I don't have much time left at the end of the day for food preparation. Is it possible to be vegetarian and be able to make quick (nutritious) meals?

I was vegetarian for around three years but 'lapsed' - but I seemed to be forever in the kitchen. I had more time then, but am busier now.

I would also appreciate advice on lunch box meals, easy and quick to prepare in the morning, say in 15 minutes :up:

Do you have a crock pot/slow cooker?

Honestly, my biggest challenge with being a veg(etari)an is that there is TOO much convenience food! I often find that I just want to eat a bunch of junk! If you are not to concerned with your health, there is always cereal with soymilk, instant oatmeal, frozen foods (Amy's brand are my favorite), mixes (I like Fantastic Foods' falafel, sloppy joe, and taco mixes, which you can through on a pita or tortilla), protein bars (like Luna Bars and Nature's Valley), salted nuts, raisins, 100-calorie packs of Oreos and Wheat Thins, Newman O's cookies, chocolate bars, premade goods from Vegan Essentials and Food Fight Grocery online, etc. etc. And of course don't forget, fresh fruits and vegetables dipped in things like salad dressing and peanut butter!

If you're trying to eat a little more healthily, it takes maybe 15 minutes of prep total per day. For example, today I ate:

whole wheat Cheerio-type cereal (I like Honey Nut Cheerios) with soymilk and strawberries

strips of yellow bell pepper and a handful of nuts

a Boca chik patty on whole wheat pita with salad greens and honey mustard dressing

half an apple

half a protein bar that has dried fruit in it

a banana dipped in peanut butter

an Amy's tofu scramble pita pocket

a handful of cranberries

some frozen corn

a few spoonfuls of sorbet

a chocolate peppermint Luna bar

a few Wheat Thins dipped in peanut butter

So see? It's not too hard! Just check out your produce department, canned goods, and any organic sections you may have. Invest in really good cookbooks, like Conveniently Vegan. Don't be afraid to eperiment, and above all, have fun!

Pasta with sauce is always quick and easy, you can make chili in a crock pot.

You might want to look into getting a rice cooker with a timer, this way the rice will be ready for when you get home, then you can add a can of beans and have rice and bean burritos.

Try Nava Atlas' Vegetarian Express book. They're 30 min vegetarian meals (well before racheal ray i might add) and really pretty interesting. They also include shopping lists so you know what you need.

Try Nava Atlas' Vegetarian Express book. They're 30 min vegetarian meals (well before racheal ray i might add) and really pretty interesting. They also include shopping lists so you know what you need.

Ooh, I might have to buy that book!

Thanks for the ideas folks.........

I am in the UK and there isn't as much choice as in the US.

Made a veg and bean chilli this evening. 20 minutes tops. Brilliant!! Just made too much - enough for a week. And I forgot how cheap it was to eat vegetarian.........:lick:

+ I didn't need a recipe book. Just threw in all my fave flavours.

+ I didn't need a recipe book. Just threw in all my fave flavours.

That is my favorite way to cook. The more you just experiment on your own the more versitale of a cook you'll become. I see recipes as good ideas to get started, but I want to be able to modify things to my liking. Plus if you're ever without a book you won't have any problem getting started on a recipe.

This doesn't work so well for baking, but is great for meal type food.

Here are a few suggestions...
1. Make one day a week "cooking day" and make three or so meals on the day that you choose ( I find that a meal lasts about 2 days). Freeze them and simply microwave them each night. Some suggestions are soups, pastas, & veggie loafs.
2. Shakes are nice for lunches- just throw fruit, juice, vitamins, and protein powder into the blender, blend and put into a thermos.
3. Vegetarian TV dinners are always nice and convenient on those "no time to cook days."

Mmmmm. Just been to Amazon and bought two of Nava Atlas's books. Bang goes the savings I made tonight on veggie cooking. Still, the food was tops

half an apple
What did you do with the other half? :think:

I haven't tried to make these yet, but they look good:
http://maindish.allrecipes.com/az/MkhdLnchWrps.asp

When microwaving meals, you lose alot of nutrients we need.

Pastas are easy to make, also for lunch PB&J is always easy and yummy. A slowcooker would also do wonders, and a juicer. :)

What did you do with the other half? :think:

It fell on the floor. :(

I'm not good at cutting fruit. I should have given it to my dogs, though, now that I think of it.