Any ideas for vegetarian dishes or cookbooks

There are SO many great vegeatarian cookbooks out there.  Just go to your local library or bookstore -- there will be a huge section of them.  You're right that when making a dieatary change, it can be hard to just throw things together because your brain isn't used to the new eating concept yet.  Cookbooks help to keep the ideas flowing and make the food interesting and tasty.

So you know about pasta, and it's endless variations.  Make sure you're putting lots of veggies in the pasta.

Since you like bean burritos, you should try other bean dishes: lentil or split pea soup, vegetarian bean chili and cornbread, red beans and rice, hummus and pitas and veggies for dipping, etc.

Soups and stews are great for vegetarians and easy to throw together.  Even better if you throw in some beans and greens (kale, collards, spinach, etc.) for protein and fiber.

Salads, of course, are great, but keep them interesting.  Make fun dressings and use different toppings (dried fruit, nuts, shredded veggies, sprouts or microgreens) to keep it interesting.

Steamed veggies are great with tasty dipping sauce, and baked potatoes are awesome with veggie toppings (salsa and veggies, chili, etc.)

For breakfasts, smoothies, fruit, oatmeal, are all good choices.

There are quite a few vegetarian recipe sites out there, but here's one I really like: http://www.vegweb.com.  Hope that helps!

Here's an amazing Peanut Squash Soup recipe.  I thought I'd post it here since we just made it Sunday (for the gazillionth time - we LOVE this soup).

Ingredients:

1 2 1/2 lb Butternut Squash

4 unpeeled garlic cloves

1 C chopped onion

1 Granny Smith Apple, peeled and chopped

2 T olive oil

1 1/2 t curry powder

1/4 t nutmeg

1/3 C natural peanut butter

3 1/2 C vegetable broth

roasted peanuts for garnish

Heat oven to 400 F.  Cut squash in half and remove seeds.  Place cut side down on greased baking sheet.  Put 2 garlic cloves under each half. Bake 35-40 minutes until tender.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  Sautee onion, apple, and spices until soft.

When squash is done, scoop out flesh into blender.  Remove garlice cloves from skin and add to blender.  Add apple mixture and peanut butter to blender.  Add part of broth to blender and puree until smooth and creamy.  

Pour mixture into a large saucepan and whisk in remaining broth over low heat.  

Yields approx. 8 servings.  

Tell me you haven't cut out the beer?!?!  We may need a serious intervention if that's the case.  Is your wife a Cheesehead?  Is she really willing to go brat-less for the rest of her veggie life?

weekends at the moosewood!   each chapter a new ethnicity of cuisine and alot of information.