Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Food/recipes

For related content, visit our food content hub.

So bored of everything we eat. Please inspire me!

204 replies

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 01/06/2013 19:45

I'm veggie, dp and dds are now meat eaters but since I do most of the shopping (online), meal planning and cooking (though dp is v good at doing prep etc) we eat veggie 99% of the time at home.

I tend to do lots of curries, chillis etc but we're all getting a bit bored of them tbh. It's also hard because dd1 won't eat anything in a creamy/cheesy sauce and I won't eat anything with tinned tomatoes, so that rules out a lot of pasta dishes for example.

Please inspire me!

Any good recipes with tofu maybe? Or something Thai-esqu? Or something with sweet potatoes which isn't a curry or a chilli? Or an exciting pie of some sort?

OP posts:
RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 02/06/2013 21:56

Arbitrary -

Can't imagine getting home from work at six and starting to make sushi. :)

Roast veg - yes, good idea to mix it with cous cous etc

Tofu in black bean sauce - do you buy the sauce?

Thanks both btw,

OP posts:
happyAvocado · 02/06/2013 22:00

did you try grilled haloumi with dd1?

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 02/06/2013 22:02

Yep - she won't eat it. She has never liked cheese much and now can just about cope with a bit on a pizza or sprinkled on pasta, but that's all.

I'm making them sound really fussy but they actually eat loads of fruit and vege, lentils, chickpeas etc, lots of spices, tofu, nuts, blah blah blah.

OP posts:
happyAvocado · 02/06/2013 22:05

this sushi looks actually easy
kitchenlivingwithcoryanne.com/chirashi-sushi-a-vegetarian-delight/

it's simply sushi rice cooked + flavoured with vinegret japanese style
it's topped then with stuff like a cucumber, avocado and fried tofu, more if available :)

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 02/06/2013 22:07

Yes, it does. Sorry Arb.

OP posts:
capercaillie · 02/06/2013 22:12

I recommend Hugh FW veg book. It's brilliant. We cook 5 out of 7 meals from it.
Our favourites are vegetarian kedgeree, cauliflower pakora, leek and chestnut risotto, the warm salads, North African stew, black bean chilli

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 02/06/2013 22:18

Caper - I've got it and dislike it. Lots of bland stuff, lots of (bloody evil) tinned tomatoes etc. I've been really disappointed with it tbh.

OP posts:
Accentuatethepositive · 02/06/2013 22:42

The cream cheese doesn't taste at all cheesy if that makes a difference, I think it's just a lazy way to make the pie filling thick and creamy!

No halloumi is tricky... And as for feta, DD is only 5 months old so I don't yet have fussy eaters to contend with yet except DH who also hates mushrooms but i just pretend not to remember

I am lapsed veggie so did have many recipes up my sleeve will try and think of more!

CharlotteBronteSaurus · 02/06/2013 22:48

courgette cakes are delicious. but faffy though - one for weekends.

baked eggs - swap the chorizo for aubergines, or cannelini beans.

CharlotteBronteSaurus · 02/06/2013 22:49

oh bum, just noticed no feta. that is hard.

Accentuatethepositive · 02/06/2013 22:54

Oh and I've had some good ideas from here:
www.mostlyeating.com/
-particularly like the savoy cabbage and chestnut sauté, though it's a bit wintry.

ArbitraryUsername · 02/06/2013 23:09

Remus, chirashi sushi (or 'scattered sushi') is just a bowl of seasoned rice with nice toppings. No fancy shaping or whatever, so you can do a quick and easy version.

ArbitraryUsername · 02/06/2013 23:16

DS2 loves haloumi.

I used gok wan's recipe for tofu and black beans. It's easy.

Accentuatethepositive · 03/06/2013 08:35

I've also just remembered a v nice veggie tagine with apricots and green lentils ( no tinned toms but it does use tomato juice, is that ok?). If you think that might me of interest pm me your email and I'll send you pics of the recipe.

LovelyBigBertha · 03/06/2013 08:39

Paella?
Quiche - or does that count as creamy?

LovelyBigBertha · 03/06/2013 08:40

Or cous cous - pinenuts, peppers, onions, pumpkin, chickpeas, anything in it really. Feta cheese and pommegranete seeds are also nice with it.

happyAvocado · 03/06/2013 08:42

I wonder how tasty this recipe is:
www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/vegan-chicken-nuggets

sounds very easy

ArbitraryUsername · 03/06/2013 09:01

Ok. Thought of a few more japanese-y veggie dishes. My children love japanese-y food.

You could do tofu in teryaki sauce (not traditional but my children love teryaki sauce, although we often have teryaki chicken or beef). You can buy the sauce in a jar but it is very easy to make. Mix up 125ml soy sauce, 125ml mirin (you can buy this in sainsbury's, but it's much cheaper in oriental supermarkets or online) and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Bring to the boil and then let it simmer for a couple of minutes (you can actually achieve this in the microwave if you don't want to wash up a pot).

Tofu with sweet miso sauce: Mix up the sauce from 3 tablespoons red miso, 1.5 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon mirin, 2 tablespoons stock (the Japanese use dashi, but you can substitute veg stock) and 1 tablespoon of sake (I never have sake in the house, so you can substitute sherry or Chinese rice wine or just more stock; it's fine). Grill thick slices of firm tofu for about 8 minutes, then smother in a sauce made from 3 tablespoons and cook until the sauce is warm.

You could also make a version of chicken and egg donburi (which my children love, love, love) using tofu cubes instead of chicken. Cook some Japanese rice (which my children like better than long grain rice because it sticks together). Make up the sauce in a pot. You need about 250ml of stock (you can use a half and half mix or sake and stock if you like, but I don't), 50ml of soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of mirin (substitute for sugar if you don't have any).

You poach the tofu (or chicken if you're using it) in this sauce. When it's pretty much done you pour in 4 beaten eggs stick a lid on it, turn the heat off and leave it to stand for 2 or 3 minutes. This will cook the eggs. You can throw in some spring onions before this, or after it too. To serve, put mounds of rice in deep sided bowls and ladel the sauce over this. It looks a bit odd but tastes fantastic.

Takikomi rice is also nice: wash 2 cups of Japanese rice (always wash Japanese rice before cooking, as it's very starchy) and put it in a heavy bottomed pot with some diced carrot and sliced mushrooms (or whatever veg you like really). Make up the cooking liquid from 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon mirin and (optional) 1 tablespoon sake, with enough water or stock to make up to two cups of liquid. Add the liquid to the pot and bring to the boil with the lid on. Once it's boiling turn the pot right down as low as you can for 15 mins. Then turn the heat right up for about 30 seconds before turning off and leaving for 10 minutes. Don't take the lid off at any point during the cooking process. Once it's done, mix everything and serve.

You can do a kind of vegetarian barbecue thingy too. The sauce is easy: 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon mirin, 1 tablespoons sesame oil, I tablespoon chopped garlic. Pan fry or grill something with a meaty texture, like slices of aubergine or you could grill slices of tofu. Add the sauce when it's done and let it heat through.

happyAvocado · 03/06/2013 09:36

ArbitraryUsername - I'd liek to ask yo ufew questions about Japanese cooking
How would you make veggie japanese soup?
As we are in UK - which brands of soya sauce and miso would you recommend?
I live v.near Wing Yip where they have massive aisle with Japanese ingredients so I guess you could suggest some other brands and they may be there or somewhere online.

ArbitraryUsername · 03/06/2013 10:03

Now, here you are imagining that I am actually knowledgeable about Japanese cooking! I kind of wing it (or ask the nice people in the Chinese supermarket for advice). I just buy whatever mirin comes in a big bottle and is reasonably priced in the Chinese supermarket. Same with soy sauce.

I buy whatever miso is available. You only really need to know whether you need red, white or mixed miso generally. Sometimes I'm buying it in sainsbury's so it really is a case of whatever they've got. In the Chinese supermarket I just choose something and hope for the best! Usually turns out absolutely fine, but the staff are really helpful and are willing to answer what must sound like totally idiotic questions from me. The only thing really to watch out for is that some miso has dashi already in it (it will be labelled as such by this might be only in Japanese and MN won't let me post the Japanese characters to show you want that would be). Additive free miso won't have any dashi in it. You can check the ingredients list too.

I usually make a veggie soup by substituting veg stock for dashi (or even chicken stock, as I'm not vegetarian but I used to be). You can make a lovely noodle soup using a miso soup base (again, substituting veg stock for dashi) or you can flavour up some veg stock with garlic, ginger, soy sauce etc. Or you can make a proper veggie dashi stock using kombu and dried shiitake mushrooms, or just kombu.

fl0b0t · 03/06/2013 10:16

Hello there! I'm not a veggie but I do like making this (to which meat can be added if you wish!): Aubergine and mozarella stacks.

Slice aubergine, cover in oil and season, then fry or griddle until soft and a little crispy on the outside. Slice mozarella and make into little stacks 4 slices of aubergine high with mozarella inbetween (and a sprinkling of paprika and thyme). put in the oven about GM 4 for 15 mins whilst making something to go with. I tend to fry up onions, garlic, green beans and chopped fresh cherry tomatoes with a little stock, sometimes lentils, more paprika... or just add any vegetables that are in the fridge, and serve with couscous. Non veggies can add black pudding to the stacks or chorizo/bacon to the veggies! Yumyum.

fl0b0t · 03/06/2013 10:17

Also, Butternut squash is amaaazing! I use it in risotto, soups, making chips with it, roasting it.. yummy yum. Great with other roasted mediterranean veg and home made harissa paste (garlic and chilli mostly!).

spex11 · 03/06/2013 10:32

I also cook for a mixture of veggies and non-veggies. Yotam Ottolenghi's recipies are something special - his veggie food is never, ever boring!
www.guardian.co.uk/profile/yotamottolenghi+lifeandstyle/vegetarian

fuzzpig · 03/06/2013 10:55

Marking place to read later. Not a vegetarian but we are cutting right back on meat at home and could use some inspiration to avoid endless pasta! :)

fuzzpig · 03/06/2013 10:58

But before I read, just wanted to say one of my absolute favourite things - baked sweet potato with feta cheese and spring onion.

Not that my DCs like it really. DD (nearly 6) is getting better at trying new veggies, but 3yo DS is going through a really limited, fussy phase, and I'm getting bored with infinite cucumber/carrot!