Trying to be nice to my sister-in-law the vegetarian.?!
Trying to be nice to my sister-in-law the vegetarian.?
My sister-in-law is a vegetarian and we really struggle on what to make for her when everyone else is having prime rib or steaks. Just a salad is insulting, and we have run the course on mushrooms.
She doesn't like eggplant, so that's out.
Any help with recipe ideas?
Another problem is that she has to have seperate dishes, utinsles, pans, and even wash them in new dish water. It can't EVER touch anything that has touched meat. This creates a problem in the kitchen.
Answers:
How can she call herself a self-respecting vegan and not like eggplant? She's just an amateur vegan. . . LOL
One of the things I've observed and come to believe is that it is less about "vegan-ism" and more about control. It's like those who demand that nobody wear any deodorant because they are "scent sensitive". I think those cases where it is an actuallity are few and far between.
I think it's the same case with rigid vegans. They expect everyone to accommodate their lifestyle without any effort to meet (would your sister-in-law despise me if I used the word "meet" in her presence?) others halfway. It's a way of control.
Personally, I think you may be too nice to your sister-in-law. From the way you describe it ... her "vegan-ism" seems more a phobia than a valid lifestyle. Your sis-in-law is being unreasonable and controlling.
I know vegans who bring their own stuff to prepare or when asked by the host/hostess what can I fix for you ... suggest SIMPLE recipes. If there is something special they want/need they bring it. BEWARE ... if you ask your sis-in-law to suggest recipes . . . you can bet it will be as exotic as she can make it and you and wife will be running all over hell trying to find the ingrediants. So, if she gives you a recipe ... agree to provide what you can REASONABLY find. If she wants Organically Grown Tibetan Turnips w/ a written purity certification attached ... SHE brings that!
Your sis-in-law is jamming her lifestyle down your throats. IMO she is petty, demanding, rude, and a control freak. You will likely never be able to be "vegan" accommodating enough for her. She will find something else to demand.
Make REASONABLE accommodations for her. I.E. let her wash her own dishes. If she is worried about this meat touching thing . . . let her make her own stuff with her own vegan hands. Tell her to bring her own pans, untensils, etc ... give her time/place in the kitchen to prepare her own stuff.
This Super-Vegan has caused enough chaos in your family. Put on the breaks. BTW ... just a "hunch" .... Google Borderline Personality or Narcissistic Personality Disorders and see if the symptoms "fit" sis-in-law.
You can try vegetarian chili or potatoes and veggies
Your sister-in-law is going to have to give a little, too. If you're trying to accomodate her by making vegetarian dishes, she's going to have to lighten up on the demands. It's not fair that she insist on all of these special conditions for preparing her meals. I was a vegetarian for years and quickly learned that since society tends towards eating meats I would have to work my vegetarianism within those parameters. If she even insists on the damned dishwater and finds salads insulting, it sounds like a personal problem...tell her to lighten up.
I usually make a vegetarian lasagna when my sister and her husband visit. You can buy frozen ones at the grocery store. My sister is pretty cool, alot of times she will bring stuff that she has already made ahead of time instead of making us do more work. Also, her veggie stuff is pretty tasty and she always brings plenty to share. Maybe you can ask your sister-in-law to bring her favorite veggie dish so you can all try it.
Just make vegetables or bake one of the fake meat patties. I'm a vegetarian and I hate people to make a big deal out of it. I quietly eat my meal and don't comment on other people's food. Tell your sister-in-law to bring her own food to the family dinners. That's what I usually do, and there are no problems. In fact, alot of people will eat my vegetarian casserole or whatever I bring, and not even notice that it's meatless!
Please, you have to keep the dishes separate?!!! If she wants to be that picky let her bring her own dishes! Try tofu, it isn't too bad and there are all kinds of recipes, also try some bean dishes. Why doesn't she host a dinner one night and make a nice vegetarian meal for everyone, so they can try it.
Well you could always offer her a Boca burger it is a meatless product that is found in most frozen food sections of your grocery store also you could always try to ask her what it is she likes ( if it starts sounding really fancy ask her to help you with the preparation of the dish) and you might be able to go to a used book store and find a vegan cook book to help with ideas for meals for her.Since she doesn't like for her dishes to be 'contaminated with past meat products" or washed with anything that has had meat on it I would suggest going out and buying her either paper plates or invest in some inexpensive plastic plates and cutlery and have them in a special cabinet "just for her " she may start to feel a bit weird about eating on plastic and with plastic forks and such after a few times.I have known a few vegans in my time and none have the hang up she does I hope this info helps GOOD LUCK
What you could do is take zucchini and saute it in some butter for about half an hour and let it get soft with some garlic and onions. Then you take and on your burner take red and green bell peppers and get them burnt and put them in a paper bag until they cool completely and after that take the burnt parts off and deseed them and slice them up and add them to the zucchini and mmmmmmmmm mmmmmmmmm good.
i am a vegetarian, and because many meat eaters do not know how to prepare vegetarian food that well, i bring my own....tell her what you have that is vegetarian and to come up with the rest....she should not be insulted, it is not that hard.....i am not strictly vegan, and my vegan friends have to supply their end when they come over to eat, and i have never had a frriend be insulted....also, salads are not insulting...just throw some beans on top
Is she vegetarian or vegan?
If she is vegetarian then she eats cheese and or eggs.
If vegan, it is a bit more difficult but not that much.
Being vegan myself I can understand her 'need' for clean water to wash the dishes. Same as Kosher.
Respect her beliefs and ask her to bring something she likes. that is what I do when I go out and do not want to inconvenience people or think they might not know what I eat... oh it's only chicken stock.. surely you can eat the soup.. it isn't meat... or oh... surely you can pick off the bits of bacon...
So... if you want recipes, these sites below have loads of them... easy to prepare and most of them do not have eggplant in!
yeah my sister is a vegetarian. we found that she really likes to eat vegetable shicubobs grilled. and yes she makes us wash the grill after we cook the meat. plus beans are always good. my sister likes to eat seven layor dip with torrtilla chips. we use beans instead of meat and then there is all the vegetables. vegetarian doesnt mean just vegetables it also means they like fruit. for breakfast and sometimes lunch my sister just makes a fruit salad and yogart. we also make that as a desert too. i live in an itlian family so we eat lots of pastas. just make some pasta and my mom warms up some rago sause and after seperating it in 2 different bowls she adds the meatballs. my sister also likes cheese raviolis. potatoes are good too. and there is alot of stuff you can do with them. party potatoes, mashed potatoes, twice baked potatoes, baked potatoes, french fries. and anything you can come up with.
i hope this helped you alitte.
good luck,
ur sister in law is like my dad... just order the non vegetarieans food and have somebody make her somthing speical like pasta so she feels just as good!