Any yummy vegetarian recipes to beat the heat?

Question

Cooking for 4 tonight, and want to make something healthy, and that won't heat up my kitchen in the 100 degree weather! Have been a vegetarian for 5 years, and am looking for new recipes!

Answer 1

get some pita bread add cream cheese cucumber alfalfa sprouts and enjoy

Answer 2

this is one of my favorite recipes from Moosewood Restaurant:

Greek Pasta Salad

Here's a pasta salad generous with vegetables and bright flavors.

Total time: 35 minutes
Serves 4

½ pound pasta shells

¼ cup olive oil
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
½ teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons water
1 green or red bell pepper, diced

5 artichoke hearts, drained and quartered (14-ounce can)
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 celery stalk, sliced
2 scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (2 teaspoons dried)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (1 teaspoon dried)
salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 cup grated or crumbled feta cheese
Greek olives

Bring a large covered pot of water to a rapid boil. Cook the pasta shells, uncovered, until al dente, and then drain. Rinse them under cold water until cool, and drain again.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the eggplant. Cover and cook for 3 minutes on medium heat. Stir in the salt, garlic, lemon juice, and water. Cover and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, until the eggplant is almost tender. Add the diced red bell peppers, and if you are using dried herbs, add the dill and oregano. Simmer a few minutes more, until the peppers are cooked but still have some crunch.

While the eggplant and peppers are cooking, place the artichoke hearts, cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, scallions, fresh dill, and fresh oregano in a large salad bowl. Add the cooked eggplant and peppers. Stir in the pasta and toss well. Add salt and pepper and more lemon juice or olive oil to taste.

Serve at room temperature topped with the feta and some olives.

Note: this salad can be refrigerated to serve later, but the pasta may absorb the flavors and need an additional dash of lemon juice and olive oil just before serving.

Answer 3

EGGPLANT TOMATO PASTA
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into ½” cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 (28-ounce) can peeled and crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup basil (about 10 leaves), torn
8 ounces shell pasta, cooked al dente

Place eggplant in a colander and season generously with kosher salt. Fill a 1-gallon plastic bag with water, seal tightly and place over eggplant to weigh down. Let stand for 40 minutes. Rinse the salt off the eggplant, and pat dry. Place the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add eggplant and cook, stirring often, until golden brown on all sides, about 20 minutes. Add garlic, onion, tomatoes and their juice to the pan. Simmer until sauce has slightly thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes or longer depending on how juicy your tomatoes are. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add the basil and cook 1 minute more. Serve over pasta.

Answer 4

you could try a pea soup that's served cold. the recipe's from kraft kitchens or how about cold pasta salad? mmmm. here's a recipe. it's greek tortellini salad. something exotic and heathy!
http://salad.allrecipes.com/az/73594.asp
p.s you can customize the recipe for 5 servings at the bottom of the page.

Answer 5

I like making taco sald easy, kids like it too if you have any around.
Chopped lettuce, tomatoes onions etc, can drained pinto, kidney beans or what you like, shredded cheese, chopped warmed corn tortillas.( anything slde you might like)
As a " dressing" I mix light ranch with hot sauce like tapatio. Some like italian or thousand island though.

Answer 6

Gazpacho!

http://soup.allrecipes.com/az/Gazpacho.asp

Does involve some cooking, but wow is it good to help you cool down.

Or you could do sandwiches and a salad. Nice and light, and you won't have to cook.

Answer 7

Try auborgine with feta cheese melted on top. Also, gin and bitter lemon (sounds weird I know) is a really refreshing drink.

Answer 8

Try http://kraftfoods.com/kf/FoodandFamily/Summer_2006/recipeindex.htm and select the meatless on the options

lots of good ones

Answer 9

go on www.foodnetwork.com and you are sure to find an awesome recipe on making a great vegetatrion dish

Answer 10

Greek salads with stuffed portabello mushrooms....