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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:
ShowOfHands · 27/10/2023 19:40

I'd just check with your DS. I eat most things (as long as they're vegetarian) but I loathe beetroot with a passion. And I'm teetotal. I obviously wouldn't want wine and while I'm polite and would eat your main, I'd feel quite sick afterwards. I eat literally any other veg.

Glad you've practised the pavlova. I was vegan for a while and never tasted decent vegan pavlova.

Ladyj84 · 27/10/2023 19:45

Oh my that sounds lovely I think you need to make a group invite 🙂

howdoesyourgardengrowinmay · 27/10/2023 19:58

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 27/10/2023 18:07

I have googled and apparently strict vegans exclude honey from their diet because they believe it involves exploiting the bees, @BellaAndDave - maybe use brown sugar on the carrots instead?

FREE THE BEES 🐝

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General food
pilates · 27/10/2023 20:26

Sounds delicious 😋

DilemmaDelilah · 27/10/2023 21:53

I bought vegan wine from Morrisons when my brother-in-law came to stay. It wasn't even that hard to find, and I think there may have been a choice. I made a mushroom bourguinon for him and it went down very well, although he did ask what was in it to give it the dark brownish colour, and was very relieved when I told him it was just red wine and chestnut mushrooms giving the colour. I made him a roasted vegetable and vegan cheese tart for lunch the next day, using ready made puff pastry from Morrisons. I was so pleased when I found out it was vegan... no dairy in it whatsoever! Disappointed to find out that vegan cheese doesn't melt though.
if I was coming to you, I would be worried about how much spice there was in the soup. I don't really eat spice as in hot spice, although I love not hot spices. And I also strongly dislike bitter, so spinach, sprouts or cavolo nero would all be a big no no for me, but I am aware I am very fussy and I could certainly never be a vegan, or even a vegetarian. How about tenderstem broccoli? Something green and fresh would be nice. That pudding looks amazing!

junbean · 27/10/2023 22:15

That sounds delicious! I'm vegetarian and used to be vegan and I'd be very happy to have such a lovely meal. I wouldn't say it's heavy, as I get very hungry after only having soup.

ZZGirl · 27/10/2023 22:20

I'm vegan and I'd be thrilled with that menu

Original poster
BellaAndDave · 27/10/2023 22:21

I checked with DS and he agrees drop the soup, he said the rest of the menu sounds lovely. They’ll bring some wine so that’s sorted as I was a bit worried about making sure the wine was vegan. Maybe I’m trying too hard and overthinking things but I’d rather someone wasn’t worried about coming to my home to have Sunday dinner. I’m going to do green beans and kale instead of the roast parsnips and carrots.

My friend introduced me to the dandelion honey, it really is lovely. I hadn’t heard of it before tbh.

Thank you for your lovely comments and really helpful advice. I’ll update on Sunday how it went. From what DS has said she’s lovely, he adores her and her children. We want to be welcoming without overwhelming and I know they’ve both taken their time in getting to know each other over the past 2 years especially with the children involved. The children won’t be with them this weekend. I can’t deny I’m excited to meet the woman who DS says may become my new DIL.

OP posts:
WomanStanleyWoman2 · 27/10/2023 22:26

Have a lovely day and enjoy your meal 🙂 It’s so nice to se me someone being welcoming to someone with a specific diet rather than acting like it’s a problem!

maddiemookins16mum · 28/10/2023 17:07

BellaAndDave · 27/10/2023 22:21

I checked with DS and he agrees drop the soup, he said the rest of the menu sounds lovely. They’ll bring some wine so that’s sorted as I was a bit worried about making sure the wine was vegan. Maybe I’m trying too hard and overthinking things but I’d rather someone wasn’t worried about coming to my home to have Sunday dinner. I’m going to do green beans and kale instead of the roast parsnips and carrots.

My friend introduced me to the dandelion honey, it really is lovely. I hadn’t heard of it before tbh.

Thank you for your lovely comments and really helpful advice. I’ll update on Sunday how it went. From what DS has said she’s lovely, he adores her and her children. We want to be welcoming without overwhelming and I know they’ve both taken their time in getting to know each other over the past 2 years especially with the children involved. The children won’t be with them this weekend. I can’t deny I’m excited to meet the woman who DS says may become my new DIL.

Oh how lovely. Look forward to the update.

Chagnedname · 28/10/2023 17:15

Fancy

Original poster
BellaAndDave · 29/10/2023 22:28

The menu was a success and the pavlova turned out fine, the food was really filling without the soup so thank you for that advice.

We had a great afternoon/evening. I’m so looking forward to welcoming all of them as their own wee family between Christmas and New Year and meeting the children ☺️

OP posts:
momtoboys · 29/10/2023 22:39

It sounds delicious and I'll bet the partner will feel very well cared for.

What time should we be there? Grin

ShowOfHands · 29/10/2023 23:11

momtoboys · 29/10/2023 22:39

It sounds delicious and I'll bet the partner will feel very well cared for.

What time should we be there? Grin

Do you have a time machine?!

I'm so glad it went well op 😊

soundsys · 29/10/2023 23:32

It all sounds amazing OP! (I'm vegan and would be delighted with that!)

ScremeEggs · 30/10/2023 01:36

That all sounds absolutely amazing!

ScremeEggs · 30/10/2023 01:37

Oh, just seen your update that it all went well, good good 💕

SiobhanSharpe · 30/10/2023 01:49

You could also substitute maple syrup for the vegan 'honey' on the carrots and parsnips if you like it. It goes very well and you don't need much. Or mix it with some white miso paste before putting it on them , for a touch of umami.

SiobhanSharpe · 30/10/2023 01:50

Or next time you do them!

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 30/10/2023 05:10

SiobhanSharpe · 30/10/2023 01:49

You could also substitute maple syrup for the vegan 'honey' on the carrots and parsnips if you like it. It goes very well and you don't need much. Or mix it with some white miso paste before putting it on them , for a touch of umami.

This sounds delicious.

Glad it all went well OP.

sashh · 30/10/2023 05:23

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.

I know this is a bit late but with the wine, it depends what has been used to clarify it, often it is isinglass which is fish swim bladder or bovine gelatin, neither are any good for a vegan.

A lot of (but not all) kosher wine is vegan. Aldi do about 20 vegan wines.

I'm so glad it went well, I know vegans are always pleased there is something they can eat.

StillFanta · 30/10/2023 06:26

YUM! Well done OP, that sounds delicious and I think it's fab you went all out to include them Smile

willowstar · 30/10/2023 07:45

I would struggle to eat three courses unless the meal was really strung out. I would ditch the soup and just have some nibbles like olives when they get there. Three courses seems quite formal.

Booklover23 · 04/11/2023 15:07

I’m not a vegan and it sounds delicious to me!

I don’t think it’s too formal - I’d find it really lovely that you’d gone to so much effort.

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