DU chefs: help me out!

[KCDem]

My parents are coming to visit for about 2 weeks. They're both on this low-fat lacto-ova diet. Good God, no, they're VEGAN! aack.

Anyways, I have lots of vegetarian cookbooks as I used to follow a lacto-ovan diet. But most of those recipes are rather time consuming, and, as a mother of two small, sticky children, I don't have time for much more than boiling.

Any suggestions? Particularly of things that can be cooked ahead?

TIA!

[corarose]

1. Are you near a Whole Foods Store?

They sell a Vegan Turkey that is suppose to be very good.

I am in Culinary College but If you say Vegan you will be ran out the door.

How about some roasted root vegetables, some type of a puree soup either carrot with ginger, leek with dill, or pumpkin soup, or a good veg. soup with French Sourdough Bread Bowl.

[KCDem]

5. actually, my parents will eat turkey on T-day.

Thankfully. They are doing the whole diet thing for their health, not for any "moral" reasons, and really like turkey (plus, one year, they did the tofurky thing and really were disappointed).

Thanks for the other suggestions. I forgot to mention the other problem: my husband and kids. Husband doesn't like anthing squash-y, lentil-y, or spicy. And kids don't really care for anything gourmet.

But I love squash and leek stuff.

:hi:

[DCDemo]

2. Japanese, dashi based boiled/fried veggie/tofu

Look up Dashi Stock and I am sure you will lots on foodtv.com~

Basically, veggie noodle soups..

[flamingyouth]

3. Do they like Indian or Asian food?

I'm thinking stir-fried tofu or other things (saag aloo with soy cheese?) with rice would be good for the folks. Either way, I'd suggest having an alternative for the kids - whatever they might like, mac & cheese or something. I don't envy you. Good luck!

[KCDem]

9. I think we'll be eating a lot of Asian/Middle eastern foods.

Do you have a recipe for saag aloo? I have one for saag paneer, but I know my kids would not like that.

[flamingyouth]

11. I do at home in Seattle

I'll be home on Saturday - send me a PM this weekend and I'll send it to you! This one, I think, actually calls for tofu. It's from the Minimalist in the NY Times and it's really good. Even my husband (not a big tofu fan as a rule) liked it!

[flamingyouth]

16. Try this one...

* Exported from MasterCook II *

Saag Aloo - Spinach with Potatoes

Recipe By : Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Indian Cooking

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 tbsps water
2 1 1/2 lb pkg frozen leaf spinach, defrost and
drain --
coarsely chopped
4 ozs onions, cut in half -- thinly sliced
5 tbsps vegetable oil
1 pinch ground asafetida
2 tsps black mustard seeds
2 cloves garlic -- minced
18 ozs potatoes, peeled -- cut into 1" cubes
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt

Prepare spinach, onions and potatoes. Put oil into heavy pan over medium
heat. When hot put in asafetida and a second later, mustard seeds. When
the mustard pops add the onions and garlic and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add
the potato and cayenne. Cook a minute. Add spinach, salt and 2
tablespoons water. Bring to a boil, cover and cook on low 40 minutes.
Stir occasionally and add water if it gets to dry. Serve.
REG 1 shared by Melody Holcomb-Hockin, Washington, USA

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[KCDem]

18. yum, thanks!

Although, I can promise that my husband and kids are going to add you to their fecal roster. :P

[Superfly]

4. Make em a Quiche!

Or Mac and Cheese.

[KCDem]

7. ye-ah, that's really lowfat!

I'll make a taste-free eggbeater quiche, how's that? ;P

[SOteric]

6. What tools & equipment do you have in your kitchen?

Standing Mixer, Food Processor, etc...?

[KCDem]

8. all of the above.

If it's standard in first-world cooking, we have it.

They love asian food. Maybe I can do lots of noodle dishes with tofu. I was just hoping to be able to do some things before they get here.

Of course, once they're here, they can watch the kids so I can spend more time cooking.

[SOteric]

20. You can do a few things ahead, regardless of the menu

make or purchase veg stock, it'll be a primary ingredient in a lot of dishes. If they're coffee drinkers, look into soy-milk. It's excellent with a bit of hazelnut flavouring.

Don't forget the joy of:

Black Bean Soup
Butternut Squash soup
Pumpkin Soup

Eggless Pastas

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Spinach Salad with hazelnuts
Three-Bean Salad

Hummus with pita chips or veggies
Marinated Mushrooms
Olives
Miscellaneous delights, wrapped in phyllo dough (not puff pastry)

If you have a food processor, you can make your own hummus, bean paste, etc... and control the fat levels in the finished product. A little bit of stock is a good repacement for the oil you might otherwise use.

For something special:

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup ice water
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Mix until thoroughly blended, knead briefly and press into the bottom of a small tart pan.

1 lb swiss chard, washed, stemmed and chopped fine in a food processor with:
1 cup raisins
2 fl. oz. egg substitute

Confectioners sugar for decoration.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 400 degrees F. until the crust is golden brown. -About 40 minutes.

[DuctapeFatwa]

10. Here are two that are easy and make ahead

1) Get a package of McKenzies Vegetable Gumbo (frozen section)

Get some black beans, canned, frozen, make em yourself, doesn't matter.

Throw it in a pot with some garlic, a little cajun seasoning, a little cayenne, cook it for about 10 minutes, add a dash of vinegar, dash of coca-cola.

2) Get some cherry tomaotes, some sliced portobello mushrooms and some black olives (without pits, sliced, whatever)

Get a package of Good Seasons Roasted Garlic and one of Italian.

Put half of each together with a splash of oil and a little more vinegar than the package says. Forget the water.

Throw it all in a dish, mix it up, let it sit at room temperature for a few hours, go stir it around once in a while, put it in the fridge.

Serve with whatever bread they like, chopped up cilantro and jalapenos in little dishes that they can add as they like.

[flamingyouth]

13. Mmm - that sounds good!

I'm going to try it. :hi:

[Catfish]

12. Not a chef

but a good meal without meat or eggs or dairy (hope I've got their restrictions right) is black beans. I sautee some diced bell pepper in olive oil, you can also add onions/garlic. Then add canned black beans (I don't have luck with dried ones here because they seem to be old, not much turnover) and rinse the cans with water and add the water to the beans. Bring to a boil and then simmer until they are thick. You can serve with rice, tortillas or tortilla chips. I add either sour cream or grated cheddar but I guess that's out for your parents.

You could also have pasta with a simple olive oil/garlic sauce or a tomato sauce with bell pepper/onion/garlic and basil, oregano, etc. Vegetable soup is another option.

[Rabrrrrrr]

14. Borscht!!

Just lots and lots of borscht....

[liberalmuse]

15. Crock pot cookery.

Try some split pea soup in the crockpot. It's lowfat and vegan:

1 lb. split peas
1 leek-rinsed and chopped
2 ribs celery-chopped
1 potato-peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp. crushed garlic
7 cups hot water
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tsp. oregano
salt & pepper to taste
chopped parsley for garnish

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients. Cover and cook on low 7 to 8 hours.

You can puree this with a hand blender or eat as is. I like it pureed.

[radwriter0555]

17. Take them to the store and buy them what they need, don't try to

guess.

Their reality and yours are probably VERY different.

[54anickel]

19. Got 3 that might help

Grilled Veggie Packs are easy
Cut up some Russett spuds, onion, carrots, zuchinni &/or yellow squash. Put individual serving amounts in center of foil, sprinkle with 1 tsp of water and season to taste, I like to use seasoned salt or Mrs Dash and some pepper. Wrap em up and toss on the grill for 45 minutes turning over once 1/2 way thru cooking time.

Then there's always chili
8 to 12 oz of chopped fresh mushrooms
1 chopped green pepper
1 chopped red onion
14 oz pinto beans
28 oz diced tomatoes
1 clove or garlic (I use the roasted, minced from a jar)
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
salt to taste

Saute the veggies, add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil and then simmer on low for 20 -30 minutes stirring occassionally.

Wild Mushroom and Tomato Rice
1 chopped onion
1 chopped green pepper
2 oz crimini mushrooms, chopped
2 oz portabella mushrooms, chopped
(Just use whatever exotic mushrooms you can find and I usually am more generous than the 2 oz)
1/2 cup red wine
1 cup uncooked rice
1/2 tsp oregano
salt & pepper to taste
Saute mushroom, onion and green pepper )olive oil and a bit of the wine works well)
Add spices and rice and stir well for 1 minute
add tomatoes and wine
bring to a boil
reduce to low heat, cover and cook 30 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.

[Kenneth ken]

21. what I've been doing lately

I've been doing a lot of wok cooking. I call it stir fry, but really it's mostly steaming.

Since I cook for just me, I make a normal rice recipe and it will serve for four meals (1/2 C per).

Then, I buy a bunch of veggies, chop them up, and put them in plastic dishes. Also tofu, which I don't use every time, but use often.

Finally, when I am ready to make dinner, I pick 2-4 different of the chopped up veggies and throw them in the wok, with a bit of water. Steam 5-9 minutes, depending on the veggie (brocoli takes longer than peppers) pour a little chinese sauce over it when it's done steaming and put it all over the rice (reheated in the microwave for 1 minute.)

Time to go from "I'm hungry" to "yum, what a good cook I am" is about 10 minutes.

The different veggies give different flavoir, and the different sauces vary it even more; so even though in one sense, it's the same thing all the time, it's very different tasting from one day to the next.