MARCH Veg what's for dinner thread - Page 4

[imbarefoot]

Yum that sounds great!

[mamabeca]

Thanks for the gnocci recipe!! They look wonderful!

Warm compote...MMmmmmmm!

We've been on this weird road lately, w/the kids eating a lot more meat w/dh and me making quick froen stuff for myself (or eating crap food) - not good.

Tonight I made fake chicken patties for me, beef patties for the kids, w/roasted potato and delicata squash and peas on the side. It was totally yumm! Yesterday I made a fritatta w/another delicata (bought 3 on sale lol!), and it was chocka full of veggies and both kids had thirds! Dh had none. I swear I'm at the end of the rope w/him and his NEED BEEF attitude.

A friend bought me Rachel Ray's 30 min. veg cookbook for my b'day, so I'm going to peruse that tonight - it looks pasta heavy though. Anyone use this book before? Recipes you loved?

[SollysMom]

Tuesday was the same penne/spinach/canellini bean dish from last week.

Last night was Yummy Lentils and Spinach (modified to be less soupy and more spicy) served over rice.

[maciascl]

Last night we had BBQ seitan sandwiches, potato salad, corn & BBQ beans

Today DH is stopping at MIL's house to pick up chile rellenos, beans & rice that she had to make for us. She is an over the top people pleaser, but that is another story entirely...

[Keeta]

Tonight we had curried red lentil soup with garlic naan (storebought). The soup was sooo good though! I took an Indian cooking class and she taught us to prepare this basic all-purpose masala gravy that she incorporates into all her recipes for flavor. It's great, it freezes well and it's so easy to make a double batch to have on hand.

[SollysMom]

Tonight was black beans and rice.

[mamabeca]

Keeta - how do you make it??? I am always looking for good gravy like sauces.

[LukesMum]

I have been following this thread for months...bought Veganomicon and am ready to subscribe. Thurs night was Middle Eastern Couscous with Tofu, Zucchini and SUndried Tomatoes with a Rucola and Parm Salad and Vinagrette. It was given a 8, 7 and a 10 by my family.

We are hosting Soup Night here Sat. and I made the Creamy Tomato from Veganomicon, also making the Broccoli Potato and a pot of Black Bean --guests bring bread and wine

[425lisamarie]

Originally Posted by Keeta

Tonight we had curried red lentil soup with garlic naan (storebought). The soup was sooo good though! I took an Indian cooking class and she taught us to prepare this basic all-purpose masala gravy that she incorporates into all her recipes for flavor. It's great, it freezes well and it's so easy to make a double batch to have on hand.

Ummmm...recipe???? I'm in Seattle too, though I"ve never been to a cooking class I thought was worth it!!

[MittensKittens]

Originally Posted by SollysMom

Tuesday was the same penne/spinach/canellini bean dish from last week.

Last night was Yummy Lentils and Spinach (modified to be less soupy and more spicy) served over rice.

That looks nice, and simple to make

[Keeta]

Basic Curry Masala
by Archana Verma

Makes 1 Cup
(I usually at least double or quadruple this, freeze some)

1 T canola or coconut oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 T peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 tsp crushed or minced garlic
1 cup finely chopped onion (red or yellow fine)
1 1/2 cups chopped tomato OR 1/3 cup tomato sauce* + 1 T tomato paste

*plain tomato sauce in a can, NOT spiced Italian tomato sauce in a jar, y'know?

Heat oil in shallow pan over med-high heat, add the cumin seeds when hot and let sputter and plump, about 30 secs. Add ginger, garlic and stir for 30 more seconds.

Reduce heat to medium and add onions - stir and sautee about 15-20 minutes until the onion is browned and mixture starts to pull away from pan. Add tomatoes or tomato sauce+paste and cook 10 minutes or so.

Using an immersion blender or regular blender, blend until smooth.

------
So that's the main gravy - to make Chana Masala, you saute some more spices (1 T ground cumin, 2 T ground coriander, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp cayenne) in 1 T oil for 30 seconds. Then add 3 cans of drained and rinsed garbanzos, 1 tsp salt, 1 T lime juice, and 1-2 cups of water and 1 cup of the masala gravy, simmmer for 20 minutes and garnish with cilantro. Serve with rice or bread.

Same deal with daal - 1 1/2 cups red lentils:4 cups water, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp ground coriander, cook for 20 minutes until soft. In another pan, heat 1 T oil and add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds for 30 secs, then add 1/3 C masala gravy, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp garam masala. Stir into the lentils and serve, garnish with cilantro. Serve with rice or bread.

-------
Basically, you can use it as a base for pretty much any Indian dish. She told us you can add boiled spinach to the gravy with some (soy) yogurt and cubed tofu for Sag Paneer. Or add a little water and 4 C chopped veggies and some additional spices (can't go wrong with turmeric, coriander and garam masala) and a little water and you've got Mixed Vegetable Subzi.

I usually freeze it in 2 cup batches, but 1 cup might be better. She said you can also do it in ice cube trays.

[mamabeca]

Originally Posted by LukesMum

We are hosting Soup Night here Sat. and I made the Creamy Tomato from Veganomicon, also making the Broccoli Potato and a pot of Black Bean --guests bring bread and wine

Welcome! Soup night ... that's intriguing! Do you just swap around w/neighbors/friends kind of thing?

Thank you Keeta!!! That looks wonderful! There's a really good indian store near hear, well, not exactly near, but less than 1/2 hr. drive, and I got some great green and red chilis there, also curry leaves and some other stuff that looked yummy! I froze a lot of it - hopefully that doesn't kill the taste!

[SollysMom]

Originally Posted by MittensKittens

That looks nice, and simple to make

It is really easy! I use 1 cup of lentils and 2 cups of water to make it less soupy, though I still serve it with a ladle. I also double the garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes and use an entire bag of baby spinach.

[425lisamarie]

Thanks Keeta! Where did you take the cooking class? I need some kind of mom thing to do LOL, I was thinking of trying to find something like that to do

[rainyday]

Originally Posted by 425lisamarie

Thanks Keeta! Where did you take the cooking class? I need some kind of mom thing to do LOL, I was thinking of trying to find something like that to do

Not Keeta, but PCC has lots of cooking classes, and I know they have some Indian ones, as well as lots of others.


I've been trying to get back into cooking after a bout of extreme laziness over here. Does anyone else ever go through times where they just have zero inspiration? That's been me lately.

Tonight: Cajun chickpea patties, smoky greens, sweet potato fries, and homemade buns I made the patties last week, and they were delicious. Even picky DS and his equally picky cousin liked them! : They're definitely becoming part of our regular rotation.


Tomorrow: pizza night! I'll make a crust, and then we can all top our own pizzas or sections of a big one.

[fiddledebi]

Wednesday night I made the "Veggie Lunch Meat" from VeganDad (lord, I love that blog!), but instead of slicing it thin like lunch meat, I sliced it about twice as thick, dipped it in soymilk and dredged it in flour, and pan-fried it in EB with some sliced mushrooms and garlic. Mmmm, it was good. We had it with steamed broccoli on the side. Now I have to figure out how to slice it thin enough for sandwiches.

Last night I made my favorite chickpea soup and two loaves of challah, and we just had a simple soup-and-bread night, with a big bowl of strawberries and mango.

Tonight I'm thinking about making the pumpkin baked ziti from v'con. I want to get it all prepared and ready to pop in the oven when we get home from DD1's fiddle lesson at 5ish.

I keep looking at our CSA's website lately, hoping there will be some miraculous news about the share magically starting super-early this year. : I miss having nice fresh local produce! I am not yet ready to eat only local during non-growing-season, and so I am saddened to continue buying anemic broccoli and shamefully exotic fruit these days. Where's the spring asparagus already?!?! :

[Keeta]

Originally Posted by rainyday

Not Keeta, but PCC has lots of cooking classes, and I know they have some Indian ones, as well as lots of others.

Yep, I *LOVE* PCC's cooking classes. They're way more affordable than most others I've taken ($40 for 2-2/12 hrs) and they've all been great. Not all are vegan, but they do have quite a good vegan selection. The thing is to sign up early, because they do fill (at least they do at my location in West Seattle).

I've taken an Indian class, a Persian class, a class on incorporating sea vegetables into your diet, a Vegan Southern Comfort class, and I'm taking one next month on Soy Foods, taught by Louise Hagler herself! She wrote Tofu Cookery and several other soy-based cookbooks. The classes are just really great, and they feed you (not huge portions every time, but you don't leave hungry).

[LukesMum]

Originally Posted by mamabeca

Welcome! Soup night ... that's intriguing! Do you just swap around w/neighbors/friends kind of thing?

I am usually the hostess. I moved to Germany in July so dont have many friends yet. It started with 1 other family, added another, and now a new fam. is coming....but I may cancel as both my kids are sick (ugh) In the states, we would invited up to 8 families...it was easy and a blast--I had the right house and yard for it

[caiesmommy]

Wow! How did I not know about this vegan dad site..have I been living under a rock?

So happysince I have my 15 y/old cousin w me for the week and came her searching for food ideas...Breakfast today is potato pancakes and fruit..lunch im not sure of yet.

[brooklyn_warbler]

we are doing a cheesy baked pasta dish tonight with spinach, cashew cream, and homemade seitan chicken. we shall see how it turns out!