| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| smurfy1019 |
Posted - Jul 01 2010 : 10:03:00 PM
So, my brother is bringing his new girlfriend over this weekend to celebrate 4th of July with us. However, she is a vegetarian. As a happy, meat-eating family, we have NO clue what to make her other than salad. I'd really like to make her feel welcome and make sure she has a great meal. Any suggestions? Also, we do have a garden with plenty of cilantro, spinach, snow peas, and other greens in our backyard :D |
| 14 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| missmuffcake |
Posted - Jul 05 2010 : 10:03:06 PM
I wish I saw this sooner. I am vegan and my mom always makes a vegan meal for me when I go over. From grilled veggies to organic fruit salad...Try searching vegweb.com for lots of recipes.
It is great you are trying. My boyfriend's family never bothers for me and I feel left out and a bit angry after almost 5 years with him.
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http://www.missmuffcake.com/ |
| Turtlemoon |
Posted - Jul 03 2010 : 7:14:20 PM
i am unable to eat meat (well, i can eat fish/shellfish) for medical reasons and adore a good portabello mushroom with balsamic vinegar and other veggies like thick cut zucchini or asparagus on the grill. have numerous veggie options (corn on cob, etc) as well in your meal and she will be fine. enjoy!
...life is what you make it! |
| Violets November |
Posted - Jul 03 2010 : 7:09:33 PM
LOL, EarthMama, just how many Violets are there?
I'm vegetarian also. Raised my 6 kids as vegetarians. Three of them are no longer strictly vegetarians. My two youngest daughters, 20 and 22 have never eaten meat. Oh gosh, is eaten even a word?
~Violet~
Farmgirl Sister #1669
My blog, http://hiddenacre.blogspot.com/
Our Organic Jewelry, http://www.etsy.com/shop/GaelicForge |
| EarthMamaJEM |
Posted - Jul 03 2010 : 4:40:35 PM
We are vegetarians and I think its great you want to have something especially for her to eat. :)
Gosh...there are so many options. A huge colorful pasta salad is always a hit, you can make it vegan in case you need to (I used tiny bits of fresh avacado and garbonzo beans in place of the meat and cheese)...you can chop up a ton of veggies in that and it looks pretty too. We make our own veggie burgers most of the time, but when we are out I tend to bring Sunshine Burgers (brand) because they have very simply ingredients and are very tasty.
(and off topic, but neat to see so many Violet's here...its a great name as you can see there is a letter "V" in my siggy he he he)
I am Jenn. Wife to A, mama to S, B, L and V.
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| Violets November |
Posted - Jul 02 2010 : 11:44:30 PM
Hello, hello!!!! I see another Violet! I'm jumping here waving my arms!
I'm new here and I'm glad to meet you!
February Violet, were you born in February? I was born in November, given my name through my German family.
I introduced myself in the Welcome section, if you all don't mind me re-introducing myself again, then again, I'm very glad to meet all of you here in the Vegetarian Dish section!
Sorry, I don't mean to be hijacking this thread and I'll get myself back yonder to the welcome section!
~Violet~
Farmgirl Sister #1669
My blog, http://hiddenacre.blogspot.com/
Our Organic Jewelry, http://www.etsy.com/shop/GaelicForge |
| kairosdreaming |
Posted - Jul 02 2010 : 9:36:19 PM
If she eats cheese this is a great veggie sandwich. Favorite bread sliced with brie cheese, spinach, honey mustard, tomato, and sauteed onions. Its absolutely delicious!
Melissa
http://checkeredchickens.blogspot.com/
They sicken of the calm that know the storm.-unknown |
| JenniferJuniper |
Posted - Jul 02 2010 : 7:17:28 PM
I'm pasting the link below to save lots of typing. I make this dish often - it is a Thai-type noodle dish with a zesty peanut sauce. I use whole wheat pasta and replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth or even orange juice. The recipe calls for optional animal protein but I have never used any, does not need it.
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=223315
Also taboule is a favorite go-to meal, the bulgur salad above sounds good.
I make stuffed bell peppers, instad of using meat stuffing them with cooked rice, ricotta cheese, pine nuts and sun dried tomatoes seasoned with basil and oregano, simmered in tomato sauce. (for 2, try 1 cup rice & 1/2 cup ricotta cheese and a handful of nuts & reconstituted tomatoes. I eyeball it, its very forgiving kind of recipe measurement wise)
Farmgirl Sister #204 |
| Violets November |
Posted - Jul 02 2010 : 12:04:14 PM
Taco Salad is always a hit around here. I think it's just like Taco Salad with the meat. We toss it with chili beans. Chopped fresh lettuce, minced onions, seeded tomato's, grated cheese, chopped olives, etc. Pretty much whatever you would like to eat in a taco salad. Serve it with corn chips, salsa, and sour cream.
Here in California Mexican type food is a big favorite of everybody!
~Violet~
Farmgirl Sister #1669
My blog, http://hiddenacre.blogspot.com/
Our Organic Jewelry, http://www.etsy.com/shop/GaelicForge |
| Hallie |
Posted - Jul 02 2010 : 10:46:01 AM
I'm sure your son's girlfriend will have a blast and will feel really appreciated considering that you're already thinking about how to make sure she enjoys her meal this weekend! I'm sure she'll be excited by the delicious fresh garden veggies. She may even be expecting to compromise a bit. I agree with Mama Jewel, she'll probably appreciate eating something similar to everyone else.
My boyfriend's mother makes a delicious veggie burger that even we meat-eaters love. She mixes whole grains like barley with flax flour, chopped walnuts, and chopped mushroom, binds the patties together with egg yolk, and fries them in a skillet. I think she seasons with salt, pepper, marjoram and a touch of sage. I can't remember if she sautes all the ingredients first or just forms the patties and cooks them from there. You can provide a much appreciated big hunk of protein in the form of dishes with nuts and beans too.
Hope you have a great 4th. We're eating BBQ. Oh and garlic scapes, which are going crazy right now. 
Hallie
Sister #1112
www.maryjanesfarm.tv |
| FebruaryViolet |
Posted - Jul 02 2010 : 09:27:20 AM
I make a really wonderful Bulgur wheat salad from Bon Appetit that is really versatile, makes a bunch and vegetarians and meat lovers will ALL eat it..and love it :) It's versatile in that, if you don't have smoked mozzarella, the little fresh mozzarella "pearls" are super easy, and wonderful, too! Really healthy, really hearty and it's just wonderful for hot days.
* 1 cup Bulgur
* 1 cup pearl barley
* 1 small red onion, chopped fine
* 2 garlic cloves, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
* 1/4 cup olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
* 6 scallions, chopped fine
* 1 1/2 cups cooked corn (I use frozen)
* 1/2 pound smoked mozzarella cheese, diced fine
* 1 pint vine-ripened cherry tomatoes, halved
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
Preparation
Prepare grains according to package directions.
While grains are cooking, in a large bowl stir together onion, garlic paste, vinegar, and oil.
Drain grains well and add to onion mixture. Toss mixture well and cool. Add scallions, corn, mozzarella, tomatoes, chives, and salt and pepper to taste and toss well. Salad may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring salad to room temperature before serving.
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
| Mama Jewel |
Posted - Jul 02 2010 : 07:30:36 AM
I'm vegetarian  The best way to make someone who's veggie feel as part of the group at meal time is to serve the same dish as the others, but with consideration of leaving out the meat. For example, if you're having a BBQ burgers, find out if she has a fav veggie burger that she likes that you could throw on the BBQ. If not, make sure there are enough fixings (i.e. lettuce, thick tomato, cheese) so she can make a burgerless burger using all the regular fixings. Have a fruit salad, corn on the cob. I know when I've been just given a salad at a restaurant, I felt strange (not trying to sound harsh). I like not feeling like the odd man out, that my plate "looks" like everyone else's so it doesn't invite confrontation or questions. Having enough sides: rolls, salads, rice dishes, bean dishes are great to have at every meal as fillers. If you're making a casserole dish (say lasagne), then putting a sm dish off to the side that's lasagne minus the meat, is super helpful, too. It's very sweet of you to want to be accommodating to her. I hope your visit is wonderful!!
Farm Girl Sister #1683 Living Simply & Naturally on our lil Sweet Peas Farmette
"Do Everything in Love." 1 Cor 14
http://www.piecemama.etsy.com |
| smurfy1019 |
Posted - Jul 02 2010 : 07:12:12 AM
Thank you! I will ask my brother about the cheese.... And I'm fairly sure she is just vegetarian, not vegan. |
| Sarahpauline |
Posted - Jul 02 2010 : 12:48:53 AM
I have the perfect recipe for you because it contains fresh foods, it is hearty enough as a main meal, and appealing to everyone so she doesnt have to feel left out. We dont use the artificial meats at our house because frankly, if we wanted to eat meat we would and some other vegetarians feel the same. Just be sure she is a vegetarian and not a vegan.
I will give you the recipe for 4-6
1 family size chese tortellini cook the pasta as directed, when you drain, line the bottome of the collander with a goodly amount of chopped fresh spinach, it will steam with the hot water and not be overcooked. Dump it into a big bowl and toss in a 4 oz container of pesto sauce, tossed into the warm pasta and spinach mix, then add some sauteed mushrooms (baby bellas or morels are really good in it) lots of black pepper, chopped oil packed sundried tomatoes (if dried, just chop them and reconstitute) some parmesan, some toasted pine nuts, you could also add asparagus, artichoke hearts, pepperoncini if you like it hot, capers, or roasted red pepper. Its also really good with grill roasted end of the garden veggies like roasted corn, roasted zucchini, little yellow squash etc. Anyway, toss it all in, throw it in the fridge. In the morning if it looks a little dry toss in some olive oil. It will look like there isnt enough sauce, but its pesto so believe me, its enough. Meat eaters could add sausage, pepperoni, grilled chicken or whatever. I am asked for this "the salad" for every single holiday, boy scout meeting, birthday. It is really so very good!
If you think she might be vegan, try one of the packaged rosemary cous cous, with a roasted veggie kabob on the grill seasoned with lots of good fresh herbs. She will love it.
fat people are harder to kidnap.
www.SarahPauline.com
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www.whimsyscents.com
www.etsy.com/shop/daltonfabrics |
| natesgirl |
Posted - Jul 01 2010 : 10:43:44 PM
We eat meat, but really enjoy soymeat products as well. We also have a lot of all vege meals. I would suggest a large cut vege platter, salad, and a noodle dish. Rotini noodles with any good tomato sauce is always a winner. You can add lots of veges to the noodles and bake it. My family loves broccoli, squash, snow peas, carrots, and potatoes added in with the noodles and sauce. See if she eats cheese, that really opens your options. I have 5 or 6 vegetarian cookbooks but would need to know if she's vegen or eats milk and eggs to give you really specific suggestions. There's always rice dishes too. We eat rice weekly in all kindas of ways. If she likes soymeats I could suggest some really good ones that people new to soymeats usually like as well. Feel free to email me if you'd like.
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
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