Ideas to help non-cook provide for a vegetarian weekend guest?

LeaLeander · ‎03-14-2010

Hello,

Hoping to tap the expertise here. I will soon be hosting a vegetarian friend, age 52, for the weekend. I've only seen her once in 10 years though we correspond a lot, so I'm not too up to speed on her daily eating habits. She is not vegan and in fact once or twice a year at her mom's house will eat a very well-done high-quality hamburger, oddly enough, but otherwise does not eat meat or poultry.

Food is not that important to either of us but obviously since she is a guest in my home I don't want her to feel stranded without options. One night we'll probably have a baked potato bar since she used to love those when we lived near one another and for the second night I am thinking pizza and salad.

I find those Boboli DIY crusts to be adequate (though not great) and of course would have mozzarella, mushrooms, green pepper on hand. And pepperoni for me. But can anyone suggest other types of cheese that would melt well on a pizza at 400-ish degrees in the oven and coordinate with mozzarella in case she wants to add more taste sensation?

I plan to have veggies and dip, cheeses and olives, the makings of peanut butter toast, popcorn, hardboiled eggs, sesame crackerse and baguette on hand as well as romaine and standard salad vegetables. Any other suggestions for the vegetarian guest? She really don't have much of an appetite nor make food a big part of her day but I'd like to be as hospitable as possible for 48 hours. I'm not much of a cook myself, more of a finger food/sandwich/meat & potatoes person.

Any suggestions gratefully received. thanks!

chessylady · ‎05-01-2010

Veggie burgers, I like Boca brand. Also large portobella mushrooms are a good burger substitute. Hummus dip with raw vegs are a good snack.

nunu4u · ‎03-10-2010

Nachos with beans, avocado, salsa, cilantro. Grilled cheese and tomato soup!

qvcaddition · ‎03-10-2010

was cooking vegetarian in 1956 with my first husband. No cookbooks, no internet for receipes and came from an Italian family of big meat eaters. Not trying to be smart to you, but use your imagination.

I figured if stuffed zucchini was made with hamburger, do the same, but take out the hamburger and melt good cheese on top. So sauté onions, a little garlic, the inside of the zucchini scooped out, mix in bowl with a couple of eggs, salt and pepper and put back into the par boiled zucchini shell.

Twice stuffed baked potatoes. Bake the russet potato, scooped out the insides, add salt and pepper, butter, put back into potato shell, sprinkle with parmesan cheese on top and bake until cheese is melted. I made egg salad pie. A real pie crust with egg salad cooked in it. How about a good mac and cheese, made with good cheese, not the box kind.

Their are many different things to do to vegetables. You can even buy Loma Linda, soy hamburgers, no meat in ingredents , or their soy hot dogs. Look for their products if they are still around. Go to a vegie restaurant.

People are lucky today, back in 1956, we really had to get creative if something out of the norm. We could not go to restaurants, because they did not cater to vegetarians. Not any of those restaurants back then. I think today's electronics while very good, has made us lose the creativity we once had.

Good Luck, lucky your friend is not vegan, that is really tough.

LaLaMommy · ‎09-24-2010

Go to Costco and pick up a few Refrigerated, pre-made items. They have some delish choices from the "freezer" section, to the "freshly packaged" pre-made area (where they keep the cheeses and pre-made soups in the "refrigerated" section). There are numerous choices.

sciencegeek_1 · ‎07-19-2013

Your list is more than adequate for a 48 hour visit. Relax and enjoy the visit!

NYC Susan · ‎03-13-2010

If it's cold where you live (or even if it's not!), vegetarian chili might be a good option.

And quesadillas are easy to make, and easy to customize since pretty much anything can go inside and meat is not at all necessary.

I'm not strictly a vegetarian, but I don't like meat so I generally eat similar to the way that vegetarians do. And I find it easy to adapt "regular" food, sometimes by simply eliminating the meat & other times by adding something else instead.

I'm sure your friend is accustomed to parties, dinners, etc that are not vegetarian-friendly, and very used to focusing on what she can eat & disregarding the rest. I think it's really nice that you're putting so much thought into this and going to so much trouble for her. That's very sweet.

Kiss