A vegetarian at the table

Whether you have a vegetarian in the house or just have a vegetarian friend coming for a meal, you may need some help to create healthy dishes for them. If you have an unexpected vegetarian guest, the best thing is not to panic – and go for something simple.

Here are some tips

• Serve fish, then if your vegetarian guest eats fish, your bases are covered. Frozen John Dory is great to keep on hand in the freezer. It is best cooked from frozen and can be marinated before cooking or even crumbed.
• As well as vegetables, try having a rice pilaf on hand for additional carbohydrates. This rice dish can easily be jazzed up with herbs, spices, canned tuna or salmon, eggs, vegetables and dried fruits and nuts. Any left over rice can be frozen for a later meal or stirfry.
• Be ready with an omelette pan. It takes less than 3 minutes to whip one up and you can create any flavour, cheese (use something grated and tasty), herbs (whatever is at hand), vegetables (panfried mushrooms with ginger or garlic, diced cooked aubergine with basil).
• Pasta – an angel in times like this. Serve it simple with crumbled feta, diced olives or sundried tomatoes or even fresh tomatoes and olive oil and herbs or similar.
• Polenta – a bit more work, but you can make it up and serve it grilled with vegetables on top dressed with vinaigrette.
• Gnocchi – have it in the freezer for emergencies like this. Buy it chilled, ready made from the supermarket. All it needs is about 5 minutes cooking from frozen and tossed with a sauce.
• Beans – canned and flavoured ready to eat. Whip up vegetarian tortillas or enchiladas with plenty of beans on the inside.
• Feta Cheese – this tasty crumbly cheese can be added to a salad with a few cheesy croutons to make a substantial salad or pasta dish.
• Pizza – frozen bases in the freezer can be turned into a lavish trendy pizza with a little flavoured tomato paste, grated cheese and topped with a vegetable and fruit salsa once cooked.

Hopefully with all these fabulous stand-by cupboard ingredients, you want be in a fuddle for a vegetarian dinner option.

Here are some exciting recipe ideas for vegetarian meals from the website.

• Mediterranean Tofu Bolognaise
• Thai-scented Couscous and Tofu-stuffed Mushrooms
• Roasted Garlic and Tofu Omelet
• Aubergine and Quince Tagine
• Potato and Lentil Curry
• Roast Pumpkin and Bean Salad With Japanese Dressing
• Vegetarian Risotto Sausages

From Allyson

So, if you have any further comments to make, be aware that not all our community may share your knowledge and hence why in our story we wrote "if they eat fish".

Best wishes for now.