Its hard being a vegetarian in Argentina..

Well I'm not usually a vegetarian, but often I like to do vegetarian weeks... However in Buenos Aires, where beef is in every signature dish, it is harder here than being around avid chicken eaters. SO I found some recipes via webecoist.com that are easy, cheap and simple... for the 'sometimes' vegetarian!

3-minute healthy nachosBuy organic or blue corn chips and skip all the greasy hamburger meat and refried beans to make these healthy, yummy nachos in just tres minutos. Layer your chips with canned slice olives, canned kidney beans, canned sliced jalapenos and grate a little organic cheddar over everything. (Buy organic when you can afford it. It’s better for the planet.) Use any veggies you like, really. Pop in the microwave for around a minute, and garnish with salsa.

Savory Apples and Onions
This was once a pioneer favorite. Take 2 large apples (they are in season right now and are very cheap), wash and chop into cubes. Do likewise for a large sweet onion (also inexpensive). Double the amounts if you are having a guest. Saute in a pan over medium heat – adding occasional small dashes of salt, cumin, balsamic vinegar and the tiniest pat of butter (vegans can use olive oil). When the onions are clear, you’re done. Yes, it sounds weird, but it’s delicious. You’ll want to have something to go with this that has some protein, like a garden burger or a brown rice packet, both of which you can microwave. Apples ‘n onions only takes about 10 minutes, a few dollars and it’s delicious as a topping for rice or even by itself for a light snack.

Caprese Salad
This is one of those meals that looks really fancy but actually requires no brainpower. You need three things: fresh basil leaves, fresh tomatoes, and fresh (soft) mozzarella cheese. Slice the tomatoes and cheese and stack (tomatoes first, cheese on top) with one or two basil leaves. Arrange like patties on a plate (3 or 4 per person) and sprinkle with a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Delicious. Fast. Cheap.

Quesadilla
Who doesn’t love a quesadilla? If you don’t know how to make this, you’re a rare bird. Simply grease a hot pan lightly with any oil, toss on a tortilla, cover the tortilla with grated cheese of your choice, add in any small chopped leftover veggies if you like, cover with another tortilla, and grill until the tortilla begins to brown and the cheese gets melty (about 1 minute, depending on heat). Flip. Remove from heat. Serve with salsa or guacamole. Enjoy!

ALT Sandwich
Slices of avocado, lettuce, tomato and toasted whole-grain bread are all you need. This sandwich is simple, and it’s delicious with dijon or honey mustard. Add a little cheese if you want more protein.

Lazy Bean Salad
Choose 3 cans of any beans you like – white, kidney, black-eyed peas, pinto, etc. Drain and mix together in a large bowl. Add thawed frozen green beans. Toss with your favorite dressing. Serve and enjoy this low-fat, high-protein, cheap meal. Grate a little parmesan over the top for a nice touch.