# April Veg Mamas



## cresorchid (Nov 14, 2004)

Hi,

I hope I'm not stepping on anyone's toes but I couldn't find an April list. I knew I missed hearing from everyone for a couple of days, but I didn't realize why.


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## shelley4 (Sep 10, 2003)

i'm here!!!! i hope everyone has a delicious April


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

I'm in too - Happy April everybody!

I'm so happy that spring fruits and veggies are starting to appear. Had roasted asparagus yesterday that wasy so good. Today made ice cream with strawberries and coconut milk - YUM!


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## kaydee (Aug 13, 2004)

The first flowers have appeared on our raspberry bushes, and it looks like we'll have a ton of blueberries and apricots this summer, as well. Yippee!

I have to battle the birds and squirrels for the apricots, but (so far) they have left the berries alone...


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## edamommy (Apr 6, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *cathe*
I'm in too - Happy April everybody!

I'm so happy that spring fruits and veggies are starting to appear. Had roasted asparagus yesterday that wasy so good. Today made ice cream with strawberries and coconut milk - YUM!


Do share this recipe cathe!


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## edamommy (Apr 6, 2004)

Yeah! Vegheads love Spring... am I right ladies? I had roasted Asparagus last night w/ ww pasta and feta. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

What do the rest of you enjoy about spring foods?


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## cresorchid (Nov 14, 2004)

Hi Kdaydee, I'm jealous of you with your berry bushes. I don't have any, but I can remember picking the berries that grew by our house as a child. It is something I have wanted for ages but have never found a good spot. I can't use the backyard because I think my dogs would destroy the bushes and I don't want to put them in our front yard because I bet neighbors and even strangers would feel quite comfortable picking all the berries off the bushes-I live near an elementary school and I can't tell you how often people let their kids walk all over our yard or throw their trash in our yard.


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

edamommy - for the ice cream I put two cups coconut milk (I used lite because that's all I had), 1/2 cup pitted dates, 2 cups hulled and halved strawberries, and 2 teaspoons vanilla in blender - puree until smooth. Chill in refrigerator for a couple of hours then put in ice cream maker. (The recipe was adapted from Vice Creams).


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## isosmom (Apr 23, 2004)

Hi all








I am loving the spring. Going to the market today to buy some lovely greens and asparagus.
Cathe, that ice cream sounds so good. Do you think it would turn out if I didn't have an ice cream maker? (please say yes :LOL )
I'm really trying to eat healthier these days and am trying to cut down on my dairy. I'm planning on making one of my meals (at least) a week just veggies and a grain. It feels really good to eat lighter I think.


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

Do you have a food processor??? Then make my "better than ice cream." Use 1 cup frozen sliced bananas, 1 cup frozen strawberries PUt in food processor and pulse to chop up the fruit. Then add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk (you can use coconut milk or soy or rice or dairy) thru the top until it's creamy. It's best to eat this right away because it gets hard in the freezer. If you do freeze it, you'll need to leave it at room temp a little while to soften. But believe me it is really really good.


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## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

subscribing


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## marilynmama (Oct 20, 2003)

OK, this may sound really stupid so please dont laugh. I have found myself eating more veggie lately and started wondering about the health benefits of living with no meat. I dont think I am interested in giving up milk (I get raw organic) or eggs or raw cheese, other dairy, but the meat I think I could do without. Part of it is I am grossed out with modern farming methods/factory farmed meats and can not afford organic beef.

Are there some good studies/articles I could look at and show dh about why veggie eating is healthier so he will be more open to it and at least *try* some veggie things...lol I have looked at some links I found searchig online (vegweb) but couldn't really find what I was looking for.

Thanks


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

This looks like a neat book, Marilyn http://www.thekrishnastore.com/Detail.bok?no=745


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## PikkuMyy (Mar 26, 2004)

Howdy Ladies!

Can you believe that I have eaten local, organic roasted asparagus 6 times in the last two weeks! We'd never made it roasted before but I read about it on a thread here and it's so good!

I've also eaten several pints of strawberries myself now that I can get them locally. Hooray for living in CA! The coconut milk ice cream sounds heavenly. one of these days we'll get an ice cream maker but we want a breadmaker first because we'd use it so often.


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## sadkitty (Jun 24, 2004)

Yumm! I want roasted asparagus !
















Today was DH's birthday and I made the most awesome, but insanely bad for you, VEGAN CHEESECAKE topped with fresh strawberries


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

How can a vegan cheesecake be bad for you?


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## sadkitty (Jun 24, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kavamamakava*
How can a vegan cheesecake be bad for you?


Tofutti cream cheese, graham crackers, sugar, fakey butter. But sooooo very tasty.


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

Marilynmama - "The Food Revolution" by John Robbins is very good - and if you want to be convince about how terrible factory farmed meat is, read "Mad Cowboy"


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## shelley4 (Sep 10, 2003)

hey, cathe, do your gingerbread bars freeze well?


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

yup.


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

Oh btw I got my soy milk maker and I LOVE IT! I have made two batches so far - it is so easy and tastes great. And I can't believe how cheap it is to make. You need just 1/2 cup of soy beans to make about a quart and a half of milk. I'm going to try rice milk today. I'm also looking forward to making my own tofu. I can't believe how much money and packaging this will save!


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

I was wondering if anyone had a yummy rice pudding recipe to share? I'm not vegan. I have lots of milk and want to use it. I'm open to using eggs even though I don't eat them as a main dish but only mixed into something like cake or cookies.

I'm envisioning some sort of thick pudding, that isn't too thick, that I can keep in the fridge and serve the kids for breakfast. I can't seem to find a recipe that fits what I'm envisioning.
I have (but don't need to use all of these ingredients):
milk
rice
eggs
vanilla
nutmeg
cinnamon
cardamom
saffron
raw sugar
evaporated milk


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

I love horchata. Can you make that with the soy milk maker?


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## shelley4 (Sep 10, 2003)

shoot, forgot to ask.. does anyone know if corn bread/muffins freeze well too??? i'm trying to stock my freezer full of snacks !


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

I haven't tried corn muffins, but I made blueberry and lemon poppyseed and they froze well. I cut them in half before freezing because they were pretty big and they were easier to reheat that way.


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

Corn muffins freeze fine.

What's horchata?


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

It's a rice drink I've had at Mexican restaurants. It's the consistency of Rice Dream and it's sweet and has cinnamon in it.


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## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

horchata is just rice milk with vanilla, sugar and cinnamon added. and yes you can make rice milk with the soy milk maker


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## isosmom (Apr 23, 2004)

kava - Here's recipe for rice pudding.
1 c rice
cinnamon stick or vanilla bean
1 T orange zest
1/4 t salt
3 c milk
1/3 c to 1/2 c honey
ground cinnamon
Simmer rice with 2 1/2 c water and cinnamon or vanilla, zest, and salt about 15 tp 20 minutes. Add the milk and stir in the sugar. Boil, then lower the heat and simmer until thick but still a little loose, 30 minutes or so.

I would add your saffon either when first cooking the rice or when you add the milk.Would taste great with nutmeg and/or cardamom and just substitute sugar for the honey!


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## UUMom (Nov 14, 2002)

We eat 80% or more veggie (and never try to get people to 'try a little meat'. Oy. No). Is it ok to join? I saw Christina Cooks the other day and she made a wonderful millet soup. I;m in the northeast, so no local summer veggies for a while a while yet.







But the spinach looked good and so did the asparagus! The asparagus I got from Whole Foods the other day was wonderful.

I'm still using up the rest of our local squash. :LOL It's not gonna last unitl July, however.

Long winters are yucky.


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

I love butternut squash soup, Momma4 made with apples and maple syrup and heavy cream


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## Sativarain1 (Feb 27, 2003)

YUM!~ homemade strawberrries & cream icecream and roasted asapargus... Cathe all of your recipes look delicious!

Kavamamkava could you post the recipe for the butternut squash soup?

In February we went back to eating 90% vegetarian. I still eat organic chicken twice a month. I get a lot of flack from my family but I deal with it. hope I can join too!

Valerie


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## cresorchid (Nov 14, 2004)

You guys are all making me hungry despite the food I've been eating today. I made homemade pizza and also had pancakes for supper. After reading the most recent posts I want to go back down and eat some more!

Horchata sounds interesting (and aren't those soymilk making machines wonderful?) I usually make soymilk and I will add a bit of vanilla to each batch and sometimes cinnamon flavoring. I wonder if that tastes like horchata.

Have a great evening everybody.


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

I made the rice milk yesterday but it was kind of watery. I followed the directions which said to use the same about of rice as soy beans but I think I should use more rice. That sounds yummy to make the horchata - when I made rice milk before (without a machine) I remember how yummy it tasted warm with a little molasses.

I'm going to try almond milk next. It's so fun to have a new toy!


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

Valerie: I don't have the recipe written down, but I can write what I do: serves 3-4

1 med butternut squash (about 3 lbs)
2 apples
1/8 c. maple syrup
1/4 c. heavy cream
shallots - about 1/3 cup chopped
2 T butter
4 c. soup broth (or water if you have none)
1/8 tsp nutmeg
salt to taste

Cut squash in half and scrape seeds out and set seeds aside. Cut squash and apples in chunks to fit into a steamer. Chop shallots.
In a large pot used for steaming (but without the steamer attachment) sautee shallots and seeds in butter until the shallots are translucent and starting to brown a little. Add soup broth and bring to a boil. Put squash and apple in the steamer attachment and put on top of the broth. Cover and simmer for 20-30 mins until squash is cooked.
Peel the squash and apples. It's easier if you let it cool a bit or you can run your fingers under cold water before touching a piece and keep doing this to keep your fingers cool as you peel. (You could peel before cooking but I find peeling after to be much easier).

Set the squash and apples aside in a large (6 cup) serving bowl or pot. Pour the broth through a strainer to add to the squash and apples. Use a hand mixer or pour in blender/food processor to smooth out the soup. Return it to the pot and heat to almost boiling. Add maple syrup, cream, nutmeg, and salt right before serving.


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## UUMom (Nov 14, 2002)

Tonight I pressure cooked one of the squashes with millet and onion. It came out delish, but it's so wintery. :::grumble::: I love squash in soups.







But where the hey-ho is summer???


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## Quirky (Jun 18, 2002)

cathe, where did you get your soymilk maker? I've been veggie for years, but now I'm dairy-free b/c of my newborn's reflux....oy! Most of our dinners are vegan but I'm having a hard time without my kefir and yogurt, not to mention milk for my tea. Maybe if I have a new gadget to distract me....:LOL


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## cresorchid (Nov 14, 2004)

Hi Quirky,

I bought 2 soymilk makers and ended up returning the one I didn't like as much. The Soytoy is very heavily marketed, but it grinds the beans up too finely so I returned it. I kept the Soyajoy (http://www.soymilkmaker.com). I've heard that there's also a good machine called the Soyaluck.

I also make homemade yogurt from my soymilk. It's amazing what you can do with a few great kitchen gadgets.


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

Quirky: I know some people who were ok with eliminating all dairy except yogurt.


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

I got the SoyQuick soymilk maker. I was at the Natural Products Expo last month and I tasted the soymilk they made and I was hooked. Here is their web site: www.soymilkquick.com .


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## Quirky (Jun 18, 2002)

This looks like a must-have gadget! I would love to make soy milk, almond milk, rice milk, oat milk.....









Cathe, did you spend the extra $40 to get the additional year warranty? Is it a sturdy machine, or is it likely to need repair within 2 years?


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## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

we've had a Soyajoy for 2 years now









btw if you want to make your milks creamier/richer just do a second cycle with milk from the first cycle filled to the water line and new almonds/beans/rice.


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## edamommy (Apr 6, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kavamamakava*
I love horchata. Can you make that with the soy milk maker?

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/horchata.htm


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

They didn't mention the extended warranty when I bought it. The machine seems quite sturdy to me though.


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

I looked at the horchata recipe - didn't realize that it was a cold drink. Is it fermented?


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## PikkuMyy (Mar 26, 2004)

FOr those of us too lazy to make it ourself, Rice Dream now MAKES horchata!! Isn't that cool! No, Cathe, it's not fermented. It's just cold and sweet with lots of cinnamon. The first time I had it, my Guatemalan friend's mom made it fresh for us in her blender on X-mas eve. It was sooo good!


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## edamommy (Apr 6, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *PikkuMyy*
FOr those of us too lazy to make it ourself, Rice Dream now MAKES horchata!! Isn't that cool! No, Cathe, it's not fermented. It's just cold and sweet with lots of cinnamon. The first time I had it, my Guatemalan friend's mom made it fresh for us in her blender on X-mas eve. It was sooo good!


I looked at the imagine website and couldn't find the horchata... where did you see/purchase it?


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## Arwen (Dec 23, 2003)

I havent been on here in ages! I started college again, decided my calling was Literature rather than Nutrition...only six more years and I can get my PH.D in English Lit!

Anyways, because I am so strapped for time lately I have not been able to cook hardly at all! Poor DD has been eating restaurant food almost every night for dinner! However, DH sprung for dinner at Millenium in San Francisco, restaurant food that I could eat every day of the week. It was incredibly expensive, but so so so good. Eric Tucker is my God.

Whoever has super quick, super easy and also healthy vegan recipes please, please post them! I premade a bunch of waffles that I froze, so at least DD gets a good homemade waffle with flax oil in the a.m, and a I make her a good lunch and snacks for school, but I need dinner ideas. I can make burritos only so many times a week, and DH is pathetic in the kitchen. He can't even make rice! I'm going to invest in some vegan cooking classes for him.


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## PikkuMyy (Mar 26, 2004)

Kimberley - I just bought it in San Francisco at a grocery I visit weekly. I'd never seen it before so they may just not have updated their website yet. It looks like the regular rice dream box but has a red label.

Arwen - I live north of SF - we've only been to Millenium once for dinner but boy was it good. We have been about 5 times just for dessert! Isosmom, who is a member here, also lives in the area and we often chat about great restaurants. BTW - I bought the HOrchata at Rainbow Grocery.


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## edamommy (Apr 6, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *PikkuMyy*
Kimberley - I just bought it in San Francisco at a grocery I visit weekly. I'd never seen it before so they may just not have updated their website yet. It looks like the regular rice dream box but has a red label.

Arwen - I live north of SF - we've only been to Millenium once for dinner but boy was it good. We have been about 5 times just for dessert! Isosmom, who is a member here, also lives in the area and we often chat about great restaurants. BTW - I bought the HOrchata at Rainbow Grocery.


hmmmmmmm what are the chances that my local Maine Island HFS will be carrying this? LOL. Oh well.... BUT i really WANT some!


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

Arwen - I'm not sure what kind of stuff you family likes to eat but here's a few of our favorites:

Tamale Pie (F)
You'll be amazed how easy it is to make this impressive and delicious dinner. Although it doesn't qualify as a (QF) dinner because the baking time is 30 minutes, it takes only about 20 minutes of actual hands-on time.

Filling:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups cooked pinto, kidney, or black beans, drained
1 cup diced tomatoes with juice (canned is fine)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Crust:
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
3 1/4 cups water
3/4 teaspoon sea salt

Topping:
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Oil an 8-inch square baking pan.
Heat oil in medium-size pan. Stir in onion and sauté about 5 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, and cumin. Sauté 5 minutes more. Add beans, tomatoes, and corn. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper. Let mixture simmer uncovered while you prepare crust.
Whisk together cornmeal and water in medium-size pan. Cook over medium heat until mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat to low. Stir in sea salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 10 minutes). Spread 2/3 of the mixture over bottom and up sides of the prepared baking pan. Pour bean mixture into crust. Top with remaining cornmeal mixture. (Don't worry if beans are not covered completely.) Sprinkle with shredded cheese if desired. Bake 30 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes before cutting.

Makes 6 servings

Freezing Instructions: Assemble pie and freeze unbaked. To reheat, thaw pie in refrigerator. Cover and bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake 15 minutes, or until heated through.

Shepherd's Pie
This is one of my family's very favorite dinners. Try it with other beans too.

Filling:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced
2 cups cabbage, broccoli, or kale, finely chopped
1/2 cup water, vegetable stock, or lentil cooking water
2 cups cooked lentils
1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
1 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Crust:
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/3 to 1/2 cup milk (dairy or nondairy)
1 tablespoon miso
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Paprika

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and sauté 5 minutes until soft. Stir in garlic, carrots, and cabbage, broccoli, or kale. Add water and cover pan. Cook 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Stir in remaining filling ingredients. Cook 5 minutes, or until filling is hot. Pour filling into 2-quart casserole dish.
While filling cooks, prepare mashed potato crust. Place potatoes in medium pan with water just up to top of potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender (about 15 minutes). Drain potatoes and return them to the pot. Add miso. Begin mashing while adding milk a little at a time until potatoes are smooth. Stir in minced parsley. Spread potatoes evenly over filling. Sprinkle evenly with paprika. Bake uncovered 20 to 30 minutes until potatoes and filling are hot and edges are slightly golden.

Makes 6 servings

Note: 4 cups frozen mixed vegetables can be substituted for vegetables in this recipe.

Variation: Add 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes instead of the liquid in the filling.

Sesame-Tofu Quiche with Broccoli and Mushrooms
This quiche supplies lots of calcium and iron. The delicious nondairy filling is rich and creamy.

Sesame-Corn Crust:
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter or coconut oil, cut into small pieces
3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

Filling:
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups chopped white mushrooms
2 cups chopped broccoli
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 pound firm tofu
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Pinch ground nutmeg

Topping:
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Mix cornmeal, flour, and sesame seeds together in food processor with metal blade or in a bowl. Cut in butter or coconut oil until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add water a tablespoon at a time until crust holds together when pressed in your hand. Roll out crust on floured board to fit a 9-inch pie pan. Arrange crust in pan and flute edges. Prick all over with fork and prebake 15 minutes.
While crust is baking, heat oil in skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and sauté 5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic, mushrooms, broccoli, and ginger. Cover and steam 5 to 10 minutes, or until broccoli is tender. Remove from heat.
In food processor or blender, puree tofu, nutritional yeast flakes, tahini, soy sauce, and nutmeg until smooth. Gently fold together broccoli mixture and tofu mixture. (I just do it in the skillet instead of dirtying another dish.) Place filling in prebaked crust. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake 30 minutes, or until edges are golden.

Makes 8 servings

Bean and Nut Loaf (F)
My children love this with oven fries. They dip both the loaf and the fries in ketchup.

2 tablespoons flaxseeds
1/4 cup water
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
2 cups cooked pinto or kidney beans, drained
2 carrots, shredded or minced
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried (thyme, oregano, basil, etc.)
3/4 cup breadcrumbs (about 1 1/2 slices of bread)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Oil a loaf pan. Grind flaxseeds in coffee grinder or blender. Mix with water. Combine all ingredients (including flax mixture) together, mashing the beans as you mix. (A food processor works really well.) Press mixture into loaf pan. Bake for 70 minutes, or until dry and firm.

Makes 8 servings

Note: Oven Fries (page xxx), Roasted Root Vegetables (page xxx), Baked Potatoes (page xxx), or Basic Baked Brown Rice (page xxx) can be cooked along with the loaf.

Lentil Puree (Dahl)
We love this version of Indian dahl. It's a delicious way to get lots of iron. If you want to be authentic, serve it with naan (Indian flatbread), but tortillas, lavash, and chaptis also work well.

1 cup lentils
1/2 strip kombu (optional)
3 cups water
1 tablespoon oil or ghee
1 onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Place lentils, kombu, and water in heavy-bottomed pan. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 45 to 60 minutes, or until lentils are tender. While lentils are cooking, heat skillet. Add oil or ghee, onion, chili powder, turmeric, cumin, and ginger. Sauté 10 minutes, or until onion is soft. Stir in tomatoes. Cook about 5 minutes. Pour cooked lentils and tomato mixture into food processor or blender and pulse to puree, leaving some texture. Serve with millet, quinoa, or brown rice, and/or flatbread.

Makes 6 servings

Seitan "Chicken" and Cashews (QF)
Look for chicken-style seitan near the tofu in the refrigerated section of your natural foods store. If you don't have cashews, toasted walnuts or almonds are delicious in this dish too. If you have nut allergies, try sunflower or pumpkins seeds.

2 teaspoons oil
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 pound chicken-style seitan, cut into bite-size pieces
1 bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size pieces
2 carrots, sliced
1 cup chopped green cabbage
1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup toasted (or dry-roasted) cashews

Sauce:
1/2 cup seitan broth, vegetable stock, or water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Warm oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes, or until soft. Add seitan and brown on all sides. Add pepper and carrots. Reduce heat to medium-low and steam 5 minutes. Add cabbage and corn. Whisk sauce ingredients together and pour into skillet. Cover and cook 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat. Stir in cashews. Serve with brown rice or other cooked grain.

Makes 6 servings

Tortilla Soup
This hearty, delicious soup is a favorite with my family and friends. Although the ingredient list looks long, this is really a quick soup to make if you have cooked or canned beans on hand. Since my children don't like spicy foods, I leave the Tabasco sauce out of the soup and put the bottle on the table so each person can spice his or her soup.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked pinto beans
2 cups cooked white beans
2 cups cooked black beans
4 1/2 cups water
2 cups or 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon Sea Veg Mix (page xxx) (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon miso
1 tablespoon tahini
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast flakes (optional)
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce or to taste
Sea salt, if necessary
Tortilla chips

Optional Toppings:
Minced fresh cilantro
Sliced black olives
Shredded Jack cheese

Heat oil in large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook 10 minutes without stirring so they brown. Stir in garlic. Add beans, water, tomatoes, Sea Veg Mix, cumin, oregano, and chili powder. Heat until soup starts to boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered about 30 minutes to let flavors combine. Remove 2 cups of soup and place in blender with miso and tahini. Puree and return to soup. Add Tabasco and sea salt to taste.
To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Insert tortilla chips into soup around edges of bowl. Top with cilantro, olives, and/or cheese if desired.

Makes 8 servings

Note: See the Bean and Legume Cooking Chart in the Appendix for instructions on cooking your own beans, or use beans you have cooked and frozen. Canned beans are also work well here; just use one can of each type of bean. You can also use just one or two types of beans or different ones than I suggest. Just make sure they add up to about 6 cups.


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## Arwen (Dec 23, 2003)

I didn't expect THAT much help! But it's very much eppreciated. I will definatly save those recipes. BTW, 1/2 hour is still quick and easy to me, so I will be able to use all of the recipes. Thanks!


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## Quirky (Jun 18, 2002)

Millenium rocks! DH first took me there on Valentine's Day 1997, back when he lived in Oakland. I don't know if it's still around, but Joubert's is another great SF veg restaurant. South African vegetarian - it's gotta be the only restaurant like it in the country!









Millenium catered my sister's wedding in 1999. She and my BIL paid for their wedding themselves on a really tiny budget, and Millenium was actually cheaper than a lot of caterers. It was unbelievably good food. Their cookbooks are like pornography - real people can't cook like that in their home kitchens, but it's nice to fantasize about! :LOL

Oh oh oh and New World Vegetarian in Oakland rocks too.








Man I miss the Bay Area!


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

Arwen: Thai coconut curry is really easy

chopped veggies of choice
onion
garlic
ginger
curry powder
bay leaves
salt
can of coconut milk
sesame oil

heat sesame oil and add onion and then garlic and ginger. Then add curry powder, salt and bay leaves. Then add the coconut milk and heat to a simmer. Add veggies in order of whichever takes longer to cook and cook with a lid on until veggies are soft. You can also add some prefried tofu.


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

Has anyone to been to that Vietnamese vegetarian restaurant in Oakland? It's off Broadway downtown. Maybe around 10th? I can't remember the name of it and it changes names every so often.


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Arwen*
I didn't expect THAT much help! But it's very much eppreciated. I will definatly save those recipes. BTW, 1/2 hour is still quick and easy to me, so I will be able to use all of the recipes. Thanks!

Sorry - should have edited out that comment. In my book, I have "quick fix" meals that take total 35 minutes cooking time, so that's that that referred to.


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## loftmama (Feb 12, 2004)

Cathe - and anyone else who can help...

DS wants pizza tonight. We're having a bit of a food issue. Ever since we went veg*n over a month ago, he's barely touching food. Seems to be living mainly on a diet of pnt butt/honey sandwiches and granola. Sooooo I thought I might try your idea of adding greens to the blender and seeing if I can just hide the veggies. In your cookbook, you have a marinara sauce recipe. Can I blend in kale with it? If so, how much would you recommend?

TIA!


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

Personally, I would mince the kale well (food processor works great) so it's like parsley and then stir in about 1/4 cup of the minced. However, if he won't go for green specs in the sauce, then blending is the way to go. I would start with a leaf and taste it, add more until you can tell it is becoming noticeable.

How about chopped broccoli on pizza - would he go for that. I have found that to make veggie pizzas really tasty, grill the veggies first in a skillet - broccoli, corn, onions, etc. and then put on the pizza. It's so yummy, you don't even need cheese.


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## loftmama (Feb 12, 2004)

normally, he likes broccoli, but lately he's boycotting even that. he's not even eating french fries (a favorite) and yummy hot dogs (veggie dogs). i made all his favorite food, but he only wants pbh sandwiches, granola or cereal. since he did ask for pizza tonight, i'm going to try a healthy tomato sauce. i don't know what's up. i'll try mincing the kale in a processor per suggestion and taste test it. i don't think small green flecks will be too bad.

Thanks again!


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## isosmom (Apr 23, 2004)

Kava - What Vietnamese restuarant are you talking about? Le Cheval is great, but it's not veggie. 10th St is like 5 minutes from my house.
So I'm going to my dad's tommorow night for dinner, and since my step mother hasn't figured out how to cook something veg for me after 15 years







I have started to bring my own. So I called last night and asked if I needed to bring something for dc and I to eat. She actually said she wasn't sure, she'd get back to me. Well, she's actually cooking a veg dish! Can you believe it? I can't. You'd think since 1/3 of her company is veg...., but hey, it's a good step, no?


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## PikkuMyy (Mar 26, 2004)

Kava - do you mean Golden Lotus? It's on 13th and Franklin. I generally go to it's sister place in SF, Golden Era, because it's closer to me. However, I've been taking some singing classes in Oakland so I've been to GL a few times lately.


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## TwinMom (Dec 27, 2001)

One of our favorite restaurants is a Cuban/Salvadoran restaurant and we can order horchata to drink there. Mmmm!

Cathe, do you think the soymilk maker works better for soymilk than a Vitamix? I reallyreallyREALLY want a Vitamix but can't justify buying one right now. Just found out we owe $5000 in taxes!


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

isosmom: if you can find the restaurant, you will love it. i remember driving down broadway and it's near that hotel, marriot maybe?
What is step-mom making?


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## callmemama (May 7, 2002)

Ok, I'm going to add a new subject since there are NO veg restaurants in a multi-state radius around me (probably :LOL )! Does anyone else juice greens? I still worry that we don't get enough veggies and this seems like a good way to supplement (vs take supplements!). I used to be opposed to kitchen gadgets, and now in the last 5 years I've invested in a food processor, a blender (got a k-tec instead of a vitamix but you need earplugs when you're making a frozen smoothie!), and now I'm considering a juicer. Now ya'll have me thinking about a soy milk maker too! Stop!! Seriously, does anyone have a juicer that does a great job with kale, collards, broccoli, etc.?


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

PikkuMy: is it a religious place? With framed photos of that one woman religious leader in various outfits? And they have dinner entrees with names like "Eternal Sweetness and Light"?


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

What are those round juicers called with the plastic base and stainless steel upper part and metal blades? That's what we have but it's in storage so I can't remember the brand. I love carrot apple beet ginger celery juice.


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## edamommy (Apr 6, 2004)

My favorite juice: orange/ginger/carrot.... mmmmmmmmmmmmmm I swear it's like drinking 8 glasses of coffee at once! LOL. I have a "juice master" juicer. It workds quite well for anything. We LOVE making "creamy" sauces w/ juiced carrots thickend w/ cornstarch w/ herbs added... mmm you can do the same w/ anything... spinach works well too.


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

I just throw kale, carrots, whole fruits, etc. in my smoothies. Sounds like you have a good blender so I bet it would work.


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## loftmama (Feb 12, 2004)

speaking of blenders, anyone care to tell me about your blender?

Here's my thread on blenders:

http://mothering.com/discussions/sho...d.php?t=271707


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## isosmom (Apr 23, 2004)

kava - Gotta check that restaurant out. I'll drive by tommorow on my way home. Sounds like I have to check out Golden Lotus, too.
So dinner at dad's wasn't so bad. The food wasn't really good but she did make some veg for us. We had salad, asparagus, bread and baked ziti. But for some reason, her recipe for ziti has gravy in it (huh?) so she pulled some out for me and dc before she added the gravy.


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## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

would anyone mind sharing thier fav. casserole recipes? (doesn't have to be vegan) I have been bored and not feeling like cooking much and need some inspiration! TIA!


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

Did you see the casserole that cathe posted, rainbowmoon?
I also like to do pasta bakes. Make some sort of cheesy sauce and add sauteed onions and veggies and tomatoes and tomato sauce and top with cheese and bake.


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

twinmom - just saw your question to me - about if soy milk maker better than vitamix. I have considered a vitamx on and off over the years but still have not been able to justifiy the price for my use - though I have a friend that LOVES it and almost convinces me everytime I talk to her.

I really love the soymilk maker - in addition to cooking and grinding the soybeans, it strains them so I imagine the milk is smoother than it would be from a vitamix. It is so easy to use. Just soak the beans and put in the maker with water - out comes the milk in 13 minutes.

So far my chickens have been getting the pulp but there are recipes to use it to make burgers and other stuff. Has anyone tried doing that?


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## Quirky (Jun 18, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kavamamakava*
PikkuMy: is it a religious place? With framed photos of that one woman religious leader in various outfits? And they have dinner entrees with names like "Eternal Sweetness and Light"?

Yes! This is the place I was talking about in my post above - when we were there it was New World Vegetarian, on 8th off Broadway. Man oh man is their food yummy! Esp. the sweet and sour "chicken." And their spring rolls are to die for.

ETA: here's the menu!

I so miss the Bay Area....


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## Quirky (Jun 18, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *cathe*
They didn't mention the extended warranty when I bought it. The machine seems quite sturdy to me though.

On their website, it costs $100 for a machine with a 1 year warranty and $140 for a machine with a 2 year warranty (plus a bonus tofu kit). So you think it would be OK to save money and just get the 1 year warranty?


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

I did the one year deal so I hope it's OK. (The tofu kit would be nice though.)


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

You found it, Quirky






















They used to be only Vietnamese food. The last time I ate there, oh 6 years ago, they had just changed their menu to an international one.


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## Quirky (Jun 18, 2002)

nak i need ideas for dairy-free meals that freeze well - any thoughts?


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

chili
tamales
black bean enchiladas (just skip the cheese and use lots of sauce)
various soups - I had lentil soup, barley veggie soup, and butternut squash soup
corn bread squares
mashed potatoes
shepherd's pie - however you wanna make it


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

Nut and bean loafs or burgers and definitely soups - make a big pot and freeze in meal size containers. Also you can freeze cooked brown rice and cooked beans - just heat and put in tortilla with salsa and avocado for burrittos.


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## isosmom (Apr 23, 2004)

Does anyone have a recipe for a pot pie that I can make to use up some really thick potato soup I've got?

Vegan stuff I've frozen:
nut and lentil loafs
soup, soup, soup
banana bread
beans
curry
baked beans
pb&j (seriously :LOL )
sauces


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## PikkuMyy (Mar 26, 2004)

There are two restaurants, Golden Lotus and New World Vegetarian, both close to each other. Golden Lotus is the one run by a religious cult that has this woman as leader who wears all these fancy outfits and jewelry (?!?!) I've never been to NWV although there is a SF Bay Area Veggie outing there every month. GOlden Lotus is only Vietnamese.

There also used to be Layonna's restaurant on Broadway but she closed it because she also runs Layonna's store where you can buy all the fake meat asian stuff and it was too much for her to do at once.


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

Now that I've looked at a map of downtown Oakland, I'm pretty sure that I was talking about New World Vegetarian. I don't think I've been to Golden Lotus. If I'm ever in Oakland again, I'll try to go.

My big hang out for cheap chinese vegetarian food when I was in college, was Great Wall in Rockridge.


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

Here's my pot pie recipe isosmom - you could use your soup instead of the sauce.

Tofu-Vegetable Pot Pie
This recipe requires a little more labor than most of my recipes but it is just so much better than any frozen pie you can buy. Once you try it, you'll agree it was well worth the work. I've arranged the instructions so you can make it in the shortest amount of time possible.

Crust:
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter or coconut oil, cut into small pieces
3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

Filling:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound firm or extra firm tofu
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup diced onion (about 1 small)
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 cups diced potatoes (about 1 large)
1 cup diced carrots (about 2)
1 cup chopped cauliflower
1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)

Sauce:
1 1/2 cups water or vegetable stock
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
3 tablespoons arrowroot powder
2 tablespoons miso
1/2 teaspoon dried sage (or 1 tablespoon minced fresh)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon minced fresh)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly oil a large 10-inch deep-dish pie pan.
Place tofu in shallow dish. Place weighted cutting board over tofu to press out water while you prepare the crust.
To prepare crust, mix cornmeal and flour together in bowl or in food processor with metal blade. Cut in butter or coconut oil until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add water a tablespoon at a time until crust holds together when pressed in your hand. Form crust into ball and place in refrigerator while you prepare the filling and sauce.
To prepare filling, dice tofu into 1/2-inch pieces. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Place tofu in skillet and brown until golden on all sides. Remove and set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes until soft. Add potatoes, carrots, and cauliflower. Cover and steam 10 minutes until vegetables are tender. Turn heat to low. Stir in peas and cover.
Place sauce ingredients in blender and puree until smooth. Add tofu and sauce to vegetables, and cook until sauce thickens slightly. Pour into prepared pie pan.
On a floured board or between sheets of wax paper, roll out crust to 1/2 inch wider than the size of your pie pan. Place crust over tofu mixture. Prick holes in the crust with a fork. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown around the edges.

Makes 8 servings

Note: Finely dice the vegetables (about 1/4 inch) so they'll cook quickly.


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## isosmom (Apr 23, 2004)

Thank you Cathe, that's just what I was looking for. I guess I could've just looked in your book, huh?


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

Yup - it's in there


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## PikkuMyy (Mar 26, 2004)

Hey everyone, guess where DH and I went last night????

Millennium!!!! We were supposed to go to Portland for my spring break but that didn't work out so instead we went to Millennium last night and are trying to go birdwatching down the coast by Monterey, CA on Sunday.

OMG it was so good!!!! For appetizers we had this black bean torte which was a whole wheat tortilla layered with sweet plantains and bean puree inside with this crazy chipotle tempeh (?) sauce and pickeled red onions. It was DELICOUS. We also had steak fries with chipotle ketchup and garlic aioli. And get this, the fries were stacked up like the game Jenga! I asked the waitress who said there were two Jenga fans on the staff! Our entrees were not quite as good as the appetizers but still delicious. I had this wierd lasagna with tofu ricotta-nettle stuffing which was really good. I've got to get some nettles from the farmer's market in Berkeley and try it. It came on a bed of this artichoke/French lentil pilaf. I didn't think the two went together (pilaf and lasagna) but ate them separately and were both really good on their own. DH and these masa gnocci with dandelion greens and fava beans.

Now, on to dessert! DH had his favorite, the Chocolate Midnight Mousse cake. It's always on the menu. I, however, had a strawberry shortcake. It had two pieces of cornbread shortbread and in between were fresh strawberries and this amazing cream (like the kind that comes with English scones) with strawberry sauce on top, and kiwi-mandarin salad on the side and white chocolate cream with lavender. I could barely finish it because I was so full.

We're going to be going back just for dessert very soon because I want to get the shortcake again. Of course I had to turn down caramelized banana crepes so I might have to try those. Oh, the agony of choice!!!


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

My mouth is watering . . .


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## edamommy (Apr 6, 2004)

pikkumyy.....

unfair!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## shelley4 (Sep 10, 2003)

totally unfair.. that's not even in my COUNTRY!!!


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## pixiexto (Mar 6, 2003)

Oh wow, now that sounds delectable! I am insanely jealous







... I somehow doubt that Millennium will set up shop here in AL anytime soon...


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

white chocolate cream with lavender!
Do you ever go to Greens?


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## oldcrunchymom (Jun 26, 2002)

Cathe,

Just wanted to let you know that I used your spinach quiche recipe this morning and it came out great! I used four eggs instead of three and a little more cheese, and soymilk instead of yogurt because our plain yogurt had gone bad. It was really yummy. Nan had four pieces so far. :LOL

I also made gingerbread to go with it and the kids are chowing that down as well.


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)




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## PikkuMyy (Mar 26, 2004)

I did go to Greens and was really disappointed for several reasons:

-It was a special Mother's Day brunch and although there were so many yummy things on the menu, the only vegan option was stir-fried vegetables and rice!!! Hello! It's brunch!!!

-The rice had cashews in it, which I'm allergic to, so I asked if they could substitute the roasted potatoes that came with the vegetarian breakfast items. This was a huge deal: they had to go and see if it was ok to make a substitution, etc. Come on - it's a restaurant that caters to people with a special diet, you'd think they'd expect allergies as well and accomodate them.

-And last, the food was OK. I could have made it easily at home.

Sigh.


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## love2all (Dec 13, 2003)

Hey all- I love this sunny time of year!! Time to fire up the grill for some veggie cookouts!!
I make awesome millet burgers for the grill- what else do you all like to slow cook on the grill?


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## pixiexto (Mar 6, 2003)

Oooh, I'd love the recipe for your millet burgers if you don't mind, Maria!

We just got a bbq for the first time this year, and I'm eager for grilling recipes. My DH's answer is "well, we can throw some Boca's on"....







I'm thinking of marinating some tempeh, and doing kebobs with that & some nice veggies, but I'm afraid I'm drawing a bit of a blank! Any favorite veggie grill recipes??


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## edamommy (Apr 6, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *love2all*
Hey all- I love this sunny time of year!! Time to fire up the grill for some veggie cookouts!!
I make awesome millet burgers for the grill- what else do you all like to slow cook on the grill?

I've tried so many veg burger recipes and NONE work on the grill (they all crumble apart...). I'd love your millet burger recipe!


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## isosmom (Apr 23, 2004)

Cathe - A question about substituting my potato soup for the sauce in your pot pie recipe, how much soup do I use? Just 1 1/2 c to replace the stock, or more? Thanks.


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

Yes - I would use 1 1/2 cups but when you pour it all into the pie crust, see if it looks like it has enough and add more if you need to.


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## xenabyte (Jul 16, 2004)

Hello, just peekin in the thread for more vege ideas. I agree Horachai is super yummy! Kinda late in the thread, but here is my 'blender' recipe for it:

*Horchata - Ground Rice Drink*

1 c Long Grain Rice
4 c Milk
1/2 c Favorite Sugar (Rapadura or Maple Syrup or Agave Syrup)
1 ts Vanilla
1/2 ts Cinnamon
Ice

Place the rice in a bowl with enough hot water to cover. Let the rice sit overnight. Next day, remove the water. Place 1/2 cup of water, and 2 cups milk in a blender. Blend until rice is all ground up. Mix in 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 t vanilla, 1/4 t cinnamon. Do the same with the other half of the ingredients. Strain through cheesecloth (or whatever). Serve over ice. Makes 6 glasses.


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## Quirky (Jun 18, 2002)

...what fun! I've already made soymilk and I'm soaking almonds to make almond milk. Unfortunately, the soy milk was not a big hit with my toddler - "I want DIFFERENT milk! Don't like this milk!"







even though I added some brown rice syrup, vanilla, etc. as per a recipe I found on the soymilk maker's website. Any ideas on how I can make the soymilk taste more like Silk?

Also, what do you do with the okara? I tried a recipe out of Shurtleff and Aoyagi's Book of Tofu for okara granola that was a complete flop - the stuff wasn't even getting remotely crunchy before burning around the edges. I added honey, vanilla, a pinch of salt, and a little oil to it as per the recipe before putting it on a cookie sheet. I took it out of the oven at half an hour (recipe called for an hour baking time) and just stirred in some pistachios and raisins and ate it - it was pretty tasty, but it was not granola!! More like a porridge.

Anyway, any ideas for okara? Seems a shame to throw away all that healthy fiber.


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

mmm I'll be making some horchata. i don't know what okara is


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## Quirky (Jun 18, 2002)

Okara is the name for the leftover solids in the filter cup once the soymilk maker has turned your soybeans into soymilk.


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## Bearsmama (Aug 10, 2002)

Just adding myself. I really liked this thread last month. Thanks.


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## tricia80 (Oct 28, 2003)

hi im poppin in to say hi









havent been too much of a contributing member lately with school.. but alas school is over.. and im baaack.. no more lurking and participating only in fluff threads.. :LOL

so who missed me?? and whos absolutely clueless as to who i am??? :LOL


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

hi


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## cresorchid (Nov 14, 2004)

Homemade soymilk really does taste different from the store-bought version because it is much more beany. I have no idea what all they do to change the flavor, but it's something you need to get used to. It took me a week and a half.

My advice for your toddler/young children would be to start making smoothies and other recipes with the soymilk at first so the beany taste isn't too much and slowly up the proportion of soymilk to other ingredients. You can use the milk in soups and all kinds of stuff.

Just for the record, when I make my soymilk, I add 1/4 t. salt, 1/2 T. vanilla, up to 1/2 T. of another flavoring, and 2 T. agave nectar.


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

We just drink use it plain - I add about 1/3 teaspoon salt after it comes out. But we don't drink the milk - just use it in cereal, over oatmeal, in baking, etc. The day I made almond milk though, my dd said - can we start getting regular soymilk again. Both rice and almond milk were not too successful but everybody likes the soymilk.

About the okara, I got a dvd with my maker that gives instructions for making veggie burgers with the okara. So far though, mine has been going to the chickens.


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## xenabyte (Jul 16, 2004)

:LOL I read okara as okra, and was about to type 'make gumbo'...haha...


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## isosmom (Apr 23, 2004)

Wow, with Cathe and Heather (xenabyte) on the veg thread we should never want for any recipes again :LOL







Tricia
Ok, is it just my 3 year old, or do yours also just decide that they only want the same five things over and over again? I mean she still eats well, we only have good food in the house, so I'm not worried about it, but I guess now she knows what she likes and that's what she asks for. She used to eat everything we ate but now most of the time she won't even try what I've made







Ds is just grubbing along, no issues with him yet. I'm not really looking for any answers, I'm just







I guess.


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

I just keep offering the food. I tried giving my kids eggs when I was pregnant. They wouldn't eat them. Now they constantly ask for eggs. I've never even eaten an egg. I don't know the rhyme or reason to it. I think if you just keep offering, they eventually become familiar with the food and it might sneak into their favorite food groups.
Nadia just adores baba ghanoush.


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## isosmom (Apr 23, 2004)

Yeah, I mean like I said, dd does eats lots of good things. And we do offer it up every night. So she gets what we're having at dinner. And sometimes she tries it, sometimes she just asks for a pb&j (that's her fallback if she doesn't want dinner, that or nuts and dried fruit). So I won't give up


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## cjr (Dec 2, 2003)

Hello girls, again. :LOL I have found myself wondering down the vegetarian path once again. I was following NT for a few months, but after doing a six week "Eat to Live" program and loosing 15lbs, I am finding myself drawn into the vegetarian lifestyle yet again. I feel fabulous, by the way. My diet is actually closer to vegan becuase I have eliminated dairy from my diet. I have been eating some meat, but the longer I go without it the less I have a taste for it. I bought the Moosewood Restaurant New Classics cookbook, but it's full of dairy based recipies so I'm taking it back. I did jot down a few recipies that sounded great.

Ds is pretty much vegan, but not intentionally. He's allergic to dairy and wheat so he gets rice and soy milks, and no wheat products. I am adding virgin coconut oil, olive oil and flax oil to all his meals so he's getting at least 3tsp. of fat/day. I'm concerned for his health with a diet like this. Someone reasure me he'll be ok. He loves my green smoothies in the morning. Leafy greans, orange juice, fruit, hemp protein powder and sometimes soy/rice milk. He drinks it right up so at least I know his calcium is covered. He loves my bean soups and I usually serve them with quinoa so it's not too soupy. He does love scrambled eggs and this really is the only place he gets animal products.

I am making a vegetarian meal every second night for the family and I'm leaving up to my dd's to decide what they want to do. Dh is actually being very good abou it. He's a die hard carnivore. Anyway. I hope to get some good ideas and some support.

I feel like I have been bouncing around for awhile. It was actually a thread about two months ago about the dangers of all the animal fats in the NT diet that got me thinking about it. That and my dad who's in bad shape right now.


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

As a lifelong vegetarian, my suggestion to people wanting ideas for vegetarian meals is to go international. Falafels, hummus, soba (buckwheat noodles), maifun (rice noodles), Indian curries, Thai curries, Vietnamese noodle soups, pot pies, shepherd's pie, rice and dahl, Moroccan bean stew, Cuban black beans in tacos...


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## melissa17s (Aug 3, 2004)

I agree with the International veggie meals. We love curry and stirfries in here. There are so many different wonderful possibilities. Cjr, I have the original Moosewood cookbook and the Enchanted Broccholi Forest, and I do not think they are so reliant on dairy; maybe you could check it out instead.


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## cjr (Dec 2, 2003)

I'm going to the bookstore tonight, alone. Kids are tugging at me. I will give those a good read. The recipies in this one all sound so good.


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## ex-stasis (Nov 29, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Quirky*
Anyway, any ideas for okara? Seems a shame to throw away all that healthy fiber.

When you added the okara to the granola mixture, did you give it a good squeeze first? If you just dumped it from the machine into the mixture there was probably a lot of milk in it still. If you did drain it first then I really don't know what else you could do.









I have, in the past, made "fish sticks" with my okara - I mixed the okara with seasonings and some kelp powder then breaded it and baked it in the oven. It was pretty good with some tartar sauce. I've also made "chicken nuggets" the same way, but with poultry seasoning and served with plum sauce.

I've also made cookies, muffins and breads with it, but DH didn't like them and I'm not sure if they were any good because I seem to like everything as long as its healthy. :LOL


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## callmemama (May 7, 2002)

Welcome cjr! Sounds to me like your ds is eating a pretty healthy diet!

Good to see you on here too, xenabyte! I have to tell you, I'm missing your ww tortillas since we've been gluten-free! :LOL


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## xenabyte (Jul 16, 2004)

callmemama, what grains can you have? I've yet to come up with a great 'gluten free' tortilla....but I have made some darn tasty dehydrator 'toast' with sprouted grains...








Can you eat wheat, spelt, rye, or kamut if it's been sprouted first? What about nuts?
Can you tolerate almonds, cashews or walnuts/pecans? I'm working with various things atm, mostly sprouting them first for a day or two.

Oh, I made the most amazing 'off the cuff' dinner last night. I made brown rice with a little coconut oil (replaced butter), pinch of cumin, 1 clove minched garlic, and a cube of a vege bullion to the cooking water. I brought to boil, then turned it way way down (like 2) to simmer it longer and slower than usual.

Then while that was cooking, I heated a bit of coconut oil in a skillet and 'pan fried' some chopped Kale (still damp from washing), added in two cloves of minced garlic and one tomatoe I just 'squeezed' into the 'brothy' part. I added in about 1 tsp of organic soy sauce (shoyu) and just a tiny pinch of sea salt. This made alot of broth, so I added in a tiny bit of arrowroot powder (~1 tsp) that I'd hydrated with some water. It made an AWESOME vege gravy (turn off the heat within one minute of adding arrowroot to keep it thick).

We ate the rice with the 'kale/tomatoe and gravy' poured over the rice. Even the dH (who grilled himself some meat) had a large portion of the rice/kale. The kids and I had black beans, 'refried' style instead of meat to go with the rice and some 'dehydrator toast' with lots of seeds in it.

It was kinda funny, I was feeling 'guilty' about eating two cooked items, after having been almost 95% raw for the last few weeks, and here I had a totally vegan meal....! hahaha....

But hey, I felt fine this morning, and I had a 'raw fruit' bowl for breakfast and dessert....

OH, I also made 'dehydrator, Strawberry shortcake cookies'...OMG they taste like little 'jellyrolls or something like that'.... They are gluten free too







If you want recipe, I will post it when I can get to my notepad in kitchen (kid on lap BFing atm...)


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## callmemama (May 7, 2002)

xenabyte, your meal sounds tasty! I've been branching out a lot more since we gave up gluten almost 2 months ago. I've always been concerned about the "processed fake meats" we ate, and since they all contain gluten, we're not eating them now (too bad my freezer is stocked







) - heck, maybe that's why I feel so much better! :LOL As for what grains I can eat, I'm eating brown rice, corn, quinoa, amaranth, millet, and buckwheat (no gluten despite the wheat in the name). My 5yo loves kasha and I've been eating buckwheat sprouts.







Oh yes, the gf recipes I've used also use tapioca flour, cornstarch, garfava flour - with the exception of the garfava, the rest has virtually no nutritional value, so I don't do much baking. I'm not eating any gluten-containing grains like wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut (probably others). Oh yes, and oats - the jury is still out on that one at the moment! Adventures in cooking! Or not, as your case may be! I'm actually reading RAWSOME! right now and determined to get more raw foods into our diet. What's your take on juicing greens/other veggies?


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

I have a raw foods question. My BIL is a rawfoodist. He's usually vegan because he doesn't have access to a goat or a cow for dairy and coming across fresh, raw meat is even rarer. He does have a neighbor who makes goat cheese and he eats that sometimes. But anyway, my problem is that I get serious gas whenever I eat the meals he prepares. Do any raw foodists have this problem? Or am I just a werido?


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## cjr (Dec 2, 2003)

I bought the Moosewood cooks at home cookbook and I love it. I have the whole week planned. I'm loving the money saving too. This was the first month I have not gone over my budget by $200! I bought everything I needed to feed us for the week and only spent $120 (usually it's $200-$300 a week). I promised dh I would still cook meat, but so far his meat eating nights fall when he's/we are eating at relatives or friends. We eat a lot of fruit and vegies. I have decided to give up trying to keep soy out. I'm really not convinced it's as bad as all the hype. I bought some temeh (sp?) and some pressed soy. We are on VERY limited dairy and I made spinach manicotti last night with soy. It really does a great job standing in for riccotta cheese, it was so good even dh said he'd eat it again (he does not know it had soy in it though, shhhhh). I love how this book suggests sides and condiments to complete the meal.

callmemama - thanks so much for saying that. I am always worried about the kids diet. This morning I made my 6yo drink her "green" smoothie. She loved the taste but had issues with the green.







My youngest dd loves our new eating and even the baby can't get enough of my salad smoothies. I tell dd that if daddy will eat it then it's a keeper because he's even pickier than she is. However, I didn't make her eat any vegetables at the healthfood store when we went for lunch. I told her because she drank her smoothie she already had her salad. She was quite pleased and that seemed to make up for the smoothie.

Does anyone have a recipie for saitan? I can't find it anywhere. Also, could I make it withe spelt, ds has issues with wheat?


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## callmemama (May 7, 2002)

cjr, would love your green smoothie recipe! I'm always looking for ways to get greens into ds!! Last night, after much cajoling, he tried a pureed broccoli/potato/onion/celery soup on a cracker ... and he liked it! The trouble is he ate more cracker than soup! :LOL


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## Bearsmama (Aug 10, 2002)

Hi,
Getting a lot out of this thread, ladies. WAY back redsocks (???) asked for a veg "irish" stew recipe and I posted it, but I think I inadvertently posted it on the March thread.


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## Bearsmama (Aug 10, 2002)

Kava-Oh, I am not a rawfoodist, but I have heard that the gas is pretty intense. I don't know what the antidote would be. Maybe Cathe has an idea?

I know around here, we get lots of gas from lots of veggies. And they are usually cooked, not raw. We just grin and bear it!







Especially after last night's roated veggie pizza! (I had to literally stay away from my older son for a while!). Squash, eggplant, zucchini, onions can do that.


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## cresorchid (Nov 14, 2004)

I can't say for sure what a good remedy for gas is, but you might try beano. I know that works for some people pretty well. Of course, they usually use it for when they plan to eat cooked beans, so I'm not sure that it's exactly the right thing, but you never know.

Also for flatulence which might (should?) be the end result of gas, you might try using fennel, licorice, or some of those other herbs which are good for gas. I can't think of the other ones which have been recommended, but I think you can find out pretty easily. Maybe someone else on the list can think of some of the other dietary herbs which are good for gas.


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

So I'm guessing raw foodists live with gas or take something to get rid of it. Or is this just something I experience because I'm not used to eating that way? Broccoli always gives me gas though and I've been eating it all my life. heh


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## cjr (Dec 2, 2003)

callmemama - I pretty much just add whatever raw greens I have in the fridge into whatever type of smoothie I'm making. I have a regular blender with a liquify button and it blends it up nice and smooth. I have been to the healthfood store twice this week so we have had swiss chard in the smoothies for the past couple of days. I also just add a little splenda







to cut the tang of the overall smoothie. The tang isn't from the greens it's just that natural sweet-tart you get when you don't add sugar. I have been decreasing it gradually so I only use a tsp in a blender full. This morning we had rainbow chard smoothies which made for a pretty lime green color. We are not big on salads, so this is a great way to get those raw greens in every day. I have also used parsley, romaine, leafy green lettuce and spinach. I add a lot of fruit, usually strawberries or peaches, and you really don't taste much of the greens at all. This is my basic recipie...

1 c. orange juice
1 c. kefir, soy yogurt, soy milk or rice milk
2-3 c. frozen fruit
2 scoops hemp protein powder, or tbsp. flax seed oil, or 2 scoops ground flaxseeds
4-5 good sized green leafs
water to thin if needed
a little splenda to cut the tart, or other prefered sweetener


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## cresorchid (Nov 14, 2004)

Gotta admit that I don't usually do veggies in my smoothies. I need to do more of that. Mostly I add fruits, soy milk and or soy yogurt, protein powder, sometimes fruit juice, and then frozen fruits to make it all cold.

They're really more like healthy milkshakes than anything else.

I bought some carrots this week and they are supposed to be pretty sweet, as well as good for you. So I'm going to try adding them in.

I using a Vita-Mix to make my smoothies and I love it.


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

cjr - A friend of mine who started making my creamy greens smoothie had the problem with one of her kids not wanting it because it was green. She now adds blueberries or blackberries which turns it purple and her son loves it.


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## Awaken (Oct 10, 2004)

Hi everyone-

I haven't been on this thread all month! I can see I've missed quite a bit!

I"m currently pregnant, so the thought of veggies makes me ill, unfortunately! Oh well, I guess that's what multivitamins are for. I'm still eating a lot of fresh and dried fruit though, and whole grain toast, bagels, and cereal are my staples- so not too unhealthy! I had just really gotten into the swing of planning and cooking all kinds of great meals (using lots of recipes from this thread!) and now I can't stand to cook, and we're back to eating out a lot and eating breakfast foods for dinner.







: So much for saving $!

Cathe- those recipes you posted earlier in the thread look terrific- I can't wait till I can make the lentil dal and sietan chicken and cashews! Maybe in a few weeks when I'm feeling better...I think I'm going to ask for your book for a Mother's Day gift.

A Burmese restaurant opened up near us, and let me tell you, it is FANTASTIC!! So, incredibly delish!! It's a cross between Thai and Indian, with tons of veggie choices. I had this basil cilantro tofu, samosas, and a veg soup that were so, so, so good!! I can't stop thinking about that food!

And ditto on the toddler eating the same few foods- my ds only eats veggie bacon and sausage, waffles (homemade w/ flaxseed), veggie lunchmeat, quorn, rice, broccoli (but he's sick of it now and won't eat it anymore!), sometimes yogurt, and he mainly exists on those Whole Kids cereal bars. I think back fondly to those nice days when he was a baby and I made him all kinds of great baby foods- avocado, sweet potato, mango, wheat germ and nutritional yeast in everything...sigh...


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## callmemama (May 7, 2002)

cjr, thanks for the green smoothie info!









cathe, I made your everything smoothie today with a carrot (instead of a sweet potato) and it went over well!







I still need to get some coconut milk (not a staple here ... yet? :LOL ) to try your creamy greens smoothie!

Today for lunch (in an effort to feed ds a more varied diet), I made a pot of millet which he likes, a beautiful orange pureed carrot soup which he didn't like, and a sweet kidney bean soup - also a thumbs down. I guess if I try enough things we'll stumble across more that he likes - hopefully!


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

Hi Mary








When I was at the ill pregnant stage, I loved thinly sliced cucumbers with soy sauce and rice vinegar. I could down a whole platter of veggie tempura and steamed edamame too. Hope those veggie suggestions helped


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## isosmom (Apr 23, 2004)

I'm with you on the not wanting veggies while I was pg. When I was pg with dd just the thought of cooked veggies made me ill, (except for french fries, of course) but it went away when the morning sickness did.
Methinks I've got to try these smoothies.


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## cjr (Dec 2, 2003)

Cathe, that's an excellent idea. I will pick some blueberries up today.


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## callmemama (May 7, 2002)

Got some coconut milk! The creamy greens smoothie is great, Cathe! But I have a question. I have some really huge kale leaves - when you say 2-3 kale leaves, are you talking about all the kale on one big stalk/rib? I got worried that I was going to overpower the smoothie with green, so I only put in 1 1/2 of my big kale leaves (in a double recipe)!


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## PikkuMyy (Mar 26, 2004)

Beware - Beano isn't vegetarian! I take Peaceful Digestion combination vegan enzymes from the 100% vegan line VegLife.


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## cathe (Nov 17, 2002)

You did the right thing callmemama- the 2-3 leaves are for medium size so if they're really big, definitely use less. Glad you liked it.


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## cjr (Dec 2, 2003)

I made a wonderful Caribean Black bean dish with brown rice and a mango salsa, last night. DH worked late. I was going to make chicken then figured since dh wasn't going to be home for dinner and I won't eat it, I would try this dish. The girls loved it and gobbled it all up. I put some leftovers in the fridge for dh. He came home and looked at it and put it back in the fridge. "I'm not hungry and I don't feel like having beans every night".







: He hasn't had beans everynight. I made chicken fingers last Thursday, Friday was spinach manicotti, Saturday he had steak at his parents, Sunday we had roasted vegetables on orzo, and last night was caribean black bean. I said you didn't even try it and worse yet, instead of making himself something else he just pouts and goes without. That man is driving me crazy.

He's on me about our grochery budget because it's through the roof. At one point I was spending $40/month on cheese, $25/month on black forest ham, $150/month on meat, and another $70/month of milk and other dairy. My god, I think about it now and it's insane. For the first time ever, I have been the closest to my budgeted weekly amount. I keep reminding him that we don't HAVE to eat meat twice a day or even once a day. That there are some wonderful meatless meals out there if he would only give it a chance. He's even loosing his little "belt overhang". So he gets mad when we don't have any extra cash at the end of the month, but he fights me with the food budget...which is the only place I can cut.

Thanks, I needed that.


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

I made your kale recipe, Heather, except I used green chard. YUM


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *PikkuMyy*
Beware - Beano isn't vegetarian! I take Peaceful Digestion combination vegan enzymes from the 100% vegan line VegLife.

I've never taken it, but what's in Beano?


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

cjr: It sounds like your husband was hungry and grumpy. His loss. Food is such an emotionally loaded issue with so many people. I love mango salsa! Do you have a recipe? I also love papaya salsa. I use ginger, diced papayas, cilantro, finely diced serrano pepper, chopped cilantro, lime juice, and salt.


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## PikkuMyy (Mar 26, 2004)

Beano is enzymes that are meant to help you digest the sugars in beans that normally cause gas.


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

But what makes it non vegetarian?


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## edamommy (Apr 6, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kavamamakava*
But what makes it non vegetarian?

I think there use to be geletin in that too... but I think it's now vegetarian. Check their site


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## KnitterMama (Mar 31, 2005)

Hey Mamas...another poster suggested I check out this thread to get some support. I've been vegetarian for 12 years, and being newly Mommied I am trying for the first time in my life to be a *healthy* vegetarian (rather than what my friend deemed me - a "carboterian"). I'm having a lot of difficulty because I'm apparently a very picky eater, and I can't break out of my pasta rut.

Goin to the library today to get some vegetarian cookbooks (I have a couple but don't like most of the recipes in them :LOL ) and such. Good to join you all!


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## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

here is something I'm making today as we have 1 very ripe pineapple. just thought I'd share it here!









~Fresh Pineapple Salsa~

2 cups fresh pineapple, chopped in small chunks
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
3 or 4 fresh jalapeno peppers, minced
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Toss pineapple, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper and onion in a bowl. Mix (seperatley) vinegar, sugar and salt together, then pour over pineapple mixture. Mix well. Refrigerate before serving.


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## cresorchid (Nov 14, 2004)

Hi Swimmin_mama. Welcome to the list. I'd start by trying to change over to whole grain pasta-whole wheat pasta, brown rice pasta, etc. The other thing is, you can add stuff so that they are really healthy meals. I know where you are coming from. I like pasta too much, and if I let my son (a teenager) he would have pasta every day of the week, although he might only have it for one meal a day. For awhile I actually stopped buying pasta because I couldn't control his eating it!

I have this "Uncheese Cookbook" and one of the meals in it is an imitation Fettucine Alfredo which uses white beans mashed up with some other ingredients in a blender or food processor to make the sauce. Since beans are a great protein source, the meal is really healthy.

I think it's easy to get hooked on pasta because 1) it tastes good 2) you can order it when you go out pretty easily and 3) you can serve it to non-vegetarians without people turning up their noses and making comments about your weird food.

Anyway, what are some other things you like? I bet there are lots of other vegetarian foods, but you haven't focused on them as much. If you can give us some ideas of some of your other favorite ingredients, I bet a lot of us could give you some great ideas about meals.


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## Hollysmom (Aug 12, 2004)

Hi there,

Haven't posted this month, have just been lurking.

Can anyone tell me where they buy nutritional yeast? A Canadian source would be best, but anything will do. I haven't looked hard yet, just in the natural food section of the grocery store. I was planning on looking at the health food store this weekend.


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## PikkuMyy (Mar 26, 2004)

I have yet to see a HFS that doesn't carry it.


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## pixiexto (Mar 6, 2003)

Kristine, I'm a transplanted Canuck myself







Depending on where you live, it should be readily available at your HFS.


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## callmemama (May 7, 2002)

This probably isn't the place to post this, but since I was moaning about not being able to eat whole wheat tortillas earlier in this thread, I thought I'd put it here! I found a recipe on-line that basically said use 1 cup of *any* flour, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon optional oil. Mix, roll on a floured surface, and cook in a dry skillet. I made them with buckwheat flour today - too strong a flavor for me by itself, but good with food wrapped inside! I'm looking forward to trying it with other gf flours!


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## kavamamakava (Aug 25, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *swimmin_mama*
Hey Mamas...another poster suggested I check out this thread to get some support. I've been vegetarian for 12 years, and being newly Mommied I am trying for the first time in my life to be a *healthy* vegetarian (rather than what my friend deemed me - a "carboterian"). I'm having a lot of difficulty because I'm apparently a very picky eater, and I can't break out of my pasta rut.

Goin to the library today to get some vegetarian cookbooks (I have a couple but don't like most of the recipes in them :LOL ) and such. Good to join you all!

I love to find foods people like to eat. So if you tell me what flavors you like and those you don't like, I can help you come up with food ideas. My 17 yr old niece is super picky too. She won't even eat at restaurants if she thinks the meat might have touched her vegetarian food. She also won't touch fast food nor pizza unless the cheese is made with vegetable rennet. I"m able to feed her


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