Vegan or vegetarian meal ideas?

[Rosengurtle]

Tomorrow my brother and I are going vegan and the rest of the family are going vegetarian. I have a bunch of recipes from vegweb.com and the PPK but I was wondering if anybody had any favorite recipes they wanted to share? I would especially love to see any that are cheap and/or good for omnis that will probably have a hard time going without meat at first. For dinner tomorrow I think I'll be making a triple batch of chickpea cutlets from the PPK: http://www.theppk.com/2010/11/doublebatch-chickpea-cutlets/

[jumpingRabbit]

Falafel burgers are good and filling, but I've never made them from scratch.

Lentils cooked with sage and rosemary, add one of those pseudo-chicken broths (they make the vegetarian chicken flavored stuff) for body, very filling. You can make lentil burgers out of the leftovers.

Winter squash!! Bulk up on that, very filling, tasty, can be done savory or sweet and has a lot of iron and other good stuff in it. My favorite is the butternut, but I had spaghetti squash as a side dish (salt, pepper, garlic... I used butter but you could add a touch of olive oil instead) and it was AWESOME. Spaghetti squash would make a nice cold salad too if you flavor it right - the texture makes it tons of fun in soups as well.

[aebaum91]

I don't have any meal recipes, but I have used a vegan scone recipe and a vegan fudge recipe that were amazing. If you're looking for any kind of desserts I can Google 'em and try to find the exact recipes again. They're very tasty. :)

[gabby354]

Good luck!! It can be a lot of fun! I've got 2 recipes I just love, and company tends to like. First is vegan. I don't know where I got them, but here they are. I used to love the Veganomicon. Maybe they have that at the library? Everything I made out of that I liked. I also came across the "Meat and Potatoes Vegetarian". It looked good, had a bunch of vegan recipes, or easily converted vegan recipes, and was specially made for the omnivores or those just starting. I never ended up making anything from that book though. Saw it in a bookstore, and then forgot about it.

Sweet Potato Burritos

1.5 tsp veggie oil
1/2 an onion
2 cloves garlic
1 can of black beans
1 1/2 T chili powder
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp mustard
pinch cayenne
1 1/2 T soy sauce
2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
tortillas
vegan sour cream (optional, and I never use it)

1) Preheat oven to 350
2) Heat oil in skillet. Saute onions and garlic till soft.
3) Mash beans and add to skillet. Heat till warm on Medium low
4) Add spices and soy sauce
5) Spoon bean mixture and sweet potatoes over tortillas. Roll
6) Bake 12-15 minutes.

Green Pea Ravioli

2 cups fresh or frozen peas
2 shallots, quartered (I usually dice up an onion)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup grated Parmesean cheese
36 wonton wrappers

1)Boil water, add peas, and cook 2-3 minutes until tender. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup coking liquid. Transfer to a food processor or blender. Add shallots, garlic, and liquid, Puree until smooth. Add cheese and process till combined. Season with salt and pepper.

2) Set 1 wonton wrapper on surface. Brush edges with water. Place 1 1/2 tsp mixture in center. Fold wrapper into triangle over filling. Press edges with finger to seal. Transfer to plate lined with a damp paper towel. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling, placing damp towels between layers.

3) Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add ravioli. Cook 3 minutes. Drain. Cover with butter and Parmesan or any other sauce you want. Pesto is good.

[norvie]

Way to go!
PPK is pretty awesome. Here is one of those web traffic counter things that shows the most visited vegan blogs http://www.invesp.com/blog-rank/Vegans

I like this site http://vegweb.com/index.php?board=153.0
this site for health/food related stuffs: http://www.drmcdougall.com/
and this site for health/food related stuffs (I browse the kitchen section for ideas) http://www.healthpromoting.com/

Mostly, we rarely eat anything processed at all. Just whole, natural foods. We try to veer away from any GMO stuff because you can't tell if it's 100% veg at all. (They sometimes use fish and other DNA to process it - very weird stuffs). It's amazing how weird they are getting with processing our foods. I call them Frankenfoods (And no wonder that other countries sometimes refuse to import our farmed goods!)

We do the spaghetti squash thing too, brown rice with veggies, salads, local hand made corn chips with avocado and local pico de gallo.

The thing to remember is not to panic about the protein thing like most omnis do. By the time they get done cooking and digesting the chicken (or whatever) there is about as much protein left for the body as most high protein dense raw vegetables. (Like 2 gm). The things you DO need to watch for are Vit. D (can get from being outside) and B-12 (only produced in our gut or the decomposition of animal flesh.) But it would take a long while for it to get out of the system of an omni.

Good luck and happy eats!

Edited to add: One of the big reasons I went vegan was in the broke food thread, but also because with our imported meats, you really do not know what goes on in the slaughter houses. I have read a few stories from workers. :( It makes me really sad that we put others through that for meat. It's disgusting. Anyway. LOL I get really grossed out thinking about some of these things. It's easier to go vegan when you know what really happens.

[aebaum91]

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080222092145AAALeTN

This is adding on to what Norvie says. That link suggests different vitamins for vegans and vegetarians to take. They're a few bucks at any store. I take the B12 everyday with a multivitamin. It's especially helpful when you're first making the switch so you don't feel really worn down or anything.

[jumpingRabbit]

Ok, I had to search old emails for this recipe but I had these barbecued lentils at a birthday party and they were awesome... though I don't know if one of the ingredients is vegan (the french onion soup), but I think you could substitute dried onions and spices...


4 cups cooked lentils (about 2 cups dry)

1 lb. ground protein (Morningstar soy crumbles, turkey, beef)

1 packet French onion soup mix

1 tsp wet brown mustard

½ cup oil

1 cup catsup

1 tsp vinegar

1 cup water or cooking juice from lentils



Brown ground protein in oil. Stir in rest and bake at 375 for about 1 hour until browned and set. Freezes well as is the case with the case with most “fine dining”.

[Paulette]

My granddaughters are vegetarians and they love Frito Pies:

Crumble a handful of Fritos in a bowl.
Add Quorn or some other brand of "fake" hamburger crumbles after stir frying them.
Add lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese, avocado slices and sour cream (just like a taco)
Add black beans if you like them.

It's easy and fast and tasty.

[jumpingRabbit]

My granddaughters are vegetarians and they love Frito Pies:

Crumble a handful of Fritos in a bowl.
Add Quorn or some other brand of "fake" hamburger crumbles after stir frying them.
Add lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese, avocado slices and sour cream (just like a taco)
Add black beans if you like them.

It's easy and fast and tasty.

Forgot about Quorn, that's good stuff - made from mushrooms!

[Mac]

Oh wow... a lot of these recipes sound pretty delicious. I was going to have veggie Fridays and just do a simple lentil soup... but these sound so much better!

Thanks a lot, I will give the frito pie and sweet potato burritos a try =)

[Noalani]

Hi Rosengurtle! Do you like tofu? I have the cookbook, "Vegan with a Vengeance," by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, and it has got some great recipes that I consistently use over the years. One favorite the whole family loves is Scrambled Tofu:

This is the basic recipe but you can feel free to add any finely chopped veggies that you want to use up.
(Serves 4)

1 T olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound extra-firm tofu, drained
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Spice Blend:
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground paprika
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp salt

Heat oil in skillet over med-high. Sauté onions until softened; add mushrooms, sauté for few minutes; add garlic, sauté some more. Add the spice blend and mix up for 15 seconds, then add 1/4 cup water to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom to get all the garlic and spices.

Crumble in the tofu (break into chunks right through your fingers into the pan), and mix well. Don't crush the tofu--you want it to stay chunky. Let cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, And adding splashes of water if necessary to keep it from sticking to skillet. Lower heat, if tofu is sticking.

Add lemon juice. Add nutritional yeast and mix it up. If mixture is sticking to pan, continue to add splashes of water.

Serve with salsa for Tofu Rancheros. Or, you can make it Asian-Style Scrambled Tofu by adding 2 T of minced ginger with the garlic, use peanut oil instead of olive oil, substitute shiitake mushrooms, and omit the thyme and nutritional yeast. Mix in 1 cup thinly sliced scallions at the end.

The author has this note: "If you don't have nutritional yeast on hand you can still make this recipe; just don't add any water when cooking." I like the taste of nutritional yeast, so I always add it!

Bon Appetit!:)

[HITforbrains]

I love, love, love this dish, and make it often...

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 to 2 cups Boca meatless crumbles (in the freezer section of your grocer)
minced garlic (as much as you like)
dried onion flakes (to taste)
1 small can tomato paste (use it ALL - YAY! no leftovers!!)
1 or 2 regular cans diced tomatoes
1/2 box whole wheat elbow macaroni
Worcestershire sauce (to taste)
balsamic vinegar (optional)
water

Heat the evoo in a large skillet. Add Boca crumbles and stir until they're separated.

Add garlic, onion flakes and tomato paste. Stir well.

Add several splashes of Worcestershire sauce (and balsamic vinegar, if using) and stir.

Add canned tomatoes and macaroni. Stir well.

Add about 1 cup water and stir well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and put a lid on it.

Cook for whatever time it says on the macaroni box (from 6-10 minutes). Then taste macaroni for your preferred doneness.

I flavor it with garlic salt and black pepper after it's done.

And I usually add one or all of the following before eating: shaved Parmesan, red pepper flakes, butter
_________________________________________________

Of course, this recipe is extremely flexible. Add or subtract any ingredient you like/don't like until you get it just the way you want it.

Like most pasta dishes, it's better tomorrow.

[soulinstinct]

Vegetarian lasagna is delicious! I used to be a vegetarian and I'd make this for myself for the next few day's dinner. I don't remember the exact recipe, but the idea is: make pasta sauce and the noodles (if you're not using cook-in noodles), and spinach. You can add any other vegetables you'd like. Layer the sauce, vegetables, and cheese. Bake for a bit, and voila!

[norvie]

[url] It's especially helpful when you're first making the switch so you don't feel really worn down or anything.

This does happen. Mostly because meat acts as a stimulant for some people. The body could also be detoxing from it and the additives and fat in the meat. You might feel tired, head-achy, grumpy and other things. It is perfectly normal, nothing to be alarmed about. Just give your body some time to adjust. Most people panic in those days of change and revert back to meat. Understanding these things can help take the edge off of those feelings.

Calcium supplements should always be balanced with magnesium, otherwise there could be consequences to the health. Both are needed and are usually found together in foods (I would prefer eating my sources rather than a supplement, honestly).

[anglzgirl]

I just wanted to chime in an say that if you're going vegan you're going to have to be more strict with the products you buy. There are a LOT of things that are vegetarian but not vegan. I saw others mention some faux meats like Morningstar and Quorn that are vegetarian but not vegan and these will probably work great for your vegetarian family but if you are committed to being vegan I'd probably avoid products like that or read up on them first.

Good luck to you! One of my favorite meals is a taco salad with seasoned black beans on a bed of lettuce with all the usual taco salad toppings. Yummy!

[Mindylane]

I'm on my phone and it hurts to read so much on such a small screen and I'd bet that someone already mentioned this stuff, but I absolutely love falefels and anything made with chickpeas in general. My husband made falefels from scratch last and they were great and pretty easy. I also love baba ganoush (eggplants) and anything with beans. I like making pasta sauce with kidney beans. We also eat lots of refried beans and veg chili. I could go on and on lol.

---------- Post added at 09:01 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:00 AM ----------

And guacamole!

[Rosengurtle]

Thanks everyone for the tips and recipes. They look awesome. So far so good for my first day.
@anglzgirl I know what you mean. I was a vegan a couple years ago and it was crazy the things that had milk or milk byproducts in them. I'm really good at reading the label before I buy though. I like that some companies are putting a big "Vegan" mark right on the front of the package. It sure makes shopping a little easier.

[millie24]

This is definitely one of my favorite vegetarian recipes: Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Black-Bean-and-Tomato-Quinoa-238939). It's really easy and has lots of protein.

I love epicurious (http://epicurious.com) and smittenkitchen (http://smittenkitchen.com) for recipes. Neither are exclusively vegetarian, but you can use their "advanced search" functions to find the recipes that are. Plus epicurious has tons of reviewers so you can tell which ones are good.

[anglzgirl]

I wanted to pop back in and post some links to two of my fav vegan/veg sites and they are Oh She Glows (http://ohsheglows.com) and (Never Home)maker (http://www.neverhomemaker.com/)

[thegrinder]

I love, love, love this dish, and make it often...

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 to 2 cups Boca meatless crumbles (in the freezer section of your grocer)
minced garlic (as much as you like)
dried onion flakes (to taste)
1 small can tomato paste (use it ALL - YAY! no leftovers!!)
1 or 2 regular cans diced tomatoes
1/2 box whole wheat elbow macaroni
Worcestershire sauce (to taste)
balsamic vinegar (optional)
water

Heat the evoo in a large skillet. Add Boca crumbles and stir until they're separated.

Add garlic, onion flakes and tomato paste. Stir well.

Add several splashes of Worcestershire sauce (and balsamic vinegar, if using) and stir.

Add canned tomatoes and macaroni. Stir well.

Add about 1 cup water and stir well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and put a lid on it.

Cook for whatever time it says on the macaroni box (from 6-10 minutes). Then taste macaroni for your preferred doneness.

I flavor it with garlic salt and black pepper after it's done.

And I usually add one or all of the following before eating: shaved Parmesan, red pepper flakes, butter
_________________________________________________

Of course, this recipe is extremely flexible. Add or subtract any ingredient you like/don't like until you get it just the way you want it.

Like most pasta dishes, it's better tomorrow.



Hit - Don't forget, Worcestershire sauce contains little fishies (anchovies) and is not vegetarian.

Also guys, watch out for egg in just about everything. I became egg-intolerant a while back and was astounded at the products which contain eggs - e.g. the only veggie burger I could find which was egg free was Amy's. Morningstar etc. all contain egg white as a binder.

[Mindylane]

Do you guys like egg substitute? I'm not vegan at this point but drink soy milk and eat egg substitute. Soy Kim is so much better for you and has b12 and more calcium than regular milk. I love the vanilla silk. My husband is also vegetarian but isn't solos on the egg substitute but i love that it has so much less cholesterol.

---------- Post added at 10:57 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:57 AM ----------

Sold... Not solos. Autocorrect :(

[gabby354]

Hit - Don't forget, Worcestershire sauce contains little fishies (anchovies) and is not vegetarian.



Most of it does, but I found a couple that don't have the anchovies. I can't remember one of them, but the Kroger brand does not have any fish. You do need to be careful with Worcestershire sauce though.

[Rosengurtle]

I haven't tried egg substitute. I want to, but the only store that has it around here is the health food store and the price is astronomical. I'm afraid that I won't like it and it will have been a waste of money. In the past when I needed an egg substitute while baking I used flax seed meal mixed with water and a little extra baking powder.

---------- Post added at 11:35 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:33 AM ----------

Every time I look at this thread I remember how much I want some tofu scramble. I'll probably just buy it premade though, every time I've tried to make it has been a disaster.

[Rosengurtle]

@Norvie or anyone else that uses Vegweb, have you been able to go on that site at all lately? Every time I try to go on it says this is a malicious site.

[mdolphins]

I make something delicious that could easily become a vegetarian dish or appetizer:)

Korean Pancakes

1 cup of flour or I use Korean pancake mix (I purchase it at the commisary on base)
3/4 to 1 C of water (should be similar to a pancake consistency)
Use any of the following vegetables (or whatever is on hand) and cut them thin:
(use 1/4 to 1/3C of each)
green onions
broccoli
cabbage
red or orange bell peppers
green beans or sweet pea pods (frozen works well too)
mushrooms
onions
carrots sliced thin or shredded
zucchini or yellow squash
(I personally add either shrimp or immitation lobster or ham, but tofu might work as well)
salt/pepper to taste
dash of soy sauce
I also add a dash of siracha or korean chili paste for some heat.
Coat pan with oil (1 to 2 T or use spray oil liberally)
Drop batter into individual pancakes and cook about 10 or 15 minutes until you can tell vegetables are cooked all the way and the pancakes start browning a golden color.

Sauces (use any of the following): Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce (or any brand), soy sauce or siracha (spelling) hot sauce

They are good hot or cold (I personally think they taste better cold).
Enjoy:)

[shellybean]

We have made some delicious potato tacos! Just fry potatoes in small chunks (like for breakfast potatoes) but season them with whatever you would season taco meat with. Then use the potatoes as the main taco filling and add whatever toppings you like. Amazingly easy, and delicious! Even my son likes them *shocking!*

[norvie]

@Norvie or anyone else that uses Vegweb, have you been able to go on that site at all lately? Every time I try to go on it says this is a malicious site.
I just tried it using the link I had put on the first page and it was fine. That is really strange! Make sure to do a full scan if you can to make sure that you're okay.
No warnings or anything come up for me and my Anti-V updates daily. :scratchhead:

[Noalani]

I don't mind egg substitute but I prefer scrambled tofu because it's chunkier. I also love soy milk, but I discovered that I like vanilla almond milk even more. To me it tastes like butter almond ice cream when it's melted! This thread always makes me hungry.:)

[beekers]

I'm not Vegan, or a Vegetarian, but I just made this tonight, and it was delicious (must like peas, of course!) It can easily be made Vegetarian or Vegan with a few substitutions. Super easy to make.

Spring Recipe: 'Fresh' Pea Soup
*Recipe from Canal House Cooking Volume No. 6*
Makes 6 Cups

"We use organic frozen peas to make this beautiful bright-green soup. Adding them to the pot at the tail end of the cooking time preserves their sweet flavor and vivid green color. It's lovely garnished with lots of snipped fresh chives, dill or chervil. Adding a small dollop of creme fraiche, sour cream, or whipped cream to each serving is pretty delicious, too."


2 Tbsp Butter
1 leek, trimmed, washed and sliced
1 russet potato, peeled and cut into small pieces
4 cups chicken broth (or broth of your preference)
2 pounds (6 cups) frozen peas
Salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring often, until soft but not colored, about 10 minutes.

Add the potatoes and chicken broth to the pot and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add the peas and season with some salt and pepper. When the peas are heated through, about 1 minute, remove the pot from the heat.

Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender. For a smoother texture, pass it through a strainer into a bowl, discarding the solids. Taste the soup and season it with more salt, if you like, as it will probably need it.

Return the soup to the pot and warm it over low heat. Or, cover and refrigerate it until cold. Serve the soup hot or cold."


* I wanted a bit more flavor, so I added Garlic Powder and some Nutmeg, then used my immersion blender until it was smooth. I topped it with fresh dill and a dollop of Creme Fraiche (that obviously can be substituted.)*

[trarms]

I highly recommend Deborah Madison's cookbooks, especially Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. Unfussy and delicious.

Here's a recipe from her Vegetable Soups book:
Senegalese Peanut Soup

1 to 2 tbsp peanut oil
1 large onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro stems
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne or hot red pepper flakes, to taste
2 tbsp curry powder
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock, or water
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
2/3 cup peanut butter, preferably organic and unsweetened
1 cup coconut milk
sea salt
2 tbsp chopped cilantro for garnish
yogurt

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot, then add the onion, garlic, and cilantro stems. Give a stir, then cook over high heat for a few minutes to warm the onion. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the onion has softened somewhat, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the cayenne and curry powder.
2. Add 3 cups of water and the tomatoes, including all their juices. Stir well and bring to a boil. Drop in the peanut butter and simmer until the onions are soft and the peanut butter has dissolved, about 15 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk. Season the soup with salt.
3. Just before serving, add the chopped cilantro. Serve with a dollop of yogurt in each bowl.

Makes about 7 cups

[Rynn]

I'll marinate a Portobello Mushroom in Dale's Marinade & Italian Dressing for about 10 minutes then grill it. Put it on a hamburger bun with some cheese & it is quite yummy.