The Vegetarian & Vegan Thread

[__neversummer]

Has anyone got a good and relatively sophisticated main meal recipe for my vegetarian mother-in-law who's coming in to town and has relatively impressive cooking creds?

Help!

Stuffed Peppers are fairly easy and come off as pretty sophisticated.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups brown rice
6 large green bell peppers
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons cooking sherry
1 teaspoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups extra firm tofu
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (there is vegan varieties available if you need dairy free)
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a saucepan bring 3 cups water to a boil. Stir in rice. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes

2.Meanwhile, core and seed green peppers, leaving bottoms intact. Place peppers in a microwavable dish with about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom. Microwave on high for 6 minutes

3.In a small frying pan bring soy sauce, wine and Worcestershire sauce to a simmer. Add tofu and simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Combine rice (after it has cooled), tofu, cranberries, nuts, cheese, salt and pepper; mix and pack firmly into peppers. Return peppers to the dish you first microwaved them in, and bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top

4.Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, combine tomato sauce and brown sugar; heat until hot throughout. Spoon sauce over each serving.

 

[misssakura]

Oh man i LOVE the idea to add dried cranberries and pecans! That's like..genius! *dribble*

 

[Deleted member 36123]

Stuffed Peppers are fairly easy and come off as pretty sophisticated.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups brown rice
6 large green bell peppers
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons cooking sherry
1 teaspoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups extra firm tofu
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (there is vegan varieties available if you need dairy free)
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a saucepan bring 3 cups water to a boil. Stir in rice. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes

2.Meanwhile, core and seed green peppers, leaving bottoms intact. Place peppers in a microwavable dish with about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom. Microwave on high for 6 minutes

3.In a small frying pan bring soy sauce, wine and Worcestershire sauce to a simmer. Add tofu and simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Combine rice (after it has cooled), tofu, cranberries, nuts, cheese, salt and pepper; mix and pack firmly into peppers. Return peppers to the dish you first microwaved them in, and bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top

4.Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, combine tomato sauce and brown sugar; heat until hot throughout. Spoon sauce over each serving.

Yuuummm!! That sounds delicious!

 

[Deleted member 36123]

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

 

[Velony]

I know a vegan recipe with lentils and tofu. It's kind of a curry. Let me know if that's something that interests you.

 

[__neversummer]

My mom makes the best lentil, chickpea and onion dish. Ahh I wish I could remember the exact recipee. I know it has soy sauce, lemon juice and curry powder in it. Then you put it in a frying pan untill the liquid reduces and the onions are soft. And serve over brown rice.

 

[Deleted member 36123]

^ Oooh that sounds so nice! Thanks!

 

[misssakura]

^ snap, you and I bought lentils! But I need to figure out something to do with them..I may do something like a lentil gravy and pour it over some jacket potatoes, or maybe a lentil soup with vermicelli pieces..decisions decisions

 

[Deleted member 36123]

^ Mmm sounds good! I've never cooked them before so I'm feeling a bit lost! I got the green ones is that what you got?

 

[lostinemotion]

you should check out some indian recipes.
at my favorite restaurant they make a lentil dish in a curry cream kind of sauce over basmati. it's black lentils made punjabi style it says.

 

[lostinemotion]

you can also make peanut, crisp green apple slices on wheat. mmm

 

[Deleted member 36123]

^ Oooh thanks for the tips! Sounds delicious!

 

[misssakura]

yeah I got green ones because red ones go mushy...

 

[Deleted member 36123]

^ Ooh okay I didn't know that! I shall stick to the green ones hehe

 

[Irene_A]

Basic ingredients for Spanish lentils recipe (very easy and a great recipe for winter)

250 gr. lentils


1 large onion


1 small glass of red wine (optional)


Half a small glass of olive oil


1 bayleaf


1 red pepper (optional)


2 large carrots


3 small potatoes

1 pinch of saffron (optional)

fresh parsley (optional)

salt

Steps:

• Soak the lentils for half an hour. Even though small lentils in packets usually don't need soaking, Spanish women tend to soak anyway
• Peel and wash the carrots and potatoes. Slice the carrots and halve the potatoes (unless they are very small). Wash and slice a small red pepper (optional).
• Drain the lentils and put them in a saucepan. Add enough water to cover them and add the carrots, potatoes, bayleaf, pepper, parsley, a little salt, saffron and wine. Also add the cloves if you want the lentils to have a slightly spicey air to them. Put the pan over a low heat and cover.
• Slice the onion and garlic and fry, stirring all the time. After a minute or so, add the sliced red pepper. This is optional and adds a slightly sweet flavour to the lentils. When soft, add to the other ingredients in the saucepan.
• Let the lentil stew simmer for at least 40 minutes. Boil off any excess liquid at the end.

 

[Deleted member 36123]

^ Oh my gosh thankyou so much! It sounds fantastic! Can't wait to try it!

 

[lostinemotion]

Oh man i LOVE the idea to add dried cranberries and pecans! That's like..genius! *dribble*

There is this brand of snack nuts they sell at whole foods and gourmet markets...not sure the brand, but it's a black package and the nut blend is called Verona Blend..SOOOOOO good.
Pecans, Dried Cranberries, Orange Zest and Black Pepper.
Never would think this was going to be good but it's AWESOME!

 

[missbliss]

I was part of a debate today @ work about vegetarians. Mind you also I'm from a really small hick town in the south. Anyway, someone had offered me deer meat from a deer that this person had actually killed himself, since it is deer season here at the moment. I refused & didn't say anything else, because eventhough I am a vegetarian I'm not one to shove it down anyone's throat that obviously doesn't wanna hear it. That guy asked why & when I told him I don't eat meat just about everyone he was with turned on me & began to give me hell about it. His arguement was that plants have feelings to, because contrary to what most non-vegetarians believe we all nibble on carrots and lettuce all day like bunnies. Also, apparently the Bible seems to say that God wants us to eat meat & that animals in the wild eat other animals so big deal, right? Which is a big argument that I've heard used so many times. I explained to them how things are different in the wild, which I'm sure flew straight over their head. It's nature & natural for that to happen, unlike animals we can't go and chase down a fox for example and eat it while it's still raw and bloody. It undergoes a process before humans can actually eat something like that. It really bugs me how when you tell someone that your a vegetarian when they offer you met, they take it as basically saying "oh no thanks, i'm better than you." So they have to justify why they eat 8 servings of meat a day. ugh, anyways I was wondering what your thoughts were. What would you have told 'em? I honestly get crap for this on a regular basis & I would like more ways to explain to people & maybe a good way to introduce it to someone without sounding holier than thou.

 

[misssakura]

Well, people feel threatened by it (I did). Perez Hilton posted a ridiculous story about how Travis Barker had been told to switch to a meat-based diet (instead of vegetarian) because his bones were brittle and vegetarian-bashing ensued. The same on the IMDB board for fast food nation. People feel threatened by things they don't understand and nobody wants to make that sort of commitment to a lifestyle that isn't instantly easy. Meat is an addiction, we're brought up eating it without being told how it is produced and then when we do find out, being caring beings, we have the choice to go without the luxury we are used to, or making a small sacrifice. Most people go for the former and don't want to think about it again.

 

[Sweets]

i try to avoid bringing up my vegetarianism in social instances as well... but it always backfires, people automatically get defensive, just because you are doing what you feel is right and just, that must mean that you are looking down your nose at them. Its really a shame, if they werent threatened and were completely behind their reasons, they wouldnt have to shove meat-eating down OUR throats... its so frustrating... all people really need to realize that the food each individual includes or excludes from their diets is a personal decision. personal meaning no one else gets a say in it.