Avoid boring Meatless Mondays!
As a private chef, I need to understand and accommodate to my clients’ dietary preferences and needs. Many of my clients are vegetarian or sensitive to gluten. As a result, they would hand me a list of restricted ingredients.
Following restrictions can an exciting challenge. How can I produce and serve good food without breaking the rules? How do I bring out the flavors of fresh produce? I am not intimated by these restrictions. Instead, working with these clients provide opportunities for me to discover new recipes and explore international cuisines, ranging from African Tajine couscous to spicy Cambodian vegetarian curry.
After cooking countless vegetarian dishes, I acquired a few tips that will help you avoid boring meals and enjoy meatless Mondays!
- Instead of steaming or boiling vegetables, I prefer grilling, roasting, or stir-frying vegetables. These methods caramelizes the natural sugar in the vegetable, producing a better taste and crunch. For instance, I recommend roasting or flash stir-frying cabbage family such as brussels sprouts and root vegetables.
- Add layers of texture to your plate. You can create a sauce for a creamy, moist layer, add some crunch in the middle, and top the plate with fresh herbs.
- Expand your spice pantry! Have you tried Moroccan Harrissa, Southeastern kaffir lime leaves, or Mexican chipotle seasoning for your dishes? Also use your herb garden to top your dishes with it or experiment new herb combinations.
5. Discover Ancient Grains — For gluten-free meals, I use different ancient grains such as quinoa, bulgar, lentils, millet, farro, wild rice and buckwheat. The possibilities are endless!
4. Chop your vegetable differently — I particularly like to finely chop crunchy vegetables such as asparagus, green beans and add them to grains. Plain rice is not very exciting, with a little crunchy addition, grain tastes exciting!
5. “Meatless” stuff actually work just fine — People with vegetarian or vegan diets don’t have to miss out on popular foods. My clients often enjoy the “meatless” versions of popular dishes, such as artichoke “crab” cake, cauliflower “meatballs”, and quinoa “burgers.”
6. Soups are essential comforts on cold nights. If you don’t usually like eating carrots, try ginger carrots coconut soup or spiced lentil soup. Vegetable are then “hidden” this way. The coconut and ginger mask the carrot flavor but remains nutritious.
7. Make your salad dressing in advance — Have you been so impressed with a “dressing” or sauces from a restaurant that taste so good you wish to add them on any dishes? A well thought-out dressing will enhance your entire meal. Prepare it in advance and it will keep in the fridge for few days. I like to use fresh squeezed orange juice as the base and build it up with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Never say no to using fresh strawberries or raspberries in dressing. Also, I encourage you to explore what miso can do for you!
10. Give vegetable a second life — I love exploring the versatility of vegetables. Spinach may not tastes as good by itself but when you use it as a secondary ingredient in quiche, casserole, and “dumplings”, it will be a good “surprise”.
11. Curry it up. Think beyond Indian curry which could be too spicy at times for some. I see a growing popularity of curry dishes these days. Southeast Asians use palm sugar and coconut milk to balance the heat. Creamy dishes does not have to come from heavy cream. You can thicken with vegetarian broth or almond milk or something similar of your choice.
