Idea for a simple but impressive veggie meal that isn't too hard to make?

[charchargabor]

I know I'm planning ahead a bit, but I'm doing a meal for my dad, his DP and my sis for Christmas instead of a present each, to save money. I've decided on carrot and lentil soup for starters and chocolate dipped strawberries and orange segments with something (don't know what). Stuck on ideas for main meal though. I need something which looks and tastes great, as Dad's DP is a really good cook. It needs to be simple and moderately cheap too. Any ideas? TIA!

Vegetarian lasagne is always a good stand by for special occasions. Make a nice pasta sauce, white sauce, add roasted pumpkin, carrots, etc, top with lots of grated cheese and bread crumbs. Or nut loaf is another veggie classic Nut Loaf

one medium-sized chopped onion
oil for frying onion
extra 2 Tbsp olive oil
1 ½ cups mixed nuts (e.g. brazil nuts, walnuts, cashew nuts, almonds)
1 ½ slices wholemeal bread (e.g. Vogels)
125 g cheese (e.g. cheddar)
3 eggs
seasonings (salt, pepper, chopped parsley, mixed herbs)

Fry chopped onion in frying oil and set aside. Use a food processor to grind nuts and bread, and to grate cheese. Transfer ground nuts, breadcrumbs and grated cheese to a large bowl. Add fried onion, 2 extra Tbsp olive oil and seasoning. Beat eggs in a separate smaller bowl, then add to mixture. Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Use a well oiled silicon loaf tin (otherwise it sticks to the tin). Bake 180°C for about 45 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

Larger loaf: Use a large onion, 2 cups mixed nuts, 2 slices wholemeal bread, 170g cheese, 4 eggs.

Or Crustless Quiche

¾ cup flour
4 eggs
40g butter
2 cups milk
½ cup bran
200g cheese
salt and seasoning
chopped fried onion

Rub butter into flour. Add beaten eggs, milk, bran, salt, grated cheese and onion. Bake at 165°C for about 30 minutes until golden brown and well risen.

thi smay not be grad enoug fo rsuch a meal - but it looks good and boy is it easy:

PAcket of cous cous - the flavoured stuff is great. Make accordign t instructin s - takes about 6 minutes!

Cut a varity of peppers into chunky strips plus some chopped courgettes and any other veg you like roasted - drizzle with olive oli and stick in oven at 200 c for about half an hour.
Then roast or dry fry slices of halloumi cheese ( manna from heaven IMO)
Serve raost peppers on the cous cous toped with halloumi cheese and a dash of your favoutie dressing.

YUMMY!

Are they 'real' vegetarians, or do they eat fish?

If they eat fish, salmon kaloubiac (think that's how it's spelt!) is always impressive. It's a mix of poached salmon and rice, with other ingredients I forget (!) all wrapped in puff pastry.

Or something I have done before is to make loads of pancakes, fill them with cooked asparagus and some blue cheese, make them into square parcels and then serve with a light, garlicky tomato sauce

maybe a quiche with haloumi, fetta, parmesan, tinned mint peas, mint, cream, eggs, cooked leek (spinach cut up if you want) served with a salad. The cheeses are expensive but can be bought months ahead if you buy them in the sealed bags. Don't know measurements... just improvise, about half of each cheese, leftover fetta served with left over baby spinach leaves and cherry tomatoes and balsamic vinegar for the salad. THe cous cous salad above is good with roasted cherry tomatoes to make 'juice' for the sauce, i also mix in some sunflower seeds and serve with baby spinach leaves. if using the flavoured ready made cous cous i use an equal amount of plain cous cous to lighten the flavour.

I also have a recipe (somewhere - can dig it out if you want) for a pea tart, which is really quick and easy.

Summary:

Make shortcrust pastry and bake blind in a tart dish

Filling is cooked (frozen) peas, blended with cream, baked in the pastry shell, with fresh parmesan on the top.

Looks lovely and is very tasty as well as easy.