Best vegetarian/vegan food!

Why does it never work?

Might as well start threads like this with the coming meat shortage.

Word.

Oh well I can't link her video but it is Tabitha Brown.

Fresh, well-seasoned veggies are the best vegetarian food - like just a bowl of seasoned, grilled veggies, or a great salad with fresh ingredients. Though, just eating that could get old.

Has to be any plant-based North Indian dish!

I was vegetarian for a few years (long story). I still make a lot of vegetarian food, mainly from India. There are so many regions with different cuisines to try. You’ll never get bored.

But what if you don't like beans or soy? What's your protein source

Best would be anything that isn't made by this lady . . .

Do you vegetarians date or marry other vegetarians? I always thought I would have to--and that I'd end up with a guy like Beavis & Butthead's teacher, but it turns out I was never with anyone like that. Always non-vegetarians. Weird, right?

R8 I'm currently not a vegetarian, but pulled a stint as one in my younger years... You would be quite surprised how many plant foods have protein... the amounts do add up, you just may find you need to eat heaps more of them. Nuts, seeds, grains, are all surprisingly high. It isn't one of my favourites, but there is Seitan as well, made from Gluten/Vital Wheat Gluten. Many vegetarians supplement their diets with shakes which contain whey protein, or other sources. Do pulses/lentils agree with you? Do not forget eggs, cheese, and other forms of dairy.

Some things I've cooked up recently which were new and meatless were Frenched green beans sautéed with shallots, and drizzled with walnut oil, then topped with those crispy onion bits by French's.

Eggplant stuffed with red lentils, garlic, a bit of tomato sauce, and paneer.

Butternut squash, cauliflower, and carrots roasted with a bit of brown sugar, raw almonds, and drizzled with walnut oil.

R9 Right? She's cute, but don't stay for the music either. The worst recipes ever. Even in the 70s & 80s there were better vegetarian cooks.

"The worst recipes ever" is quite the understatement.

I watched a couple of her shows and my reaction was always, "This is vomitous!"

Her recipes are good.

R13 She takes the veganism to the extreme as well, which certainly makes things harder for many cooks, as well as takes much of the taste out of many classic recipes as well. Vomitous would definitely describe her Chocolate Mousse made with tofu, and soymilk. I could make much better with bananas, coconut cream, coconut oil, and whipped coconut milk for a topping. So many other strange concoctions, like "vegan mayo" rather than simply using good olive or avocado oil. Total hack, and she's ever fond of odd "meat substitutes" rather than putting a focus on dishes that never required meat.

Sorry to disagree R14, but they're NOT! Only a few Mediterranean simple salads, and a few Italian pasta based dishes looked good... but even the pasta, she'd find some way to fuck up the recipe.

I bitch endlessly about NYC, the subways, the filth, etc, but there is a lot of great vegan food here.

I’m trying to cook more, especially now, and I look for simple recipes, and I love products like Miyoko’s vegan butter, Daiya, Field Roast and Beyond Meat.

R16 How do you like the Beyond Meat? I have a friend who adores red meat who keeps telling me to try it!

R17, I have to tell you, the burgers are very...convincing. A vegan friend won’t eat them - they’re too lifelike (deadlike?) for her. I like them with some Field Roast Chao cheese, pickles and arugula.

I haven’t tried their “sausages,” or “ground,” but I’ve heard it’s good.

If you want some really nice homemade treats (such as an amazing mac and cheese), check out Three Girls Vegan Creamery. They’re located in CT, but since the lockdown, they’re been offering their stuff via mail order. Fabulous comfort food.

Cheers R18

People put down beans and rice but it's one of my staples. So many ways to cook legumes and grains in general. Cheap, nutrient-dense, high protein AND fiber calories.

R20 I LOVE beans and rice. Very satisfying.

You're talking about rice & beans as a little side dish, right. It just seems like a whole lot of carbs.

I decided to become a vegetarian at 11 years old and have not eaten meat since (I'm almost 30 now). When I fully realized what it was and what it took for me eat it, I was repulsed. I was vegan for a few years, but that's trickier; it requires more artificial supplementation because there are certain vitamins and nutrients (B12 being the major one) that we've evolved to need as a result of consuming animal products, and you cannot get them on a vegan diet unless you are dousing everything you eat in nutritional yeast. Being a vegetarian is honestly quite easy though. Beans, nuts, and soy products are perfectly fine sources of protein. I tend to eat a lot of Mexican food because it is easy to do vegetarian while incorporating all the things you need—protein, some vegetables, some fats, and some carbohydrates. Plus, it always tastes good. As others have mentioned, Indian cuisine is a good option as well because it actually caters to vegetarians for religious reasons.

CHICKPEAS!!!! I love them. Sandwiches, salads, hummus, falafel...they are beautifully versatile. just like me.

How horrid.

It's not horrid!

R20 & R24 I love beans as well. I could eat them at every meal really. I love simple beans in tomato sauce on buttered toast, and endless combinations with rice. Tonight I made a "hummus" made with Chick Peas, Great Northern beans, garlic, lemon, walnut oil, and sesame seeds which I had soaked all day. I enjoyed it with carrots and celery along with my cocktails. I also love white beans and fresh herbs mixed with butter on bread. Beans and bread form a complete protein, just as beans and rice do.

Sometimes in the morning I put a schmeer of either Vegemite or Marmite on the buttered toast before the beans.

[quote] I was vegetarian for a few years (long story).

What was his name?

I'm a terrible cook but am exploring vegetarian/vegan options. I do like some of the premade veg/vegan options in things like breakfast sandwiches, meals (like the Gardein mixes where you just throw it in a pan), etc.

I have been having gastro issues and may be having liver issues, so need to reduce fat content and am looking at throwing cheese substitutes, etc into the mix.

I simply cannot with the sanpaku eyes in OP's link...

R28, his name was Jack. He was Jewish and kept kosher. We made a joint decision to go vegetarian. It made things a lot simpler.

Brown rice and Puy lentils. Complete protein. Versatile, can be made into everything from tortilla/taco filling to Indian biryanis/pulaos to Iranian polos to Middle Eastern mejedra.

Whatever is made by someone else. I can't even get chana masala quite right.

R33, try a Madhur Jaffrey (or Mad Whore as I call her) recipe book. Her recipes are very clear and you cannot go wrong if you follow them to the letter.

When you get most of your protein from beans do you fart more?

Gardein and Amy's offer pretty good vegan/vegetarian frozen meals. Gardein Italian Rigatoni Skillet is my favorite. Expensive but you can make 2-3 meals out of one bag.

There are a lot of suspicious about animal-to-human and human-to-animal transmission of COVID-19, and it's made me realize that the vegetarians have a point. Meat is tasty enough, but it might be more trouble than it's worth!

So yeah, I'm eating more vegetarian meals, and am actively looking for more easy vegetarian recipes and meal plans, which is a big of a struggle since I'm just not a huge fan of actual vegetables. Dinner tonight was minestrone, that was good, last night it was cheese tortellini with pesto. But what about meals that don't require cooking, for the hot summer coming up? I can't eat panzanella or tuna-bean salad every night, how about some vegetarian sandwich ideas?

pad thai

R37 I eat egg salad sandwiches a lot . Grilled cheese and tomato too. A cold veggie sandwich with cream cheese is also good.

I like the new plant-based tuna that's on the market - Good Catch.

I tried Moosewood Cookbook for a month. Made a barley loaf(like a meatloaf), took one bite and threw the whole thing in the trash. Back to meat!!!

Barley loaf sounds great! I had a nut loaf once in the UK and it was delicious. Meat smells foul to me now, especially chicken.

I also tried making channa masala recently and I overdid one of the spices - ugh.

You can’t “overdo” it.

R43 I’m pretty sure I overdid celery salt - that you CAN overdo!!!

R37 Roasted peppers make delicious sandwiches, they can be paired with egg, with or without cheese, or anchovy paste if you are not giving up fish as well.

Avocado, sprouts, tomato, cheese, and lettuce can be a lovely sandwich, especially in warm weather.

Falafel, and Middle-Eastern salads all make satisfying sandwiches. Any stir-fry vegetable combo with oil, garlic, and seasonings can go into a pita, or a tortilla to make a delicious sandwich. You can keep the stir-fry in the fridge for a few days, to pull out as needed.

I'm also very keen on small radishes sliced thinly on a buttered baguette; you could easily add lettuce, sprouts, or avocado to make a more hearty sandwich.

Though I'm usually not one to recommend a lot of soy-based synthetic meat substitutes, I've always enjoyed a fake bacon sandwich!

I'm definitely going to try the Beyond Meat mince, I think there would be endless ways to fix that, other than burgers.

Creamed mushrooms (you don't need cream if vegan, just a vegan margarine and a bit of flour) on toast can be a simple enough sandwich, get fancy with white wine and garlic if so inclined! Cheeses such as Gruyère, Emmental, or Lustenberger "1862" go well together, a bit of Parmigiano-Reggiano can pair well too. (or a combo!)

Cucumber sandwiches are always a warm weather classic, and need not be dainty tea sandwiches. Make them as thick and crusty as you like: spread cream cheese mixed with chives, or fines herbes, or simply fresh Thyme by itself. Watercress is a nice addition as well.

So many ideas....

R31 I *knew* it. : )

R36 Just got that EXACT meal in my grocery delivery today!

I also like their orange chicken substitute. Made some of that with some shirataki noodles and a few vegetables for sort of a General Tso's meal and it was delicious.

A lot of good ideas here. Thanks!

I will say that after trying years of substitutes the Beyond Meat burgers are the closest I have ever experienced to real meat. The texture and taste is very similar to a regular cheeseburger.

R49 Impossible Burgers are good, too!

I'm a lifelong vegetarian, with the exception of a few years as an intense gym rat in my 20's. I discovered later on that you can definitely support muscle on vegan and vegetarian diets, so that became a non-issue. And the vegetarian options in Indian cuisine and the newer fake meat analogues are delicious.

It's paid off in, if not exactly a perfect lipid profile, excellent results in cardiac testing.

It's an ethical choice. I was an NRA "Safe Hunter*" (ha!) as a kid, and blasted quail and deer to death with my pop. I ended up rejecting his abuse of animals along with his significant abuse of his own children, in my teens.

Let the fuzzy things live, dammit!

R51, Good for you. x

Whirlybirds are easier on a whole food vegan diet.

Indian, Mexican, Italian and Mediterranean cuisine has plenty of vegetarian choices....tasty delicious and nutritious. Typical of DL to only see American cuisine (if that is a cuisine) as the only option.

No, no, R41, Moosewood is lesbian food. Indian and Mexican veg food is the way to go!

[quote]and I love products like Miyoko’s vegan butter,

I'm not vegan, but I use this in baking. I love it. Can't find it now.

When I was broke, I'd buy cheap canned salmon and make salmon salad with lots of celery to eke it out, or salmon chowder with about one little can of salmon to a gallon of soup. I should try that again, with real fish. Fish salad sandwiches, egg salad, cream cheese and cucumber, Havarti and avocado, caprese on baguette... yeah, there's a lot of vegetarian sandwiches.

Now how about salads that aren't lettuce-based, for summer? My grocery store makes a fab cherry tomato, corn kernel, and feta salad what costs a fortune, I should try to make it for myself.

R57 wins the prize for being the one person in 1000 who uses "eke out" correctly. Hooray! Can't remember the last time I saw that.

R56, they sell it at Trader Joe’s now!

R37 I thought of you watching this, and wanted to share... though it is very complicated, it looks uncommonly good! You could obviously skip a few steps by using avocado and queso, if you're not vegan.

Last night's dinner was cheese tortellini in brodo, with some chopped spinach in the broth instead of a separate serving of vegetables. I need to lay in some vegetarian bullion and varied frozen greens, I like greens and they're super healthy.

3rd week of vegetarianism and no problems, I'm wondering if I should take all my chicken soup and canned chili to the local food bank.

R61 I love tortellini and ravioli in broth. It can be so simply delicious... I often add fresh parsley. You may wish to hold onto emergency pantry staples a bit longer, just to be safe.

I’m making dal makhani a delicious and healthy vegetarian dish.

I had some vegan ramen last night. It was delicious.

I just had my first beyond meat burger.

NO. Just. No. I'm no longer that big on red meat, but I like an occasional burger (maybe once ever three weeks). This as an alternative was terrible. It has the texture down, but the flavor is off.

I'm glad some of you enjoy it, but it it isn't for everyone. If I go meatless, I'd rather it be simple and clean.

everY*

R65 I like them, but don’t want them every day.

You may like Field Roast.

One bit advice I'd like to share, though I've already shared a lot about sandwiches, and other meatless ideas) is how satisfying cooked nuts ate in a vegetarian dish. Cashews and peanuts take on a lovely texture and flavour when cooked a long time in vegetarian stews, soups, and chilies.

They can very easily take the place of beans for those who have difficulty digesting them. You can use roasted or raw, your choice, but you may need to adjust the salt if you go with roasted/salted.

R68, I made avocado-veg pasta last week, and threw in some walnuts at the last minute. They made the dish! They're the perfect complement to the other flavors!

FYI if you take a nice ripe soft avocado and throw it into hot drained pasta, it will melt and form a lovely rich sauce. I add lemon zest and juice to it because straight avocado has so little flavor, and then I add whatever veggies I have around. it was chopped red onions, artichoke hearts (canned), and halved cherry tomatoes last time, next time it'll be whatever I have around. But yeah, the walnuts were the perfect capper.

This is a staple in our house, as are several of Meera Sodha’s recipes.

R69 That sounds like a lovely dish. I adore walnuts in pesto, they're best if not cooked long. R70 Those fritters look amazing.

[quote] A vegan friend won’t eat them - they’re too lifelike (deadlike?) for her.

Have you figured out yet that your friend is mentally ill?

If you miss having eggs, Just has started wide distribution of its plant-based mock egg in a jar, Just Egg. It's an almost perfect simulant, direct from the laboratory! It makes eggsellent fried 'egg' sandwiches and is also a 1:1 replacement for baking.

R72 trust me, she’s pretty awesome!

R73 the best I’ve used the Just Egg for is to make French Toast. Really comes out nicely.

I use avacado to make my egg salad sandwiches. Plus, for the summer, tomato sandwiches are wonderful! . I've been adding toasted pumpkin seeds to my salads and sautéed vegetables. A nice added crunch and taste.

Using different oils can also make vegetarian meals quite different, especially a touch of sesame oil.

Why wouldnt you eat eggs?

anything indian

A recycled paper plate.

Vegetarians aren't necessarily egg/dairy consumers, R76. Obviously, these are animal products. Now if the 'Just' company would tackle a high quality non-dairy cheese. There are plenty of attempts on the market, but none can even remotely match just a Velveeta-like experience.

But consumption of eggs doesn't kill the chicken. Same with cheese.

So what, R80? Many dislike battery egg farms and animal cruelty in general, or object for whatever reason you're not likely to agree with or understand. Maybe you'd be better off asking at this thread:

Eggs are a byproduct of chickens who will lay no matter what. Personally, I get eggs from a lady who raises hers on a tiny farm nearby. They are free range and spoiled rotten. Eggs dont have to be from factory farms especially since raising chickens in cities is getting more common. I really dont understand the aversion and as far as cheese, there is no substitute that is good.

Again, so what, R82? If others don't wish to partake, for any reason, what's your personal damage?

I want to try this.

Oh I dont care I just dont understand why they need a substitute. Just eat the real thing instead of chemicals. Same goes for sugar. All those subs are nasty and more unhealthy than real sugar.

You know what's true about every bit of food you eat, R85? It's made of chemicals.

Now that Campbell's Bean with Bacon soup is off the table, can anyone recommend a good canned or easy-fix vegetarian bean soup?

Because it's odd, but my homemade attempts at bean soup always come out oddly chalky/pasty. Even if I follow the directions, I just don't have the knack of cooking beans, and besides. Sometimes you just want something pre-made.

Now you're just being deliberately stupid R86. Big difference between something natural and something manufactured by men in a lab for the food industry that increases cancer risks.

You do know plants feel pain too?

Do you soak them first R87?

R88 Plants do not feel pain.

Sometimes the “whataboutism” on this site is too much.

We work so hard to have a nice little forum here, R88. We deserve better trolls.

R87, bean soup in a pressure cooker turns out much better, especially if you're in the mountains as I am.

Oh fuck off, R88. I think I speak for everyone here but you, when I say that you are not welcome to use this thread to criticize other people's food choices!

But if you have a great recipe for panzanella or an herb omelette, we'd be delighted to hear it.

Of course they do. Haven't you kept up? Recent studies have shown they express distress and pain. Maybe not like we understand it.

No way. I love fucking with you guys. You all get so indignant.

Uh huh. So nonhuman animals are more like plants than they are like us? Smdh.

Now back to the beans, please.

I dont know what you guys will eat. No plants, no animals? Little pills like the Jetsons?

Don’t vegans poop like all the time?

Plants. Plenty of plants, as well as nuts, legumes, tofu, etc.

Daily R97, and I couldn’t be happier about it!

Now tofu is revolting.

Gardein "Ground Beef." Tastes exactly like real ground beef for chili, tacos, and the like.

I used to not like tofu but t found this recipe where you press the water out first, then bake it and then stir fry and it’s a lot better.

I love the texture of tempeh.

[quote]I think I speak for everyone here but you, when I say that you are not welcome to use this thread to criticize other people's food choices!

Are you kidding? This is DL.

R99 i’m a very busy person and don’t have time to poop all day!

Lol R104, it takes but seconds each morning!

How about a vegetarian Banh mi sandwich? Toast a split baguette, put some Asian chili sauce on the baguette, sliced fresh jalapeno (and maybe onion?) , pickled* carrots/daikon sliced into matchsticks, a bunch of fresh, chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Some people use mayo or spicy mayo in addition to the chili sauce.

*slice the carrots and daikon (or just carrots is fine too) into matchsticks. Pickle by sprinkling a tablespoon of vinegar over them in a small bowl and letting them sit there for ten minutes, or until they start to get tender. Shake off the excess vinegar and put the vegetables on your sandwich.

I make these at home using chicken breast but it would be an excellent sandwich without me. I had a vegetarian Banh mi at a bar once, with avocado as the filler and it was great.

I love a pork banh mi but I've never tried it at home.

"Now tofu is revolting. "

I've had some very good tofu dishes, mainly at Asian restaurants. Fried and seasoned, marinated, sauced, used as a topping or a protien, whatever.

It just takes a better cook than me to make it tasty, so I never buy the stuff as is.

R105 Not for me. I’m slow :(

It's mainly the texture R108. There are some foods I dont like due to texture and not taste. Not that tofu has much taste.

Eggplant and mushrooms are the same. Cant deal with the texture.

I have tasted both Beyond and Impossible and both look like meat, neither tastes even remotely like it. I think it is for the junk food crowd, if your meat consumption was of the crud variety topped by American plastic and ketchup then you had so many flavor maskers you never tasted meat.

I'm holding off on meat substitutes, until they can come up with something that can pass for a steak, or bacon! Ground beef I can live without.

Maybe I'll make some minestrone tomorrow, with veggie bullion instead of the usual chicken. IMHO most of the best vegetarian recipes contain no substitutes, they were meant to be vegetarian all along.

Another sandwich I really enjoy, is a Reuben without the meat. Very tasty.

A great summer salad: cook chopped broccoli until barely done. Cook sliced carrots. Chill both. Add in a bowl to artichoke bits and your favorite Italian dressing. Top with sliced water chestnuts. Really good with chilled cucumber soup.

I also have no issue with eating eggs or cheese. I have two co-workers with small flocks of free-range chickens. I love watching their webcams, since the feathered girls are always busy, and they have excellent care.

R87 My best tips for a bean soup sans bacon is to use liquid smoke, or fake bacon. Plenty of onion and celery, and celery seed gives great depth of flavour, as well as the leaves at the top.

I add garlic as well. If you're not MSG averse, try adding some. If you're not down with MSG, try adding Marmite, Vegemite, or Maggi.... all work wonderfully in soups and stews. You can find several bean soups in tins without bacon or ham. You can goose up the flavour quite easily. If you are making from scratch, a strong vegetables stock is much tastier than using water.

R87 Forgot to recommend Aldi's Deutsche Küche brand German Bean soup... Plenty of potatoes, carrots, and onion. It's cheap, and delicious on its own, but try some of my tips.

I am absolutely not a vegetarian but I do love some cajun red beans and rice. Not sure if you can get the same flavor without sausage though. Incidentally, if you need a quick fix Popeyes has the best red beans and rice for that.

R102 and others... freezing the tofu after expelling all the liquid gives a much firmer and better texture for many recipes. I learnt this tip from a vegetarian cookbook back in the 80s. I must say, I really only enjoy fresh tofu at Japanese restaurants, when it has that panna cotta like texture, fried as a cutlet, or in Mo Dofu, or Ma Po Tofu/Mapo doufu.

To expel the water, Begin with the Extra-Firm tofu: I used to wrap in tea towels, or you can use paper, then place heavy books or pots on top. Change the towels every so often and flip the block of tofu as you go.

R116 J'adore their Red beans and rice. They are loaded with animal products though... a bit of lard, and I think they use Tasso ham as well.

R84 That cauliflower looks worth trying for sure. I'm keen on curried cauliflower "steaks".... Sliced thick, coated in olive oil and a generous dusting of both curry powder, and onion powder, (sometimes butter, as it helps them brown more quickly..)and a bit of coriander on top. Place under the broiler to finish, or simply bake at 375*-400* for 35-45 minutes. They become really sweet, especially if you use a Massaman style or other sweet curry. Sometimes I've served them with a jarred Korma sauce, with chickpeas, over Basmati rice. Peas, carrots, onions, and almonds are nice to add to the rice if you want something really special. I've served these to people who claim to hate cauliflower, and they loved them.

^ should have added, I use S&P, and flip them over half-way.

Thanks, R117. I’m going to try that.

Thanks also to the poster who suggested an avocado bahn mi sandwhich.

This site is about 80% vegetarian, with some great pesto (the walnut is divine) my new favorite does include anchovy but you could probably sub out caper or chopped olive to get the salt hit while keeping it vegetarian.

I'm the banh mi poster -- I don't want to sound pushy but if you make Indian food at home, I strongly recommend getting an instant pot if you don't have one.

Most IP recipes are written for the 6qt, and Indian food freezes very well; don't mess with the 3qt--Indian food is time/labor intensive and if you can double your cooking in the same amount of time and effort, you're a fool not to. If you live alone you can get 4-6 meals out of every cooking session-- just eat half of what you made, and divide and freeze half in smaller containers. You won't look back. You'll have the initial investment of spices and the pressure cooker, but you ll never go back to jars again. I'm a 15-year veteran of an Indian household and I have literally spent years making Indian food.

Hands down the best Indian recipe site is My Heart Beets. I have never had a curry fail from this site. The author is Punjabi and almost all North Indian restaurants' recipes and cooks are Punjabi as their cuisine is well-loved. She's married to a South Indian (which is unusual) and she has a lot of South Indian recipes, too.

I make it and do not have the instapot, nor do I want one, thanks.

I'll never learn to make Indian food, some things are best left to the professionals!

My favorite local Indian restaurant is open for takeout, I'd rather contribute to their business than learn to cook myself, or lay in a new cooker and all the basic ingredients.

I got some asparagus today. What can I do with them for a low cal meal tonight?

Vegetarian I can handle. Vegan not so much. I have this habit of asking vegans if they're doing it for health or for moral reasons. 99.99% it's the latter.

Vegan diets aren't healthy.

I made this last night and it was superb. Used a little more Worcester and soy sauce than recommended. To be honest, it was almost too meat-like. Excellent recipes on this site.

How about vegetarian Middle Eastern food? There's falafels, dolmas, salads... what else?

for those that dont cook or dont like to cook or are looking for something quicl. Morningstar farms garden veggie burger is very good. Throw in some frozen vegs in the microwave and youve got a quick healthy meal...........IMO

I hate the garden veggie burger. I thought it was just crud. I think it takes desperation to eat it.

[quote]I still make a lot of vegetarian food, mainly from India. There are so many regions with different cuisines to try. You’ll never get bored.

Why does it all smell and taste the same then?

The secret to Indian food is to bloom the fresh spices in oil before adding other ingredients... Yes, one can use pre-ground, or spice blends, but the taste isn't as authentic. Seeds especially may lose flavour.

These are excellent for guests, or whenever a fried food craving strikes. These can easily be made vegan by omitting the egg. The mixture still holds together remarkably well. I also add some freshly ground cumin seed as well. If I have the time, I grind fresh to make the curry "powder".

Indian food (and guys) -- the best!!!