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Easy, cheap, vegetarian (not vegan) "recipe"

MEKoan

Senior Member
Messages
2,630
Or, how to cook when you can't stand up for more than a minute at a time.

I make this all the time and eat it for dinner a lot. I'm not a big "foodie" so I can eat the same thing over and over again. I make enough for about 5 days at a time which means I only need cook every 5 days and heat in between.

The base:
brown rice
frozen mixed vegetables
canned spaghetti sauce
eggs
tinned beans
or
tinned chick peas

* cook the brown rice in 2 cups MORE water than necessary
* throw lots of frozen vegetables into watery but cooked rice
* turn down heat and let veg. cook through
* stir beaten eggs into hot but not boiling mixture - it thickens
* add spaghetti sauce
* add beans OR chick peas and heat through

(Before spaghetti sauce and beans or chick peas, I remove some for the dog - if you have a dog, you must do this or the dog will be sad.)

Now you add flavour.

I add chilli powder (with tinned beans) for... well, chilli. :D

or Patak Indian Curry Paste (with chick peas) for curry. Patak comes in many flavours and strengths. I like HOT!

Add flax or other good oil before serving. Less with Patak as it is an oil based paste. Oil and fat carry flavour. Good fats are good for you but you don't want to cook them.

Add salt and other flavours as necessary.

It will be pretty dense at this point so you add water before serving to make stew or soup consistency depending on what you feel like and how much nutrition you need. You will want to add more seasoning when you dilute to soup consistency.

Flavouring can be withheld until serving so you can decide what flavour you want to add to base right before you eat. But, do remove dog's portion before you add beans or peas!

This is all about being able to make something nutritious when you have no money and can stand up for only a couple of minutes at a time. It's survival food.

There is no chopping, no heavy mixing and nothing requires you stand for longer than a minute or two. And, you can lie down between steps.

It costs almost nothing and is quite nutritious.

And, your dog will enjoy it mixed with his/her kibble.

with apologies to all the cooks!

:D
Koan

ETA I'm so not a foodie, can you tell?
 

brenda

Senior Member
Messages
2,266
Location
UK
Sounds good.

Here is something that I have just discovered and really like. It has sausages in but you can use veggie ones I am sure.

Just fill up the crockpot with sausages and thinly sliced white cabbage - I guess a slicer will help, after buttering the pot first. Add salt and cook for 5 or 6 hours. I have this with potatoes.
 

Frickly

Senior Member
Messages
1,049
Location
Texas
crockpot recipes

I love my crockpot but have not used it in awhile. My kids are too picky. Before kids I used to put beef broth, beef cut for stew, whatever vegies sound good including onion, mushrooms and peppers if you like it spicy. Turn it on in the morning and it's ready by dinner.

I suppose you could do the same with chicken, chicken broth and noodles.
 

mezombie

Senior Member
Messages
324
Location
East Coast city, USA
Hurrah for frozen vegetables!

I rely heavily on frozen veggies. People may think the veggies they buy "fresh" are better, but that 's not necessarily the case. Frozen veggies are frozen not too long after being picked, while who knows how long the veggies at the local market have been sitting around.
 

Frickly

Senior Member
Messages
1,049
Location
Texas
Koan

Sorry we took over your vegetarian thread. I just can't give up my meat. Your vegi meal did sound good.:)
 

jenbooks

Guest
Messages
1,270
Today's meals...and snacks:

1) Turn on hotplate, smear on some olive oil, put 3 eggs in. Brush teeth, come back, turn off hotplate, stir eggs around to scramble them a bit, slice a plum tomato. Put water in teacup, microwave, make decaf green tea. Melt some sugarless sharffen berger chocolate in microwave. This is my bkfst every morning

2) Scoop out avocado and slice tomato and garlic for lunch. Eat a few bowls of organic red beans with olive oil and pepper (made in crockpot earlier today after soaking overnight). Eat some sour red currants (I do every day--buy them frozen and defrost a bit at a time). More chocolate.

Later--a snack--slice up two tomatoes, a few pieces of cheddar cheese, microwave until nice and grilled, and pour some olive oil over.

3) Boyfriend brings home the Amish grassfed chicken breasts and chicken livers I ordered and he picked up. Put a bunch in the freezer and then cook several in the toaster oven. Dinner consists of: cut up pieces of chicken breast with bits of goat cheese, olive oil, sliced onions and pepper.

All this is easy to prepare. The problem for me is I can't really eat canned goods. Also I don't do well with whole grains. And everything above is organic or grassfed except for the goat cheese.

At my 'gourmet' and very cheaply priced grocery in the neighborhood, I have learned to buy already cut up mixed veggies wrapped in cellophane--either just broccoli and cauliflower, or mixed veggies such as zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, snap peas, peppers, mushrooms etc. Costs about $3 but lasts me a week or two. If I were to buy a whole head of broccoli I'd never finish it by the time it got all yucky--etc. I've got a box of mushrooms sitting int he fridge and half of it will probably go bad before I eat some.

Oops--I forgot the potato. I put a potato in the toaster oven and baked it. It wasn't organic and I got fatigued and my heart skipped beats for a while (my allergic reaction).

Also--I often make ratatouille. I dice up some eggplant put it in a glass bowl with a little water and put it in the microwave for 2 minutes. THen put it in a corning glass frying pan with some olive oil tomotoes garlic and ginger. Turn on hotplate. Stir a little, put on lid, come back when it smells good and its all nice and cooked.
 

MEKoan

Senior Member
Messages
2,630
Hey Marie,

Yes, indeedy! There are some very nice frozen veggies these days - organically grown - that look like veggies! I don't buy those, I buy the cheap diced frozen veggies but they are cleaned and chopped and that is worth a lot to me.

And, as you say, even they may make it to the freezer faster than the "fresh" ones would make it to my table. Especially if I left them sitting in my crisper (ha!) until they turned into unrecognizable, slimey mush which has been known to happen... a lot.

They are not grown in accordance with any of my beliefs which is a bummer. I contribute to agribusiness with my veg. purchases, alas. I'd like to grow my own or support small farmers but it's not on just now.

Jenbooks,

For the most part, all I gotta say is: Yum!

Chocolate for breakfast is genius! Of course, without coffee, it's essential!!! I have free trade coffee and Coffee Mate. Yes, I know, but coffee mate is way cheaper than milk from cows allowed to graze and walk around. I feel kinda bad that I'm not supporting the efforts of the few farmers who are doing that. Ah well.

And, if you're gonna eat a sentient being, it should have a life in the grass first! Good for you!

Your diet sounds delish! Hmmm, reading it made me hungry!

For anyone interested in Mindful Eating, I highly recommend Jane Goodall's book, "Harvest for Hope".

Peas out,
Koan

ETA A huge problem with my diet is that the canned and frozen foot have a huge carbon footprint. And, I have lots and lots of cans. Recycling cans is very carbon heavy still so I keep them and plan to recycle them myself, somehow. I figure if I hang onto them at least the problem I'm contributing to is mine. I'm not pretending I can recycle it away.

I have started buying dried beans and chick peas again as I did in the old days but have defaulted to the cans because of energy. I must get a grip! Thank you Jen for your good example. I will not buy them in cans any more!

The spaghetti sauce is a problem. I must address it but not sure how.
 

jenbooks

Guest
Messages
1,270
Koan, I found that the chicken parts do make a great quick broth in the crockpot--half a day of simmering--then I put it in the fridge and fat rises to the top as well as the broth gelling. Scoop out the fat, then I tend to make snacks of the broth in a glass bowl with some of the pieces of broccoli and cauliflower mentioned above, in the microwave for a few minutes. Or onions. I've also made some bone soups after Dreambirdie mentioned--you can buy a bone with meat on it and simmer that.

However, in spite of the fact that this is very budgetminded--the chicken breasts (which are expensive) must have something I need as I crave them. I don't think eating and being eaten are against nature--after all think of lions and tigers...or whales eat prill...what is considered alive or not alive?

I had a fad of the fish heads for a while but now that colder weather is here for some reason I don't want them. I still recommend them tho! Salmon heads are cheap.
 

jenbooks

Guest
Messages
1,270
Koan how about frozen Lima beans and frozen peas? I agree the cans are a bit of a problem but I've seen those two in supermarkets. I've switched to cloth napkins (bought all cotton ones online where they sell to hotels; $1 each). I was wasting way too many paper napkins and paper towels. These work as napkins and as dishrags and save trees. I've also started saving small paper bags to wrap things in,in the freezer. I'm trying to be less wasteful in small ways.
 

MEKoan

Senior Member
Messages
2,630
I have a friend who has had a small organic farm for a quarter of a century. She was in the vanguard. She is a very colourful character and makes goat's milk cheese with cat hair in it. I love her but tidy, she's not!

Anyway, about 20 years ago I went to visit her and we ate - me too - a chicken with a name. She and her kids talked about the personality of the dear departed dinner. Then her dogs came in and lay beneath the table. When they got up, we noticed they left a trail of blood on the floor. They had killed and eaten something outside. We found the remains, don't remember what it was.

I know that my disinclination to eat anything I couldn't kill myself is pure sentimentality.

I once had three huge fish meals in one day in Kenya because every time we arrived at a village we were presented with a feast. I ate with gratitude and no attitude.

And, I arrived in a village in Bangladesh to the squawks of a chicken being chased for our lunch. I tried to stop the slaughter, since there was still time and there were others who could better use what protein was on that scrawny chicken and we could make a big fuss aobut how delish the rice and dahl was... but my crew wanted their meat and stopped me. Ok.

I have a much loved stepchild who is a restricting anorexic. As far as she knows I happily chow down on fish and chicken. Her mom is a restricting kosher microbiotic eater!!! I don't think food should be that complicated. To be frank, I think that's more than a little crazy. My kid doesn't need any food complications or restriction influence from me.

The only thing that seems pretty straight forward to me is that factory farming is an environmental and ethical nightmare.

But, food is a great pleasure. We are made that way. That fish stew in Kenya was absolutely fantastic! No cans. Fresh everthing. Fish had been swimming hours before we ate them. Cooked over an open fire of wood gathered where it fell. Fantastic company. Huge bonding experience. A real feast! Wonderful.

An excellent food sites is: http://www.slowfood.com/ because it acknowledges that it is both beautiful and needs be both ethical and environmentally sensitive. And, slowfood is not a vegetarian site. You will even see sausage for those that like sausage.

Food can be good and good.

I'm not buying my beans and chick peas in cans any more!

Thank you!

Koan
 

MEKoan

Senior Member
Messages
2,630
Hey Jen,

You've already got me using dried beans. Don't need frozen. Many thanks.

It took me so long to post because I couldn't remember the word: sentimental. Seriously! :eek:

:cool:
 

MEKoan

Senior Member
Messages
2,630
Koan how about frozen Lima beans and frozen peas? I agree the cans are a bit of a problem but I've seen those two in supermarkets. I've switched to cloth napkins (bought all cotton ones online where they sell to hotels; $1 each). I was wasting way too many paper napkins and paper towels. These work as napkins and as dishrags and save trees. I've also started saving small paper bags to wrap things in,in the freezer. I'm trying to be less wasteful in small ways.

These are such good things to do! It's interesting, I think, that these sensible, environmentally sound, behaviours also give us a better quality of life. There's no question that paper napkins are just nasty.

I think you'll really enjoy the Slow Food site if you decide to check it out.

Peas,
Koan
 

Victoria

Senior Member
Messages
1,377
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Pataks?

Patak Indian Curry Paste (with chick peas) for curry. Patak comes in many flavours and strengths. I like HOT!

Koan, aren't Patak's curry pastes great. I used to use them alot many years ago (before IBS) when I couldn't be bothered dry roasting all the individual spices to make an Indian curry.

My favourite was the Madras Curry Paste (hot).

Patak's used to make a frozen Indian curry dinner, but I haven't seen it for many years now (I so rarely, if ever, buy food in a supermarket these days, it might still be around & I just haven't been to the frozen convenience section of a supermarket).

Actually, Koan, you remind me somewhat of Victress Hitchcock - filmaker who produced that beautiful film called Blessings - the Tsoknyi Bangchen Nuns of Tibet.

Have you by chance seen the film?

Superb photography in eastern Tibet. In fact, out of all my Tibetan & Buddhist films on my shelf, this has to be one of the most inspiring & uplifting.

And back to the subject of vegetarian cooking, Sarah Brown's Vegetarian Cookbook printed around 1984 with The Store Cupboard, The Recipes & then The Meal Planners are all great sections in the book. Sara Brown (who's English I think) also gives some good info on cooking equipment, nutrition, dairy alternatives etc.

This little (old) book has great photos & info on Beans, Peas, Lentils & Herbs too and best of all, really good photos of the finished dish/recipe.

I can't remember the last time I used a cookery book, but I DO LIKE PHOTOS of the finished product.

It used to be my "bible" of vegetarian cooking back in the '80's.

Have you ever seen it in Canada (or is it available in the US I wonder?).

Victoria :)
 

Victoria

Senior Member
Messages
1,377
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Jenbooks,

I prepare my breakfast mostly at night (usually while I'm upright, after finishing the dinner dishes).

Takes me ages to get limbered up & mobile in the morning, & I like just taking it out of the fridge, slicing a banana & 5-6 organic walnuts chopped roughly on top.

As I work, I sort of go for a really easy breakfast (hence preparing most of it the night before).

Gluten free rice flakes with psyllium, 1 tablespoon of psyllium husks, 1 tablespoon of freshly ground flaxseeds, a scoop of Acai powder & organic rice milk. I usually grind about 3-4 days worth of flaxseeds at a time as I can't be bothered cleaning the nut/seed grinder ever day. Rice cereal & psyllium husks swell with the rice milk overnight. Perfect type of fibre for IBS sufferers. The banana gives me a potassium boost & the walnuts a boost of emega 3's & are nice & crunchy.

On Sunday breakfast, I might have a small bunch of organic english spinach steamed briefly (so it still retains the bright green colour) & a couple of poached or scrambled organic eggs on top).

On the weekend I occasionally have sauteed brown field mushrooms with spinach (instead of the eggs).

In summer it's berries, berries & more berries :p(instead of bananas on my rice cereal). I admit it costs me a fortune in summer for my berries. I like blueberries, raspberries & whatever else is going in the market. I used to have a lot of strawberries, but since learning they are the fruit with the highest pesticide levels of any fruit/veg, I've kind of gone off them a bit.

I think breakfast is the cornerstone of energy for your day. I cannot understand how people can go without breakfast. In fact, if I don't eat something every 3-4 hours, I feel quite faint or dizzy.

Victoria:)
 

MEKoan

Senior Member
Messages
2,630
Hey Victoria,

Well now, I ran right over to YouTube to see if there was a promo for Blessings - the Tsoknyi Bangchen Nuns of Tibet, and there was and I've already both laughed and cried!

Thank you much, I will be on the lookout for it! It looks absolutely marvelous!

You have a shelf of Tibetan Buddhist films? May I come over to your house? Please, oh please, oh please!

I can't remember the iconic vegetarian cookbooks of my past although I know there were some. I can almost see their dog eared covers but can't quite read the title. So frustrating! They are vintage early '70s.

Ok, this is going to drive me bonkers, I have to go in search on google.

Ok, I'm back. Moosewood and The Enchanted Broccoli Forest are two by Molly Katzen that I loved. I also had all of Adelle Davis's books. Let's Cook Right and Let's Eat Right to Keep Fit. And Linus Pauling's book.
I wonder where my Broccoli Forest went?

I want to thank you, again, for the recommendation of that beautiful film! I will check my local library. I will also check for it online. I have really mixed feelings about finding films online. I was a filmmaker in my last career and know how much money it takes to make a film and just how hard it is to recoup. I must say, though, that I am always thrilled to be able to watch a film, which I could not otherwise find, online. Another dilemma!

with metta to you,
Koan
 

leelaplay

member
Messages
1,576
I can't remember the iconic vegetarian cookbooks of my past although I know there were some. I can almost see their dog eared covers but can't quite read the title. So frustrating! They are vintage early '70s.

hey Koan here are a few more titles Recipes for a Small Planet, THe Rodale Cookbook (early organic but not veg) and lesser known, but of similar vintage and intent, Cooking Creatively with Natural Foods, Tassajara Cooking, Cooking with Care and Purpose and Macrobiotic Cooking for Everyone

I am a bit of a foodie - well, love to eat anyways + love experimenting with food.

For years couldn't do that much and would make the meal that lasted for half a week or so. Strategy is to make lots with little effort, freeze 1/2 in meal portions, and eat it for a few days. Right now am able to stand and chop a bit so often making dinner is the focus of my day - plugging away in little bits over the day & maybe amking a meal that will only last 2 days. My qualms are with using the plastic freezer bags. Have bought a few glass containers, but still use a lot of plastic. Don't worry about tins too much as we recycle here.

Victoria - I like your idea of automatic meals. Seems the less I have to think about daily "stuff", the more brain I (may) have for other things.

Breakfast - make steel cut oats for a week. Keep in frdge. Nuke. Add berries, yougurt, and whatever in the mood for - I like bee pollen, flax. Sometimes I'll poach an egg in the middle when reheating in the microwave.

Lunch - soup from the freezer when possible, if not, tin (again) of organic

Dinner - big ones for me are to make big batches of roasted root veggies; steamed fresh veggies that need no chopping or frozen - this way I can get some variety; when eating grains make again 5 days worht of rice or pasta or quinoa.....And a pasta sauce/ratatouille. Always freeze portions in baggies + keep the rest in glass to use throughout the week - eat cold, nuke, in stock........

In case
  • always have some veggie burgers around in case not up to more.
  • when boil an egg for breakfast, make a few more and then eat them cold over the next few days or add to other things.
  • still always have a few store bought frozen meals ready although try to avoid
  • i buy organic fruit on special, then freeze it to use in smoothies, on yogurt, cereal, oatmeal, toast; or heat into a compote; or nibble as is
 

jenbooks

Guest
Messages
1,270
Love hearing everybody's foodie stuff...Vic your breakfasts sound healthy and tasty especially the yummy mushrooms...and spinach with the eggs. I might try that one sometime along with my sliced tomatoes.

It's horrible weather here for a few days--feels like mid 30's with the wind and freezing rain. Not that this has anything to do with food except makes one want hot steaming cups of tea!
 

Victoria

Senior Member
Messages
1,377
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Films?

Koan,

you can come to my place anyday.

Just jump on a plane - destination Melbourne, Australia. I have a sofa bed which is actually quite comfortable.

Email me first, so I can restock the vegetarian staples though.

I daresay you would be in seventh heaven in my book/dvd collection.

Apart from Alternative Health, in fact before health, my prime interest is Tibet - culture/buddhism, Bhutan, in fact I enjoy reading & watching anything to do with the Himalayan region. Have many films on mountaineering, Everest & a couple on the Sherpa people.

I supposes I only have about a dozen Tibetan/Buddhist films, but certainly have quite a few books on these subjects.

I am not Buddhist, partly because I eat meat & fish (a health necessity), and secondly because I haven't yet learned to deal with my anger with rude, insensitive people who ridicule my health problems & my beliefs. Especially my love of Buddhist philosophy.

I respect everyone's religious beliefs (as long as they don't constantly try to convert me, then I get a bit "stroppy"). But the day, two close friends ridiculed & laughed at my belief in reincarnation was really too much, especially as one of those people considers herself a "good" Christian. I wouldn't dream of laughing at her regular church visits, let alone her views on death or dying, and I consider everyone has the right to follow their religion & live according to their cultural upbringing.

When I get time, I'll give you a list of my favourite films - you might be able to check them out & if interested, purchase them (if you have the finances).

The Enchanted Broccoli Forest cookery book rings a bell. I'm sure I've seen that one somewhere. I had one of Adelle Davis's books many years ago, but I think I might have given it away or to a second hand book shop as it's no longer on my shelf. I got rid of about 1/3 - 1/2 of my cooking books. I don't cook much anymore.

I just buy meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, fruit & vegetables, herb teas (with a rice cereal, rice milk,& a few organic dried fruits etc).

It's not that I'm too tired to cook, but more a case of too tired to wash the dishes & clean up after cooking.

This must be the first winter I haven't made big batches of spinach soup, pumpkin soup, leek & potato soup & a rich chicken stock to keep in the freezer.

And I think it might be the second year I haven't made batches of Indian curries (mainly vegetarian) for the freezer.

My FM might be much better in the last couple of years, but that's because I try not to do anything (outside work) to make the symptoms worse - like housework, lengthy cooking or days out & about on the weekend.

Victoria:)
 

leelaplay

member
Messages
1,576
My FM might be much better in the last couple of years, but that's because I try not to do anything (outside work) to make the symptoms worse - like housework, lengthy cooking or days out & about on the weekend.

Victoria

ah - that delicate balance!

I'm thrilled that I now have a dishwasher and laundry - makes it possible to stay somewhat caught up with dirty clothes and dishes. Although used to stretch and air dry everything - now walk around in floods - figure I'm starting a retro-style

Back to food though - forgot that I always grow or buy fresh herbs and throw them in everything. ANd always have edamame (soy beans - shelled) in the freezer to add to whatever + are good snacks on their own