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Vegan

Is this even possible?

13 replies

BarbarianMum · 10/09/2018 19:59

Can anyone help? Im looking to increase the amount of vegan meals my family eat to 3 per week. Due to my own health issues (coeliac disease/crohns) recipes need to be: gluten free, quorn free and not too pulse heavy (lentils are ok but beans only used sparingly). Also have 2 teenage boys who dont see salad as a whole meal (though happy to eat a wide range of salads as part of a meal).

Other than these restrictions we are incredibly unfussy.

I have an impressive no. of soup recipes, a vegan cottage pie recipe, a couple of curry recipes and cook pasta and vegetable sauce regularly but am struggling with a lack of imagination. Vegan friends of mine rely heavily on the foodstuffs I cant eat.

Can anyone suggest a cookbook/recipe ideas?

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KingIrving · 11/09/2018 00:03

Monday: Risottos with mushroom/aspargus/

Wednesday : homemade Sushi with avocado/cucumber/ crispy tofu / Baked tofu

Friday My teen;s favourite Tomato salad with chickpeas, onion, parsley and crystal salt

Sunday Vegan mexican with gluten free tortillas, guacamole and filled with oven roasted crumbled tofu (crumble hard tofu in a bowl, add smoke flavour, smoked paprika, garlic powder, tamarin or soy sauce than roast in oven, then heat a pan, good a sliced onion, sliced red pepper and add tofu, and here is your vegan "mince" )

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Twolittlebears · 11/09/2018 00:07

Try the 15 min Vegan recipe book. Recipes do take longer than 15 mins to cook but some good ideas in there and prob room for adaptions (e.g. substituting beans when called for)

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BarbarianMum · 11/09/2018 07:49

Thank you. Vegan Mexican will go down v well and although i fear sushi midweek may be beyond me I could certainly do it for a weekend treat. Will look at the recipe book for more ideas too.

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KingIrving · 11/09/2018 09:33

Here is the lament of a vegan Mexican restaurant in Sydney for some ideas www.badhombres.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2017/11/BAD-HOMBRES-FOOD-MENU.pdf
My favourite is the cauliflower .
My kids also like the vegan version of spanakopita. Gluten free FILO sheets, spinach cooked and drained then sautéed with garlic and onions. Set aside. Prepare a vegan filling with cashew and tofu , oil , garlic powder , a bit of nutritional yeast blend , a bit of lemon juice and blend max power it until cream. Add to the spinach and mix well
Take a filo sheet, brush oil , add a second sheet, repeat with third. Place the cheesy spinach in the center and fold into the shape or roll. Repeat until all is used . Cook on oven 180.
You can make individual shape, triangle .
LEftover sheets can be used for samosas

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KingIrving · 11/09/2018 09:33

Lament? Menu! Sorry on my phone

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BarbarianMum · 11/09/2018 10:22

Gluten free filo? Where? How?? (Scurries off to search on line)

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Flamingoose · 11/09/2018 10:38

Hello! I cook wheat-free vegetarian for our family and I hear you. It can get frustrating. We don't eat 'pretend' meat or quorn either. I will be watching this thread for ideas.

I think the key is not to include too many veggies in any one meal, so for example:
M: pumpkin and kale fajitas
T: pea and leek risotto
W: BBQ aubergine slices (divine) with falafel and salad
Th: cauliflower and chickpea curry
F: carrot, capsicum and bok choi stir fry

Also, rather than just having one 'curry' recipe, try some authentic regional Indian dishes. I started with Madhur Jaffrey World Vegetarian, but there's probably something more modern these days.

I do rely heavily on beans, chickpeas and lentils for my lot though though.

A lot of the time we have what my kids call 'jollop'; fry off an onion (carrot / leek / garlic / capsicum) and add whatever elderly veg needs eating up. Tin of beans. Handful of dark leaves. Tin of tomatoes. Season and simmer for as long as you've got. Serve with rice.

Oh - another thought - nachos; corn chips are GF aren't they? I know they're wheat free... plus salsa, refried beans, guac and bake. Yum.

Have you tried dry roasting cauliflower? It's amazing.

Baked potatoes? With coleslaw or ratatouille ?

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Flamingoose · 11/09/2018 10:40

Lee Watson is my favourite vegan recipe book at the moment. I find it easy to adapt his recipes to be GF.

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claraschu · 11/09/2018 10:41

1)Polenta (can be just salted or cooked with olive oil, sage, garlic, chilli flakes, or whatever flavouring you fancy)

Lots of side dishes to have with the polenta (choose a few):

black turtle beans with garlic, onion, cumin , coriander, tomato, salt and veg (chopped carrots, celery, peppers) if you like

fresh salsa

vegan pesto (basil (or another herb), walnuts, olive oil, salt, garlic, all blended)

sautéed mushrooms

tofu scramble

stir fried greens (collards, swiss chard, spinach or kale)

some form of chilli

caramelised onions

whatever veg you like

2) Make a crust of corn meal (basically finely ground polenta), salt, oil, and enough boiling water to make the dough stick together.
Press most of the dough into a pie dish or cast iron frying pan, and make it about 1/2 cm thick.
Fill with: chilli or sweet potato curry with chick peas and kale, or any veg stew you like.
put a few thin patties of leftover crust on top.
Bake at 200 until crust is well cooked- takes up to an hour depending on oven and other variables.
3) To make a salad into a meal, add chunks of tofu fried with soy sauce, roasted nuts and seeds, grated beet and carrot, avocado, and cold brown rice, to a green salad with whatever other salad veg you like.

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Almostthere15 · 11/09/2018 10:48

I'm not vegan but we were looking to reduce meat comsumption and tried lots of recipes. Not all were successful but I love these cauliflower steaks, I serve them with sweet potatoe wedges and I make the chutney in the recipe too. It looks as if it'd be suitable.

minimalistbaker.com/shawarma-roasted-cauliflower-steak/

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LauraMipsum · 11/09/2018 11:44

Have a look for Dreena Burton's recipe books. Don't be put off by a few of the more esoteric ingredients! Lots of hers are gluten free.

Also the Forks Over Knives recipes are often gluten free and none of them use quorn as they're all about the unprocessed food.

www.forksoverknives.com

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BarbarianMum · 12/09/2018 09:02

Thanks all. Lots and lots of tasty ideas here. Startingbto think that 3 times a week might be unambitious!

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ppeatfruit · 13/09/2018 13:50

Barbarian There are lovely pastas/noodles etc. made with rice and GF now. The Health food shop is your friend

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