Looking for some simple winter vegetarian ideas

to serve for one, no fuss recipes, yes I know there is the search function. but im after easy to prepare for one. not the family . and I enjoy the discussion side on creating a thread

should also add im not a big fan of pasta and eat little wheat, tend to avoid it

I make a chili type dish with kidney beans.

Just brown onion and some garlic. I add grated carrot sometimes and corn kernels and even grated courgettes etc. Add a can of kidney beans and a can of chopped tomatoes and a good couple of tablespoons of tomato paste. Finally a good amount of cumin (to taste really, we like a lot) and some chili if you also like. S&P etc.

Heat through and serve on rice and if you like a dollop of sour cream or guacamole.

We had this for dinner last night and it was yum. you can freeze any leftovers and it is great wrapped in a tortilla or flat bread, placed in a casserole dish and cover in grated cheese and heat.

Also bean balls.

Put chopped onion, garlic, mixed herbs, s&p etc (anything you like in meat balls or a meatloaf) and add a can of beans, you can use any beans you like.

Add some gluten free bread crumbs or rice flour to combine.

Make into balls and lay in a flat dish in the oven and bake at about 180c untill crispy all over.

Make a homemade sauce or pasta sauce.

This can also be made into a loaf by putting in a loaf tin and baking it longer.

We love it!

make a shepards pie, using red kidney beans place of meat

motorbo, I have three tried and tested bean-based dishes that I'd recommend however the recipes are in family quantities. I haven't tried doing so but I wonder if you might like to consider making plated meals for the freezer with the additional servings? Here are the recipes.

Alison Holst’s AFRICAN BEANS
This recipe is particularly quick because black-eyed beans cook faster than most other beans.

1½ cups dry black-eyed beans
2 medium-sized onions, chopped
2 tbsp oil
1 x 135g can tomato paste
1 x 410g can coconut cream
2 tsp paprika
½ tsp chilli powder - to taste
½ tsp cumin
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
black pepper to taste

Cook the beans.
In another pan sauté the onions in the oil until they are soft and clear. Add the tomato paste, coconut cream and seasonings, stirring until they form a smooth and creamy sauce. When the beans are cooked, drain and combine them with the sauce.
Serve immediately, or, for even better flavour & texture, leave to stand and reheat when needed. Serve on brown or white rice, accompanied by a mixed green salad.
Serves 4-6.

Alison Holst’s BEAN STROGANOFF
1 cup soybeans
2 onions, diced
3 tbsp butter or oil
150g mushrooms
¼ cup flour
1 tbsp paprika
½ tsp salt
black pepper to taste
1 cup milk
2 tbsp sherry
1 tbsp dark soya sauce
½ cup sour cream
1 tbsp fresh or 1 tsp dried parsley

Cook the soybeans (or substituted variety) until tender enough to eat without any more cooking, then drain AND leave to stand while preparing the sauce mixture.
Heat the butter or oil in a large pan or heavy-bottomed pot, sauté the onions until soft and golden brown. Add the mushrooms and cook until soft. Stir in the flour gradually, to prevent lumps forming. Add the paprika, salt and pepper, and cook a little longer, stirring continuously. Gradually stir in the milk to make a thick sauce, then stir in the sherry and soya sauce. Reduce the heat and add the sour cream, chopped parsley and cooked beans. Allow to heat through and then serve on noodles or rice.
Serves 4-6.

Alison Holst’s VEGETARIAN SHEPHERDS PIE
1 cup kidney beans
2 large onions
2 tbsp butter
1 red or green capsicum
4-5 tbsp wholemeal flour
1 tsp each of vegetable stock powder, dried basil, dried oregano, paprika & dark soy sauce
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1½ cups bean cooking stock
2 tbsp tomato paste

Cook the beans to the stage where they are tender enough to mash with your tongue against the top of your mouth. Leave them to stand in their cooking liquid until required, then drain, reserving 1½ cups of the cooking liquid.
In a large pot or pan, cook the chopped onions in the butter until tender and medium-brown - do not hurry this step. Stir in the chopped capsicum, then the flour. Stir over moderate heat until the flour has browned slightly, then add the next 6 seasoning ingredients. Stir in the bean cooking liquid and the tomato paste, and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Add the drained beans, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Spread the mixture on the bottom of lightly sprayed or buttered pan about 25cm x 20 cm. Cover with the
Topping:
1 Kg potatoes
2 tbsp butter
1 cup grated cheese
milk

Peel the potatoes, and cook them in lightly salted water. Drain and mash with the butter, ½ the grated cheese, and enough milk to get a good consistency. After mashing, beat with a fork until light and fluffy. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese over the surface.
Reheat at 180°C for 20-30 minutes, or in a microwave oven until the centre of the bottom of the dish feels hot to your hand.
For easier serving, leave to stand for a minutes before cutting.
Serve with a green vegetable e.g. brussel sprouts, beans or broccoli.
Serves 4-6. :-))

Hope that helps. :-))

the sanitarium website has heaps of cool vegetarian recipes on there. our favourite is the curried lentil lasagne. could be used to be a shepherds pie also.

thank you all so so much, the meatless meat balls - what an awesome idea, and im loving the shepards pie too, zappi I will check out that website, thank you so much, I started over 3 months ago eating only chicken and seafood/fish, and im finding as I progress im eating more meatless meals my digestion has improved so much and its good for the waistline, thanks again every one

I am exactly the same as you motorbo. I only eat chicken or fish and that is only once every couple of weeks.

The bloating etc is so much better when not eating all that meat.

This website has some lovely recipes, it always looks so inspiring.

http://www.nzchristianfoundation.org.nz/wawcs0145049/Healthy-Recipes.html

One thing that I do (whether feeding one or five) is "once a month cooking" (goggole is your friend)

So, cooking more servings than required For that meal, and freezing the extra portions

so, in that context,
Vegetable soup
Kumera soup
Carrot and cashew soup

cheers . I honestly never thought meat would be an issue but I feel so good not eating it that I hope to go further and give up chicken too. for me slow and steady wins the race . duckmoon I currently live in a situation where I do not always get a lot of time to cook in the kitchen

My fav potato dish - Mumbai Aloo.(Sp) Parboil diced potatoes. In a wok or frying pan put oil, fenugreek seeds, cummin seeds and coriander powder with chopped garlic and fresh chopped ginger. Add the potatoes when the spices have let out their flavours and the oil is hot. Delicious for a change.
Salad Indian style" Kuchumber. Slice thinly into matchsticks fresh tomatoes and cucumber. Add Black Salt (which is actually Pink!) and Chat Masala. Stir and leave in fridge overnite. yumm.

I make a Moroccan style dish which is vegetarian/vegan and very quick. Brown sliced onion and garlic on the stove top, add a mix of spices (cumin, turmeric, coriander, chilli), sliced capsicums, zucchini, green beans, tin of tomatoes, tin of chickpeas and simmer until the veges are cooked, I often add spinach at the end. Serve over cous cous or rice. You can play with the spices and add more/less to suit your own taste :)

I have not tried this, but sounds good, apparently recipe serves 2.

Kale mushroom and cashew stir fry

groundnut oil
small chunk ginger , shredded
1 red chilli , finely shredded
150g shiitake mushrooms , stalk discarded and sliced
200g kale
100g frozen soya beans or peas, defrosted
handful cashew nuts
2 tbsp soy sauce mixed with 1 tsp Chinese five-spice
1 tsp sesame oil

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the ginger, chilli, mushrooms, kale and soy beans or peas then cook for 2 minutes. Add the cashew nuts and cook for another 2 minutes, then tip in the soy and five-spice.
Cook for a minute or so then toss with the sesame oil and serve.

Silverbeet or "Garden" Pie
Steam a handful or 2 of washed and chopped silverbeet. Brown a chopped onion and a clove or 2 of garlic. Mix together then break in a couple or 3 eggs and add some grated cheese or cream cheese or blue cheese (or all 3 !) Add some GF breadcrumbs or a spoonful of polenta or coconut flour til you get a sort of sloppy mix. Bake in oven at 190 c for 20 to 30 mins. YUM !

thanks everyone, poppy what do you add when you make it, GF breadcrumbs?

Re Garden Pie , I use GF breadcrumbs if I have some , also used to use grated fresh ordinary bread (before I went wheat free) but have also used polenta about a table spoon or so . I have also used coconut flour , but you dont need much of this as it thickens up remarkably , perhaps a heaped teaspoon. This pie is infinitely stretchable or shrinkable depending on how many to feed ! Always turns out slightly different but always delicious .

SAM you rock! I made the vege shepherds pie
it smelt like a meat version when I popped it in the oven, and im eating it now. its delish

thank you 245sam wrote:
motorbo, I have three tried and tested bean-based dishes that I'd recommend however the recipes are in family quantities. I haven't tried doing so but I wonder if you might like to consider making plated meals for the freezer with the additional servings? Here are the recipes.

Alison Holst’s AFRICAN BEANS
This recipe is particularly quick because black-eyed beans cook faster than most other beans.

1½ cups dry black-eyed beans
2 medium-sized onions, chopped
2 tbsp oil
1 x 135g can tomato paste
1 x 410g can coconut cream
2 tsp paprika
½ tsp chilli powder - to taste
½ tsp cumin
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
black pepper to taste

Cook the beans.
In another pan sauté the onions in the oil until they are soft and clear. Add the tomato paste, coconut cream and seasonings, stirring until they form a smooth and creamy sauce. When the beans are cooked, drain and combine them with the sauce.
Serve immediately, or, for even better flavour & texture, leave to stand and reheat when needed. Serve on brown or white rice, accompanied by a mixed green salad.
Serves 4-6.

Alison Holst’s BEAN STROGANOFF
1 cup soybeans
2 onions, diced
3 tbsp butter or oil
150g mushrooms
¼ cup flour
1 tbsp paprika
½ tsp salt
black pepper to taste
1 cup milk
2 tbsp sherry
1 tbsp dark soya sauce
½ cup sour cream
1 tbsp fresh or 1 tsp dried parsley

Cook the soybeans (or substituted variety) until tender enough to eat without any more cooking, then drain AND leave to stand while preparing the sauce mixture.
Heat the butter or oil in a large pan or heavy-bottomed pot, sauté the onions until soft and golden brown. Add the mushrooms and cook until soft. Stir in the flour gradually, to prevent lumps forming. Add the paprika, salt and pepper, and cook a little longer, stirring continuously. Gradually stir in the milk to make a thick sauce, then stir in the sherry and soya sauce. Reduce the heat and add the sour cream, chopped parsley and cooked beans. Allow to heat through and then serve on noodles or rice.
Serves 4-6.

Alison Holst’s VEGETARIAN SHEPHERDS PIE
1 cup kidney beans
2 large onions
2 tbsp butter
1 red or green capsicum
4-5 tbsp wholemeal flour
1 tsp each of vegetable stock powder, dried basil, dried oregano, paprika & dark soy sauce
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1½ cups bean cooking stock
2 tbsp tomato paste

Cook the beans to the stage where they are tender enough to mash with your tongue against the top of your mouth. Leave them to stand in their cooking liquid until required, then drain, reserving 1½ cups of the cooking liquid.
In a large pot or pan, cook the chopped onions in the butter until tender and medium-brown - do not hurry this step. Stir in the chopped capsicum, then the flour. Stir over moderate heat until the flour has browned slightly, then add the next 6 seasoning ingredients. Stir in the bean cooking liquid and the tomato paste, and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Add the drained beans, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Spread the mixture on the bottom of lightly sprayed or buttered pan about 25cm x 20 cm. Cover with the
Topping:
1 Kg potatoes
2 tbsp butter
1 cup grated cheese
milk

Peel the potatoes, and cook them in lightly salted water. Drain and mash with the butter, ½ the grated cheese, and enough milk to get a good consistency. After mashing, beat with a fork until light and fluffy. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese over the surface.
Reheat at 180°C for 20-30 minutes, or in a microwave oven until the centre of the bottom of the dish feels hot to your hand.
For easier serving, leave to stand for a minutes before cutting.
Serve with a green vegetable e.g. brussel sprouts, beans or broccoli.
Serves 4-6. :-))

Hope that helps. :-

thanks poppy. I think this will be my next recipe as it sounds like it would be good to take to work for lunch too, thank you to everyone I do plan to try all the recipes, I started out with no red meat and I was eating like fish or chicken everynight. I think the key to change for me is slowly. as now three months later I eat mostly vegetarian and then have fish or shellfish and ive cut down my portion size for free range chicken. my digestive system is singing these days

worth saving wonderful ways with vegs

I will bump up the vegetarian thread for you, heaps of recipes there.