By Werner Wichmann
If you're a new vegetarian or just want to get back to basics, you should learn how to cook several classic vegetarian dinner recipes. These recipes are classics for a reason, they taste great, they're easy to make, and they're full of the nutrition you need to be a healthy vegetarian.
One great dish when you're looking for classic vegetarian dinner recipes is a delicious lentil soup. Take some dry, uncooked lentils, and rinse and clean thoroughly so there is no dirt on them. Then, place the clean lentils in a stockpot or Dutch oven along with some water or vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, partially cover the pot, and cook, for about half an hour. Then, add some salt and cook until the lentils are tender. While you're waiting for the lentils to cook, in a second pan, heat some olive oil and sauté some chopped onions. Then, add some minced garlic cloves and soy sauce, and sauté a bit longer. After the lentils are cooked, stir in the onions, along with some cumin and paprika, and cook a little bit longer to allow the flavors to combine. Lentil soup can be pureed with an immersion blender or served as whole lentils in the broth.
Another option when you are searching for classic vegetarian dinner recipes is to make a simple Portobello mushroom sandwich. Remove the stem from the mushroom, and cut the mushroom in half. Brush the mushroom with some olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Grill the mushrooms for a few minutes on each side, or until brown. Place the pieces of mushroom between two pieces of bread that you have brushed with some olive oil and minced garlic and toasted, and top with your choice of wonderful fillings, including lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles. Also, if you want, you can also melt some cheese over the mushroom while it's still on the grill before transferring it to bread.
A third option for classic vegetarian dinner recipes is to make some wonderful stuffed shells. While this isn't the healthiest recipe, it's great as a special treat. Boil large pasta shells in water until done. While you're waiting for the shells to cook, mix together parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and ricotta cheese, along with some parsley and nutmeg. Take a baking dish and spoon some tomato sauce into the pan and spread with a spoon or spatula so it covers the bottom of the dish. Then, carefully fill the cooked shells with the cheese mixture and place in one layer in the pan. Pour the remaining sauce over the stuffed shells, cover with foil, and bake until the cheese is oozing out of the shells and the sauce is bubbling. Serve this dish with a side salad so you at least have something that is healthy on your plate. Also, if you start your meal with a fresh garden salad, you'll eat less of the main dish, which means you'll have enough to serve as leftovers the next day, without having to cook a whole new meal.
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