Vegetarian Appetizers and Entrees for Entertaining

This is a guest post.

Planning a party large or small means a whole lot of friends, family, and get-togethers centered largely on food. No matter the occasion, if the host or hostess doesn’t have any dietary restrictions, are they remembering those guests who may prefer to follow a vegetarian diet? As more and more individuals turn to vegetarianism, whether due to social considerations, health benefits, or simple flavor preference, more and more meatless options are becoming available to fill the void.

Tasty Treats With Health and Environmental Benefits to Boot

Following a plant-based diet isn’t just for the weight-obsessed Hollywood crowd. In fact, incorporating more plant-based proteins into your diet offers an abundance of health and environmental benefits, such as:

• ·         Lower fat and cholesterol levels
• ·         A reduction in the risk of cancer, diabetes, and obesity
• ·         A reduction in your carbon footprint by reducing water and air pollution

Whether you’re an existing vegetarian or simply interested in expanding your culinary horizons to include more plant-based proteins, here’s a look at some tasty options to include with your spread next time you entertain.

Fish-Free Filets With Lemon and French Fries

You will need:

·         Fishless filets
·         French Fries
·         Lemons
·         Parsley
·         Tarter sauce
·         Newspaper cones

Steps:

1. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees

2. Arrange fishless filets on a baking tray lined with parchment paper

3. Cook for 10 minutes in center of oven

4.  Move tray to bottom rack and flip filets and cook 10 more minutes

5. Fill newspaper cones with tartar sauce

6. Cut each filet in half, and place in cones

7. Garnish with lemon and parsley, and enjoy!

Mini Meatless Tacos With Chipotle Mayo and Corn Salsa

You will need:

·         Meatless “ground beef”
·         Taco seasoning (2Tbsp)
·         Miniature  taco shells
·         Four or five ears of corn
·         Red onion
·         Four limes, juiced
·         Two tsp sea salt
·         One can of black beans
·         Chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
·         Low-fat mayonnaise
·         Limes for garnish
·         Micro greens

Steps:

1.    Cook meatless “ground beef” in olive oil over medium heat until brown
2.   Mix together corn and black beans 
3.   Mix two Tbsp of mayonnaise with the sauce from the chipotle chili can
4.   Assemble tacos with chipotle chili mayo, meatless “ground beef,” corn salsa and greens
5.   Serve, and enjoy!

Make Everyone Merry at Mealtime With Meat Substitutes

Whether your entire guest list follows a vegetarian diet or you just need to accommodate one particular diner, there are numerous delicious meatless options that get the job done right.