Any Vegan/Vegetarians Out There?

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what beets taste like I've always wondered but too chicken to try it (former extreme picky eater haha) and tofu and tempeh and saiten (sp?) what they taste like?
 
My family all love beets. I have never cooked them from fresh, but my mother has. We had borscht a lot as well. It was just something my father really liked.My daughter who is very picky about her vegetables is the one who asks me to buy beets all the time. We always have them once a week.

I don't do asparagus due to the stink they produce. They also create other digestion problems for me. I will be trying more and more things from the produce market that I have never seen. A lot of the workers there will provide recipes if you ask.
 
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I remember my grandparents love on reason lots of veg health important amen, I love corn and beef :) I love it enjoy fun wonderful food taste health!
 
Hey guys and gals!! I was searching for a dairy-free vegan ricotta cheese and found this recipe. I think I will try it this weekend with a recipe I found in a magazine.


Vegan ricotta cheese substitute
Use tofu to make a cholesterol-free lower-fat ricotta cheese substitute that is 100% vegan and dairy-free! If you need a ricotta cheese substitute for a vegan lasagna or ravioli, try this simple yet convincing ricotta cheese substitute.
Vegan ricotta cheese recipe courtesy of Chef Scot J. Jones.
Ingredients:
• 8 ounces firm tofu
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon minced shallot
• 1/2 teaspoon plum vinegar, preferably Umi brand
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Preparation:
Press the tofu through a potato ricer into a large bowl. If you don’t have a potato ricer, mash the tofu with your hands until crumbly.
Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. It should be the consistency of ricotta cheese.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups tofu ricotta "cheese".
 
This is the recipe I will be trying:

Tomato & Spinach Dinner Strata | Eating Well

Tomato & Spinach Dinner Strata
This yummy lasagna-inspired casserole has cheese, vegetables, eggs and marinara sauce but uses sturdy whole-grain bread instead of noodles, which makes it even easier to make. Its hearty look hides the fact that it’s made with all low-fat, healthful ingredients. Of course, it makes a great brunch entree as well—don’t let the name fool you.

8 servings

Active Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 3 3/4 hours

NUTRITION PROFILE
Low calorie | High fiber | High potassium | High calcium | Healthy weight | Diabetes appropriate |

View Our Nutrition Guidelines » INGREDIENTS
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, or 1 1/2 pounds fresh spinach, cooked, squeezed dry and chopped
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups prepared marinara sauce, divided
6 slices whole-grain sandwich bread, preferably day-old
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
3 large eggs
1 cup low-fat milk
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

PREPARATION
Coat a 7-by-11-inch (or similar-size) baking dish with cooking spray.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened but not browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pan; increase heat to medium-high. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until the moisture has evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the onions, add 1/4 teaspoon pepper and salt and stir to combine.

Combine ricotta, spinach, nutmeg and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper in another bowl.

Spoon 1 cup marinara sauce into the prepared baking dish. Break each slice of bread into 4 roughly equal pieces; arrange half the bread on the sauce (the bread doesn’t have to completely cover the sauce). Spoon the ricotta mixture over the bread. Arrange the remaining bread over the ricotta. Scatter the mushroom mixture over the bread. Top with mozzarella. Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over the top. The pan will be very full.

Whisk eggs and milk in a small bowl. Pour the mixture slowly over the casserole, poking the filling gently with the tip of a knife until the egg mixture is evenly distributed and the bread is saturated. Coat a piece of foil with cooking spray on one side and cover the casserole, sprayed-side down. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake the strata, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake until puffed and golden brown, 10 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

TIPS & NOTES
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 5; refrigerate for up to 1 day.

NUTRITION
Per serving: 317 calories; 15 g fat ( 6 g sat , 5 g mono ); 99 mg cholesterol; 26 g carbohydrates; 1 g added sugars; 20 g protein; 5 g fiber; 683 mg sodium; 641 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (104% daily value), Calcium (41% dv), Folate (26% dv), Magnesium (20% dv), Potassium & Zinc (18% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 1 1/2

Exchanges: 1 starch, 2 vegetable, 2 medium-fat meat, 1 fat
 
whatdidyousay! said:
We had borscht a lot growing up . My mom would have pink fingers for days!
We would sour cream in with it and have Russia black rye bread, which is nothing like the kind you get today! The bread today is awful compare to when I was a kid!
Click to expand...

I remember when my niece Helen's Polish friend Miska made Borscht soup for our family at Thanksgiving a few years ago. It was a bit hit with everyone except my little sister. I will have to make some for myself this winter.
 
KristinaB said:
This is the recipe I will be trying:

Tomato & Spinach Dinner Strata | Eating Well

Tomato & Spinach Dinner Strata
This yummy lasagna-inspired casserole has cheese, vegetables, eggs and marinara sauce but uses sturdy whole-grain bread instead of noodles, which makes it even easier to make. Its hearty look hides the fact that it’s made with all low-fat, healthful ingredients. Of course, it makes a great brunch entree as well—don’t let the name fool you.

8 servings

Active Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 3 3/4 hours

NUTRITION PROFILE
Low calorie | High fiber | High potassium | High calcium | Healthy weight | Diabetes appropriate |

View Our Nutrition Guidelines » INGREDIENTS
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, or 1 1/2 pounds fresh spinach, cooked, squeezed dry and chopped
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups prepared marinara sauce, divided
6 slices whole-grain sandwich bread, preferably day-old
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
3 large eggs
1 cup low-fat milk
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

PREPARATION
Coat a 7-by-11-inch (or similar-size) baking dish with cooking spray.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened but not browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pan; increase heat to medium-high. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until the moisture has evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the onions, add 1/4 teaspoon pepper and salt and stir to combine.

Combine ricotta, spinach, nutmeg and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper in another bowl.

Spoon 1 cup marinara sauce into the prepared baking dish. Break each slice of bread into 4 roughly equal pieces; arrange half the bread on the sauce (the bread doesn’t have to completely cover the sauce). Spoon the ricotta mixture over the bread. Arrange the remaining bread over the ricotta. Scatter the mushroom mixture over the bread. Top with mozzarella. Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over the top. The pan will be very full.

Whisk eggs and milk in a small bowl. Pour the mixture slowly over the casserole, poking the filling gently with the tip of a knife until the egg mixture is evenly distributed and the bread is saturated. Coat a piece of foil with cooking spray on one side and cover the casserole, sprayed-side down. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake the strata, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake until puffed and golden brown, 10 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

TIPS & NOTES
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 5; refrigerate for up to 1 day.

NUTRITION
Per serving: 317 calories; 15 g fat ( 6 g sat , 5 g mono ); 99 mg cholesterol; 26 g carbohydrates; 1 g added sugars; 20 g protein; 5 g fiber; 683 mg sodium; 641 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (104% daily value), Calcium (41% dv), Folate (26% dv), Magnesium (20% dv), Potassium & Zinc (18% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 1 1/2

Exchanges: 1 starch, 2 vegetable, 2 medium-fat meat, 1 fat
Click to expand...
I will have to try this one out.
 
Well - for the first time ever cooking tofu, it didn't come out too bad. I had a block of firm tofu, drained it with paper towels between two plate and a couple of glass bowls on top for weight. Then I cut it into sticks and marinated with fresh minced ginger, low sodium soy sauce and olive oil, then added sesame seeds and browned in skillet. Only thing I can think of is I cut them too thin and had too many in the skillet at once. I used a cast iron skillet with canola oil in it.

They broke when I tried to turn them over and didn't get very brown.
 
Nope! Not me.

I love meat. Chicken,cows,pigs,fish.

I have eaten raccoon and alligator before. :)
 
Try frying the tofu with just a bit of flour on it. Not much, mind you, just a light dusting. It helps the browning and adds to the crunch. I do it like that but no olive oil. Just a bit of pan spray. I get the iron skillet or grill very hot, add the spray and crank the fire down a notch, add the tofu, crisp it, then remove it and add whatever else to the skillet. You can also broil it.

It is marvelous chicken fried. Prepare the tofu as you described, cut it into bites or strips then season it with a light dusting of poultry seasoning, pepper and a bare pinch of nutritional yeast. Hint .. mix all the seasonings together first. Paprika is good too, maybe a hint of garlic. Dust the tofu with flour, add to a very hot pan coated with spray or a spoon of canola. Sear the tofu, then turn the heat down and brown it slowly, turning occasionaly and gently until it is crisp. If you have a favorite chicken type coating, feel free to use it. Make a nice vegan gravy and serve with green beans seasoned with dried cranberry, onion and broth. Wow.
 
The possibilities are limited only by your imagination. Experiment and enjoy!
 
Im vegetarian, maybe transition to vegan.
I bought a bunch of cookbooks and googled recipes. Then just tried them. There are some really good ones out there.

You shouldnt go vege/vegan just to loose weight, because its a lifestyle...and it can be hard.
 
smithtr said:
I remember my grandparents love on reason lots of veg health important amen, I love corn and beef :) I love it enjoy fun wonderful food taste health!
Click to expand...

Beef is one of the most unhealthy meats out there.
And the places that raise the cows treat them so mean.
 
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