Being a vegetarian does not necessarily mean being a five-star chef, it is enough to combine with a little flair and imagination with simple basic ingredients, mixing the new with what is typical of Italian veg.

Let's take a look at some tips to prepare simple vegetarian recipes .

Cream of icebergs, chickpeas and coconut milk

This vegetarian recipe is really among the simplest and lightest.

Ingredients for 4 people :

> a head of iceberg salad,

> half can or bottle of coconut milk,

> a jar of boiled chickpeas (or the equivalent of dried chickpeas previously soaked and then boiled),

> fresh chives,

> vegetable nut,

> salt and white pepper.

Preparation : among the simple vegetarian recipes, this velvety is the most delicate and fast. Just boil the water (about half the pot) in a large pot, add a head of iceberg salad previously washed and cut into small pieces, the chickpeas, the vegetable stock cube and, if necessary, a pinch of salt. Cook everything for about twenty minutes. Then add the coconut milk, let it go for about five more minutes. Blend everything with the immersion blender. Serve in tureens, cut the chives into slices and sprinkle over the soup, add a little white pepper.

An extra touch : you can also add a drizzle of cold extra virgin olive oil!

Panzanella is even simpler and more veggie!

Even the panzanella can be classified by tradition among the freshest and simplest vegetarian recipes. In Tuscany, the grandmothers used to prepare it by adding to the bread the other simple ingredients they found at home.

So here is how to compose a panzanella-veg of all effect, here in a truly frost-proof version!

Ingredients:

> homemade bread, preferably without Tuscan salt, even better if it has been stale for a few days,

> wine vinegar, possibly homemade,

> extra virgin olive oil (while we're at it, Tuscan!),

> a dozen red copper tomatoes,

> 1 red onion,

> 1 cucumber,

> basil,

> salt and black pepper.

Preparation : cut and slice the Tuscan bread thickly and soak it in fresh water, acidulated with wine vinegar (quantity to your liking).

After about five minutes, remove the bread from the water and squeeze it with your hands, place it in a large salad bowl. Cut the tomatoes, onion and cucumber into slices and pour over the bread, season with oil, salt, pepper and fresh basil leaves. Refrigerate until ready to serve: the panzanella is eaten very cold!

An extra touch : apple vinegar and red Tropea onion make the dish more delicate! By adding sesame or flax seeds the recipe becomes even healthier!

Tofu scallops

A tasty and delicious dish that is really prepared in just a few minutes, the top of the second among simple vegetarian recipes.

Ingredients :

> 200 gr of tofu,

> fifteen pitted black olives,

> 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil,

> 2 teaspoons of soya sauce

> 4 or 5 dried tomatoes,

> a spoonful of capers,

> half a teaspoon of fresh or chopped marjoram leaves.

Preparation: put the dried tomatoes in a bowl with lukewarm water for 10 minutes so that they are softened, in the meantime cut the tofu into slices and brown it in a non-stick pan with oil, let it cook for 4 minutes on each side.

Add the soy sauce and continue cooking for 5 minutes. In a mixer put the olives, capers, dried tomatoes, drained and dried, marjoram, 2 tablespoons of oil: blend everything until you get a smooth cream. Spread the tofu on the plates, season with the cream and decorate with fresh marjoram leaves. An extra touch : it is a dish that goes very well with paprika baked potatoes!