Vegetarians Unite...And Make Delicious, Economical And Nutritious Food

[Lady Henevere]

I'm vegetarian too. Here's one of my favorite cheap and easy meals: heat white or brown rice and black beans (Trader Joe's Cuban style black beans are good), top with chopped avocado and/or chopped tomato, and add lots of Tabasco. Quick, easy, and good.

I've been a vegetarian for many, many years and I still like meat substitutes occasionally -- especially Morningstar Farms sausage patties (try these crumbled into stuffing with dried cranberries and water chestnuts -- yum!) and meatless Italian sausage. I'm not a big fan of processed products in general, but for these I make an exception once in a while.

 

[dragonlaurel]

I'm veggie too. (lacto-ovo) Glad to have some company.

I eat lots of beans, grains, pasta, eggs, cheese, do pretty well on veggies but need more fruits. I want to grow fruits so I'll have organic for cheaper. Used to use LOTS of soy stuff. It started messing up my hormone balance so I cut back on it. We make bread too, so mine's whole grain usually. Breadmaker kneads it for us.

Please tell me how you make the fake meats. Some brands have too much garbage and some are expensive.

The best deals are frequently in the ethnic stores. There were lots of them in my old town and it was wonderful. Oriental and Mideastern stores have lots of good options. Indian food's great too.

 

[Wifezilla]

I am about as far from a vegetarian as you can get now. Going vegetarian was a total disaster for me, but like many here, I still love my veggies and use a lot of dairy. Here are some recipes you might like....

http://www.examiner.com/x-798-Denve...d28-Recipe-Jackedup-Low-Carb-Cauliflower-Bake

http://www.examiner.com/x-798-Denver-Low-Carb-Examiner~y2008m10d13-Recipe-Low-Carb-Mozzarella-Salad

http://www.examiner.com/x-798-Denve...009m2d28-Recipe-Low-Carb-Blue-Cheese-Dressing

http://www.examiner.com/x-798-Denve...10d8-Recipe-Low-Carb-Tropical-Seafood-Chowder

http://www.examiner.com/x-798-Denve...Recipe-Low-Carb-Very-Berry-Coconutty-Smoothie

http://www.examiner.com/x-798-Denve...3-Recipe-Low-Carb-Instant-Blueberry-Ice-Cream

http://www.examiner.com/x-798-Denve...m9d30-Recipe-Low-Carb-Almond-Ricotta-Pancakes

(if you don't use artificial sweeteners, just sub honey or sugar for the sweetener.)

 

[Wifezilla]

I also used to make a veggie burger that was good. The recipe was out of a 20 minute meals natural cook book or something like that. This one looks pretty close, but I think my old recipe used cheddar instead of parm. Other than that I think it is very close....
http://www.life123.com/food/vegetar...ing-a-mushroom-burger.shtml#STS=g0srh9cy.1r5r

 

[DianeB]

I'm veggie too. (lacto-ovo) Glad to have some company.

I eat lots of beans, grains, pasta, eggs, cheese, do pretty well on veggies but need more fruits. I want to grow fruits so I'll have organic for cheaper. Used to use LOTS of soy stuff. It started messing up my hormone balance so I cut back on it. We make bread too, so mine's whole grain usually. Breadmaker kneads it for us.

Please tell me how you make the fake meats. Some brands have too much garbage and some are expensive.

The best deals are frequently in the ethnic stores. There were lots of them in my old town and it was wonderful. Oriental and Mideastern stores have lots of good options. Indian food's great too.

Fake meats are so easy to make. Faux lunch meat is basically wheat gluten, water or broth, some oil, soybean or garbanzo bean flour and some seasonings. Steam, broil it or bake it. Basically it is a protein (wheat gluten), emulsifier (oil), binder (garbanzo bean/soybean flour) and liquid (water/broth).

From the recipes I have used, the proportions tend to be equal amounts water and wheat gluten (about 2 1/2 cups each), 1/4 cup emulsifier and 1/4-1/2 cup oil. Wrap in aluminum foil and steam for about 30-40 minutes. I use a dutch oven with some water and a inexpensive vegetable steamer.

I also make a ground beef substitute from TVP. After looking on the back of an expensive package, I realized I could make it for less. Not sure of the exact proportions. Usually I pour 7/8 cup of boiling water over a cup of dried TVP and crumbled vegetarian beef boullion. Once the water is absorbed, I add about a TBSP tomato paste, 1/2 TBSP molasses, 1 tsp liquid smoke and 1-2 tsp brown sugar.

If you add and egg and about a 1/4 cup of soybean or garbazo bean flour, form it into a patty and grill it you have a cheap Boco or Gardenburger substitute.

http://vegandad.blogspot.com/ is a good start for recipes. He is known as the king of meat analogs.

 

[DianeB]

I am about as far from a vegetarian as you can get now. Going vegetarian was a total disaster for me, but like many here, I still love my veggies and use a lot of dairy.

Let me guess. you gained weight as a vegetarian? That happened to about have through the first time I became a vegetarian. I packed on over 40 pounds. Went to Ghana. Started to eat some meat again. Didn't lose any weight. Went to UC, Davis and biked everywhere and lost about 20 pounds. Came home and switched back to a vegetarian diet, continued to bike everywhere and lost another 20 pounds.

It took me some time what I did differently. It was what I ate, how much I ate and including exercise in my daily life. I use to think I could eat anything a vegetarian and lose weight. I was in big denial and ballooned up to 186. This time I realized I couldn't eat everything I want. Instead of eating a lot of treats and processed foods, I eat mainly beans, grains and greans. Dairy and meat analogs have become just dressings. Occasionally treats have become just that. I try to eat them only a few times a week.

Also, having something else to occupy my time has really helped. I didn't realize how much I ate when I was bored or upset.

My weightloss was very slow. It took me almost 3 1/2 years to lose that 40 pounds, but it seems to be staying off.

 

[Wifezilla]

I ate whole grains. Turns out it was the whole grains that were the problem

Wheat intolerance, soy messing up my thyroid, eating low fat.... it all did me in.

Now I am a happy, healthy low carber who has lost around 80 lbs. My blood pressure is no longer sky high so I don't have to worry about my head exploding any second...well...unless I hang around those politics threads!

I still love my veggies even though I now eat a lot of meat. Lots of choices for low sugar veggie dishes. Yummmmmmm!

 

[dragonlaurel]

Thanks for the recipes. I checked out "vegandad" too. For about 2 hours.
I still have to figure out how to use fresh grape leaves. Picked some today. I love them with seasoned rice. They weren't my vines so I just took enough for a meal or two. The ones in the jars are so expensive.


I've been veg since 83 and figured out that I gain some if I am too stressed or do too much soy or fried foods. High fiber diet takes it back off me. Everybody's different.

 

[me&thegals]

I could very easily and happily become a lacto-ovo vegetarian. I have a husband, however, who believe the earth revolves only becuase it contains meat, potatoes and corn. So, we compromise.

During the winter, we may go days without eating meat, mainly because I always have some new pot of soup cooking. Here's one we really enjoy and pretty balanced, containing beans (or dried peas). This, along with a whole-grain grilled cheese sandwich, should be cheap and nourishing:

Green Velvet Soup
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 potatoes, diced
cup dried split peas
2 bay leaves
6 cups vegetable broth (could substitute chicken)
2 zucchini, diced
1 head broccoli, chopped
teaspoon dried basil
teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups chopped fresh spinach
salt to taste

In a large pot over medium heat, combine onion, celery, potatoes, split peas, bay leaves and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour.
Remove the bay leaves and stir in the zucchini, broccoli, basil and black pepper. Simmer 20 minutes, until broccoli is tender.
Stir in spinach and remove from heat. Puree in a blender or food processor using an immersion blender. Salt to taste.

 

[DianeB]

Thanks for the recipes. I checked out "vegandad" too. For about 2 hours.
I still have to figure out how to use fresh grape leaves. Picked some today. I love them with seasoned rice. They weren't my vines so I just took enough for a meal or two. The ones in the jars are so expensive.


I've been veg since 83 and figured out that I gain some if I am too stressed or do too much soy or fried foods. High fiber diet takes it back off me. Everybody's different.

I lost quite a bit of weight this time around because of focusing on eating whole groat grain (not bread), legumes, starchy vegetables and leafy greens. These are very nutrient rich and low calorie. Nutrient dense foods are the way to go.

I do like to occasionally make bread, cookies and faux meats. Good in moderation. You need to have some treats of you will go crazy and binge - another reason I gained weight last time. Bad for your waistline if eaten all the time.

To be honest, I feel best when I eat these type of meals. Personally, never had any problems with soy, wheat or gluten. Do have some odd reactions to cumin and many perservatives. Sodium benzoate and related perservatives are the worst. You would be surprised how many package foods contain them. Also, can't eat any package tortillas, especially the flavored kind, and packaged hot chocolate. Funny when I make these from scratch at home or buy no perservative kinds, I am fine. D@#$m those perservatives.