Forums: January 2010 Kickstart Forum Archive: What to cook for my meat & potatoes parents?
Created on: 01/08/10 08:09 PM Views: 1717 Replies: 8
Cassaba Joined: 01/03/10 Posts: 9	What to cook for my meat & potatoes parents? Posted Friday, January 8, 2010 at 8:09 PM My parents know that I quit eating meat a few months ago and that I eliminated eggs & dairy this month. They eat a stereotypical midwestern diet, i.e., meat and potatoes. I want to invite them for dinner and serve them something vegan that they will enjoy. I don't want to introduce them to something too new or different yet. I just want to make a healthy vegan meal with ingredients they would recognize! Any suggestions for a vegan meal that would appeal to pretty conventional eaters?
	Quote | Send PM | Link | Top | Bottom
shanna Joined: 12/30/09 Posts: 287	RE: What to cook for my meat & potatoes parents? Posted Friday, January 8, 2010 at 8:13 PM When in doubt, seitan is usually a hit with meat-eaters. I did a whole BBQ for some nonvegan friends and they all loved the grilled seitan. And you can keep the potatoes. There's a good gravy thread on here already. Lots of great seitan recipes online too--but I particularly like Vegan Dad's. I made his stuffed seitan roast for both Thanksgiving and Christmas for two different batches of omnivores, with different stuffings. My 8 year old niece said "I want vegan food every Christmas!" So that was a hit. Find his blog here: http://vegandad.blogspot.com/
	Edited 01/08/10 8:14 PM Quote | Send PM | Link | Top | Bottom
klmchan Joined: 12/29/09 Posts: 24	RE: What to cook for my meat & potatoes parents? Posted Friday, January 8, 2010 at 10:06 PM For your traditionalists, I'd go with a thick tasty bean chili over baked potatoes, with other toppings like chopped olives, green onion, diced red and green pepper, etc. Have a nice tossed salad on the side.
	Quote | Send PM | Link | Top | Bottom
drdeb Joined: 01/02/10 Posts: 36	RE: What to cook for my meat & potatoes parents? Posted Friday, January 8, 2010 at 11:55 PM You can just do an Italian meal -- lasagna with tofu ricotta and a nice salad, Italian bread, etc.
	Quote | Send PM | Link | Top | Bottom
Wild4Stars Joined: 12/27/09 Location: Florida Posts: 832	RE: What to cook for my meat & potatoes parents? Posted Saturday, January 9, 2010 at 8:08 AM My in-laws love my spaghetti. It's made with Vegan "ground beef" and vegan marinara sauce, whole wheat angel hair pasta. Put together just like a typical spaghetti with meat sauce. The first time they ate it they didn't even realize it wasn't meat until they noticed I was eating it. Vikki ~ Wild4Stars@gmail.com
	Quote | Send PM | Link | Top | Bottom
VeganRecipeGuy Joined: 01/03/10 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 131	RE: What to cook for my meat & potatoes parents? Posted Saturday, January 9, 2010 at 9:18 AM 1/2 cup walnuts - ground 2 Tablespoons vegetable broth for steam-frying One onion - diced One large garlic clove - minced One large carrot - peeled and grated Two celery ribs - diced One cup mushrooms - cleaned and chopped 2 cups firm tofu 1 cup uncooked quick oatmeal 1/4 to 1/2 cup vegetable broth, as needed 1 heaping Tablespoon flaxseed -ground 1/2 tsp. dried sage 2 Tablespoons tamari soy sauce Directions: Preheat the oven to 350º. An 8X8 nonstick square baking dish is ideal. Process the walnuts, oats and tofu using a food processor. Place in a large mixing bowl and set aside. Sauté vegetables in broth until soft. Add to the large mixing bowl along with all the remaining ingredients. Mix and mash together well, adding only as much liquid as needed to create a soft, moist loaf that holds together. Press mix into pan and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a plate and slice. Serve with mashed potatoes and gravy. My wife says about this recipe, "It tastes like stuffing, but it chews like meat..." I am a big fan of going all out to impress the omnivores. Once they ask for seconds, the "what do you eat?" conversation isn't just "over" it was won. www
	Edited 01/09/10 9:31 AM Quote | Send PM | Link | Top | Bottom
Susan Levin Joined: 12/26/09 Posts: 1212	RE: What to cook for my meat & potatoes parents? Posted Saturday, January 9, 2010 at 10:00 AM I was going to say chili, but someone beat me to it. Pots of stews with lots of beans and vegetables are filling and always a hit. Make a batch of vegan cornbread to go with it, and you'll be a star. When I go home (to Alabama!), I make my mom a pot of black-eyed peas (add some "liquid smoke" to it and cajun spices), collard greens, corn on the cob, and corn bread. She barely notices the difference in her usual fare. Liquid Smoke is a brand that I think is pretty common. Sold on the aisle with all of the other sauces. Susan Levin, MS, RD PCRM Director of Nutrition Education
	Quote | Send PM | Link | Top | Bottom
mommyof2nc Joined: 12/31/09 Location: North Carolina Posts: 172	RE: What to cook for my meat & potatoes parents? Posted Saturday, January 9, 2010 at 10:47 AM I make some sort of chili or veggie stew for my parents when they come and leave out any sort of meat substitute because they definitely won't like that. My parents are really picky though - can't have too much spice, either, among a whole list of other things. LOL I've always thought it was kind of funny that all 3 of their kids love spicy foods even though they never made anything spicy while we were growing up.
	Quote | Send PM | Link | Top | Bottom
Cassaba Joined: 01/03/10 Posts: 9	RE: What to cook for my meat & potatoes parents? Posted Sunday, January 10, 2010 at 12:05 PM Thanks everyone for the great ideas!
	Quote | Send PM | Link | Top | Bottom

New Topic Reply Subscription Options

Page: 1

There are 172 active user sessions right now.