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General Discussion => Share Your Badassity => Topic started by: capital on November 16, 2012, 01:22:19 PM

Title: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: capital on November 16, 2012, 01:22:19 PM
I'm young, and have been eating out a lot because I hadn't learned the basic home economics of building a repertoire of recipes and stocking a kitchen to support it. Since I already have a good deal on housing and don't own a car, having a pot of something-or-other on the stove or in the fridge is my best opportunity to cut my budget, and it's a new hobby to share with my girlfriend. I did learn pretty solid food prep skills from working in a kitchen in high school. For grocery purposes, I have a decently-stocked and mid-priced grocery store at the end of the block, and a Trader Joe's a couple miles away.

Here's what I've made so far:
Mac-n-cheese
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/04/macaroni-cheese/
Extremely delicious, rather unhealthy. I added tomatoes, spinach, and lots of spices; I didn't bake it and it was nice and creamy. It was a little chaotic with everything on the stove including the extra pan for veggies, but that might just be that I hadn't cooked in a long time.
Stockable ingredients:
-pasta
-butter
-flour
-eggs
-cheese
-spices
-oil to sauté veggies

Fresh ingredients:
-whatever delicious vegetables


Vegetarian chili
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/vegetarian-chili-recipe/index.html
Delicious, healthy, high-protein! Great winter food. Took a decent amount of time to prep with all the veggies, but made a huge pot.
Stockable ingredients:
-oil
-beans
-canned corn
-tomato sauce
-veggie broth
-rice
-cheese
-spices

Fresh ingredients:
-onion
-red pepper
-zuke
-garlic
-shrooms
-avocado


Green curry
http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/31/the-temporary-vegetarian-vegan-thai-curry-vegetables/
Tasty, but I need practice making it. The green curry paste at the local grocery store was overpriced, and the reasonably-priced coconut milk was weird-- kinda oily, with portions that got solid when refrigerated, and the sauce was thin when hot. I added tofu for protein. It still tasted good-- pre-made sauce bases are an awesome thing in Asian cuisine.

Stockable ingredients:
-coconut milk (at Asian market / TJ's?)
-green curry paste (at Asian market/TJ's?)
-soy sauce
-veggie broth
-bamboo
-brown sugar

Fresh ingredients:
-onion
-red bell pepper
-zuke
-YAMS
-eggplant
-lime
-basil
-tofu

I'm also making more easy stuff, like scrambled eggs with veggies, as well as pasta, which I recently learned can be mixed traditionally with cannellini beans for protein. I have a couple cookbooks coming from the library as well:
http://www.amazon.com/How-Cook-Everything-Vegetarian-Meatless/dp/0764524836
http://www.amazon.com/Gourmet-Vegetarian-Slow-Cooker-Sophisticated/dp/158008074X

Any favorite recipes in a similar vein to suggest, or other cookbooks? I'm a big fan of Asian foods, as they have more of a vegetarian tradition.
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: Russ on November 16, 2012, 01:35:47 PM
Green curry
http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/31/the-temporary-vegetarian-vegan-thai-curry-vegetables/
Tasty, but I need practice making it. The green curry paste at the local grocery store was overpriced, and the reasonably-priced coconut milk was weird-- kinda oily, with portions that got solid when refrigerated, and the sauce was thin when hot. I added tofu for protein. It still tasted good-- pre-made sauce bases are an awesome thing in Asian cuisine.

If you want a thicker sauce, try plain yogurt instead of (or in addition to?) the coconut milk. It's magical.
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: caligulala on November 16, 2012, 02:02:49 PM
We're at home vegetarians - meaning we still eat meat occasionally when we are eating out or at someone else's house or on special occasions, like Thanksgiving. But 98% of the time, it's all veggie. And we love it! There is so much you can do without meat and greater variety when you aren't building every meal around beef/chicken/pork.

We like to do risottos. You don't need to use arborio rice, although that is traditional. You can use all kinds of whole grains, like wheat berries, farro, etc.

Homemade pizza is another good one. We do cheat and have pepperoni every once in awhile, but we also like caramelized onions, potato & rosemary and spinach & garlic pizza. Those are all super easy.

There are about a billion variations on beans and rice. Jazz it up and use different grains.

These aren't strictly vegetarian cookbooks, but more world and whole foods cuisine:

Ancient Grains for Modern Meals (check out the different savory cakes, so delicious and different than anything we've ever made)

Cocina de la Familia, which is family style mexican recipes gathered from all around the US.

Veganomicon, a vegan cookbook (most of the recipes can be made not vegan just by using butter instead of weird vegan margarine)

Plenty by Ottolenghi, loads of adventurous vegetarian foods with an asian influence.

Those and our slow cooker cookbooks are probably our most used these days. Seitenbacher vegetarian broth is a tasty substitute for chicken broth. It's cheap and makes soups/risottos/beans and rice much more flavorful without the animal products.

And finally, canned coconut milk tends to separate in the can, that is why there is usually some sort of thickener, like carrageenan, added to it. Our Trader Joe's just started carrying 2 varieties cheaper than the asian grocery. But our asian supermarket is still king for curry bases at about 59 cents a can.
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: N on November 16, 2012, 09:55:51 PM
I was going to recommend the How To Cook Everything Vegetarian book by Bittman. I think its good because it shows you variations and helps you learn how to cook instead of just follow a recipe.

Coconut milk almost always separates in the can, but you can just shake it well to combine it. There is a brand called Nature Valley that doesnt have additives and I have bought it by the case on amazon before. Its not expensive. There is also a thread on the forums somewhere here about making your own, but I havent tried it.

On the topic of coconut milk:

You can also sub coconut milk for some of the liquid when you cook rice, its very tasty! (or instead of adding oil or butter, use coconut oil)

One of my favorite meals is sweet potatoes that Ive baked or steamed and then mashed with coconut milk, with two medium fried eggs (using coconut oil to fry them!) on top.

Also, if you like soups, the book Love Soup is full of the most delicious vegetarian soups (and a few other recipes thrown in) and is arranged seasonally. She has lots that use greens so its a good way to increase your intake of those :)

http://www.amazon.com/Love-Soup-All-New-Vegetarian-Recipes/dp/0393332578/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1353128121&sr=1-1&keywords=Love+Soup

N
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: PJ on November 17, 2012, 12:02:21 AM
My favourite cookbook (though not strictly vegetarian) is the More with Less cookbook.  It's a Mennonite produced book, and reflects people's experiences doing mission work all over the world.  I love the little stories and reflections on food interspersed with the recipes.  It's pretty frugal and eco-concious too!  It ranks among my mom's faves, she has bought copies for all her kids, and as a vegetarian I find lots of recipes to use as is or adapt, or to be inspired by. 
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: Worsted Skeins on November 17, 2012, 06:11:51 AM
My climate allows for a spring/early summer growing season following by a second crop in the fall.  This bounty allows us to enjoy a variety of fresh veg for much of the year.  I tend to base meals around what is available from my local farmers.  Currently that means we are eating lots of greens (salad greens as well as bitter cooked greens), sweet potatoes and persimmons.

One of the things that I like to do is cook a pot of beans in some form every week.  This might be a single bean or mixed bean soup which we'll nosh throughout the week or beans to use in other combinations.  This week I made a pot of Great Northern (white) beans. I used some in pasta e fagioli (along with local kale) and the rest in a baked white chili with cornbread (not meatless--uses chicken) from the King Arthur flour recipe site.  In case anyone is interested, here is the recipe: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/white-chili-with-cornbread-recipe (http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/white-chili-with-cornbread-recipe).  Makes a ton so you can feed a small army or freeze portions for future dining.

You might want to try your hand at some Asian noodle dishes like Szechuan peanut noodles.  Lots of variations online.  This is quick.  Some recipes use basic spaghetti noodles but if you can get some soba noodles at an Asian grocery I would go for it. 

Since you like Asian, you might want to consider having fresh ginger and some sesame oil on hand.  The addition of these two (along with some garlic if you are so inclined) to a saute should please your palate.
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: Gerard on November 17, 2012, 05:10:53 PM
The green curry paste at the local grocery store was overpriced
Gotta get yourself to an Asian grocery (doesn't have to be Thai). You can get Mae Ploy brand for about two bucks a container (a plastic bag inside a plastic cylinder). Tasty, but very spicy. Use less than recommended.

the reasonably-priced coconut milk was weird-- kinda oily, with portions that got solid when refrigerated, and the sauce was thin when hot.

Yeah, the cheap ones have lower fat content. The bits getting solid are fine. In fact, a lot of recipes are easier if that happens -- you "fry" the thick portion till it "splits", with oil separating out of it, then fry the curry paste in that oil and thick stuff for a couple of minutes, then add your other ingredients. Your other option is to just make a curry coconut soup, which is faster and pretty tasty. You just dump rice or cooked noodles into it and they soak it up.

I only recently realized that many brands of coconut milk list the fat percentage on the can... you can use that percentage as a guide to how not-diluted that particular can/brand is. And I would avoid "light" coconut milk entirely, unless it's free.

Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: EngGirl on November 21, 2012, 12:57:07 PM
Once you've mastered vegetarianism, you can kick it up to high gear and pull off a vegan challenge week! Milk, cheese, butter, and other dairy products can be crazy expensive!

Oatmeal with soymilk is just as tasty oatmeal with milk for breakfast (and at my store at least, soymilk is waaaay cheaper). Vegetarian lunches can be a challenge - you have to think outside the sandwich. I like to make a jumbo pot of soup on Sunday and split it up into lunch portions for the week. Lentil soup is cheap, tasty, and high in protein. For snack, soynuts are super cheap and high in protein and feel like a mini-meal when paired with fruit. Dinner is easy! Beans+grains+veg = a billion possibilities if I remember my combinatorics from stats class.

Vegan challenge week always saves my husband and I around 10 bucks (pretty good on a $60/week grocery bill).
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: Tim on November 26, 2012, 09:56:18 AM
I find these falafels very tasty:

http://budgetbytes.blogspot.ca/2010/12/falafel-264-recipe-030-serving.html

My wife and I make 16 at a time and freeze most of them. Combining one of these with a homemade soup or a salad is a meal by itself.

I notice the lady from Budget Bytes uses canned garbanzo beans. We buy ours dry, reducing the cost even further.

-Tim
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: JoshuaSpodek on January 08, 2013, 10:15:53 PM
We're at home vegetarians - meaning we still eat meat occasionally when we are eating out or at someone else's house or on special occasions, like Thanksgiving. But 98% of the time, it's all veggie. And we love it! There is so much you can do without meat and greater variety when you aren't building every meal around beef/chicken/pork.

We like to do risottos. You don't need to use arborio rice, although that is traditional. You can use all kinds of whole grains, like wheat berries, farro, etc.

Homemade pizza is another good one. We do cheat and have pepperoni every once in awhile, but we also like caramelized onions, potato & rosemary and spinach & garlic pizza. Those are all super easy.

[...]

Not that labels matter, but not fooling yourself does.

If you eat meat, you're not vegetarian.

Okay, if you loosen it to "at-home vegetarian" you could be at-home vegetarian.

But you eat meat at home!

Okay, if you loosen it again to "at-home-except-for-holidays vegetarian" you could be at-home-except-for-holidays vegetarian.

But you eat meat at home outside of holidays!

By the time you're at "at-home-except-for-holidays vegetarian who also eats pepperoni" I think you may want to drop the vegetarian label and just say you eat meat. Or cut out at least one of the categories of meat you say you don't eat.

Eating meat isn't a sin, nor is avoiding it virtuous, but believing you're something you're not can impede your personal development.
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: JoshuaSpodek on January 09, 2013, 02:24:43 AM
By the way, Caligula, I should mention it sounds like amazing things come out of your kitchen, so I hope I didn't sound critical of your cooking and eating habits.
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: Hamster on January 09, 2013, 03:22:16 AM
Oatmeal with soymilk is just as tasty oatmeal with milk for breakfast (and at my store at least, soymilk is waaaay cheaper).

Unlike Canada, dairy milk in the US is almost always going to be cheaper than soymilk since dairy is so heavily subsidized. The gas stations on the US side of the border where I live make more money selling milk to Canadians than gas.

What makes that so crazy is that home-made soymilk costs as little as 50 cents a gallon (about 1/2 pound of dry soybeans per gallon if I recall) to make. It's just dried soy beans, water, salt, and sugar. How that costs more in the store than all the costs of raising/feeding/caring for/milking a cow is pretty unbelievable.

I use a soyajoy soy milk maker (www.soymilkmaker.com or amazon). I have an old version, but the newer G3 ones are apparently easier to clean (On mine cleanup takes me about 2-3 minutes of scrubbing the filter and some nooks/crannies on the unit). It's probably more mustachian to make soy milk with a pot, blender, and strainer http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Homemade-Soy-Milk/ (http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Homemade-Soy-Milk/). The taste is definitely different from the stuff in the stores which has flavorings and carageenan and such added to change the texture and mask the natural flavor. I prefer the homemade. The one downside is the taste starts to go off after about 2-3 days in the fridge.

If you want to sample what "real" soy milk is like before you make it, go to an asian food store and buy it there to try. It may come in salty, sweetened, and unsweetened. I would get the unsweetened, then add sugar til you get the taste you like. It tastes particularly good warm, which is a common way of drinking it in Asia.
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: GuitarStv on January 09, 2013, 07:52:28 AM
We've been making these burritos, and they're very tasty/convenient.  Make a ton of them, then freeze them in the freezer and you can heat them up in the microwave for a fast vegetarian meal on the go:

http://budgetbytes.blogspot.ca/2012/09/roasted-vegetable-burritos-1418-recipe.html (http://budgetbytes.blogspot.ca/2012/09/roasted-vegetable-burritos-1418-recipe.html)
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: clarkai on January 09, 2013, 11:14:14 AM
We're currently in a two month vegan challenge, and I've gotta say I've really been enjoying trying out new recipes and foods that I never would have before. One result of this is that I've discovered that I love quinoa. Also, spinach can be supremely tasty and the center piece of a dish. Saag tofu is amazing.
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: frugalcalan on January 10, 2013, 08:22:32 AM
Three vegetable dinners I've made recently, listed in order of easiness:

Steamed Broccoli with Sauce
Ingredients
- Broccoli chopped into bit sized pieces
- Sauce (I use a bit of Soyaki and General Tso's sauce)

Equipment
- Method of steaming vegetables

Instructions
- Steam broccoli
- Add sauce
- Eat

Carrot and Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- Three carrots
- A cup or two of chicken broth (subs veggie broth for veggie option)
- Half a coup of split RED lentils
- Dab of oil
- Salt, pepper, bay leaf, coriander.  Optional: Parsley, sage, garlic

Equipment
- Hand blender (also called immersion blender)
- Cooking pot

Instructions
- Chop carrots (you don't need to make them super small, but chunks are fine)
- Heat oil in cooking pot
- Add carrots, cook for a while (roasting would probably be tasty as well)
- Add broth, bring to boil
- Add lentils and spices
- Let cook for a while
- Remove bay leaf
- Blend

Butternut Squash Soup Wiva Kick
Ingredients
- Butternut squash
- One and a half cups of broth per large squash
- Small apple/half of medium apple
- Salt, pepper, sage, bay leaf, chipotle powder
- Optional: Couple tablespoons of salsa (or subs apple for quarter cup of Apple Salsa)

Equipment
- Hand blender (also called immersion blender)
- Cooking pot

Instructions
- Optional: Roast squash
- Chop squash into inch or two chunks
- Add all ingredients to boiling broth
- Cook for a while
- Remove bay leaf
- Blend
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: caligulala on January 10, 2013, 11:20:19 AM
We're at home vegetarians - meaning we still eat meat occasionally when we are eating out or at someone else's house or on special occasions, like Thanksgiving. But 98% of the time, it's all veggie. And we love it! There is so much you can do without meat and greater variety when you aren't building every meal around beef/chicken/pork.

We like to do risottos. You don't need to use arborio rice, although that is traditional. You can use all kinds of whole grains, like wheat berries, farro, etc.

Homemade pizza is another good one. We do cheat and have pepperoni every once in awhile, but we also like caramelized onions, potato & rosemary and spinach & garlic pizza. Those are all super easy.

[...]

Not that labels matter, but not fooling yourself does.

If you eat meat, you're not vegetarian.

Okay, if you loosen it to "at-home vegetarian" you could be at-home vegetarian.

But you eat meat at home!

Okay, if you loosen it again to "at-home-except-for-holidays vegetarian" you could be at-home-except-for-holidays vegetarian.

But you eat meat at home outside of holidays!

By the time you're at "at-home-except-for-holidays vegetarian who also eats pepperoni" I think you may want to drop the vegetarian label and just say you eat meat. Or cut out at least one of the categories of meat you say you don't eat.

Eating meat isn't a sin, nor is avoiding it virtuous, but believing you're something you're not can impede your personal development.

I'm laughing so hard right now, because, seriously? Labels don't matter, yet using the closest available label for our daily eating habits is stalling my personal development. Sure. Thanks for setting me straight. I really needed that reality check.
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: sheepstache on January 10, 2013, 12:37:56 PM
I know you already got a chili recipe but I'm procrastinating on something else, so I'll include another one. 

Like many non-vegetarians / people not used to cooking vegetarian dishes, I feel like I haven't eaten a substantial meal if there's no meat in it.  An old roommate used to make this and it was the first vegetarian dish that made me feel differently.

Quinoa Vegetable Stew/Chili

1/2 c. quinoa, rinsed well and drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 large carrot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 14.5 oz. can whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped, juice reserved
3/4 c. basic vegetable stock or water
1 red bell pepper, ribbed, seeded, and diced
1 small zucchini, rimmed and cubed
1/2 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/2 c. fresh or frozen peas
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 to 1 fresh minced jalapeño pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
black pepper
1 to 2 cups cooked pinto, chick, or garbanzo beans (optional but recommended)
grated cheddar or monterey jack cheese (optional)
chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
 
Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan.  Add the quinoa, reduce the heat to very low, cover, and simmer until the water is completely absorbed and the quinoa is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
 
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften, about 2 minutes.  Stir in the carrot and garlic, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrot is crisp-tender, about 6 minutes more.
 
Add the tomatoes and their juice, vegetable stock or water, bell pepper, zucchini, corn, peas, cumin, coriander, oregano, chili powder, cayenne, and jalapeño.  Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the vegetables are cooked to the desired doneness, 10 to 15 minutes.  (Add beans after 5 minutes.) Stir in the quinoa and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot, garnished with the cheese and/or sprinkling of cilantro, if desired.

Tip: It's basically the tomato base, spice combo, and quinoa that make this dish--swap out the vegetables listed for similar ones you have lying around or whatever you want.  The only thing I find it doesn't work well for is leafy greens but maybe that's my own prejudice.
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: frugalcalan on January 10, 2013, 02:17:11 PM
We're at home vegetarians - meaning we still eat meat occasionally when we are eating out or at someone else's house or on special occasions, like Thanksgiving. But 98% of the time, it's all veggie. And we love it! There is so much you can do without meat and greater variety when you aren't building every meal around beef/chicken/pork.

[...]

Not that labels matter, but not fooling yourself does.

If you eat meat, you're not vegetarian.

Okay, if you loosen it to "at-home vegetarian" you could be at-home vegetarian.

But you eat meat at home!

Okay, if you loosen it again to "at-home-except-for-holidays vegetarian" you could be at-home-except-for-holidays vegetarian.



I'm laughing so hard right now, because, seriously? Labels don't matter, yet using the closest available label for our daily eating habits is stalling my personal development. Sure. Thanks for setting me straight. I really needed that reality check.

I'm a pretty big fan of the term "flexitarianism."  I see it more as a description of a cultural shift rather than an identity used by an individual, but it's an excellent word.  Here's an article about it: http://www.ijhssnet.com/journals/Vol_1_No_12_September_2011/12.pdf
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: acinaps on January 10, 2013, 02:34:59 PM
For Indian cooking, I really like Curried Favors by Maya Kaimal. It's not all vegetarian, but has a good amount of vegetarian recipes. The dhal recipes are vegetarian, tasty, and very cheap to make (once you make the initial investment in spices).
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: caligulala on January 10, 2013, 03:31:12 PM
I'm a pretty big fan of the term "flexitarianism."  I see it more as a description of a cultural shift rather than an identity used by an individual, but it's an excellent word.  Here's an article about it: http://www.ijhssnet.com/journals/Vol_1_No_12_September_2011/12.pdf

Yes, I like flexitarian as well, but grandma doesn't know what the hell a flexitarian is. Vegetarian at home is something the relatives can understand. Because really, it's all about maintaining familial harmony.
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: Kriegsspiel on January 10, 2013, 04:21:40 PM
I forget what their name on here is, but Real Sustainable Habits has a bunch of recipes on it.
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: Richard3 on January 12, 2013, 08:37:28 AM
I'm an at-home no-dairy free-trade organic pescatarian except for bacon and steak.

I hate the hypocrisy of the at-home-except-for-holidays  no-dairy free-trade organic pescatarian except for bacon and steak people.

The at-home no-dairy free-trade organic pescatarian except for bacon people are just way too hardcore and probably damaging their health. 

[For the slow amongst you, most of the above is a joke - although that pretty much is my current diet]

Can I still play?

Mushrooms and caramelised onions are key for me when not using meat. Maybe it's because I do a lot of stir fry, but just about every meal I make the first thing I do is start chopping onions and frying them.
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: Cook for Good on January 12, 2013, 08:46:50 AM
Please check out the free, thrifty, vegetarian and vegan recipes, menus, and cooking tips on my site. I hope you'll also try my book, Wildly Affordable Organic: Eat Fabulous Food, Get Healthy, and Save the Planet--All on $5 a Day or Less.

I didn't know it until about a year ago, but my theme is Vegetarian Mustachian ;-{)

http://www.cookforgood.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Wildly-Affordable-Organic-Fabulous-Planet-All/dp/073821468X

Good luck and congratulations on taking this important step to thrift, health, and delight!
... Linda
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: caligulala on January 12, 2013, 10:18:32 AM
Please check out the free, thrifty, vegetarian and vegan recipes, menus, and cooking tips on my site. I hope you'll also try my book, Wildly Affordable Organic: Eat Fabulous Food, Get Healthy, and Save the Planet--All on $5 a Day or Less.

I didn't know it until about a year ago, but my theme is Vegetarian Mustachian ;-{)

http://www.cookforgood.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Wildly-Affordable-Organic-Fabulous-Planet-All/dp/073821468X

Good luck and congratulations on taking this important step to thrift, health, and delight!
... Linda

I LOVE your book and recommend it all the time! So many tips on how to cook efficiently. It's really great. Thanks for writing it.
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: amyable on January 12, 2013, 11:48:47 AM
I like this site / youtube channel (http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/recipes/ (http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/recipes/)).  It's all vegetarian.  I've tried a few of her recipes, and they turned out really good, especially chana masala and naan.  I live in an area with no indian food restaurants, so I've had to make do.
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: c on February 22, 2013, 04:26:29 PM
Another Manjula's Kitchen fan here.

I'm a Vegan Who Eats Meat ;) Left to my own devices I will eat 100% Vegan, but my husband likes meat etc, so when I cook it's usually Vegan, when he does it has meat or eggs etc.

In the Summer I eat mostly salads with nuts and an olive oil and lemon dressing.

I cook a lot of stuff from this website http://101cookbooks.com/ and am now at the point where I have a few go-to meals I can cook without thinking.  I cook her spaghetti and harissa a lot and in the Winter I make her mixed grains breakfast.

I also cook a lot of Indian food, this is a super quick and easy one http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/2008/11/17/moong-dal-with-spinach/ and you can make it Vegan by using veg oil instead of ghee. I make this almost every week, it's great to take to work for lunch.

I found it overwhelming setting up the pantry in the beginning and also coming up with a few easy dishes as previously we were the "throw a piece of steak on the grill, boils some potatoes" cookers but now I find it much easier than cooking with meat, especially in Summer when I don't want the stove on. I have this book http://www.amazon.com/Anis-Raw-Food-Kitchen-Delectable/dp/1600940005 which you can probably get from the library. I make the zuchini "spaghetti" a lot too.

Edited again to add

This is my super lazy, cheap, lazy dish

Frozen homemade veg stock
Cup of quinoa (I use red quinoa)
Package of frozen spinach

Run stock under hot water for a few seconds so it comes out the freezer bag (!)
Throw in pot with quinoa and frozen spinach
Season (or not)
Cook until done
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: Crabricorn on February 22, 2013, 08:09:01 PM
Linda, I just wanted to chime in and say I love your book, too! We are flexitarian as well, although we are moving more and more towards vegetarianism all the time!
Title: Re: Building a vegetarian cooking repertoire
Post by: darkelenchus on February 23, 2013, 06:38:59 AM
I forget what their name on here is, but Real Sustainable Habits has a bunch of recipes on it.

Here we are: RSH Recipes (http://www.realsustainablehabits.com/category/diet/recipes/)!