Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with vegetarian and food

Vegetarian Little Smokies, or Something Along Those Lines

aabbbiee — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:54:35 -0800

Need suggestions for a vegetarian appetizer similar to Little Smokies- more details inside. I am looking for a vegetarian appetizer equivalent to Little Smokies (tiny sausages swimming in BBQ sauce served from a Crock-Pot) to serve on New Year's Eve. We are doing a spread of snack foods. I would like to provide a protein-focused comfort-food-style appetizer.

We will have plenty of dip (including hummus, bean salsa, and probably something with avocado) with chips and vegetables, cheese, crackers, cookies & sugary foods, and carbohydrates in general. The food will sit out for a few hours around midnight, so it shouldn't need a lot of last-minute preparation or heating other than a Crock-Pot (if necessary). This is a group of Midwesterners who would not be up for something terribly fancy. I would really like to do vegetarian Little Smokies, or something along those lines. A heavy, junky, salty/savory vegetarian snack with protein as a main component.

I am a marginal but determined vegetarian (formerly vegan) cook and I can obtain a few specialty vegetarian items, but not many (I live in a Midwestern college town). Tofu, seitan, gluten are all welcome as I love that stuff.

Suggestions, please! And any idea of how to make vegetarian Little Smokies would be great. (I'm not sure that cut-up vegetarian hot dogs would last for long soaked in BBQ sauce. But if you've done it, please let me know.)

buffet frenzy nostalgia

Jason and Laszlo — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 09:49:21 -0800

identify this Indian dish: looks like mashed sweet potatoes and tastes sweet. vegetarian. (bonus points for a great recipe).

Spectacular Japanese Vegetarian Feast!

Cygnet — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:21:47 -0800

My family isn't doing presents this year. Instead, each of us will cook a spectacular feast for the others during the upcoming holiday break. I want to cook a Japanese feast!! Difficulty: must be vegetarian. I'm really really excited about this. I have some experience attempting traditional Japanese food - I've done pickled cabbage, carrots and plums, onigiri, vegetarian soba broth (with kombu), sushi, and hand-made udon noodles. I'm looking for more suggestions of awesome vegetarian Japanese food that will be totally delicious and beautiful to look at.

I'd enjoy trying to make my feast as traditional as possible (I know it's impossible to make it 100% authentic). What makes for a complete Japanese meal? Should I serve green tea with dinner, and if so, what kind? Table decorations? Any other suggestions?

I will have lots of free time to prepare the food, so, short of recipes that take days to ferment or pickle or whatever, I'm up for anything. I have access to a great co-op that sells some Asian vegetables and condiments, but I may not be able to purchase something that's really only grown in Asia - I don't know of any Asian markets in rural VT where my family lives!

Lastly, I know that dashi containing bonito flakes is much-used in Japanese cooking, and no, I will not be using it, or any other product containing fish (or any other meat). Sorry!

train food

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:37:31 -0800

Train ride from Portland to Chicago. In coach. I don't want to buy food on the train. What should my food strategy be? Limitations:
1. Food should be vegetarian (no beef jerky!).
2. As far as I know, there are no microwaves or refrigerators that I can use.
3. Food should be sufficient to sustain me for the entirety of the 46 hour train ride
4. I won't have access to a kitchen or cooking supplies while in Portland.
5. I would like some variety (I've tried just doing fruits&nuts on previous long journeys [though not this long] and it got boring fast.

What delicious things can I bring with me to sustain myself for the entire 46 hour journey?

How actively do vegetarians avoid gelatin?

zennie — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:10:32 -0800

How actively do vegetarians avoid eating gelatin? I'm probably going to use gelatin in a dish that will be part of the cater service at a party for people I don't really know, a few of whom will be vegetarian. I've been disastrously unsuccessful adjusting the recipe using various non-animal-source replacements (agar-agar, gums, starches, and so forth). It would be my preference not to use gelatin (I am not required to make this dish vegetarian), but I'm all out of time for experimentation.

I'd like to be able to estimate the impact of having to use gelatin as an ingredient.

Given that there's a range of reasons for vegetarianism and individuals go about it in their own way, how often is an exception made for gelatin? What about fish-based gelatin?

Improving texture in a vegetarian diet

slow graffiti — Wed, 13 May 2009 12:07:23 -0800

My vegetarian cooking tastes good, but the lack of different textures bores me. Help me incorporate dishes that have some chew or crunch! I cook vegetarian 99% of the time at home. This means I make alot of soup and stew type things, rice, pasta and legumes. Often I miss the crusty exterior and melty insides of seared meat, or the crunch of baked or fried things. I'm learning to bake my own bread and pizza, but that's pretty labor intensive. What other vegetarian dishes can I try at home when I want satisfying texture and I'm bored to death of soft vegetables? I especially love something like nachos that has multiple textures going on in one dish.

hot ham water?

arianell — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 01:07:01 -0800

I need recipes for tantalizing soups that freeze well. Bonus points for creativity. I've been invited to one of those nifty Soup Swap parties, and I want to knock everyone's socks off with 6 quarts of really interesting and delicious soup.

Ideally, I'd like to find a recipe that:
1.) doesn't require blending of any kind - I don't have an immersion blender, and I haven't had good luck with pureeing soup in the "normal" blender.
2.) is meatless - not a requirement, but I know there will be lots of vegetarians in attendance.
3.) is still delicious after freezing/thawing - obviously.

Thanks in advance!

Vegetarian meals in Edinburgh

fearnothing — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 12:06:30 -0800

Eating out with quality vegetarian options in central Edinburgh? Looking for suggestions on dining places around the middle of Edinburgh (UK), especially ones whose vegetarian dishes are known for being at least as good as non-veggie options. All styles are welcome, italian, indian, greek, thai, chinese... while I wouldn't say money is no object, it's by no means the most significant factor in my choice. Links to websites are especially welcome!

Vegetarian equivalent to Bon Appétit or Gourmet Magazine?

imposster — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 07:42:07 -0800

Is there a vegetarian equivalent to Bon Appétit or Gourmet Magazine? My wife really enjoys reading food magazines but since we've gone mainly vegetarian, we find most of the recipes in these magazines aren't useful to us. I'm aware of Vegetarian Times and Vegetarian Journal, but the recipes seem pretty mundane and health oriented. The magazine wouldn't have to be exclusively vegetarian, but we'd something more related the way we eat. She has enjoyed Cooks Illustrated and Saveur, but again, most the those recipes are meat based. Thanks for any suggestions.

Eating mostly-plain cottage cheese and tofu.

lemonade — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 10:22:25 -0800

How many ways can I spice up plain tofu and cottage cheese...snackwise, with no cooking? I need to increase the amount of (lowfat) protein I eat, and while I can and do eat both cottage cheese and tofu plain, it gets old really quick. What I'd like to do is have a whole bunch of mix-ins or maybe sandwich-y things, so I can more or less grab-and-go. I haven't tried these yet, but I was hoping for ideas along the lines of tofu and mustard on crackers, or cinnamon in cottage cheese? Maybe something with relish? And of course I often snack on the old standby of fruit in the cottage cheese. What else can I try?

Reconcile the vegetarian with the picky eater

fishmasta — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:22:40 -0800

Help me find an L.A. restaurant that accommodates a vegetarian and a picky eater! So my brother is coming to visit me in Los Angeles for a few days and we're planning on going out Sunday evening to eat along with an aunt who lives in the area. I'm having trouble trying to find the right place to go though. My brother is a vegetarian (sort of, he eats fish, so call it what you will) and my aunt is an extremely picky eater (tends to only like simple food she can identify. Mostly "American" cuisine. If she can't have it cooked to order, meaning well-done meat and willing to take substitutions on absolutely everything, she gets upset). Personally, I'll eat pretty much anything, but my brother won't be satisfied with the salad/mixed vegetable options at many restaurants and if it's "weird" my aunt won't like it. What's a good option to take these people out somewhere they'll both be satisfied? My brother is going to be staying near Hollywood so somewhere in that vicinity is preferable, but not required. Something that represents the cuisine that Los Angeles has to offer is a plus, as it's my brother's first time coming here.

-sizzle-

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:53:45 -0800

What [vegetarian or fishy] foods can I grill? Living on the street filter: After moving out of my apartment I'm staying with a friend until she has to move out, too. She has a big gas grill that we want to use as often as possible. We paid to replace the propane tank near the end of last summer so the tentative goal is to grill enough to use it all up!

In the past I have made naan, salmon, tofu kabobs, portobello mushrooms, and corn on the cob. What other vegetarian or fishy recipes are there that can be made on a gas grill? I definitely like cooking projects so recipes can be as complicated as necessary.

Vegetables

All.star — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:03:33 -0800

I want to become a vegetarian, but my husband will still be eating meat. Any practical tips on how to make this work? I'm looking for any advice or tips, especially from people who are part of a couple where one person is a vegetarian and the other eats meat. How did you make it work? Is it practical to sometimes make two versions of the same meal, one with meat and one without?

Where can I find some good vegetarian eating in the Ft. Lauderdale/ Weston area?

slavlin — Mon, 26 May 2008 19:46:08 -0800

Where can I find some good vegetarian eating in the Ft. Lauderdale/ Weston area? I will be staying in Weston, FL a couple of nights for business and I am looking for some decent vegetarian places to eat there. I will need a place that is open later in the evening (flying in around 7:30, so need a place open till at least 9-10 PM.) I am not a 100% strict vegetarian as I eat eggs and dairy and will occasionally eat mollusks and shellfish, but I prefer to eat that way when I can.

Is there anyone that can give me suggestions, along with addresses, if possible.

Why does meat make vegetarians vomit?

giggleknickers — Thu, 01 May 2008 14:43:50 -0800

Why do vegetarians vomit if they eat meat? Every time I've seen a vegetarian eat meat, by accident or because they were giving up vegetarianism, they always vomited. I was just curious as to why this is. Does anyone know?

If you're going to answer, please have some knowledge about the subject and preferably have a source. I can come up with guesses myself.

Oh no! Not butternut squash risotto again.

Xurando — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 03:25:15 -0800

As a multi-decade ova-lacto-pesca-vegetarian, I am bored to tears with my diet. Help me revitalize my meal planning/diet. Meat is still not an option. For the past 15 years or so i have been using the same cookbooks and basically the same few recipes. I need something new both cookbook wise and recipe wise. The criteria I want to use is that meals should be relatively quick to make (45 minutes max. and should utilize everyday ingredients. I'm tired of going to the store for arugula or pine nuts.

Yes, but where will they live?

jadepearl — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:56:37 -0800

Help me match meat dishes.. What meat dish will not clash and pair well with a salmon fillet rubbed with paprika, brown sugar, thyme and black pepper? I am having a party and the one standout fish dish that I can do is salmon which the other party goers may or may not like. I am doing fish as one of the mains because some guests are pescatarians. Any suggestions are welcome.

How much does it cost to eat (basic food) in San Francisco?

stackhaus23 — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 08:54:52 -0800

How much does it cost to eat (basic food) in San Francisco? I'm talking anything from Dennys or In-N-Out to some vegetarian places like Love N Haight to take away pizzas? Ok, something I literally have no idea on is how much it costs (in US Dollars) to eat out at cafes, take aways or budget / cheap restuarants. I'm talking anything from Dennys or In-N-Out to some vegetarian places like Love N Haight.

We're (23 year olds, MF couple) coming over from the UK for a couple of weeks and have looked up the places to eat (as tourists) but have no idea how much to budget per day or per meal for food. We'll probably be thinking small breakfasts and lunch, dinner in the evening. As well as how much a coffee or milkshake would cost at the average cafe?

For example; to get a large Pizza over here would be £9.99 or $20. To get a coffee at Starbucks is around £2.50 or $5.

Thanks so much!

Delicious Vegetarian Sandwiches

exceptinsects — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 17:54:48 -0800

Ideas for delicious vegetarian sandwiches? I'm going on a picnic with a vegetarian friend, and I want to make some sandwiches that are more exciting than just cheese or PB&J.
I don't mind spending some time preparing them.

*Vegan not necessary but not excluded either.

Just because the animal was vegetarian too doesn't mean I'll eat it.

TheNewWazoo — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 20:35:32 -0800

Oh God, this is shaping up to be one of the worst travel experiences of my life. I'm at the Hyatt Regency DFW until Friday, cannot expense the $40-one-way taxi costs into the city, and am a vegetarian. I've never dealt with Dallas on anyone's terms but my own, and I have to eat this week! Does anyone have any recommendations? (I'm 100% open to DART!)

Vegetarian Soul Food

Astro Zombie — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 08:57:54 -0800

Vegetarian substitutions four soul food dishes. Looking for recommendations for what would make the best meatless alternatives to the constituent ingredient is many soul food dishes, including salt pork, tripe, bacon drippings, turtle meat, rabbit, and possum.

Also, if any of you have recipes for vegetarian soul food options, please share.

Feed me!

fleeba — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 18:07:03 -0800

What are some simple, healthy, and appetizing dinners for impatient cooks that like neither vegetables nor meat? I was raised on a combination of bland, homestyle meals (meat and potatoes) and Italian meals. Although I now hate pot roast, steak, ham, turkey, and meat loaf, I've been eating pasta for the last few months. This week I ate tortelline (with microwave sauce; x4), mac & cheese (nasty kraft; x1), microwaveable soup (x1), and ravioli. Ugh. I definitely don't feel healthy, so I'd like to try a fresher, more diverse diet. The problem is I don't know where to start.

I want to go vegetarian, but I've never really liked vegetables (are there any "gateway" vegetables?). I don't like meat (seafood, beef, pork, chicken, etc) either. (No, I'm not into Alanis Morissette). I do like Mexican food (cheese enchiladas esp), obviously Italian meals, but that's where my experience ends.

So, with that in mind, what do you reccomend I cook?

(Thanks in advance for feeding me!)

Time to eat my vegetables

bassjump — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 09:21:30 -0800

Vegetarian seeks advice for traveling in Korea and China. I'm going on two business trips this year that will take me to Korea and China. I'll spend a few days each in Shanghai and Seoul, and 2-3 weeks in Beijing. I'm also hoping to do a couple more weeks of more laid-back travel in the south of China (Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Yangshuo). I'm really excited for these trips, but I do want to ask what I can expect as a vegetarian.

I eat eggs and dairy. I do not eat fish, shellfish, chicken, beef, pork, etc. If a broth is meat- or fish-based, I generally eat it. I thought about trying to eat meat for the sake of convenience, but it's been about thirteen years. Recently I accidentally ate a bite of chicken that had sneaked into my tofu curry, and my brain registered it as "not food." So I just can't do it.

I don't know any Korean, but I will be with a bilingual colleague while I'm in Seoul. I'll be more on my own in China, but I've been making my way through the Rosetta Stone Mandarin lessons. Thanks to other AskMe threads, I've ordered "The Eater's Guide to Chinese Characters."

So, I'm looking for advice on what to eat, how to avoid things I don't eat, how to know what's what, and most of all how to be polite and respectful about this. Thanks in advance!

Purple is a fruit

roomthreeseventeen — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 11:52:27 -0800

My sister has been a vegetarian for several years. She's contemplating eating meat again. Is there a safe way to do this that won't destroy her stomach?

Tasty turnips?

mediareport — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 19:17:13 -0800

A crate of homegrown turnips showed up in my life yesterday. I've never cooked with turnips before (hell, I don't recall ever eating them before). Do you have any particularly delicious ways of using turnips? I know I can treat them like mashed potatoes, which sounds good. I checked the small section on turnips (two recipes) in Bittman's How To Cook Everything; it made me hesitate, since he says to only use the ones smaller than two inches in diameter so they aren't "woody." These turnips are all sorts of sizes. Is it really that bad to use the bigger ones? Thanks in advance for helping me not waste this bounty.