posted November 24, 2001 12:28 AM         

I'm in the second period of the 'immortal diet', I'm a vegetarian. And I am no great chef. So I'm having a hard time finding new and interesting ways to eat my veggies and fruit. Maybe we could use this thread to share recipes? Of course, we'll share recipes for all the different stages...

posted November 24, 2001 12:53 AM         

If I find any good ones in my research during the next few days/weeks, I'll post for you all.

posted November 24, 2001 01:24 AM         

A skillet
A stock pot (or something similar)

Olive oil (or vegetable oil, if you don't have any)
About 8 ripe plum tomatoes, diced
1 large can tomato puree
2 large cans crushed tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
2 medium onions, chopped (optional)
4 cloves of garlic, crushed or chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine (more or less...optional)
3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. fresh basil, chopped (you can substitute dried basil, but if you do, only use around a teaspoon)
1 tsp. italian parsley, chopped (or use dried parsley, slightly less)
Not quite 1 tsp. sugar
Fresh white button mushrooms, sliced (optional)
1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips (optional)
1/2 can black olives, drained and sliced (optional)

This is my basic tomato sauce. Since I am half Italian, and my family comes from Brooklyn, tomato sauce and wine flow through my veins This recipie can be fiddled around with to your liking, you can add some of the stuff that I have in there, or take it out, depending on what you like and what you don't. I've also made this with meatballs and Italian sausage (hot or sweet), so the meat eaters can dabble with it to their liking as well.

In a large (the bigger, the better) skillet over medium-high heat, warm about 4 or 5 tablespoons of oil. Add onions and fry until translucent. Turn down the heat if the onions start to cook too fast or burn. When onions are soft, add mushrooms, bell pepper and olives. Saute for about five minutes. Add diced plum tomatoes and cook an additional three minutes or so. Add garlic last, since garlic has a tendency to burn. Let mixture cook an additional minute. Add wine (may be substituted with water) and tomato paste. Mix ingredients together in the skillet, then transfer to a large pot (stock pot or something similar) and add the 2 cans of crushed tomato and 1 can of tomato puree. Mix together well, since the tomato paste has a tendency in the beginning to sink to the bottom of the pot with the vegetables and could burn if you're not careful. Place over low/medium heat and keep an eye on it. Once it starts bubbling, and makes a mess out of the top of your stove, stir it every once in a while. You can cook it just until the vegetables are done, or you can cook it for a few hours to let the flavors mingle more. If you cook it for a few hours, keep it on a low heat. About 1/2 a hour before you plan to serve the sauce, season it with the salt, crushed pepper, basil, parsley and sugar. I don't add Oregano to any of my sauces, since I feel it gives the sauce a bitter taste, but if you like Oregano, go for it. The sugar cuts the acidity of the tomatoes and brings out the flavor of the vegetables. In addition to the above recipie, I have been known to do very odd things to my sauce...like add paprika or chili powder, a dash of Red Devil hotsauce or Tobasco when nobody was looking...or even a squirt of ketchup, (only a small squirt ) since the vinegar in the ketchup also does nice things to the flavor.

I've tried to give you the best approximation for measurements with the spices and stuff above, since I don't measure...I just throw into the pot, but I think I covered it all pretty well.

posted November 24, 2001 01:29 PM         

RED potatoes cut into bite-size pieces (LEAVE the skin ON)
2-3 hard-boiled eggs
Helmans Mayo
sweet relish
mustard (yellow)

posted November 24, 2001 07:59 PM         

Today, I bought for the first time, a Green Protein drink. I always wanted to try it. It has Sprulina, Chlorella, Wheat Grass, Barley Grass, Alfalfa, Kelp, Wheat Sprouts, & Parsley for the "greens". Then it has purees of Strawberry, Banana, Mango, Grape and Apple juice, and soy protein. Before I drank it, I thought, "okay, so I probably wasted my $$, it's probably going to taste gross"......(because it looks like sewer sludge).....OH MY GOSH! It is SO yummy, good & tasty! I also felt "charged and energized". G-Darn, I want to live off of this stuff! Now I have to go buy more!

posted November 25, 2001 12:18 AM         

Speaking of...did you know that the needles of the white pine or a spruce tree when made into a tea are just chock full of vitamin C ???

posted November 25, 2001 08:57 PM         

Here is a wonderful recipe for

STROGANOFF (without the *beef*)

1 lb.+/- fresh mushrooms, sliced chunky (your choice what kind)
1/2 med onion, chopped
3+ large garlic cloves, chopped (if you like more, go for it!)
olive oil (I like virgin, but suit yoursElf)
16 oz. sour cream
2 teaspoon beef boullion granuals (cubes are a pain )
1/4 c. dry red wine
Large egg noodles

Saute onion in olive oil till tender, add garlic, saute both till onion barely turns golden. Add wine, and sliced mushrooms... let the mushrooms *sweat* (low heat) till tender.

About five minutes before your noodles are done cooking, stir sour cream and beef boullion into the mushrooms over very low heat ... remove from heat as soon as it's *hot* - don't let it simmer or boil <~~~this breaks down the sour cream and basically ruins your sauce> Now the timer on the noodles should just be going off

Plate the noodles and spoon the sauce over them... voila! dinner is done in nothin' flat and ever so good ...

I like to serve it with barely-steamed asparagus.

OK, I know sour cream is made from animal *product* - and maybe not great for us, but I qualifies as *OK* to eat cuz you don't have to kill the cow to produce it (that's not to say I advocate the industry conditions in which they acquire the cream) You could use IMO (fake sour cream) but, I don't do *fake* food either

~Princess

posted November 27, 2001 11:24 PM         

Grated Parmesan is really good, but have you guys ever tried grated Locatelli cheese? Do they have it available in your area? It smells something horrid, but it tastes real good. I put a healthy dose of Locatelli in my meatballs, over sauce, and my grandma used to float it on top of her minestrone soup with pastina.

Tuna is wonderful to add too! And I agree Aus, it's wonderful with penne. Sometimes I make a Vodka sauce and add fresh baby scallops and salmon and serve it over penne.

P.S. - I'm really happy I'm not the only one who knows how to make pasta sauce. You all have made my half-Italian heart overflow with pride Keep the recipies coming!

P.P.S. - I didn't know YIVY that pine needles had Vitamin C. I never dawned on me that you might be able to use pine needles for something like that.

P.P.P.S. - Nepthys, I love peanut butter cookies, if you have any recipies, please do share!

posted November 28, 2001 01:04 AM         

the cook!

~Princess

posted November 28, 2001 08:20 AM         

ATLANTIC SALMON ON OLIVE MASH
(per serve)

1 Atlantic salmon fillet
1 large handfull of baby spinach
2 cloves garlic
1 spanish onion (purple)
1 lime (or 2-3 if really small)
1 tomato
1-2 spuds (potatoes)
1 smallish handfull of black olives
fresh corriander
cracked or ground black pepper
butter
cream (optional but highly recommended!)
*NB DO NOT EXPECT TO LOSE WEIGHT WITH ANY OF MY RECIPIES!!!!!

peel & boil up spuds, chop olives (set aside)
chop onion, garlic, tomato & corriander.

In warm non stick skillet, melt butter, add half garlic, add baby spinach, saute until wilted. remove & set aside. (leave butter in pan, turn up heat a bit... sear salmon fillet both sides, add onions.., grind on black pepper, reduce heat to low (add extra butter if needed) squeeze lime juice over fillet until it is poaching, add tomato & 1/2 corriander. (add splosh of white wine if desired)

Mash spuds with butter & cream, add olives & 1/4 corriander (if desired, I can't resist 'cause I love corriander! ) Mix well.

Lay baby spinach to cover plate, place a seriously decent dob & 1/2 of mash on top of spinach (actually 2-3 + dobs of mash!!) then lay salmon fillet over mash, add remainder of corriander to salsa in pan, quick stir, then spoon salsa onto salmon & drizzle remaining sauce over the top!

Enjoy!

Aus

posted November 28, 2001 10:50 PM         

Thanks so much for that recipe Aus, I can't wait to try it out, it looks wonderful.

I will definitely post the Vodka sauce recipe in a day or two, as soon as I'm feeling a little better.

posted November 30, 2001 01:20 PM         

so as far as every American I've ever met thinks..I have no clue about good food

posted November 30, 2001 03:44 PM         

have you ever BEEN to great britain?

If you do..you'll see one of the most multicultural nations there is..with an even bigger variety of different styles of cuisine so