Your foolproof vegetarian recipe

[winkywinkola]

that the children eat every time?

I'm keen to reduce out meat intake without using fake meat but am apprehensive as to what my lot will think.

What's your tastiest vegetarian meal recipe please?

Egg Fried Rice (Serves 2 adults or 3 children)

3oz brown basmati rice
a little sunflower oil
3 spring onions, finely chopped
3oz frozen peas
3oz frozen sweetcorn
1/2 red pepper, diced small
a little garlic and root ginger, finely chopped
2 large eggs, beaten
Light soy sauce
Sesame oil (optional)

1. Cook the brown rice, drain and reserve
2. Heat the oil in a wok or roomy frying pan
3. Sizzle the spring onions, garlic and ginger for a few seconds then add the red pepper and allow to soften
4. Add the peas and sweetcorn and keep stirring
5. Add the cooked rice and stir through
6. Now reduce the heat, push the pan contents to one side, tilt so that the empty side is nearest the heat and pour in the eggs
7. Keeping the pan tilted, beat the eggs gently as they cook to something between and omelette and stiff scrambled egg. Chop up lightly and stir into the rest of the pan contents
8. Finally add some soy sauce and finish with sesame oil

Colourful, tasty, and we call it 'Rainbow Rice'.

Sounds v tasty. Def give that one a whirl.

Macaroni cheese is a big hit in our house. Also homemade quiche (with ready roll pastry- I hate making pastry!) Or butternut squash risotto.

If you're looking to reduce meat intake rather than give it up all together and you don't have any ethical objections you could go the route of 'meat is a flavouring, not a food'. For example, a simple pasta dish with tomato sauce only needs an ounce or two of finely chopped chorizo to lift all the flavours significantly. We make this simple broth pretty regularly and it contains 200g smoked bacon but easily serves six to eight people

3-4 pints good chicken stock
200g pack (Sainsbury Basics) diced smoked cooking bacon

1 head of celery, chopped
6oz green lentils
2 onions, peeled and chopped
1 can cannellini beans, drained
Bunch of parsley, chopped
Seasoning

1. Heat a large saucepan or pressure cooker and cook the bacon until the fat starts to run
2. Soften the chopped vegetables in the bacon fat
3. Add the stock, lentils, half the parsley and some pepper (go easy on the salt because of the bacon) cover and simmer until the lentils are tender (about 30 - 40 mins)
4. Finally add the drained beans and the rest of the chopped parsley. Heat through and serve.

See, I knew there had to be some simple tasty ideas out there.

So bored of the bolognese/roast chicken/beef stew circuit.

Thank you. Much appreciated.

I'll also give you my recipe for basic Beanburgers. Depending on how adventurous you are you can either make them plain or add various spices to jooshie them up a bit.

Beanburgers (Makes about 4)
8-10oz cooked kidney beans (if canned, rinse and drain very well until they are nicely dry)
1 small onion, finely chopped and fried off until golden
1/2 carrot, grated
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons porridge oats
Seasoning
Chopped parsley

1. Roughly mash the beans, stir in the rest of the ingredients and leave to one side for about 30 mins so that the oats can absorb the egg
2. Using wet hands, form the mixture into patties and shallow fry both sides until firmed up and golden

Serve in toasted buns with the usual burger trimmings.

Cogito, are these your own recipes?

I mean do you experiment to get them?

The first two are. The last one I forget where I found it originally but I've adapted it a little.

There is another recent thread that lists lots of great veggie ideas that you might find helpful. Otherwise, my foolproof recipes would have to include: Lentil bolagnese and vegetarian jambalaya