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Sitting thinking tonight and I've just realised that I can't remember the last time I ate any red meat. I think the last bit of any type of meat eaten was last year.
With that in mind, I'm contemplating going vegetarian (not for any particular ethical reason, I just don't miss meat and feel quite healthy at the mo).
Any vegetarians on here with some basic pointers or plans to ensure I eat a reasonably balanced veggie diet.
Also, do any of you have kids and feed them a vegetarian diet? My kids live with their mum 60% of the time (who isn't vegetarian) so they would be eating meat, but looking for pointers to make vegetarian food interesting for the kids (they are a pair of food machines in fairness).
From a couple of months back, have a browse through these.
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/vegetarian-lifestyle/
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/favourite-vegetarian-recipes/
I think the last bit of any type of meat eaten was last year.
So, two weeks ago? (-:
With that in mind, I’m contemplating going vegetarian
Sounds like you already are.
If God had wanted us to be vegetarian, he wouldn't of made animals so tasty!
"ism"?
Erm....
Any vegetarians on here with some basic pointers
eat vegetables.
don't eat anything that had a face.
@nickc thats a bit of a selective quote! I was asking if anyone had pointers to ensure I got a good balance of food rather than just "eat vegetables".
If God had wanted us to be vegetarian, he wouldn’t of made animals so tasty!
Maybe a few more vegetables in your diet might help your brain come up with an original joke rather than a tediously tired one.
was asking if anyone had pointers to ensure I got a good balance of food rather than just “eat vegetables”.
It’s still about having a healthy, varied and balanced diet whether cutting eat meat or not. How good were you at your ‘5 a day’ before quitting meat?
Look up ‘balanced wholefood diet’ and compare a few articles for a decent overview then tailor it to your requirements/budget. This is good advice for meaties, veggies, vegans, all. Just from observation, one oitfall of going veggie can be quitting meat then instead mainlining butter, cheese and cream-filled dishes to somehow ‘make up’ in some way. This is properly a bad idea. Key is to cook most food yourself and freeze batches, get good at whipping together staple recipes like shepherds-type pies, ragu sauces, etc. keep raw nuts and healthier fruits around to graze upon
If you want a quick few recipes I’ve tested for taste, health and ease of prep then below are a few of the best plant-based protein-rich meal recipes I’ve found. They are IME really satisfying, tasty and now weekly staples at home
(I’m not vegetarian btw, if that makes a diff, but other half is veggan). Plant-based food
1. Roasted taters, roasted root veg, greens, and buckwheat/lentil loaf with gravy.
The loaf recipe: (I add double the garlic also some chopped nuts)
2. Bean chilli with either rice or nacho chips, salad and Oatly creme fraiche
The chilli recipe: (I also add a few teaspoons of cocoa powder and one of dark sugar or honey)
A third recipe check out Jamie Oliver’s ragu sauce recipe, then make it instead of meat use 50/50 dark green lentils and Meatless Meat Company mince. Now you can make spag bol or lasagne. Add mint to the ragu and make moussaka instead. Etc.
It's quite refreshing to hear someone refer to themselves as a vegetarian. Which to be honest, most non meat eaters are. Everyone else feels the need to be vegan, which for the most, they probably aren't.
Everyone else feels the need to be vegan...
Here we go...🙄
don’t eat anything that had a face.
Sounds like you already are.
Not sure you can make that leap. Poultry and fish are animals too....
Being a vegetarian is pretty bloomin easy these days - so many recipes available online and products in the shops.Whilst you don't want to be vegan the rise of that has certainly made a vegetarian diet easier too.
Just don't make cheese too big a thing in your diet and look out for meals with high quality plant based protein sources.
The OP said "any type of meat." I presumed that meant, well, any type of meat.
I'm not the best at meal planning for protein and vitamins etc but just try to eat a good mix of vegetables beans and pulses, nuts and fruit each week. I take a multivitamin pill when I remember. No problems so far and it's been 6 years
My wife and kids have always been veggie. Since I met my wife I’d been eating veg at home and the meat/fish eaten elsewhere just drifted down towards zero. Last year it was just two trips to amazing meat restaurants where I didn’t fancy the veg option and a weekend in Portugal where I’d have just been eating salad all the time.
Learn to cook good Indian veg food and you’ll do fine.
Nearly forgot - Cougar once recommended Bisto Best Caramelised Onion Gravy. Have bought it ever since. It’s ace for a quick gravy imo. I like to adulterate/lace it with a few teaspoons of mint sauce and mustard or prepared horseradish 😋
The gravy is great with roasts and easy to modify ie add less gravy powder but also add little of stock cube. Make an amaerican-style gravy by adding a little cream (or Oat-cream).
Few more tips:
With roasts-dinners - roast (don’t boil) carrots and/or other roots. Add fresh taragon to carrots in the roasting tin. Try greek-style roast tats (after first blanching then marinading overnight in fresh garlic and lemon-juice)
Grow a herb garden. Window herbs etc. So much more economical and fresh. Obtain and cook good quality veg. Enjoy getting the best flavours out of ingredients. Choose colourful veg types, dark greens, purples, yellows, reds which are healthier in general than the pale stuff. For massive taste and variety look at authentic Indian recipes. Veggie heaven. Get into beans and pseudo-grains. Buckwheat seeds are versatile and make a great binding paste (See lentil loaf recipe above)
Also, for a very special dinner - I have to report that a good mushroom and lentil casserole (maybe with a pearl barley risotto) BUT with a side-portion of sauteed whole almonds and baby tomatoes, cooked with a pinch of smoked paprika towards the end. Oh it’s good. Very, very good. With wine. Lots.
Thanks for the replies folks. The suggestions above and the previous threads Cougar linked to have given me plenty of things to get on with.
Maybe I've just been overthinking things.
I've got a good organic farm shop two minutes from the house, so a good source of veg to begin with.
Being a vegetarian is pretty bloomin easy these days
Agree. They is very little reason not to be vegetarian. Very well catered for with labelling, restaurant menus, availability of everything you need etc,. Was a lot harder when I became vegetarian in 1984
They is very little reason not to be vegetarian
except I like meat and it's actually healthy.
They is very little reason not to be vegetarian
Except not being able to troll these discussions any more.
Meatless Meat Company
I'll say it again... If you want to not eat meat accept that meat alternatives do not look out resemble meat.
The soya industry is killing rainforests and the processed quorn type foods are full of salts and other crap.
GF is vegetarian and has been for over 20 years. As such I don't cook meat at home. I do have a wild boar (cinghiale) salami in one of the cupboards, mind.
If you're against the meat industry then consider eating animals that have been hunted such as game birds, deer, wild boar and rabbit.
The soya industry is killing rainforests...
Just to fact check that statement- only 6% of soya is turned into human food and 70% is for livestock. Meat is one of the primary drivers of ecological collapse and deforestation.
I’ll say it again… If you want to not eat meat accept that meat alternatives do not look out resemble meat.
Not quite sure what you’re saying there chap. Do veggies tend to troll your animal-recipe threads? You’re getting back at them? 😉
Out of interest, has anyone moved to a vegitarian diet for medical reasons? Am having trouble with rhumatisum(?) and have read that reducing meat intake could help.
We do meat free monday (and have done for over a year) where we mainly have a quorn chilly.
I not sure i could do it, bacon sandwhich is a unit of currency for chores in our house.
Sitting thinking tonight and I’ve just realised that I can’t remember the last time I ate any red meat. I think the last bit of any type of meat eaten was last year.
With that in mind, I’m contemplating going vegetarian (not for any particular ethical reason, I just don’t miss meat and feel quite healthy at the mo).
I’m wondering what “going vegetarian” means for someone who has no ethical reason (or similar driver to create a decision whether you should or shouldn’t eat a particular thing). E.g. some cheese is not veggie, many marshmallows, jelly baby type sweets etc contain gelatin, some wines and beers are clarified with isinglass. Worcester sauce and Caesar dressing contain anchovies (veggie alternatives are likely now available) but if to you those things taste good and you have no real reason why would you narrow your choices when out or increase your costs when shopping etc.
It sounds to me like you aren’t going vegetarian” you are just choosing to eat things you like which happen to generally not be meat.
I not sure i could do it, bacon sandwhich is a unit of currency for chores in our house.
Well, as you kinda say yourself, it's not either 0% or 100%. You can reduce your intake of, well, anything you like without necessarily having to do it exclusively. Nothing stopping you trying to go veggie except for bacon butties if that's what floats your boat. Though I'd suggest expanding your recipe quiver first if you've eaten nothing but veggie chilli every Monday for a year.
Some people seem to be of the mindset that every meal has to contain some form of meat. It's about breaking that mindset, really. I like chip butties, but I don't eat them every day, that'd be a bit weird.
Out of interest, has anyone moved to a vegitarian diet for medical reasons?
Possibly dubious medical reasons (the medical reasons aren't dubious but the diet helping could be) but kind of. My diet is technically plant based whole foods plus fish (there are rules around the fish I eat n all), and I stick to it reasonably well (if I'm out and no vegan/fish options take my fancy or a meat option really does then I'll eat meat). I think that vegetarianism is definitely easier than that, especially as sandwiches are still easy - just put cheese on them... I think that it makes sense to start on a "flexitarian" diet and seeing where that leads you.
@poly I don't eat sweeties and no longer drink beer or wine, so none of those examples are particularly applicable to me.
I am enjoying eating a veg based diet and I feel healthier for it (albeit short term at the moment). That seems reason enough to me without having an ethical reason.
I'm still feeding my dogs a BARF diet as it's the right thing for them. I'm not "anti meat".
My shopping bill seems to be a bit cheaper too, and I am being a little more imaginative with my cooking, so don't feel as if I am limiting my choices (I have bookmarked the previous veg recipe pages and look forward to trying them out).
Futureboy but you ignored the certain cheeses and sauces point, and those were only examples (all cylcist should eat jelly babies!) I’m not knocking your decision to eat more veg, eat less (virtually zero) meat but I’m just wondering what the declaration that you are now veggie would mean. Otherwise you are surely just continuing what you are doing. If you are are feeling healthier it’s likely you are doing veggie in a healthy way (and therefore probably far healthier than many people who “GO” veggie overnight rather than progressively as you have done).
Though I’d suggest expanding your recipe quiver first if you’ve eaten nothing but veggie chilli every Monday for a year.
Well yes, bit of an exageration not
- Every
monday. But with work, after school music lessons and running clubs its a quick easy meal. Though somedays we go crazy and do quorn spag bol!
as above, most soya goes to animal feed (the inefficiency of meat farming being the reason half the planet is starving), quorn mycoprotein has negligible salt and “other crap” (way healthier nutritionally than most meat); I couldn’t find any meat sausages that contain less salt than quorn sausages.The soya industry is killing rainforests and the processed quorn type foods are full of salts and other crap.
Personally I don’t generally go for the meat substitutes - although the new subway meatless meatballs are great, 99% the same taste/texture as the meat ones (probably not the highest grade of meat to start with though tbf 😀). Had the veggie breakfast option at a local cafe this morning, was (pleasantly) surprised that instead of fake sausages/bacon etc it was Avacado & spinach alongside the beans, eggs, mushrooms, hash browns etc. Much tastier & more micronutrients, etc!
Though I’d suggest expanding your recipe quiver first if you’ve eaten nothing but veggie chilli every Monday for a year.
(Thinks) used to enjoy beef chilli every Wednesday and Chinese Takeaway Curry w/chips every Saturday. Same, every week for years! I felt I was missing out if I missed one
“I’m wondering what “going vegetarian” means for someone who has no ethical reason (or similar driver to create a decision whether you should or shouldn’t eat a particular thing). E.g. some cheese is not veggie, many marshmallows, jelly baby type sweets etc contain gelatin, some wines and beers are clarified with isinglass. Worcester sauce and Caesar dressing contain anchovies (veggie alternatives are likely now available) but if to you those things taste good and you have no real reason why would you narrow your choices when out or increase your costs when shopping etc.
It sounds to me like you aren’t going vegetarian” you are just choosing to eat things you like which happen to generally not be meat.”
Don’t think you need to be holier than thou to be vegetarian. For a lot of vegetarians it’s just a personal choice no need to get into an ethical debate. I’ve been veggie for thirty years and don’t feel the need to preach. Live and let live. You do get vegetarian gelatine now you know.
most soya goes to animal feed
In the Americas, yes
In the UK, no, it's probably more like 35-40% for animals and the rest for direct human consumption, but then UK has pretty ideal climate for grass fed livestock.
But then you can tell any story with statistics.
Personally, I just eat food. If one is eating less meat, I don't see the real point in just saying may as well go the whole hog and properly go veggie/vegan, unless there's some real ethical or medical reason. No need to make a declaration, or give oneself a label. Even if I never ate meat at all I'd not be either veggie or vegan.
In the UK, no, it’s probably more like 35-40% for animals and the rest for direct human consumption, but then UK has pretty ideal climate for grass fed livestock.
Probably?
The UK mostly uses soya in the form of soya meal, which is most commonly used in animal feed
(approx. 90% of all soya is used in animal feed across Europe).
The total volume of soya consumed in the UK is estimated to be 3.8 million tonnes of soybean
equivalents. This is 3.1 million tonnes of direct imports, and at least 700,000 tonnes of soya
embedded in other imports such as meat products.
Source:
"But then you can tell any story with statistics." Yes, you can prove anything with facts!
Meat-eaters jumping in again telling veggies that ‘I don’t feel the need to preach’ 🤣
Too much irony in the diet...
I mean, yeah, that’s so unexpected. 😀
Anyway, in the spirit of recommending recipes, I was listening to a podcast yesterday and was rudely interrupted by an ad for Knorr Stock “pots” by the Hairy Bikers. They mentioned an Aubergine Katsu Curry which sounded interesting. Not being susceptible to advertising at all, no, not me, certainly not, I googled it and here it is:
https://www.knorr.com/uk/recipe-ideas/aubergine-katsu-curry.html
It was ****ing delicious. I’m not normally a fan of sweet potatoes - but this “disappears” them into the sauce. The aubergines work well, just have to be careful not to burn the breadcrumbs when frying. I’ve been using those Knorr veg stock pots for ages and to be fair, they’re excellent, and nearly always on special at whatever supermarket you’re at.
I’ve been using those Knorr veg stock pots for ages and to be fair, they’re excellent, and nearly always on special at whatever supermarket you’re at.
Or make and freeze your own veg stock - it can taste infinitely better. Takes little prep. Less plastic waste if you use jam jars, reusable ice cube trays etc etc 👍🏼
Great way to use kitchen scraps too. Stock (and broth) I learned is one of those make or break staples that can be , either, ‘argh, salt!’ ‘meh bland’, ‘mmm, nice but still salt’ or HOLY ****ING UMAMITRON! THIS, YES THIS!
It can be made too nice though, which inevitably leads to overeating and no leftovers.
Don’t think you need to be holier than thou to be vegetarian. For a lot of vegetarians it’s just a personal choice no need to get into an ethical debate. I’ve been veggie for thirty years and don’t feel the need to preach. Live and let live. You do get vegetarian gelatine now you know.
That was kind of my point though. You CAN get Veggie alternatives, but if you have no ethical (or similar) reason not to eat ANY dead animal product, why would you care if someone has used animal gelatine (or rennet, perhaps even stock etc!) in a product you would otherwise eat. It seems that by making that distinction and "going" vegetarian you are making life slightly harder for yourself than if you just eat things you enjoy - which might happen to not include any meat.
MrsKenny has been veggie for decades, and I reckon about 70% of my evening meals are veggie. My main hint to you would be to look at Indian cuisine (assuming you like that style). Loads of great veggie recipes there, with tons of flavour. And healthy too if you lay off the ghee.
Any vegan recommendations please for butter and cheese? I think this may be far more problematical than leaving cows milk behind!
Or make and freeze your own veg stock – it can taste infinitely better. Takes little prep. Less plastic waste if you use jam jars, reusable ice cube trays etc etc 👍🏼
Great way to use kitchen scraps too. Stock (and broth) I learned is one of those make or break staples that can be , either, ‘argh, salt!’ ‘meh bland’, ‘mmm, nice but still salt’ or HOLY **** UMAMITRON! THIS, YES THIS!
Excellent vid there @Malvern Rider and a great use for ice cube trays. You really are a mine of foodie information!
OK, hands up, I was wrong on the soya front.
As said before, very few of my meals contain meat. Zero home cooked meals contain meat. The GF has been vege since time immemorial.
Roast veg and salads, curries, stir fries, and soups make up most of my meals.
Having said that the GF is out tonight and a mate gave me a wild boar salami from her parents farm in Sardinia and a bottle of red.
if you have no ethical (or similar) reason not to eat ANY dead animal product, why would you care if someone has used animal gelatine (or rennet, perhaps even stock etc!) in a product you would otherwise eat.
Conversely, if you didn't have to eat a dead animal product and instead had a perfectly viable alternative, why would you?
"OK, we want to make jelly, so we've get two options. We can use this vegetable stuff that we've made from seaweed extract, or we can take ol' Porky there, cut her feet off and boil 'em up."
Any vegan recommendations please for butter and cheese?
There's loads of non-dairy spreads. A vegan friend used to swear by non-dairy Vitalite.
Vegan cheese exists, though I'm lead to believe it's somewhat Not Good. I've never had it myself, I can't eat regular cheese and I don't particularly want to suddenly develop a mid-life taste for it.
OK, hands up, I was wrong
Kudos for having the testicular fortitude to admit that, many would've just gone quiet.
Any vegan recommendations please for butter and cheese?
Have yet to make vegan butter. Sarnies and toast I tend to use dairy free-spreads if anything, or vegan mayo, or homemade humus. Depends on the sarnie/meal. Sometimes warm extra virgin olive oil with a little shake of both garlic powder and salt. Goes nice on a decent salad sarnie or a piece of hot toast.
Cheese is not easy or cheap if going the cashew route. Commercial brands I find more ‘miss’ than ‘meh’, even. Have a look at recipes on youtube there are hundreds or more. Cheapest to make is probably to go the agar-agar route, and a pepper jack flavour is probably a safe bet.
For pizzas we use the Violife Grated Mozzarella flavour. Same stuff they put on the chilled Waitrose Vegan pizzas (so a store- assistant told me) So we bought a pack of cheese and a pizza, as the store-made pizzas are stingy on the old vegeese 😎. Looking fwd to spring as friend has a pizza oven and home-made pizza margherita IS still 10 times better than the best store-made.
I want to try making this pizza in the oven for a treat
Not much I can add except stay away from the ready meals, which aren't always as nutritionally good as they could be.
Recently I've discovered that green lentils, simmered for 30 mins or so in water with a veg stock cube, make an excellent base for a lentil bolognese. Very hearty.
I made the Chilli linked on Page 1 by Malvern Rider tonight.
Wow 👍 T'was very good indeed.
Eh, I bet mine's better. (-:
I'll stick up a recipe tomorrow.
There’s loads of non-dairy spreads. A vegan friend used to swear by non-dairy Vitalite.
Vegan cheese exists, though I’m lead to believe it’s somewhat Not Good. I’ve never had it myself, I can’t eat regular cheese and I don’t particularly want to suddenly develop a mid-life taste for it.
Thanks Cougar, shall take a look at Vitalite. There's a huge selection of vegan cheese available but am looking for a cheddar style that will hit the spot. Which won't be easy!
Have yet to make vegan butter. Sarnies and toast I tend to use dairy free-spreads if anything, or vegan mayo, or homemade humus. Depends on the sarnie/meal. Sometimes warm extra virgin olive oil with a little shake of both garlic powder and salt. Goes nice on a decent salad sarnie or a piece of hot toast.
Cheese is not easy or cheap if going the cashew route. Commercial brands I find more ‘miss’ than ‘meh’, even. Have a look at recipes on youtube there are hundreds or more. Cheapest to make is probably to go the agar-agar route, and a pepper jack flavour is probably a safe bet.
Thanks MR but have no intention of making them! By the way, I've read that a nut milk bag should not be used when making oat milk. Apparently a fine sieve should be used instead.
Cougar,
Conversely, if you didn’t have to eat a dead animal product and instead had a perfectly viable alternative, why would you?
“OK, we want to make jelly, so we’ve get two options. We can use this vegetable stuff that we’ve made from seaweed extract, or we can take ol’ Porky there, cut her feet off and boil ’em up.”
Well there might be many reasons, cost, availability, easy of use, quality/reliability of outcome, waste efficiency (How much effort, energy, water, air miles etc goes into harvesting and then extracting seaweed extract, vs using some bits of leftover animal that would otherwise be going to waste?), shelf life of the finished product, all spring to mind as factors that might be in some complex equation to decide which is better today. (I’m not suggesting that seaweed gelatin is any worse than meat gelatin in any of those criteria - I really don’t care enough to check - because I eat enough bacon to make me feel guilty about her leftover trotters*!)
The scenario I was imagining though was being out for food and faced with say a panacotta you really want to eat but technically can’t as a true veggie, or similarly with real Parmesan coated fries, or a lovely bit of toasted cheese with Worcester sauce...
*i’m not sure how much gelatin is commercially produced from trotters - they are too much of a delicacy for that - I suspect the bones whilst lower yield have less market value so are probably more common.
I like Vitalite. Not sure if its really much like butter, it does kind of taste of sunflower oil. But nice enough on my sandwiches anyway. Or try Pure dairy free spread.
Or I think all Flora spreads are now vegan, including the "Buttery" type. Not tried it myself.
Recently I’ve discovered that green lentils, simmered for 30 mins or so in water with a veg stock cube, make an excellent base for a lentil bolognese. Very hearty.
+1
Try this lentil and mushroom bolognese...
https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pasta-recipes/mushroom-lentil-pappardelle-bolognese/
On the veg/health advice make sure to get regular helpings of both whole grains PLUS pulses, nuts, legumes in order to provide complete proteins, as (except for whole soy ie tempeh, miso, tofu etc) in general plant-based proteins provide some the 11 amino acids we need from our diet yet they need to be combined to make complete protein (not necessarily together but it makes sense as a meal to have, say, rice + lentils)
Basically eat a varied diet and don’t sweat it.
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/do-i-need-to-worry-about-eating-complete-proteins/
Recently got a great book of veggie/vegan recipes.
It's by Meera Sodha and called East. it's full of different Asian dishes (Indian, Thai, Chinese etc) so if you like that sort of food it will give you lots of new dishes to try.
My wifes been veggie for about 3 years and I've slowly cut down on meat to the point now where I'm not eating it. I'm not categorizing myself as a veggie but I'm choosing options which don't contain meat.
On the sauce front Hendersons relish (Worcestershire sauce equivalent) doesn't contain anchovies and is also a superior product!
On the sauce front Hendersons relish (Worcestershire sauce equivalent) doesn’t contain anchovies and is also a superior product!
Never had heard of Hendo’s until recommended on STW. Was given a bottle last xmas. Lovely stuff.
We generally get Vitalite; both my non-veggie kids prefer it to butter anyway.
For vegan cheese I follow the "less is more" approach. Often, less equals zero. I was never a big cheese fan anyway.
I make up tubs of the Minimalist Baker 'parmesan' to sprinkle on food instead of grating cheese. Lovely, salty noochy goodness.
For vegan cheese I follow the “less is more” approach. Often, less equals zero. I was never a big cheese fan anyway.
I've gone down the zero cheese route as I just don't see a suitable alternative. But I loved cheese. In fact I probably loved cheese a bit too much. A lot too much. My weight loss and change in blood pressure and cholesterol reduction post veggie to vegan switch is probably as much down to the lack of cheese in my life as anything else. I see the vegan cheeses a bit like giving someone coming off the booze who was previously a red wine snob a dubious sugar free asda knock off of Ribenna. If I can't have the real deal any more I'd rather have non at all.
The good news is cheese free pizza is still nice. Different, but nice!
Top notch recipe here.
Just licked clean a bowl of this aubergine and red lentil dahl, and it’s 1. Economical 2. Addictively delicious and 3. Has great colour and texture, 4. Easy to make and 5. Nutritious.
For the rice Mrs Rider suggested mixing 50/50 wild rice and basmati, cooked in water with a stock cube. Really? Yes, yes, BOOM! Taste buds are singing. Sharesies:
https://www.easypeasyfoodie.com/roasted-aubergine-red-lentil-dhal-vegan/
* wait, here’s a pic: 
Do it!
Looks delicious that Malvern rider. I'll try it tomorrow. Did a mixed bean casserole tonight:
Seven bean mix (put in soak in the mornin)
Chopped leek (1), celery (1 1/2) garlic (3 cloves)
Fried till soft
2 tins chopped tomatoes/Passata
Onion powder, sweet smoked paprika and cayenne pepper
Added brocolli and a packet of Linda McCartney Vege sausages, chopped up
Lots of Vege stock
Served with a small portion of red rice (for texture rather than to make it a curry portion)
It takes a while to slow cook the beans, particularly the butterbeans, but it's so nice.one of the tastiest things I can do and so so easy
The scenario I was imagining though was being out for food and faced with say a panacotta you really want to eat but technically can’t as a true veggie, or similarly with real Parmesan coated fries, or a lovely bit of toasted cheese with Worcester sauce…
Eat what you want. No-one else really cares, why feel the need to conform to a label?
My point really was attempting to challenge that "eating meat" is the default and not doing so is considered somehow outlandish. Why do something just because everyone else does?
I forgot about this:
[Chilli] I’ll stick up a recipe tomorrow.
2 onions, diced
2 bell peppers, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
400g tin chopped tomatoes
400g tin red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
300ml stock
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp mild chilli
1/2 tsp coriander leaf
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tbsp Marmite
1 tbsp tomato puree
Chunk dark chocolate
Star anise
Pack Quorn mince
Fry the onion and garlic in a lug of oil on a low heat until softened. Add the peppers and give it another 5 minutes. Hoy in everything else bar the mince, bring to a simmer for maybe 40 minutes stirring occasionally (fish out the star anise after 10 minutes). Then chuck in the mince and give it another 10-15 mins.
This makes a pretty mild chilli suitable for a wide audience. Add more cayenne, chopped red chillies or chilli flakes to bring up the heat for chilli fiends.
Eh, I bet mine’s better. (-:
Now you have to do a chilli-off. If you lose (as did I) - it will at least be happily 🙂 (just dial the heat back by about a half)
Does such a thing as a veggie chilli-off exist?
I made that Knorr katsu curry the other night off the back of this thread. Absolutely lovely, all the family liked it and that's no easy feat. The sauce is really good, and you could swap the aubergine for pretty much anything that can be fried so really versatile.
I think in our house now we're probably 2-3 vegetarian meals a week now. I'm not entirely sure why I eat meat other than tradition to be honest. When I used to travel more for work it would have been very hard to be vegetarian but now it would probably be better for my health, my wallet and the environment. All the debates have been had about the morals of it, there's a good summary here. I struggle to square the circle of why I eat meat without falling back on tradition, but there's huge spectrum of beliefs out there.
Naturli vegan block was recommended by at a local vegan restaurant and is the best alternative to butter I've found.
To the OP: if you don't have a strong ethical reasons then you needn't describe yourself as a vegetarian. When my wife (who does most of the cooking) went veggie I thought that I might miss meat but it's the opposite, I very quickly found I just didn't even want any but I am not a vegetarian.
I don't quite understand why meat-eaters enjoy trolling on this kind of discussion. It's like a bunch of noisy pissheads gatecrashing an AA meeting with some tinnies, a bottle of vodka and bad breath. No problem with differerent perspectives but if you want to big up eating meat (and slagging off people who don't) then why not start your own thread?
If it's veggie chilli you want then this is worth a read - https://www.seriouseats.com/2012/01/best-vegetarian-bean-chili.html and the recipe is at https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/01/best-vegetarian-bean-chile-recipe.html I substitute a couple of the ingredients because some are hard to get but it makes a bloody good veggie chilli.
Asda vegan mature cheddar is OK. Asda vegan blue cheese is great - tastes of blue mould just like stilton!
I'm sure it does, but unfortunately anyone putting Quorn in would be instantly disqualified 😃Does such a thing as a veggie chilli-off exist?
I’m sure it does, but unfortunately anyone putting Quorn in would be instantly disqualified
I do know that the ‘bowl o’ red’ rules for (Texan style) chilli-con-carne are pretty strict on ingredients. ie no beans, pasta, rice or similar items, and no ‘complete commercial chilli mixes’
So a veggie cook off would be: ‘ no meat, pasta, rice, and no ‘complete commercial mixes’
http://abowlofred.com/official_rules_and_cook-off_forms
Quorn is a weird one. I don’t like the taste of it, but that shouldn’t exclude it from a cook-off 😉
It's just not necessary. It's not a vegetable, not everyone will want to eat it, won't add anything to the taste, and if you're banning "commercial mixes" you can't allow ultra-mega-processed ingredients... it's about cooking from scratch, surely!!
Lifelong semi vegetarian, recent full vegetarian (used to eat fish occasionally).
You don't really need to worry, you'll get plenty of protein as long as you eat reasonably. And any pretend meat won't be any worse for you than the real meat, but will still be a bit better for the environment.
Here's an odd thing. Since I've become full-time vegetarian, I've spontaneously lost about 8lb in weight.
Nothing much else has changed, its just happened- and I do feel much better for it. I think it just might be keeping a close eye on my diet but I'm not sure.
Bonus!
I made that Knorr katsu curry the other night off the back of this thread. Absolutely lovely, all the family liked it and that’s no easy feat.
Nice one! Pretty easy to mess around with it as the sauce is completely separate to any other “main” ingredient so if aubergines are not your thing, you can offer up anything that will taste good under a curry sauce - which is pretty much...anything! 😀
Here’s an odd thing. Since I’ve become full-time vegetarian, I’ve spontaneously lost about 8lb in weight.
Not odd your just eating fewer calories. Once you reach a weight your happy with look to increase those.
It’s not a vegetable, not everyone will want to eat it, won’t add anything to the taste
You've just described meaty mince there too.
quite right. Call me draconian, I probably wouldn't allow that in a veggie chilli either 😂You’ve just described meaty mince there too.