Vegan Menu Thoughts

jackieblack

alfsmum wrote: »

luckofthe_irish swedish glac! Non dairy vanilla is usually £250 so may suit your budget?

eek! ....................

f0xh0les

If you are on a really tight budget the Green's creme caramel packs are gf/vegan, and 50p for 4, as is the lemon pie filling (great on a crushed biscuit + dairy free spread base) less than 50p. serve with 90p vegan a1pro cream. Also no real cooking involved just a heat up and chill, but creates a pudding in a glass, so less washing up .

buildersdaughter

I think it sounds lovely. I agree, not 2 lots of rice, and I would wonder about cous-cous or bulgur wheat for the main course. I often serve those, often with roast veg stirred in.
I often keep pudding very simple - some nice biscuits, some nice fruit (apples, pears, grapes all excellent at the moment) and some squares of good chocolate. People can pick as they like.
I agree with alfsmum that poached pears are good this time of year (I bottle them just for this) but they are lovely just with biscuits, or maybe a soya yoghourt (I don't eat soya so don't know the price).

I would keep an open mind about what veg to chop to serve with the dip, as cucumber can be expensive, and sometimes peppers are cheaper.

This is my recipe for butterbean hummus, which is cheaper (and lighter) than chickpea - but in this version, I do think caramelising the lemon makes a difference. I tend to have lemons by me as I use them a lot, but friends have pointed out that it does up the cost.
this is the quantity for a small tin of butterbeans, which serves as a proper starter, but is plenty for a dip

good oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
lemon, cut in half – flick out any obvious seeds
15ml tahini
5ml ground coriander
salt

set the onions to fry in the oil, they need to caramelise
just as they are beginning to brown, put the lemon in the pan, cut sides down
when the onions have caramelised and the lemon beginning to brown, turn the heat off and sprinkle the coriander in. Let it sit for a minute, warming through and being absorbed into the oil & juices
take the lemon halves – ideally get out the pup and juice, but if there are a lot of seeds, squeeze and strain

put everything into a food processor, adding more oil and salt to taste

Have a lovely evening!

Doom_and_Gloom

buildersdaughter wrote: »

I think it sounds lovely. I agree, not 2 lots of rice, and I would wonder about cous-cous or bulgur wheat for the main course. I often serve those, often with roast veg stirred in.

Couscous and bulgur wheat both contain gluten so not applicable. Though you can find gluten free couscous it's rather expensive at about £2 for 375g, couscous is usually cheap at 65p for 500g bag so...

As a vegan who has to avoid gluten quinoa is a good substitute for rice if you think it would be rice heavy. At Ald! I believe it costs £1.29 for 300g for quinoa, though some quinoa packets state not suitable for x y and z due to manufacture process so I'm not sure if their one is okay as never bought it there. Sweet potatoes are cheap and good too.

Fruit salad with soya cream would be a nice desert.
Chocolate avocado mousse is also an idea.
You can freeze bananas and then blend them to make what people call nicecream. It's a cheap way of making an ice cream substitute and counts towards your fruit and vegetable intake too.

alfsmum

jackieblack wrote: »

eek! ....................

Silly tablet :rotfl::rotfl:

Now corrected I hope

buildersdaughter

Sorry! Missed the 'gluten free' bit!

Spendless

If an alternative vegan/GF pudding is proving problematic, I'd stick with the rice pudding and have the crispy rice potatoes as an accompaniment to the main meal and not the spicy rice.

luckofthe_irish

So I have decided to take all of your fab advice and do spicy rice with the main and I have switched the dessert to a berry crisp! I am using frozen mixed berries and maple syrup for the base and the topping with be made with oats, nuts & coconut oil!

I did a big shop at Aldi yesterday and came in just under budget, but still have a few things to pick up in one of the bigger stores so I will try and keep it as low as possible. Then to get cooking for the rest of the afternoon! Luckily I have lots of drinks already in the house, plus candles, napkins etc. which all set the scene!

I will let you know how I get on - hopefully not a major disaster!! I am actually quite nervous now, I hope they have a good time!

luckofthe_irish

Thank you all for your wonderful advice!

The food went down a treat and we had an amazing evening! No leftovers - everything was hovered up even by my meat loving other half! I am so delighted I put myself out of my comfort zone having people over the house - thanks so much again for all your help