WHAT DO I SERVE??? no meat, dairy, spicy, or pasta

[laughsandlaughs]

I am in a real delimia...I'm having some friends over for dinner on SuperBowl Sunday and between the 2 here's the restictions...no meat, dairy (I can use butter or milk in a recipe, but no cheese, etc) nothing too spicy (I thought about veggie chili, but that's out) and no pasta!!! I keep a vegetarian kitchen and even I'm stumped. I can use veggie crumbles in place of ground beef, I'd prefer not to use just straight tofu. The husband isn't vegetarian and his wife is just becoming one, so they're still used to eating "normal" food.

I've considered a baked potato station, but would really prefer to have a more substantial and slightly more impressive meal (the husband is a big guy, and like I said, he's not a vegetarian). I love to cook and can't come up with anything impressive.

HELP!!

[Ohioan]

Beans, beans, beans! Beans and rice, especially, since pasta isn't allowed. Try doing risi e fagioli (rice and beans) instead of pasta e fagioli, but mute the garlic and pepper. Or how about mild bean burritos, with the flavor coming from, oh, say, fresh tomatoes and basil (okay, so they're Italian burritos, so sue me http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif), or crispy veggies and a dash of vinegar? Or just a nice thick bean soup with lots of veggies cooked into it (and maybe some smoky veggie crumbles) and a crusty bread to sop up the juices?

To get some ideas, try one of these cookbooks: Jay Solomon's Lean Bean Cuisine or Patricia Gregory's Bean Banquets.

Hope this gets your train of thought chugging out of the station. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Let us know what you finally come up with.

Cheers,
Phoebe

[laughsandlaughs]

Thanks for the suggestions...I might make some sort of soup, etc. I just have the reputation of being a good cook and I want to show off a little bit (can't believe I admitted that!) and don't want to make something considered bland. Sigh!

[Marsha]

How about risotto? Eliminate any Parmesan cheese that is called for & you're fine. I often make a green bean risotto, added the green beans about 1/3 of the way thru the process. How about stir fried rice? You could use some tofu, lots of vegies - is egg allowed? Good luck!

[Shirley Panek]

On the dessert side I highly recommend the Coconut-Macadamia Nut cookies. They were delicious, and no dairy products!

Yummmmmmmmmmm....

http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif
Shirley

[AD]

Beans are an excellent suggestion. You might also try corn. Potatoes can be cooked many ways and would make a good side dish if you wanted something more substantial. I also recommend quinoa, which is the highest in protein of all the grains. Look for quinoa with the other grains in your supermarket. You may want to consider getting some chicken for the non-vegetarian.

[This message has been edited by AD (edited 01-15-2001).]

[Leslie w]

The inspired vegetarian has a good recipe for a veggie stew simmered in veg. broth. Also what about brushetta, italian bread topped w/ olive oil, tomatoes and garlic for an appetizer. That's always a big hit at my parties.

[Julie in AZ]

How about some kind of portabello mushroom sandwich. My favorite restaurant serves it grilled, marinated in some kind of teriyaki sauce, a piece of blanched potato, and just butter on the grilled sourdough roll. I've also seen it served with sundried tomatoes and a spiced up mayo. You can also just sear it in olive oil and add whatever toppings you like.

[lindrusso]

laughsandlaughs,

Now this one was a challenge!! You might not want to rule out veggie chili - I make one that is very mild. Spices can always be adjusted.

I also have a recipe for a vegetarian Sheperd's Pie. It uses tofu which is topped with a delicious mushroom sauce which is topped with mashed potatoes. I'm sure you could use veggie crumbles with this and the richness of the meal might appeal to the hubby as well. It's really delicious. And the only dairy is milk and butter which you said was okay. Let me know if you need the recipe...

[Gail]

Okay, I'm going to go out on a limb here and make an assumption-- which of course, may be completely off-base. My assumption is that all of these restrictions don't come from only one person-- that is to say that one person DOES eat spicy but not dairy products, the other does eat dairy products but can't take the heat, or something like that... Is it out of the question to make a couple of dishes, your veggie chili for example and maybe a pasta or bean dish or whatever to meet the needs of the other person? And if you made your chili on the mild side, providing pepper-uppers for those to add who like more kick to their food-- maybe the "no-spice" person might surprise you by digging in. I'm also thinking-- in the toned-down-for-those-not-liking-too-spicy vein, about maybe a TVP taco bar with a few more options than usual for toppings to make things more interesting (like green onions, sliced olives, guacamole, sour cream, a couple of different kinds of salsa and even some sliced wax peppers besides the usual filling-lettuce-cheese thing.) You could do beans and rice as sides, even possibly providing tortillas and other "fillers" to allow guests their hand at do-it-yourself burritos, and even your meat-loving guests will certainly fill up on this.

Unless you find it too much work, and the above is simply not feasible for whatever reason, I think I might try to have two dietary options open, rather than straining your brain to try to find one dish which meets everyone's needs and allows you to flex your culinary muscles a little.

...anyway, it's just a thought... and whatever you do, good luck!

[laughsandlaughs]

could you post the shepherd's pie recipe?? it sounds great.

[mightyh]

Here's another idea... I was just posting this on the kale thread and thought it might work in your situation, as well.

This sandwich is so filling! I got it from CL, but not sure what issue. It's an eat it with a fork sandwich cause the veggie/bean mixture kind of soaks through the bread....
Cannellini Beans and Greens on Garlic Toast

3 c. water
12 c. torn kale
1 tsp. olive oil
1 1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 c. diced plum tomato (could use canned)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can white beans, rinsed and drained
1 garlic clove, halved
4 slices country or peasant bread, toasted
3/4 c. grated parmesan

1. Boil water. Add kale. Cook 6 minutes or until tender. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1 c. liquid.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and oregano. Saute 5 minutes. Add tomato, salt, red pepper, and minced garlic. Saute 1 minute. Stir in kale, reserved liquid, and beans. Cook 3 minutes.

3. Rub garlic halves on one side of each toast slice. Place toast slices, garlic side up, on 4 plates. Sprinkle each with 2 Tb. cheese. Top each with 1 c. bean mixture and 1 Tb. cheese.

Serves 4.

[LGBurns]

Along the lines of Gail's suggestions (if she's right and all the restrictions don't come from the same person), how about a pizza bar. You could make homemade pizza dough and have it ready in foil pie pans and each person could put whatever they want on it, then you can pop them in the oven and they should be ready fairly quickly (my mom used to do this for us as kids and I loved making it myself). You could make a delicious no-dairy pizza with goat cheese or just by providing a very flavorful sauce and lots of vegetables to go on top (maybe using the sauce from the Red Pepper Pesto Pizza in the October issue). Also, Gimme Lean makes vegetarian sausage that we have on pizza all the time -- it's delicious.

[laughsandlaughs]

I keep a vegetarian kitchen, so no chicken for us, but still, coming up with a "still impressive but not too hard to pull together while guests are here" meal with all these restrictions is giving me major problems. Thanks for the suggestions.

[Sarah]

Laughsandlaughs,
I know this has sort of come up before, but what about a white pizza? If the problem is wheat gluten, use a spelt crust (Cook Right for Your Type has a great one). Actually, they have some great suggestions for pizzas as well with some different ingredients.

[Laura Wick]

Portobello Mushrooms, as mentioned, would be a great option. Another way to present these would be as an appetizer or as an entree. We marinate them in our favorite italian dressing (Paul Newman) and grill them on the grill outdoors. To serve as an appetizer, put on a plate and slice into about ten slices, like a pie. Stick a toothpick with a curly cellophane top into each slice and pass around. To serve as an entree, have one mushroom per person. with the Italian Dressing, the grilled mushroom tastes very much like steak.

Another appetizer would be to stuff regular mushrooms, and use oatmeal in place of the sausage and for a binder.

[lindrusso]

laughsandlaughs,

Here's the recipe - it's from Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant. The recipe says it serves 4, but those would be pretty large servings. You could probably use a larger dish and double the recipe.

Shepherd's Pie

Tofu layer:
1 package tofu, frozen, thawed and shredded

1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
pinch freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
1 or 2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce, to taste

Potato layer:
4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup milk
salt, to taste

Mushroom Gravy:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups hot potato water
2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 1/2 cup water

1. (Note: Start the freeze-thaw tofu procedure at least the day before you expect to make this casserole.)

2. For the tofu layer, sauté the chopped onions in the oil with the thyme, coriander, and black pepper until the onions are translucent. Stir in the chopped walnuts and shredded tofu. When heated through, stir in lemon juice and soy sauce. Remove from heat.

3. To make the mashed potatoes, place the cubed potatoes in a saucepan and cover lightly with salted water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the potatoes are soft. Drain, saving the hot potato water to use in the gravy. Mash the potatoes with the butter and milk. Salt to taste.

4. For the gravy, heat the oil in a skillet. Stir in the mushrooms, soy sauce, and black pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender. Add 1 1/2 cups of the potato water and bring to a boil. Slowly stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook at a low boil, continuing to stir, until the gravy is clear and thick.

5. Oil a 9-inch square casserole dish or use a 10-inch round cast-iron skillet. Layer the tofu mixture, then themushroom gravy, and then the mashed potatoes. Dot the top with butter or margarine. Bake at 400º for 15 to 20 minutes until the top becomes golden.

[lindrusso]

laughsandlaughs,

Here's the recipe - it's from Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant. The recipe says it serves 4, but those would be pretty large servings. You could probably use a larger dish and double the recipe.

Shepherd's Pie

Tofu layer:
1 package tofu, frozen, thawed and shredded

1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
pinch freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
1 or 2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce, to taste

Potato layer:
4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup milk
salt, to taste

Mushroom Gravy:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups hot potato water
2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 1/2 cup water

1. (Note: Start the freeze-thaw tofu procedure at least the day before you expect to make this casserole.)

2. For the tofu layer, sauté the chopped onions in the oil with the thyme, coriander, and black pepper until the onions are translucent. Stir in the chopped walnuts and shredded tofu. When heated through, stir in lemon juice and soy sauce. Remove from heat.

3. To make the mashed potatoes, place the cubed potatoes in a saucepan and cover lightly with salted water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the potatoes are soft. Drain, saving the hot potato water to use in the gravy. Mash the potatoes with the butter and milk. Salt to taste.

4. For the gravy, heat the oil in a skillet. Stir in the mushrooms, soy sauce, and black pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender. Add 1 1/2 cups of the potato water and bring to a boil. Slowly stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook at a low boil, continuing to stir, until the gravy is clear and thick.

5. Oil a 9-inch square casserole dish or use a 10-inch round cast-iron skillet. Layer the tofu mixture, then themushroom gravy, and then the mashed potatoes. Dot the top with butter or margarine. Bake at 400º for 15 to 20 minutes until the top becomes golden.