I just wanted to say I am really enjoying this thread - I don’t have much to contribute to it, but am getting lots of ideas. Thank you all.
finty xx
“Getting products”… nothing beats going out into the garden and picking your own fruit and veg 
I too love the pizza base made in the bread machine. I haven’t tried topped with loads of veg so I’m going do that next week.
Here’s another recipe:
Chestnut hotpot or chestnut cottage pie
The original recipe is a hotpot but I like to reduce the stock slightly, pile on some mash potato and bake. Sorry it’s in ounces rather than grams, it’s an old recipe.
2oz lentils
4oz chestnuts
2 pints of water
Stock (veg or chicken or whatever you like). Make a pint and add bit by bit to the consistency you like.
1 onion
8oz carrots
2 sticks celery
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp tomato puree (optional)
1/2 tbsp soy sauce (optional)
1/2 tsp mustard power
2 tbsp of fresh parsely
1 tsp dried sage (or about 3 fresh leaves)
1 tsp dried thyme (or a one or two fresh sprigs)
Boil the lentils and chestnuts in the water for 40 minutes and then strain. Fry all the vegetables in a large pan. Add the lentils, chestnuts and stock and simmer for 30 minutes. If you’re doing a hotpot this will be ready. For the cottage pie, put into a dish, pile on some mash potato, add a little butter or spread onto the top and put into a hot oven until the underneath is bubbling and the potato golden.
Elinda
Thanks Elinda, I must try that… two of my favourite foods, lentils and chestnuts (and I’m an omnivore who eats low-fat dairy!)
Chestnuts are lower in fat than other nuts Just wondering though, should the chestnuts be bought canned, vac-packed (I get “Merchant Gourmet”) or fresh from the veg.shop? (sadly the sweet chestnuts to be found in the woods in this country are too tiny and fiddly to peel).
I use the Merchant gourmet vacuum packed variety. The recipe I was given didn’t specify but these seem to work well. I love chestnuts too and they have such a great texture. Hope you enjoy the recipe.
Elinda
hi all,
i am doing a healthier diet, i am trying to be as organic as i can but i dont beat my self up if i cant get it . i think if i can at least lower the chemicals it has to be helpful.but i use only organic or paraben free skin care. love all the recipies and will try them out.
Annie
veggiestuff.com/acatalog/redwood-cheezly-soy-free-cheddar.html#aRED725
This is the only non-dairy cheese product I’ve found so far that is a soya-free cheese though there may be others out there! I’m still working on the ‘cheese sauce’ alternatives, though I don’t use them often, just for things like lasagne. Unfortunately, I don’t find the oat or almond milks work as well as soya milk but I figure a little occasionally is okay. Going to try out an interesting-sounding alternative to cheese made from cashew nuts at a vegan restaurant soon and maybe try that out.
Have also been once to this place so far and was wowed by the food - have a read for inspiration! I’m hoping they do a cookbook or cookery course…otherwise I’ll have to sample the dishes and guess!
I’m cooking a healthy veggie/non-dairy dinner for 8 people this week (half-and-half vegetarians and non-vegetarians) - going to do a lasagne using spelt lasagne and cheezly sauce and a moussaka using lentils and aubergines, served with greens/salad and followed by apple tart on a spelt/seeds/agave pastry base. Making use of the surplus of cooking apples from neighbours and my mum’s garden at the moment.
Fingers crossed it goes down well! Mostly experimenting. Anyone got any good suggestions for non-dairy ‘cream’ products (I’m not fussed but would like to offer something to go with the tart!). Will post recipes if it goes well!
Planning to do Maggy’s banana bread and J’s spinach chapatis this week, too. And yes - chestnuts - hmm - I used to do a brussel sprout and chestnut bake years ago - a lovely winter dish. Thanks for those ideas and recipes. I am just hoping that some of all this healthy eating will combat the tiredness and aches which seem to be kicking in these days after 2 months on femara! Aiming to juice more - especially ginger and beetroot. Anyone else any fave juice recipes?
Am loving this thread - it feels very sharing and inspiring. I know I am very lucky to have a partner and son who are happy to makes big changes in their eating habits too, which helps me to do so.
Annette X
Hi guys,
I’m a veggie and have been since I was about 13. I buy a veggie magazine as it gives me recipe ideas and has all the new veggie products so you get a heads up on the good, the bad and the ugly without the need for unpleasant taste tests. I have to say I’ve had a few of these over the years.
Anyway I thought I’d share a recipe I love and can’t get enough of at the moment (having chemo).
2 big tomatoes
1 sweet red pepper
1 onion
1 cucumber
Peel chop the veg, deseed pepper. Blend everything with 3tbsp red wine vinegar, 5 tbsp water and 2 tbsp olive oil.
Sieve, chill and serve.
See even on chemo I’m up to that! Well some days.
In case anyone cares:
Contains 100 cals, 6g fat, 10g carbs, 8g sugar, 2.4g fibre, salt neg.
I know peeling tomatoes can be a pain but I got a fruit peeler from Lakelands years ago and it is brilliant for toms. Takes away the need for all that splitting and plunging etc. You just peel them like apples and it honestly works brilliantly.
Take care
Joxx
Hi,
I’m actually still eating meat though these days mainly organic and mostly chicken and still use dairy milk. However, I think this is a good thread and have been reading it with interest.My partner is a vegan but does use soya. I’ve found Yeast Flakes can add a ‘cheasy’ flavour to dishes and adds good nutrition to dishes too.
Julie
hello all,
Cheezly do a non soya version which is available in Holland and Barrets - have not seen it anywhere else. Mo
Hi Julie - have just got into trying nutritional yeast flakes as a cheesy-tasting flavouring which also contains a bunch of vitamins and calcium etc.
Annette
Just for info:
veganstore.co.uk/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=1&Product_Code=028&Category_Code=610
Hi everyone,
No recipes but some thoughts on a low fat/veggie diet.
I have a rare auto-immune condition which makes it very hard for me to tolerate pretty much all types of dairy, plus I am also allergic to all red meat. As a result I have a diet that is strongly biased towards vegetarian although I can have the occasional piece of chicken and I eat a lot of seafood.
I am not a good cook, my husband is the cook in our family and very good he is too! However, being a dedicated carnivore he has little enthusiasm for cooking non-meat dishes, so I’ve had to learn the basics in recent years. Up until now it’s been a long-standing joke that I am a useless cook, but beggars can’t be choosers so I’ve learned to do more than open a can of baked beans! 
I do a lot of fresh vegetable stir fries, because you can just toss it all into a wok or saucepan without too much hassle. Plus if you are feeling lazy or need something that has the goodness of the food without adding cooking oil, you can always stick it all in the microwave in a steam bag, something I do a lot when my tum is really playing up. I have yet to learn how to cook effectively with tofu but I use a lot of pulses and seeds in my cooking.
Holland & Barratt sell unflavoured soya granules (it’s hard to get those that aren’t ‘mince’ flavoured) which can be added to all sorts of things. I make pasta sauces with them and tip them into stews as a thickening agent.
Does anyone here use fat free goat milk? I know that Sainsburys stock it and it’s not too bad to drink but I’ve yet to try it for cooking.
I am of petite build and have to be careful with my weight (weighing too little rather than too much) and it can be a hard balance with a dairy free diet - great for weight loss though!
One thing my doctor did recommend was rather than taking calcium supplements, to eat plenty of calcium rich veggies and luckily for me I really like broccoli! My doctor thinks that a low fat, dairy free and low meat diet with a lot of fresh veggies/fruit will help boost the immune system and that can only be a good thing for all sorts of reasons. For instance in the past 5 years I have only had 1 cold whereas before I caught them all the time.
It seems to me that this type of diet can be tricky to get going with and you have to be a lot more creative with your menus. Any inspiration is good, so I’m definitely going to look at some of the recommended websites!
Kim
Annette - the Swedish Glacé vanilla soya ice cream would be delicious with your apple tart.
I went looking for Cheezly in H&B and also found a Tofutti soya “cream cheese” with garlic and herbs - quite pleasant and makes a nice change from houmous.
finty x
Not sure if soya cream is an option to dairy, to go with the apple tart?
Alpro do one, most supermarkets sell it.
Sandra x
The soya custard is quite nice too …
Not tried it but oatly do an oaty cream in waitrose that might be nice with apple pie. Wish i was coming to yours for tea…
Got a great chickpea and spinach curry recipe i will put on tomorrow also a couple of good books.
Tried the pizza with nuts on top last night was delicious.
xxx
Thank you so much for all your suggestions - I will search them out this week!
X
Thanks for the links and recipe ideas. I agree, I wish I was coming to your dinner party Annette! I had a type of cream last christmas in one of the squirty tubes that was made from sweetened rice milk and it was lovely. You don’t see it very often though. I’m not keen on the soya substitutes except for the swedish glace icecream.
Would love the chickpea and spinach curry recipe. Someone also mentioned a sweet potato curry? I’m doing the pizza later this week.
Finty has also put some great links on the thread on soya and BC regarding the best types of green tea.
take care all
Elinda
I am really enjoying this thread and will definitely be trying some of the recipes. This is a fruit cake recipe that is dairy free, no added sugar or fat
250g stoned dates, roughly chopped
300ml water
85g plain flour
3 teasp baking powder
1 teasp ground mixed spice
85g wholemeal flour
500g dried mixed fruit
50g ground almonds
80ml orange juice
Put the dates and water in pan and bring to boil. Remove pan from heat and set aside.
Mix plain flour, wholemeal flour, baking powder, mixed spice, mixed fruit, ground almonds. Stir in the wet date mixture and the orange juice. Mix well and spoon into lined loaf tin.
Bake 170C gas 3 45-50 mins or until a skewer comes out clean.
Turn out onto wire rack and cool.
pp that recipe looks lovely. I occasionally buy Jamaican Spice Bun from Tesco’s which is a dairy free fruit loaf, not too sweet - I think it is quite similar to your recipe, although I dare say not as nice as yours.
I would also love the chickpea and spinach curry recipe.
finty x