Healthy, vegetarian dinners to cook this week

Make this hot pot even healthier by swapping out the polenta for sweet potato mash. Picture: bestrecipes.com.au

MONDAY

This delicious bean hot pot is a must-save recipe for weeknight dinners. Perfect for vegetarians, this dish takes no time to prepare, but does require a little patience while you let the stew cook. Serve on a bed of polenta like we have above. Or for a healthier option, serve with steamed veggies and sweet potato mash.

TUESDAY

This low carb cauliflower and macadamia salad proves winter cooking can still be fresh and light.

Winter and vegetarian cooking does not exclusively involve hot pots and slow cookers. This cauliflower and macadamia salad is a great weeknight dinner, full of nutrients and packed full of flavour. This dinner won’t take long to throw together, and will leave you feeling well and truly satisfied, rather than absolutely bursting at the seams.

WEDNESDAY

Enjoy a hearty, Japanese hot pot in the comfort of your own home.

A traditional Japanese hot pot is low fat, warming and packed full of flavour. A favourite at many Japanese restaurants this dish is also so easy to make at home. Serve this vegetarian hot pot up this week and, if possible, make sure you save some for a thermos lunch the next day.

THURSDAY

This one-pot wonder is perfect for cold weeknights.

When the weather starts to get really cold, anything that simmers slowly in a pot, warming the whole house, becomes a winner at dinner time. This roasted vegetable and white bean ratatouille is so easy to prepare and cook, and will easily feed the whole family. Serve with some crusty bread to ensure not one bit of this casserole gets left behind.

FRIDAY

These flavour-packed stuffed capsicums are perfect as a side, or a main. Credit: delicious.com.au

Stuffed peppers have long been that token vegetarian dish, but that doesn’t necessarily mean boring. Cook these quick stuffed Romano peppers as an easy weeknight dinner this week to win over vegos and meat-eaters alike. Also, you may want to keep this recipe in mind for your next dinner party. Packed full of fresh herbs, lemon zest and pickled golden peppers this dish works as perfectly as a side, as it does a main dish.

SATURDAY

This cauliflower pizza with zucchini pesto trumps takeaway every time. Credit: delicious.com.au

Pizza, and the convenience often associated with it, has gotten a bad rap. But not all pizza deserves it. This cauliflower pizza with zucchini pesto from Magdalena Roze is a vibrant combination of seasonal vegetables atop a crispy cauliflower base. And honestly it’s so easy to whip up you’ll be tossing those takeaway flyers in the bin after eating it.

SUNDAY

I'd argue the humble moussaka is even better sans meat. Credit: delicious.com.au

Moussaka is the Middle Eastern dish as hearty and comforting as a hug from mum. Traditionally containing ground meat, this lentil moussaka bake, will leave even the most devoted of meat-eaters scrambling for seconds. This bad boy takes a little longer to cook (and is totally worth it), so why not save this for a weekend dinner?