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I have to do a dinner for a family of four next week. I don't have any problem with the wife, she will eat anything that I eat but the husband and two boys are very, very picky.
The husband is 100% vegan and the two boys won't eat anything that uses herbs or spices. I can't (won't) make four three separate dishes so I need some help.
I had thought of a cold pasta salad but all the recipes I have found so far either contain cheese or meat. I had also thought of a cold cous cous but what can I put in it to give it some ooomph?
Anyone got ideas either for a cold pasta salad or anything else that I might serve?
"You can be young without money but you can't be old without money"
Maggie the Cat from "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." by Tennessee Williams
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Thanks Geminize, I'll try to adapt this to my guest's needs.
"You can be young without money but you can't be old without money"
Maggie the Cat from "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." by Tennessee Williams
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Or you could go with an eastern menu. You mentioned couscous, how bout Tabbouleh? With a cucumber salad, served with hummus and pita bread; black olives and olive oil?
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Make a basic dish and serve a "buffet" of small bowls with different herbs and spices, so they can put what they want on their food.
If you want to try something hot, you can serve a salad, veggie casserole, and fried tofu slices.
Actually I had a veggie forward friend who made KILLER fried tofu. And I despise tofu, but hers was "to die for". She served fried tofu slices with sliced tomatoes, salad, and squash casserole. OMG Im hungry for that now!!!!
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there are a lot of vegan recipes out there. pasta dishes are easy (just make sure the past is vegan) I was going to suggest a vegan lasanga
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How about grilled or roasted vegetables - maybe three - a large mixed salad and pasta with a vegan sauce of your choice. That should be a easy to make and serve.
The vegetables can be grilled or roasted ahead - as well, the pasta sauce and salad can be per-prepared at your leisure.
Buy a vegan salad dressing prepared/ and use your favorite salad dressing for you, the wife and kids - as well a a purchased vegan desert and/or fresh fruit - that everyone can enjoy.
Kids just, usually, like their pasta with a little butter; occasionally Parmesan cheese
Serve pasta and salad undressed and provide butter, olive oil and condiments separately. You can make all of this look quite eye appealing.
All you will really have to do is boil the pasta when it's time to eat.
Serve it buffet or family style; make sure to use lot's of bowls and plates to serve all the ingredients for the dinner symphony.
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You can make veggie kebabs.
Grilled corn on the cob.
Potato pancakes.
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08-11-2013, 08:59 AM
(Edited 08-11-2013, 09:41 AM by LONDONER.)
Thank you MrTinkles, Undreamt and MissingNYC. Vegan means absoluitely no dairy produce whatsoever so butterv and Parmesan are out of the question.I had wanted to make cold dishes because where I live, even in the evning at this time of the year, it can reach 35º and above. However, tha you for all your suggestions some of which I will take on board.
Since I first posted I have found quite a lot of recipies simply by prefacing "pasta salad" with "vegan". Silly me, I should have done that from the start.
MrTinkles, I do usen tofu and had considered doing something with it, maybe just perking it up with a bit of tamari and then adding it to a cous cous salad.
Many thanks once again. Your suggestions are appreciated.
PS: When I said that the father is difficult, he won't even drink water unless is is distilled.
"You can be young without money but you can't be old without money"
Maggie the Cat from "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." by Tennessee Williams
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Im glad I dont have any vegan/vegetarian friends cause I would never have them over. Ive always been of the mindset if you come over to my place and feed you food for free you eat what I serve or you can bring your own damn well food. lol What I serve is always delicious though that most people would pay to eat in a restaurant. Not to sound cocky though(I know it probably does already) but most people tell me I should be a chef and stuff. I just dont like people telling me what I can and cant prepare.
Plus I cant stand most vegans pushing their "no killing animals" agenda onto me. Some animals were put on this planet for us to consume, get the fuck over it. If youre doing it for health reasons I understand and more power to ya.(its still a choice though and you can eat my food or you can starve) I cant stand anyone that try to push their beliefs onto me no matter what it is so they can do what it says in my sig.
That said, I think some kimchi would fit the bill too for your dinner party. You can find some really good ones if you have a local Korean market. I prefer homemade kimchi though to store bought. Some Korean markets actually make it at the store as well. I like those too but anything from a factory usually tastes worse than homemade. Its pretty easy to make kimchi at home. There are a ton of videos of making it at home on the web. Its just time consuming and the prepping process takes overnight usually If you make it this weekend it should be nice and fermented by the time your dinner party is ready.
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