Vegetarian meals

Veggie bacon is lovely. Veggie sausages seem quite dry, so we try to have them with a 'wet' sauce.

I find veggie sausages go well in an roast vegetable traybake which takes the dryness off.

Thanks for all the suggestions

Can they eat butter? I find that the addition of butter and veg oxo and sometimes a sneaky little bit of sweet apple makes a veg dish almost as good as a meat dish.

If they can eat cheese then you are up and running.

If they are truly vegan . no butter or cheese .then you can get the protein from good quality olive oil, nuts, and houmous.

That cream substitute all the supermarkets sell is actually very good; it does contain skimmed milk I think.

I think there is a plant-based Elmlea for non-dairy cream substitution.
I always have a carton or two of (regular) Elmlea in the fridge as it keeps much better than cream.

Same here Maw! It keeps much better . It's ethical. And it tastes as good as cream. Probably healthier too.

Why do we make thie enormous fuss over dishes that do not have meat or animal products in them, as if it is a completely new and strange cuisine that nobody has ever eaten before.

I have never been in a situation where every meal I eat has included meat or even animal products. Even as a child (195Os) my mother's meal repertoire included a number of meals that didn't include meat, or any prduct from dead animals, although she probably didn't have any entirely plant-based reipes in her recipe books. But this thread is about vegetable recipes, not those suitable for vegans.

Why do we make such a song and dance about it all?

Why do we make such a song and dance about it all?

Because I don’t like her and therefore feel the need to try harder. When my daughter stays and I have to cook vegan for her we just discuss what to cook each day. But this visitor thinks she is better than me and I am very conscious that our husband’s are best friends - it will be a stressful week.

welbeck

something with cous-cous, or a vegetable curry.
i assumed most people were at least semi-veggie nowadays.

-

Quite. We only eat meat once a week. With our one courgette plant producing two decent sized courgettes per day, we are struggling to eat it all.

Nearly all vegetables can be served

- raw as a salad or plate of crudités with a yoghurt dip

- sliced and layered in a lasagne or potato bake

- As a soup

- Grated and stirred into a pancake batter as rissoles (kids love these) - serve with a tomatoey or yoghurt sauce

- Grated or chopped as a sauce for pasta

- shredded and stir-fried (mushrooms or chopped tofu will give it a bit more oomph)

- in a Ratatouille (the tomato sauce can disguise any vegetables outside the usual aubergine/courgette/pepper spectrum)

- as a "steak" (cauliflower, simply sliced and fried or particularly good, slices of celeriac blanched, breadcrumbed and fried)

- Grated in a cake or bread (carrots, courgettes, potatoes)

Even more reason not to get stressed out tizliz
Relax. Enjoy giving up meat for a few days.
I never tell my guests the meal is vegetarian. They never complain. Infact once I substituted some Quorn "chicken" for actual chicken in a casserole without telling anyone and my poor guest said she wasn't hungry. The next morning over breakfast she said she was veggie but hadn't wanted to be a nuisance.

TizLiz There was nothing personal about my query, I wasn't referring to you. People, here, in the press, media, restaurants are always making a big song and dance about providing meat free or entirely plant based dishes. I just think they are part of a any wide ranging nutritious diet.

I can fully understand your desire to get one up on your visitor. But I usually find just ignoring their competitiveness and doing what i walways do irritates people like that for more than competing with them.

Cauliflower pieces, salt, pepper, five spice, olive oil, roasted.
Tossed with Cannellini beans (drained well), vinaigrette including dijon, diced shallot, parsley.
Served warm or cool.

Stuffed peppers, using cooked rice, chopped onions and carrots, a tin of tomatoes, sauteed chopped portobello, red wine, herbs, simmered. Cheese can be toasted on top after baking, unless vegan.

My OH complained last night that he prefers plain cooking - we had Moroccan spiced veg pie with filo pastry. So am giving up trying to be clever, it is a relief.

Risotto made with saute portobello, veg stock, white wine. Some add parm before serving, though not vegans.

My brother and his partner are coming over for a visit next year from Australia. She is a vegan so that will be difficult. At my niece’s wedding a couple of years ago in Sydney, there were plenty of vegetarian options at the reception. N was the only vegan so they had to make special dishes for her.

Jacket potatoes, slit open.

Stuffed with mix of legumes of choice, chopped onion, garlic, tinned tomatoes, chopped peppers, chopped portobello,
all sauteed and cooked down, herbs.

Top with sauce of basic mayonnaise, mix in Maggi veg liquid, lemon, herbs to taste.

Ladyleftfieldlover a good cookbook is a big help, our children all eat vegan, it really is easy when mind is set..

Norah

Stuffed peppers, using cooked rice, chopped onions and carrots, a tin of tomatoes, sauteed chopped portobello, red wine, herbs, simmered. Cheese can be toasted on top after baking, unless vegan.

A slice of firm goats cheese popped on top for last 10 minutes baking is good on those too Norah. I love stuffed peppers

Ladyleftfieldlover

My brother and his partner are coming over for a visit next year from Australia. She is a vegan so that will be difficult. At my niece’s wedding a couple of years ago in Sydney, there were plenty of vegetarian options at the reception. N was the only vegan so they had to make special dishes for her.

Vegan is pretty easy these days even without substitutes but can feel daunting if not used to it. . One really useful tip is to mince mushrooms in a processor and then use them instead of minced meat in any recipes eg Shepherds pie; spaghetti bolognese; home made burgers. Lentils are a good substitute too.

the wider question is why are you having to host someone who thinks she is better than you, stresses you, whom you, naturally, don't like.
can't they stay in a hotel, maybe a few joint outings, so husbands can go out to play.
or else ask your daughter over, to discuss with madam big wig what they are both going to cook.

I often make veg tagines with aubergine, courgette etc.
Another great recipe is “Marry Me Chicken” just use quorn fillets instead of chicken.
In another thread I posted a recipe for Parmesan shortbreads, they always impress.
Here’s the marry me chicken recipe.

www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjN3svVz7z5AhUHAsAKHToiB_0QFnoECAQQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Flittlesunnykitchen.com%2Fmarry-me-chicken%2F&usg=AOvVaw1wiKaNTm5t4o9F4DskunqH

Norah

Ladyleftfieldlover a good cookbook is a big help, our children all eat vegan, it really is easy when mind is set..

Good idea Norah!

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