[Bonchic]

Please share your favorite recipe whether it's vegan, vegetarian, or whatever! This will be a great place to get ideas I'll add some later

[sYdneY__]

Oh this is a fantastic idea!

[misssakura]

Tofu Parmegiana

1) An important step of this is to marinate the tofu first. We use medium-firm tofu and then pour in japanese cooking mirin (wine will suffice, or sweet sherry) and light soy sauce, then a dash of dark soy, make sure there is no msg in those and try to avoid pearl river. The tofu should be cut into equal cubes. So preferably do this the night before you cook because this will enhance the flavour. If you don't have this time than an hour in a cold fridge before you cook would suffice.

-----

*Ingredients

Medium/Firm Tofu
Soy Sauce
Mirin/Wine/Sherry
Breadcrumbs (we get a ready processed wholemeal pack)
Soy cheese/regular cheese/nutritional yeast (whatever floats your boat)
Salt
Mixed herbs
Tender pieces (its TVP, so get your regular TVP as you'd like it)
Garlic
Mushrooms
Canned tomatoes
Brown sugar
Tomato puree
Onions
Veg stock for frying
2x slice bread (toast this an hour before you cook and leave it in the toaster)

1. To make the sauce: Sautee garlic and onions together, fry this in vegetable stock if you have instead of oil, and a bit of mirin.
2. Add half a tin of diced/whole tomatoes, you can add a whole one if you want more sauce.
3. Salt it to taste, add a tbsp of tomato puree, a tsp of mixed herbs and any other flavourings you'd like e.g. pepper.
4. Reduce the sauce until it's relatively thick. If you don't have time use arrow root or corn starch and simmer on a low heat.

1. To make the mixture: Mix fine dry breadcrumbs mixed with a bit of salt, mixed herbs.
2. Take the tofu and coat it in the breadcrumbs. Drop it straight into the container you marinated the tofu in.
3. Fry this up. Do the same with the TVP.
4. Cut the mushrooms into slithers and fry them up. FRY!!!!
5. Take two dried out slices of bread.
6. Add it to your crumb mixture that you have left over and break it as fine as you can with your hands.
7. Grate some cheese or soy cheese to that and mix it together.

1. Take a baking dish and on the bottom layer put down the mixture of Tofu, TVP and mushrooms. Coat this with the tomato mixture you've made.
2. Coat this with the breadcrumbs.
3. Optional toppings and flavourings to taste.

1. Bake for 10-15 minutes on 190C.
2. Serve with roast kumara (sweet potato).

[sYdneY__]

Does anyone have a recipe where lentils are the main ingredient? I had them when I was out once ages ago but I'm not sure how to prepare them myself. Thanks

[sYdneY__]

Here is a recipe that I found on the Self Magazine website www.self.com I haven't tried it yet but I'm really curious to! It sounds so unusual with the combination of squash and apple! I wonder what it's like?

Roasted Butternut Squash with Apples

Makes 4 servings.
1 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
1 tsp canola oil
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin-pie spice mix
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 400°F. Mix squash with oil in a bowl. Add spice mix; toss. Spread squash on an ungreased baking sheet; bake 15 minutes or until squash turns golden brown at the edges. In a bowl, mix vinegar and syrup; pour over squash. Bake 5 minutes. Combine apples, pecans and squash in a bowl. Let cool; serve.


Nutritional analysis per serving 203 calories, 6.5 g fat (0.6 g saturated fat), 39 g carbohydrates, 1.9 g protein, 3.7 g fiber

[Bonchic]

Let us know how it turns out once you make it sYdneY_

[sYdneY__]

Okies will do!

Hey bonchic - what's the maple syrup like health wise? It's not something I normally eat. If it's too sugary I could leave it out I guess?

[Bonchic]

well if you're not sure then you might try organic honey

[sYdneY__]

^ Oh thats a good idea Thanks!

[Bluestar07]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sYdneY__ Does anyone have a recipe where lentils are the main ingredient? I had them when I was out once ages ago but I'm not sure how to prepare them myself. Thanks

The first dish that comes to mind would be dhal.

Dhal - Lentil Puree

Dhal is an easy tasty dish to make. If this is the first time you have eaten Dhal you might like to serve it with another Indian dish. You can eat Dhal with boiled rice, Indian breads or just by itself. This is a great budget stretcher.

1 cup red lentils
1 1/2 tablespoons ghee or oil
1 onion, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh gingerroot, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
3 cups water
salt

Wash lentils thoroughly, removing those that float on the surface.

1. Drain well.
2. Heat ghee or oil and fry onion, garlic and ginger until onion is golden.
3. Add turmeric and stir well.
4. Add drained lentils and fry for 1-2 minutes.
5. Add water, lower heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
6. Add salt to taste, mix thoroughly and continue cooking until lentils are soft and the consistency is thick, similar to porridge.
7. Serve Dhal plain or garnish with sliced onion, fried until golden brown.

from: receipezaar.com

[sYdneY__]

^ Oh my gosh thankyou so much Bluestar07!!! Karma for you my friend!

[Bluestar07]

^ no problem. I've not personally tried that recipe but dhal is a prevalent where I live and on of my favourite foods. You can throw carrots and other veggies in as well to make a great vegetarian dish.

[sYdneY__]

Oh it sounds great thankyou so much It sounds like one of those great recipes where you can just throw in whatever veggies are lying around the kitchen!

[misssakura]

Warning to people in New Zealand: Due to new BioSecurity rules, all incoming lentils are irradiated to prevent sprouting. As such the majority of nutritional value is removed and they may not cook. I've bought some lentils and no matter how much I pre-soaked and cooked, they just won't go soft. So unless you can buy organic canned ones, Lentils are out. Sigh.

[Meg]

Maple Syrup is a great natural sweetener if you use the real stuff. I wouldn't ever buy fake Mrs.Butterworth (or whatever her name is) maple syrup. Not only because I'm canadian but also because it's so artificial. Real maple syrup can be bought in different grades (light, medium and dark) and has different sweetness for each. It's so natural (because it comes from trees) and is delicious. Anyway, sorry, spiel about maple syrup over, it's just so yummy! And thats coming from someone who also doesn't really like sweet things.