If you want to take part in Meat-Out Day here are some vegetarian meal ideas culled from the Internet.

The Royal Gazette wants to hear from you. Did you try these recipes? Did you get your avowed meateating spouse to try them? What did the kids think? Tell us, for better or for worse about your MeatOut Day experiences at jmoniz@royalgazette.bm.

LUNCH:

Thermos Chili with coffee

1 tablespoon of oil

1 chopped onion

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chile powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 cups of diced canned tomatoes, including the juice ¾ cup of brewed coffee

1 ½ cups water

1 bay leaf ½ teaspoon minced chipotle in adobo, or to taste (optional)

2 ½ cups cooked red beans, drained handful of chopped, fresh cilantro.

Saute onion in oil until softened and lightly browned. Stir in garlic, chile and cumin and cook one minute. Add coffee, tomatoes, cwater, bay leaf, chipotle (if using) and beans. Cover and simmer for 30to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Take off the lid and simmer chili to desired thickness. Remove and discard bay leaf.

Stir in cilantro.

Makes about four servings.

KIDS LUNCH:

Try a veggie burger on a whole-what bun with ketchup. Include a side cup of cream cheese or ranch dressing for dipping cut up vegetable sticks, such as celery or carrots.

For desert add some sliced apples or blueberries. Or try a quesadilla (tortilla with cheese and mashed beans).

Slip some cooked vegetables like broccoli or carrots into the quesadilla.

Lunch Box Pasta Salad

Using small pasta shapes makes this pasta salad fun and easy to pack.

2 cups uncooked rotelle (wagon wheels) or small shells

2 cups small broccoli florets 1 large carrot, sliced

½ cup pitted black olives, halved. (If your kids aren't horrfied by them.)

½ cup cooked corn kernels or cut baby corn.

? to ½ cup natural low-fat dressing or your choice, as needed.

Salt to taste.

Cook the pasta in rapidly simmering water. As it is firming up add the broccoli and carrot to the cooking pasta and allow to cook for another minute or two. The broccoli should be bright green when you take it out.

Drain and rinse under cold running water until the mixture cools. Drain well and combine in a mixing bowl with the olives, corn, and dressing. Season to taste.

DINNER: Arabic Salad

2 diced roma tomatoes

1 zucchini, peeled and chopped

½ onion chopped very fine.

2 teaspoons cumin cilantro and cayenne to taste

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon flax oil drops sesame oil.

Toss and refrigerate. Serve with parsley sprigs Easy to digest version: Steam chopped onion, zuchinni and tomato for 6 minutes. Chill and mix with other ingredients.

For a romantic dinner: Tofu with Wine

½ pound extra firmtofu.

¼ cup wheat flour 1 tablespoon olive oil.

½ cup white wine.

1 small onion ,chopped.

1 cup broccoli florets, chopped.

1 clove garlic, minced.

¼ teaspoon cayenne.

1 cup soymilk.

1 tablespoon cornstarch. Slice tofu into quarter inch strips.

Roll the tofu in the flour till coated.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, and put the strips in.

Cook over moderate heat until strips are browned on underside, then turn and brown on the other side.

Remove from saucepan and set aside. Add the wine, broccoli, onion and garlic to the saucepan.

Sauté until onion is just soft, a minute or two.

Mix the cornstarch with the soymilk and wine.

Add the tofu strips back to the pan, then add the soymilk mixture.

Stir until soymilk thickens. Add more soymilk if it is too dry. Reduce the heat and simmer about a minute. Serve over rice or potatoes.

KIDS DINNER: If the kids balk at the word "tofu" cook up some macaroni and cheese and throw in some chopped spinach or broccoli.

For more recipes check out: http://www.choa.org/Menus/Documents/Wellness/teachingsheets/veglunch.pdf

http://vegkitchen.com/kid-friendly-recipes/school-lunch-recipes.htm

http://kidscooking.about.com/od/vegetariandinnerrecipes/Vegetarian_Dinner_Recipes.htm