Vegan Store Cupboard Challenge

Justamum

Pink_elephants_n_lemonade wrote: »

Hello & Happy New Year :hello:

Newly vegan (vegetarian since April). Currently on day 3 of a juice fast, & looking forward to trying lots of yummy vegan recipes. Is it better to buy tinned or dried pulses, for chillies & stews?

I buy the dried ones, then cook the whole bag and freeze them in a freezer bag (bash them loose periodically when they are freezing). 8oz of the cooked beans is the same as a tin, and you get 5 tins worth out of a bag. It's difficult to find butter beans and red kidney beans in their dry form these days (at least I can't find them anywhere) so I just buy Tesco Value ones.

Pink_elephants_n_lemonade

Thanks, Justamum.

Polenta lovers, is it better to buy fine or coarse polenta? What's the difference - cooking wise? I've never used it before, but want to use it to make pizza bases, etc.

GetRealBabe

Hi

I've made pizza bases with coarse cornmeal. Never tried with fine.

icontinuetodream

hobbitfancier wrote: »

I recently bought coconut oil... was interested to know what I can use it for in cooking? Going to use it as a moisturiser as well!

Its used a lot in raw food....worth popping raw recipes into google and having a mooch..;)

Justamum wrote: »

I buy the dried ones, then cook the whole bag and freeze them in a freezer bag (bash them loose periodically when they are freezing). 8oz of the cooked beans is the same as a tin, and you get 5 tins worth out of a bag. It's difficult to find butter beans and red kidney beans in their dry form these days (at least I can't find them anywhere) so I just buy Tesco Value ones.

I do exactly the same justamum....saves so much time and its a huge amount cheaper!!:D

Pink_elephants_n_lemonade wrote: »

Thanks, Justamum.

Polenta lovers, is it better to buy fine or coarse polenta? What's the difference - cooking wise? I've never used it before, but want to use it to make pizza bases, etc.

I use whatever I have.....I'm a 'i'm sure it will work' type of cook and haven't had too many disasters yet!!!

So, its day 41 of the challenge and i haven't bought any other food except for soya milk, milk (for the rest of them), fresh fruit and veg :T I am really pleased with how I am using stuff up - unfortunately, I have had so many internet issues recently I have been unable post but am hoping to be able to do so from now on.....:o

Tonight, I am going to make a chilli with some frozen vegan mince I have....I have a few tortilla wraps left so will have them with the chilli and salad.... I am also going to make a 'shepherds' pie with what is left of it ready for tomorrow - I found a tin of new potatoes in the cupboard so will throw them in along with some dried tvp and a handful of lentils to bulk it out. I have a tin of carrots somewhere too so will use them up with it!!

DH went a bit mad on buying salad over the weekend so I am eating salad with everything at the moment - I can't begin to tell you how pleased I am that I have a huge selection of vinegars to make dressings with!!!

icontinuetodream

Wow! Almost two years since I was last on here!! Shamefully, I haven't been vegan for over a year either!

However, I am currently using up what I have in the freezer and intend to go back to vegan from the end of this month (or earlier, depending on the freezer contents!! ) so am resurrecting this thread to make sure that I get inventive on using up what I have in and minimise future expenditure!!

Not being vegan has had quite an impact on me - I feel unhealthy; I have put on loads of weight, my skin, hair and nails are a mess, I am tired all the time and I am looking generally haggard! :eek: It's a scary road I have been down and I am looking forward to coming out of the other side.....

I am going to do my food inventory either later today or tomorrow and come up with as many meals as possible from what I have - all the vegan meals I make will be on this thread and when the freezer contents are done, I will use the thread for my full meal plans every week.

I am going to be using the most seasonal produce I can, I am going to use local wherever possible and I am going to vary the meals as much as possible. The old staples will always be there - squash and red bean enchiladas, corn coconut and lime soup, sage and garlic cannellini beans etc....but I will also be trying some new things.

I will only use processed 'fake' meat a maximum of once a week (I do like 'fake' chorizo in a pasta sauce!!) and I will try to stick to as much 'easy to get hold of' ingredients as possible.

Tonight, a vegan meal without even trying - I have some roasted sweet potato, parsnips and celeriac in the fridge which I will make into a soup and serve with hm bread. Nomnom.... :D

Chels991

Hi.
I know it's not about stocking up etc. I wondered if anyone could help. I used to use Sainsbury's own brand salad cream until they added eggs. I wondered if anyone knew any Vegan Salad cream? I know about the vegan mayo, but I'm craving salad cream! Plus My Local Tesco's have stopped selling the mayo now.
Thanks

icontinuetodream

They do a vegan mayo in t*sco called tiger tiger which is quite like salad cream imho.....it has that vinegar kick that distinguishes the two!!

Well, I have checked out the freezer and it is a lot better than I thought - I have a side of salmon which I am doing for today and other than a few lemon sole fillets, there is no other corpse in my stores !! :j

I am really pleased - it means that I can go vegan again pretty much immediately without having to spend ages cooking separate meals.....to that end, I have done a meal plan which lasts from now into the new year!!

I have based it on the premise of: Monday – Grain, Tuesday – Pasta, Wednesday – Raw/Salads, Thursday – Potato, Friday – Rice, Saturday – Soup, Sunday – One Pot/Roast

Week One – 5th November 2014

Wednesday – Fennel & Orangesalad with dates, mixed leaves & avocado
Thursday - Sweet potato and blackbean enchiladas
Friday - Cabbage, red beans and rice
Saturday – Broccoli Soup & HMBread
Sunday - Veg stir fry with whole-wheat noodles

Week Two – 10th November 2014

Monday - Roasted garlic polenta with basil and tomato sauce
Tuesday - Black eye pea and tomato lasagne
Wednesday – Falafel in pittabreads and salads
Thursday - Tuscan white beans withgarlic and sage, lemon oil potatoes & wilted spinach
Friday - Valencian rice
Saturday - Corn, coconut and limesoup with hm bread
Sunday - Hazelnut and potato bake

Week Three – 17th November 2014

Monday - Polenta stuffed peppers
Tuesday - Pumpkin stuffed ravioli
Wednesday – Wild Rice Salad,tomato & nut balls, mixed leaves
Thursday - Roasted red onions,wilted spinach and sweet potatoes
Friday - Coconut curried veg and rice
Saturday – Beetroot Soup
Sunday - Cashew rice roast

Week Four – 24th November2014

Monday – Buddha bowl
Tuesday - Pea and ginger cannelloni
Wednesday – Raw carrot &beetroot spaghetti with tomato & basil sauce
Thursday - Spanish potato gratin
Friday - Moroccan Pilaff
Saturday – Broccoli Soup & HMBread
Sunday - Caramelized onion tart

Week Five – 1st December 2014

Monday - Moroccan spiced couscous with fruits
Tuesday - Roasted veg and tomato pasta
Wednesday - Stir-fried black beanswith chilli and lime, tortillas & salad
Thursday – Shepherds Pie
Friday - Roasted squash risotto
Saturday – Moroccan lemon &potato soup
Sunday - Chick pea and green bean tagine with lemon potatoes

Week Six – 8th December 2014

Monday – Quinoa & pan-friedcorn with orange zest & chives
Tuesday - Lentil pastichio
Wednesday – Herb & nut saladballs, variety of salads
Thursday – Spiced chickpea &potato dish with hummus & salad
Friday – Provencal lemon herb ricewith roasted veg
Saturday – Beetroot soup
Sunday - Aduki bean and wintersquash saut!

Week Seven – 15th December 2014

Monday – Indian spice quinoa withraisins & pine nuts
Tuesday – Spaghetti bake
Wednesday – Mexican taco ‘meat’lettuce wraps
Thursday – Stuffed jacket potatowith herb dips
Friday – Sushi
Saturday – Leek & Potato Soup
Sunday - Autumn veg stew

Week Eight – 22nd December 2014

Monday – Kamut with seeds &beans
Tuesday – HM Ravioli with lemon& herb vegan cream cheese, lemon & mint oil
Wednesday – Dolmas
Thursday – Potato cakes, wiltedgreens, lemon oil beans & chutney
Friday – Red lentil dhal &rice
Saturday – Roasted apple, onion& sweet potato soup
Sunday – Millet & vegetable savoury

Week Nine – 29th December 2014

Monday – Couscous with lettuce,peas & mint
Tuesday – Ratatouille withwhole-wheat pasta shells
Wednesday – Courgette spaghetti& pesto
Thursday – Spanish potato gratin
Friday – Fennel risotto
Saturday – Squash & sweetpotato soup
Sunday – Savoury stuffed pancakes

Well, that's me done for the rest of this year - I am vegan again from tomorrow and very excited to be going back to where I belong!! :beer:

MandM90

Had a great meal tonight, vegan and most ingredients are staples.

Olive oil
Onion
Two garlic cloves
1 chilli/chilli flakes
1heaped tsp of ras el hanout (or a pinch of cinnamon, turmeric, paprika, cumin seeds, mustard seeds and ginger)
A star anise
A cardamom pod
One courgette, diced
One small squash, diced
One can of chickpeas
Half a tin of chopped toms/2 tbsp tom pur!e

Fry onion, garlic and spices until onion is translucent, add all other ingredients to slow cooker or pot. Add enough water to cover. Bring to boil then cook on high for 4 hours in a SC or simmer for half an hour on the hob.

Then cover 300g cous cous with boiled water (I steeped some saffron in my water which made the cous cous really fragrant) and leave for ten mins, then drizzle with olive oil and fork through.

Before serving try to fish out the star anise! Should serve four.

It was delish!

Lizling

Yum! Even though I'm only vegetarian, not vegan, so many of these ideas are just the kind of thing I like to eat. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this thread!

Justamum

I wish I could be as organised with meal planning as you are icontinuetodream! I'm rubbish at it.