Meatless recipes for a meat eating family?

never woul

I used to eat meat every time I ate dinner. My mom knows its the easiest way to get protein without too many calories. But since I'm older I kinda want to try the whole vegetarian thing, I don't want to make things hard on my mommy when she makes dinner. I have made dinner without meat a couple times like tofu tacos (delicious) and cucumber sandwiches (pretty good) but what are some more meatless yet healthy dinner ideas?
By the way my reason for wanting to become a vegitarian is only for the health reasons, not that I'm unhealthy I just wanted to try something new. And thank you for all of your meal suggestions.

Answer
Great meal ideas that pleases both the vegan and non vegan are:
Cheesy Bean and Cheese Enchiladas
Ingredients (use vegan versions):
1/2c flour
1/2c nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cup water
1 teaspoon mustard
4 tablespoon margarine
10 tortillas
2 small cans enchilada sauce
3 cans beans (white kidney, pinto, black), drained
2 medium onions, chopped
1 can olives, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1/2 cup salsa (optional)

Directions:
In medium-large saucepan, combine flour, nutritional yeast, salt and garlic powder. Add water and mix thoroughly. Heat on medium heat until bubbling and thick. Remove from heat and add mustard and margarine. Set aside 1/2 cup of cheese sauce in separate container. Add onion, beans, olives, cilantro and salsa to sauce. Mix it up.
Pour a 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Place a tortilla in pan and cover in enchilada sauce. Spoon in filling. Roll and push to one end of pan. Continue until all tortillas filled. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce on top and then spread reserved cheese sauce on as last step. Bake at 350 until brown, 30-45 minutes.

Serves: 6, Preparation time: 45 m
http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=5980.0

Barbecued Seitan Ribz with mashed potatoes or potato salad, ratatouille, mac and cheese, and biscuits. - http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/05/barbecued-seitan-ribz.html

Veggie Pot Pie
Ingredients (use vegan versions):
1 frozen pie shell, or fresh dough if you have time
2-3 cups veggie broth
1-2 potatoes
3 medium carrots
a variety of veggies such as green beans, zuchinni, mushrooms, or just about anything.
1 package frozen spinach
vegan grated or sliced cheddar to cover pan in two layers
lots of good spices: garlic,
cumin, tarragon makes it savory, whatever you like.

Directions:
Thaw pie she'll and try real hard to take one 1/2 out of the tin w/o it breaking into a million pieces. If you manage, you are a god(dess). Meanwhile, cook chopped veggies (NOT spinach, just keep it till later). Cook in micro or oven till about 3/4 cooked. To make sauce, heat broth in large kettle, add spices, and lower heat. Add slowly either cornstarch or flour (I use flour), till slightly thickened. You can add dairy free milk and use veggie buillon cubes. Add to this cooked veggies and coat them w/sauce.
Meanwhile, layer 1/2 cheese on bottom of lower crust. Spoon in veggies and sauce, then add spinach on top. add rest of cheese on top of that, and close it up as best as you can w/ the torn top shell. at least mine always tears. bake at 400 for about 45 min, till crust is brown and delicious cheese and juice oozes out.

Serves: 3-4, Preparation time: Less than 1 hour
http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=6863.0

The Un-Meat Loaf
Ingredients (use vegan versions):
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup instant oats or oat bran (uncooked)
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped fine
1 cup mushrooms, chopped fine
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1/2 bell pepper, chopped fine
1 medium carrot, shredded fine
1 teaspoon dried thyme, marjoram or sage
2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
ketchup

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and mix for 2 minutes with a wooden spoon. Pack in to a 4 x 8 loaf pan sprayed with Pam and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until lightly browned. You may wish to top the loaf with ketchup after about 40 minutes, then continue baking the final 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
NOTE: The vegetables should be chopped as finely as possible. If you have a food processor this would be a great time to use it. Put each vegetable and the nuts in one at a time, pulse until finely ground. Then dump in to a big bowl with all other ingredients for final mixing.
This recipe freezes well too! Just wrap in foil and then in a freezer bag. To reheat either slice and warm in the microwave or reheat covered in a 350 oven for 20-30 minutes.

Serves: 8, Preparation time: 1:10
http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=7614.0

Beef Stroganoff
Ingredients (use vegan versions):
about 1 pound of seitan, (I use Beef Minit Meat) prepared & cut into strips
1 large onion, diced
6 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
2 cups of Imagine Brand Cream of Mushroom Soup
2 tablespoon Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream
2 cups of sliced white mushrooms
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
black pepper to taste
cooked pasta of your liking

Directions:
This stroganoff tastes exactly like the dish my dad used to make when I was a kid. Since becoming vegan, I never thought I would have it again. Delicious!!
Prepare your Seitan and cut into strips. In a large frying pan heat up your olive oil on medium heat. The heat is very important, because you want to brown the onions. You donât want them undercooked or overcooked, just a nice brown color. Add 1 large white onion, diced. Add 5-6 cloves of fresh garlic diced fine. Sautee mixture until onions are browned.
Add your mushrooms. At my house, we use a BUNCH of mushrooms. (about 2 cups) and saute them until soft on low heat. Add 1 teaspoon of sea salt, ½ teaspoon of garlic salt, and some black pepper.
When mushrooms are soft, add in your Imagine brand Cream of mushroom soup. Add 2 dollops of sour cream to the pan and mix well until creamy. Then add in your prepared seitan strips. Cook on low 15-20 minutes so that the seitan can soak up all the delicious gravy.
Serve over pasta, or add your pasta to the pan & mix.
http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=7707.0

Good, healthy and easy vegan recipes?

Emma

I'm vegetarian now and have been for a while but i want to transition to vegan, i think it would be much easier if i have good and easy recipes that i can rely on, ive already transitioned to some of a vegan lifestyle and im just finally realizing that i want to become vegan and it wont be very hard for me to, so what tasty vegan recipes do you like?

Answer
There are zillions to choose from online. I've been experimenting with all forms of veggie burgers, but I make the into a loaf , freeze and use for sandwiches. Every kind of bean, mushroom combinations of many ingredients and I exclude tofu because it is processed.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

What are some easy healthy vegetarian school lunches?

healthy vegan sandwich recipes image

gymnast4li

I drink milk and eat eggs still but I love it. I don't really like yogurt. I don't eat meat obviously. I am kind of a picky eater. What are some healthy school lunches that are easy to eat that I might like?

Answer
Sandwiches on whole wheat bread wraps with tofu (extra firm) or if you dont like use some vegan hqm or turkey col cuts, or half a mashed avocado they are all good sources of protein also on your sandwich have some hummus(whatever kind you like, my favorite is jalepeno and roasted red pepper) or veganaise and your fav cheese (i use either vegan swiss or laughing cow lite spreadable cheese) and your favorite veggies, i like cucumbers, bean sprouts, spinach, onions, but red peppers, tomato, or lettuce would all be good mix it up andtry all different stuff throughiut the week

Make some vegetable soup, or but some tomato or whatever kind you like from the can (just make sure its not made with chicken or beef broth) keep it warm in a thermos and bring a toasted cheexe sandwich to dip in or eat sepertatly

Bring your favorite cold cereal in a thermos and milk or buy a milk and have cereal as a little treat

On the side make some wholesome cookies with lots of whole grain oats raisins and seeds or trail mix with your favorite dry cereal, nuts, and dryed fruit. Or fresh fruit. Or hummus with veggie sticks.

www.peasandthankyou.com has some good make ahead recipes check it out

What are some very fast and very healthy meals i can make or buy for cheap?

Q. Due to me working full time and going to school at night i barely have time to make breakfast, lunch, or dinner and barely have an option of eating healthy so i was wondering what are some healthy, fast meals i could use for breakfast and lunch and supper and that are on the cheap side. Thanks for all the help.

Answer
I can eat as cheaply as someone bankrupt or as well as a working person.

I have tried the vegan route with beans, brown rice, fruit, vegetables, and started looking very doughy and gained weight.

I will describe the simple plan I follow, and also, I, too, worked full time and went for a masters degree plus taking extra graduate credits on weekends. The key is simplicity, health, and learning to eat less; otherwise, the vegan route of hydrating beans is the cheapest.

You will want to feel satiated, but not ill from greasy vending machine food. You will want to feed your brain. This means fish, eggs, olive oil, oranges, lemons, bananas, apples, broccoli, spinach and other greens. If you omit all the starchy, gummy food that stick in your gut and twist it into knots, you will be able to maneuver your schedule with aplomb. I will provide sample meals, and you can vary as you wish.

Breakfast: poached egg, greens, sliced orange, coffee
Lunch: Deli meat wrapped in lettuce leaves, berries, almond milk or plain water (drink lots of water)
Dinner: Poached fish (poach it in white wine, put a lid on it) served with tartar sauce and lemon, green salad with cut up tomato dressed with olive oil and Balsamic vinegar, medium sliced banana.
If you need more fiber, encapsulate ground flaxseeds or take psyllium fiber tablets.

For supplements, take Vitamin B group, Vitamin D, Magnesium, Calcium (the last three come together with Caltrate). You save money as you don't buy fast foods, don't buy soda, eat no sugar, no salt, don't buy coffee outside of the home, no booze.

If you want to go really cheap, make rice and beans, black bean soup, canned chili with beans, and additional fruit and vegetables. Add lemon to the water. It makes a cleansing beverage. I didn't eat like this when I did the double thing. I think I was a vegetarian then. Also, I would stop at the deli and buy lots of sides to go with the fresh sandwiches, because I don't like to be hungry.

However, the way I am eating now, with fish, and I eat actually more, as I buy expensive smoked fish and smoked lox as well, and organic greens is so filling, I can hardly manage to eat another bite.

If you start your day with oatmeal, you will crave carbohydrates throughout the rest of the day, and be miserable at night classes for cravings. It is better to get the brain food from the fish, not fried from the franchise at the corner, but poached with no butter added. It does take a while to get used to it. The recipe for a poached egg made in the microwave is in YA if you search for it. Unfortunately, food prices have risen, so it is hard to get fine food at a cheap price. There is a market, called Aldi's, that has bargain food, if you have it near you. It is still good to be a man with a plan.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Is Kelp powder used in Vegan recipes for nutritional reasons or taste?

healthy vegan sandwich recipes image

Q. I came across a Vegan Mock Tuna Salad recipe and it contains Kelp Powder. Kelp Powder is very difficult to find. I was wondering if it is necessary in the recipe to make it taste right or if it is used for nutritional purposes only. BTW, does anyone know where to purchase Kelp Powder because I usually find anything and everything at Whole Foods Market but not Kelp Powder.

Answer
For faux tuna salad, it's there for taste. It gives it that fishy flavor. Of course, it's healthy too. But, if you made faux tuna salad without it, you'd basically have tofu & Vegenaise, maybe some kind of onion or something, and it wouldn't be like tuna salad at all. I buy kelp powder from my local health food store. They have all sorts of herbs, spices, & seasonings available in their bulk section. (I wouldn't set foot inside a Whole Foods store anyway.) Maybe if you can't find it, you could buy some nori (sushi wraps) & crumble them up into tiny bits & use that instead. It'll give pretty much the same fishy flavor, it just won't be a fine powder. You should be able to find nori at any decent grocery store. You could also just make faux egg salad instead. Oh, or this is really good as a sandwich filling:

Chickpea Salad

* 1 15-oz can chickpeas
* 2 tbsp vegan mayo
* 1 tbsp mustard (I use horseradish mustard)
* 2 stalks celery, diced
* 1/2 cup diced green pepper
* 1/2 cup diced onion (I use chives or green onions. I think raw yellow/red onion is too strong.)
* 1/4 tsp lemon juice
* a squirt or two of Bragg's or soy sauce
* pepper to taste (if you think it needs it...you won't need salt because of the Bragg's)

Put the (drained & rinsed) chickpeas in a large bowl. Mash with a masher or fork. Don't use a blender. You want them to be slightly chunky still. Add all the other ingredients & mix well. Add more mayo & mustard if it seems a little dry. (The measurements above are from the original recipe, but I've always used more.) It's great stuffed in a pita with some lettuce or cucumber and grated carrots.

Vegan moms: Are you raising your children to be vegan as well?

chloe

I have an 8month old, and I 'm thinking of raising her vegan. What are your experiences? Give me some info to help me make up my mind. What do your kids eat instead of meat and dairy?
Wow Harry D, your answer has so much insight! I think I might choose you for a best answer!!! Go waste somebody else's time.

Answer
yes. 3rd generation vegetarian. all doing very well...from age 90s to babies.

hubby and i have had nothing but positive experiences feeding our kids vegan...in fact, it's no big deal. being vegan is a way of life. i can remember back in the 70s and 80s when you couldn't even find a restaurant or airline that served a decent vegetarian meal so you were relegated to eating most meals at home or packing a meal to go. now we can fine dine in or out...my how things have changed.

today, we eat breakfasts such as smoothies, oatmeal, and peanut butter toast. (follow the link below to get two vegan kid taste testers responses to these yummy smoothies) Or we might have grits, scrambled tofu, vegetable patties, and orange juice. or we might have oatmeal waffles topped with fruit and served with a side of soy yogurt topped with nuts or granola. for recipes for these and more ideas visit: www.tpbooks.biz and check out the books "the daniel diet: preface to prophecy" or "presto! it's raw vegan pesto!"

For lunch, we have combos such as oven fried potatoes (lightly oil pan with olive oil and place potato wedges in sprinkled with rosemary and lightly salted) and "subway" sandwiches...our take on the franchise standard. we layer up with veggies like lettuce, tomato, olives, onions, and the works. then instead of mayonnaise (which has egg in it), we use vegannaise by the brand 'target your heart'. it is so delicious ...everyone who taste tests this and other vegan food is always astounded that it can be so easy to prepare, and downright delicious, not just "sacrificially healthy". Instead of cheese, we whip up a vegetarian alternative made with cashews or you can buy the 'target your heart' brand of cheddar cheese. just so you know i am not an employee of 'target your heart" they just happen to be what tastes good, is vegan, and what we eat. for a whole book of cheese replacements, get the book, "the uncheese cookbook" by Joanne Stepaniak.

if you happen to live near a Seventh day Adventist church, college, university, hospital, or academy, stop in regularly and eat in their cafeterias to get a feel about what vegetarian meals look like in action (several research studies have been done on Adventists because they are known for their vegetarianism. Thus if you visit any of their institutions, you will likely find the whole range of vegetarian options). (ie. if you live in the Los Angeles, California area, check out Loma Linda University's cafeteria or even Loma Linda Medical Center cafeteria).

if you want some compelling reasons for why vegan and children can be a perfect combination, get the book, "the china study" the largest study of its kind on the best nutrition to eat. this was done by a research scientist who attests that even he realized solid reasons why this would be a beneficial diet to follow based on what he has discovered over the years in the labs and he converted his own family to follow better eating as a result. now he is working in the government and you've gotta get his book...it is quite compelling indeed.

good luck with that. ps. we also steer clear of candies, icecream, sodas, etc. our delicious and preferred replacements for these are:

instead of gummy worms we eat dried cantaloupe slices (they look at taste BETTER than gummy worms)

instead of sodas, we drink water (we don't even drink alot of juices on the market because the words "natural coloring" on the label could be ground insects that are red and being used for their pigment in otherwise vegan products...can you say gross??!

instead of icecream, we just freeze bananas and run them through our Champion juicer (or if you don't have one of those, add Silk brand soymilk to your blender and then add frozen bananas) the kids lapp this up!

there is so much to say on this topic, but suffice it to say, you won't be without taste, pleasure, or nutrition when vegan done right is implemented. good luck!

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

What are some good healthy vegan recipes?

healthy vegan sandwich recipes image

Rosi

Im thinking about starting a vegan diet so i can lose a little weight and because i wanna start eating healthy what are some good vegan foods, or recipes that are good, healthy and tasty? Thanks in advanced (:

Answer
Hey, Here are some meal suggestions:

Breakfasts:
Porridge with soy milk, dried fruit and seeds
Peanut butter on toast, a banana
Wholegrain cereal with fruit
Fruit salad, soy yogurt and crushed nuts

Lunch:
Vegetable soup, wholemeal roll
Kidney beans,salad and salsa in a wholemeal wrap
Hummus and salad in pita bread
PB & J sandwich

Dinner:
Vegan chili and brown rice
Pasta with veggies and beans
Chickpea and veg curry

Good luck with it.

x

What are some of your favorite cheap and healthy vegan meals?

Awkward Ki

I'm going to start doing a lot of my own shopping and cooking (instead of complaining about the lack of things to eat in my fridge :P) , but I'm not going to have that much money to work with. I've been looking for recipes on the net, but I could always use more. :D


Also, I've got a really good Asian market here. If you've got any Japanese or Korean recipes, please share them. I will love you forever.

Answer
Vegetable fried rice.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/vegetable-fried-rice/detail.aspx

Spicy peanut noodles.
http://www.food.com/recipe/noodles-with-spicy-peanut-sauce-49547

Chinese Stir Fry Veggies.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/basic-chinese-stir-fry-vegetables/detail.aspx

Sushi!
http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=8682.0

Chana Masala.
http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=5060.0

Kung Pow Tofu.
http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=22092.0

Sweet & Sour Veggies.
http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=8866.0


And then you can opt for super easy meals such as:
Macaroni and "cheese" (made with Daiya cheese)
Avocado and tomato sandwiches.
Whole grain bagel with soy cream cheese and tomato.
Whole grain bagel with peanut butter, jam, and banana.
Whole grain toast with hummus.
Tortilla chips with salsa and/or guacamole.
Pita chips with hummus.
French fries.
Onion rings.
Veggie burgers.
Jamaican rice.
Tabbouleh.
Fajitas/Tacos/Burritos with beans, rice, lettuce, tomato, corn, salsa, hot sauce, etc.

Hope I've helped.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

New to vegan and vegerarian lifestyle and concerned about Soy?

Q. I recently decided to go vegan/vegetarian and my family is concerned that I may be consuming to much soy. I hear it's not good for women. The problem is that when I grocery shop almost all the protein meat substitutes or either soy based or contain soy. Just about everything I purchase for my new way of eating contains some soy. What are other meat substitute or protein products I can buy and cooked with that are not soy based.

A. I think the problem with soy is that it is in almost every processed food these days. Soy is so subsidized, like corn, in the US that it ends up in everything as a filler. If you're consuming enough processed foods, even without consuming tofu and soy milk, you're eating a lot of soy. I think moderation is key. Not eating mock meats everyday with soy milk at every meal will help with your concerns.

Switch your plant milk to a different kind like almond, oat, hemp, or rice. My currently fav is almond.

Find recipes that have lots of whole plant foods, rather than soy crumbles and Boca burgers. It's not too difficult to make bean burgers yourself that contain no soy products. They'll be tasty, healthier, and cheaper than the frozen store bought version.

Try to eat more beans, nuts, veggies, seitan, etc rather than soy based mock meats.

Some veg resources I like:
http://101cookbooks.com [TLT sandwich - has soy, but so good]
http://vegweb.com [grilled avocado sandwich]
http://onegirlsslideintohippiedom.blogspot.com [taco salad]
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com [smoky refried bean soup, red bean chipotle burgers, raw corn and black bean salad]

Cookbooks (I like to first borrow them from the library before purchasing):
Veganomicon [leek and bean cassoulet, snobby joes (http://www.theppk.com/recipes/dbrecipes/index.php?RecipeID=2059), grain salads]
Vegetarian Sandwiches [greek salad wrap, egg salad]

Hope that helps!

Original Question

What are some easy healthy vegetarian school lunches?

Q. I drink milk and eat eggs still but I love it. I don't really like yogurt. I don't eat meat obviously. I am kind of a picky eater. What are some healthy school lunches that are easy to eat that I might like?

A. Sandwiches on whole wheat bread wraps with tofu (extra firm) or if you dont like use some vegan hqm or turkey col cuts, or half a mashed avocado they are all good sources of protein also on your sandwich have some hummus(whatever kind you like, my favorite is jalepeno and roasted red pepper) or veganaise and your fav cheese (i use either vegan swiss or laughing cow lite spreadable cheese) and your favorite veggies, i like cucumbers, bean sprouts, spinach, onions, but red peppers, tomato, or lettuce would all be good mix it up andtry all different stuff throughiut the week

Make some vegetable soup, or but some tomato or whatever kind you like from the can (just make sure its not made with chicken or beef broth) keep it warm in a thermos and bring a toasted cheexe sandwich to dip in or eat sepertatly

Bring your favorite cold cereal in a thermos and milk or buy a milk and have cereal as a little treat

On the side make some wholesome cookies with lots of whole grain oats raisins and seeds or trail mix with your favorite dry cereal, nuts, and dryed fruit. Or fresh fruit. Or hummus with veggie sticks.

www.peasandthankyou.com has some good make ahead recipes check it out

Original Question

How to eat a healthy vegan diet on a low budget (college student)?

Q. I've been vegetarian for over three years now. I've been vegan on and off, but I want to do it for good this time. I sometimes find myself eating unhealthy foods because I'm not sure what to eat on a vegan diet. I feel like almost everything has animal products in it. and anything that is a dairy or meat substitute is usually pricey. and I don't want to eat just fruits and vegetables all the time.

A. Fake meats are a convenience food. A meat eater on a budget wouldn't buy tiny packages of pre-cooked chicken with lemon pepper, and a budget-minded vegan should not often buy the little packets of fake chicken strips, either. This having been said, I find that most brands of soy, almond, and rice milk don't break the budget. I buy it to go in my tea and on top of my oatmeal.

Some of the cheapest vegan foods are:

dried lentils
dried split peas
cabbage
carrots
bananas
peanuts/peanut butter
rice

Plain tempeh and tofu are not as cheap as the other foods I just listed, but they are cheaper than most fake meats, and I'm sure you'll want to eat them once in a while. You can make a simple tofu sandwich by slicing it, patting or squeezing it dry, and then frying it on a lightly-oiled pan. Sprinkle dried herbs, salt, and/or nutritional yeast on the top, and then flip to brown both sides. Serve on whole grain toast with your favorite toppings.

Tempeh can be marinated in soy sauce, with mirin, ginger, and/or garlic, if desired, and then added to a stir-fry. I also love this tempeh sausage recipe:

http://www.veganchef.com/italtempeh.htm

You can vary the herbs, and you can also use breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs (homemade for thrift) instead of flour.

Other ideas:

SImply cooked lentils over rice
Split pea soup
Baked cabbage (slice and bake, covered, for about 45 minutes at 350F, with sliced onions and/or a few pats of margarine if desired)

Original Question

Powered by Yahoo! Answers