Vegetarian meals made by (and for) a teen?

Q. My mom is not supportive of my vegetarianism, so most of the time I'll have to cook my own meals. I need recipes for some simple meals with EVERYDAY INGREDIENTS.

I can handle breakfast on my own, but I'm desperate for lunch and dinner recipes. Lunch would have to be something pre-made and packable.

I'm an ovo-lacto vegetarian, so there's no need to substitute dairy or eggs.

Thank you so much!!

A. Hi, great choice to become a vegetarian. I am also a teen and have been a vegan for almost four years now. I am still the only one in the whole entire family of 100+ meat lovers, so as you can imagine I had to be extremely focused, determined and self motivated to pull it off. I remember my first days as a vegan asking around on-line and I never got any satisfactory answers, so I had to learn it the hard way. Through that experience I decided to help others and share my knowledge with you.
FYI WITH THE FOLLOWING RECIPIES YOU WILL GET ALL THE VITAMINS YOU NEED. HOWEVER YOU MIGHT WANT TO TAKE SOME VITAMINS AND PROTIEN POWDER ON THE SIDE! Don’t forget to regularly see the doctor.
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First here are some links:

Great recipes here
http://www.vegcooking.com/

Great support site
http://www.goveg.com/

Great packable lunch ideas with pictures
http://veganlunchbox.blogspot.com/2005_09_01_archive.htl

Here is a week long meal plan and some ideas:

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DAY 1
Breakfast
-Oatmeal
-banana
-nuts

Lunch
(Trader Joes and Whole foods have great pre-packed meals)
Or a California super wrap
-Pita or tortilla wrap
-lettuce
-mayo
-vegan lunchmeat (optional)
-cheese
-ranch dressing
-tomato
-avocado

Dinner

My Fave Patented
Movie Star delux Salad
-Avacado
-tomato
- Romaine lettuce
-Candied walnuts the best and easiest thing on earth in less than 3 minutes!
(So easy!! Put almost equal parts of nuts and plain sugar into a frying pan with some butter and let it all melt. Then swirl and pour it out on parchment/baking paper. Let cool and break into salad)


Desert

Make your own snow-cone with blended ice and juice


DAY 2

Breakfast

A protein shake

-Milk or soy milk
-peanut or cashew butter
-splenda or sugar
-banana
-strawberries
You could top it off with whipped cream
(If you do not have a blender do the following)
-microwave a medly of frozen fruit until warm
-place it in a bowl
-top it off with crumbled cinnamon toast crunch
It tastes like a cobbler YUM!!!


Lunch
Classic Ranch BLT

-Ranch on 1 slice of bread
-Butter on the other
-lettuce
-tomato
-vegan bacon
(If you do not have veggie bacon do the following)
-Cut bacon sized strips of cheese
-Place it on parchment paper in microwave
-Season it with BBQ sauce(just a bit)
-Microwave until crispy and peel off the cookie sheet

Dinner

Mock meatloaf
-onions
-bbq sauce
-crumbled nuts(a bit)
-Splash of egg white
-some mozzarella
-crumbled stale bread
-any fave veggie
-now mix it well and put it in the oven and bake until you like it best

Desert
Jamaican me crazy tropical banana
-fry banana slices in a pan
-add some cinnamon and honey
-top with whipped cream

____________________________________________________________________

DAY 3

Breakfast
French Toast
-Dip stal bread in mix of sugar cinnamon and egg
-fry in a pan
-eat it with a piece of fruit

Lunch
Burrito
-Avocado
-diced tomato
-refried beans from can
-veggie beef(if you have any)
-Cheese


Dinner
Easy veggie salad pizza
-Buy a Pillsbury biscuit can
-flatten out one portion of dough on a cookie sheet
-top it with sliced tomatoes and cheese
-bake at 375 until done
-top with fave lettuce and dressing

Desert
Cute coco Fondue
-melt any random chocolate over fruit

DAY FOUR

Breakfast
Omelet
-put your fave cooked veggies
-spinach
-seasoning salt or pepper
-egg
-put this all in a pan and mix then let it cook
-one minute before it is done add on cheese

Lunch
English Queen Burger
Put
-katsup
-lettuce
-tomato
-A veggie pattie
On an English muffin

Dinner
-ready or frozen Rice
-Teriyaki Sauce
-veggies
-stir fry/cook until ready

Desert
Good old Ice cream

DAY FIVE

Breakfast
-Cut Apples and peaches
-add granola
-one pack of splenda
-milk
Great for hot days

Lunch
Classic PB&J with a side of fruit
Dinner
A fun take on the southern style make three dips
-Corn off the cob with some mashed avocado
-collard greens (in the frozen isle)cooked mix with cream cheese
-Beans with melted cheese
-now arrange this on a plate with your fave seasonings
And dip in with chips or ritz cracker

Lunch
Greek Feast
-Feta cheese
-romaine lettuce
-baby tomatoes
-Gorbanxo beans(from a can)
-put in pita bread and take it to go!

Dinner
“Cheese Fondue”
-melt the following in the microwave
-1/4 cup cream cheese
-1/4 cup of Velveeta
-1 slice of swiss cheese
-After all has melted, mix well
-cut up your fave veggies and dip into cheese like a fondue
(put cheese mix in a thermos when going to school)

Desert
Try some fruit with lemon juice and splenda


DAY 6

Breakfast
Breakfast burrito
-egg(scrambeled)
-spinach and onion cooked
-fave cheese
-flour tortilla
-wrap it up and enjoy with a piece of fruit

Lunch
Pre prepared “vegkabob”
- diced and micro waved/cooked tomatoes
-chunks of tofu, veggie burger or mushroom micro waved/cooked
-diced zucchini micro waved/cooked
-put it in a pattern form on spears
-if you don’t have a meat alternative put on chunks of cheddar cheese
-for the final touch add your fave bbq sauce

Dinner

Mac and cheese”MY WAY”
-Ready macaroni noodles(cooked)
-add a bit of seasoning and softened crème cheese
-cheddar cheese
-veggies
-tomato sauce

Desert
Candied Walnuts (see recipe above)



DAY 7

Breakfast
-oatmeal
-micro waved/warm frozen berry medley
-granola

Lunch
Chinese Steamed veggies
-Teriyaki and peanut sauce mixed
( for cheap peanut sauce microwave peanut butter with a bit of oil and sour cream and stir)
-Carrots, Zucchini, eggplant, water chestnuts, (you can get a frozen mix)
-boil veggies in water until tender drain and mix in sauce
-top with sesame seeds and tofu (optional)

Dinner
Spaghetti for the whole family(no real meatballs for us but veggie ones can easily be made)
-onions
-BBQ sauce
-crumbled nuts (a bit)
-Splash of egg white
-some mozzarella
-crumbled stale bread
-any fave veggie
-now mix it well
-roll it into balls and coat with flour
-place on a cookie sheet and put it in the oven to bake until brown hot and ready
____________________________________________________________________-

I really hope this helps I had my mom look it over (She’s a medical M.D. PhD and it is 100 percent approved, tasty, certified and copywrited ©.

Vegan to Vegetarian and Teen to Teen I wish you the very best of luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Original Question

Brownie Mix Question? Urgent Please Help?

Q. Ok well I am making brownies that call for 3 eggs.But the problem is I only have 1 I saw on this site that 2 tbsp corn starch = 1 egg Can i do that to substitute 2 eggs and will it taste ok?
The only worry I have is it may dry out the brownies What else could I add to make the brownie mix moist
I have corn starch oil frosting milk If any of these would help

A. apple sauce
some butter
Ousting eggs from baked goods
Eggs are used in baked goods for leavening, or lightness. They also may serve as a binder. The purpose the egg serves in the original recipe — as well as the amount of egg the recipe calls for — determines whether you need a substitute and, if so, which alternate ingredient will best serve the function of the egg in the recipe.

Flat foods such as pancakes and cookies don't rely on eggs for lift. In fact, in many cases, you can eliminate the egg without noticeably affecting the final product. That's especially true if the recipe calls for only one egg. If you do omit the egg, however, it's a good idea to add a tablespoon or two of additional liquid — soymilk, fruit juice, or water, for example — for each egg omitted to restore the recipe to its original moisture content.

When a recipe calls for three or more eggs — as many cakes do — the eggs perform a vital function and need to be replaced with an ingredient that can deliver a similar effect.


In recipes for baked goods that have a light, airy texture, replace eggs with an ingredient that provides lift. Any of the following ingredients can replace one whole egg in a recipe:

Half a small, ripe, mashed banana. This substitution gives the food a mild banana flavor, which can be nice in recipes for muffins, cookies, pancakes, and quick breads.
1/4 cup of any kind of tofu blended with the liquid ingredients in the recipe. Light or reduced-fat tofu cuts down on the fat and calories in the finished product.
1-1/2 teaspoons of a commercial vegetarian egg substitute, such as Ener-G Egg Replacer, mixed with 2 tablespoons of water. This product is a combination of vegetable starches and works wonderfully in virtually any recipe that calls for eggs. Natural foods stores sell it in 1-pound boxes.
1/4 cup of applesauce, canned pumpkin or squash, or pureed prunes. If you use these foods, know that, depending on the recipe, they may add a hint of flavor. If you want to give the food a lighter texture, add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, because using fruit purees to replace eggs can make the finished product somewhat denser than the original recipe.
A heaping tablespoon of soy flour or bean flour mixed with a tablespoon of water. This mixture works similarly to vegetarian egg replacer.
2 tablespoons of cornstarch beaten with 2 tablespoons of water. This, too, works much like vegetarian egg replacer.
1 tablespoon of finely ground flaxseeds whipped with 1/4 cup of water. The flaxseeds gel and bind with the other ingredients.
Replacing eggs in casseroles, loaves, burger patties, and main dishes
Some recipes need an ingredient that binds all the other ingredients together. Eggs are famous for acting as the glue that holds meatballs, meatloaf, and casseroles together. Lacto vegetarian and vegan versions of these traditional foods need something to serve the same purpose. Fortunately, you have many options.

As you might suspect, your choice of ingredients to replace eggs in these types of foods depends on the degree of "stick" you need, as well as how the ingredient will blend with the other flavors in the recipe. Cooked oatmeal may work fine as a binder in a veggie burger patty, for example, but may not be a welcome addition to a vegetable casserole if you don't care for the flavor or texture that it brings to the dish.

If you're altering a traditional recipe, you have to experiment a bit to determine just the right amount of an ingredient to serve the purpose. A good starting point with most recipes in which egg acts as a binder is to use 2 to 3 tablespoons of any of the following ingredients (or a combination of them) to replace one whole egg. If the original recipe calls for two eggs, start with 4 to 6 tablespoons of egg substitute.


Tomato paste
Arrowroot starch
Potato starch
Cornstarch
Whole-wheat, unbleached, oat, or bean flour
Finely crushed breadcrumbs, cracker meal, or matzo meal
Quick-cooking rolled oats or cooked oatmeal
Mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, or instant potato flakes
You can also try 1/4 cup of any kind of tofu blended with 1 tablespoon of flour or 1-1/2 teaspoons vegetarian egg replacer mixed with 2 tablespoons of water.

Replacing eggs in sandwich fillings, salads, and scrambled eggs
Finding substitutes for eggs that are hidden in recipes is one thing; finding suitable substitutes for eggs that are more visible in foods is quite another. Fortunately, tofu looks remarkably like cooked egg whites and functions in much the same way in several popular recipes.

You can use chopped firm or extra-firm tofu in place of egg whites in egg salad. Use your favorite egg salad recipe, but substitute tofu for the hard-boiled eggs. You can even replace regular mayonnaise with soy mayonnaise for a vegan version.
Cubes of chopped firm tofu are a nice addition to a mixed green salad or spinach salad, standing in for the customary chopped hard-boiled eggs. You can also add chopped or minced tofu to a bowl of Chinese hot and sour soup.
Try scrambled tofu instead of scrambled eggs at breakfast. Natural foods stores stock "tofu scrambler" seasoning packets, which you may also find in the produce section of your regular supermarket, near the tofu. Many vegetarian cookbooks give recipes for scrambled tofu. The recipes usually include turmeric to give the tofu a yellow color similar to that of scrambled eggs. You can also use scrambled tofu to fill pita pockets or as a sandwich filling on hoagie rolls.

Original Question

People who have made meatloaf, need your help?

Q. http://www.food.com/recipe/really-good-vegetarian-meatloaf-really-33921

I made a vegetarian meatloaf, but before I became vegetarian, I never really had meatloaf. Much less I don't know what it supposed to taste like. I followed the recipe and the top of the loaf was done but the inside was somewhat mushy. It's good though, but I'm not sure if this is what supposed to happen? Do I need to put it in the oven longer? I'm not sure. Thanks!

A. Being that the main ingredient is boiled/mashed lentils, that is probably what is giving your meatloaf a mushy consistency. You might want to look at some non-vegetarian recipes and get an idea for how they are made with meat. Generally, they also have an extender in them (like breadcrumbs) which may help your texture issue. Other items to use as "filling" could be cooked rice, crumbled corn bread or crumbled whole wheat bread. Depending on what kind of bread you use, like a pumpernickel or rye, additional flavor may be imparted to the final product.

Additional cooking may also help the mushiness factor but in this case, I think it's the general nature of the ingredients that's making it mushy. Once baked, try letting it cool, slice it into 3/4" slices and fry it in a frying pan with a little oil (kind of like a hamburger patty) and use it for meatloaf sandwiches. The frying may help form a crunchy (or at least toothsome) layer of crispiness.

Original Question

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