Fancy vegetarian menu?

I'm trying to cook a fancy romantic vegetarian meal for Valentine's but I'm having a hard time coming up with a better combination than pasta + salad. Plus, the guy I'm cooking for hates beans and eggs :) Anyone have any ideas for a main dish and side that go nicely together?  Thanks!

Can you get some exotic mushrooms?  A mushroom tart would be a great main dish - tart shells filled with sauteed mushrooms, onion, maybe a few roasted peppers of different colors to garnish the top (red pepper strip hearts?)  Make a sauce to serve with it.  I'd do a platter of roasted root vegetables to go with that - carrots, whole baby beets, baby potatoes, turnip wedges, shallots, etc.  A pretty salad and great bread would complete the meal. 

If you don't want to do tart shells, then a stuffed, baked vegetable would be nice.  I like red bell peppers stuffed with this Mixed Grain Pilaf and baked until the peppers are done.

You could do spring vegetables instead of the roast ones - asparagus, snap peas, etc. 

Of course, strawberries for dessert, maybe with melted dark chocolate? 

Sounds YUMMY :)

I would do a mushroom and artichoke risotto.  So awesomely delicous and you'd never know you are missing meat.  On the side you could still do a mixed field green salad, or grilled vegetables (broiled?). 

Or, you could do an asian inspired meal complete with a peanut ginger soy garlic stir fry and make your own fresh (not fried) spring rolls on the side.  Try different ingredients, like sugar snap peas, **** mushrooms and possibly seitan for a meat substitute.  Use jasmine rice and dig out the chop sticks.  Serve with a nice dry riesling and green tea.

Another delicious idea would be stuffed baked squash, like an acorn squash stuffed with vegetable wild rice.  These are fun because they come in their own little squash bowl :o) 

Going along with the mushroom idea, you could get portobella mushroom caps and stuff them...if you eat cheese, I'd use goat cheese, artichoke hearts and roasted red peppers.  These could be a main dish or a side and would go awesome with the risotto idea.

Have fun!

You could make vegetarian fajitas? I think thats a really nice meal for two to share, because its quite fun getting stuck in and building your own if you have little pots of ingredients out on the table, and soft candle light and cosy chatter :D

Have a pan of chargrilled veg, pots of sour cream, guacamole, cheese, seeds/nuts, plates of salad, marinated or spicy tofu/quorn etc.

Chocolate fondue for dessert always!

This recipe for seitan satay is delicious! I used it to cook a birthday dinner for my boyfriend a few years ago, and have used it at a couple parties since then. You can pair it with asian-style vegetables, rice, noodles, or anything else you want. Good luck!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/ article/2006/03/02/AR2006030201833.html

You guys are awesome - these are all great ideas.

Rosa, do you have to grill the seitan or anything, or just serve it cold?

Sorry, the article is a little confusing, but if you go to page 2 (there's a link to it below the text box on page 1) it says to

"Place the skewers on a broiling rack, and broil on low for 5 minutes, or until the top of the seitan is brown but not burned. Turn the skewers, baste with the marinade and broil for another 5 minutes, or until the seitan is brown."

It also has a recipe for a sauce...not very low-cal but so yummy! You might be able to fit it in though, depending on what else you eat that day, or modify it with lite coconut milk or something else. The seitan will stand up on its own though.

Let me know how it goes!

My favorite special occasion meal is a roasted portobello mushroom stuffed with caramelized onions, some gruyere, and toasted pecans over artichoke risotto with a green vegetable or fancy salad on the side.  Then I'd follow it with a flourless chocolate torte with frangelico whipped cream.

Hi .My husband has been a vegetarian for years.I got a few favs of his.This is Tofu Lasagna... 1lb ex.firm tofu.1 bag baby spinach. Lasagna noodles,barilla is the best..the no cooking ones .1 to 2 jars of spaghetti sauce(lo fat or sugar free or reg) and 1lb mozerella cheese..spray a 11x11 or 9x13 pan.Drain tofu and crumble up like ricotta cheese.Add basil,and some garlic powder and oregano.Mix together.Layer lasagna,spinach and tofu mixture and sauce.Just repeat these steps.Add sauce on last layer with cheese over top.Bake in a pre heated 375 oven for 40 mins or until brown.. healthy and lo in calories.

Another favorite thats healthy is Mexican stew..

1 can black beans

1 can white beans

1 can refined bean

1 lg can chunky tomatoes

1 sm.can halepenos

1 tlb.all spice

some caynne pepper  (as hot as you want)

 sea salt and pepper to taste.

1 tlb .olive oil

You can cook on low in a slow cooker all day or cook on top of stove for 20 to 30 mins. I add over cooked white or brown rice..Add a little bit of F.F sour cream over top.Yummy and  and low fat,and excellent fiber.

Mouth watering at all these ideas ....