It’s been a while since we shared any main course. This week, we wanted to share some delicious vegetarian options for our recipe blog that we think are perfect for the summer months. Heatwaves are back. Here in San Diego, hot days hit us hard. A lot of our team don’t have air conditioning anywhere but in our cars. So slow cooking or heavy meals are unappealing.
We find that vegetarian options are great at this time of year. They leave you feeling lighter. The dishes we’re sharing today are all satisfying whether or not you usually eat meatless meals.
If you are interested in mac and cheese but don’t want a long process or many carbs, this is for you! This recipe uses cauliflower in place of macaroni. And it’s a five-and-five dish: five ingredients and five minutes of prep work. Anything that cuts time out of kitchen work is a plus for us! One step is baking the cauliflower, but the oven is only on for 10 minutes. It’s not as bad as many roasted vegetable recipes. If you don’t mind a slightly softer consistency, you can cook the cauliflower in the microwave. The cheese sauce is the real star of the show, so cooking your cauliflower in the microwave isn’t a dealbreaker! A serving has 294 calories, 12 grams of carbs and five grams of fiber. Get the recipe.
If you are getting out of the kitchen and into the yard to cook, these vegan skewers are perfect on the grill. Made with tofu and a mix of zucchini, peppers, onion and tomatoes, you’ll get protein and vegetables all from one skewer. The recipe calls for barbecue cause. It’s a small amount, so you don’t have to worry about the carbs. But, if you want to lower it even more, you could try one of the great recipes for barbecue sauce that we shared recently. We like these because, if you’re the only person in your family giving up meat, they can be thrown onto the grill with traditional skewers, making dinner easy for everyone. A serving has 118.8 calories, 10 grams of carbs and 1.8 grams of fiber. Get the recipe.
If you’re wondering what an aubergine is, don’t worry — it’s not an exotic vegetable you’ll have to search for. It’s just what they call an eggplant in Europe. This recipe is straightforward but delivers a delicious complete meal of a main course and side cooked on the grill to keep all the heat out of your home! The skewers and salsa both have a little heat and are absolutely perfect for a grilled dinner. The recipe calls for Aleppo pepper flakes, but red pepper flakes work perfectly fine! A serving has 273 calories, 13.7 grams of carbs and 8.5 grams of fiber. Get the recipe.
Spaghetti squash is excellent and just starting to come into season in some parts of the country. It can be cooked in the microwave, which is a massive plus in this muggy weather! You sauté the other ingredients, and you have a delicious meal quickly and without making your kitchen hot! The mushrooms in the dish add body to it, making it the main meal instead of a side dish. This is perfect when you want pasta but are avoiding carbs! A serving has 173 calories, 17 grams of carbs and four grams of fiber. Get the recipe.
We hope these recipes help you through the hot weather and give you some inspiration for dinner! It can be hard to cook when it’s boiling out, but these delicious meals can be a healthy way to eat until the days cool off!
