Vegeterian food. Where to start?

[Nemo]

I'm thinking of reducing the amount of meat and animal produce that I eat. We always have lots of veggies but usually the meal or at least it's flavours are built around meat. Not planning to become hardcore vegetarian or vegan, just incorporate some of that type of food into my eating.

I'm interested not just in learning a few recipees but more in learning the techniques and flavour (and texture) combinations which work. I realise that you do this by cooking recipees but I find that some cookbooks for example will basically just give a bunch of unrelated recipees while some will explain why and how particular flavour and techniques things work and use the recipees to demonstrate this.

So thanks in advance for your various perspectives on eating more plants and fewer animals and the best way to learn how to make this tasty.

 

[daveb]

I'm trying to eat more veg. (What is said here, stays here, right?) I find they're considerably more flavorful when roasted to a slight char. A little oil to help keep them from drying out. Grilled is also good but a little more work. Saute is more work still and not nearly as interesting. I'm not a fan of steamed, boiled or anything that turns them into flavorless mush. Cauli, butternut do quite well SV, esp with a little chicken stock. Playing with puree.

Onions will play well with most anything. Otherwise like hard veg (carrots, parsnips,, hard squash) together and softer veg (peppers,, soft squash, etc) together. Brocc and cauli work together usually, again with onions.

And grouping seasonal veg together typically works well. "Seasons" as we know them are becoming less relevant at the market but the veg that come in to harvest together almost always compliment each other. And following the seasons can add another level of interest to meal planning.

That said the best use for a veg garden is to draw in deer:whistling:

 

[Nemo]

I'm trying to eat more veg. (What is said here, stays here, right?) I find they're considerably more flavorful when roasted to a slight char. A little oil to help keep them from drying out. Grilled is also good but a little more work. Saute is more work still and not nearly as interesting. I'm not a fan of steamed, boiled or anything that turns them into flavorless mush. Cauli, butternut do quite well SV, esp with a little chicken stock. Playing with puree.

Onions will play well with most anything. Otherwise like hard veg (carrots, parsnips,, hard squash) together and softer veg (peppers,, soft squash, etc) together. Brocc and cauli work together usually, again with onions.

And grouping seasonal veg together typically works well. "Seasons" as we know them are becoming less relevant at the market but the veg that come in to harvest together almost always compliment each other. And following the seasons can add another level of interest to meal planning.

That said the best use for a veg garden is to draw in deer:whistling:

It'll be our secret Dave...

Yeah, I quite like them roasted. SV is an iteresting idea that I hadn't considered. What temp and how long?

Seasonal groups is a good point. I have a book on this theme (simon Bryant's "Vegies") that I'll have another look at.

We don't get deer or even 'roos in our garden. Maybe they do in the high country. The bloody horses are always sticking their heads in though. I think I'd be in trouble if I did anything to them though

 

[foody518]

Do you ever stir fry? Easy to build veg centric dishes imo. I kind of group what i use by desired textures in the end result

 

[Nemo]

Do you ever stir fry? Easy to build veg centric dishes imo. I kind of group what i use by desired textures in the end result

Yes. I stir fry a lot. This is a good point. I have done some stir frys where I've replaced part or all of the meat with tofu and/or eggplant.

I hadn't thought about selecting veggies by texture. Interesting idea, which I guess makes sense, thinking about the mouthfeel of stirfry.

 

[GorillaGrunt]

+1 for roasted; grilled is so much easier with a grill basket than without, I wouldn't call it hardly any more work than roasted. A couple shakes of the basket instead of tossing halfway through. I do a fair bit of sautéing; I prefer a little char from the pan just like with roasting, especially on broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and sometimes asparagus. Stewing with or without broth is also good, ranging from things like caponata to vegetarian curries to ratatouille.

I don't know your cuisine and spice/flavor preferences, but in addition to stir fry I found it helpful to look into Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines.

It also helps to experiment with the less commonplace vegetables, for instance celery root, rutabaga, different greens, Asian varieties of squash and cabbage family e.g. gai lan, yu choy, etc. as well as varying grains and bean types, to keep it interesting.

 

[tsuriru]

Ease into it. Be a weekend carnivore for a while and stick to vegetarian during the week, then slowly cut down on carnivorous portions and replace them with vegetarian portions. I think the key is diversity. For me it's mainly about how it's spiced. I cant eat salt (hypertension) so I need to work my way around the taste issue created by the lack of salt using spices. This contributes a lot to how I cook my food and how I spice and season it. I think the main factor to success is no fanaticism. Instead of tagging yourself "vegan" or "vegetarian" ad "ish" at the end and allow yourself various food that you love occasionally - not as a matter of "guilty pleasures" but as a matter of diversifying your diet without over doing anything in any particular direction.

 

[Nemo]

+1 for roasted; grilled is so much easier with a grill basket than without, I wouldn't call it hardly any more work than roasted. A couple shakes of the basket instead of tossing halfway through. I do a fair bit of sautéing; I prefer a little char from the pan just like with roasting, especially on broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and sometimes asparagus. Stewing with or without broth is also good, ranging from things like caponata to vegetarian curries to ratatouille.

I don't know your cuisine and spice/flavor preferences, but in addition to stir fry I found it helpful to look into Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines.

It also helps to experiment with the less commonplace vegetables, for instance celery root, rutabaga, different greens, Asian varieties of squash and cabbage family e.g. gai lan, yu choy, etc. as well as varying grains and bean types, to keep it interesting.

We eat a lot of Asian and European food. I quite like spice and heat but I'm the only one in the family who does. Might have a look at some middle eastern though.

 

[Nemo]

Ease into it. Be a weekend carnivore for a while and stick to vegetarian during the week, then slowly cut down on carnivorous portions and replace them with vegetarian portions. I think the key is diversity. For me it's mainly about how it's spiced. I cant eat salt (hypertension) so I need to work my way around the taste issue created by the lack of salt using spices. This contributes a lot to how I cook my food and how I spice and season it. I think the main factor to success is no fanaticism. Instead of tagging yourself "vegan" or "vegetarian" ad "ish" at the end and allow yourself various food that you love occasionally - not as a matter of "guilty pleasures" but as a matter of diversifying your diet without over doing anything in any particular direction.

Yeah, I don't particularly want (at this stage) to give up animal products all together. Just to change the balance. I think at first, it will be one or two days a week beacuse trying to concentrate on cooking new and different food is not so easy when you come home after a big or stressful day at work. I'm certainly not going to be dogmatic about it.

 

[tsuriru]

trying to concentrate on cooking new and different food is not so easy when you come home after a big or stressful day at work. I'm certainly not going to be dogmatic about it.

For me it is the exact opposite. I mean, it's still challenging - but my kitchen time is my winding-down time after a day of work. I guess it's all about how it's embraced.

 

[JayGee]

There's an excellent vegetarian Japanese book called Kansha that is very much a way of eating and managing a kitchen and pantry. The recipes are complex because lots of elements interrelate but once you get started things get easier.

 

[Nemo]

For me it is the exact opposite. I mean, it's still challenging - but my kitchen time is my winding-down time after a day of work. I guess it's all about how it's embraced.

Yeah, I totally get what you mean and I generally find the same thing. Reflecting on it some more, I think that it's the planning (and I guess shopping for different ingredients) that goes into cooking unfamiliar food that's more difficult during the week. Especially when there is pressure to get food on the table for kids so that they go to bed early enough because of school the next day...

 

[tsuriru]

Especially when there is pressure to get food on the table for kids so that they go to bed early enough because of school the next day...

Sure, I remember that. Small kids = small problems of course, they also bring great joy.

 

[Nemo]

Yep, lots of work but even more joy.

 

[LifeByA1000Cuts]

@tsuriru I thought people would die if you gave them no salt at all (as in, none added and none in ready to eat products)?

 

[tsuriru]

Avoiding salt entirely, even if you eat whole foods and no added salt is impossible. I meant I dont cook with salt or sprinkle it on the food, and entirely avoid high salt content foods. I do ingest some salt inevitably though.

 

[Mucho Bocho]

Avoiding salt entirely, even if you eat whole foods and no added salt is impossible. I meant I dont cook with salt or sprinkle it on the food, and entirely avoid high salt content foods. I do ingest some salt inevitably though.

I think you need a second opinion on your high blood pressure. Trying to isolate one necessary micronutrient is like trying to win at chess by only moving one piece. Salt is not an option. If you don't season your food you're not ever going to taste the potential of those ingredients. Your tongue will not function properly without the presence of NaCl. Life's too short man, get a second opinion.

 

[tsuriru]

I think you need a second opinion on your high blood pressure. Trying to isolate one necessary micronutrient is like trying to win at chess by only moving one piece. Salt is not an option. If you don't season your food you're not ever going to taste the potential of those ingredients. Your tongue will not function properly without the presence of NaCl. Life's too short man, get a second opinion.

I appreciate the concern - but I assure you I am getting all the NaCl I need and my health really is being looked after by experts. I did not say I do not season my food either. I use plenty of ingredients that contain NaCl - but using raw salt is risky for me simply because it is the one single element that will drive BP high up really fast. Not just a notion of mine btw...I think most doctors would agree. So I use other things instead to activate the taste and smell buds.

 

[foody518]

@tsuriru I thought people would die if you gave them no salt at all (as in, none added and none in ready to eat products)?

Always struck me as you'd have to try hard to put together a diet where none of the whole plant foods have any sodium content

 

[tsuriru]

Always struck me as you'd have to try hard to put together a diet where none of the whole plant foods have any sodium content

That. Even if my whole diet consisted entirely of fresh, raw, unmolested plants - I would still be getting more than enough - much less if I "dab" a tiny bit of soi sauce or have an occasional small bowl of misu and some wakame.

 

[ecrphoto]

Check out Plenty, or Plenty More, by Yottam Ottelenghi. As a life-long carnivore, a few years ago I realized the need to up my veg content. Plenty was the gateway drug, and a fantastic one at that.

 

[Nemo]

Check out Plenty, or Plenty More, by Yottam Ottelenghi. As a life-long carnivore, a few years ago I realized the need to up my veg content. Plenty was the gateway drug, and a fantastic one at that.

I have been eyeing those books.

Maybe time to have another look.

 

[TheVincenzo]

I've been looking at those 2 books for awhile now also. After I read your post I went to Amazon and looked again. The Kindle version of Plenty is only $2.99. Had to pick it up for that price.

 

[boomchakabowwow]

i did it.

i think i eat meat once or twice a week as a target. dont overthink it. i didnt approach it like i was trying to make veggies substitute meat. i just started cutting out meat. if i do eat meat..4-6 oz. my plate has way more veggies on it.

last night i ate a bagel with eggplant spread on it piled high with greens.

 

[WOK-a-holic]

STIR FRY in a WOK . with practice you can learn to achieve "wok hay ".or ," breath of the wok". There is a lot of factors involved, but if done properly the end result is ,slightly charred food with a smoky flavor and crispy texture that is unique to food cooked in a wok . The most important factors are, extremely high heat,
Kife skill and technique used on chopping ingredents, rhythm/ timing . A few moments too long your food is burned a few moments too little, food will be undercooked and "wok hay " will be non-existent.

Aside from Wok cooking ,sometimes I like slow roasting vegetables in the oven ,in a cast iron skillet
.I use olive oil or butter, black pepper, oregano, garlic, Chile peppers, parsley and course Himalayan pink salt. results are good but different.

*disclaimer* I am not a vegetarian and most all meals involve meat.:hungry:

 

[Nemo]

STIR FRY in a WOK . with practice you can learn to achieve "wok hay ".or ," breath of the wok". There is a lot of factors involved, but if done properly the end result is ,slightly charred food with a smoky flavor and crispy texture that is unique to food cooked in a wok . The most important factors are, extremely high heat,
Kife skill and technique used on chopping ingredents, rhythm/ timing . A few moments too long your food is burned a few moments too little, food will be undercooked and "wok hay " will be non-existent.

Aside from Wok cooking ,sometimes I like slow roasting vegetables in the oven ,in a cast iron skillet
.I use olive oil or butter, black pepper, oregano, garlic, Chile peppers, parsley and course Himalayan pink salt. results are good but different.

*disclaimer* I am not a vegetarian and most all meals involve meat.:hungry:

I always stir fry in a ($10 carbon steel) wok.

What's wok hay if it's not too rude to not already know ?

 

[foody518]

It's that unique smokiness and essence to good stir fried foods cooked in a wok

 

[WOK-a-holic]

I think you need a second opinion on your high blood pressure. Trying to isolate one necessary micronutrient is like trying to win at chess by only moving one piece. Salt is not an option. If you don't season your food you're not ever going to taste the potential of those ingredients. Your tongue will not function properly without the presence of NaCl. Life's too short man, get a second opinion.

I totally agree man.
salt has gotten a bad rap because so many people use highly refined table salt. with all kinds of anti-caking Agents that alter the way your body processes salt.
the only salt I use is Himalayan pink salt ,Real Salt brand, diamond crystal brand kosher salt.

most people don't get enough potassium in their diet to balance the sodium levels in their body
avocado and potato are the two most potent sources of potassium .that's why they taste so good with salt. yes I am aware of bananas are also high in potassium I don't know if they would taste good with salt on them

 

[WOK-a-holic]

double post

 

[WOK-a-holic]

Nemo,
the cheap carbon steel Woks is what I use.
very thin ,round bottom ,and jet burner stove,
"WOK HAY " is a term the Chinese use. some believe a wok has a soul. and breathes life into food through extreme thermal energy and the rhythmic tossing Motion in the wok. creating food with a flavor unique to being cooked in a wok.
EXTREMELY HIGH HEAT is the most important factor to achieve ""WOK HAY "

Google WOK HAY and it will lead you to a lot of interesting articles on subject.
also you tube