Preamble...

Adding a few favourite recipes. I've been eating vegetarian diet for quite some years now and it honestly took me a long time to adjust but nowadays it's second nature. Feel free to add to the thread if you want. Fresh ideas are always appreciated.

I cook all the time and I cook by the senses. I don't cook by exact quantities or times so I'm sorry if that causes any confusion.

I use some legumes already canned for recipes such as this one below, but other times I buy bulk dried. There seems to be a lot of general confusion or misunderstanding regarding vegetarian diets. To me it's a far more time consuming way of eating and there's a lot of effort put in to create a healthy balance and make sure I'm getting all the nutrients I need.

I do add a number of supplements to my diet.
Methylcobalmin to me is the most important.
I used to add B2 specifically as well, but over time I've found that I'm getting enough from the foods I eat and that's the important part for me.

I am on a treatment that relies on healthy gut microbiome and is particularly effective in some people and not others. It has been effective for me, so I'm sticking to what I've been doing.

• e.g. Diet and Probiotics Influence Response to Immunotherapy - Cancer Health
• Diet and Probiotics Influence Response to Immunotherapy
• A high-fiber diet may help checkpoint medications work betterā€¯but probiotic supplements could interfere with response.
  February 27, 2019 By Bob Barnett and Liz Highleyman

Apart from all the usual vegetables I eat a lot of red and brown lentils, chickpeas, quinoa, black beans,kidney beans, mixed mexican beans already canned, edamame etc. etc.. I'm not fond of tofu at all and prefer not to eat too much soy however, I do love edamame salad soy beans. Below is a fiddly recipe at first but once I made it a few times I became more organized. Enjoy.

~~~Bean balls in tomato sauce to eat with pasta~~~

Balls and Tomato Sauce
Can Chickpeas
Can Black Beans
Quinoa
Oil of your choosing.
Onion diced (used in both balls and sauce)
Garlic (used in both balls and sauce)
Italian Herbs (use in both balls and sauce)
Chili flakes - very small pinch. (use in balls)
Tomatoes.
Salt and pepper to taste. [I don't use salt that often but some dishes need a little.]

Prepare the chickpeas and black beans
Rinse a can each of chickpeas and black beans and place in the oven to dry out. Doesn't take long. It's not to shrivel them up, it's just to dry roast them a little. Mash them with a fork. I prefer a fork or masher than an electrical blender so they don't go to mush. Set aside

Prepare the quinoa
1 part uncooked quinoa
2 parts water
Rinse the quinoa really, really well before using.
Use absorption method similar to cooking rice. i.e. Bring to the boil and then let simmer. Take off heat and leave lid on for a few minutes before fluffing. Grains should be separated and not wet. Set aside

Making the balls
Fry up some of the onion and garlic and add the herbs of your choice. Add a few chili flakes or small amount fresh chili. I use an Italian herb mix.
Mix into mashed quinoa and beans and cooked onion, garlic and herbs in a bowl and refrigerate for a while while I make the spag sauce.

Roll the quinoa and bean mix into balls and dry roast in the oven or you can fry them on stove top.

Tomato Sauce.
I make a very basic home made tomato spaghetti sauce using tomatoes, onion, garlic and again some herbs. Season.

Pour tomato sauce over the bean balls and serve over hot pasta of your choice.
(I use lentil and chickpea pastas myself. I prefer the taste of regular pasta but I just don't go there anymore).

Very simple Kumara (orange sweet potato) and brown lentil patties.

Onion
Garlic
Curry Powder
Can of brown lentils
Peas
Mashed sweet potato. Can use regular white potatoes of course.

Cook the sweet pots and mash.
Cook the onion, garlic, peas in a pan. Add some curry powder. I use about 1 teaspoon. Fry it down a little and add the drained and rinsed brown lentils.
Add to the sweet potato mash.

Shape into patties. Settle in 'fridge to keep shape.
Fry or bake until browned.

I eat these over a small cabbage salad mixed with a little vegan mayo. Hard to find a nice one in my opinion, but they are out there. I should make my own but I can't be bothered.
Mix of grated purple and white raw cabbage and grated carrot.
Diced red Capsicum.
Edamame beans.

Aubergine, zucchini, black bean casserole.

Use a large pot or casserole with lid that's suitable for stovetop or it can be prepared in slow cooker. Just don't use as much liquid if using slow cooker.

1 clove Garlic
1 Onion
1 Aubergine (2 if they're really small. If they're fresh and small they don't need preparation with salt)
2 Zucchini
1 red capsicum. (bell pepper)
Italian herb mix e.g. oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, marjoram parsley, red chili flakes.
2 cans black beans drained and rinsed. (or use other wise dried black beans that have been prepared the day before or earlier in the day)
I large or 2 small cans diced skinless tomatoes

Chop Onion into larger dice and add to oiled pan. Soften, don't brown.
Press Garlic into pan.
Add herbs.
Add cubed aubergine, zucchini, red capsicum.
Add black beans.
Add 1 large can of diced skinless tomatoes.
Add a cup of vegetable stock if you have it or a cup of water.
Cracked pepper and salt if you use it.

Bring to boil in large pot on stove top. Take down to simmer and leave lid on. Check and stir from time to time. Best cooked slowly for longer time. Should be thick and and not watery when time to serve. I love it with herb or garlic bread if I have it.

Thanks Lara.

If it is OK I will add them to my list .

Of course Kiwi. That's the whole idea. I'll add more as I can.
Hopefully other people will post some here as well.

Here's one I've used many times:

Barley Salad

3½ ounces dry barley (pearl barley= ½ cup)
1½ cup water, or more
¼ teaspoon salt
2½ ounces mushrooms, sliced (fresh= 1 cup)
1 1/2 ounces carrots, thinly sliced (= 1/3 cup)
1 1/2 ounces zucchini, thinly sliced (or sliced green pepper, radishes, and/or red onion = 1/3 cup)
1 ounce green onion (sliced 3 tablespoons)
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons oil (vegetable oil)
1 minced garlic clove (or ¼ teaspoon garlic salt)
1/2 teaspoon basil
pinch of salt



Add the ¼ teaspoon salt to the boiling water and add barley, then stir. Add a drop of oil to prevent boiling over.


Cover, lower heat, and cook until tender, about 1 hour for regular barley. Drain and chill.


Add the vegetables.


Combine the lemon juice, oil, and seasonings and add to salad.


Toss lightly to coat ingredients. Add salt to taste.


Chill at least 3 hours or overnight.

Sounds yummy. Thanks for that agate.