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Original poster

Does this menu look ok?

99 replies

BellaAndDave · 27/10/2023 17:42

My DS is bringing his newish partner for dinner on Sunday and I’ve never cooked a full vegan menu before. Does this look ok? Is it too over the top for going to your new partners parents for dinner? I just want her to feel welcome.

Spicy butternut squash and sweet potato soup.

Beetroot and mushroom wellington, roast potatoes, parsnip and carrots tossed in dandelion honey and onion gravy will be on the table too.

Coconut passion fruit and mango pavlova.

OP posts:
zurala · 27/10/2023 18:17

And keep the three courses!! We almost never get to have three courses when out so it will be a real treat, just keep the soup portions small but the dessert is light so I don't think it will be too much food.

Thebigblueballoon · 27/10/2023 18:18

I think that sounds lovely. Really nice of you to go to so much effort for her, I’m sure she’ll really appreciate it.

UndercoverCop · 27/10/2023 18:18

Sorry didn't read properly,.dandelion honey isn't actual honey...
Well she will know you've made an effort, of course, but if that was my MIL I'd have been delighted (and actually it was because she went to similar efforts the first time I went for dinner after DH and I were a couple, even though we'd already known each other 15 years as teenagers/friends and I'd been to their house for dinner loads of times 😁)

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General food
TomatoSandwiches · 27/10/2023 18:18

@BellaAndDave wow, I didn't even know you could do that with chickpeas!
Thank you for the recipe 😊

PictureOfFlorianTray · 27/10/2023 18:23

Just to say , many vegans won't eat honey.

Your menu sounds amazing though!

Lilibert456 · 27/10/2023 18:26

Looks lovely. Lot of work for you. I will confirm that Alpro custard is delicious.

OhDoh · 27/10/2023 18:27

Sounds amazing. I would be touched if I went to a new partners parents and they made me this meal. X

EveryKneeShallBow · 27/10/2023 18:28

Sounds amazing. You are very kind to go to this trouble. Hope you have a lovely evening.

WomanStanleyWoman2 · 27/10/2023 18:28

It sounds delicious and I’m sure she will really appreciate the effort.

WomanStanleyWoman2 · 27/10/2023 18:29

also if I ate soup I would in no way be able to manage a full main. Soup is very filling.

Yeah, that’s why it’s almost never a starter in restaurants 😆😆😆

Finestreason · 27/10/2023 18:30

I don’t think it looks over the top, I am a very quick cook (out of necessity of sanity, not necessarily expertise) and could whip that out fairly fast.

Over the top often means that the environment is uncomfortable and anxious rather than the food being too formal or wrong for the occasion. If it is an informal meal then don’t tax yourself with cooking that stresses you over timings, potential cooking disasters, etc. because those stressors can detract from the relaxed atmosphere.

If you have time around your meal prep and serving to relax and enjoy the conversation (and eating) that makes almost any edible food enjoyable (for me anyway). I find it really difficult to watch someone want to enjoy a meal who overwhelms themselves with the cooking, I always want to help them out to alleviate their stress!

Hope it goes well, it sounds really yummy.

RaininSummer · 27/10/2023 18:31

This does sound amazing and very kind of you but you are definitely setting the bar high for future dinners with the lass. I do wish people would read threads before chipping in. It isn't honey!

dontforgetme · 27/10/2023 18:32

Fucking hell what time do you want me round?

As a pp said, I'm not vegan but I would demolish that menu!

maddiemookins16mum · 27/10/2023 18:33

Lovely but I think you need something green with the main. Your veg is all a bit starchy, potatoes, carrots and parsnips.

Poniesandrainbows · 27/10/2023 18:33

I'd find that far too much and too formal for meeting a new partners parents. I'd be on edge the whole time. I'd much prefer something very relaxed and easy to eat.

ThirtyThrillionThreeTrees · 27/10/2023 18:37

I'm not vegan but would happily eat that, although 3 courses might be a struggle.

Be guided by your son. He knows her best and will know if she'll find it too formal etc. I would consider dropping the soup.

Original poster
BellaAndDave · 27/10/2023 18:37

I’m an experienced cook and not worried at all about it but have practised the pavlova as the recipe wasn’t one I’d tried before. We’ll all be eating the same meal, I don’t see the point of cooking meat as well. It’s all just quite new to me and I really do want her to feel welcome in our home. It’ll be a Sunday dinner round a kitchen table, I didn’t want it too formal in the dining room or anything.

This a really stupid question but is most wine vegan? I was looking today in the supermarket and the ones I looked at weren’t marked vegan, it’s a learning curve for me tbh and Google is giving me so many different answers.

OP posts:
TenThousandSpoons · 27/10/2023 18:38

Sounds delicious and if you cooked this for me I would be thinking you would make a very lovely mother in law…

Original poster
BellaAndDave · 27/10/2023 18:38

maddiemookins16mum · 27/10/2023 18:33

Lovely but I think you need something green with the main. Your veg is all a bit starchy, potatoes, carrots and parsnips.

Should I add spinach or something similar?

OP posts:
bryceQ · 27/10/2023 18:38

Sounds lovely but I wouldn't bother with a starter

rainbowunicorn · 27/10/2023 18:39

RunningFromInsanity · 27/10/2023 18:11

Sounds lovely but also a bit try-hard if I’m being honest.
Why not just some normal vegetarian gravy? It’s a bit safer than assuming they like dandelion and honey (which most vegans won’t eat anyway)

It's not dandilion and honey gravy. The honey is a vegan honey made from dandelions where the pollen is exctracted and the honey man made. The OP{ says there will be onion gravy.

Thebigblueballoon · 27/10/2023 18:40

A lot of wines aren’t vegan, so you’ll need to be careful with that. If there’s a vegetarian shop near you they’d be likely to stock some. I’m sure more mainstream places do too, if you choose carefully.

BalloonSalesperson · 27/10/2023 18:44

Sounds like a vegan's delight to me. I often have to cater for vegan relatives and I'd love to be able to turn out this menu. I mean, I probably am able - just never been arsed to do 3 whole courses. But now I see that I should.

hermioneee · 27/10/2023 18:45

BellaAndDave · 27/10/2023 18:37

I’m an experienced cook and not worried at all about it but have practised the pavlova as the recipe wasn’t one I’d tried before. We’ll all be eating the same meal, I don’t see the point of cooking meat as well. It’s all just quite new to me and I really do want her to feel welcome in our home. It’ll be a Sunday dinner round a kitchen table, I didn’t want it too formal in the dining room or anything.

This a really stupid question but is most wine vegan? I was looking today in the supermarket and the ones I looked at weren’t marked vegan, it’s a learning curve for me tbh and Google is giving me so many different answers.

A lot of wine isn't even vegetarian to be honest due to the straining process (it used isinglass)
It's easy to find vegetarian wine that doesn't use it so you could safely say that would work,, because it's not like they use dairy in it instead!

When I was vegan that's how I'd do it anyway.

BalloonSalesperson · 27/10/2023 18:45

A lot of wines aren’t vegan, so you’ll need to be careful with that. If there’s a vegetarian shop near you they’d be likely to stock some. I’m sure more mainstream places do too, if you choose carefully

I think Aldi have specific, labelled, vegan wines.