Summer Food Inspiration For Vegetarians

Hardly anybody feels like making complex meals that take ages to prepare in the sweltering summer heat. You still need healthy and nutritious foods that give you the energy you need to get through the day, though! Are you stuck in a rut and unsure what foods to make this summer? We have some vegetarian inspiration for you.

Hummus And Other Dip Foods

This traditional Middle Eastern dish has found its way to supermarket refrigerators in many parts of the world. Full of protein and fiber, hummus really does have a lot going for it. You can use hummus to dip your raw veggies in, simply put it on (pita) bread or add it to a wrap with a light salad. No matter how you like your hummus best, you will have a simple meal that also happens to be incredibly satisfying.

Sure, store-bought hummus is great for lazy summer nights on which you don't feel like cooking — but why not try to make it yourself? Preparing hummus is pretty easy. Save time and keep your kitchen cool by using tinned chickpeas. Do make sure to remove the hard skins from your chickpeas. Besides chickpeas, you'll just need garlic, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, some salt, and a blender. You can, of course, add all kinds of other things as well. Try steamed and mashed carrots, chilly flakes, coriander, small bits of olives, or anything else that strikes your fancy.

Are you bored with hummus but still love something to dip your carrots and celery sticks into? Baba ganoush is a great alternative made with egg plant, guacamole is deceptively simple to prepare and full of good fats, and tzatziki (cucumber, yogurt, garlic) is very refreshing on those hot days. 

Pasta Salad

Who doesn't love pasta salad? It's both easy to make and extremely versatile. Not only can you use any type of pasta, you can dress it up in almost any way you want to. Some of my favorites include: 

• Home-made pesto sauce (which could be as simple as basil, olive oil, pine nuts and salt) with added raw cherry tomatoes and some mozzarella cheese
• Chickpeas, zucchini, rocket and ricotta cheese
• Feta, eggs, tomatoes, grilled bell pepper, lots of garlic, capers, and a yogurt dressing
• Spring onions, basil, olives, and asparagus in a white-wine sauce

See Also: Vegetarians Who Train

Does your choice of ingredients not include a significant amount of protein? Don't worry — you can simply add some cheese or eggs on the side. 

More Summer Meal Ideas

Greek Yogurt With Fruit

We've been eating Greek yogurt with fresh fruit on top for breakfast for a good while now. With a different fruit adorning your Greek yogurt every day, this never gets old. We've tried bananas, apples, strawberries, apricot, and even melon. Drizzle some honey on top if you like things extra sweet, or add some sun flower seeds for a different twist.

Grilled Veggies

Cold grilled veggies are always a great option during summer — especially in a salad, cut into smaller pieces with a great yogurt or home-made mayonnaise dressing! Is it too hot to grill where you are? You might try getting your grilling over and done with first thing in the morning. Vegetables that grill really nicely include zucchini, egg plant, onion, bell pepper, asparagus, and tomatoes. Mushrooms are always good too!

You can also cut egg plants in half length ways, grill them for about 20 minutes, and add raw cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, and parsley on top. This simple yet tasty dish has become a staple in our family. 

Waldorf Salad

The apples and celery in Waldorf salad are sure to add a bit of freshness to your day! Toast some walnuts in a skillet for just a few minutes, chop (different kinds of) apples into small pieces, add celery, mayonnaise and some French mustard, and you're done.

Vegetarians who love to eat salads during the summer can easily get less protein than they really need. Walnuts are a good source of protein as well as dietary fiber, and you can add them to all kinds of salads besides Waldorf. The same goes for other tree nuts and seeds, which will keep your protein intake up and give your salads that extra crunch. 

Smoothies

Hard-core stove haters should definitely experiment with different kinds of smoothies during the summer. Try:

• Soy milk, banana, spinach, flax seeds and cinnamon
• Strawberries, raspberries, apricot and yogurt
• Avocado, banana, pear and milk
• Almond milk, cardamom, and mango

See Also: Vegetarian TV Snack Ideas For The Super Bowl

Get into smoothie making, and you will definitely find that some of your creations simply don't taste good. If you like free-styling, make sure to keep a notepad and pen in the kitchen so you can write combinations that turn out to be delicious down for future reference. Don't despair if your smoothie isn't all that great; it happens. Folks who are comfortable with raw eggs can add those to smoothies to boost their protein intake.