an email from a friend
I hope you are surviving the blizzard. I realized this morning that I never responded to your original request for recipes. So I thought I would start by sharing our go to recipes. Most of these are just explanations of what I do instead of a recipe per se. Anyways, I hope it helps. I’de be happy to provide any more if you want. Also, if you find you aren’t feeling satisfied by vegetarian eating, I suggest trying to add some more protein and bulk in the form of veggies instead of just adding more pasta, which tends not to be as fulfilling.
Lentil Soup
(I usually serve with some bread, Mike loves buttermilk biscuits and they are super easy so that is often what I make)
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1/3 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic finely diced
1 medium potato chopped into small pieces (for quicker cooking)
6 cups vegetable soup broth or water
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp cayenne (more or less to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
Allow this to cook at a simmer until the potatoes start to soften, then add 1 cup lentils and let cook for about 25 minutes until the lentils are cooked though. Then blend partially so that there are still some chunks but most of it has been broken down to thicken the broth.
Vegetarian Chili
1 can corn (or some frozen - trader Joes canned corn is awesome!)
2 cans beans, rinsed (I like black beans and black eyed peas, but whatever works)
2 cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 onion, diced
Diced jalapeno (optional)
Packet of chili seasoning (or chili powder, salt, and pepper to taste)
1 cup water
Allow this to cook through until the flavors meld and the tomatoes and beans start to break down (this doesn’t really take long, or can take as long as you want), about 10 minutes before you want to eat throw in ½ cup TVP (textured vegetable protein, yeah I know sounds yummy…it actually has very little taste but gives a nice consistency and adds more protein if you want it - this isn’t necessary but I usually do it). If the TVP is still dry, add a little more warm water.
CHICKPEA CURRY RECIPE
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
One 14 1/2-ounce can fire-roasted or stewed tomatoes with chiles
6 baby Yukon Gold potatoes (about 12 ounces), quartered
1 medium onion (about 1 cup), diced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (can use less, or none at all)
*If you can't find canned tomatoes with chiles, add half a 4-ounce can of diced green Anaheim chiles to a 14.5-ounce can of tomatoes.
In a large pot, combine the broth, chickpeas, tomatoes, potatoes, onion, butter, ginger, and spices. Stir to mix and nestle the potatoes into the liquid.Set the pot, uncovered, over medium heat. Simmer vigorously for about 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Add more salt to taste. Serve the curry in bowls over Jasmine rice. Alternate: use of the same basic recipe, but double the broth and use sweet potatoes instead of regular and it made a wonderful soup. I also added brown rice to the soup afterwards.
Lasagna
(I make mine with tons of veggies, really whatever is in season or looks good at the market, so it’s really kinda hard for me to come up with a recipe for it but here is the basis shell of a recipe - also I know you are lactose intolerant, I actually don’t use a ton of cheese in mine and my sister has never had a problem with it and she’s lactose intolerant…but obviously use your judgment)
A bunch of veggies - always some onion, mushroom, garlic, carrots - usually summer squash and zucchini - but you want to make sure to cook them up before you put them in the lasagna to cook out the water otherwise you will have a very watery lasagna
For the cheese you can either use cottage cheese (seasoned with some parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, basil etc.) for a 8 inch square I use about 1 cups of cottage cheese OR ¾ cup ricotta + 1 egg + 2 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese - OR if you want a tofu alternative I can give you that recipe as well (seriously, I know it sounds gross but it’s actually very tasty, but it doesn’t melt up in the same way as cheese - also note here that the cottage cheese will be more melty cheese like whereas the ricotta will be smoother and richer)
Sauce - often I use a jar of tomato sauce (or you can make your own using canned tomatoes) I use the lasagna noodles you don’t need to boil (or fresh noodles) Then, just layer - put enough sauce in the bottom to cover, add noodles, a little of the cheese mixture, a bunch of veggies, then more sauce REPEAT! I usually do two layers. Then put a little mozzarella cheese on top (also if you want you can add mozzarella in between the layers after the cheese…but I don’t always do this but Mike likes more cheese so sometimes I do)
Soba Noodle Pasta Salad
8 oz soba noodles cooked
1 cup edamame
1 ½ cup matchstick carrots
1 ½ cup shallots
Toss with dressing:
1 large orange (1/2 tsp zest + 3 Tbsp juice)
2 TBSP miso
3 TBSP sesame oil
2 TBSP soy sauce
1 tsp red pepper flakes
¼ tsp salt Rissotto
(I make 1 cup of rice when I do this, it’s enough for the two of us plus a few lunches)
½ cup onion + 2 cloved garlic - finely chopped
Sauté with about 2 Tbsp butter and a pinch of salt for about 5 minutes, just to sweat but not to brown
Add 1 cup Arborio rice allow to cook for 3-5 minutes until kinda translucent around the edges
Add ½ cup white wine, allow to cook until most is absorbed.
Then add warm soup vegetable broth in about ½ cup increments cooking till absorbed (until when you push the rice to the side it doesn’t immediately fill in the gap). Keep cooking until you use about 3 ½ cup broth and the rice is cooked. At that point you can add any cooked veggies you want, I love to use mushrooms or asparagus but have used pretty much whatever I have on hand. I’ve also added beans or lentils to make it a little more substantial.
Lentil Soup
(I usually serve with some bread, Mike loves buttermilk biscuits and they are super easy so that is often what I make)
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1/3 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic finely diced
1 medium potato chopped into small pieces (for quicker cooking)
6 cups vegetable soup broth or water
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp cayenne (more or less to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
Allow this to cook at a simmer until the potatoes start to soften, then add 1 cup lentils and let cook for about 25 minutes until the lentils are cooked though. Then blend partially so that there are still some chunks but most of it has been broken down to thicken the broth.
Vegetarian Chili
1 can corn (or some frozen - trader Joes canned corn is awesome!)
2 cans beans, rinsed (I like black beans and black eyed peas, but whatever works)
2 cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 onion, diced
Diced jalapeno (optional)
Packet of chili seasoning (or chili powder, salt, and pepper to taste)
1 cup water
Allow this to cook through until the flavors meld and the tomatoes and beans start to break down (this doesn’t really take long, or can take as long as you want), about 10 minutes before you want to eat throw in ½ cup TVP (textured vegetable protein, yeah I know sounds yummy…it actually has very little taste but gives a nice consistency and adds more protein if you want it - this isn’t necessary but I usually do it). If the TVP is still dry, add a little more warm water.
CHICKPEA CURRY RECIPE
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
One 14 1/2-ounce can fire-roasted or stewed tomatoes with chiles
6 baby Yukon Gold potatoes (about 12 ounces), quartered
1 medium onion (about 1 cup), diced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (can use less, or none at all)
*If you can't find canned tomatoes with chiles, add half a 4-ounce can of diced green Anaheim chiles to a 14.5-ounce can of tomatoes.
In a large pot, combine the broth, chickpeas, tomatoes, potatoes, onion, butter, ginger, and spices. Stir to mix and nestle the potatoes into the liquid.Set the pot, uncovered, over medium heat. Simmer vigorously for about 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Add more salt to taste. Serve the curry in bowls over Jasmine rice. Alternate: use of the same basic recipe, but double the broth and use sweet potatoes instead of regular and it made a wonderful soup. I also added brown rice to the soup afterwards.
Lasagna
(I make mine with tons of veggies, really whatever is in season or looks good at the market, so it’s really kinda hard for me to come up with a recipe for it but here is the basis shell of a recipe - also I know you are lactose intolerant, I actually don’t use a ton of cheese in mine and my sister has never had a problem with it and she’s lactose intolerant…but obviously use your judgment)
A bunch of veggies - always some onion, mushroom, garlic, carrots - usually summer squash and zucchini - but you want to make sure to cook them up before you put them in the lasagna to cook out the water otherwise you will have a very watery lasagna
For the cheese you can either use cottage cheese (seasoned with some parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, basil etc.) for a 8 inch square I use about 1 cups of cottage cheese OR ¾ cup ricotta + 1 egg + 2 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese - OR if you want a tofu alternative I can give you that recipe as well (seriously, I know it sounds gross but it’s actually very tasty, but it doesn’t melt up in the same way as cheese - also note here that the cottage cheese will be more melty cheese like whereas the ricotta will be smoother and richer)
Sauce - often I use a jar of tomato sauce (or you can make your own using canned tomatoes) I use the lasagna noodles you don’t need to boil (or fresh noodles) Then, just layer - put enough sauce in the bottom to cover, add noodles, a little of the cheese mixture, a bunch of veggies, then more sauce REPEAT! I usually do two layers. Then put a little mozzarella cheese on top (also if you want you can add mozzarella in between the layers after the cheese…but I don’t always do this but Mike likes more cheese so sometimes I do)
Soba Noodle Pasta Salad
8 oz soba noodles cooked
1 cup edamame
1 ½ cup matchstick carrots
1 ½ cup shallots
Toss with dressing:
1 large orange (1/2 tsp zest + 3 Tbsp juice)
2 TBSP miso
3 TBSP sesame oil
2 TBSP soy sauce
1 tsp red pepper flakes
¼ tsp salt Rissotto
(I make 1 cup of rice when I do this, it’s enough for the two of us plus a few lunches)
½ cup onion + 2 cloved garlic - finely chopped
Sauté with about 2 Tbsp butter and a pinch of salt for about 5 minutes, just to sweat but not to brown
Add 1 cup Arborio rice allow to cook for 3-5 minutes until kinda translucent around the edges
Add ½ cup white wine, allow to cook until most is absorbed.
Then add warm soup vegetable broth in about ½ cup increments cooking till absorbed (until when you push the rice to the side it doesn’t immediately fill in the gap). Keep cooking until you use about 3 ½ cup broth and the rice is cooked. At that point you can add any cooked veggies you want, I love to use mushrooms or asparagus but have used pretty much whatever I have on hand. I’ve also added beans or lentils to make it a little more substantial.