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<p>Really? Pasta with mushrooms and vegetables is something I’ve seen in restaurants plenty of times. The vegetarians that you know are damn picky. </p>
<p>Another easy thing I guess would be bean burritos. Put cheese in them. Make a “tomatillo” sauce with the heirloom tomatoes. Make some mexican rice to go with it. </p>
<p>All helpful advice; thanks everyone. PS Panzanella salad and caprese salad are two of my favorite dishes in the entire world, so one of those will definitely be on the menu. </p>
<p>Would a panzanella salad, Consolation’s black bean and corn salad, and maybe some pasta with homemade pesto be enough for the vegetarians? (I have a load of basil and love a good pesto).</p>
<p>I’d add grilled meat for non-vegetarians. I just can’t bring myself to grill veggie burgers; people love them but I don’t! </p>
<p>Crudite and aioli, olives and other nibbles when people arrive. Pitted olives bc of kids. </p>
<p>Watermelon and grilled peaches for dessert, if there are any good peaches at farmer’s market. (I think the Cal Reds are in season – yum!)</p>
<p>Or are those salads and the pasta with pesto too carb heavy? That’s three salads with carbs. I figure the pasta would be kid friendly. </p>
<p>I also love Alice Waters’ lentil salad recipe. But it really tastes great with meat; not sure how it would fare without it. </p>
<p>Another direction would be the vegetarian lasagne, but that doesn’t seem as summery to me. </p>
<p>I entertain a lot but have surprisingly few vegetarians. </p>
<p>The menu you suggest sounds delicious, nottelling. If you wanted to go more low-carb, the caprese salad instead of the panzanella would work. </p>
<p>I don’t think it’s “damn picky” to think a meal should have protein in it. </p>
<p>Im not a vegetarian but, give me panzanella salad with a nice wine, & dessert, & Id be good.</p>
<p>Vegetarian nacho dip – vegetarian refried beans, Spanish rice, cheese, diced onions, tomatoes, lettuce… with sour cream, salsa and guac on the side.</p>
<p>Re some posts. Being a vegetarian means plant based, not animal based, proteins. Veggie burgers satisfy European American tastes and include protein. Vegetarians are no more picky than people who insist on meat for their protein (chicken and fish count as meat). Mushrooms do not satisfy the need for proteins. Just because restaurants choose them or vegetables as a substitute does not make it right. My Indian mother-in-law does not like mushrooms (my mother didn’t either). We tend to cater to European cultural tastes in this country and ignore others- Close to a billion Indians eat a totally vegetarian diet so a totally vegetarian diet is common elsewhere. I attended a party for a Jain at an Indian restaurant once- they prepared special foods for the hostess’s mother since she was not only vegetarian (easily accommodated at Indian places) but did not eat any foods growing underground. I got to sit next to them and taste those dishes in addition to the others. No different than meeting Kosher desires.</p>
<p>I have an Indian H who shuns red meat for taste and health reasons (can’t argue with a cardiologist). Therefore I have learned many Indian and nonIndian vegetarian dishes. Knowing the cultural food preferences of your guests will be helpful to you.</p>
<p>Mexican. My inlaws have had Taco Bell substitute beans for meat on tacos. We used Bushes black beans for burritos the other night. I make chicken fajitas with and separate from the vegetables depending on my audience. The meat eaters can add the chicken and anyone can have the beans I always serve (canned, btw and I use McCormicks since I can’t get Lawry’s anymore- one packet for each- meat and veggies). We have ordered chicken and veggie fajitas in restaurants and shared. Be sure any baked beans are vegetarian or labeled. Likewise other salads, including potato (unless you know for sure eggs are okay with your crowd).</p>
<p>Italian is often suggested but I find most nonmeat choices lack protein. They are then just a bunch of carbs perhaps with some vegetables.</p>
<p>Eclectic. Mac and cheese would give proteins. Chinese stir fry with tofu (but I like some brands and not others). Many Indian beans/lentils but unless you already know how to prepare them with good spicing I wouldn’t. Lentil soup without bacon. The above mentioned vegetarian lasagna- I can PM you my recipe that is filling and not runny. Dishes with chees will also have proteins.</p>
<p>Thinking summer and sides to get vegetarian proteins. Veggie burgers- either mild or spicy depending on your audience. Three bean salad. Hummus. Chickpea dishes. Just be sure no lard or bacon et al is in the ingredient list. Have various cheeses and cheese spreads out. This way different tastes can be met. </p>
<p>Remember to have proteins, carbs and fats. Proteins and fats will keep a person feeling full longer than carbs will. </p>
<p>I have hosted several Thanksgiving dinners for family and friends. I tend to effectively make two meals- American and Indian favorites plus vegetarian and fowl for entrees. For this party having several choices for entrees and sides should allow people to get their preferred proteins and other nutritious fruits and veggies.</p>
<p>btw- go back 30 years and I was pretty clueless about Indian and other vegetarian foods. The available menus available for our wedding did not have vegetarian protein options- we did stick to a buffet (my side loved the roast beef). Years later an Indian family offered lasagna as an alternative for guests who did not want the otherwise Indian vegetarian dishes (plenty of fruits, veggies and cheeses on the hors d’oeuvres table)- a switch for the European Americans. Some young relatives on my side who tend towards vegetarians- interesting wedding buffets result.</p>
<p><a href=“Filling the Picnic Basket - Parent Cafe - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1524181-filling-the-picnic-basket.html</a></p>
<p>Score! I found Consolation’s black bean salad recipe in an old thread! So no need to repost! Post # 9 in that thread. Lots of other great ideas too!</p>
<p>Would love to hear the black bean cooking tips – would have to be better than canned, right?</p>
<p>btw- beans and rice go together for vegetarians because together they have all of the amino acids each lacks that humans need. But this is a party, you don’t have to meet all nutritional needs (except be sure to satisfy the need for SUGAR!).</p>
<p>I found the can of plain Bushes black beans was just right in place of refried beans- could spice them a bit but texture/liquid content good for burritos.</p>
<p>Nuts and peanuts at hand can give people satisfying calories as well. Having grazing foods instead of a sit down everybody eat all of their calories at once may be nice for a party.</p>
<p>I noticed the bean recipe. A side dish, not a main protein dish. And- be sure to not use chicken broth in the rice et al to keep it vegetarian. I wonder why everyone uses chicken broth so many times when also using another meat or vegetables??? I also wonder about using unsalted butter and then adding salt. Finally- I don’t like the trend of using kosher salt instead of regular salt where it gets dissolved- at least give the equivalents for those of us who think basic NaCl as the size of the particles matters in the volume used. I do understand that the timing of salt in a dish changes things, especially for proteins.</p>
<p>I like to salt at the end, rather than at the beginning as it can be too salty.
I made these the other day.
<a href=“http://icuban.com/food/frijoles_negros_rapido.html”>http://icuban.com/food/frijoles_negros_rapido.html</a></p>
<p>@notelling I think the menu you have suggested makes sense because almost everything can be prepared ahead of time with the exception of the grilled meat. With close to 25 attending, you don’t want to be bogged down with a lot of food prep once your guests have arrived.</p>
<p>I think one of the wonderful things about summer entertaining is that many of the dishes you can simply take out of refrigerator and place on the table. Then I put my husband on "grill duty"and I am free to enjoy my guests!</p>
<p>How about vegetarian quiche?
<a href=“http://allrecipes.com/recipe/vegetarian-quiche-2/”>http://allrecipes.com/recipe/vegetarian-quiche-2/</a></p>
<p>I used to make this dish when I had to many cucumbers and tomato in my garden. I usually skipped the Feta if I don’t have it.
Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Marinated Garbanzo Beans, Feta, and Herbs
<a href=“Tomato Cucumber Chickpea Salad – Kalyn's Kitchen”>http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2006/06/weekend-herb-blogging-35-oregano.html</a></p>
<p>I like that cucumber & tomato salad. I’ve made something similar, but with celery and scallions instead of the cucumber. Now that DH’s cucumbers are coming in, this sounds like a good alternative.</p>
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<p>They are not vegetarians if they eat fish. </p>
<p>Is crab considered fish?
I made this yesterday, but instead of leaving the crap on top of the avocado, I had a lettuce, avocado(cut in to smaller pieces) and crap on top. I admit, I was lazy so I got the crab from a can. It was still light and delicious.
<a href=“http://www.fortheloveofcooking.net/2010/11/cilantro-and-lime-crab-salad-in-avocado.html”>http://www.fortheloveofcooking.net/2010/11/cilantro-and-lime-crab-salad-in-avocado.html</a></p>
<p>You are not a vegetarian if you eat crab.</p>
<p>A crab is an animal, not a vegetable. </p>
<p>When I go to a party, I appreciate something to make a sandwich with, like cheese, grilled vegetables and maybe a spread like hummus or aoili, etc. That gives protein and flavor and substance. </p>
<p>I have a problem with veggie burgers because taste varies so much and thus preferences vary. I like this but the next guy may hate it. That’s unlike hamburger, which is simply and always hamburger. </p>
<p>I was not debating on that, I was responded to the quote that they eat fish.</p>
<p>“I made this yesterday, but instead of leaving the crap on top of the avocado, I had a lettuce, avocado(cut in to smaller pieces) and crap on top”</p>
<p>I would simply omit the crap. ;)</p>
<p>Lol, yes crab and not crap.</p>
<p>Lol, DrGoogle! 
I love that cilantro lime crab salad! </p>
<p>Some vegetarians would eat shellfish and fish, some would not. It is vegans who choose to eat only plant-derived foods and avoid any animal products. That makes feeding them, at the first glance, more challenging, since you can’t use such things as honey that vegetarians would have no problems with, but ultimately it is less problematic since there is no variations in what vegans would consider acceptable. Vegetarians, otoh, vary in what they would or would not eat. Some avoid dairy but eat eggs, some eat fish and eggs but not dairy, some eat just eggs…</p>
<p>Eggplant Parmesan is a very nice and filling main course that would be (some) vegetarian-friendly. </p>