Vegetarian dishes are becoming increasingly popular. Whether you’re a vegetarian yourself, you’re entertaining a few guests, or even catering for a large event, there are plenty of delicious, nutritious meat-free recipes to choose from.
Cooking in the Summer
Summer is the perfect time for sharing food with friends and family. You may even be able to turn your passion into a living if people love your food — restaurants, cafes, and other food-related businesses are always popular! All you need is a few recipes, some practice, and a name for your business — businessnamegenerator.com can help you choose the perfect name.
Here are three healthy veggie dishes to enjoy in the warmer months.
Note: each of these recipes serves two people. For larger portions, multiply the quantities of each ingredient by your desired amount.
Spicy Mediterranean Veg Chilli
Nothing says “summer” like Mediterranean vegetables. These include peppers, tomatoes, onions, and squash vegetables (you can read about the different squashes on countryliving.com). What’s more, spiciness can actually be really refreshing on a hot day — there’s a reason hot dishes are so popular in countries like India, Mexico, and Morocco.
This spicy Mediterranean vegetable chilli combines the best of both worlds. You’ll need:
- 1 tbsp of oil
- 1 diced red onion
- 1 diced pepper
- 1 diced courgette
- 1 tin of red kidney beans
- 1 tin of tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon of chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon of garlic
- ½ teaspoon of oregano
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
First, fry the onion, pepper, and courgette in the oil with the spices (smoked paprika, chilli powder, cayenne pepper, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper) for 10 minutes in a saucepan on medium heat. Next, add the tomatoes and kidney beans and cook on low heat for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When finished, serve with wraps, rice, salad, or any combination!
Air-Fried Patatas Bravas
Patatas bravas (or “spicy potatoes”) is a classic Spanish summer tapas dish. Air-frying is also an excellent way to cook potatoes quickly, conveniently, and without the need for large amounts of oil. For more information on how to use an air fryer, check out simplyrecipes.com.
For this recipe, you’ll need:
- 1 tsp of oil
- 1 tsp of tomato puree
- 4 medium-sized potatoes
- ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon of garlic
- ½ teaspoon of parsley
- ½ teaspoon of thyme
- ½ teaspoon of oregano
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
First, peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes approximately 2cm by 2cm. Parboil them for around 5 minutes, and while this is happening, mix the oil, puree, and spices (smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic, parsley, thyme, and oregano) together in a pan. Drain and dry the potatoes, then coat them with the oil/spice blend in the pan. Finally, cook the potatoes in the air fryer at 200ºC for 10 minutes, then shake the basket and cook for another 10.
For an extra dimension, dice and fry a red onion in a pan and mix it in before serving.
This dish works excellently as a side for a barbecue or picnic — or you can even add peppers and/or a leafy salad for a nutritious summer meal.
Nourishing Greek Pasta Salad
Another Mediterranean classic, this Greek pasta salad is super simple, refreshing, and healthy. You’ll need:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 200g fusilli pasta
- 150g halved cherry tomatoes
- 150g baby spinach
- 100g crumbled feta cheese
- 70g olives
After boiling the pasta in water for 10 minutes, add the spinach and stir for another 2 minutes before draining the mix. Add the oil, tomatoes, olives, and feta into a large salad bowl and stir together. Finally, add the pasta and spinach mix into the bowl and stir.
For extra crunch and flavour, add a diced onion.
Enjoy any of these on a summer’s day!
There’s nothing like dining al fresco out in the sun. Any of these dishes are perfect for enjoying on the patio with a cold drink in the summer!
