What to feed a vegan for lunch or dinner: some of the simplest ideas I can think of...

I, for one, am sick to death of being served tossed "garden salads" and mushy, overcooked vegetables from relatives. SICK OF IT. Airliner and train companies have fed me better!! It's not so damn hard to feed someone well-prepared vegetables--really it's not.

In light of this situation--which I am quite sure is shared by many in the veg*n community--I have composed the list of ideas and a few super-easy recipes below, which are all "tried and true," as well as hopefully familiar in format to the (American) omnivorous reader. I tried to make this list as fool-proof and pantry-friendly as possible, so that the recipes don't require one to buy flaxseed or vital wheat gluten, or learn anything about proper tofu preparation. (Hence, these recipes will largely fall into the style of veg*n cooking that exalts and showcases vegetables, rather than attempts to create convincing faux meat items.)

Additionally, the soon-to-be host might consider reading this article about relevant etiquette from Vegansaurus, or this article about protocol for food preparation.


Entrees

• Hummus wraps are always appreciated; heavily consider tossing whatever veggies you will include in the wrap with an interesting sauce before assembling the wrap.
• Bean and rice burritos (If you don’t have rice to cook, consider buying some plain, steamed rice from a local "fast food" Chinese place.)
• Curried vegetable dishes inspired from the Indian subcontinent, for example: Aloo Baigan (i.e. potatoes and eggplant); note that good curry requires a robust spice cabinet
• Eggplant lasagna
• Spaghetti with marinara (perhaps adorned with some sautéed mushroom slices, fresh basil, etc.) 
• Pizza: either piled high with roasted veggies, or perhaps sprinkled with a packaged vegan "cheese" you know your guest likes to eat
  
  
  Garnishes
• Roasted Chickpeas, with any number of spice combinations (Good for topping salads, or as a snack/appetizer.)
• Herb roasted onions from Ina Garten of the Food Network

  Side dishes

• Grilled/roasted potato planks (coated with olive or canola oil, sprinkled with S&P, maybe some fresh herbs)
• Grilled corn
• Rosemary potatoes (Also good for breakfast.)
  
• Garlicky asparagus (coated in oil, S&P, minced garlic, then grilled or roasted)
• Garlic Fries
• Cumin carrots
• The classic vegan dish of beans & rice

Sweets

• "Chewy Vegan Oatmeal Cookies" from CookieMadness.net
• Homemade granola (An excellent take home gift.)
• "Low-fat Vegan Banana Bread" recipe originally from The Compassionate Cookbook 
• Strawberries or other fruits dipped in dark chocolate
• Rice pudding made with coconut (or other non-dairy) milk, garnish with toasted nuts (e.g. cashews) & dried fruit (e.g. raisins)

Dishes that require a bit more work and effort

• Various pasta salads (so long as the pasta contains no dairy or egg), for example, Lemon Herb Pasta with Zucchini
• Falafel in a pita pocket
• Mediterranean Couscous with Roasted Vegetables
• Spring rolls
• Vegetable Fritters
• Warm Vegetable Salad from Giada of the Food Network
• Sweet Potato & Black Bean Salad from the Minimalist

(Note that, while reading this list, perhaps some vegans will be going "Well, duh!" because so-called "ethnic" foods are so frequently suggested. But, you'd be surprised how quickly all options vanish from omnivore minds once they hear someone eats a plant-based diet.)