The Ultimate Veg Thread

[Archer]

I'm a vegetarian, have been one my entire life. I don't really go into the kitchen, except of course to do the dishes (against my wishes). But some of the recipes here look worth a try. Maybe it's time to get my hands dirty.
Good to see a lot of new recipes. Tbh everything in here is new.
Appreciate all who are taking an effort to be a vegetarian or a vegan.

 

[Asa]

Tis the season:

Paleo-Vegan Apple Crisp.


--- I haven't tried this recipe yet. Honestly, the title of the recipe makes me want to run away, but my neighbor (who is neither vegan, nor paleo) said it is delicious. I usually just veganize a regular crisp recipe.

https://www.texanerin.com/paleo-vegan-apple-crisp/

• 
  For the filling:
• 1/4 cup (60ml) maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder (or cornstarch if it doesn't need to be paleo)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 5 1/2 cups chopped and peeled apples (this was about 5 small to medium apples, 774 grams with the core and 630 grams of apples, post coring)
  For the topping:
• 3/4 cup (75 grams) blanched almond flour
• 1 tablespoons (8 grams) coconut flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons (42 grams) refined coconut oil1, room temperature (not melted)
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• slightly less than 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (110 grams) chopped pecans or walnuts (about 1/4" in size)
  To serve:
• paleo vegan vanilla sauce

Directions

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and get out an 8"x8" (20cmx20cm) pan.
   2. Mix the maple syrup, lemon juice, arrowroot powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a large bowl.
   3. Peel the apples, if desired, and core and cut into 1/3" pieces. Place the apples in the maple syrup mixture and stir until the apples are well coated in the mixture. Place in the ungreased pan.
   4. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the almond flour, coconut flour and cinnamon. Then add the coconut oil, maple syrup and salt and mix until combined.
   5. Pulse the pecans or walnuts in a food processor a few times until they're in small pieces (about 1/8" in size). You can also chop them by hand but the food processor takes a lot less time. Stir the nuts into the topping mixture.
   6. Drop walnut-sized pieces of topping over the apples. Gently press down any nuts that are sticking out so that they don't burn.
   7. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the topping is brown and crisp and the apples are bubbling. The topping will crisp up much slower than a traditional crisp, but don't worry as it will crisp up towards the very end of the baking time. Cover the crisp with foil if the topping starts to brown too early.
   8. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve. If not serving immediately, once cool, loosely cover with a piece of plastic wrap (so the topping doesn't go soft). If storing overnight, properly cover the crisp with plastic wrap. Do note that the topping gets soft on the second day.
   Notes
   1. If you use unrefined coconut oil, this crisp will likely have some coconut taste to it.

 

[Asa]

What's the word on fermented food? I tried some Plum tomatoes, quartered garlic, Vidalia onion, fresh basil and other dried spices with Celtic salt and white pepper that had been on my friends counter for 9 days then put in the refridgerator. She served it up with bean bread triangles after scraping it's cap off. I didn't care for the bitter taste of the tomato concoction, however I did nibble the bread.

Does anyone else use fermentation? And if so, in what way?

Hi Sandie,
I got a fermentor this summer and made fermented zucchini pickles. They're delicious, especially in sandwiches. They taste like refrigerator pickles you'd get at a gastropub or other restaurant as an appetizer (where an assortment of pickled veggies are included). Traditional dill cucumber pickles are fermented.
Fermented foods are very good for you, too.

I don't know if I'd try pickled tomatoes. Seems too swishy. I'd rather stick to crispy veggies, because fermenting and pickling softens them.

I plan to make some sauerkraut, and some ingredients for Bibimbap.

Honestly, it did freak me out a little the first time I made them. I tasted the pickles a few days before I told anyone else they could eat them, so only I would get sick if they weren't OK. LOL. I was unusually worried I'd mess something up. You need to be OCD about cleanliness when pickling.

 

[Sandie33]

Hi Sandie,
I got a fermentor this summer and made fermented zucchini pickles. They're delicious, especially in sandwiches. They taste like refrigerator pickles you'd get at a gastropub or other restaurant as an appetizer (where an assortment of pickled veggies are included). Traditional dill cucumber pickles are fermented.
Fermented foods are very good for you, too.

I don't know if I'd try pickled tomatoes. Seems too swishy. I'd rather stick to crispy veggies, because fermenting and pickling softens them.

I plan to make some sauerkraut, and some ingredients for Bibimbap.

Honestly, it did freak me out a little the first time I made them. I tasted the pickles a few days before I told anyone else they could eat them, so only I would get sick if they weren't OK. LOL. I was unusually worried I'd mess something up. You need to be OCD about cleanliness when pickling.

Ok. Thank you @Asa
I've made/ate cold pack refridgerator pickles, beets and dilly beans, but they only sat the counter until the liquid cooled.

Can you tell me the types of foods you ferment? I did hear they are good for us, however, with my autoimmune issues I'm leary about fermented.

 

[ImaginaryBloke]

It takes a while to get used to digesting vegetarian food. But my as of yet 'secret' disease needs less medication and I feel better. I would not turn back to eating bread and meat if had the choice.

 

[Asa]

@Sandie33 - I just go the fermentor a month ago. So far, I've only pickled zucchini because it is zucchini season. LOL! I do have a red cabbage I'm thinking of fermenting, and a bunch of cucumbers. The fermentor is just a container with a special lid that allows the right amount of air flow. A friend uses a crock.

Just quickly Googling...
Article on fermented foods and autoimmune disorders:

http://autoimmunewellness.com/a-pra...toimmune-disease-guest-post-by-sarah-ramsden/

 

[seira0807]

I bought Naomi Smart's cookbook (lifestyle Youtuber), and her plant-based diet inspires me. Definitely can't live up to perfection though haha. My fave recipe of hers is her mango-coconut-rasperberry pancakes

 

[PintoBean]

Tis the season:

Paleo-Vegan Apple Crisp.


--- I haven't tried this recipe yet. Honestly, the title of the recipe makes me want to run away, but my neighbor (who is neither vegan, nor paleo) said it is delicious. I usually just veganize a regular crisp recipe.

https://www.texanerin.com/paleo-vegan-apple-crisp/

• 
  For the filling:
• 1/4 cup (60ml) maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder (or cornstarch if it doesn't need to be paleo)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 5 1/2 cups chopped and peeled apples (this was about 5 small to medium apples, 774 grams with the core and 630 grams of apples, post coring)
  For the topping:
• 3/4 cup (75 grams) blanched almond flour
• 1 tablespoons (8 grams) coconut flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons (42 grams) refined coconut oil1, room temperature (not melted)
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• slightly less than 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (110 grams) chopped pecans or walnuts (about 1/4" in size)
  To serve:
• paleo vegan vanilla sauce

Directions

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and get out an 8"x8" (20cmx20cm) pan.
   2. Mix the maple syrup, lemon juice, arrowroot powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a large bowl.
   3. Peel the apples, if desired, and core and cut into 1/3" pieces. Place the apples in the maple syrup mixture and stir until the apples are well coated in the mixture. Place in the ungreased pan.
   4. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the almond flour, coconut flour and cinnamon. Then add the coconut oil, maple syrup and salt and mix until combined.
   5. Pulse the pecans or walnuts in a food processor a few times until they're in small pieces (about 1/8" in size). You can also chop them by hand but the food processor takes a lot less time. Stir the nuts into the topping mixture.
   6. Drop walnut-sized pieces of topping over the apples. Gently press down any nuts that are sticking out so that they don't burn.
   7. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the topping is brown and crisp and the apples are bubbling. The topping will crisp up much slower than a traditional crisp, but don't worry as it will crisp up towards the very end of the baking time. Cover the crisp with foil if the topping starts to brown too early.
   8. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve. If not serving immediately, once cool, loosely cover with a piece of plastic wrap (so the topping doesn't go soft). If storing overnight, properly cover the crisp with plastic wrap. Do note that the topping gets soft on the second day.
   Notes
   1. If you use unrefined coconut oil, this crisp will likely have some coconut taste to it.

Nice fall recipe, thanks for posting!

 

[Asa]

If you like marshmallows, FYI, Sweet & Sara is going out of business soon. Marshmallows are my favorite candy (probably because I couldn't eat them until the vegan ones came out.) I just spent way too much money stocking up.

 

[Emanuel Goldstein]

I'm a vegetarian, have been one my entire life. I don't really go into the kitchen, except of course to do the dishes (against my wishes). But some of the recipes here look worth a try. Maybe it's time to get my hands dirty.
Good to see a lot of new recipes. Tbh everything in here is new.
Appreciate all who are taking an effort to be a vegetarian or a vegan.

Hello... first time poster, first time listener

For years I was a hard core carnivore, but to use the vernacular my vibration has risen higher and mine eyes have been opened... but OMG does that sound cheezy.... anyhoo it is what it is and I accept it...

I've recently asked my wife to move the vegetarian route, have been moving in that direction for about a year... now my wife and I knew we were going to marry each other long ago, even when we didn't know each other... long TL;DR story. However, it just so happened that when she was in Thailand she spent a lot of time in the Buddhist temples and so when I told her to move in the direction of vegetarian, she told me that when she was at the temple she was a cook... for a bunch of vegetarian monks.... just a little synchronicity story... but my question is this...

What is the best thing to supplement your diet with if you want increase your protein without running into the GMO problem...? i.e. most likely culprit would be tofu.

 

[Asa]

@Emanuel Goldstein

Black beans and rice is one of the best combinations for vegan protein. (– Labeled one of the best sources of protein in a Men's Health magazine article years ago.) You can also try peas, other beans and legumes, quinoa, amaranth, hemp, nutritional yeast, nuts, veggies like broccoli, asparagus, artichokes, and Brussels sprouts (plus others), some fruits, and tempeh and other soy products labeled "non-GMO". In general the less the soy bean is broken down, the better it is, so I'd put tofu near the bottom of my list for soy products, with soy milk at the bottom. I've also made my own soy milk and tofu with organic beans, but you have to make sure they are thoroughly cooked. Finally, I eat soy as my main protein in a meal only once a week, and "fake meat" products every 2 - 3 weeks. I try to rely on a combination of beans, quinoa, and protein-rich veggies and nuts.

Here is an article from 'No Meat Athlete' on protein:

http://www.nomeatathlete.com/vegetarian-protein/


Your wife's job as a cook in Thailand sounds really interesting and cool. Good luck on your veggie adventure.

 

[Emanuel Goldstein]

@Emanuel Goldstein

Black beans and rice is one of the best combinations for vegan protein. (– Labeled one of the best sources of protein in a Men's Health magazine article years ago.) You can also try peas, other beans and legumes, quinoa, amaranth, hemp, nutritional yeast, nuts, veggies like broccoli, asparagus, artichokes, and Brussels sprouts (plus others), some fruits, and tempeh and other soy products labeled "non-GMO". In general the less the soy bean is broken down, the better it is, so I'd put tofu near the bottom of my list for soy products, with soy milk at the bottom. I've also made my own soy milk and tofu with organic beans, but you have to make sure they are thoroughly cooked. Finally, I eat soy as my main protein in a meal only once a week, and "fake meat" products every 2 - 3 weeks. I try to rely on a combination of beans, quinoa, and protein-rich veggies and nuts.

Here is an article from 'No Meat Athlete' on protein:

http://www.nomeatathlete.com/vegetarian-protein/


Your wife's job as a cook in Thailand sounds really interesting and cool. Good luck on your veggie adventure.

Thanks for the tip (found the edit button)... my wife actually routinely volunteered at the temple, wasn't really a job... I don't think I would ever eat packaged meat substitute, simply because according to an article there is a small percentage of meat (or DNA) in them. From what I've heard a small amount of human DNA as well... but I mean you can trust MSM for your information even less then you can trust packaged food for your sustenance.... Jeez... you'd think I have trust issues or something...

 

[Asa]

I've been making vegan cheese for a little while. Jules Aron's book is a good starting point because it includes easy recipes for beginners (without fermentation) and more advanced recipes (with fermentation) once you get going. Miyoko is currently the 'gold standard', but also more advanced, and can be intimidating for someone new to vegan cheese making because Miyoko uses fermentation.

Personal opinion: I don't think "cheese" is a good word for this food group. It's it's own food. It doesn't taste like cheese, despite having a cheesy quality, and it creates false expectations. I'd like to see plant-based diets separate from meat diets and stop using meat, cheese, etc, related descriptors. So, we need new vocabulary.

I've been making cashew cheeses and sauces for a few years, and my personal experience is that there are only so many ways to make cashews "cheesy". Heidi Ho makes an amazing "no chevre" that tastes different from other cashew cheeses, but aside from that, every cashew cheese recipe (and commercial cashew cheese) I've tried tastes more or less the same with only slight variations that come with adding red pepper, or different herbs and spices. So, once you have your favorite cashew recipe mastered, stick to it and make it creamier for mac and cheese and alfredo, or spicier, or thicken it with agar for sandwich slices, or keep it simple for a spreadable cheese to eat with crackers, etc.

There are so many possibilities for different flavors when using different combinations of nuts and seeds. The best part is making these foods and sauces at home instead of relying on commercial products.

 

[Asa]

While discussing cashew cheese, I'll include the cashew hollandaise I make.


Ingredients hollandaise sauce:

• 1 cup cashew nuts
• 1 cup water
• 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 small tsp turmeric
  
  
  Put all hollandaise sauce ingredients into a small powerful blender and blend until you get a smooth texture. You might have to add a bit of extra water to get the desired consistency.
  
  
  ------------------------

My personal variation:

- 1.5 cups SOAKED cashews, not dry
- 1 teaspoon Herbs de Province
- TWO teaspoons dijon, not one.

I blend it in a Vitamix and it turns out really creamy and fluffy. I don't care that it isn't the same consistency as the original hollandaise because my ultimate goal is to make an enjoyable sauce, not to mimic anything non-vegan. (If that makes sense.)

So, experiment and find your own version of a sauce that will make you happy.

 

[JennyDaniella]

I've been making vegan cheese for a little while. Jules Aron's book is a good starting point because it includes easy recipes for beginners (without fermentation) and more advanced recipes (with fermentation) once you get going. Miyoko is currently the 'gold standard', but also more advanced, and can be intimidating for someone new to vegan cheese making because Miyoko uses fermentation.

Personal opinion: I don't think "cheese" is a good word for this food group. It's it's own food. It doesn't taste like cheese, despite having a cheesy quality, and it creates false expectations. I'd like to see plant-based diets separate from meat diets and stop using meat, cheese, etc, related descriptors. So, we need new vocabulary.

I've been making cashew cheeses and sauces for a few years, and my personal experience is that there are only so many ways to make cashews "cheesy". Heidi Ho makes an amazing "no chevre" that tastes different from other cashew cheeses, but aside from that, every cashew cheese recipe (and commercial cashew cheese) I've tried tastes more or less the same with only slight variations that come with adding red pepper, or different herbs and spices. So, once you have your favorite cashew recipe mastered, stick to it and make it creamier for mac and cheese and alfredo, or spicier, or thicken it with agar for sandwich slices, or keep it simple for a spreadable cheese to eat with crackers, etc.

There are so many possibilities for different flavors when using different combinations of nuts and seeds. The best part is making these foods and sauces at home instead of relying on commercial products.


View attachment 47176

While discussing cashew cheese, I'll include the cashew hollandaise I make.


Ingredients hollandaise sauce:

• 1 cup cashew nuts
• 1 cup water
• 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 small tsp turmeric
  
  
  Put all hollandaise sauce ingredients into a small powerful blender and blend until you get a smooth texture. You might have to add a bit of extra water to get the desired consistency.
  
  
  ------------------------

My personal variation:

- 1.5 cups SOAKED cashews, not dry
- 1 teaspoon Herbs de Province
- TWO teaspoons dijon, not one.

I blend it in a Vitamix and it turns out really creamy and fluffy. I don't care that it isn't the same consistency as the original hollandaise because my ultimate goal is to make an enjoyable sauce, not to mimic anything non-vegan. (If that makes sense.)

So, experiment and find your own version of a sauce that will make you happy.

These are great! I will try these out. Thank you!

What are your thoughts on nutritional yeast? Many people say that it almost has the cheesy flavor and consistency, but I still yet have to try it out as well.

 

[Asa]

What are your thoughts on nutritional yeast? Many people say that it almost has the cheesy flavor and consistency, but I still yet have to try it out as well.

It does. Almost. Nutritional Yeast is in most of the cashew cheese and sauce recipes I've tried. The recipes are usually cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice and/or vinegar, salt, plus other ingredients that vary.

I think it is one of the main ingredients that makes the flavor for Daiya. (It's labeled 'inactive yeast'.)

 

[Pin]

I'm so hungry I'd eat kale.

 

[Asa]

You should probably stop what you're doing right now and make these. I made these yesterday and they're awesome!

Full recipe:
https://www.noracooks.com/vegan-chocolate-crinkle-cookies/


Note:
I use Valrhona Cocoa. I've used this since I worked in professional kitchens. If not Valrhona, use another high quality brand.
I used coconut oil for the oil. It has a richer flavor than canola oil.
I used a Silpat instead of parchment.
--------


Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup canola oil OR melted coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
• 1/3 cup non-dairy milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup powdered sugar, for rolling

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
   
   
2. In a large bowl, add the sugar and canola oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until well combined and smooth. Add the ground flax seeds, non-dairy milk and vanilla, and mix well to combine.
   
   
3. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt using either a sifter or fine mesh strainer. Stir until combined with the wet ingredients and a soft dough is formed.
   
   
4. Place the powdered sugar in a small mixing bowl. Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of dough at a time, and shape into a ball. Roll the ball in the powdered sugar very generously, covering all sides. The more powdered sugar, the prettier the cookies will be.
   
   
5. Place the balls onto the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart so they have room to spread.
   
   
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes until set. They will appear slightly undercooked and soft, but will firm up as they cool.
   
   
7. Cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Store any extra cookies in an airtight container for 4-5 days. Enjoy!

 

[soulareclipse]

I've been a vegetarian (lacto ovo) for 20 years now. Right before I graduated from college, I had a roommate who was vegetarian, Italian, and studying to become a nutritionist. I feel very fortunate to have learned to cook from her. She introduced me to so many vegetarian recipes, including her full-Italian grandmother's Eggplant Parmesan *drool*.

Lately I've been eating mostly Japanese cuisine, vegetarian-style, which isn't all that difficult since most of the meat in Japanese dishes is seafood. I LOVE sushi, but any time I've gotten it at a restaurant, there are invariably only 1 or 2 veg options to choose from, usually consisting of some combo of cucumber, avocado, asparagus, and/or cream cheese (which isn't even a traditional sushi ingredient). I decided I got tired of eating the same sushi roll over and over so resolved to learn to make it myself. One of my favorite type of rolls to make is uramaki (rice on the outside) with thinly sliced avocado spread over the top instead of fish. It looks really pretty. I love avocado so much...I don't think I've gone a day without eating it for the past month. I've found that cooked sweet potato makes a killer sushi and chirashizushi ingredient as well. Also cooked lotus root, although not roll-friendly, looks really pretty in chirashizushi, and I found an awesome garlic sauce to stir-fry it with that is to die for. I also learned how to make bomb-ass miso soup, as well as how to pickle my own ginger.

 

[neko]

I've been a vegetarian (lacto ovo) for 20 years now. Right before I graduated from college, I had a roommate who was vegetarian, Italian, and studying to become a nutritionist. I feel very fortunate to have learned to cook from her. She introduced me to so many vegetarian recipes, including her full-Italian grandmother's Eggplant Parmesan *drool*.

Lately I've been eating mostly Japanese cuisine, vegetarian-style, which isn't all that difficult since most of the meat in Japanese dishes is seafood. I LOVE sushi, but any time I've gotten it at a restaurant, there are invariably only 1 or 2 veg options to choose from, usually consisting of some combo of cucumber, avocado, asparagus, and/or cream cheese (which isn't even a traditional sushi ingredient). I decided I got tired of eating the same sushi roll over and over so resolved to learn to make it myself. One of my favorite type of rolls to make is uramaki (rice on the outside) with thinly sliced avocado spread over the top instead of fish. It looks really pretty. I love avocado so much...I don't think I've gone a day without eating it for the past month. I've found that cooked sweet potato makes a killer sushi and chirashizushi ingredient as well. Also cooked lotus root, although not roll-friendly, looks really pretty in chirashizushi, and I found an awesome garlic sauce to stir-fry it with that is to die for. I also learned how to make bomb-ass miso soup, as well as how to pickle my own ginger.

View attachment 48810 View attachment 48809 View attachment 48808

Oh my godddd, your food looks delicious!