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| Post your vegetarian recipes here, to share! |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 5098
 
Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | oops, I'm posting this from the other thread so here goes: Response to Jeans Yoga about the grocery store situation- Oh my God, where do you live??? I thought I lived in the boondocks..and we have a nice little Ingles here with some pretty good selections - another words I could never starve on the fresh stuff. Ingles will tide me over until I can reach civilization in Atlanta to hit Whole Foods Market. I mostly do stir fry's and lots of different combinations. Like I always have some kind of rice on hand and cooking in the rice cooker, or I bake my own Naan (don't even try this one if you don't have time, but you can buy it frozen at the Indian Market if you have one). Naan is really nice for using like a burrito or the traditional way of eating is to break a piece off then scoop up your vegetable using the Naan as you would a utensil. Then I pick out 2-3 different veggies - I pick for color cause I like my food to look good when I eat it - like Cauliflower and Red Bell Peppers go well together, then Broccoli and Mushrooms, or Green Bell Peppers and Red Potatoes, or a fried 3 color - Egg, Tofu, Sprouts and Green Onion, or Egg, Celery and Carrots, BokChoy and Tomatoes (cherry looks good), Spinach and garlic. I always sprinkle freshly chopped cilantro over the egg dishes. We eat only twice a day and my breakfast is very light like toast and chai - sometimes granola & fruit muffins, then a late afternoon dinner which consists of the vegetable combo and rice and Dal - but not everyday cause I still don't like to eat many legumes as I can't digest them well. I drink Protein on days when I'm not doing Yoga and sometimes after a good Yoga stretch to help repair the ligaments cause I do that Hot Bikram stuff that nobody likes:~) So, there, you can stay out of the frozen section easy. Vegetable stir fry's are mostly time consuming when you have to chop the vegetables...I just can't eat that frozen stuff, its like eating lifeless food. I want it alive - and no, I've never heard my vegetables scream at me before:~) |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
  
| Healthy insta-lunch: Today I grabbed a handful of fresh spinach and a soup cube (organic) as i ran out the door. Just boil the water, add the soup cube and spinach and cover it for a few minutes until the spinach wilts. Stir and eat! I had some cheese and crackers at work and I cooled the soup with a bit of V8 juice I had there, too, but the basic soup is nice. You could throw in a handful of frozen veg, some tofu, sour cream or cottage cheese or whatever. It is faster than ramen noodles  |
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| The fact that you use the term "Indian market" lets me know you are nowhere near the boondocks. I'm sure there's probably one somewhere within a 3 hour drive of my house. I live in quite a redneck little section of west Michigan. Detroit and Grand Rapids are kind of catching up to what the rest of the country was doing 5 years ago, but those are both very far away (basically inaccessible on a day like today when we have a foot of fresh snow).
I also don't understand where people work that you can fix a fresh "late afternoon dinner" or boil soup in the middle of the day. Most people I know (including myself) bolt out the door at 7am and are stuck at a desk until 5pm, with access only to vending machines and a microwave in the meantime (of course we can bring our own lunch, as long as it can be eaten cold or microwaved). Then there are all the evening errands & duties - I teach yoga at night, though most of my friends & neighbors have kids to run all over town. Finally get home to fix something to eat just after 8pm. Standing around for 30 minutes chopping fresh vegetables just sounds exhausting at that point, I'm about ready to eat my utensils.
I'm not trying to attack anyone's healthy lifestyle, I'm jealous as hell and I WISH I could spend more time eating real food that's not "dead" or whatever other things you want to say about how some people have to eat. Try to cut us a little slack, though, would you? |
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| So true!! Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays I leave the house at 7:15 and get home around 10pm. I have access to a microwave, but don't even have a fridge to keep my food in at work (they took away our lunch room to make room for another stress test lab), so everything has to be either able to be left out, or frozen so it can defrost all morning! And I have to bring lunch AND dinner with me. Same at school on Fridays - I'm there from 8-5 and don't have a fridge and have to fight about 50-100 other people for a microwave (all class schedules are the same). Compound these factors with 70 hour weeks, and it can get hard to affordably eat well...But I figure if I can at least have the better of the bad stuff when I have to and the good stuff when I can it's better than nothing.  |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 5098
Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | I'm sorry Jeansyoga, I didn't know. Of course I'll cut you some slack, I was just trying to help, sorry. Yes, I do live in the boondocks, I am sitting here in the mountains of NC and it is snowing. If my electricity goes out tonight I'm screwed! I work at home - all day. I plan my day and do what I want. I still have to be tied to a schedule, I just have to do some time management techniques to be successful at this even at home. However, I used to have that career thing too and I managed to eat some good food - just not every day. I like how Tourist throws the Spinach in the cup - that's good. Being at home I sometimes don't make time to cook cause I have to motivate myself to work and do everything!! I also grow my stuff too and that is lots of work! I live only 2 hours from Atlanta and I visit once a week. The Indian markets are in town, but I bet you have some lurking around your area. Actually, some Indian pre-packed foods are really good if you like spicy and they are vegetarian. You can also get your stuff together in advance and cook it at work like Tourist did. If you were to start cooking Indian/Nepalis style you can come up with large amounts of healthy food that lasts for a couple of days - or do what our Mom's did and make casseroles with noodles and baked items. I personally like the Naans, rotis and burritoes for in a hurry times because you can just about wrap anything and its easy. Also, homemade soups are good because you can makes lots of it (and there is no rules to how to...remember stone soup?) and bake some cornbread to go with it. The basic rule is that there is no quick fix to food and good food takes time to prepare and you cannot get around that one - take the time, some time, a little time and mostly don't cook with a bad attitude it effects the food and how it turns out. If your baking bread - be happy:~) |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| Jean- there is no doubt it is difficult to eat well in your circumstances. I hate to sound like Neel (because he is so good at it without my help!), but you might need to look at how your life is organized and make some tough choices. You might have a bit more stress than is livable formore than a short time. But the food thing just takes a little determination and planning. You won't get it right every time - I had to teach an unexpected class today for a sick friend and grabbed a chocolate macadamia nut cookie and yogurt on my way. Not the best choice but not the worst. sometimes it is chips and a coke, I admit but I have learned that salty chips make for a dry mouth when teaching  But you can do a LOT with a microwave or even just a kettle. There is a cookbook out that talks about all the things you can make in a hotel room with just a coffee maker and toaster, I think  The last time I worked in an office I kept dried fruit and nuts in my desk drawer all the time and that really helped. Use the dried soups and add a bit of veg if you remember to grab it on the way out the door. Don't think about making a "lunch" like you had when you went to school. Just take some food in a bag - an apple is a good start. |
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| You guys might want to try one of my favorite cook books. It is Moosewood cooks at Home. It has soups, salads , sides, and main course dishes. It also pairs up dishes with things to make a great meal. Even meat eaters Like Me really enjoy the meals in this cook book. You might even try finding a used copy since it is not new one .
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| i will love this forum! so after a toxic weekend away by the sea- (drank champagne, ate fast food< ate sugary sweet cake AND definitely did not drink enough water!) i am home again, and back in the kitchen.
this is what i made for a late lunch:
3 cups stock (i use vegetable stock)
1 can lentils
1/2 white onion
1 knob ginger
1 clove garlic
1/2 yellow pepper
1 tomato
1/2 zuchinni
1/2 carrot
2 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp coriander powder
plain yoghurt
chopped coriander (cilantro)
dice vegetables. heat olive oil in a large pan, add veg. and cook for 5-10 minutes (until soft). add spices, lentils & cook for 5 minutes. add stock, bring to a boil. skim broth, simmer 15 - 20 minutes. serve with a big dollop of plain yoghurt and 1/8 to 1/4 cup of fresh chopped cilantro, salt and pepper.
lots of leftovers!
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| just some of my random thoughts on eating healthy (veg or not) with a busy lifestyle, from some one who knows busy with a capital B!
until i learned how to cook really delicious food at home, convenience foods were just heaps easier! i used to travel a lot for work, kept mad schedules AND lived in hotels/short term rentals a lot. i have actually learned to cook with a hot sandwich maker and a tea kettle. tourist wasnt kidding!! some people bring an iron, i have a small red sandwich cooker.
now that i have settled in a little, i have a few thoughts for the non-travellers that are working for me...
appliances : i could not function without a blender. we always have smoothies. add some protein powder,water/juice, ice, fresh or frozen berries, a banana, maybe some yoghurt or fresh cream. you can also add spirulina, flaxseed or wheatgerm oil or even some nutritional yeast. the possibilites are endless and if you use a little honey/molasses/maple sugar - tasty stuff.
i get a totally nutritious breakfast this way which i would not otherwise have (i dont like eating in the morning at all!)
slow cookers, crock pots and rice cookers will save you SO MUCH TIME.
foods that fit in your pockets - for the walk to the subway, 15 minute break, the walk home, the gym, the red lights. recently i have added yoghurt with protein powder, peanuts and melon to my snack list. sometimes i eat this in the evening when i am craving something. its very healthy and yummy.
be organized. i love cooking and when people ask me my secret it is that the best cooks are organized people.
for example, take out all the veg before you chop, clear a space, keep a ziploc for celery leaf and vegetable bits. store it in the freezer, pull it out when you chop. when it is full - stick it all in a pot of water, boil, strain - you now have stock.
most people hate chopping/prep in general.
think about chopping vegetables the way you think about your least fave yoga pose - be bruce in svasana! embrace what it is about the time you feel you are wasting, or the tediousness of the task or be thich nhat hahn and use this time for mindful meditation (just watch the fingers!)
once you get good with a knife, it becomes easier to do it quickly and effortlessly.
dont be afraid to try new spices, grains, methods, vegetables. have theme weeks - the middle east - stock up on couscous, tahini, make hummus and baba ganoush! quick, easy and nutritious.
think outside "the 'ice' box" - why cant you have pasta for breakfast? grilled fish and rice is a normal breakfast in japan. in the phillipines, they make the most delicious rice soup for breakfast.
make food that looks delicious - use colour! the days of filet of soul with mashed potatoes and boiled cauliflower are over!
sometimes food is therapy and a pizza (instant gratification) is so much more therapeutic than a bowl of broccoli
once you get on the path to avoiding fast food and eating right everyday (even when you are busy) then you get the delayed gratification that you are honouring yourself and your body.
add to this is a daily yoga practice and daily meditation - i feel like i am evolving. and other than when i have my period and would kill for a bite of chocolate and some dominoes  this feeling makes that extra work i have to do to eat like this - at this point - second nature. 
i cant recommend cookbooks enough. even better, food magazines - they feature in season foods and always offer quickmeal recipes for folks on the go.
i did have a toxic weekend 
(i had a birthday) so this week i am absolutely baby-ing my body with good, nutritious food.
hippocrates said, "Thy food shall be thy medicine"
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| Kira - when the chocolate alarm goes off in your head, it is best to EAT CHOCOLATE! I have learned to buy good quality dark chocolate because it satisfies that urge better than chocolate bars that are high sugar and low chocolate. I read somewhere that we love milk chocolate because it has the exact combo of sugar and fat that humans crave, so it just increases the craving for more. The good, dark stuff (much like dark coffee fans say) satifies the urge. I can even keep the leftovers around and not eat them - ok, most of the time, not always. Call me a hormone victim! 
And congratulations on the birthday! Hope the big party was worth the aftermath 
Edited by tourist 2005-03-02 10:10 AM
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| Just so nobody gets the wrong idea here, I don't really have any problems with my diet! I'm pretty happy with my dried grains, canned beans, frozen vegetables, granola bars, and my new favorite - light yogurt smoothies! I just don't agree that it's feasible for everyone to always eat fresh food. I do love to cook, and when I know I'll have the time/energy I'm quite excited to have fresh instead of frozen. I've just had to throw out way too many things because they went bad before I had the opportunity to use them. Apples & bananas usually get eaten because they can come with me on the go. And if bananas turn brown, into the freezer they go to become smoothies later!
So since this is a recipe forum, here is my super easy on-the-go breakfast!
1 frozen banana (peel them before you freeze them to avoid frostbitten fingers)
5 frozen unsweetened strawberries
about 3/4 cup light orange juice
about 1/4 cup milk
Blend until smooth & frothy, pour into a thermos or portable coffee container, pop in a straw, and off you go!
Alternatively, you can replace the strawberries with a handful of frozen mango chunks and a dash of powdered ginger. Sweet & a little spicy! |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 5098
Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | Okay JeansYoga we won't get the wrong idea...its just that when you said the "J" word...Jealous as hell, I was a little concerned So, if your happy with eating canned and frozen that's fine, I'm happy too:~) Been there and done that too! Sooo, my healthy pizza recipe for today is: Pizza Dough: In a large bowl, mix 1 package of dry yeast and 1-1/3 cup warm (110 – 115 degrees) water together, let stand for 5 minutes. Add: 3-1/2 – 3-3/4 cups of Bread Flour (I use Nora Mill’s Special High Gluten – www.noramill.com) or all purpose flour will do. I haven't tried using whole wheat flour with this particular dough recipe, but I'm sure you will have to modify the wet ingredients because of the texture of the flour being different. 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 Tablespoon salt Mix by hand for 1 minute to blend all ingredients. Knead for 10 mins until dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer dough to a bowl lightly coated with olive oil, turn it over once to coat. (I use a wooden bowl as these breads rise better this way). Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 – 1½ hours. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Punch dough down and let stand for 10 minutes covered with a towel. Meanwhile, get desired toppings ready: Tonight was ½ cup Sundried Tomatoes (soaked in Boiling water for at least 5 mins. before adding to pizza), 1 Tomato sliced thinly, 2 cups of Goat Cheese crumbs, 1 Tablespoon of Onion and Garlic Powder, 2 teaspoons of Basil and Italian Seasoning. Fresh Basil works best but I’m not growing that right now. Take the dough and play with it like you would playdough. Try to stretch it and mold it into a round shape without letting it get holes in it. You can even try to throw it in the air, twirl it and hope it lands back in your hands and not on the floor:~) Then roll or shape it onto a pizza stone (I do not preheat my stone, I like to roll the dough on it) then place ½ cheese crumbs on pizza, then add drained Sundried tomatoes, Sliced Tomatoes, Sprinkle the garlic, onion, basil and seasonings and freshly ground Black Pepper and Sea Salt to taste. Add remaining cheese on top. Leave at least ½ inch around the edges so that you can brush it with Olive Oil for a nice finish and flavor before baking. Then place in oven for about 25 mins. or until edges are brown. This is a great pizza and any topping arrangement will work. Enjoy!
Edited by Cyndi 2005-03-02 11:19 PM
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| tourist - 2005-03-03 12:09 AM
Kira - when the chocolate alarm goes off in your head, it is best to EAT CHOCOLATE! I have learned to buy good quality dark chocolate because it satisfies that urge better than chocolate bars that are high sugar and low chocolate. I read somewhere that we love milk chocolate because it has the exact combo of sugar and fat that humans crave, so it just increases the craving for more. The good, dark stuff (much like dark coffee fans say ) satifies the urge. I can even keep the leftovers around and not eat them - ok, most of the time, not always. Call me a hormone victim!
And congratulations on the birthday! Hope the big party was worth the aftermath
yes...bitter chocolate - i love it!! i do break down once in awhile for somE LINDT chocolate.
i am having a serious come down from the weekend - i ate sooooo much sugar! last night i had to sit and meditate to stop myself from going to the shop for some sweets. i never eat desserts. i cant believe my body wants them. and coffee. i drank coffee and now i keep thinking that my herbal tea just isnt doing it for me!
i am really trying to work on the "attachements" this year. i asked a swami once, "you dont like to eat chocolate? it tastes so good!" he replied, "i dont love chocolate, i dont hate chocolate. i have no attachment to it."
so i have to learn to eat the chocolate without being attached to it. i reckon that means - savour a few pieces and dont scarf down the whole box inside one minute
thanks for the bday shout glenda....i am quite proud of reaching this one. everything is coming up tulips |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| Hey - Lindt is one of my faourites, too! We have lots of great chocolate shops locally and I love Bernard Callebaut but moe stores have Lindt so it is a favourite. I'll be having a big birthday this year as well. I will try to remember your words and proceed with caution |
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| Non Attachment means you enjoy it if you have it, but you don't miss it if you don't have it. You also don't make happiness a condition of having some sense desire fulfilled.
Sounds like a negative state to be in. But it really is just training to allow you to be happy no matter what. And more importantly, you are half way to breaking out of the cycle of re-incarnation once you remove all desire for things other than God, and working for God and wanting to please God.
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| I am so excited . . . I have just given notice at my rotten office job! In June I will be devoting my whole schedule to teaching and being more healthy! My schedule is about to change DRAMATICALLY so now I will have time to get to a market that sells inexpensive produce, and maybe even time to prepare and eat the stuff!
I can feel my health improving just thinking about it!
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| I have a recipe. I really love this one:
Lentil Loaf
lentils, washed - 1 cup
water - 3 cups
margarine - 2 Tbsp
onion, minced - 1/4 cup
thyme or savory - 1/4 tsp
salt - 1/4 tsp
flax 'egg' (for binding) - see below
soft bread crumbs - 1/2 cup
carrots, coarsely grated - 1/2 cup
* Simmer lentils in water until tender (30 minutes). Drain and mash them while they are still hot. Combine the lentils, marg, onion and seasonings. Combine flax, frumbs and carrots and mix with the lentil mixture.
Grease a loaf pan and pack the mixture evenly in the pan. Bake until the centre is not wet (45 minutes).
Serve with gravy or other sauce. You could try tomato sauce or a mushroom sauce.
*Flax eggs are made from ground flax seeds whipped with water. They are a great binder and very nutritous for those who don't know. |
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| Mushroom Fritters
Make a batter of whole wheat flour water, salt, pepper-
throw in some of your favorite mushrooms ( i like to use ****ake or other black mushrooms)
coat well and deep fry in ghee or butter.
Tip--if you butter/ghee/oil is hot enough-- the fritters won't suck in too much oil.
After frying, drain well and pat with table napkins to suck the excess oil.
Great with ketchup and bread or rice..with a salad on the side.
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| 20 oz. firm tofu, drained
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 cup unbleached white flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 Tbsp. Bragg liquid aminos
Approximately 1 cup water
3 sheets of nori seaweed
2 to 3 cups fresh bread crumbs
2 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying
Sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup water
3 Tbsp. raw sugar
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp. water
Fresh daikon and ginger, finely grated, for serving
1. Cut the tofu into 16 rectangles approximately 2 inches long x 1 inch wide x 1 inch thick. Place in a large baking dish. Mix the soy sauce and sesame oil together and pour over the tofu. Marinate for 1-2 hours, turning occasionally.
2. Mix the next 5 batter ingredients together to the consistency of pancake batter. (The water needed may vary slightly.)
3. Cut the seaweed into 1-inch-wide strips. Wrap each strip around the center of each piece of tofu. Seal with water. Lightly roll in the extra flour, then dip in the batter and roll in the bread crumbs.
4. In a large nonstick skillet heat the oil on high heat. Deep-fry the tofu until golden brown, turning as necessary. Drain on a wire rack or strainer.
5. Mix the first 4 sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute, then gradually add the cornstarch mixture, stirring well until thickened.
6. Serve the sauce in a small bowl along with the tempura. In a separate bowl serve the grated daikon and ginger.
Serves 8
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories: 288, Fat 16.4g (147 cal), Carbohydrate 24.4g (98 cal), Protein 10.8g (43 cal)
Added information: Saturated Fat 1.2g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 764mg, Dietary Fiber 1.1g
another one of my favorites--not my own recipe though--got it from:
http://wailana.com/lifestyle/recipes/recipe.php?id=55
if you like seaweeds--you'll love this one.
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Vegetarian Recipes
