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Original poster

help - vegan coming for dinner.

376 replies

HufflepuffRavenclaw · 16/02/2023 15:44

Having friends over for dinner next week. Woman of the couple is quite faddy in her eating. Over the time we have know them she has been gluten-free for about 6 months, abandoned that and then gave up alcohol completely for about a year, stopped doing that and then cut out sugar, was also a pescetarian for a while. Latest is that she is vegan.

I am not a vegan and have zero interest in vegan food/cooking. I am looking for ideas which are easily adapted to vegan diets - so for example I could do tomato/mozzarella/basil and crusty bread for a starter and use vegan "cheese" for her.

Think I may buy a dessert for her as any decent pud has to have cream and butter in it.

Any ideas?

OP posts:
tattychicken · 16/02/2023 21:33

You sound limited with your cooking. Limited with your imagination. Unwilling to accommodate people who may well be having health problems leading them to try different diets.
It is really easy to accommodate vegans. Many PPs have made great suggestions.

EveryLittleWish · 16/02/2023 21:39

Curry is an easy one ! My mom is vegan and I’m not and there are plenty of recipes that are vegan (aside from the meat). I divide the portion into two batches , one with no meat and one with meat . I add tofu to the vegan one .

ThisNameIsNotAvailable · 16/02/2023 21:44

Another vote for Thai curry, vegetable and meat versions, jasmine rice and sides.
Pudding - fruit salad and / or sorbet
Starter - choice of tempura veg, fish cakes etc

and maybe something to chill you out a bit so you’re less edgy about this woman’s choices about her own body and life.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General food
Tinkerbyebye · 16/02/2023 22:48

I do vegetarian for when a friend comes but won’t even attempt vegan

and I can’t eat curries and chilli due to the spices so they are out anyway

Personally I am not going to buy in a load of stuff to cook a vegan meal with, that i am then never going to use myself , so i would cook as normal for the main group and buy ready made vegan meals for the vegan

notacooldad · 17/02/2023 08:46

I do vegetarian for when a friend comes but won’t even attempt vegan
it sounds like you are overthinking it.
Vegan doesn’t have to be about curries and spice. Virtually all my stir fries are vegan. I have about 6 different ‘go to’ easy ones that are fab. My burgers are fabulous and easy to do. When I want a bit of indulgence with my burger I pile it high with guacolmoe, bbq sauce, red onion and a tomato relish and serve with sweet potatoes fries. Nice simple lunches with friends are often flatbreads with jackfruit and a Greek salad. I love thinly sliced aubergine roasted and then rolled up with tahini and walnuts. Literally takes minutes if you have an air fryer and great as part of a tapas stile lunch with baked tomatoes stuffed with rice.
Just keep it simple if you are faced with cooking for a vegan. ( unless you love cooking and then the possibilities are endless)

Flowerypillow · 17/02/2023 08:50

Tinkerbyebye · 16/02/2023 22:48

I do vegetarian for when a friend comes but won’t even attempt vegan

and I can’t eat curries and chilli due to the spices so they are out anyway

Personally I am not going to buy in a load of stuff to cook a vegan meal with, that i am then never going to use myself , so i would cook as normal for the main group and buy ready made vegan meals for the vegan

You're not going to buy.....vegetables? 🤞

I mean, do what you like, but what do you imagine vegan food is?

Original poster
HufflepuffRavenclaw · 17/02/2023 08:51

Please stop the vegan suggestions, this isn't what I was looking for!

And do you really cook burgers or stir fry when having friends over for dinner? I'm not producing michelin starred food but when it's an "occasion" you go to a but more effort than a regular tuesday night meal with the kids.

OP posts:
ZenNudist · 17/02/2023 08:52

Move your car. Turn out the lights. Hide.

Quartz2208 · 17/02/2023 08:56

HufflepuffRavenclaw · 17/02/2023 08:51

Please stop the vegan suggestions, this isn't what I was looking for!

And do you really cook burgers or stir fry when having friends over for dinner? I'm not producing michelin starred food but when it's an "occasion" you go to a but more effort than a regular tuesday night meal with the kids.

yes a selection of mezzo/Chinese/curry dishes is as much of an occasion as what you are suggesting which sounds slightly 1970s.

i have to say before I started the vegan journey with DD I had similar misgivings that it was a much harder move from vegetarian but it is actually not at all

notacooldad · 17/02/2023 09:00

*Please stop the vegan suggestions, this isn't what I was looking for! I wasn’t giving you vegan suggestions. The conversation has evolved on this thread.

And do you really cook burgers or stir fry when having friends over for dinner?
my post with suggestions wasn’t aimed at you but yes, depending on the theme we may have a stir fry but that is only a part of the meal as we will have the appropriate wine, interesting sides etc with it. Other nights I will go all out and have a completely different style of evening. That will involve several courses over many hours. It works for usd and my friends keep coming back so🤷‍♀️

Letstaketotheskies · 17/02/2023 09:04

Korean Bibimbap.
Delicious and everything is presented separately so she can just not add the meat dish or egg to her bowl of rice (I always do hardboiled eggs as one component). No dairy involved anyway.

notacooldad · 17/02/2023 09:04

yes a selection of mezzo/Chinese/curry dishes is as much of an occasion as what you are suggesting which sounds slightly 1970s.

i have to say before I started the vegan journey with DD I had similar misgivings that it was a much harder move from vegetarian but it is actually not at all

While I agree with you to a point. my post was to someone who said they would never even attempt vegan. I was showing that it can be simple and not over complicated. Seeing that I have been cooking vegetarian and Vegan meals sir nearly 30 years I do have an idea on how to cook.

maddy68 · 17/02/2023 09:11

Make a veg tagine.
Pumpkin carrots potatoes , anything really.
Lob everything in the slow cooker including some dried apricots and dates and morrocan spice

It's delicious.

Serve with crusty bread.

You can cook a chicken breast to go with it if you HAVE to eat meat

monkeymagical · 17/02/2023 09:39

We did Mexican for a vegan dinner party – corn tortillas, pulled jackfruit, black beans, salsa, salads etc.. it was great and everyone loved it, not only the vegan guest. We didn't make a big deal out of it or single out the vegan guest with an alternative dish as we felt that would be a bit weird / rude. I'm sure everyone can cope with a vegan meal for a night..

Laurdo · 17/02/2023 09:41

Vivera chicken breasts are lovely. If you're serving chicken you could substitute vivera for the vegan. I've made balmoral chicken with it before. Veggie haggis and either use Richmond meat free bacon or squeaky bean pastrami. All available in most major supermarkets. Aldi do vegan fishcakes so if you're makibg fishcakes you could just use a ready made one for the vegan. Elmlea do a plant based double cream which in a sauce you wouldn't know the difference.

When I'm having friends round I often made Paella and tapas. Oxo do a vegan chicken stock cube. Make the paella with veggies only and fling in some seafood for the non-vegans when it's cooked. Tapas I make patatas bravas, garlic mushrooms, roasted padron peppers, grilled aspargus with balsamic glaze and mixed seeds, vegan meatballs (you could just make meatballs).

Welshmonster · 17/02/2023 09:42

just Go out to a restaurant as you clearly won’t be making this vegan food with love

notacooldad · 17/02/2023 09:44

I'm sure everyone can cope with a vegan meal for a night. monkeymagical
Apparently not according to many posters on this thread!

Ive done the same Mexican meal for friends a few times and it has always been a great night.

Original poster
HufflepuffRavenclaw · 17/02/2023 09:44

I'm sure I could "cope" with an entirely vegan meal. But that's not the point.

OP posts:
piesforever · 17/02/2023 09:44

You sound like you're from the 80s! Move with the times, who has stuffed chicken and buoef burgignon these days?! Asian or Middle Eastern all the way for vegan. And no I'm not one but I do open my mind to new things.

monkeymagical · 17/02/2023 09:46

wow.. I've just read all your responses. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to come to your place for dinner! You seem intent on making an issue out of something that really isn't an issue at all – rather an opportunity to expand what seems like a fairly old-fashioned / limited approach to food. We really enjoyed doing something other than what we would normally do for a dinner party (our go to is usually a leg of lamb with side dishes).

niugboo · 17/02/2023 09:47

I would be beyond irrigated if I turned up at a friends for dinner and found myself with a vegan dish because of someone’s fad.

Tell her the menu, she can bring her own. Or get take away and let her work it out.

Bigpinktrain · 17/02/2023 09:48

Katsu curry?
you could serve with pak Choi, gyoza, noodles or rice on the side.
you can use chicken thighs, cover in flour, egg, Panko. Do the same for the vegan except use aubergine, or tofu, cover in cornflour and then fry in separate pan. (I wouldn’t use panko for aubergine I don’t think it works as well as cornflour)

recipe for Katsu sauce;
tofoo.co.uk/recipes/tofoo-katsu/

Batcountry8 · 17/02/2023 09:48

I wish I knew this person I'd tell them not to bother going 🤣

niugboo · 17/02/2023 09:50

Oooh I’ve read your comments. I love you! Totally on the same page.

On that basis I worms suggest you go to marks and get her a vegan read meal for main.

for starter what you suggested. If vegan cheese is gross not your problem. You’re not eating it.

pudding wise whatever you want and give the vegan sorbet.

Bigpinktrain · 17/02/2023 09:50

Batcountry8 · 17/02/2023 09:48

I wish I knew this person I'd tell them not to bother going 🤣

Honestly me too- not sure why people get so personally offended by vegans. If you don’t like the guest OP don’t invite her round