Vegetarians?

[Giggi]

Any vegetarians around here? I went veggie about a week ago...one of the few things in my life that I went into head first without doing much research. I've been contemplating it for a few years, but never really took the plunge. However, now that I've been meat-free for a week, I realized that I am clueless. I tried PETA's website, but I'm not a militant about this choice and I am not a vegan. Apparently, the choice I have made is to be "ovo-lacto-vegetarian" (I eat eggs and dairy) if it has to be labeled.

It's not a political choice. I am concerned about cholesterol and trans fats in my own diet and while this probably sounds callus, I don't pity my food, animal or not. Ironically, I'm finding that feeding my carnivorous family is not as challenging as feeding myself, especially when I hate brown bag lunches....still, I'm going to try and sneak some healthier choices past my family's red-meat-loving palates.

I am wondering (and hoping) if there are any experienced vegetarians around who might be able to share recipes, workarounds, alternative menu choices, etc. with me?

Fortunately, I have access to organic and soy products where I live, so veggie-friendly shopping is not an issue.

OK...well nevermind. I just did a search and found RECIPES! YAY!

 

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

I've been veggie for...8 years or so? I'm not sure. It wasn't a big deal to me. I never liked meat as a kid, so as soon as I had control over my own diet, I pretty much just drifted to not eating meat.

I'm very lucky. My wife is an extraordinary cook, and she was veggie for years (and still largely is) so she makes the craziest awesome stuff. She does a lot with seitan, homemade, and I've never had commercial seitan products to match hers. She can make seitan like chicken, ground beef, etc. One of our more recent projects was pot stickers, made from scratch and filled with yummy seitan filling.

Tempeh pot pie is another favorite. You'll do yourself a favor to learn how to make tasty veggie stock.

I'll see if I can get my wife to log on and give you some ideas. If left to my own devices, I'd probably live off tofu dogs and those fake deli meats made into sandwiches

 

[Trillian]

Hi Giggi!
My most worn veggie cookbook is Moosewood's Low-Fat Favorites...it's got some great recipes. I often make their mashed sweet potato/black bean burritos. Here's a link on Amazon -- you can "search inside the book" for that recipe:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/05...f=pd_bbs_1/102-2211057-9425764?_encoding=UTF8

You can often use the same recipes that you use for the rest of your meat-eating family, and just substitute some sort of meat analog for whatever they're eating. Like ground (food processed or purchased) seitan for ground beef; marinated seitan or tempeh chunks for chicken, beef or pork; or pressed, marinated tofu for chicken, pork or fish. Eggplant can be a kind of meat-y vegetable. Another fun trick is using a little bit of liquid smoke to subsitute for ham or bacon. You'll barely notice the difference from the real thing in stuff like split pea soup or baked beans.

My veggie-food pantry/fridge staples include: nutritional yeast, Bragg's liquid aminos (soy sauce substitute), liquid smoke, vital wheat gluten (for homemade seitan), sesame oil, miso, tahini, and grains and beans (barley, brown rice, red lentils, pinto beans, chick peas, split peas, black beans). With these, a generous hand with seasoning, some veggies and tofu, you're set.

You can make a veggie "not chicken" broth by adding maybe 1 T nutritional yeast, a splash of Bragg's, and a pinch each of salt and sugar to 1 c. water. (I always taste-test, so those amounts may not be quite right).

If you've got a favorite dish that you want to vegetarianize, let me know -- may have tried it before or have some ideas. Am happy to share recipes if you'd like some.

Good luck

 

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

Oh, and try freezing tofu if you haven't. All the water in it feezes and expands and changes the texture of the tofu completely. You thaw it, press it and then marinate it. It's a great trick, and a lot of people like the texture of it much better...more chewy/textury. Also, it's like a flavor sponge...it literally has a very spongy texture that likes to soak up sauces.

A local health food store where we used to live made a GREAT barbecue tofu recipe that way.

 

[Giggi]

Wow, thanks for all the supportive replies! I will definitely check into these suggestions! I've tried some Boca meat substitute in the past, but I'm going to wait until I miss meat before I start substituting other products for it simply for the flavor/texture. So far, I've been much more conscious of what I'm putting into my body and haven't really missed meat. I've rediscovered a love for peppers too.

 

[Deuces]

Ya, if you do start substituting, you'll find some INCREDIBLE ones out there. Morningstar makes some seriously good Corn Dogs, Buffalo Wings, and such. I still eat meat and I had to check the box over and over to make sure it really didn't have meat. There's this brand (I can't remember it) I find in the refrigerated tofu/pre-made salad/etc. section that makes absolutely great meat tasting Meatballs and Chicken Nuggets.

Mind you, I'm still a big meat eater so this baffles me how they can do this. Worries me at the same time.

 

[cmt489]

Been veggie for 15 years now. All of the Moosewood cookbooks are fabulous - I particularly like "Sundays at Moosewood". Also check out Mollie Katzen's other cookbooks (she was involved with the original Moosewood cookbook). I find Indian food great since a lot of it is very flavourful and vegetarian. Eggplant bharta is one of my favorites. Some other tried and true favorites are The Vegetarian Table series which draws recipes from other countries. The Italian one is to die for! Yve just like ground is wonderful for feeding your carnivorous family as well. I make a veggie shepards pie (modified from the Sundays at Moosewood) that I have yet to meet a meat eater who does not love it.

Good luck and keep asking question!

 

[OE2X]

I went on a diet about 9 months ago and replaced much of the animal protien with veggies. My choice was for health reasons as well. I also used to cook a lot for vegans and lacto/ovo vegetarians.


One of the things I like doing is stir fries. You can add tofu for your protien or add eggs if you want. What I try to do, is not go to extremes with the veggie thing. I prefer to replace meat ingredients with tofu or veggie burgers when possible. Working with portobello mushrooms are also a great texture substitute.

I also like doing Mexican food. Again really easy to substitute here. Wraps work really well. Stuff them full of black beans, rice, cabbage etc... whatever you like. Add some spice to gain flavor.

In my refrig I have some tofu marinating in soy and hot sauce. This works great for adding to virtually any dish you might want.

If you are really into gourmet cooking - check out Chef Charlie Trotter's book on vegetable cooking. It is amazing!

http://www.charlietrotters.com/store/books/product.asp?catID=2&productID=13

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0898158389/104-0001341-2444743?v=glance&n=283155

 

[Supernal]

A lot of cultures cuisines use little or no meat. If they do use meat, you could substitute tofu or tempeh (a tasty soybean product). Try Thai, Buddhist Chinese, Indian, Middle Eastern, etc.

 

[MSilvia]

Here's a recipe for a veggie version of a chili of mine that's gotten great compliments, and won a couple of cookoffs.
Ingredients:
Dry spices:
1 dried habanero pepper with seeds, chopped
1/2 cup chili powder
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp oregano
1 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp crushed red pepper seeds
1 Tbsp light brown sugar

16oz can of crushed tomatos
1 cup vegetable broth
2 shots anejo tequilla

8 Morningstar Black Bean patties, thawed and crumbled.

Latex gloves
3 fresh bell peppers (one each orange, yellow, and red)
3 fresh habenero peppers
2 fresh jalapeno peppers
3 large fresh poblano chili peppers

3 large cloves fresh garlic, crushed
1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 8oz cans of black beans
1 8oz can pinto beans
1 8oz can of sweet corn

Directions:
Put on the gloves and cut each of the fresh peppers into quarters. Broil them skin side up until the skins begin to blacken, then remove them from the oven to cool. Be careful not to touch your eyes or sensitive skin until after you've removed the gloves. Combine the dry spices and set them aside. Brown the Morningstar patties in a large sauce pan. Peel the skins off of the roasted peppers, and chop them into small chunks. Add them to the sauce pan, then remove and discard the gloves. Add the tomatos, broth, garlic, onions, combined spices, and one shot of tequilla to the browned crumbled patties and roasted peppers. Reduce heat and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally. Drink the other shot of tequilla. Add the beans and corn, and continue to simmer and stir for an additional hour. Serve with cornbread (and shredded jack cheese, if you want it).