The easy and tasty vegetarian recipe thread

Baked Nacho's
2 tins of kidney beans
1 tin of Watties Mexican Chilli beans mild
1 tin of watties savoury tomatoes
1 tin of budget chopped tomatoes
1 tin of pineapple peices (this is very optional, my kids love pineapple so I add it)
1 packet of taco seasoning (vegetarian)
1 large packet of corn chips
grated cheese for teh top

Mix the above ingredients together in a pot on the stove and heat until it is just simmering.

Put the corn chips in a lasagna baking dish and pour the bean mixture over the top. Cover in grated cheese and bake at 180 for 20 minutes or so until the cheese is starting to brown.

This makes a lot, enough for 6 people, you could stretch it out to do two meals easily if you served it with rice and a side salad.

I normally make a guacamole out of mashed avacado, garlic and lemon juice to serve on top. I prefer this to sour cream but others like it as well as sour cream :)

Great dish when you have unexpected visitors arrive and need to feed a lot of people.

Vegetarian Meat Balls
2 cups pecan meal (you can use other nuts if pecans are too expensive, I sometimes use walnuts or even cashews)
1 cup of cottage cheese (the one with chives is nice)
1 cup of grated cheddar cheese
1 large onion, chopped fine
8 eggs
1 cups fresh bread crumbs
1 cup of dried bread crumbs
1 tsp sage
salt to taste (½ to 1 tsp)

Mix everything together and let sit for 15 minutes to firm up. Once firm you can make into meatball shapes. Spray the meatballs with cooking oil spray and bake in the oven.

I normally mix them through pasta sauced or even a can of tomato soup poured over them in a casserole dish and baked until the soup is bubbling.

FILO SPINACH (OR SILVERBEET) PIE(serves 4)
1 bunch spinach or silverbeet, finely sliced
1 large onion, chopped
3 eggs
125 gms cottage cheese (half a 250gm pottle)
25 to 50 gms feta cheese crumbled
50 gms cheddar cheese, grated
1 tsp dried dill or 1/2 tsp dill seeds
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
a LITTLE salt (feta can be salty) & good grind of black pepper
handful of parsely, chopped
4 sheets filo pastry
4 tsp butter or oil for brushing (or cooking oil spray)

Steam spinach and onion for about 5 mins
Beat eggs, add cottage cheese, feta & cheddar cheese
Add steamed onion & spinach, dill, nutmeg, s & p and parsley
Pour into ovenproof dish (I use 20cms square pan for four servings)
Layer the filo sheets on top of the mix, lightly brushing each with oil or butter, turning over excess flaps at edges
Sprinkle with sesame seeds
Bake at 180*C for 30-40 mins. Can cover dish with foil for last ten minutes to stop filo burning

Source: Adapted slightly from Carolyn Gibson

Variation:Leeks & blue cheese, instead of onion & feta

Vege Rissoles
1 cup of uncooked brown rice
1 carrot grated
1 clove of garlic
4 sprin onions chopped
2 eggs
3 table spoons of chopped parsley (optional, you can use dried mixed herbs instead)
1/4 cup of salted peanuts chopped finely
90g grated cheese
salt
wholemeal flour
Oil for frying

1) Boil the rice in salted water uncovered for 30 mins

2) combine rice, parsley, grated carrot, spring onions, garlic lightly beaten eggs, chopped peanuts, cheese and salt. Mix well

3) Spoon out and form into rissole shapes and coat in flour.

4) Fry rissoles until golden brown

Rocker Burgers
1 cup of cooked brown rice
1/2 cup of tolled oats
1 cup of boiling water
2 eggs
2 tblspn soy suace
1 finely chopped onion
1 tspn mixed herbs
1/4 cup of gluten flour

broth:
1 tin of tomato soup
1 tin of water
mixed herbs to taste

Combine the rolled oats and the brown rice with the boiling water unitl the oats have swollen add the remaining ingredients (gluten flour last). Shape into patties and fry until golden brown

Mix the broth ingredients together and pour over the patties in a casserole dish. Bake in the oven at 180 for 35 minutes. Make sure you cover the casserole dish with a lid or foil. If it starts drying out too much you can add water to the casserole to moisten it.

Oatmeal "Meat" Loaf
1 onion finely chopped
2 tspns of marmite
3 cups of oatmeal
50ml of vegetable oil
4 eggs beaten
A large dash of soya suace (enough to make the mixture turn a light brown)
1/4 cup of chopped walnuts
1 packet of spring vegetable soup (or whatever soup mix you like)
500g of cottage cheese.

Mix everything together and bake in a baking dish for 45 mins at 180c

If the mixture is too dry you can moisten it by adding some water

Paneer Bhurji (Scrambled Paneer)

Ingredients
Cashew Pieces
Green Chillies If desired
250 gm Paneer either finely crumbled or chuck in food processor to break it down
1 Onions(chopped finely)
½ tsp each Garlic and Ginger (fresh or crushed from store)
1 Tomato either cut finely or made into pulp
½ tsp Sugar.
2 tbsp Ghee/butter/oil
3 tbsp Milk.
Fresh Corriander
Following are Dry Spices:
1/4th tsp Cinnamon/clove powder.
½ tsp Black Pepper Powder.
½ tsp Turmeric.
½ tsp Red Chili Powder (will depend how hot your chilli powder is)
Salt

Add all Masala’s together and set aside
Heat oil/ghee/butter
Fry the cashews (if you have roasted you can skip this step) and green chillies, remove from pan.
Add Onion and fry for a few minutes, add ginger and garlic. This should be cooked until the onion is soft (breaking down)
Add the finely chopped tomato and fry until contents of pan are mushy
Add the masala mix and Milk cook until it resembles a paste.
Add paneer, sugar and mix well.
Add chopped chillies, cashews and plenty of fresh chopped coriander.
Can also add capsicum (fry in intial stage with cashews and chillies) and/or tomatoes with the capsicum if desired.

by purely. ethereal
(hope you don`t mind me adding this to this thread)

SPINACH AND CHEESE CANELLONI.
500g cottage cheese, 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan, 1 defrosted pkt of spinach about 250-300g, squeezed dry, freshly grated nutmeg, 1 clove garlic, crushed. Combine the above really well and use as a cannelloni filling, layer in a single layer and top with 500ml of your fav pasta sauce and sprinkle with cheese and cook for about 30min @ 180oc, or until golden.

Mock Chicken Rissoles
1pkt of cream of mushroom soup (powder)
2 eggs
1 onion finely chopped
2 cups of boiled rice
500g of cottage cheese
salt
flour to bind

Mix all ingredients together

form into patties and roll in flour egg and breadcrumbs

fry until golden brown on both sides

Lentil Rissoles
125g of cooked lentils
1 copped onion (finely chopped)
2 tablspoons parsely
2 potatoes cooked and mashed
1 cup of wholemeal breadcrumbs
1/2 cup of finly chopped peanuts
1 egg beaten
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Form into rissoles and fry on either side in shallow oil until golden brown.

Alternatively you can bake them at 180c for 20 to 25 mins turning them over halfway though that time.

Thai noodle salad
12 ounces egg noodles
4 tablespoons oriental sesame oil

8 green onions, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce
1 cup finely shredded carrots

Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Transfer noodles to large bowl; add 3 tablespoons sesame oil and toss to coat.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 6 green onions, garlic, and ginger; sauté until onions soften, about 2 minutes. Add honey, peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, and chili-garlic sauce; whisk to blend. Simmer sauce 1 minute. Cool to room temperature. Pour over noodles and toss to coat. Add carrots; mix well. Transfer to platter; sprinkle with remaining green onions.

Tomato & Caper spaghetti
200g spaghetti
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove , sliced
1 red or green chilli , deseeded and finely chopped, or half tsp chilli powder
200g pack cherry tomatoes , halved
2 tsp capers , roughly chopped
grated parmesan , to serve
Boil the spaghetti. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small non-stick pan, add the garlic and fry, stirring all the time, until golden. Add the chilli, tomatoes and capers and fry for a further 3-4 mins until the tomatoes start to break down.
Add 2 tbsp of the pasta cooking water to the tomatoes, then drain the pasta and return to the pan. Pour in the tomato sauce and toss everything together well. Serve as it is or sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan.

Sweet and Sour TVP Loaf
1 1/2 cups of TVP (available at indian grocers and sometimes the Bin Inn)
1 1/2 Cups of boiling water
4 eggs beaten
sage
garlic
6 slices of bread cubed
1 onion finely chopped
butter to fry

1) Saute the onion in the butter and add the bread cubes.

2) Combine the TVP with the boiling water and allow it to absorb for ten minutes or so

3) combine all ingredients and mix well

4) Pour into a greased baking casserole dish

Sweet and Sour Topping
Mix 1/2 cup of tomatoe suace with 1/2 cup of water and 1/4 cup of brown sugar.

Pour this mixture over the uncooked loaf then bake until slightly brown at 180c for 30 to 40 mins

You can substitute the sugar and water for pineapple juice if you wanted it to have less sugar

Pumpkin Pasty Puffs

1 cup of cold cooked mashed pumpkin
50g chopped pine nuts (optional)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 egg beaten
Chopped chives or sping onions
I packet of vegetarian puff pastry or filo pastry

Combine the pumkin cumin, egg and chives

Cut pastry into squares (I normally just cut the puff pastry into quarters)

Place a spoon ful of the mixture into the middle of the pastry and fold over like a triangle

Place in oven and cook at 200 for 15 minutes

I sometimes do an egg wash and add some black sesame seeds or poppy seeds sprinkled on the top

Otsu
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Fresh ginger, cut into a 1-inch cube, peeled, and grated
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1/3 cup shoyu sauce (wheat-free soy sauce) or tamari G/F
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

12 ounces dried soba noodles
12 ounces firmtofu
coriander
Pan fried mushrooms Broccoli optional;
Make the dressing by combining the zest, ginger, honey, cayenne, and salt in a food processor (or use a hand blender) and process until smooth. Add the lemon juice, rice vinegar, and shoyu, and pulse to combine. With the machine running, drizzle in the oils. marinade the cubed tofu for about 30 min, drain thetofu. Cook the tofu in a dry nonstick (or well-seasoned) skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes, until the pieces are browned on one side. Toss gently once or twice, then continue cooking for another minute or so.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the soba noodles & the mushrooms & broccoli if using , and about ⅔ cup of the dressing. Toss until well combined. Add the tofu and toss again gently. Serve on a platter, garnished with coriander sprigs.

Cook the soba in plenty of rapidly boiling salted water just until tender, then drain and rinse under cold running water.

Mali Kofta from chef in you
For the Koftas
1/2 cup Paneer Grated
About 1-1/2 cups of mixed boiled vegetables(peas, cauliflower, be-
ans, carrots, potatoes)
2 tbsp bread crumbs
1 tbsp milk powder
1 tsp chilli powder ( or as per taste)
pinch of turmeric
salt to taste and few sprigs of cilantro to garnish

For the gravy
2-3 tbsp coconut, grated
2-3 red chillies(as per taste)
2 tsp corainder seeds
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp chiroli nuts (I just throw in a few cashew nuts)
2 tsp Khus khus (Poppy seeds)
3-4 cashews
few sprigs of cilantro
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 onion, chopped
3-4 cups of Tomatoes, chopped.
1 cup milk
1/4 cup cream

1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp Kasuri Methi ( dried fenugreek leaves)
2 tsp sugar
Method

For the Gravy

1. In a pan in little ghee, saute onions, ginger-garlic paste along with tomatoes and salt until soft. Set aside to cool.

Now grind the first 9 ingredients together.

In the same pan, in a tsp of ghee, saute this ground mixture until the raw smell leaves.
Process the cooled tomato-onion mixture until smooth.
Add this mixture to the ground paste and let it simmer for 10 min. Add the milk, sugar and cream and simmer some more for another 10min.

For the Koftas

1. Add all the ingredients together, and mash it well.
2. Make small balls out of it
3. Deep fry these balls and set aside.
Assembling.

1. Just about 20 min before serving, drop the Koftas inside the gravy, add kasuri methi and let it absorb the gravy. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with cream (optional). Ta-Da – Done! Now you have a scrumptious Malai kofta all ready for feasting!

Paneer Makhani (Paneer butter Marsala)

By chef in you.

I havent tried this ... YET, but it is on my to do list

Ingredients – Serves 4

2 generous cups Paneer cubes
1 large onion, chopped coarsely
3 tbsp butter
1/2 – 3/4 cups tomato puree *
2-3 green chillies, as per taste **
3-4 cloves garlic
2 inch ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
1 tsp Tandoori masala
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup cashew pasteand 8-9 raisins ( optional. Use them if making Shahi Paneer – soak few cashew pieces in boiling water and grind)
1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream (as needed for consistency)
salt to taste

Method

in a skillet in 1/2 tsp oil, add the onion, chillies, garlic and ginger with a little salt. Saute until soft.
Transfer this mixture to the blender and blend it into a paste.
In the same skillet, add 3 tbsp of butter and then add the onion paste. Cook until butter/oil separates. If using cashew Paste add it along with this mixture now. or you can soak the cashew pieces in hot water and grind it along with the onion mixture.
Add the tomato puree and all the spices. Stir well and cook for another 5-10 minutes or until the raw smell of the puree disappears. Add sugar and cook for another 5 minutes. You can at this point taste and see if you require additional salt. If yes, add more.
Drop in the paneer gently and give it a toss. Cook for another 2-3 minutes for the paneer to absorb the flavors.
Lower the heat to a simmer. Then add the heavy cream. Mix well.
If you want to use raisins, fry them lightly in ghee/butter separately and add it to this gravy. You can set some aside for garnish. I don’t like sweet things in savory dishes and hence don’t use them. Be careful to cook this in simmer before adding cream. Otherwise the heat will give it a curdle appearance!
You can garnish it with mint and cilantro if desired.

Mint and cilantro to garnish ***
* I find that home made Puree is the best. But if going for store bought ones go for low sodium variety. If that’s not available then use only about 1/2 cup of the puree and carefully add salt only if required. Sometimes the store bought ones give a deep tangy taste to this dish if not careful with the salt since the puree by itself has lots of sodium

** You can instead use cayenne/red chilli powder. Sometimes when I don’t have green chillies on hand I use dried red chillies like in this dish. Doesn’t hurt the taste.

*** I personally find that Mint goes very well with rich dishes and gives it that fresh taste and reducing the rich after taste in the mouth. A combination of the herbs is my personal favorite where it helps to mellow down the richness.

Tomato Paella
Serves 4 to 6
Tomato Paella By Mark Bitman
3 cups water
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into thick wedges
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Large pinch saffron threads
1-2 teaspoons Spanish pimentón (I just used 1 tsp and it was plenty)
2 cups Spanish or other short-grain rice
Minced parsley and basil for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Warm water in a saucepan. Put tomatoes in a medium bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle them with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss to coat.

2. Put remaining oil in a 10- or 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, saffron if you are using it, and paprika and cook for a minute more. Add rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is shiny, another minute or two. Add wine and let simmer until it is mostly absorbed, then add the hot water and stir until just combined.

3. Put tomato wedges on top of rice and drizzle with juices that accumulated in bottom of bowl. Put pan in oven and roast, undisturbed, for 15 minutes. Check to see if rice is dry and just tender. If not, return pan to oven for another 5 to 10 minutes. If rice looks too dry but still is not quite done, add a small amount of stock or water (or wine). When rice is ready, turn off oven and let pan sit for 5 to 15 minutes.

4. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle with parsley and basil. If you like, put pan over high heat for a few minutes to develop a bit of a bottom crust before serving.

Zucchini Slice
2 med to large zucchini
1 onion finely chopped
1/2 cup of olive oil
5 eggs
1cup of grated cheese
1 cup of self raising flour
salt and pepper to taste
Basil (to taste)

Grate the zucchini and combine all ingredients
Put it in a baking dish (I used a meatloaf type one but you could use a casserole dish)
Bake for 30 - 40 minutes in a moderate oven 180c or until cooked and brown.

Nice served hot or cold. Nice cold with salad

Mock Chicken
1 cup of dry macaroni
2 eggs
1 cup of soft bread crumbs (made from fresh bread)
1 1/2 cups of milk
1 onion finely chopped
1 carton of cream cheese
Parsley and mixed herbs
Dash of oil

Cook the macaroni
Mix everything together and place it in a greased baking dish

Bake at 180c for 30 mins or until browned and set

serve hot or cold

I love the sound of the patties, loafs, corn fritters etc, but I dont eat egg. Is there anything else I could use instead to bind the ingredients? Oil? Milk? Packet egg substitute? Thanks! !

This is good :) it has no eggs
http://www.veganlunchbox.com/loaf_studio.html

gosh these are so good... thank you peeps as I am taking note of these and so many are going to regulars in my home for us even tho 2 of us are meat eaters this will encourage us to try new meals... yummy

When making these for people who don't eat eggs, I find a little mashed potato (on the dry side) will help things keep a shape and not fall apart - doesn't change the taste or texture of loaves, patties etc and can make them go further :)

This is a good hearty meal for a cold winter's night, serve with gravy, roast veg and a leafy green veg and it tastes really good too.
Is a dairy free recipe and can be made gluten free easily.
Cashew Loaf.
1T oil
1 large onion, finely chpd
1 cl garlic""
2t vegemite, marmite etc
300ml veg stock
200g cashew nuts, coarsely ground. Cashew pieces are cheaper.
110g wholemeal breadcrumb
1 med carrot, grated
1 hpd t mixed herbs
s&p
Cook onion and garlic until soft. Add rest of ingred, combine and put into lightly greased loaf tin and flatten top.
Bake 190 for 45 min. Leave in oven with heat turn off 5 or 10 mins makes it easy to slice.
I make this in my food processor, just cook onion & garlic first.
Very quick and easy.