amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

Mommyof2 · 04-19-2003, 11:16 PM

Argh!! I just posted this huge post and lost it! Trying again.

I've been trying to ease into a vegetarian diet for a while now. For the most part, I've cut out everything but poultry and I'm kind of stuck here. I am a very picky eater and I'm trying to branch out, but in the meantime I'm having a hard time replacing the non veggie meals we do eat.

I go shopping once a pay period and buy for 2 weeks at a time. I have until Friday a.m. to plan, lol.. so I think I can do it this time, but I really need your help. So far, I'm planning on spaghetti, cheese and spinach stuffed shells, cheese ravioli, and some kind of shaped pasta, all with salad and/or veggies and bread.

I would *like* to make minestrone soup, bean chili and cornbread, and bean and cheese tostadas but I don't know how to make any of those from scratch. Does anyone have recipes for those?

So I still need 5-7 dinner recipes. This is where my problems come in, lol. There are a lot of veggies that I either don't like, or don't know how to make in a way that I do like them. I'm also not huge on beans, I do like refried beans and can do chili. I'd also like to make a yummy vegetable soup with pasta or rice.

I don't care for chickpeas, lima beans, squash, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, peppers, asparagus, brussel sprouts, eggplant, cooked celery...I do like tomato sauces and soup, I can cook with onions and peppers, and I've had breaded zucchini that I liked.

So can anyone help me, lol? I know there's a lot I don't like, but I really do keep trying to reintroduce those foods to myself. I haven't shut myself off from ever eating them, just some of them I really can not tolerate right now. Cooked spinach makes me gag unless it's in pasta or something. (Lol, we always talk about how to help our picky eating children, I wish I knew how to help the picky mamas!)

Also, what do you do to jazz up vegetables? We usually eat them raw or steamed, but I'd like some more variety. We've had glazed carrots that we're really good, and these peppery green beans, but of course I don't know how to make them. Can you also tell me more about nutritional yeast and spirilina (sp?). Wheat germ too.

So I'd really like to make some healthy vegetarian meals for us and take the final step for me. I seriously doubt dh will ever go 100% vegetarian, but I want to. I want to cook more from scratch too, I have the time and the inclination but I never learned how and it intimidates me.

If you got this far, thanks for reading. And if you can help me with some recipes I'd be so greatful. Thanks in advance. (((((

jessica_momof7 · 04-20-2003, 12:53 AM

Here is a yummy recipe for
Tempeh Enchiladas

One other thing I found that is really easy is to make a rice a roni and throw in a can of beans, topped off with cheese...very yummy, cheap, and fast if you are in a bind.

We are slowly making the switch too, so I feel your pain...it can be difficult

Here is another one....

Ravioli Primavera...

4 cups frozen cheese raviolis
1 16oz pkg italian veggies (or mix of veggies of your choice)

boil together until done, add 1 can of garden veggie spaghetti sauce, and it is YUMMY!! kids love it too.

BlueRoseMama · 04-20-2003, 12:41 PM

Here are a few good ones to try:

Bean Thingy (We couldn't think of a better name... lol...)

1 -16oz can black beans
1 -16oz can vegetarian baked beans
1 -16oz can tomato sauce
corn
small onion, chopped
small red or green bell pepper, chopped
two medium potatoes, cubed and boiled
two small carrots, cubed and boiled or steamed
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
Fry onion in small amount of olive oil until onions are translucent. Add beans, tomato sauce, corn (any amount that you like), peppers and previously cooked carrots and potatoes (if you don't cook them ahead of time you can add them to the bean mixture but they will take a long time to cook through). Cook it until it's hot and thickens a little. Serve by itself, with tortilla chips or rice. Also a good base for chili or curry, just add the appropriate spices. Very yummy the next day after everything has had a chance to mingle. Any other veggies can be added as your taste desires.

You may not like Garbanzos, but you may like this... I know my husband does! (He HATES chick peas... even complains when I put them in my chili)

Hummus:
2-3 T olive oil
juice of one lemon (about 3-4 T)
1-2 cloves garlic (more if you really love garlic!)
2 T tahini
one can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas)...15 some-odd oz, drained and rinsed (you can make these ahead of time in a presure cooker, but this is the easiest and fastest way)

(I am guessing you already know, but just in case Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds. You can find it in health food stores, Trader Joe's, and some grocery stores (look in the ethnic food sections; it's often in a can). Some people use peanut butter instead of tahini but try not to unless you have to. I'm not sure if this recipe tastes good with peanut butter. It's worth it to find the tahini.)

Can also add roasted red peppers, jalepenos, roasted garlic instead of raw...experiment!

Procedure:
Put the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and tahini in a food processor or blender. Mix it well. Add garbanzo beans and mix until well blended and smooth. If it looks or tastes a little dry add a little more olive oil.

Tastes great on a bagel, with pita bread, tortilla chips, in a sandwich with a little shredded carrot and lettuce. Cyan loves to just dip her fingers in the bowl. Yum. Once you find the mixture to your liking you'll never go back to store bought hummus.

Here is my chili recipie... it is SOOOO good. I fyou do not like some of the beans, just add more of the ones you do like!

Vegitarian Chili

2 Tbs Salt (for in the cooking water)

1/2 c Navy Beans

1/2 c Garbanzo Beans

1 c Pinto beans

1 cube of firm Tofu (Diced, and only if desired)

1 onion diced

1/2 diced green pepper

3 Tbs Chili mild powder

1 ts Chili flakes (hot, or to taste)

Season Salt and black pepper to taste

2 cups Brown Rice

Procedure:
In a pressure cooker let beans soak in water over night. Drain, and add more water the next day. Drain and add more again when you are ready to start dinner. Add salt to water. Cook on high till boiling, and then turn to low for 45 minutes. Drain. (The salt and all the draining is necessary for the easy digestion of the beans. With out that, beans give really serious gas.)

In large stock pot place diced onion, Tofu, and green pepper. Saute' until onion starts to look thin. Add beans, 2 cups water, chili powder, chili flakes, and season salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 20 minutes or until all seasonings are melded to your taste.

In the rinsed presure cooker, place the 2 cups brown rice and 4 cups water. Cook on high until boiling, turn to low and let stay for 20 minutes.

These should be done at about the same time. To serve put a large scoop of brown rice in a bowl and pour chili over the top. I serve with Chedder cheese... but is good without.

Do you like Tofu??? If you do here is a Fajita Recipie:

Fajitas:
1 TBS olive oil
1 Package extra Firm Tofu
Three Large Bell Peppers (Any color)
Two large yellow (or sweet) Onions
1 can of black beans
I package tortillias
salt and pepper
Sour cream, cilitantro, tomatos, and anything else that you like for toppings.

Slice and saute' the tofu on high in oil until browned on both sides, salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and place in a bowl for later. Chop peppers and onion in large peices. Place int he same pan and saute' until the onion starts to look thin. Add cooked tofu and black beans, and salt and pepper lightly to taste. Place in totillias when flavors meld and serve with fav toppings! Enjoy!

Here is another Tofu one that is great!

Sweet and Sour Tofu

(Boil 2 cups Jasmine Rice with 4 cups water...)

Before cooking (For more "Breaded" look) marinate tofu in:

1/4 c Corn Starch

1/4 c Cold Water

2 Tbs Soy Suace

(Do not pour mixture in the pan... drain tofu slightly and place in the pan 1 by 1)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, juice reserved
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup vinegar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 green bell peppers, diced
1 cup chopped celery
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and sliced
1 1/2 pounds cooked tofu, cut into strips

In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, blend reserved pineapple juice, soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar. Mix in flour, and stir until thickened.
Stir bell peppers, celery, and water chestnuts into the saucepan. Mix in Tofu. Cook and stir until heated through. Stir in the pineapple chunks before serving.

Procedure:
In a large saucepanover medium-low heat, blend reserved pineapple juice, soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar. Mix in flour, and stir until thickened.

I hope this helps! Have a great transition!!

Love Val

Adria · 04-20-2003, 02:15 PM

The Fit For Life books and cookbook have tons of yummy vegetarian recipes.

Little4estKaren · 04-20-2003, 02:39 PM

Here's a REALLY GOOD Minestrone recipe from when I worked at a gourmet pasta shop years ago - (it's awesome & freezes well).

1 1/2 cups small white beans, sorted & rinsed
1 1/2 cups chopped cabbage
2 cups diced carrots
2 cups sliced celery
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup butter
3 cups chicken broth (you could also use a "veggie" broth)
1 cup water
6 cups canned diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp summer savory
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 TBSP salt
1/2 pound pasta
2 small zucchini, diced
1 cup frozen green beans
1 cup frozen green peas
parmesan/romano cheese (optional)

Cook beans in just enough water to cover until tender. Meanwhile, in a large stockpot, slowly saute cabbage, carrots, celery, garlic & onion in butter until soft, not brown (Onions will be transparent).

Add chicken broth, water & tomatoes, simmer 30 - 45 minutes. Add beans with their liquid. Add seasonings. Bring to a good boil. Stir in pasta ( I prefer linguine broken into 3 - 4 inch lengths). Cover & remove from heat.

After 2 to 3 minutes, stir in zucchini, green beans and peas. Cover again. Stir occasionally. Soup will be ready to serve in 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle cheese into each bowl just before serving, if desired.

Yield: 1 gallon.

Enjoy!

Karen

Tami Soaps · 04-20-2003, 05:00 PM

This is from Cooking with Peta-- it is really good!
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp oil
1 1/2 cups soymilk (or regular)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients. Add the oil and soymilk and mix well. Pour into a lightly oiled 8 X 8 inch pan and bake for 30 minutes.

For oatmeal cookies, I use the recipe on Quaker oats or on the butterscotch chips package. Those are oatmeal scotchies or something like that. Really yummy, but not too healthful.

Some small ideas....

Tami
www.soapbytami.com

BlueRoseMama · 04-20-2003, 06:55 PM

Acornding to my kids these are the "best" green beans...

2 cloves garlic minced
1 bunch frozen or fresh long green beans (don't cut them)
1 TBS butter
a little olive oil

Saute' butter and garlic until melted and blended well. Add green beans, and mix. If it does not coat the amount of green beans chosen add a little olive oil. YUM!

Here is one from my Vegan mama friend to you! She says her family LOVES it!

Vegan Coconut Cake
Cake:
8 ounces silken tofu
1 pound plus 5 ounces sugar
2 cups coconut milk
12 ounces coconut flakes
1 cup canola oil
1 pound plus 4 ounces all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Icing:
1 pound soy margarine
1 pound powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup coconut milk
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Put first 5 ingredients the bowl of a food processor and puree until thick and uniform in texture. Add last 3 ingredients and process until incorporated. Pour batter into 2 (9-inch) parchment lined cake pans that have been coated with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for about 1 hour.

For the icing, mix ingredients until incorporated. Spread on cooled cake.

Note: This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The FN chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

Procedure:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Put first 5 ingredients the bowl of a food processor and puree until thick and uniform in texture. Add last 3 ingredients and process until incorporated. Pour batter into 2 (9-inch) parchment lined cake pans that have been coated with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for about 1 hour.

For the icing, mix ingredients until incorporated. Spread on cooled cake.

Note: This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The FN chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

Again best of luck to you! Sounds like you are getting some great ideas here!

Love Val

Mommyof2 · 04-20-2003, 09:07 PM

I knew you guys could help, thank you! (((((

So does anyone know how to make tostada shells? I'll check out allrecipes or something later but I always feel better using a recipe that someone I know has used.

Mmmmm... Val that coconut cakes sounds great! I love coconut.

Thanks again. Feel free to keep your recipes coming. I really appreciate the help everyone. (((((

IBelieveInFae · 04-21-2003, 07:28 PM

I believe that "The Vegetarian Times Cookbook" has *six* weeks worth of meal plans. My tiny library here has it, so there is a good chance your local library does too.

I hope this helps!

MayciesMama · 04-23-2003, 12:10 AM

I'm going to share my secret to veggie chili . . . actually it's not MY secret, I found it somewhere years ago in a recipe online somewhere. Add a half tablespoon (or more - depending on how much chili I'm making, sometimes I'll add a couple of tablespoons) of unsweetened cocoa powder to your chili. Just mix it right in like the chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper, etc. . . . it gives the chili a nice, substantial taste. We LOVE ours with this odd addition!

Melissa

Angie · 04-23-2003, 12:57 PM

I know I dont really belong in this forum, but I made a yummy veggie meal last night. We are not vegetarian but do eat meatless sometimes.

I made miso soup with tofu in it, a stir fry of cabbage, baby corn, celery, baby asparagus(from the farmers market, SO yummy!), carrots, and some thin noodles.

For the baby I fried up tofu with bread crumbs( Meeshis recipe)She `ate that while the rest of the dinner was cooking, then had her veggies.

It was pretty good! My picky 4 yo just picked out the veggies he liked and left the rest... LOL

Mommyof2 · 04-23-2003, 01:56 PM

Oooh, thanks Angie. (BTW I'm sure I don't "belong" on this forum either but I figure it's the best place to learn

) That sounds really good! I've got ten dinners planned so far and was wondering what to do for the other 2, lol.. so this couldn't have come at a better time. Thank you.

Elizabeth, thanks for the book recommendation. I will have to check our library on Friday when Chloe can go out. Thanks for the tip.

Thanks for the chili tip Melissa! I'll be competing with dh's favorite chili-his dad's meat filled stuff so I need all the help I can get.

Thanks again to everyone who replied. You helped a lot. I'll lyk all know how the first two weeks go.

Quote:

Originally posted by Angie
I know I dont really belong in this forum, but I made a yummy veggie meal last night. We are not vegetarian but do eat meatless sometimes.

I made miso soup with tofu in it, a stir fry of cabbage, baby corn, celery, baby asparagus(from the farmers market, SO yummy!), carrots, and some thin noodles.

For the baby I fried up tofu with bread crumbs( Meeshis recipe)She `ate that while the rest of the dinner was cooking, then had her veggies.

It was pretty good! My picky 4 yo just picked out the veggies he liked and left the rest... LOL

BlueRoseMama · 04-23-2003, 08:31 PM

Angie and Amber; Really quickly, I do not think it is about belonging... it is about getting to the place where you get the information you need. I, personally, love having "outside" people drop in, that gives us some variety... everybody likes that. Not to mention that this forum is not only for the super hippies... we have all shapes and sizes here (metaphoricallly speaking of course), and it has been easy over the last while for me to see a wonderful benifit in that. I am sure others would agree... Please "drop in" anytime!

Love Val

beckilala · 04-25-2003, 11:06 PM

for almost every meat based meal, there is a meatfree substitute out there!

I saute fresh green beans in Earth Balance margarine, garlic, and a strip or 2 of Morningstar Farms veggie "bacon", which cooks and crumbles just like real bacon!
I also use it to replace pork bacon in BLTs, which I usually add avocado to as well for extra protein, add to Boca burgers with cheese for a bacon cheeseburger, serve with scrambled eggs or scrambled tofu, toast and taters for breakfast.......

One of my fave veggie meat subs is called "Gimme Lean". Raley's carrys it in their natural food section. 2 flavors are offered:
beef
sausage
I have used the sausgae flavor most of the time, and have added it to chili, lasagne, quiche, spaghetti sauce, pizza, probably other stuff.
You have to break it up into chunks and cook it until brown like real sausage.

I recommend checking out McDougall cookbooks. They have many meatless hearty recipes. One of my faves is sloppy lentils.

If you like Indian food, many of their dishes are vegetarian, and contain inexpensive ingredients, like curried veggies, which usually seem to be a mix of curry spices, coconut milk or plain yogurt, frozen veggie mix (carrots, peas, lima beans, green beans).

bean enchiladas are yummy, filling and cheap. If you or Gus like black beans and sweet potatoes, you can add those as the filler, sauteed with green peppers or onion, roll into tortillas, top with enchilada sauce, and cheese if you want. Serve with rice cooked with a can of pureed tomatoes and taco mix, with a salad on the side. Yummy!

Good for you for choosing less meat dishes!
Your arteries will thank you for it.

Mommyof2 · 04-26-2003, 01:55 AM

And Val. And all of you for your help. We went shopping today, it was pouring and I didn't want to drive 45 minutes each way to Trader Joe's so we went to Bel Air since they have organic produce. Ugh.. not doing that again, it was so expensive!

So here's what I ended up with for a 2 week menu-
Pasta primavera
Manicotti
Spaghetti
Veggie pizza
Bean chili
Veggie soup
Minestrone
Bean and rice tacos
Bean and cheese tostadas
Veggie burgers (I've never tried these so I'm a bit scared, lol!)
Pasta with red sauce
Cheese ravioli
Miso soup and veggie stir fry
Veggie fried rice and stir fry

We always have salad or vegetables on the side, and rice or baked potato or something. I also got some tofu, firm for breaded tofu squares

and silken for chocolate mousse. Lots of other stuff too. Chloe is really excited about it too, which is good. Gus surprised me, he didn't buy any meat for himself, well except for lunchmeat.But he's a huge meat lover so I was pleasantly surprised that it was all he got.

Thanks again everyone. I'm going to check out the books Becky, Adria and Elizabeth mentioned too.