Mother's Day

[flying plum]

So, it's mother's day here in the UK on sunday, and i said I'd cook my mum sunday lunch.

originally, she said 'please put meat in it!' (because it's sunday...sunday roast *barf*), but she's agreed to let me cook what i want for her.

SO, i want to cook something amazing, partly because it's mother's day, so i want it to be a nice day, but also because she's a bit 'anti-vegan' still so i'd love to 'wow' her with something great and tasty that will mean she won't miss the meat.

i know seitan is a good bet for this sort of thing, but it's hard to find here, so if you do recommend any meat analogues, please only tofu or tempeh.

i have dessert sorted, so just a main course :)

go vegans, go!

amanda

[Est]

You could do a traditional bubble and squeak (http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A92495) recipe (use vegan marg etc) served with Redwoods Sage and Marjoram sausages diced up in it (available from health food shops) over a bed of cabbage leaves. Side dish of simple colourful veg plus veggie gravy?

The reason I say dice up the "sausages" is because, despite tasting delicious, they look weird compared to meat sausages and the texture is thicker and smoother. By dicing them on the diagonal, and mixing into the b&s, your mum won't so easily be able to make the comparison (which if she's a bit anti-vegan anyway would likely be unfavourable...)

You could also have a go at a vegan yorkshire pud (http://www.veganforum.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-3434.html) recipe if you're feeling adventurous!

[Ginger]

How about a nut roast with roast potatoes and all the trimmings?
Cherry has a great recipe at www.parsleysoup.co.uk

[flying plum]

i've made that nutroast :D i think it's probably a 'no no' though...she's from that generation where all vegetarians ate was nut roast, and she's got a block about it...

she's so difficult! i'm thinking of maybe making a veggie tart i found on the vegsoc website, with a seaseme seed crust, then making some soup and a salad.

but...that could be a bit summery. I'm now thinking maybe some sort of stew or casserole...

argh...impressing omnis makes me so nervous!

amanda

[animaladvocate]

Vegan Sunday Roast Chicken/Turkey For Mother's Day......

Redwood Cheatin Chicken Style Pieces(pop them in oven for 8 minutes and you have vegan roast chicken)or redwoods cheatin turkey style roast, with paxo sage and onion stuffing balls, with roast white potatoes seasoned with dried rosemary and garlic, roast sweet potatoes seasoned with cinnamon, roast carrots seasoned with dried mixed herbs, roast parsnip(brush with organic maple syrup for the last 5 minutes), roast brussel sprouts(slice in half and pop in oven for last 20 minutes) and roast cauliflower(chop into small pieces as if to boil but toss in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and pop in oven for last 25 minutes)and serve with fried linda mc cartney sausage(more authentic than redwoods sausage)wrapped up in a piece of redwoods cheatin rashers, lashings of gravy and a dollop of Ocean Spray cranberry sauce. Enjoy!

[ladyaprille]

HAHA your mother sounds exactly like mine. Anti Vegan Anti Vegetarian Anti Nutroast..

I make beautiful vege risotti/paella with rich stock - and put in larger chunks of vegetable to keep her occupied instead of having meat.
Make sure the dessert is beautifully rich.. last impressions count as much as the first.

[harpy]

I quite like the veggie tart idea - anything with pastry in it seems to get people excited. You could always serve it hot couldn't you?

Personally I would be careful about using meat substitutes unless you're sure your mum likes them because sometimes they seem to make omnivores feel sort of cheated :rolleyes: You could use e.g. flat mushrooms to give a meaty element to a vegan dish.

[animaladvocate]

"be careful about using meat substitutes unless you're sure your mum likes them because sometimes they seem to make omnivores feel sort of cheated"

My omniverous wife tasted roasted redwood cheatin chicken pieces and now wants to be vegan!

[harpy]

My omniverous wife tasted roasted redwood cheatin chicken pieces and now wants to be vegan!


That sounds like a result! Unfortunately fake meat has had more or less the opposite effect on one or two people I know :D although obviously one explains that it isn't the only thing we eat.

[Aradia]

How about a big juicy portabello mushroom? This will be quite meaty so she shouldn't miss the flesh.

You could do a garlic and saffron mash, with some roasted veggies and a really rich onion gravy with maderia to go over a big garlic oil roasted Portabello mushrooms.

Or you could do a stuffed mushroom. I have a few recipes for stuffed mushies if you want them.

[Jiffy]

This is making me feel decidedly peckish. I will hold you lot responsible if I have a snack attack :)

[AnneCE]

Seiten is often sold in the UK in Chinese supermarkets as 'mock abalone' or 'mock duck' or 'mock chicken', usually in a tin, and it is really good in stuff like a stirfry. But you might want to try that yourself first, rather than experimenting for a special occasion.

[Est]

Okay, Aradia is officially a genius! :D

I was going to do chilli and garlic bread for dinner, but when I read her post it reminded me that I have a pack of those big field mushrooms in the fridge - and they're best before today (ooops, I am normally a bit more organised!)

So inspired by her post I did:

Potato and carrot mash topped with baked field mushrooms in a garlic and sweet balsamic dressing. YUM! Omni OH has again been very approving :D

The point of this is that I think your mum might like it too, flying plum! It's traditional enough, and not "threateningly" vegan. It also takes hardly any prep/cooking time which allows more time for chatting and relaxing.

Mash: Potatoes, carrots, 1 clove diced garlic (boil for 25 mins). Mash with Pure margarine and ground black pepper.

Mushrooms: Quarter them and put in baking dish. Drizzle over a dressing of olive oil, thyme, 2 cloves diced garlic, good splash of Sainsburys sweet balsamic and garlic dressing, thinly sliced red onion rings. Bake on 200 deg C for 20 mins.

This could of course fail dreadfully if your mum doesn't like garlic...! :p

[sugarmouse]

I once made my mum a'meat' pie, I made the pastry with soy margarine, filling with soy mince , spices and veggie stock,vegan gravy, roast potatoes and a mix of roast veggies and she was dead happy!
Smother the lot in vegan gravy obviously!

[Roxy]

Okay, Aradia is officially a genius! :D

I was going to do chilli and garlic bread for dinner, but when I read her post it reminded me that I have a pack of those big field mushrooms in the fridge - and they're best before today (ooops, I am normally a bit more organised!)

So inspired by her post I did:

Potato and carrot mash topped with baked field mushrooms in a garlic and sweet balsamic dressing. YUM! Omni OH has again been very approving :D

The point of this is that I think your mum might like it too, flying plum! It's traditional enough, and not "threateningly" vegan. It also takes hardly any prep/cooking time which allows more time for chatting and relaxing.

Mash: Potatoes, carrots, 1 clove diced garlic (boil for 25 mins). Mash with Pure margarine and ground black pepper.

Mushrooms: Quarter them and put in baking dish. Drizzle over a dressing of olive oil, thyme, 2 cloves diced garlic, good splash of Sainsburys sweet balsamic and garlic dressing, thinly sliced red onion rings. Bake on 200 deg C for 20 mins.

This could of course fail dreadfully if your mum doesn't like garlic...! :p


That sounds like a fabulous dinner! :)

[Aradia]

[quote=Est;425815]Okay, Aradia is officially a genius! :D quote]


I knew if I said it often enough that somebody would agree!! ;)

[Est]

I could have called you a "gernious" if I had been drinking like Mr Flibble ;) LOL :D

[flying plum]

thanks guys :) i didn't get a chance to get online before today, so i ended up making the shepherds pie from delia's book (lentils and beans and winter veggies), roasted coriander carrots, broccoli and the orange rum cake from vwav for pud. went down ok, i think...cake deffo did anyhoo :)

amanda

[Roxy]

Well that sounds like a lovely meal! I'm glad it was enjoyed :)

[Pob]

It was my partner's birthday on Mother's Day, and her son arranged a surprise lunchtime visit, which she was really chuffed about.

I made a roast with ASDA chicken style fillets, roast potatoes, yorkshire puddings, sage and onion stuffing balls, and steamed mixed greens, with spicey, thick, herby gravy. I had to be quite sneaky so she didn't notice I was making enough for 3 people! Went down really well, even with her son who is an omni.

[bryzee86]

how did you manage to make it look like you were catering just for the two of you? Did you put 4 fillets on as if you were going to have 2 each?

[Est]

I made a roast with ASDA chicken style fillets, roast potatoes, yorkshire puddings, sage and onion stuffing balls, and steamed mixed greens, with spicey, thick, herby gravy. I had to be quite sneaky so she didn't notice I was making enough for 3 people! Went down really well, even with her son who is an omni.

Sounds VERY nice! :) What do you do for the Yorkshire puds? The ones in Sainsburys all seem to be non-vegan :( Do you make your own? I found a recipe but wasn't confident about them turning out right!

[Pob]

how did you manage to make it look like you were catering just for the two of you? Did you put 4 fillets on as if you were going to have 2 each?I just laid everything out at the last minute and kept kicking her out the kitchen.


Sounds VERY nice! :) What do you do for the Yorkshire puds? The ones in Sainsburys all seem to be non-vegan :( Do you make your own? I found a recipe but wasn't confident about them turning out right!I used one of the recipes in the yorkshire pudding thread. First try in the new oven and I didn't get the fat hot enough so they weren't very risen but they tasted nice.