Vegetarian in need of recipes.

[Lord Pocky]

Are there any good recipes that a small veggie boy such as myself can cook?

 

i can make ramen in a pot, cook eggs in a pan, pancakes, and microwave some things. 

 

Is tofu a good food? I heard it is a little wet inside the package and can be real damn tasty with the correct spices/herbs/seasonings. 

 

I'm a boy in need of better cooking skills for myself. I eat a lot of morning star products and freaking love veggie dogs. Also I've heard of to-furkey. Is that vegetarian? 

[Ennis]

From an environmental perspective tofu is no good. If you can, you should purchase seasonal and local vegetables and fruits.

 

I prepare all kinds of soups and sauces from different vegetables such as zucchini, tomato, aubergine, carrots, onions, pumpkins, celery, lentils and the like (depending on mood and season). These I combine with noodles, rice, couscous and potatoes, sometimes pancakes or just bread.

For refinement I like grated cheese, feta, spices, herbs, garlic, fruits (like apples), lemon juice, vinegar, milk/cream, nuts etc.

Also salad.

I think you just need to try some things and gather experience. How long have you been vegetarian?

[Lord Pocky]

About 2 years now. I became a vegetarian because meat always made my bathroom trips kinda painful and long. So I went from meats to fish and chicken then finally to full on vegetarianism. Gotta say, my body feels a lot better than it was two years ago. (Now if only I could stop eating so much bread. XD)

 

these are all very interesting combinations with different grains and veggies! Perhaps my mom and I can cook these together and see which ones I love. Thanks so much! 

[Ennis]

This is how I do a tomato-vegetable-sauce:

Cut an onion, a garlic clove, a piece of knob celery and some carrots into small pieces. Aubergine, zucchini and bell peppers are chopped into larger pieces.

Heat some oil in a pot and sweat the onions. When they turn transparent (before they burn...) add the chopped carrots and celery. After a while, put in aubergine and bell peppers. Zucchini is added last.

For deglazing, use a sip of white wine or hot vegetable stock (not too much). Add sieved tomatoes (in summer I like to use fresh tomatoes instead) and garlic. Let it simmer gently on a low flame until it's al dente. Season it to taste using salt, black pepper, herbs (basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, marjoram...), and some cream.

Serve with noodles/rice and parmesan.

[Lord Pocky]

Ooh that sounds very delicious! Hopefully we can find most of those veggies for a good/ low price. My mom would certainly have to help with the sauce while I fix up the noodle and rice. 

[Ennis]

2 minutes ago, Cup-of-cake said:

while I fix up the noodle and rice. 

Noodle OR rice

[flagsforhippos]

.

[Lord Pocky]

@Julian of Norwich 

 

@flagsforhippos thanks so much! I'll check em out some time. (I'll be saving recipes on my iPad and sending them to my mom for us to experiment in the kitchen with all those foods! *drools happily thinking of good food*)

[Ennis]

@Cup-of-cake Seriously? Noodles with rice?

[Lord Pocky]

Okay so maybe I made a typo. XD perhaps either one with said sauce. Better? Ho ho ho! 

[LadyWallflower]

Often vegetarian food is easier to eat than food that contains meat (or easier to cook). My staple diet includes vegetables with some type of grain (my favorite is quinoa, but couscous, brown rice, pasta or noodles also take part. I also love sweet potatoes) with some kind of easy sauce. You can buy a lot of easy vegetables at the vegetable market or the supermarket. All veggies are good, but things like spinach or cherry tomatoes should be staples because they are SO easy. You can make it even easier and buy frozen vegetables too. I always have frozen broccoli in my freezer. Beans are also super, super easy, and full of good nutrients!

 

Salads and soups are also really nice!  There is something nice and clean about salads, I feel fresher afterwards. And soups are so comforting in cold weather!!!

 

And oatmeal with fruit is a very nice breakfast! I like to joke that oatmeal is the breakfast of champions because it keeps you full for a very long time!

 

(I feel it necessary to add a disclaimer and say I'm not a vegetarian. I will occasionally eat salmon at home. And once in a rare while when I eat out I will consume meat. But my diet is roughly 90% vegetarian).

[Lord Pocky]

Ah yes oatmeal! I love that stuff! I've tried instant oatmeal in various flavors: strawberry, blueberry, peaches, and apples n cinnamon! They taste so good! 

 

I freaking love brocoli, especially with some Tabasco and noodles.

 

and beans, I've loved em ever since I was a young kid! 💕

 

Any veggie can be improved with a bit of Tabasco if it's not having that certain good taste. 

[Aeona]

I absolutely love lasagne. It takes some time to make but you can eat two days from one lasagne, so it definitely is worth it. There are plenty of recipes on youtube if you type in "vegetarian meals". I often prepare some rice or pasta and then add a sauce made out of mushrooms or other things that I like. 
Spring rolls are easy to make too and if you don't have time, the frozen ones are great too. 
If you like potatoes, a stew without meat but with a lot of vegetables e.g. broccoli, tomatoes, beans is great too. And if it gets cold, it's even better. Baked potatoes with guacamole or, classy, with ketchup. Try sweet potatoes, they have a different, but yummy flavor.

 

Vegetarian Pizza. With brokkoli and califlower, tomatoes, spinach or whatever you like.
Do you like lentils? They are great to eat with pasta or rice. Or beans, of course. You can eat them in the morning, for lunch or dinner. 
Have you ever tried falafel? They're made of chickpeas and they taste SO GOOD. You can have them with pasta, rice or with your stew. Whatever you like

[flagsforhippos]

@Cup-of-cake sorry, I made a boo-boo  Vegan News is in the Politics, Philosophy and Science sub-forum

 

PS there is nothing wrong with noodles and rice 

[Yatogami]

Veggy Curry is a godsend.

 

Just get 3 jars of the sauce (red or orange or yellow) you can get it in most Asian isles at the market. (Paste is better, but hard to find).

1 can of coconut milk (only going to use a little)

1 bunch of Asparagus (cut into 1in peices)

3 Carrots (sliced thin)

1 small pack of Portabella mushrooms (small, or diced)

2 cups of Fingering potatoes (purple ones, diced, unpeeled)

 

You can add other things you want too.

 

Fry the carrots in olive oil on medium high in a large deep skillet or pot, add garlic if you want it. Do it till slightly soften.

 

Boil potatoes separately till soft, strain and set aside.

 

Add asparagus to carrots, cook till softening. 

 

Add all the curry sauces, add a splash of coconut milk or more to taste. Turn down heat. Keep cooking till everything is soft. 

Add the mushrooms and potatoes. Turn to simmer for a few min till mushrooms are softened.

 

Serve on brown or white rice.

[Guest]

https://www.quorn.co.uk/recipes/quorn-meat-free-lasagne

 

I tried this lasagne and it's really really nice! 

[Lord Pocky]

Thank you all for your lovely comments and recipes! Imma save these and send em to my mum on her iPad so that we can cook em!

[StormySky]

Penne pasta with olive oil, salt and pepper, and orangeand yellow bell peppers

Boil the pasta, strain it, then put in an oiled pan with pepper slices. Toss and add alittle bit of seasoning, serve and enjoy! It's easy enough to make that my cook group made it with a backcountry stove in about 30 minutes.

 

Edit: more recipies: cinnamon banana pancakes (can also have mashed apples) Make pancake batter as usual, if you like, you can take out the eggs since bananas can serve the same purpose. Add a heaping teaspoon of cinnamon (or as much as you like) and a few drops of vanilla or almond extract. Cook in pan and flip when ready (duh) They taste good with jam on top, too!

 

My friend and I were brainstorming blueberry cookies (like muffins but cookies) but we haven't come up with recipies yet.

[Rockblossom]

I think my favorite recipe site is AllRecipes Quick and Easy Vegetarian

 

You should be able to find some ideas there.

MY diet is (mostly) vegetarian and gluten-free, and I find recipes there that I can use or alter slightly to be GF.

[Lord Pocky]

@Rockblossom thank you! I've bookmarked it and will browse in a little while! Just seeing all these recipes is making me hungry. XD 

[Talespin]

Heyo, vegan here! This is my absolute favorite recipe and it's super healthy (not to mention easy, and I'm no cook so XD): Kale Mix! I had honestly never had kale before I tried this so I wasn't sure I would even like it but...it's the best thing ever, imo. To make one batch I use 1 bag of kale (I use Glory brand), 1/2 bag of collard greens, 1/2 bag of spinach, broccoli and cauliflower (however much you want) and mushrooms (same). Start with putting everything in a big mixing bowl, drizzle a little oil over it, sprinkle in garlic and onion powder and massage (this sounds weird but it makes the greens tender). Put a little oil to your cooking pan and sautee, when it's almost done add in nutritional yeast (aka "nooch") - this is a must as it really makes the recipe and gives it an awesome "cheesy" flavor! I usually go with a heaping tablespoon but you can never have too much nooch, imo. XD A pinch of salt is optional.

[HonoraryJedi]

I am not vegetarian, but I have been wanting to eat less meat than I do. I think I do eat more of it that I need, so I appreciate this thread^^

 

To also contribute something, my own attempts at vegetarian cooking yielded positive results in potato-onion-herb soup. Which is basically minced potatoes and onions and vegetable stock and some herb you like (I think my recipe suggested thyme) all in boiling water. Stupidly simple, but my other attempts didn't turn out well^^'

[Grumpy Alien]

I've been a vegetarian most of my life but I don't cook and I don't like meat substitutes. I eat a lot of pasta and rice dishes both because I love carbs and they only take minutes to make. I also love tofu - particularly fried with some peanut sauce to dip it in.

[Artistofnoname]

Here is something easy that I really like I call it veggie crumble

 

 Take some veggie meat crumbles and fry it in a pan with a can of vegetable soup.

 You can eat it with chips,pita bread, or a hamburger bun like a sloppy joe.

[Lord Pocky]

Thanks @nijikazegirl! I also really love your profile picture! Besides Rolf, double d was my favorite character!

[Guest]

Beans, chickpeas and lentils are all good sources of protein (and fiber). With the lentils and beans you could make soups, with the chickpeas you could make hummus. Pinto beans are really versatile. My sister boiled a ton and then froze them and she has been using them in different ways. In soup, chili, quesadillas, etc.

 

Also, I buy a protein shake mix (this one) and I mix it with some almond milk and drink that in the morning before I go to school/work.

[Lord Pocky]

@Wish Bear 🌠 I'm all for beans! I'm unsure of chickpeas and lentils. 

[StormySky]

2 hours ago, Iced Milk Boy said:

@Wish Bear 🌠 I'm all for beans! I'm unsure of chickpeas and lentils. 

Lentil soup is good with the right seasoning

[Guest]

I like it with bay leaves, thyme, oregano, and basil.

[Mezzo Forte]

I guess I have three major staples in my cooking, and they're not terribly complex

 

Scrambled Omelette:

2-3 eggs, beaten

Splash of milk (optional)

Splash of Olive oil

Assorted veggies (diced onion and bell pepper)

Salt/Pepper to taste (optional)

 

Beat the eggs, adding in the milk if you want to make the eggs lighter/fluffier. Set stove to medium heat and put your olive oil and veggies in the pan. Cook the veggies until the onions are caramelized, then add the eggs. Add salt/pepper, if desired. Cook as if they're regular scrambled eggs. Pairs well with buttered toast.

 

(An alternative to this recipe is to add a little bit of salsa to the egg mixture and serve in a tortilla.)

 

 

My Comfort Food:

English muffins

Peanut Butter (or any nut butter)

Honey (preferably local honey)

 

Best prepared with a toaster oven. Toast the English muffins as desired, then slather with peanut butter and honey. Then toast again in the toaster oven, briefly enough to avoid scalding the honey. Pairs well with milk. I suggest finding local honey because 1) it tends to taste better than the stuff you find in stores and 2) honey made from local flowers improves your immune system. It's easy to swap out different types of honey and types of nut butters for variation too.

 

 

Vegan Burritos:

1 can Black Beans, drained

Frozen rice (I use 1/2 of a Trader Joes bag of frozen rice)

Salsa (I use 1 can of Publix Greenwise Medium Salsa)

Olive Oil

Wheat Tortillas

Assorted veggies, amounts vary, but I typically use:

- 1/4 to 1/2 of an Onion, either diced or rings

- 1/2 a Bell Pepper, diced

- 1/4 of a Tomato

- Frozen Corn, to taste

 

Set stove to medium heat and add olive oil. Start by sautéing the veggies until onions are caramelized, then add rice and stir/cook until thawed. Then add the drained black beans, stir, and let cook briefly. Then add the salsa. Stir frequently and cook until the mixture becomes thick as some of the liquid from the salsa evaporates. Once it's thick enough, spoon contents onto a tortilla and enjoy.

 

The biggest source of flavor is your salsa, so make sure you use a brand that you really like. This is an easy recipe to cook in bulk, and I often put the reheated contents in a thermos and dump it onto a tortilla if I ever need to bring a lunch somewhere.

 

 

I don't have the recipe, but a friend of mine also found a pretty awesome recipe for Jackfruit tacos, and I'd definitely recommend them if you're looking for something new, as unripe jackfruit makes for a really good meat substitute in cooking. I tried making BBQ cauliflower wings once, but I don't think they made particularly good leftovers. Maybe I'll have to find a better recipe eventually.