Thread title pretty much says it all. I’m trying to eat healthier and am vegetarian. I was wondering if you guys had any recommendations for cookbooks/websites that focus on organic, less process/unprocessed dishes?
The simpler/fewer ingredients, the better, but I also love tasty food :). Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
101 Cookbooks. I think the most processed food she uses is tofu. Most of the recipes are fairly simple, too.
I love that site so much I want to marry it. A few particular favorites of mine are:
the Sushi Bowl
Carmelized Tofu - this one is actually one of my favorite meals of all time, it’s terrific
Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
At Chez Bayard, we like a number of recipes from Mark Bittman’s book How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. His emphasis is on simple recipes and straightforward preparation. I’m sure he uses things like canned tomato paste, but the book is pretty free of processed food.
Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone also has a number of good, pretty simple recipes.
Beverly Cox’s Classic Italian Cooking for the Vegetarian Gourmet is also full of good, simple recipes.
Try to see if they have these in the library before you buy them (my definition of “good” and “simple” might be different from yours).
Good luck!
I’m a big fan of Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian. The receipes call for very little in the way of processed ingredients. Some are quite simple, some are more complex. It’s my go-to book when I want to brainstorm or try out an unfamiliar ingredient.
Thank you for posting that link. I’m not vegetarian, but I like tofu and want to experiment some more with it (I only know 2 recipes)… Have you tried any variations on it? I know it suggests spinach in lieu of brussel sprouts, but have you tried with some other veggie and turned out good?
I’ve done it with broccoli and it was really good. I usually serve it with brown jasmine rice, too. If you freeze the tofu, then let it thaw & press the water out before you cook it, the texture is “meatier”.
I don’t know how much you’ve explored the site yet, but if you scroll down, on the bottom left you can sort the recipes by ingredient, so you can see all the tofu recipes at once.
I really like The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen. For the most part, the recipes aren’t even tampered with to become vegan - they just are that way (or so says Ms. Klein). No tofu, or vegetarian burger crumbles, or Quorn, or anything like that.
I’ll second this recommendation.
Barbara Kingsolver’s book on local eating, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle includes some excellent vegetarian recipes which are also available here. The sweet potato quesadillas are excellent - though, not being limited by a vow to consume only locally-grown-and-made foods, I replace the brie with monterey jack cheese.
I just saw this recipe for chickpea curry. Looks tasty!
I have loved cooking from the Moosewood series of cookbooks.
There are some fabulous vegan recipes in this thread: Vegan Recipes? - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board
No reason why you couldn’t add some cheese or egg to some of them if you are so inclined.
Here are a few of mine (I’ve made them all and they are in regular rotation in my house).
Spicy tomato sauce with fresh basil and veggie crumbles
3 cans 14 oz tom
1 can 12 oz tom paste
1 onion, diced
garlic (I use TONS)
1 tbs olive oil
Sun dried tomatoes
Fresh Basil
1 tsp dried oregano
Whatever else I feel like - black olives, mushrooms, carrots, zuch
1 package MorningStar Farm Crumbles (the original recipe called for ground turkey, I’ve almost always used crumbles. I’ve made it a few times with spicy chicken meatballs, that was good too, the leftovers made good healthy meatball subs on whole wheat buns)
Salt
Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes
Splash of red cooking wine
whole wheat/spinach pasta
Saute onion/garlic for 5 minutes until translucent. Add veggie crumbles, dried oregano, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes. Brown the veggie crumbles - stirring often.
While the veggie crumbles are browning, put 2 cans tomatoes (with juice), tom paste, fresh basil and half the sun dried tomatoes into a food processor - blend until smooth.
Put the tomato mixture over the crumbles and stir.
Put the last can of tomatoes into the food processor and pulse until the tomatoes are chunky. Throw these in with the rest. (You can put this can in with the other cans to make a smoother puree if desired)
Add the rest of the sun dried tomatoes and any other additional veggies (I really like to add shredded spinach leaves, they really cook down). Add a splash of red cooking wine. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Serve over whole grain pasta.
Spinach Chickpea Leek Soup
This is SO good and so fast and easy to make - makes plenty for several days. Great to make on a Sunday and eat all week.
1 tbs olive oil
2 leeks, sliced thinly (circles)
1 zuchini, chopped
minced garlic (I use tons)
2 14 oz cans tomatoes
small can tomato paste
1 bay leaf
3 3/4 cup veg broth
1 14 oz can chickpeas (gabanzo beans) drained
block of frozen spinach (thawed, drained)
1 tbs oregano
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Sometimes I add a little garam masala
fresh parm cheese for topping (if desired)
Heat the oil in a large sauce pan, add leeks and zucchini and cook briskly for 5 minutes.
Add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, vegetable broth, chickpeas and spices. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.
Shred the spinach finely, add to the soup and boil for 2 minutes. Season to taste. (the longer it cooks on the stove, the better it is). Remove the bay leaf, sprinkle with parmesan cheese (if desired).
Orange Ginger Tofu Stir Fry
1 lb tofu
1 cup fresh orange juice
¼ cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup shoyu (a kind of soy sauce)
2 tbs canola oil
2 tsp dark sesame oil
3 garlic cloves
1 tbs minced fresh ginger
¼ tsp hot red pepper flakes
1 scallion
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 jalapeno
5-6 mushrooms
1 orange pepper
1 carrot
1 broccoli crown
1 onion
snow peas
In a medium bowl, wish together orange juice, vinegar, shoyu, oils, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes.
Place tofu in a baking dish in a single layer, cover with the marinade and sprinkle with the scallions and cilantro. Chop jalapeno and sprinkle on top. Marinate at least 30 minutes (up to over night).
Stir fry tofu with remaining ingredients and serve over brown rice.
Curried Vegetables
1 sweet potato, cut into small cubes (regular potato works too)
2 tbs olive oil
Carrots - I cut baby carrots in half, use about a cup
1 onion - cut into big wedges
Garlic - I use a freakish amount, whatever works for you
2 14oz cans of tomatoes, crushed with juice
1 can chickpeas, drained
2 heaping tablespoons curry powder
1 cup veggie broth
juice of one lime
salt, pepper
Veggies of choice - I’ve used green beans, broccoli, wilted spinach, parsnips (whatever floats your boat)
Brown rice
This dish isn’t hard to make, just lots of chopping. I like to call it “every 15 minute curry” because you have to add something every 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
Cut up potatoes into small, dice-sized pieces. Coat a deep metal baking pan with PAM and drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil over the potatoes. Stick in the oven for 15 minutes.
While the potatoes are baking, cut up carrots and onion. After 15 minutes, take the potatoes out and give them a good shake. Scootch the potatoes to the edge of the pan and put the garlic, carrots, onion and chickpeas (and any veggie you are using you think will take a little longer to cook, like green beans) into the middle of the pan. Drizzle some more olive oil and stick it in the oven for 15 minutes.
Dump the tomatoes into a large bowl, crush them up and add the two heaping tablespoons of curry powder (of course, if you don’t loooove curry like I do, use a little less).
Make some rice or pasta or whatever you want to serve with.
Take the veggie mixture out of the oven, shake things up a bit. Arrange the broccoli around the rim of the pan (and any other veggies you have left that you think will cook in 15 minutes) and dump the tomato mixture all over everything (particularly the broccoli because it really soaks it up and gets DELISH). Stick in oven for YES 15 minutes.
Make broth.
After 15 minutes remove curried vegetables from oven and transfer them to a huge serving bowl.
Put the metal baking pan on the burner, add the broth and the lime juice and salt and black pepper to taste. Reduce the broth by half, stirring vigorously.
When the broth has reduced by half, pour over veggies. Serve them over rice!
Makes plenty for 2 people for 2 nights.
Charcooked Vegetables with Spicy Sidekick Dressing
Grilled Veggies
1 red pepper
1 orange (or yellow pepper)
2 zucchini
4 corncobs
1 eggplant
olive oil
Spicy Sidekick Dressing
1 tbs olive oil
crushed garlic (I use a lot)
1 small onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 small green chile, seeded and finely chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
2 inches of cucumber, finely chopped
1 tbs tomato paste
1 tbs lime or lemon juice (I usually use a little more)
Dressing
To make the dressing, heat the oil in a saucepan or skillet. Add the garlic and onion and saute gently until softened, around 3 minutes. Add the celery, chile and tomatoes, cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
Add the cucumber, tomato paste and lemon/lime juice and simmer for 8-10 minutes until thick and pulpy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Veggies
Cut the veggies into thick slices and brush with a little olive oil. Cook the vegetables on the grill for about 5-8 minutes, sprinkling them with salt, pepper and fresh herbs as they cook, turning once (under the broiler in the oven is okay too).
This dish is delicious served over brown rice with lime wedges to squeeze.
Soft Polenta with Spicy Tomato Sauce
1 quart water
1/2 cup stone ground cornmeal
1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups minced onion
1 large portobello mushroom, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans Tomatoes (14 oz)
1/4 cup sherry
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups chopped green onions
Parm cheese, grated
In a small bowl whisk together 2 cups water with the cornmeal, quinoa and salt. Bring the remaining 2 cups water to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Stir the cornmeal mixture into the boiling water, and continue stirring. Be careful! The polenta may spit and sputter and the hot bits of polenta can burn. Turn the heat to very low and cook the polenta for 40 minutes; stirring with a wooden spoon every 10 minutes.
Make the tomato sauce while the polenta cooks: Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the onions. Cook the onions for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until they have softened.
Stir in the chopped mushrooms and the garlic, saute for 5 minutes. Then add the tomatoes, sherry, chili flakes and oregano. When the sauce comes to a boil turn the heat to low. Simmer the sauce for 30 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
When the polenta has cooked for 40 minutes, sprinkle the green onions and grated cheese into the polenta. Stir well. Mound the polenta on plates, make a well in the center of each mound and ladle in the tomato sauce. Garnish with some cheese (if desired).
Red bean and corn pita pockets
1 tbs olive oil
small onion, chopped
garlic, minced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 14 oz can tomatoes, undrained
1 cup corn
1 cup canned kidney beans, drained
salt, pepper
whole wheat pita pockets
Heat the oil in a large sauce pan, add the onion, garlic and pepper, saute gently for 10 minutes. Add cumin and cayenne.
Mash in the tomatoes with their juice, cover and cook for 10 minutes, then add the corn and the kidney beans. Cook gently for a few minutes until hot. Season to taste with salt/pepper.
Warm the pita pockets in oven or microwave. Cut them in half lengthwise, gently open each half and fill with the red bean mixture and serve at once.
Also good with other vegetables and 2% sharp cheddar (if desired).