vegetarians please help!

I've been a veggie for nearly 5 years and I agree at first it is hard to find stuff to cook for yourself.

Recipes like Veg Pie, Rissoto and cauliflower cheese deserve a mention too. They are non meaty meals that the whole family could eat. It could be a way of making your whole family much healthier in the long run.

Also as well as adding soya mince to dishes, you could also try adding pulses, like lentils and kidney beans too.

I've gone a bit lazy with cooking veggie meals from scratch but I find Tesco do a good variety of frozen meals that she could eat. They are usually on offer too.

 

Another easy one that everybody likes: Roast vegetables with cous cous. Add Halloumi or Feta cheese and cherry tomatoes towards the end of the roasting for added flavour and protein.

 

I think that one of the biggest problems to switching over to a total vegetarian lifestyle is to substitute protein from meat and fish to other alternatives

not many people understand the importance of protein in a balanced diet

carrots and cauliflower etc do not supply protein

 

I been doing it - eating vegetarian food that is - for over thirty years and am still (relatively) healthy. I find getting the right balance has become instinctive.

 

Veggie pizza (best I've ever tasted) - Mrs Scrungee's adaptation of a recipe from 'The Telegraph'

Base: How to make the perfect pizza: pizza dough - Telegraph - but cut down on salt (and sugar) and save money by substituting sunflower/vegetable oil for olive oil.

Topping: How to make the perfect pizza: really intense tomato sauce - Telegraph - Just using tomato puree, onions, whatever veg you like, cheese and some herbs on top will be fine ('fine' may not be adequate, gorgeous may be more appropraite).

Cooking: How to cook the perfect pizza - Telegraph - best cooked in the oven on a pizza mesh (99p shop), or something like a Jane Asher pizza oven tray (forget what it's called).


Tommorow, Mrs Scrungee will share the secrets of her homemade 'Quorn Chicken & Mushroom Pies'.

 

Look forward to that Scrunge

Many years ago, before there was any such thing as a frozen veggie sosage or burger, I used to make my own.

I'd buy a bulk sack of soya mince, get a girt bowl, lob half a dozen eggs, marmite, veg stock cubes, herbs & spices & tamari in. Then fold the soya in till it was stiff enough to make into burgers, fry them up & save for the forthcoming barbeque.

I'd make 40 odd at a time & then clean up & make 20 odd vegan burgers using oats & flour as a binder, just in case any vegans turned up at the party.

Never much left over the next day & one chap even questioned why I was serving meat when I was a veggie.

 

I do that sometimes, and Boghoppers mushroom/onion gravy, too, but it's not the same as Welsh matriarch's gravy made with a massive chunk of Welsh Black dripping or farmyard rooster juices and lots of salty swede stock. I'm not a natural veggie, I think.

At the moment I'm really keen on noodle dishes. I don't think British cuisine has got much to offer the veggie, especially as I like strong, distinct flavours - so I like exploring far eastern dishes. They're generally easy and quick to prepare as well as being delicious.

As a veggie it's hard to avoid protein from beans, eggs, cheese, nuts, seeds, grains etc. Most people in the West probably eat too protein much rather than too little. There's a health benefit in that vegetarians are much more likely to get their 5+ a day.

 

You're not a Telegraph reader by any chance are you Scrungee?:WINK1:

 

A subscriber even (15% discount at Robert Dyas on Thursdays, etc.)


Quorn 'Chicken' pieces & mushroom pie - to serve 2 people


Filling - Half a pack of Quorn chicken pieces (which we only buy when on offer at half price and stick in our freezers), browned in a pan with some oil, then lightly fry about the same amount of mushrooms washed & sliced and a medium onion chopped, fried in the same oil. When cooked, drain and put in a pan/bowl to mix up with a small tin of condensed mushroom soup (which we buy when on offer, or when money off coupons are available or both) then after placing a pie funnel in position, spoon the filling into your pie dish.

Pastry - This pie only has a pastry topping, which consists of either shop bought ready made puff pastry (Jus Roll, etc., again bought 50% off. etc.) or home made (I prefer the shop bought stuff). Invert the pie dish on your pastry sheet and cut out the 'top sheet' about 8mm out from the perimeter (to allow for expansion). Use the off cuts to line the pie dish rim with a strips of pastry pressed down and brushed with water prior to adding the pastry topping (so it will will stick) and pressing the edges together with either fingers/fork. Place the pastry sheet topping in position and prick a few times with a fork for vent holes, including above the pie funnel vent.

Cooking - To produce a nice golden colour, brush top of pastry with either milk or egg. Place the pie in pre-heated oven 200 deg C/GM6 for 20 - 25 mins and adjust for fan assisted, etc. - you should 'know' your oven's little ways,