Vegetarian diet

You all seem to be such proficient chefs. Well here is a place to share some of that cooking knowledge. Or do you have a cooking problem? Ask away. Jams and chutneys go here too.
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Odsox
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Vegetarian diet

Post: # 290706Post Odsox »

I think I have just found the (almost) perfect vegetarian diet for me.
It's mainly all the stuff I can grow myself, plus pork fat .. and therefore must include streaky bacon rashers. :cheers:
Not sure "proper" vegetarians would approve and it's certainly not the intention of the authors.
Nevertheless .....

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/2018012 ... ious-foods

Ignore the fish though.
Tony

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Flo
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Re: Vegetarian diet

Post: # 290707Post Flo »

Nope proper vegetarians wouldn't approve of the bacon. Mind that and proper cheese are two of the hardest foods to give up - the cheese only counts mind if you are going for the vegan end of vegetarian.

I'll happily ignore the fish with you. :mrgreen:

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Re: Vegetarian diet

Post: # 290709Post Skippy »

I had a spell of purely vegetarian diet but I came to my own conclusion that eating an animal wasn't in itself wrong , after all there are thousands of other species who survive by consuming other creatures . If it is wrong for a human to eat meat then it must be equally wrong for a lion to do the same? Animal welfare on the other hand is I think more important.
I have several vegetarian and a few vegan friends and of course the vegetarian ones eat dairy and it's the dairy ( and to a similar degree eggs) that raises a few inconsistencies I feel. The one thing I really don't get though is vegetarian cheese. Ok so I understand that it doesn't contain rennet but having an alternative won't save the animal the rennet comes from in the same way that giving up meat pies cuts down on the number of animals that are slaughtered to fill those pies.

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Flo
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Re: Vegetarian diet

Post: # 290711Post Flo »

Depends on the sort of vegetarian you are Skippy.

I don't get the ones who eat eggs and dairy either. Here speaks a vegetarian. I'm often confused by the others mind you. Though I'm easily confused.

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Re: Vegetarian diet

Post: # 290712Post Green Aura »

Hmm, I think that list might have been a little skewed to what's available in the USA.

I was pleased to see that we eat quite a lot of the things - specific types of fish obviously not available here - but was very surprised to see almonds at no.1.

Bacon is the food of the gods. Flo, you really must try making vegan bacon from either tofu or thinly sliced aubergine. It's fabulous - and I'm not a lover of either, generally. I have a recipe if you'd like it.
Maggie

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Re: Vegetarian diet

Post: # 290713Post Skippy »

Greer wrote a piece recently about diets and veganism and makes for interesting reading.
https://www.ecosophia.net/dream-perfect-diet/
I wouldn't mind looking at your recipe for vegan bacon GA . Like you I'm not a huge fan of tofu or aubergine as I find them a tad tasteless so anything that improves them can only be good.
Flo , a couple of my close friends are vegetarian , two brothers . They both eat diary and eggs . The one would live on egg and chips with red sauce if it weren't for his wife forcing him to eat other stuff although I wouldn't hold out hope for him eating tofu or aubergines. His brother isn't married but admits that he does eat far too much cheese as well as eggs.

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Re: Vegetarian diet

Post: # 290714Post Green Aura »

Here you go Skippy

My vegan bacon
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons soy sauce
½ tablespoon pomegranate molasses*
¼ teaspoon chipotle
¼ teaspoon cocoa powder

Mix everything together and set aside.
* If you don't have this you can substitute vinegar (but the pomegranate molasses are gorgeous for all sorts of things!).

1 block firm tofu, cut into thin slices
or 1 aubergine, sliced thinly

You can either gently coat the slices, put them in a box in the fridge (where they'll keep for a few days) and then fry a few at a time as required - you can grill them but they do need a bit of oil.

My new favourite method, though, is something I picked up on t'internet for making the tofu bacon extra lovely. Fry the tofu, on a very low heat, before putting the coating on. It's more like gently poaching it in oil really. You can use any oil, I've done it in just olive oil, coconut oil and the blend below, which is wonderful.

Oil, to fry – 2tbsp light olive oil
1 tbsp avocado oil
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Lay the slices out in a single layer, in a frying pan, in the oil and fry on a very low heat for about 10 minutes - don't be tempted to touch them because they'll stick. After about 10 minutes they'll lift perfectly - turn them and fry for another 10 minutes.Then add the coating to the pan and gently coat everything evenly.

This is so tasty - and not the faff it sounds like. It's great hot or cold (confession time - it has on one or two occasions not managed to get cold before being devoured).
My gal thought all her birthdays had come at once with this recipe. We've tried for years to make her a decent bacon substitute and none of them measured up in one way or another. Of course it doesn't taste like proper bacon but it's so tasty that you just don't care. :lol:

I haven't tried this method with the aubergine - as it's like a sponge it would probably soak up all the oil so I'm not sure it would work. But it's tasty by the other method.
Maggie

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Re: Vegetarian diet

Post: # 290716Post Odsox »

I really posted this as I was surprised just how many of these "super foods" I actually grow.

Discounting all the tropical fruit and fish, I grow every year #7 Swiss chard, #9 Beet greens (as I grow beetroot), #11 & #44 Parsley, #15 Peas, #18 Spring onions, #19 (some times) Red Cabbage, #26 Basil, #30 Turnip greens, #35 Cos lettuce, #39 Apricots, #46 Walnuts, #47 Red cherries, #50 Mangetout peas, #52 Haricot beans, #53 (I'm claiming courgette as summer squash), #60 & #61 tomatoes, #63 Chives, #68 Kiwi berry, #71 Leeks, #73 French beans, #76 Morello cherries, #85 Rhubarb, #87 Winter squash, #88 Carrots, #91 Melons, #93 Cauliflowers, #94 Broccoli, #95 Brussels sprouts & #99 Figs.

I also grow #84 Pomegranate, but it hasn't fruited yet and I unintentionally grow #96 Burdock, it's a weed although I might dig one up and see what the root tastes like.

As 24 on the list are fish, or at least live in the sea, the fact that I grow 33 of the rest is quite satisfying, as it means come the revolution my family can survive healthily on what i grow.
I'm quite surprised about some that are missing though. Vegetables like onions, garlic and parsnip for instance.
Tony

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Re: Vegetarian diet

Post: # 290717Post Green Aura »

....and now you've got a tasty vegan bacon recipe - better start growing the soya beans.:lol:
Maggie

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Re: Vegetarian diet

Post: # 290718Post Skippy »

Thanks for that recipe GA , I'll have to give it a go at some point although there may well be a substitution or two as I'll use whatever I've got first.

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Re: Vegetarian diet

Post: # 290719Post Weedo »

Hey guys, I think there is a fundamental error in interpretation of food sources and products. Cows eat grass (I know, I grow both and I see them doing it) If the source is vegetable then to product must also be vegetable - ergo, steak is a vegetable.
Don't let your vision cloud your sight

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Flo
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Re: Vegetarian diet

Post: # 290720Post Flo »

Weedo! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

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Re: Vegetarian diet

Post: # 290721Post Odsox »

Green Aura wrote:....and now you've got a tasty vegan bacon recipe - better start growing the soya beans.:lol:
Err no.
I'll substitute the bacon for tasty smoked streaky rashers :lol:
Tony

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Re: Vegetarian diet

Post: # 290723Post Green Aura »

Odsox wrote:I'll substitute the bacon for tasty smoked streaky rashers
Me too - especially cured by me. :wink:
Maggie

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Re: Vegetarian diet

Post: # 290833Post Skippy »

Weedo wrote: Sun Feb 11, 2018 9:36 pm Hey guys, I think there is a fundamental error in interpretation of food sources and products. Cows eat grass (I know, I grow both and I see them doing it) If the source is vegetable then to product must also be vegetable - ergo, steak is a vegetable.
And the sun makes the grass grow ... so if I eat a steak I must be solar powered :cheers:

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