Vegan and vegetarian food on the cheap

squeaky

You could take a look at the Recipe Collection Index pointed to in my signature because there are some vegetarian recipes collected there (at the bottom of the list) and there are some of the main course dishes which, quite by accident, don't have any meat in them either.

cristin

I am a veggie, and believe it or not, before coming to this web site had never used split red lentils - only the dark ones (which I love!) But so many people have recommended them that I thought I would try them (they are easier to cook and can be mistaken quite easily for mince!) Somebody on MSE also mentioned cooking the Cranks Homity pie (made with mash) - so off I went looking for it and found a lentil and cheese wedge on here as well as the homity pie. I made the lentil and cheese thing - it was really easy and delicious and lasted couple of days. Will be making the homity pie next when I get a chance. Anyway let me know what you think

jazzyjustlaw

Ted_Hutchinson wrote:

Please don't think I'm getting at you but yesterday I got some cows with calves to graze my field and they've had such a time today exploring their new home and frolicking about that it's seem such a shame to think that if everyone turned veggie there'd be no point in their existence. If it wasn't for meat eaters I don't know how I'd manage the field in a way which I and the neighbours would approve. Next year the calves will spend with their mates in the field to the front of the house but I can't imagine how this particular wolds countryside would look if it weren't for grazing. Animal husbandry doesn't have to be cruel, I just so love having them about it worries me that it is becoming so uneconomic to keep animals.

In other threads I keep pushing the importance of Omega 3's in brain development and general health, I'm particularly concerned that the vegetarian sources such as linseed simply aren't as effective as fish oils I hope your the kind of vegetarian which also doesn't exclude fish.

I dont eat meat as I dont like it. I love fish but don't eat it because I am a vegetarian. I just want some recipes I am not discussing the rights and wrongs of it. Please don't be offended.

jazzyjustlaw

cristin wrote:

I am a veggie, and believe it or not, before coming to this web site had never used split red lentils - only the dark ones (which I love!) But so many people have recommended them that I thought I would try them (they are easier to cook and can be mistaken quite easily for mince!) Somebody on MSE also mentioned cooking the Cranks Homity pie (made with mash) - so off I went looking for it and found a lentil and cheese wedge on here as well as the homity pie. I made the lentil and cheese thing - it was really easy and delicious and lasted couple of days. Will be making the homity pie next when I get a chance. Anyway let me know what you think

Well I never cooked lentils _ i have a realy problem in cooking with dried stuff in that I have never done it!!! Pathetic isnt it!!

cristin

jazzyjustlaw wrote:

Well I never cooked lentils _ i have a realy problem in cooking with dried stuff in that I have never done it!!! Pathetic isnt it!!

No it isn't pathetic at all. Look at me, I have been cooking for years and years and had never got round to using red lentils. The nice thing about dried lentils is that you just rinse them and throw them into whatever you're cooking - no soaking required like other dried pulses so they are really easy to use and no chance of doing things wrong!. Even easier is to get a tin of them, thats what I do for really scary things like kidney beans .........But just have a go, we've all got to start somewhere, and we all make a few mistakes along the way....

jazzyjustlaw

cristin wrote:

No it isn't pathetic at all. Look at me, I have been cooking for years and years and had never got round to using red lentils. The nice thing about dried lentils is that you just rinse them and throw them into whatever you're cooking - no soaking required like other dried pulses so they are really easy to use and no chance of doing things wrong!. Even easier is to get a tin of them, thats what I do for really scary things like kidney beans .........But just have a go, we've all got to start somewhere, and we all make a few mistakes along the way....

Thanks for the link. I bought the Cranks Bible from Amazon at a discount plus I had a £5.00 off code. I cant wait to get it.

Ted_Hutchinson

jazzyjustlaw wrote:

I dont eat meat as I dont like it. I love fish but don't eat it because I am a vegetarian. I just want some recipes I am not discussing the rights and wrongs of it. Please don't be offended.

No I'm not offended and I'm not spoiling for a fight. I just think it's sad that I am struggling to find someone with animals to graze my fields and keep them looking nice, you like meals which are equivalent to lamb hot pot and beef shepherds pie and the chap that provides the lambs and calves to graze my fields isn't really able to make a living from it because people won't pay for the lamb/beef he produces.
I'm not making anything from letting his animals graze my fields. The only people who may be making a profit are the supermarkets. If you want the UK to remain a green and pleasent land someone has got to buy lamb and beef. It's free range, it's probably organic more or less. It's not intensively reared and it's good for you.
If your not eating meat or fish then where are you getting your ALA which is to some extent the precusor to Omega3?
If you want to go on appreciating the taste and texture of the food you eat you brain does require omega3 to facilitate these senses.
Your actions or inactions do have an impact on others. By failing to eat meat or fish not only do you put yourself at risk but you also put in jeopardy the grasslands and animals that graze them.

Curry_Queen

Ted_Hutchinson wrote:

I just think it's sad that I am struggling to find someone with animals to graze my fields and keep them looking nice....

I don't know which area you live but there are always plenty of horse owners looking out for grazing, especially if it's cheap/free, so you'd never go short of finding animals to graze your land. Even better if you could offer some much needed space to one of the charities that care for neglected and retired horses

Magentasue

Well I don't eat meat but I know more than enough people who eat it by the bucketload so I don't think my actions are threatening the future of grazing animals. I don't have a problem with people eating meat if it's produced the way Ted refers to so long as I don't have to.;)

heather38

I'm not making anything from letting his animals graze my fields. The only people who may be making a profit are the supermarkets. If you want the UK to remain a green and pleasent land someone has got to buy lamb and beef. It's free range, it's probably organic more or less. It's not intensively reared and it's good for you.

Your actions or inactions do have an impact on others. By failing to eat meat or fish not only do you put yourself at risk but you also put in jeopardy the grasslands and animals that graze them.[/QUOTE]

actually ted, the truth of the matter is, if just one state in america went veggie and turned the grazing land to arible farming the whole of the africa would no longer be dying of hunger. it takes one acre of pasture land to feed one cow for its whole lifetime (in terms of grass consumption), and the methane gas produced by america's cattle ranches is raising the temp of the earth by 0.5 C year on year.
plus veggies have less risk from heart disease, cancer, chloesterol, diabetes and obesity
eating meat is not very good for you, and you can get all your rda of vitamins from lentils pulses and green leafy veggies
sorry to rant on but this is a passion of mine and i feel very strongly about it. you are however entiltled to your opinion and sorry if you are offended