Lesley Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 I gave up going to Works Christmas Do's many years ago because of the poor menu offerings for Vegetarians. I was fed-up with paying the same price for pasta with tomato sauce/vegatables as everyone else paid for half a Duck or big slabs of Turkey. I love roast dinner and can't see why we have to have some odd concoction and miss out on all the roasties, stuffing, cranberry sauce, bread sauce etc. I've always only substituted the meat for a good Nut Roast and had all the trimmings. After being vegetarian for 25 years I did start eating meat this time last year as long as I knew how it had been reared and as long as it was from a local farm. Apart from that I will only eat veggie food when out. This year I will still make my festive Nut Roast as it is so good cold as well - but we will be eating our home reared chicken. There are quite a few Veggies on this forum now - how do you feel about Christmas Menus? Have you seen any good ones? Tell us about the worst ones. If you have recipes you want to share - tell us here but post the recipe in the topic 'Recipes' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 Great idea for a discussion point, I've been a veggie for ooh let me see...23ish years and have had some diabolical meals out over Christmas, always things like lasagne AT CHRISTMAS! Once on my first 'Do' as a student nurse I got a grated cheese salad I'm the same Lesley, I love roast trimmings and just don't have the roast!, usually replaced with nut roast or similar, I shall be heading over to the Recipes slot to have a good look for turkey substitutes Karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katie Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 I know what you mean! I only ever eat meat at home, so then i know where it has come from, so i eat as a vegetarian when i go out always. I remember at my Prom in the summer we had a meal and i got pasta with what tasted just like watered down tomato ketchup, it was awful . Probably the worst vege meal i've had, and the way the waiters came over to you handing/chucking out the plates looking at you like you were wierd because you're not eating meat! And why do they always give us pasta, and whys it always sooo bland! I've always found vege meals anywhere else quite nice, but that had to be the worst. The nut roasts by 'Cauldron' are nice if anyones ever tried them. never had a home made one, are there recipes in the recipe bit? For Christmas mum's ordered an organic free range turkey already so we're happy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 I'm not veggie, but sometimes opt for the veggie alternative in a restaurant since I prefer to avoid meat unless I know a little bit about where it's come from. Last Christmas the works night out resulted in me not eating a vile mushroom tart, served with jacket potato & 3 lettuce leaves with a tired tomato. Neither festive or tasty I do normally go for the fish option, somehow there seems to be less they can get wrong with fish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 Lesley, please share your roast recipe . We usually make a diffferent veggie xmas dish each year. We are studying the recipes this moment to decide!! Will keep you posted. Always amazes us the amount of stuff people think they need at a christmas lunch!! This is the one time of year I love roast!! BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 I've been veggie for over 13 years and have never had the desire to eat meat until now - which is very odd given that I am now a hen keeper I am only craving two things - a bacon sandwich and christmas turkey. I am serioulsy considering getting an organic free-range turkey from our local organic farm for christmas. It's not just the christmas roast I crave but the whole turkey sandwiches/turkey curry/leftovers thing. Trouble is I am really concerned whether my body can still actually digest meat Usually I will just have a christmas dinner without the turkey. I'm very particular about nutroasts etc - I find a lot of them to be unecessarily fussy and rich. I prefer a plain old nut burger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 15, 2005 Author Share Posted November 15, 2005 I'm pleased to see I'm not the only one I have posted the recipe I use in the Recipe section and have added at the end, how I jazz it up a bit for christmas. Red, I was just the same last year, 5 months after having chickens to look after! I only ate small amounts of meat and it didn't upset my digestion too much. I think the worst so far has got to be Karen's grated cheese salad Why is it, that as a veggie, you are automatically deemed to like mushrooms and raw peppers? I can't eat raw peppers and don't like salad very much either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 (edited) I've bought a 'vegetarian christmas' magazine, some nice stuff in it. if anyone else has it let's compare notes! I'm glad my battle with turkey craving has finally gone, had it for many years.I always buy the quorn turkey (haven't seen that yet this year, worry emoticon required) nothing like the real thing but I can have a sandwich. I used to love them smothered in colemans dried mustard (mixed with water)....ahhh memories. Has anyone baked brie or camembert with honey and walnuts, that's gorgeous with hot fresh bread! Anyone used this ? Not many of us neutral eh BBx Edited November 16, 2005 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 Not tried baked Brie with honey or walnuts Buffie, although it sounds pretty tasty to me, but a favourite savoury treat is camembert & gooseberry turnovers. Delish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 I really love a roast, which to be honest we don't have very often. I never used to eat red meat, but we have an excellent butcher in Banbury and his beef joints are fab. Not sure yet whether we will have beef or chicken - everyone hates turkey Sounds like the folks are coming up to me this Christmas day, I might do mini quiches for starters and perhaps my dad's fave for pudding - lemon meringue pie BB - glad to hear that you're over the anorexia now - was that last Christmas? I'm afraid that I eat far too much over the festive period as the food is so lovely. CX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 I bought a really good food magazine today called "Easy Cook" & it not only has several egg recipes,but a veggie Bolognese & a lovley looking Moroccan pie. It looks really festive, & would be great for Christmas day. We are not veggies, but eat vegetarian about twice a week, so I may well try it in the future. If anyone cannot get the mag & wants the recipe,let me know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 17, 2005 Author Share Posted November 17, 2005 I haven't got that one but I have got the Vegetarian Christmas which Jayne mentioned - I haven't had time to read it yet - probably next June The Morroccan Pie sounds interesting - would you post it in Recipes if you have time Sarah*? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 I have posted that now Lesley. Plenty of time today as my littlest one is still off sick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura007 Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 as a non veggie i felt i had to tell you of a fantastic christmas meal i had a couple of years ago. now i know this may seem a bit odd being a meat eater but here goes. a couple of years ago whilst out on a works event we all sat down at the table ready to eat and a menu was at each setting, to my horror i saw the following "lamb fillet with pea puree and a potato layer thing" well lets put it like this, i really really dont like lamb and as for peas they are the work of the devil, i couldnt even eat the spuds as they will have been next to both the lamb and peas. BLRGHHHH anyway the veggie option was the other choice, it read "wild mushroom tortellini in a parmesan cheese sauce" do you know what.......? it was one of the most fantastic meals i have had. absolutly fabulous. a sumptuous meal that was the envy of the table of 12 others, whose lamb was gristly and greasy, the pea puree was cold and the spuds were burnt. how smug was i? very. however i do agree that just cos you dont want a peice of meat on your plate doesn't mean you should miss out on all the trimmings! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 17, 2005 Author Share Posted November 17, 2005 At least you got a cheese sauce grd - not the ubiquitous tomato That's got to be worth another 10p! The lamb thing sounds disgusting as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleata Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 is a shame most companies now have put batter on roasties to make them more crispy. i love xmas dinner, but now cant afford to eat it out, unless its really really definatley gluten/wheat free i will however enjoy a home cooked meal and free range turkey, shame its me that has to cook it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura007 Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 the thing was it WAS really really tasty. mmmmmmmmm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 20, 2005 Author Share Posted November 20, 2005 I'll put this here as I don't really want to start another Vegetarian thread. I found Vegetarian Glucosamine!!!!!!!! I've always had dodgy joints and since damaging my knee in an accident three years ago I wanted to do whatever I could to prevent any further deterioration fo my joints. I was getting to the stage where I thought - I owe it to my knees to take Glucosamine - but part of me didn't want to take it because I thought it was an animal or fish derivative. It appears I was wrong and I found it on the shelves in the whole-food shop yestarday. I have three months supply and I believe it takes that long to show it is working - watch this space By the middle of February I should be skipping Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lera Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 We've made this two Christmases now - from a magazine, so hoping that this person has typed it in correctly: Rose Elliot's Yuletide Ring. It's a layered baked ring, with three different tasty flavours. Many many breadcrumbs and nuts required in its construction, plus some lemons and mushrooms. It's really remarkably good. No eggs in it, but our hens haven't started laying yet so no worries there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 20, 2005 Author Share Posted November 20, 2005 Thanks for that Lera - it looks fine to me. I'll copy it into the Recipes topic as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kazaddress Posted November 22, 2005 Share Posted November 22, 2005 i have about 10 vegetarian friends.. ihave found the following a success (see all my recipes here http://the-billingtons.co.uk/meals.asp - brie topped with cranberry sauce, and wrapped in puff pastry, and baked for 30mins - puff pasty filled with walnut, apple and sage stuffing, and topped with a dried apricot, and honey... and baked for 30mins - a butternut squash, mushroom and brandy pie, topped with puff pastry - french toast topped with vegetarian pate - eggy bread breakfast - giant mushroom filled with softcheese, chives and sundried tomatio. sprinkled with breadcrumbs and baked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 22, 2005 Author Share Posted November 22, 2005 Thanks Kaz - the puff pastry one would be nice with all the trimmings for Christmas Day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
