The OFFICIAL Unofficial Achewood Message Board
Trivial Pursuits => Sports & Leisure => Topic started by: Doc on August 26, 2008, 04:30:20 am
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Prompted by Bobby's Turk'y thread.
Can anyone recommend any vegetarian/vegan dishes that are actually awesome? I want to dabble with the vego thing for a while, not out of any moral reason, I'm just sick of most of my dinners consisting of what me and my housemate can do with mince and chicken (read: lots of pasta, curry and bastardizations of mexican cuisine). Also, it seems vegetables are cheaper than meat by weight and I'm going to be a poor student again next year so having a more versatile culinary set at my disposal seems sensible.
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Prompted by Bobby's Turk'y thread.
Can anyone recommend any vegetarian/vegan dishes that are actually awesome? I want to dabble with the vego thing for a while, not out of any moral reason, I'm just sick of most of my dinners consisting of what me and my housemate can do with mince and chicken (read: lots of pasta, curry and bastardizations of mexican cuisine). Also, it seems vegetables are cheaper than meat by weight and I'm going to be a poor student again next year so having a more versatile culinary set at my disposal seems sensible.
Vegetarian dishes: (ie with cheese or egg)
pasta with pesto genovese, mushrooms/kidney beans/artichoke hearts/raisins and pine nuts (one, or maybe two of these choices at a time please), liberal use of parmesan and mozzarella cheese to make it all yummy-sticky (chopped tomato optional)
okra and blackeye pea curry with stewed tomato and hardboiled egg (garam masala type curry) over rice
fried halloumi (cypriot cheese, doesn't melt) with dill, serves over butter beans that have been tossed in butter or oil and chopped fennel root and sprigs. Or over lentils and szechuan long pepper and mint.
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Prompted by Bobby's Turk'y thread.
Can anyone recommend any vegetarian/vegan dishes that are actually awesome? I want to dabble with the vego thing for a while, not out of any moral reason, I'm just sick of most of my dinners consisting of what me and my housemate can do with mince and chicken (read: lots of pasta, curry and bastardizations of mexican cuisine). Also, it seems vegetables are cheaper than meat by weight and I'm going to be a poor student again next year so having a more versatile culinary set at my disposal seems sensible.
On the subject of vegulonism (especially vegulonic cats of the non-cartoon type)
http://www.vegancats.com/pages/1007/FAQ.htm
On the one hand I applaud the vegan cat food producers for
a) pointing out that synthetic taurine is in use, both in so-called vegan cat food and in most non-vegan cat foods
b) recommending that cats be fed some meat to avoid UTIs
The increasingly belligerent tone of the Q's in the FAQ implies that this in fact something that is asked/insisted upon often. Don't want meat to be eaten, even by your pets? DON'T HARBOR AN OBLIGATE CARNIVORE. It's just like that maniac who owns Patches the hoss (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJNHNTs7Gbs) (which, by the way, is a great hoss, best ever) -- and feeds it a hamburger.
On the subject of herbivores eating animal protein, however, I do get a little pissy about vegulons who won't eat anything that's touched something that's touched something that's non-vegulon, insh'allah etc. FFS, a cow or hoss will eat hundreds of little insects with each bite of grass, and you don't see them complaining.
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Don't want meat to be eaten, even by your pets? DON'T HARBOR AN OBLIGATE CARNIVORE.
It's always a questionable practice to impose one's morals on another, especially in a way that is likely to be fatal for that other.
I have no patience with veganism. But, as for meatless meals: I thought I couldn't stand to eat zuchinni ever again in my life but last night made some great zucchini pancakes. Grated zucchini, eggs, a little flour, feta cheese, fried in olive oil. I used fresh mint. We got the idea from a Greek restaurant that used fresh dill which was fantastic, but unfortunately I couldn't keep a dill plant alive this year so I didn't have any available.
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Prompted by Bobby's Turk'y thread.
Can anyone recommend any vegetarian/vegan dishes that are actually awesome? I want to dabble with the vego thing for a while, not out of any moral reason, I'm just sick of most of my dinners consisting of what me and my housemate can do with mince and chicken (read: lots of pasta, curry and bastardizations of mexican cuisine). Also, it seems vegetables are cheaper than meat by weight and I'm going to be a poor student again next year so having a more versatile culinary set at my disposal seems sensible.
Get an Indian cookbook. There are a million grelicious vegetarian recipes, not all involving curry. Tony Bourdain even said that he has no use whatsoever for vegetarian cuisine excepting that he loves Indian food.
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Thanks for the suggestions, I haven't had pesto or halloumi in ages. The zuchinni pancakes even sound good though I'm with wombat on being against that vegetable in general, I guess that's kind of what I want: more interesting ways to prepare vegetables to make them actually tasty beyond the boiled [insert legume here] that I was raised on.
I love indian with a sick sick passion, I don't know why that hadn't occurred to me.
That cat food though, that people would inadvertently harm their pets out of a love for animals is equal parts tragic and hilarious. People obviously arguing enough to warrant three FAQ entries is even better. There's some point to be made there about values and ideals meeting reality and losing.
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The SO makes a really good stir fry with japanese eggplant that she got for an all vegetarian Mahdur Jafri (sp?) cook book. I could look that up.
Most of the other stuff she makes I think is pretty gross, but then I hate beans so that rules out quite a lot of vegetarian food.
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It's not just the cats, either.
Some well meaning (I assume) parents attempting to have their babies be Vegan have to be very, very careful to ensure that their kids get enough fat in their diet to develop normal neurological tissue. It can be done, but it's pretty necessary to consult with physicians and dieticians to balance their lifestyle choice with normal development.
There is a reason mammals have milk producing capabilities, after all. I don't understand why a vegan woman would refuse even to breastfeed. But it's a choice.
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I like this:
Curried Chick Pea Soup
Ingredients:
8 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp cumin seed
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp coriander seed
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp salt
1 tsp garam masala
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp cracked pepper
8 garlic cloves
1/8 tsp tumeric
3 tbsp minced ginger
3 cups canned chick peas, drained
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded*
1/4 cup prepared mango chutney
1 red pepper
1/2 can coconut milk
6 ripe tomatoes**
1/2 bunch of cilantro, minced
1. Heat oil in a soup pot and add onion, 1 tsp salt and bay leaves. Saute until the onions are soft and golden. Meanwhile, place the garlic, ginger, jalapenos, pepper and tomatoes in a food processor and pulse until the vegetables form a rough puree. Set aside.
2. Next, grind the cumin and coriander seeds. Add these and all remaining spices to the sauteed onions and continue cooking and stirring for 5 minutes. Add the vegetable puree and another teaspoon of salt and simmer until small blobs of oil pool on the surface. Add the chick peas and stock and bring to a simmer. Cook several minutes, then add the chutney and coconut milk. Using a potato masher, gently mash the chickpeas against the bottom of the pot to break them up slightly and thicken the soup. Simmer and season to taste with salt and cracked pepper. Add chopped cilantro just before serving.
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It's not just the cats, either.
Some well meaning (I assume) parents attempting to have their babies be Vegan have to be very, very careful to ensure that their kids get enough fat in their diet to develop normal neurological tissue. It can be done, but it's pretty necessary to consult with physicians and dieticians to balance their lifestyle choice with normal development.
There is a reason mammals have milk producing capabilities, after all. I don't understand why a vegan woman would refuse even to breastfeed. But it's a choice.
I'm pretty sure that vegans who refuse to breastfeed or give babies formula are about .01 ppm.
If we want to go all the way anecdotal, I'm pretty sure there are far more upstanding omni parents that like to feed their babies carbonated sugar water.
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I REFUSE TO ALLOW MYSELF TO BE ENSLAVED FOR MY BREASTMILK!
HOW DARE YOU!
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I REFUSE TO ALLOW MYSELF TO BE ENSLAVED FOR MY BREASTMILK!
HOW DARE YOU!
Your breasts are part of the commons now. GIVE IT UP TO THE POPULACE, SWEET TITS.
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I'm pretty sure that vegans who refuse to breastfeed or give babies formula are about .01 ppm.
If we want to go all the way anecdotal, I'm pretty sure there are far more upstanding omni parents that like to feed their babies carbonated sugar water.
I know there isn't a Vegan Orthodoxy, so asking you is about as useful as asking anyone else (ie. I could get 1000 different answers), but --
Isn't the principle behind vegulonism that there is no unwilling animal suffering?
Ergo milk (or meat, for that matter) that is willingly provided (ie from mother to child) from a sentient being (ie, human) should be O.K.
I guess, so could a finger willingly chopped off, Yakuza-style.
Then again, on that principle, it should be OK to drink milk and eat eggs if the cows and chickens are not mistreated (ie. in battery cages). If your free-range pet chicken, Cluckers McBonky is dropping unfertilized eggs here and there, they're essentially a waste product that can be picked up and fried. I suppose the milk might be an issue because it COULD go to a calf rather than to a person.
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Pasta caprese (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/PASTA-WITH-TOMATOES-MOZZARELLA-AND-BASIL-4024?id=4024) is an ol' reliable. Cheese is of course a major ingredient.
There's no end of vegetarian or vegan options for chili. Jane & Michael Stern's "Chili Nation" has three vegetarian versions, I believe. Here is one of them (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/CAFE-BRENDA-BLACK-BEAN-VEGETABLE-CHILI-100550), though I personally found it a little bland. My favorite is the big spicy vegetable stew representing the state of Louisiana. I can post it from home later if there's interest.
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Middle eastern rice dishes are pretty heavy on meat, but you can omit the meat or substitute tofu or halloumi and it will be tasty. This is especially true if there are beans or lentils in the dish, e.g.
Just omit any meat from these recipes if they exist
http://www.recipezaar.com/92895 (the herbs keep it from getting bland)
http://www.recipezaar.com/284645 (pretty bland)
http://www.iranian.com/ashpazi.html#sept6a (very tart)
http://apps.exploratorium.edu/cgi-bin/yabb2-cooking/YaBB.pl?num=1029373312 (if not mixed with the rice and with a little more garlic this is the lebanese dish lobia belzait)
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Pasta caprese (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/PASTA-WITH-TOMATOES-MOZZARELLA-AND-BASIL-4024?id=4024) is an ol' reliable. Cheese is of course a major ingredient.
There's no end of vegetarian or vegan options for chili. Jane & Michael Stern's "Chili Nation" has three vegetarian versions, I believe. Here is one of them (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/CAFE-BRENDA-BLACK-BEAN-VEGETABLE-CHILI-100550), though I personally found it a little bland. My favorite is the big spicy vegetable stew representing the state of Louisiana. I can post it from home later if there's interest.
Me, I am. I have been a vegetarian for quite sometime now, but I mainly eat shit. Rice, squash of all types, chips, hummus, beans, fruit and gatorade.
Also, some meat substitutes are good, you just don't look at them like they are supposed to be meat, they are just something that allows you to have a sandwich without having the money for guacamole avocados or another thick spread. And I really fuck*ng love sandwiches. Peppered tofurky and the fake chicken naked cutlets by quorn are awesome.
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Peppered tofurky
Yes. Sandwiching. Current favorite: Couple slices of that, some kraut, some pickles, some dijon mustard, and some veganaise.
"You have a tasty sandwich."
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Madhur Jaffrey
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Madhur Jaffrey
What did you just call me?
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Thanks for all the tips guys, shopping night tonight so I'll let you know it goes.
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Madhur Jaffrey
This is exactly what I was about to post.
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Madhur Jaffrey
Apparently her cookbook on seafood, Jaffrey Du Mer, didn't do so well.
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Louisiana vegetarian chili recipe from "Chili Nation." Apologies for length.
The Sterns say the recipe is adapted from a 1959 Creole community cookbook from Baton Rouge.
6 large dried California chiles (you should be able to find these at a Hispanic market or even at some regular grocery stores)
4 cups canned vegetable broth
1 large eggplant, peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes
3 T. olive oil
2 1/2 t. salt
1 c. chopped onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 t. ground cumin
1 t. ground allspice
2 t. dried Mexican oregano
1 t. ground black pepper
1/2 T. red jalapeno powder
one 14 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes with roasted garlic
one 15 oz. can golden hominy, drained
one 15 oz. can white kidney beans, drained
1 c. chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 T. sugar
1 T. masa harina dissolved in 1/2 c. warm water
Place the chiles in a large heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. (It's a good idea to poke holes in the chiles first, and put
a small plate on them to keep them submerged.) Let stand 30 minutes or so until soft, then seed and stem them. Puree in a food processor or blender with 2 cups of the broth.
Heat the oven to 350. Coat the eggplant with the olive oil and spread on a baking pan in a single layer. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt. Bake about 30 minutes.
In a large pot or dutch oven, saute the onions, garlic and bell pepper in the vegetable oil until soft. Add the chile puree,
eggplant, and everything else (incl. the remaining salt and veggie broth) except the masa harina mixture. Cook over low heat at a simmer for 15 minutes. Add the masa harina mixture and cook for 2 minutes more.
If you're a dedicated carnivore, some diced sausage (kielbasa or andouille) or smoked ham would be good here. I think okra would be right at home in this stew as well.
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I was told many times at camp that back in the day a lot of stews and the like used Sassafrass as a thickening agent.
I really want to know what that would taste like, since sassafras tastes like root beer.
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For the Louisiana Chile, add Tasso and Andouille if you want authentic Louisiana meatstuffs. Tasso is the real down home smoked ham.
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I was told many times at camp that back in the day a lot of stews and the like used Sassafrass as a thickening agent.
I really want to know what that would taste like, since sassafras tastes like root beer.
Gumbo file is made from sassafrass leaves. That goes in gumbo to add some thickening (okra does a good job thickening too)
It's in the spice section of the store.
Update: Sassafrass leaves contain a substance that caused cancer in lab rats according to wikipedia. Probably force fed 50 times their weight, though. Here is an interesting history and info on File: Nola Cuisine (http://www.nolacuisine.com/2006/07/03/homemade-file-powder/)
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Yes. Sandwiching. Current favorite: Couple slices of that [peppered tofurkey] , some kraut, some pickles, some dijon mustard, and some veganaise.
"You have a tasty sandwich."
Yum (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pmcd9/2796676526/)
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Gumbo file is made from sassafrass leaves. That goes in gumbo to add some thickening (okra does a good job thickening too)
It's in the spice section of the store.
Update: Sassafrass leaves contain a substance that caused cancer in lab rats according to wikipedia. Probably force fed 50 times their weight, though. Here is an interesting history and info on File: Nola Cuisine (http://www.nolacuisine.com/2006/07/03/homemade-file-powder/)
It's also an unforgivable sin to mix filé and okra as thickeners. I generally go with okra.
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The article did mention that Gumbo File was used when okra was out of season. Also very interesting tidbits about the Indians that lived in the area of New Orleans and their commerce with the settlers, selling bay leaves and gumbo file.
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I'm pretty sure that vegans who refuse to breastfeed or give babies formula are about .01 ppm.
If we want to go all the way anecdotal, I'm pretty sure there are far more upstanding omni parents that like to feed their babies carbonated sugar water.
Yeah, and it's worth noting that only 31.9% of all babies in the US are still receiving breast milk at six months of age, with or without supplement. One third of all new mothers do not, for whatever reason, breastfeed at all, even in the hospital. Many more women only breastfeed until they return to work after six weeks. So veganism is not exactly the single greatest threat to the womanly art of breastfeeding in this country. According to the Department of Health and Human Services (http://mchb.hrsa.gov/whusa_06/healthstatus/maternal/graphs/0331bVes.htm), the culprit is usually returning to outside employment.
*dismounts high hoss, ties it to fence in front of saloon*
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*dismounts high hoss, ties it to fence in front of saloon*
So who else just pictured JL in spurs and possibly chaps?
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So who else just pictured JL in spurs and possibly chaps?
And nothing else? Save, perhaps, a nursing bra?
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And nothing else? Save, perhaps, a nursing bra?
Bra?
I think I've heard of those.
Try getting *that* image out of your heads, you dirty bastards.
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31.9 of all babies in the U.S.? I feel bad for the rest of them, but that poor 0.9 baby! What happened to its other 0.1?
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Circumcision... accident.
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Dang, you leave out one measly percentage symbol and the next thing you know babies are getting their wangs chopped off.
High class, guys.