Vegan Recipes needed

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Katroppo
Katroppo Posts: 2
in Recipes
Hi everyone,

I have been on here for a couple of years, but I'm ready to get serious about this weight loss. Both my doctor, dietitian, and I have discovered that my body does really well on a vegan diet, but the problem is that I'm having a hard time finding foods I like that I can rotate and still be budget friendly.

My main dislikes are tempeh, mushrooms (unless pureed), and salad meals. I can do salads for side dishes. Also, I'm allergic to gluten so seitan is out. I welcome all recipes and/or ideas.
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Replies

  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    Make an account on http://www.pinterest.com and try different search terms for vegan and low calorie.
    http://www.pinterest.com/explore/low-calorie-vegan/

    Here is a lentil soup recipe form Alton Brown. Or you could just do what I do and add water to lentils in a crockpot. Seriously. It is easy to make vegan food if you like beans and lentils and nuts and tofu.

    Ingredients
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    1 cup finely chopped onion
    1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
    1/2 cup finely chopped celery
    2 teaspoons kosher salt
    1 pound lentils, picked and rinsed
    1 cup peeled and chopped tomatoes
    2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth

    Place the olive oil into a large 6-quart pot and set over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, carrot, celery and salt and sweat until the onions are translucent, approximately 6 to 7 minutes. Add the lentils and tomatoes and stir to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook at a low simmer until the lentils are tender, approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Serve immediately.
  • ksolksol
    ksolksol Posts: 194 Member
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    I don't really have a recipe, per se, because I was raised by a cook whose operating instructions were "so it looks right."

    So there aren't really any set proportions on this, but it's my favorite tomato soup recipe:

    Mix of veggie broth/water -- "enough" (sorry!)
    Red lentils
    Peeled, diced sweet potatos
    Either fresh or canned chopped tomatoes -- usually a can (or equivalent fresh) per sweet potato used
    Chopped onion
    As many cloves of garlic as you like, pressed or minced
    A little olive oil -- maybe a tablespoon
    Salt to taste

    Saute the onion in olive oil until translucent. Add garlic and cook until just fragrant -- no more than a minute. Add everything else. Cook until sweet potatoes and lentils are soft ... I think this takes about 30-45 minutes. Puree.

    The sweet potato takes the place of the sugar you usually use in tomato soup. The lentils provide a bit of protein. You might still need a pinch of sugar, depending on how it tastes to you, but I usually don't use any. I also sometimes put basil or Italian seasoning in it.
  • VitaminAmy
    VitaminAmy Posts: 130 Member
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    My body prefers a plant based diet as well. :) I second that Pinterest is a great place to find tons of vegan recipes.
  • Junipercrystal1980
    Junipercrystal1980 Posts: 2
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    Hi :-)
    My favourite recipe is banana ice cream , peel 2 bananas place in freezer
    Once frozen put in blender or food processor add a tiny drop of Water and switch on if it goes into pieces add a tiny bit more water but not too much after a few seconds it will tern into the most amazing ice-cream

    You can even add a few frozen cherries when making it, or strawberries ( there low cal )

    Cinnamon is also good :-)
  • ksolksol
    ksolksol Posts: 194 Member
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    Another soup -- kind of into soups. Saute chopped onion and chopped kale together. Set aside. Cook chopped potatoes (I leave skins on) until soft in veggie broth. (I usually use half & half broth and water so it's not so salty.) Add 1 can rinsed, drained white beans. Puree until smooth Add kale/onions. It's kind of like that Olive Garden zuppa toscana without the sausage.

    I'm not a vegan, but love a lot of vegan foods. There are so many good recipes out there. :)
  • joepage612
    joepage612 Posts: 179 Member
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    post punk kitchen is all you need. i have 50+ cookbooks i never bother with them i just go online to http://www.theppk.com
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,676 Member
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    Hi
    I'm not vegan, but have a ton of recipes, because I love that cuisine!!
    One is complicated, but you may like to try it in the future.
    YES OF COURSE YOU LIKE SALADS *ahem, collects herself* You just haven't had a good one, for a meal. Okay, here's a side salad, too. Also a veggie nut spread/stuffer.


    This is raw vegan. Although I like any vegetarian style.

    Sweet and Sour Fried Nuggets

    4 carrots
    ¼ yellow onion
    1.5T olive oil
    1C sesame seeds (grind them in your coffee grinder after measuring)
    1T honey
    2 dried figs, soaked (or 3 dates)
    1tsp unrefined salt
    ¼ t cayenne pepper
    3T apple cider vinegar
    2tsp cumin powder
    ½ t black pepper
    2 tsp soy sauce
    2T water
    2 T gound flax seed
    2 tsp black sesame seeds (optional)

    In your food processor with blade, process the carrots and onion well. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth. Oil a mesh dehydrator tray with olive oil. Spoon teaspoonful-size mounds on to a tray by sliding your finger behind the mixture and flicking it gently. Dehydrate at 105 degrees until desired crispiness (8 hours or more)

    The Sweet and Sour Sauce!!
    In your blender:
    Juice of 3 big oranges
    2 soaked figs
    ½ C raisins
    1 clove garlic
    ¼ of a jalapeno (not the seeds)
    Unrefined salt to taste (½-1 tsp)
    1 tsp Dijon mustard
    ¼ C apple cider vinegar
    2 cm piece of raw ginger

    Blend until creamy. If it’s too runny, replace the blender top and turn it on, add in a handful of raisins and/or a drizzle of olive oil while blending to thicken. You can also add in ½ tsp cumin powder and a dash of cayenne if you like.


    Marinated Vegetable Salad
    Place the following in a mixing bowl:
    Collard ribbons from one bunch of collards (Or else--my fav--One head of thinly sliced cabbage)
    2 red and 1 yellow bell peppers, julienned
    1 carrot julienned
    I/2 sweet potato, julienned
    (You could also substitute the above veggies with zucchini, yellow summer squash, beets made into angel hair noodles using a spiralizer, broccoli florets, etc)
    3 big dried figs, soaked and sliced thinly (or 3-4 dates)
    Bunch of cilantro chopped (¼ stems removed)
    ¼ Vidalia (or sweet yellow onion), sliced
    1 TBS or more minced raw ginger root
    1 tsp or more minced jalapeno
    1 TBS minced garlic
    ¼ C or more fresh lemon juice
    ¼ C or more soy sauce ( I prefer low sodium)
    ¼ C olive oil (this is optional, I often leave it out)
    Unrefined salt to taste (¼-½ tsp)

    Marinate over night, or do what I do…..dig in! My family hardly lets me finish making this salad, and they gobble it up until I almost have none to marinate overnight and eat with breakfast boo!

    Taco "Meat"
    Soak raw walnuts overnight in lotsa water. Drain and place in food processor with fresh cut corn (right from the cob), lots of cilantro, and season to taste with lots of cumin powder and soy sauce. Season it well, it should really pack a flavorful punch!
    You can place this in a heated corn tortilla along with slices of avocado and fresh homegrown tomato (summertime you know!).
  • techgal128
    techgal128 Posts: 719 Member
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    Hi :-)
    My favourite recipe is banana ice cream , peel 2 bananas place in freezer
    Once frozen put in blender or food processor add a tiny drop of Water and switch on if it goes into pieces add a tiny bit more water but not too much after a few seconds it will tern into the most amazing ice-cream

    You can even add a few frozen cherries when making it, or strawberries ( there low cal )

    Cinnamon is also good :-)

    Oh man am I saving this one. <3
  • KettlebellsandQuads
    KettlebellsandQuads Posts: 1 Member
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    My husband and I were Vegan for about 2 years but unfortunately it didn't work well for us. I do have a very full Pinterest board of nothing but Vegan Recipes which you can visit here: http://www.pinterest.com/carlyskiles/vegan-food-baby/

    I will say that it is important to not be a junk food vegan to limit your starches. A diet of nothing but pasta will not do you any service.

    Good luck on your continued weight loss and healthy living!

    God Bless

    Carly Fink
  • thefatveganchef
    thefatveganchef Posts: 89 Member
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    There are a lot of recipes on the interwebs and the youtube. It is good to follow recipes, but I think it is also good how to cook the basic pantry items in a vegan's kitchen. I personally keep a lot of tofu, lentils, rice, and beans around. Tempeh can be good if cooked right, just like tofu.

    My number one suggestion for tofu is to treat it like you would meat. It needs to be cooked first or in the beginning, you can marinate it, and season it to the flavors you are looking for in the dish. It is flavorless, which makes it a good vehicle to impart flavor in it. Also a good suggestion is to buy the extra firm packed in water and freeze it first. This changes the texture of the tofu entirely and gives it more of a meaty texture which helps to use it as a replacement for meat.

    Take your meaty recipes and substitute tofu. If you can splurge, Gardein makes some gluten free mock meats, and Daiya makes some mock cheeses that are all gluten free and melts and tastes like the real stuff.
  • peggymenard
    peggymenard Posts: 246 Member
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    Meatless Chili

    2 Cans of light kidney beans
    1 Can dice tomatoes w/green chilies
    1 small low sodium tomato sauce
    2 C trinity mix (onion, celery and peppers)
    1 tsp cumin
    1/2 tsp Morton's Nature Seasoning
    1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

    Saute trinity mix and add remaining ingreds.
  • Magenta15
    Magenta15 Posts: 850 Member
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    www.ohsheglows.com awesome recipes
  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member
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    www.ohsheglows.com awesome recipes

    This. And some free ones on the Engine 2 Diet site:

    http://engine2diet.com/recipes/favorites/

    And Happy Herbivore:

    http://happyherbivore.com/recipes/

    And Forks Over Knives:

    http://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/

    Someone told me about Thug Kitchen today, burn some calories laughing before you start cooking:

    http://thugkitchen.com/
  • bohemian124
    bohemian124 Posts: 153 Member
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    bump
  • Biggirllittledreams
    Biggirllittledreams Posts: 306 Member
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    bumpssss
  • psych101
    psych101 Posts: 1,842 Member
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    www.ohsheglows.com awesome recipes

    ^^this

    Angela is amazing!
  • mysweetjenna
    mysweetjenna Posts: 52 Member
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    Vegan chili is awesome and freezable.
  • jasonctyler
    jasonctyler Posts: 40
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    Two-three books come to mind that should prove to be a very welcome addition to any vegan/vegetarian/pescetarian's kitchen:

    The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Over 100 Vegan Recipes to Glow from the Inside Out

    Everyday Happy Herbivore: Over 175 Quick-and-Easy Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan Recipes

    The Pescetarian Plan: The Vegetarian + Seafood Way to Lose Weight and Love Your Food

    Okay, so the last one isn't strictly vegan, but neither am I. You can easily modify a lot of the recipes using common vegan substitutes for fish:

    Gardein Golden Fishless Filet

    Match Vegan Ground Crab Meat

    May Wah Vegan Fish Ball

    May Wah Vegan Shrimp Ball

    May Wah Vegan Tuna

    May Wah Vegetarian Salmon

    Vegetarian Plus Vegan Shrimp

    Vegetarian Plus Vegan Fish Fillets

    To name a few...

    Cheers!
  • NaurielR
    NaurielR Posts: 429 Member
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    BLACK BEAN SOUP!!! This is a killer recipe, and one of the only things my ENTIRE family enjoys (picky sister and teenage brother included)

    1 onion, finely chopped
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    2 celery ribs, finely chopped
    1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
    1 cup vegetable broth
    2 cans black beans, undrained
    ½ teaspoon cumin
    1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
    Juice of ½ lemon

    1.Combine first six ingredients, sauté for 10 minutes.
    2. Add ½ can of beans, cumin and cook 5 minutes
    3. Puree the soup, then add rest (1 1/2 cans) of beans.
    4. Combine cornstarch with 1½ tablespoons of water. Add lemon juice and cornstarch mixture to soup. Heat until thickened. If soup is too thick, add additional ½ cup water.

    This super is so satisfying, especially in the colder months. Its especially delicious when eaten with some crusty bread :)

    I'll see if I can think of any more vegan recipes.

    EDITED to ask: What are some of your favorite foods?
  • Rosieannaxo
    Rosieannaxo Posts: 129
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    Zoodles? Just get a vegetable spiralizer, choose any veggies of your choice, and make noodles! I use zucchini, beets, carrots, etch
    For sauce, I make alfredo sauce with cauliflower because using nut alternatives really up those calories or you can use marinara sauce.

    Alfredo sauce

    -one cup unsweetened almond milk (or any non-dairy milk of your choice)
    -400 grams of cauliflower
    -Garlic (as garlicy as you want)
    -Salt & Pepper
    -Olive oil (as creamy as you want)
    -Dijon mustard. (I did one teaspoon but you can add in more/less)
    -Lemon (Depends on lemon size, just give it a good squeeze.
    -Nutritional yeast

    1.) Cut up cauliflower into small chunks & steam till 75% soft
    2.) While that's steaming, turn on stove to medium high. In your pot, put as much olive oil as you want (depending on your calorie allowance) and sauté the garlic a bit. Then add in the almond milk, salt, pepper, and Dijon mustard.
    3.) Once the almond milk starts to boil, add in the cauliflower. The almond milk will reduce down slightly and this will also finish up the cooking process of the cauliflower.
    4.)Once the almond milk has reduce down and the cauliflower is at a point where it's falling apart and mushy, put it all in a blender. You can add the squeeze at lemon at this point and more olive oil. Then blend until creamy. You can add in more herbs and spices.
    5.) Top with nutritional yeast and there you go:)

    By the way, this is not EXACTLY like Alfredo sauce. Nothing beats cheese. You can add in daiya and other vegan cheese alternatives if you like. I personally am not a fan so I omitted them.

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