So Im considering moving on to a better diet

searchingone

Im of sensetive tongue to texture, and Im allergic to chilli. Im incorporating tofu into my diet, having been a meat lover most of my life, but I am also trying to up my vegetable intake (I can't stand eating them raw however) does anyone know of any interesting sauces I can make out of blending them to go with my rice based meals?

Dakini

Get a cookbook. There are different kinds of curry, there's a Thai or SE Asian curry that's peanut-based, like from peanut butter. There's garlic sauce, tomato sauce, look for Chinese, Indian and Thai sauces. Also, experiment with different rices. There's a really aromatic jasmine rice, there's a Himalayan red rice (the more color a food has, the more vitamins, usually), I mix in a little wild rice with any rice dish. You can bled several kinds together for a multi-colored rice dish. Have fun with rices. Go wild. Try quinoa, too--high in protein. There's a red quinoa, as well as the usual yellow type.

btw, if you're allergic to chili you may also have a sensitivity to tomato and eggplant. They're all nightshades.

Jeffrey

Try stir frying maybe?

Heat some peanut oil and sautee onions, carrots, and green peppers. Add a splash of soy sauce and pea pods. The soy sauce adds water to steam. Then another splash soy sauce and chopped blanched peanuts. Add brocoli and remove from heat when the brocoli is getting faded a little from bright green.

Look up a recipe for homemade teriyaki sauce or else just add some storebought or a different sauce.

Serve over rice. You can add squash, corn, and many other things if you want.

taiyaki

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=KLjgBLwH3Wc

DaltheJigsaw

Get a cookbook. There are different kinds of curry, there's a Thai or SE Asian curry that's peanut-based, like from peanut butter. There's garlic sauce, tomato sauce, look for Chinese, Indian and Thai sauces. Also, experiment with different rices. There's a really aromatic jasmine rice, there's a Himalayan red rice (the more color a food has, the more vitamins, usually), I mix in a little wild rice with any rice dish. You can bled several kinds together for a multi-colored rice dish. Have fun with rices. Go wild. Try quinoa, too--high in protein. There's a red quinoa, as well as the usual yellow type.

btw, if you're allergic to chili you may also have a sensitivity to tomato and eggplant. They're all nightshades.

Any suggestions for good Veggie cookbooks?

Kangaroo

I just ordered 'Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking' by Julie Sahni. I haven't received it yet, I'll let you know how it is soon.

Jeffrey

1 sweet potato
2 cups carrots
1 tsp salt
32 oz chicken broth

Chop and skin sweet potato and carrots and simmer 20 min with broth and salt...

1 onion chopped
2 T butter

Add sauteed onion and butter to simmering pot

Remove bits with slotted spoon and some liquid and blend in a blender or food processor.. Ad ½ tsp curry and ¼ tsp nutmeg. Blend...

Return to pot and simmer 20 minutes

1 lemon juice of
¼ cup plain yogurt

Finish with juice of lemon and plain yogurt.

Possible toppings:

French fried onions
chow mein noodles
chopped peanuts
flaked coconut

etherea

I have used The complete Book of Vegetarian cooking edited by Veronica Sperling and Christine McFadden for many years. Some of the recipes are a little bit complicated but in general are fairly easy to follow. I am also very fortunate to have an Asian market close to where I live that has an abundance of ready to use sauces as well a variety of rices, noodles, dried shitaki mushrooms etc. When it comes to food, experimentation is the key I think (in other words - bung it all in and see what happens). I've had some very pleasant surprises with left overs from the store cupboard and freezer.

still_learning

I recommend kale. It's a hearty vegetable and can be made very savory. Chop into 1 inch strips, then stir fry with garlic and diced onions until it shrinks down (flavor with a little salt while frying). Add some lemon juice at the end.

Stir fried romaine lettuce is also really good too.

A meat substitute (sort of) that I like are mushrooms. They can be very savory. I like their natural flavor and don't really feel the need to add much spices to them at all.

I've also liked bamboo shoots with bell peppers and tomato.

Grilled romaine lettuce halves with parmesan cheese and drizzled with olive oil makes a good salad.

Instead of rice, try Quinoa, it cooks the same way as rice and is fluffy like rice. It's much healthier for you because it has protein and a lot less carbs than rice. But as a caution quinoa is expensive.

Dandelion

Do you like risotto's?