Your favourite vegetarian recipes

Corca Baiscinn

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

I'm lazy too so do the same or buy a falafel mix but they are much nicer if the soaked chickpeas arent cooked (ones in a can are) , one day again I'll make an effort.

Oh that sounds like a good reason to soak the dried ones so but how do you grind them then? I just mash the canned but a food processor is on the list!

Tar.Aldarion

Yep a food processor or a blender. I did a vegan Middle Eastern cooking class in Dublin recently and it was really great. The falafel were amazing (much lighter and bound a lot better with non-cooked chickpeas). Also we made different flavours of hummus, chef showed us how to make baba ghanoush and some other stuff too. I had made some of the things before but was fun and worthwhile to get somebody with so much experience to show how they do it.

Muahahaha

Have always been meaning to eat more vegetarian food but what puts me off some recipies is the use of beans, Im just not a fan of the texture of them and they seem to be a main ingregient in lots of veggie cooking. Is there any good substitutes for beans in vegetarian chilli/lasagna recipies?

Shenshen

Muahahaha wrote: »

Have always been meaning to eat more vegetarian food but what puts me off some recipies is the use of beans, Im just not a fan of the texture of them and they seem to be a main ingregient in lots of veggie cooking. Is there any good substitutes for beans in vegetarian chilli/lasagna recipies?

Finely chopped vegetables. I hit on that in an effort to get more veg into the husband (he's ok with the taste of most, but dislikes the texture of many).

What I usually do is take a range of vegetables - so, for a lasagne for example, I'd have celery, onions, carrots, bell peppers, courgettes, possibly mushrooms, too - chop them and then put them in a food processor. Blend them real fine, until you almost have a paste, then pour that into a very wide and hot pan with some olive oil. Fry until the moisture has gone and mixture starts to brown.
You can then add you wine (if you're using it), your tomatoes and herbs and simmer it for maybe an hour. The vegetables give it a nice texture with a bit of bite as well as adding amazing flavour.

I can't say I've ever tried it for a chili, because I cannot imagine a chili without beans for the life of me, but it may work as well.

Another alternative would be the soya mince and meat substitutes. Quorn mince is pretty decent, but I usually avoid it because I find it a bit expensive.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

Muahahaha wrote: »

Have always been meaning to eat more vegetarian food but what puts me off some recipies is the use of beans, Im just not a fan of the texture of them and they seem to be a main ingregient in lots of veggie cooking. Is there any good substitutes for beans in vegetarian chilli/lasagna recipies?

Firm tofu works in a chilli, I usually freeze and defrost before use for a chilli, I prefer the texture you get that way, but it's a matter of taste. Substitutes like quorn are an option too. If you're near an Iceland their own brand range of meat substitutes is pretty tasty.

If you're regularly eating meat, you probably don't need to be too concerned about the protein component of veggie meals (which is why beans usually feature so prominently) so you could probably just leave them out of most things and up the amount or variety of veg instead. Look into thai and Chinese vegetarian recipes, they tend to feature tofu and nuts more than beans and lentils as a protein source.

Lentil soups can be blended to hide the texture too.

pigtail33

I regularly make this chickpea tagine
http://www.rachelallen.com/post/chickpea-tagine

I have adapted it to make in the pressure cooker, just to make it a bit quicker for a mid-week meal. It freezes very well too.

Dizzyblonde

I made Jamie Oliver's veggie bolognese tonight. It was really nice, but I had to add a couple more garlic cloves and a heaped teaspoon of oregano. I used ordinary mushrooms because I hadn't any porcini so that may have been why it needed added flavours.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkwflddQShk

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=109130451&postcount=2961

pleasant Co.

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

I've been trying to have more meat-free days too, and I've been substituting lentils and beans for meat in dishes I'd normally cook, like stews. I'm amazed that they taste every bit as good, and even Mr Dizzy isn't missing the meat.

One of the best recipes I've used is Jamie Oliver's chilli con veggie. In my opinion it's nicer than the meat version. It's a big recipe though so I halve it.

......

This was very good, made some alterations though. Kicked the kidney beans to the curb, replacing with one can black eyed beans and one can adzuki beans. Had no dried green lentils but the can I had worked out just fine anyway. Used a small red pepper as I felt a normal sized one would overpower the flavour otherwise. On serving added sriracha for me as I like it a bit hotter.

Really good recipe! am looking forward to trying others and sharing some too.

weetiepie

Shenshen wrote: »

Has to be Black Bean Burritos

You'll need :

1 onion
1 green bell pepper
1 - 2 sticks of celery
2 - 3 cloves of garlic

ca 1 cup of black beans (dried)
1 tin of kidney beans

1 tsp Cumin
2 - 3 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
Chili to taste
2 Bay leaves

Vegetable stock

First, roughly chop the onion, pepper, celery and garlic. Put them in a a blender or food processor and blitz until they're almost a paste.
Heat some oil in a large frying pan, and add the paste. Fry it until it goes dry and slightly browned. Now add the spices and warm them through.
If you have a slow cooker, scoop the paste in there, add the black beans and fill with stock until the beans are covered. If you don't have a slow cooker, use a large pot.
Simmer until the beans are soft, adding more water if required.
Once the beans are soft, add the drained can of kidney beans. Season to taste - if the mixture is too runny, you can thicken it with a bit of veg gravy powder.

Serve with boiled rice, sour cream, cheese, salsa, lettuce and anything else you might fancy, wrapped into a tortilla.

Could you use tinned black beans instead if the dried beans for this? Thanks

Tar.Aldarion

Yes, but you'll need more than 1 cup as it expands a lot.

Tar.Aldarion

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Also a big fan of this dish for the winter and feeling nice and warm!



You get a couple handfuls of cashews and soak them for 40-60 mins. You make veg stock and blend the two together to the consistency you want. Add some tumeric for colour, salt for seasoning. Par boil the potatoes and then fry them a bit, turning them. This keeps them harder than normal in the chowder, tastes nicer to have a bit of a chew. Add it all together and throw in spinach and sweetcorn on a low heat. Throw some smoked paprika on top and it's done. You can add in some fishy seasoning if you like that (seaweed flakes).


I use cashew sauce for the base of a lot of things, a common one is blending the soaked cashews with stock and then adding something like truffle oil for a lovely pasta sauce etc. Or adding wine and throwing cooked mushrooms etc in it.

Tar, instead of soaking the cashew for 60 minutes in cold water you can expedite the process by soaking them in recently (straight out of a boiled kettle) boiled water for 10-15 minutes.

We often forget to soak the cashew before cooking so this quick soak method is handy as usually the cashew is needed toward the end of a recipe.

So it allows us to prepare and cook everything else and then use the cashew during the final stages of cooking the recipe.

Or you can just bring them to boil in a pot with lid on and turn off heat and use them 10-15 minutes later.

Shenshen

weetiepie wrote: »

Could you use tinned black beans instead if the dried beans for this? Thanks

You can, but it will not thicken the stew as much. I've never tried it because I've never been able to find tinned black beans here

goat2

what simple steps do people take to avoid tiredness, I guess that since I eat mostly veg diet, and have really gone off meat, that I must be lacking B vits, but if I take the tablet it causes constipation which is a bother, any good ideas on how I can get the b without the problems associated with the tablet or liquid form

Cheshire Cat

goat2 wrote: »

what simple steps do people take to avoid tiredness, I guess that since I eat mostly veg diet, and have really gone off meat, that I must be lacking B vits, but if I take the tablet it causes constipation which is a bother, any good ideas on how I can get the b without the problems associated with the tablet or liquid form

I find the Floradix Tonic quite good. Available in health food stores.
You could also try to add nutritional yeast to your meals.

Shenshen

goat2 wrote: »

what simple steps do people take to avoid tiredness, I guess that since I eat mostly veg diet, and have really gone off meat, that I must be lacking B vits, but if I take the tablet it causes constipation which is a bother, any good ideas on how I can get the b without the problems associated with the tablet or liquid form

If you're eating leafy greens as well as eggs and dairy products, I doubt that it would be vitamin B related.
If you do feel your diet is affecting your health, I'd suggest having a chat with your GP and getting a blood test done to find the actual reason.

Cheshire Cat

Shenshen wrote: »

You can, but it will not thicken the stew as much. I've never tried it because I've never been able to find tinned black beans here

Dunnes sell tinned black beans. The brand is Epicure.

Tar.Aldarion

Asian Supermarkets, Supervalu, Tesco etc too. Until recent years it was only asian supermarkets I could find them in.

Shenshen

Cheshire Cat wrote: »

Dunnes sell tinned black beans. The brand is Epicure.

Ah. I avoid Dunnes - really, really dislike shopping there. I'll stick with the dried ones, I think

goat2

Cheshire Cat wrote: »

I find the Floradix Tonic quite good. Available in health food stores.
You could also try to add nutritional yeast to your meals.

I tried that, and had the same reaction to it, which is a pity, hoping borocca helps, as I have now resorted to it

keane2097

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

I've been trying to have more meat-free days too, and I've been substituting lentils and beans for meat in dishes I'd normally cook, like stews. I'm amazed that they taste every bit as good, and even Mr Dizzy isn't missing the meat.

One of the best recipes I've used is Jamie Oliver's chilli con veggie. In my opinion it's nicer than the meat version. It's a big recipe though so I halve it.

Ingredients:
2 medium onions
4 cloves of garlic
1 diced red pepper
2 carrots, diced
1 long fresh red chilli (or 1-2 teaspoons of hot chilli powder depending on how hot you like it)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons tomato pur
250 g dried green lentils
250 g dried red lentils
2 x 400 g tins of red kidney beans
2 x 400 g tins of black beans - or mixed beans
2 x 400 g tins of chopped tomatoes
1.2 litres vegetable stock
2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
2 teaspoons of sugar

Method:
Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic, then trim and finely dice the carrot and pepper, and chilli, and place into your largest, heavy-based pan over a medium heat with the oil. Fry for about 5 minutes, or until softened.
Add the spices and dried herbs, then fry for 2 minutes and if it's a little dry at this point, simply add a splash of water to help it out. Stir in the tomato purand cook for a further 2 minutes.
Stir in the lentils. Drain, rinse and stir in the beans, followed by the chopped tomatoes and the stock. Add the cocoa powder and sugar.
Bring it all to the boil, then reduce to a low heat and let it bubble away for at least 1 hour, or until thickened and reduced, stirring every 15 to 20 minutes, then season to how you like it.

Just had this for lunch, it's amazing.

BaZmO*

I also made a batch of the Jamie Oliver veg chilli last night. Halved the ingredients and it still made loads. It’s absolutely gorgeous and a great alternative to the regular meat version.

Tar.Aldarion

Damn I must try that.

woodchuck

I had to try the chilli con veggie after all the hype on here :P

It was good... for a vegetarian dish. I'm a total carnivore, so I'm afraid I'm tempted to try it again replacing the lentils with mince

keane2097

Anyone got any good quinoa recipes? I've never cooked it before. Would be looking for something to use for lunches so something that would last a few days so probably not salad type stuff.

Shenshen

keane2097 wrote: »

Anyone got any good quinoa recipes? I've never cooked it before. Would be looking for something to use for lunches so something that would last a few days so probably not salad type stuff.

Thug Kitchen have a really nice taco filling recipe in their 101 cookbook, but unfortunately it's not on their official website.

The best I can offer is someone's picture of it on pinterest. I'd definitely recommend it, very very yummy.

Johnnycanyon

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Just made a thread about a Jamie Oliver vegan show that was on tonight, made some class looking food, that lasagne! https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057943179

Looks delicious, thanks for sharing.

worded

Moroccan Spiced Vegetables Quinoa Pilaf

Ingredients
200g (7 oz) quinoa, rinsed
650 ml (22 fl oz) vegetable stock
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cm (3/4 in) piece root ginger, finely grated
2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
4 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 parsnip, peeled and thinly slices
250g (9 oz) cooked chickpeas or 400g (14 oz) tin chickpeas/kidney beans or cooked bean of preference
50g (2 oz) green beans
1 medium head broccoli
400g (14oz) baby spinach
1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
Handful fresh coriander, chopped

1) Toast the quinoa in a dry pan for 5 minutes, until the grain starts to pop (like popcorn) and gives off of a smokey aroma
2)Once done, add the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes
3)Meanwhile, heat the oil and sauté the onion over a low heat for 5 minutes, until softened Stir in the garlic, ginger, chillies, cumin and turmeric and sauté for a further 2-3 minutes
5)Add the carrot and parsnip and combine well.
6)Cover and allow to sweat for 7-10 minutes over a medium heat until the vegetables are cooked
7)If sticking, add 1-2 tablespoons of water.
8)Add the chickpeas or kidney beans and combine well. Add the vegetable mix to the cooked quinoa.
9)Blanch the green beans and broccoli and add to the quinoa.
10) Add spinach and combine well- this will wilt in the heat of the quinoa.
11)Season to taste and serve garnished with the toasted sesame seeds and freshly chopped coriander.
Serves 6

worded

Moroccan Chickpea Tagine with Herb Couscous

Ingredients

1 tbsp sunflower oil or olive oil
1 large Spanish onion. Finely chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp chopped ginger
1 teasp turmeric
1 teasp sea salt
½ teasp black pepper and cayenne, combined
2 cinnemon sticks in 1″ lengths
1 tbsp tomato puree
3 medium carrots, in batons
½ butternut squash, peeled and cubed
400g ti n chopped tomatoes
350ml/12oz water
125g/4oz chopped dates
125g/4oz dried apricots
400g/24oz tinned chickpeas
1 tbsp chopped coriander, finely chopped
For the couscous
175g/ 6oz couscous
275ml/10-12fl.oz. boiling water
½ red onion, very finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
25g/ 1oz fresh parsley
25g/1oz fresh basil, chopped
25g/1oz fresh mint chopped



Method

1)To make the couscous, place the couscous in a bowl and pour over with boiling water. Cover and allow to rest for 30 minutes
Fluff with a fork and add the garlic, onion oil, lemon juice and herbs.
2) Heat the oil in a large pan . Add the onion, garlic and spices and saute gently until the onions are tender, stirring occasionally.
Add the tomato puree and cook for another minute.
Add the carrots and squash and mix, add tomatoes and water, bring to the boil , cover, and simmer for 20 minutes
3) Add the dates and apricots and chickpeas and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, until the fruit has softened and the liquid has reduced to give a thick sauce. Remove from the heat and add the fresh coriander. Taste and season as needed. Serve with the couscous.
Serves 4-6

Graces7

Knowing my food is probably too simple for tastes here.. I cannot cook elaborate things that take a long while so find my way round that.

A favourite non meat meal these days is a simple baked potato; while it is in the microwave, I grate apple, peel and all. cheese, or add cottage cheese, and grate carrot.

Add butter and salt to the potato and eat together.

off to do just that now,;)

Tar.Aldarion

Jamie oliver has a vegetarian cooking show currently, food looks class. https://www.channel4.com/programmes/jamies-meat-free-meals
recipes here https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/category/books/jamies-meat-free-meals/