or artisan bread.
  • Stuffed Shells - jumbo shells stuffed with ricotta and topped with marinara and parmesan. Serve with a side of steamed veggies and garlic or artisan bread.
  • Tortellini & Sausage - pesto tortellini, mixed bell pepper, peas and mock Italian sausage in a marinara and cheese sauce. Serve with artisan bread.
  • Ziti, Baked - Serve with salad and garlic or artisan bread.

Mexican:

  • Bean Burritos - refried beans, cheese, lettuce, tomato, avocado, salsa and sour cream all wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla.
  • Chile Relleno - poblano (often sold as pasilla) or Anaheim chile pepper stuffed with cheese, coated in an egg batter and fried. Serve with Spanish rice and pinto beans.
  • Enchiladas - vegetable and cheese mix wrapped in a corn tortilla and covered with an enchilada sauce. Serve with Spanish Rice.
  • Spanish Omelet - 2 egg omelet filled with refried beans and cheese then topped with salsa and sour cream. Serve with Spanish rice.
  • Tacos - sautéed vegetables and cheese in a folded soft flour or corn tortilla.
  • Tostada - crispy corn tortilla covered with refried beans and melted cheese. Topped with lettuce, tomato, avocado slices, salsa and sour cream.
  • Vegetable Quesadilla - Whole wheat tortilla filled with sautéed vegetables (zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper) and melted cheese. Serve with guacamole, salsa and/or sour cream.

Thai:

  • Curry - mixed vegetables and tofu in either a Green, Red, Yellow or Penang curry. All contain some coconut milk and sugar. Serve with rice.
    • Green - gets its color from green chilies and basil.
    • Red - gets its color from red chilies. Frozen entrée available Amy's.
    • Yellow - gets its color from turmeric and contains spices similar to Indian curry. Some coconut cream is also included. Usually with potato.
    • Penang - is milder than other curries and has a peanut flavor.
  • Pad Seau - wide rice noodle with a sweet soy sauce, scrambled egg, Chinese broccoli.
  • Pad Thai - stir-fried rice noodle with scrambled egg and peanuts coated in a pad thai sauce (palm sugar, tamarind, lime). Oriental vegetables can be added in. Frozen entrée available Amy's.
  • Pra Ram - a thick peanut sauce served over greens; either spinach or broccoli. Serve with rice.
  • Sweet & Sour - mixed vegetables with pineapple. Serve with rice.
  • Thai Fried Rice - jasmine rice with egg, onion and tomato.
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