Fun, healthy, and tasty: 2 vegetarian lunch ideas

Add more veggies to your diet the fun way— with 2 delicious vegetarian recipes your family will love.  Open faced grilled vegetable sandwich and mixed salad greens pizza will quickly become two of your go-to meals!

Delicious and nutritious— Asparagus and mushrooms provide your body with a wide range of B vitamins for maximum energy production.

Preparation: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 14 minutes

Serves: 4

• 4 portobello mushrooms, stems removed
• 1 small bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut in half
• 1 large red pepper, halved and seeded
• 4 large slices Italian bread, such as ciabatta
• 100 g (3 1⁄2 oz) goat cheese
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) balsamic vinegar
• 1 ml (1⁄4 tsp) salt
• Pinch of black pepper

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Whisk olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Brush mushrooms, asparagus and pepper with the mixture.
3. Broil vegetables 10 centimetres (four inches) from the heat, turning once, until tender. Allow about 10 minutes for asparagus and pepper and about 12 minutes for mushrooms. Peel and slice pepper when they're cool enough to handle.
4. Turn off broiler. Place bread on grill rack or grill until warm (about two minutes).
5. Spread goat cheese on bread. Place mushrooms on each slice. Top with pepper and asparagus. Serve warm.

• 274 calories
• 11 g protein
• 15 g fat (including 6 g saturated fat)
• 17 mg cholesterol
• 26 g carbohydrates
• 4 g fibre
• 443 mg sodium

Instead of serving pizza with a salad on the side, combine the two to create one healthy meal.

Preparation: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

• 30 g (2 tbsp) cornmeal
• 1 large pre-made pizza crust, thawed if frozen
• 350 g (12 oz) plum tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
• 1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 500 ml (2 c) coarsely grated reduced-fat mozzarella
• 1.5 L (6 c) mixed salad greens
• 50 ml (1⁄4 c) grated Parmesan cheese
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) balsamic vinegar
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) Dijon mustard
• 5 ml (1 tsp) brown sugar
• 1 ml (1⁄4 tsp) salt

1. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).
2. Sprinkle a large baking tray with cornmeal and place pizza crust on top. Sprinkle Parmesan over top of pizza crust.
3. Bake until Parmesan starts to brown and pizza begins to puff (about 15 minutes).
4. Whisk vinegar, mustard, brown sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add tomato and onion and toss to combine. Set aside.
5. Top pizza with mozzarella and return to oven. Bake until cheese has melted and pizza crust is crisp (about five minutes).
6. Add salad greens to tomato mixture and toss to coat. Scatter salad over hot pizza and serve.

• 330 calories
• 22 g protein
• 4 g fat (including 1 g saturated fat)
• 10 mg cholesterol
• 49 g carbohydrates
• 3 g fibre
• 1,040 mg sodium

Fall in love with vegetables again with these mouth-watering lunch ideas—and never skip a meal again!