OT Vegetarian meal ideas

[ParanoidAndroid]

So, I was pretty impressed by some of the cooking skills shown off in the BBQ thread a couple days ago.

Having some friends over for dinner tomorrow and they're vegetarians. I can hold my own in the kitchen, but am always nervous about trying new recipes for guests. So, can anyone suggest some good, fairly straightforward, meal ideas for entertaining vegetarians. I'm looking for more than just a pasta dish, which would be the obvious choice (too obvious).

 

[steaktartar]

get few cans of progresso blackbeans depending on how many people.........rinse them off under cold water in a spaghetti strainer to get the junk off of them............place them in a bowl....with your choice of a white cheese.....i use mozz but jack would be nice..........with garlic salt and tobasco......you can serve it like that or with tortilla chips..........tasty

 

[bellyputter]

True "vegans" don't eat any milk products.

 

[ParanoidAndroid]

True "vegans" don't eat any milk products.

My friends aren't vegan, they're vegetarian, there's a difference

 

[celticGreen+]

I used to live /w vegans (although I see that it's not an issue in this case) - I used to make A LOT of stirfry. Veggies, peanuts and/or cashews, soy sauce, thai garlic/pepper hot sauce, peanut butter over rice... Yummy.

 

[FuriousDrew]

So, I was pretty impressed by some of the cooking skills shown off in the BBQ thread a couple days ago.

Having some friends over for dinner tomorrow and they're vegetarians. I can hold my own in the kitchen, but am always nervous about trying new recipes for guests. So, can anyone suggest some good, fairly straightforward, meal ideas for entertaining vegetarians. I'm looking for more than just a pasta dish, which would be the obvious choice (too obvious).

Here are a few vegetarian dishes from my website I cook for my personal chef clients, they are pretty straightforward and have gotten some good praise thus far.

Vegetarian

Blue Cheese and Caramelized Onion Tart

Sweet caramelized onions with crumbled blue cheese in a flaky pastry shell. Baked until golden brown.
Roasted Vegetable Penne

Roasted bell peppers, red onion, zucchini and garlic in a hearty tomato sauce over penne pasta.
Shiitake Mushroom Chow Mien

Lots of sliced shiitake mushrooms, bok choy and green onions sauteed in a garlic ginger sauce over chow mien noodles.
3 Cheese Macaroni

Sundried tomatoes, roasted garlic and fresh thyme in a creamy 3 cheese sauce (2 year aged cheddar, provolone, parmiggiano reggiano) with macaroni shells.
Roasted Corn Casserole

Roasted corn tossed with zucchini, plum tomatoes and red onion, covered with a layer of garlic mashed and baked until golden brown.

 

[HiPockets]

Cuts two ways; your guest's appetite in parallel with your culinary self expressions. As a long time veg, I'd guess that your guests will attend with healthy appetites where traditional meat expectations might be substituted with equal hunger for beans, spices and vegetables. Go both ways. Cook your strengths with crossover potato and bean dishes, but expand into spiceable lentils or whatever is maturing in your county from local farmers or some of the suggestions by Furious Drew. Don't underestimate the appetites of your guests.

 

[1cheater]

Cuts two ways; your guest's appetite in parallel with your culinary self expressions. As a long time veg, I'd guess that your guests will attend with healthy appetites where traditional meat expectations might be substituted with equal hunger for beans, spices and vegetables. Go both ways. Cook your strengths with crossover potato and bean dishes, but expand into spiceable lentils or whatever is maturing in your county from local farmers or some of the suggestions by Furious Drew. Don't underestimate the appetites of your guests.

Very well said Hipockets; sounds like someone who knows what they want.

ParanoidAndroid, you have to give us an idea of what your friends like? Do they like spicy? How long have they been Rabbits? Are their tastes sophisticated? How many courses do you plan on or is it just one course? Give us some details and we may be able to help you. When you ask a question like this put yourself in our shoes; that's the only way your gonna get a good timely answer.

 

[degengambler]

Veggie Dishes

Get Corn Tortillas And Fry Them In Oil
Then Make Refried Beans, Salsa, And You Can Buy
Veggie Shredded "cheese"

Put The Beans, Salsa And Shredded Cheese Over The Fried Tortilla.

You Can Go To One Of Those Macrobiotic Stoes And Get Carne De Soya

Stir Fry That In Oil, Then Add Soy Sauce, Make Brown Rice, And Jolly Green Giant Frozen Veggies. Stir Fry Together

 

[FuriousDrew]

Cuts two ways; your guest's appetite in parallel with your culinary self expressions. As a long time veg, I'd guess that your guests will attend with healthy appetites where traditional meat expectations might be substituted with equal hunger for beans, spices and vegetables. Go both ways. Cook your strengths with crossover potato and bean dishes, but expand into spiceable lentils or whatever is maturing in your county from local farmers or some of the suggestions by Furious Drew. Don't underestimate the appetites of your guests.

Good post, looks like we have another culinary fan among the RX ranks.

Paranoid, like stated before give us a bit more info on your guests tastes and we can help you put together something real nice.

 

[1cheater]

Try this one, replace the chicken with pressed, dried bean curd it's spicy, but sweet, if you want it less spicy just cut back on the curry and Cayenne.


Thai Curry Chicken And Vegetables

Sub out Chicken for to foo/bean curd/ portabello mushrooms etc. etc..

* Servings 5*
2 TB Oil
1 ts Five-spice powder
1/2 ts To 1 1/2 ts salt
1/2 ts Garlic powder
1/2 ts Ginger
1/2 ts Pepper
1/2 ts Cayenne pepper
1 TB Soy sauce
1 1/2 lb Chicken breasts, skinned, -boned, cut into 1-inch -pieces
1 c Chicken broth
3 ts Curry powder
2 TB Rice wine vinegar or vinegar
14 oz Coconut milk (not cream of -coconut)
16 oz broccoli, carrots, -water chestnuts and red -peppers (1/2 in pieces or as preferred)
5 c Hot cooked rice

*"you can" make a slurry with corn starch and water to thicken the sauce, it's tends to be on the thin side,Thai style sauces are usually thin.*

Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until hot. Stir in five-spice powder, garlic powder, ginger, pepper, cayenne, and soy sauce. Blend well only cooking for about 5-10 seconds because the spices will burn.

Add chicken; cook and stir 5 to 8 minutes or until coated with seasonings, lightly browned and no longer pink.

Add chicken broth, curry, vinegar, and coconut milk;
stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasional. Add
veggies to skillet, bring to a boil; add the slurry at this point "if" you want a thicker sauce. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until veggies are crisp-tender. Serve over Jasmine Rice

 

[steaktartar]

So, I was pretty impressed by some of the cooking skills shown off in the BBQ thread a couple days ago.

Having some friends over for dinner tomorrow and they're vegetarians. I can hold my own in the kitchen, but am always nervous about trying new recipes for guests. So, can anyone suggest some good, fairly straightforward, meal ideas for entertaining vegetarians. I'm looking for more than just a pasta dish, which would be the obvious choice (too obvious).

look make them my dish..........im already banned from poly forum.........id hate to make a vegetarian thread hit the RR..........but damn it i have to take a stand at some point:grandmais

 

[steaktartar]

of course im joking....but it is good and easy

 

[steaktartar]

get few cans of progresso blackbeans depending on how many people.........rinse them off under cold water in a spaghetti strainer to get the junk off of them............place them in a bowl....with your choice of a white cheese.....i use mozz but jack would be nice..........with garlic salt and tobasco......you can serve it like that or with tortilla chips..........tasty

im an idiot i logged back in to say.......microwave til the cheese is melted..........sorry

 

[Presto]

Typical vegetarian, not in action but attitude.

Vegetarian Arrested in 'Meat Massacre'

Updated: Monday, 29 Mar 2010, 9:51 AM EDT
Published : Monday, 29 Mar 2010, 9:51 AM EDT

(CANVAS STAFF REPORTS) - A vegetarian was arrested for slicing up meat in what Edinburgh, Ind., police called a meat massacre, WRTV-TV.com reported.

Several people called 911 on Wednesday morning to report that a man had a knife in the Jay C Food Store in south-central Indiana.

"We have a gentleman here cutting into the meat and throwing it onto the floor," one caller said.

Police said Anthony Coffman, 28, used a hunting knife to cut through packages. He threw open containers of raw beef on the floor then poured dog food on top of some of it, Edinburgh police Deputy Chief David Lutz told the TV station on Friday. A store employee tried to stop him but gave up when Coffman allegedly threatened him.

"He told people at the store that God had sent him there to do that. And he was trying to save young girls from the beef," Lutz said to WTHR-TV .

He also said that he is a vegetarian and gets angry when others eat beef. He wanted to save little girls from getting "chubby," according to 6 News.

Coffman was charged with criminal mischief and criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon.
http://www.myfoxillinois.com/dpps/n...arrested-in-meat-massacre-fc-20100329_6801010

 

[D2bets]

Pasta Primavera

 

[quantumleap]

I like to make "Haystacks" occasionally.

Fill a plate with a bed of Fritos (I like the scoop kind).

Warm up some vegetarian refried beans and layer over the fritos.

Add your favorite cheese (I like cheddar).

Add salsa or just plain taco sauce.

Add shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, black olives and sour cream.