Recipe tips using these ingredients (help is very much appreciated!)

ColdDawning
ColdDawning Posts: 36 Member
in Recipes
I'm bad at cooking, I've never been taught, I've never dared to experiment much in the kitchen (I've kept to salads and the most simple stews), but I do know which ingredients I like and want to use (they're listed below). I would be uttermost thankful if anyone would like to give me tips on which to combine and what to make with them. I don't eat meat/dairy/eggs.
  • Black, white and fava beans, green and yellow peas, sugar snap peas. Red, green, and black lentils.
  • Quinoa, buckwheat. Potatoes, carrots, sunroots, red beats.
  • Tomato, bell pepper, aubergine (eggplant), zucchini, cucumber.
  • Kale, red cabbage, fennel, spinach.
  • Mushrooms of different sorts, but probably mostly the button mushroom that I can find in stores all year around.
  • Apples, pears, plums, berries of different sort. Apples, oranges, and bananas are probably what I can most easily get hold of all year around.
  • Yellow and red onion, leek, garlic.
  • Chili, ginger, horseradish. Lemon and lime.
  • Seeds and nuts of different sorts.
  • Salt, black table pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, rosemary, basil, thyme, coriander, oregano, sage, parsley, tarragon.
  • Mustard, vinegar, olive oil, coconut oil, rapeseed oil, flour, yeast, sugar, cocoa powder, oat milk. Probably some sort of ready-made broth. I will probably keep buying canned crushed tomatoes.

If you feel like a vital ingredient is listed that would lift my meals, feel free to mention it :blush:

Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • littlegreenparrot1
    littlegreenparrot1 Posts: 702 Member
    It really depends on what kind of thing you like to eat.

    Based on those things I would make for example:
    Leek and potato soup, carrot and lentil soup
    Coleslaw with red cabbage and carrot, which I would eat with baked potatoes
    Roast peppers, aubergine, zucchini and mix with quinoa/ buckwheat for salad
    Apple crumble 😀
    Bean chilli, ratatouille

    It's worth getting some cookbooks out of the library of you have one available, and nosing about on the internet to see what takes your fancy. The best thing to do is just start experimenting, the worst possible outcome is you don't like it and have some toast instead.
  • macybean
    macybean Posts: 258 Member
    My meals are usually really simple and use pretty much what you have listed. I make "stew" most nights, which just means I throw it all in one pot and simmer until it's done. I use an Instantpot as it's super easy, but you can simmer in a soup pot too. Onion, garlic, ginger if it fits my mood, potato of some sort, different veggies depending on what I have on hand, beans of any variety, mushrooms and enough water to simmer. Add some miso paste, vinegar or tamari. Throw in some greens or peas near the end. Serve over grain of choice. Toss on some seeds or nuts for crunch if you want. The difference is in the seasoning. Try cajun seasoning, taco seasoing, curry paste or powder, greek seasoning, berbere or italian seasoning. Anise and fennel can add a different flavor. Fresh herbs when you have them, like basil or cilantro are always nice. Juice a lemon or lime to brighten the flavor. For a richer stew stir in some coconut milk or drizzle with tahini or cashew cream (1:1 mix of cashews and water, blended until smooth in a high speed blender). There is no set amount of any ingredient, just use what you like. However if you use beets, plan to roast or cook them ahead of time by themselves as they tend to take a lot longer to cook.
    Don't be afraid to experiment!
    There's lots of great blogs out there for real recipes. I really like veganricha.com, passtheplants.com and itdoesn'ttastelikechicken.com for ideas.
  • Zinka61
    Zinka61 Posts: 563 Member
    edited December 2019
    Simple recipes are fine! I can help with a few of them. I also try to eat whole food plant based and always vegetarian. Some of my favorite recipes include these ingredients.

    I love to roast eggplant and red pepper slices on parchment in the oven, no oil, maybe 400F for around 45 min--Keep checking. Then I put them on a sandwich of whole grain bread with hummus.

    Tbh, my favorite way to eat potatoes (and sweet potatoes) is to cut them into sticks, roast them as above but maybe at 420F about 45 min and eat them dipped in ketchup.

    My favorite sandwich spread, which you can layer tons of kale or spinach or other greens on, is made from 1 can drained, rinsed chickpeas (you may be able to sub other beans) with 1-2 cloves garlic, 3-4T Dijon mustard, 1/4 c walnut pieces and juice of 1/2 lemon, pureed in food processor. Mushrooms, carrots, etc are good raw dipped in this, too.

    I love banana nicecream made with sliced, then frozen banana, some cocoa powder, and plant milk. I like to add powdered peanut butter, sometimes some Evolve pea protein powder, though those last two are not really whole foods.

    Lately I'm loving zucchini slices, sliced mushrooms and frozen cauliflower florets roasted on parchment, 420 F, 30-40 min til slightly charred, salted lightly. This is good just as it is.

    I like to eat apples plan if they are good ones, but I roast them with veggies (my favorites are frozen, sliced Brussels sprouts, diced Butternut squash and apples, but I'm sure other veggies would work), same technique as above.

    Any beans are great chopped with veggies in salads with tomato and a vinaigrette type dressing with or without seasoning.

    I love lentils just cooked with water or broth, salt, some onions, maybe a dash of sesame oil, and some lemon juice and cumin and garlic for the red lentils.

    I like to make cabbage soup, usually with other veggies, sometimes tomatoes, in the winter. I just dump in what I have, no recipe.

    If you are looking for friends on here, I'd love to have a few plant-based pals!



  • RaccoonDragon
    RaccoonDragon Posts: 14 Member
    edited December 2019
    I like to saute spinach as a side with a main course but I also eat it on its own sometimes. I think this one would be amazing over rice.

    Try this:

    Oil (1-2 tablespoons) in a large skillet medium heat let it get hot
    Toss in some chopped onions and season lightly with salt and pepper cook for 5 to 10 depending on how much crunch you want them to have (you could also add some sliced mushrooms here if you are feeling that)
    Mince like 3 or 4 cloves of garlic and drop that in for about 30 seconds or so
    Put as much spinach as the pan will hold add a little more salt and pepper
    Toss it in the hot pan (I use tongs) till it wilts a bit
    Add more spinach and season that spinach with salt and pepper
    Repeat the spinach steps till you've added as many calories of spinach as you want to eat
    I add in red pepper flakes. But you could add in fresh Chili's if you wanted for some spice.

    This company has amazing pepper flakes! The following pepper flakes are my favorite with spinach though.
    https://www.flatironpepper.com/collections/frontpage/products/dark-smoky

    Shovel it all on to a plate and enjoy.

  • RaccoonDragon
    RaccoonDragon Posts: 14 Member
    Here's one more.

    Roasted root veggies


    Carrots
    Potatoes
    Sunroots
    (I like parsnips and sweet potatoes with this too)
    Just get a collection of your favorite root veggies.

    Preheat your oven to 425f/220c


    Cube up the veggies (usually skin on or off doesn't really matter just wash them first. Also try to make the pieces about the same size so they will cook evenly)
    Put them all in a big bowl.
    Add in 2 or 3 tablespoons of oil
    Toss it all to coat the veggies in the olive oil
    Salt and pepper liberally and stir to coat the veggies in the salt and pepper
    Get the leaves off maybe 10 sprigs of thyme and chop them up a little bit
    Sprinkle those in the bowl and stir to coat the veggies

    Spread the veggies in an even layer on a baking sheet (use one with sides)

    Put in the oven for 15 minutes

    Pull them out and scrape the pan to turn the veggies over

    Put the pan back into the oven for about 15-20 more minutes)

    Pull them out and serve em up.



  • RaccoonDragon
    RaccoonDragon Posts: 14 Member
    Ok, one last recipe

    Easy Beer Bread

    This bread is dense but yummy and fresh and you will have made it. You will feel so accomplished! It's so easy.

    Preheat oven to 375f

    If you have a scale use weights if you don't I put the approximate cup measurements too

    450g of self rising flower (3cups) MUST BE Selfrising flour for this recipe
    50g sugar (1/4 cup)
    12 oz beer (any beer will work but I like it with guiness)

    Put those three things in a bowl and mix it up until everything is incorporated

    Put it in a greased bread (use non stick spray like Pam to "grease" the pan for calorie reduction... Or use lard, you're an adult, do what you want!)

    Bake for 60 minutes

    Take out of the pan and let cool for 10 mins or so

    Eat!

  • RaccoonDragon
    RaccoonDragon Posts: 14 Member
    edited December 2019
    Ok, really though, this is fun!

    Spicy Thai-ish Rice

    Make rice and set aside. (The actual cooking part for this is done in about 7 minutes so you want your rice to be ready. I suggest prepping the piles while the rice is cooking. Then cooking the topping once the rice is done.)


    Topping for the rice.

    julienne (just means to cut into short thin strips) a small piece of ginger (about. Two inch knob) and a couple couple chillies (you can use whatever kind you like)

    Slice 6 cloves of garlic into thin slices

    Crush up or chop peanuts into little pieces

    Get about 3 tablespoons of seseme seeds ready

    Get a bunch of fresh cilantro(corriander) and cut the stems off and cut them into 1 inch pieces (you want only the stems not the leaves)

    Put this stuff into two piles

    Pile 1:
    Garlic
    Ginger
    Chili's

    Pile 2:
    Seseme seeds
    Cilantro stems
    Chopped peanuts

    In a small frying pan add a couple of tablespoons of oil. ( Peanut oil is best for this one just from a flavor standpoint but any oil will do.)

    Add in pile 1

    Cook for about 5 minutes

    Add in pile 2

    Cook for about 1 minute

    Put the contents of the pan over your rice

    Squeeze a wedge or two of lime over everything.

    Enjoy!
  • ColdDawning
    ColdDawning Posts: 36 Member
    Thank you so so so much for all the tips and recipes! You have no idea how helpful it is to me! I really don't know much about cooking, but if I get going, learn a few different ways to combine and cook things, maybe the rest will unfold itself? I don't know, but thank you so much, I'll definitely try some of the suggested :blush:
  • RaccoonDragon
    RaccoonDragon Posts: 14 Member
    If you run into any trouble with any of mine, send me a message. They are some of favorites I will make at least one of these every week. That being said they are still fairly simple. Let me know if you need any help to make them.
  • ColdDawning
    ColdDawning Posts: 36 Member
    RaccoonDragon wrote: »
    If you run into any trouble with any of mine, send me a message. They are some of favorites I will make at least one of these every week. That being said they are still fairly simple. Let me know if you need any help to make them.

    Thank you, I'll remember that!
  • mjbnj0001
    mjbnj0001 Posts: 1,250 Member
    Looks like a vegan selection. Suggest an old cookbook (70s vintage) - "Diet for a Small Planet" and "Recipes for a Small Planet" for ideas. Tastes might have moved on a bit and expanded since then, but there are some decent selections. Me? Vegan then, omnivore now.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Myfridgefood.com

    You can input all of those ingredients, and it will give you recipes.
  • ColdDawning
    ColdDawning Posts: 36 Member
    Thanks for the suggestions! :smile: That site sounds cool, I'll check it out.

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