Food & Drinks

3 traditional dishes that can also be made without meat

So it's already May, huh, girlfriends. Just one more month and then summer begins and the bikini can come out of the closet. If all goes well, you are working hard on your fitness, on the balcony or in the gym. All for those toned buttocks. And how about the contents of the fridge? Well stocked with green leaves and pots of quark? Tofu, tempeh? Because the contents of your fridge help with your race towards a smoking hot body. Research shows that reducing meat can significantly help in achieving a killer body. In fact, it turns out that people who switch to a vegetarian menu but continue to eat everything else can lose as much as 3.5 kilos in a month lose. Now I personally love a nice tender steak, a slice of Iberico ham that melts in your mouth, or an organic chicken from the barbecue, so I would never give it up completely, but by reducing it, you not only do your body a favor, but also Mother Earth. Did you know that you can even give the most traditional dishes a vegetarian twist? These three dishes are just as delicious without meat as they are with it. Promise.

1. Zucchini lasagna with broccoli

broccoli

zucchini

garlic

1 onion, finely chopped

basil

tomato sauce

1 tsp smoked paprika

grated cheese

6 heaping tablespoons Greek yogurt

a handful of Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
  2. Heat some olive oil in a large pan and sauté the onion until golden brown, then add the garlic and paprika powder.
  3. Finely chop the broccoli in a food processor and add it along with the tomato sauce to the onion.
  4. Add the basil and the pepper and salt.
  5. Let it simmer on low heat for ten minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, use a cheese slicer to shave thin slices of the zucchini.
  7. Mix the Greek yogurt and the Parmesan cheese together.
  8. Grease a baking dish with olive oil and create layers with the sauce, the zucchini slices, and the yogurt mixture.
  9. Sprinkle some grated cheese over the lasagna and place it in the oven for 20 minutes.

Serve the lasagna with a simple arugula salad with fresh Parmesan shavings, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil.

2. Chili sin carne

500 grams sweet potato, cut into pieces

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 bunch of fresh coriander

1 red chili pepper, seeds removed, chopped

2 cans of beans of 400 grams each (I use a bean mix)

2 cans of diced tomatoes

Greek yogurt

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Place the sweet potato pieces in a bowl. Sprinkle them with a pinch of cayenne pepper, cinnamon, paprika powder, and cumin. Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil, pepper, and salt. Toss well and spread over a baking sheet. Bake the potatoes for 30-40 minutes, until they are soft and golden brown. Set aside.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large pan and sauté the onion, bell pepper, and garlic until cooked.
  3. Add the chopped stems of the coriander to the remaining spices in the onion mixture.
  4. Drain the beans and add them along with the tomatoes to the mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it simmer gently for half an hour.
  5. Remove the potatoes from the oven and add them to the mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Serve the chili with a spoonful of Greek yogurt and freshly chopped coriander.

Serve with a handful of tortilla chips or rice.

3. Vegetarian Bourguignon

3 shallots

1 carrot

olive oil

1 clove of garlic

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 tablespoons spelt flour

100 ml red wine

150 ml vegetable broth

2 sprigs of thyme

350 grams of mushrooms (I use a mix)

salt and pepper

1 small can of lentils

  1. Peel the shallots and cut them into quarters. Cut the carrot into thick slices.
  2. Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the shallots for 5 minutes.
  3. Add the carrot and sauté for another 5 minutes.
  4. Stir in the finely chopped garlic, the tomato paste, and the flour and sauté for another minute.
  5. Pour in the red wine, stir well to create a nice smooth sauce. Let half of the liquid reduce and then add the broth and thyme. Let it simmer gently for another 10 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, in a frying pan, sauté the mushrooms until golden brown and season with some pepper and salt. After a few minutes, add the mushrooms to the wine mixture, along with the (drained) lentils.
  7. Let it simmer gently for another five minutes. Turn off the heat and garnish with some thyme leaves. Season with pepper and salt to taste.

Serve with rice or crusty fresh baguette.