Vegetarian Meals: Tasty & Affordable for Vegans

[Monique]

I put them on sandwiches or cut them up into tossed salads (with vinaigrette dressing). You can also cook with them; they'll give a much richer, sweeter taste to a dish than if you use fresh tomatoes (or just add a few to a dish that uses fresh tomatoes for added flavor).

But they are really dry and tough, should I soak them first?

Some recipes for small dishes:

Spicy potatoes
Boil diced potatoes. Fry the following spices: red chillies, 6-8 curry leaves, 2 onions, 0.5 tsp of cumin, mustard, onion, fennel and nigella seeds. Add the potatoes and fry for another 10 minutes, add lemon juice and fresh coriander.

Potato cakes
Boil potatoes and mash them, add lots of fresh coriander, cumin powder and some salt. Make little paddies out of them and fry in some shallow oil until golden brown.

Cucumber curry
Fry in a pan: chillies, cumin, mustard seeds and garlic. Add cucumber, turmeric, coconut, salt and some sugar. Add red bell pepper and stir fry some more until the vegetables are cooked but still crispy. I like to add some yoghurt in the end for sauce (add a little sugar to take off the sourness).

Mushroom curry (one of my favorites)
Fry cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cardamom pods and turmeric. Add onion and fry until golden. Stir in ground cumin, coriander and garam masala (1tsp each), chilli, garlic, ginger and fry. Add tomatoes and salt. Halve mushrooms and add them to the pan, simmer for about 10 minutes. Add fresh coriander.

Sweet and sour pineapple
Fry mustard, cumin and onion seeds, ginger and chillies. Add pinapple pieces, raisins with some sugar and salt. Add about 1.25 cups of the pineappe juice (from the can), cook for about 20-25 minutes.

Yoghurt drink
Wisk 1.5 cup natural plain yoghurt and slowly add water until you get a nice consistency. Add a little sugar to taste. Add some banana for variation.

Just be creative with the ingredients, I always use the ingredients that I have and make something from that. The cucumber curry will taste great without the coconut too, or just stir fried bell peppers are also very tasty (add several colors). To make a thicker sauce just add some corn flour and water to the recipes.

You can stir fry celery. Stir fry broccoli or cauliflower and simmer in a sauce of potatoes. Stir fried courgette and aubergine go really good together, be creative how you season it. You can quickly stir fry paksoi or chinese cabbage in some ginger and garlic with some soy sauce. Brown beans go really well in a spicy tomato sauce. Add rice/potatoes/beans with stir fried tofu/tempeh for a complete meal.

 

[Moonbear]

But they are really dry and tough, should I soak them first?

I don't usually get them that dry (sometimes I question if they are even dried enough to be considered a sundried tomato). But, if they are too dry, then you can always soak them in some olive oil (you can buy them in olive oil too, but then they are VERY oily and too soft). I'd save the olive oil when done and use it for dipping bread.

 

[wolram]

How many bake their own bread? i love fresh crusty bread, but just can not
buy it, i have tried, my last attempt is stopping the wind blowing the lid off the dust bin.

 

[Evo]

How many bake their own bread? i love fresh crusty bread, but just can not
buy it, i have tried, my last attempt is stopping the wind blowing the lid off the dust bin.

I have a bread machine so making bread is very simple now.

 

[wolram]

I have a bread machine so making bread is very simple now.

I have seen them advertised, but i was skeptical if they would make good bread
especially with a nice crust.

 

[Moonbear]

They do make good bread with a nice crispy crust, but they are shaped funny (taller than they are wide). If you don't care what shape your bread is, they are great, and usually come with recipe books and tips (your very first loaf might not turn out right, but once you see what shape you get, the instructions will tell you if it was too dry or to wet to adjust for next time).

 

[Evo]

You can use the machine to just knead the bread. You can then remove the dough and bake it normally. They can also be used to make pizza dough.

I just get tired of the hand kneading.

 

[hypatia]

mmmmmmm bread dipping oils!
1/4 cup EVOO {extra virgin olive oil}
2 tablespoons of your favorite vinager
1/4 of a apple,peeled, diced very fine
1 piece of garlic peeled, minced very fine
1/4 teaspoon rosemary and sweet basil
pinch of sugar, sea salt and lots of fresh pepper.

I put it in a flat bowl and use the back of a spoon to smush it all together. Then i nuke it until its just steamy, not to boil. then let it sit till it hits room temp...ahhh the infusion of smells!
The crustier the bread the better...break off chunks and dip!

 

[wolram]

1/4 cup EVOO {extra virgin olive oil}

 

[Monique]

Made this for a guest and was approved : Spicy potatoes served with black eyed peas, which are covered by a curry of mushrooms in tomatoes. Sprinkle the potatoes and mushrooms with fresh coriander to finish.

Black eyed peas
Soak in water and boil until done.
Add some salt and a little sweet soy sauce to give some taste.

Spicy potatoes
Slice: 6 potatoes in half an inch slices, boil until cooked.
Fry: 1 tsp curry powder, 1/2 each of cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds.
Add: 2 onions coarsely sliced, brown them and clove of garlic.
Add: the sliced potatoes and fry, add salt to taste.
Throw in a heaping tbsp of bulgarian yoghurt and some water for a sauce.

Mushroom curry
Fry: 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, 1/4 tsp turmeric.
Add: 1 sliced onion and fry till golden brown.
Stir in: 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala.
And: chilli pepper, 2 garlic cloves, 1 inch fresh ginger all sliced up.
Add: 400 g tomatoes (a can) and 3 fresh tomatoes and fry to a sauce.
Add: 450 g button mushrooms (one basket) and cook for 10 minutes.
Balance the acidity of the tomatoes with sugar, add salt to taste.

 

[Evo]

Made this for a guest and was approved : Spicy potatoes served with black eyed peas, which are covered by a curry of mushrooms in tomatoes. Sprinkle the potatoes and mushrooms with fresh coriander to finish.

That sounds incredible, I'm going to have to make it.

 

[Monique]

Thanks, I actually bought a little booklet and started writing down some of the stuff I make on a regular basis, I rarely follow a recipe anymore. Right now it's filling up with vegetables I've never cooked before, from my mothers cookbook that I borrowed. I don't even know the english names: knolselderij, pastinaken, meiknolletjes, schorseneren, ramenas, koolraap, koolrabi, rabarber, raapstelen, postelein, zuring.

 

[Mk]

1/4 cup EVOO {extra virgin olive oil}

What's so funny? They really do call it EVOO.

 

[Moonbear]

koolrabi = kohlrabi (I think...sounds like it probably is) I like it raw in salads, somewhat like a radish flavor.

rabarber = rhubarb (I was able to confirm that one http://www.flyswatter.com/nawc/fruitsveggies.htm )

I can't even guess at the others.

 

[Math Is Hard]

OK, I just whipped myself up a yummy dinner.. but something is missing. It's a colorful salad with cubes of diced cucumber, chick peas, whole pitted black olives, and grape tomatoes all tossed in red wine vinaigrette with a teaspoon of crushed garlic.

I think the missing ingredient is chopped red onion. Any other recommendations?

 

[Mk]

Oh no! You forgot ham, lemon juice (I like lots! instead of dressing, because I don't like it), shredded cheeses, and parmesan.

 

[wolram]

OK, I just whipped myself up a yummy dinner.. but something is missing. It's a colorful salad with cubes of diced cucumber, chick peas, whole pitted black olives, and grape tomatoes all tossed in red wine vinaigrette with a teaspoon of crushed garlic.

I think the missing ingredient is chopped red onion. Any other recommendations?

I like fruit with salad, may be pineapple or orange, i know you super cooks
think I am bonkers but i like it

 

[Mk]

Ohhhh this is the vegetarian thread... well in that case don't use the ham, and if you're pias, only use the lemon juice. You can add in a half a teaspoon of baking soda to get rid of that unpleasant smell in your breath afterwards. It works in refrigerators!

 

[Math Is Hard]

Oh no! You forgot ham, lemon juice (I like lots! instead of dressing, because I don't like it), shredded cheeses, and parmesan.

OH no! I am so busted. I just went and put some ham in it. How did you know?
Oh, dear, the veg police are on to me! They see everything!

 

[Math Is Hard]

I like fruit with salad, may be pineapple or orange, i know you super cooks
think I am bonkers but i like it

I have a thing for grapes and bleu cheese in a salad. Still trying to find the right recipe though.

 

[Townsend]

I have a thing for grapes and bleu cheese in a salad. Still trying to find the right recipe though.

I love blue cheese but I cannot imagine grapes in my salad. we are talking about the kind of salad you eat right?

 

[Monique]

Invented a soup today (enough for two):

3 red bell peppers
1 red onion
1 large tomato
1 cube vegetable stock
1 inch skinless cucumber

Roast the bell peppers under the oven grill.

Fry onion in pan, add tomato.
Add the roasted bell peppers, black skin removed.
Add a cup of water and the bouillon cube and let everything simmer.
Blend until smooth, add water to get a creamy texture.

Chop up an inch of cucumber (without skin) into very small cubes.
Add to the soup, for a fresh bite.

DELICIOUS!

 

[rachmaninoff]

I don't even know the english names: knolselderij, pastinaken, meiknolletjes, schorseneren, ramenas, koolraap, koolrabi, rabarber, raapstelen, postelein, zuring.

koolrabi = kohlrabi (I think...sounds like it probably is) I like it raw in salads, somewhat like a radish flavor.

rabarber = rhubarb (I was able to confirm that one http://www.flyswatter.com/nawc/fruitsveggies.htm )

I can't even guess at the others.

Try google's Image search, it seems to work for most of them. Ex: For "Zuring", image search led me to http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dzuring%26sm%3DYahoo%2521%2BSearch%26toggle%3D1%26ei%3DUTF-8%26fr%3DFP-tab-web-t&h=160&w=160&imgcurl=www.neerlandstuin.nl%2Fpics6%2Fzuring2.jpg&imgurl=www.neerlandstuin.nl%2Fpics6%2Fzuring2.jpg&size=7.3kB&name=zuring2.jpg&rcurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.neerlandstuin.nl%2Fplanten%2Fzuring.html&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.neerlandstuin.nl%2Fplanten%2Fzuring.html&p=zuring&type=jpeg&no=1&tt=34&ei=UTF-8 page in the Netherlands, with photographs and the scientific, Rumex acetosa, which of course is common Sorrel.

I am saving all these pages for future use, can Monique, Evo, or Moobear suggest a list of spices and herbs to store please.

 

[Monique]

What's tasty on bread?

My favorite:
peanut butter with a generous amount of sambal and slices of cucumber

 

[rachmaninoff]

Between http://www.hri.ac.uk/enveg/data/raw/vegdata.htm , I've been doing a lot of translating today:

Nederlands / Scientific / English
knolselderij / Apium graveolens var. rapaceum / celeriac
pastinaken / Pastinaca sativa / parsnip
meiknolletjes - ?
schorseneren/ Scorzonera hispanica / black salsify, 'black oyster plant', 'serpent root', 'viper's grass'; a photo http://www.biologie.uni-hamburg.de/b-online/schaugarten/ScorzonerahispanicaL/Black_salsify.html
ramenas / Raphanus sativus / radish
koolraap / Brassica napus / rutabaga, swedish turnip, yellow turnip
koolrabi / Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes / kohlrabi (the German name)
rabarber / Rheum rhabarbarum / rhubarb (Moonbear got this one before me)
raapstelen / (?) Brassica rapa var. rapa / my guess is a turnip? (raap-)
postelein / Portulaca oleracea syn. Portulaca sativa / purslane, 'pusley', 'little hogweed'
zuring / Rumex acetosa / common sorrel

Hope this helps! Links are all to wikipedia articles (English versions).

 

[wolram]

What's tasty on bread?

My favorite:
peanut butter with a generous amount of sambal and slices of cucumber

Black current jelly, strong cheese, lettuce and cucumber

Garlic bread just on its own

 

[wolram]

I made a ginger cake today, when it was cooking it did not smell right, but
i thought it was just my sense of smell, i have just tried a peice, it is awful
and i have found out why, i used garam masala instead of soft brown sugar