Great Ideas for Tasty Vegetarian Lunches for Young Professionals

For the young professional that needs quick vegetarian meals -

1) Get the Boca Meatless Chili and pack some frito lays corn chips in a zip lock bag for a delicious lunch meal

2) Cook Lipton's Cheddar Broccoli Rice as per the microwave instructions, except use low fat margarine and throw in 3 tablespoons of 'Rotel diced tomatoes and chilies'. < This turns out great.

3) Make a pita sandwich out of Morningstar Spicy Buffalo Wings(Veggie), some lettuce, diced tomatoes, cheese and some light ranch dressing, this will taste better than any lunch time $7 sandwich out there.

4) Get any of the following frozen entres - they taste great -  Lean Cuisine Santa Fe Rice and Beans, Amy's Mattar Paneer, Amy's Veggie Lasagna,  Lean Cuisine Vegetable Egg Roll 

5)  Get a can of garbanzo beans, black beans, red kidney beans - mix them together, throw in half a chopped potato (boiled / microwaved) and then add some paprika, salt, lemon juice, half a cup of salsa and eat this with some tortilla chips.

Good post! I will try some of these!

This is just too ironic that you posted this...

I am a young urban vegetarian professional who is sitting here at my desk with a bag of edamame and nothing else for lunch:-( Don't get my wrong I love my edamame but have been in desperate need of veggie lunch ideas...canned soup and salads have gotten boring!

THANKS SO MUCH kapjag!!! Lunch is starting to look up!!!

:-)

I am glad you liked these, I will try and post a part 2 of this soon.

I, also, had the same problem but I can eat tuna , yogrut and eggs :) Am I vegeterian? I can't eat chicken, red meat. I try to look for good recepies online. I appreciate if we can share them together.

You are not a vegetarian. You are a pescatarian. It's a pet peeve of mine when somebody says they're veggie, but eat fish. Not at all on the same level.

dreaasha, vegetarians get enough flak as is without other having to contend with each other.

Why let what someone else chooses to call themselves aggrevate you? 'Tis a waste of time.

Thank you for telling me about your thread!

It is very helpful! And everything sounds so yummy!

I am definately going to bookmark it! :)

I get annoyed because fish is meat. It's my pet peeve. Might not make sense to you, but it doesn't have to.

If you think I'm bad, you have to check out this (great) forum, called veggieboards.com. They have lots of recipies, support, etc etc. They get upset at people eating eggs, though. I don't go that far, but a vegetarian is somebody who does not eat meat, and fish is meat. It's the same to me as someone who says that they are vegetarian but eat chicken, too. Drives me up the wall.

Here are more ideas for quick vegetarian lunches/dinners -

1. Stop by your local Indian grocery store. Pick up a bottle of 'Cilantro'/Green/Mint chutney or what they call 'Pudina' chutney. Use it as a low fat sandwich spread on some white bread along with some low fat margarine. Sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and sliced boiled potato go really well with this healthy but delicious sandwich.

2. Pita Bread Pizza - Get some pita bread from your local grocery store. A little teaspoon of olive oil, garlic salt and butter on the pita bread. Throw some pizza sauce on it, some black olives, bell peppers, diced tomatoes (with green chillies - Rotel), sprinkle some shredded cheese and heat in the oven for about 5 - 7 minutes and you have a delicious pita pizza in under 10 minutes.

3. Spicy Honey Mustard Wrap - On a tortilla roll, spread some spicy honey mustard dressing, tomatoes, slithered almonds, pine nuts, cashews, sliced cucumbers, shredded letuce for a delicious sandwich.

More recipes to come...!

Tabachnik vegetarian soups are good if you have access to a microwave. Filling, good protein in the legume soups. Bean salad also easy, 1/2 cup black beans plus salsa to taste. Fantastic with fresh cilantro.

I second that, Tabachnik vegetarian soups are delicious! I make a great vege wrap if anyone wants to try it:

1 large tortilla, 1/2 tbsp mayo, 2 tsp mustard, 1 1/2 slice of kraft thin sliced swiss, about 3oz lettuce and about 1/4 cup pico de gallo (you can get this from the produce dept at the grocery store already made) and a dab of salsa or mild sauce. Wrap it up and it's delicious, filling and gives you energy. It feels light and easy without weighing you down. Total calories are only 390! It takes me less than 5 miutes to make. I eat this for lunch with a medium banana and water and it fills me up nicely, trust me I like to eat so this is great for me. Hope if works for you guys too.

I went to the grocery store and bought a small container of mayo, small mustard, pack of tortilla, ready mix iceburg lettuce (it also has carrots and sliced radish in it), a pack of kraft thin sliced swiss cheese, a container of pico de gallo, and a small container of salsa. I can eat on this for a week and more for those of you checking prices too. I'm a young full-time professional as well as a mother of 4 and wife. Time is of the essence for me.

That does sound delicious! thank you for that. I will have to try it out.

Lemmie know what you think about the wrap. Only 363 calories by the way. You could enjoy the veggie wrap, a controled portion of chips or rice chips (quaker is delicious) and a medium banana for under 500 calories! does that rock or what!?

How about spinach, chopped artichoke hearts, fat free sour cream, and roasted garlic mixed together with a dash each of onion powder and Greek seasoning on a whole wheat tortilla?  YUM!

OR, what about tofu marinated in olive oil and balsamic and cooked on the grill with red bell peppers, onions, yellow squash, zucchini and eggplant--we had this tonight, and I can't wait for the leftovers tomorrow! :)

OR, a wrap with roasted tomatoes, spinach, boca crumbles, garlic, and fat free cream cheese?  This is good hot or cold! 

Just a few to think about. 

And, I do admit it.  I eat fish.  I'm an "almost vegetarian" for health reasons, and eat about 19 of 21 meals and all snacks of "all veggie" things.  Hopefully, you'll let me take part in the discussion!  I've really enjoyed hearing what you all suggested for those lunches at work!  :D

writestuff, that first recipe is good, I tried it and I absolutely loved it. I threw in some shredded cheese and and some corn niblets. Good stuff!

glad you liked it!  my bf is a big fan of wraps, so we're constantly trying to figure things like that out!  :)

Hey writestuff, how many calories is that first wrap do you know? I want to try it

I would love to see more quick vegetarian recipes...

great ideas!

i do think i remember reading that the lean cuisine beans and rice has chicken fat in it, though. i remember being disappointed, because i love that kind. not sure if it's true, but you may want to check it out.

The Amy's Tofu Scramble is AMAZING as well. I always stock up on them for the nights when I have class late and don't feel like cooking when I get home. I'm also a big fan of making a bean mixtures (usually like a veggie taco w. salsa, tomatoes, onions etc.) and then wrapping them in corn tortillas. YUM. You can heat them up or eat them cold, good either way.