What are your favorite vegetarian meals.

[2bfree]

I am switching over to a vegetarian diet and would love to have a list of good meals to choose from. My only request is to go easy on "fake meat". TIA!

[Goblinmonger]

1. You should check out the Vegetarian and Vegan forum

There is a recipe thread with some fabulous recipes and there are lots of people there that are just fantastic. I'm kind of an asshole, but others are pretty cool.

[2bfree]

3. Vegetarian board?

I didn't even know that! Thanks.

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

5. here's the link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=231

theres a great thread pinned to the top of Veg*n receipes :hi:

[Goblinmonger]

8. See, 2bfree, MadAsHellNewYorker is one of the good ones

I should have given you the link. :dunce:

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

9. LOL! ur a good one too

:pals:

[mzteris]

2. stir fry veggies

over pasta or rice.......

any combination of veggies - the seasonings depend on whether you want an "Italian/Greek" (pasta) like - or Chinese/Spanish (rice) type of dish.....

The possibilities are nearly endless.

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

4. We've got a great receipe thread pinned to the top of the VVAR forum

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=231
welcome :hi:

[billyskank]

6. .....

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/billyskank/21

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/billyskank/22

[2bfree]

12. Thank you!

We love Indian. Yum!

[idgiehkt]

7. I really like tofu

I don't know if that is considered fake meat or not but I like homestyle tofu in Chinese restaurants and things like tofu scrambled eggs and stuff like that. One restaurant I used to work at made a tofu cashew spread that was really good.

[2bfree]

13. I like tofu.

Just not crazy about eating things that are made to taste and look like meat.

[begin_within]

10. The "Neat Loaf" at Jyoti Bihanga restaurant on Adams Avenue in San Diego

Better than any meatloaf in existence. And the barbecue sauce on top of it is fantastic. But it's not vegan, though, the owner told me it contains eggs, rice, tofu, onions, seasonings, and of all things Special K cereal for texture. It's heavenly.

[sarge43]

11. Recipe Source has a lot of vegetarian goodies

http://www.recipesource.com

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

14. Vegweb.com has a ton of recipes. nt

[flamingyouth]

15. Portabello-seitan stroganoff from "Vegan with a Vengeance"

In fact, I highly recommend that cookbook, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. It has lots of very tasty and economical recipes in it.

Two other great cookbooks that I'm always hyping here: "Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone," by Deborah Madison (lots of great soups), and "World Vegetarian" by Madhur Jaffrey. Both of those have tons and tons of great recipes in them and I highly recommend checking them out. :)

[StellaBlue]

16. Great idea! Here's mine (vegan)

Every time I have made this, everyone has raved, and not even noticed the lack of meat or cheese (seriously!!!):

VEGAN LASAGNE

3 layers lasagne
1 lb. firm tofu
2.5-3 cups tomato sauce
1 bunch chard
2-3 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
.5 tsp. salt
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. basil
3 Tbsp. canola oil
1 onion
.75-1 lb. mushrooms
1.5 cup caluiflower pieces

Heat oven to 375F. Serves 4-6.

1. Mash tofu in bowl and add salt, yeast, spices, and .5 cup tomato sauce.
2. Chop cauliflower and onion finely and saute in oil; slice mushrooms, add to softened vegetables; when cooked, add to tofu and mix well.
3. Cook lasagne; grease pan lightly w/oil.
4. Saute chard with stem and ribs removed, until wilted.
5. Layer in casserole/Pyrex dish: pasta, chard, sauce, crumbled tofu. Repeat x3.
6. Cook 30 minutes, or until browned on top/edges.

[hickman]

17. Put a little evoo in a pan, heat then throw in sliced mushrooms,

fry for a couple of minutes, then put in chopped up scallions. Give it another couple of minutes, then put in the spinach. Let it all cook down about 5 minutes, plate and eat. Yum. The only way to make it better is to throw sliced water chestnuts in with the scallions.

[eppur_se_muova]

18. Haven't had this for a while, had to google it: maharagwe

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=maharagwe&spell=1
Maharagwe (Red Beans) {cooked in coconut milk}

The Swahili people have two ways to cook Maharagwe (Maragwe), or beans: sweet or savory. Skip the optional ingredients to make Sweet Beans, which are eaten at the end of lunch or dinner. For special dinners add all the optional ingredients to make Savory Beans. Savory beans are also eaten with bread for breakfast.
http://www.congocookbook.com/c0046.html

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&client=safari&rls=en&q=feijoada+vegetarian&btnG=Search
Feijoada is the Brazilian national dish, made with black beans and loads of pork. I've had the veggie version only, and it was great! Turned me on to black beans.
http://www.fatfree.com/recipes/general/brazilian-feijoada

Other favorites: aloo gobi (lots of cauliflower; some Indian restaurants use too much potato, not enough cauliflower), falafel 'burgers' (with tahini sauce, sprouts, and *fresh* tomato), fried okra, and jalapeño cornbread.
http://www.syvum.com/recipes/ivrindex.html

For desert: rasmalai!
http://www.bawarchi.com/cookbook/paneer4.html

[philosophie_en_rose]

19. vegan chili and rice.

It's "meaty," as in filling. But it doesn't taste like chemicals like a lot of meat substitutes.

[vixengrl]

20. I used to make vegetarian chili, which even carnivores would eat.

I'd use a can each (this was a pot to last the whole week) of black beans, kidney beans, and pinto, and a can of Ro-tel. Also, I'd use a tube of this ground-meat tofu substitute I found ('though I can't recall the brandname, I think it was a Morningstar product) I'd sort of "brown" the "meat" subsitute first, with a touch of olive oil. Then once it was ready I'd dump in the Rotel. I'd stick in a teaspoon, nearabout, of flaked red pepper. Then, once everything was sizzling, I'd stick in the beans. Whilst it was cooking, I'd drop in a can of tomato soup and a beer. The result was extra soupy, beany, and of course, I'd add any amount of seasonings to taste. It was not a bad bowlful chased wih a hearty bread dipped into the bowl to soak up the gravy. And you can easily do w/o the fake meat with veggie chili--I'd only found that the ground meat product had a good texture.

Also, I made a good deal of hummus--I'd grind up a can of chickpeas in a blender, drop in a couple teaspoonfuls of tahini and olive oil, and go to town with that and some toasted pita--with some olives and crudite on the side this was excellent. Also, Veggie sandwiches can be so great--portobello and avocado with sprouts are really pretty good together--especially with dried tomato and mixed greens--you'll find that an adundance of flavor makes up for the lack of meat--there are many nice combinations out there.

Keeping away from fake meat is a good idea--it can be depressing, dry, bad--it's like you're in mourning--screw it. Most veggie burgers are nasty (dry, chewy) and veggie dogs, well, remind one of no-frills chicken dogs--w/o flavor. The veggie sausage isn't terrible, but veggie soy chicken nuggets are just maybe the scariest bad thing you'll ever eat--so don't.

I was veggie for about three years--avoiding fake meat was the most sensible thing to do. I totally ate beaucoups beans--keep your vegetarianism real, and the taste is rewarding. I didn't stick with it, but I wish anyone well who tries it because it is quite healthy.

[Porcupine]

21. Brown Rice, Pea, and Nut Pilaff. Way easy.

Measure out your brown rice, (Lundberg rice mixes are great) about 3 of those little cups with your rice cooker. Set to cooking.

Fry in olive oil...1 large yellow onion, 4 stalks celery, add 1 Tbsp. italian seasonin and set aside when translucent.

Cook 1 lb frozen peas.

When rice is cooked and still very hot mix all of the above and add 1 cup toasted almonds or tamaris sunflower seeds. Add a handfull of chopped fresh parsley or a healthy shake of dried parsley.

Serve with Parmesian cheese.

Guaranteed yummy, chewy and filling.

[NMMNG]

22. General Tso's tofu and stir-fried mixed veggies

(Veggies include any combination of red/yellow/orange/green peppers, onions, snow or sugar-snap peas, mushrooms, carrots, string beans, water chestnuts, edamame, baby corn, broccoli and/or other such stuff.)

[AllegroRondo]

23. I'm not a vegetarian, but the Bush's Veg Baked Beans are good

I actually prefer the flavor of them to the regular variety.