my 14 year old neice has recently become vegetarian. she and her parents have gone to a dietician to learn how to eat properly and whatnot. my family is either still learning how to accommodate her lifestyle or think that she's nuts. my husband and i would love to get her something for christmas that shows our support. she's young and is just learning to cook her own meals so i wasn't sure if a cookbook was the right way to go. any help is appreciated!
2006-11-27 06:37:34 · 26 answers · asked by Anonymous in Food & Drink ➔ Vegetarian & Vegan
I think that a cookbook would be a nice gift. I have attached a link for you so that you can check out these books for yourself as only you would be a good judge of what you think your niece would like.
http://www.amazon.com/Best-Vegetarian-Recipes-Greens-Flavored/dp/0688168272
http://theforagerpress.com/bookstore/vegcb.htm
http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=276737
Here are a few things that you could package in decorative jars. Make sure you label the ingredients and an explanation of what it is and what it is used for.
Jasmine rice, Texmati rice, quinoa, bulgur, couscous, polenta, etc.
Nuts, seeds, and dried fruits that are meant/packed for cooking or baking.
Orzo, Soba noddles, Canton noodles, Chinese egg noodles (dan mien),Chinese wheat noodles, ect.
2006-11-27 06:43:44 · answer #1 · answered by Mum to 3 cute kids 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
A great teenage friendly vegetarian cookbook would be great or another book supporting vegetarianism especially for teens would be great. Check out Amazon or Barnes and Noble or another bookstore for a books. Try getting a cookbook and a gift certificate to a organic grocery store in your area that would have great alternatives to meat for sale or a gift certifcate to a restaurant she would like that has a good selection of non meat items. Or just over to take her and few of her friends to dinner at a veggie friendly restaurant and pay for it. But no 14 year old wants just a book for Christmas...sorry! Good idea for half the gift though.
2006-11-27 06:45:58 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I do like the cookbook idea. I disagree that 'no 14 yr old wants just a cookbook for Xmas,' too. Look for something fairly mainstream, and ones with pictures might be the way to go.
If you can find an on-line store with a lot of vegetarian foods that has gift certificates, go for that, too. A search for "vegetarian store" brings up a surprising amount of purveyors of imitation meat what-not.
2006-11-27 07:02:54 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Depends on her reasons. Personally, I would consider getting her a pet. Yes, a pet.
I became a vegetarian due to my close work and attachment with animals. If she has similar reasons, then she might enjoy companionship from an animal. I would stick with birds; finches, budgies, canaries, cockatiels, etc. They’re smaller, not as high maintenance as a puppy for instance and they’re also vegetarians!
Unless she already has a pet... then read on.
I also like the idea of actually buying her ingredients she can use to cook with. You can try going to your local produce/health food store. You can even Google vegetarian stores in your area and see what comes up. You can buy a large variety of dried fruits, candies, grains and snacks and gift wrap them in a nice package. You might even be able to include a cookbook for some of the ingredients you bought her.
2006-11-27 18:51:40 · answer #4 · answered by lerxstwannabe 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Maybe a gift certificate to a local cooking school that offers one day classes to the public? Perhaps there's a cooking program offered at a local health food store that she might like? I have two standard veggie cookbooks that are informative, truly useful and easy to follow.
Nikki & David Goldbeck's American Wholefoods Cuisine & How it all vegan.
Although I'm not a vegan, I have adapted recipes from this book, and it's teen friendly. The authors are tattoo sportin', vintage dress wearin', alt hipster chicks from Canada I think. The book is really arty and cool.
You are doing a great thing by supporting her choice.
2006-11-29 15:27:21 · answer #5 · answered by Rebecca O 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Sure! A vegetarian cookbook is a great idea. It helps her to learn new skills and supports a healthy lifestyle with vegetarianism.
Crescent Dragonwagon is a vegetarian who has real-life experience to back up her recipes, and has a great cookbook out right now called "Passionate Vegetarian." I've enjoyed her recipes for years and I'm not even a vegetarian! I think she'd be a great introduction for your neice into the world of cooking and vegetarianism.
Here's an excerpt from Amazon.com:
"From Amazon.com
Crescent Dragonwagon shares a wealth of recipes and memories with humor and intelligence in her extraordinary Passionate Vegetarian. She promises that "here you will be well fed, well loved, well tended to, satisfied," and 1,000-plus recipes later, that's exactly what's delivered.
For 18 years Dragonwagon owned and ran a country inn, where she fed glorious food to everyone including vegetarians, diabetics, the lactose intolerant, and people with food allergies. But the real draw here is that this is vegetarian cooking for everyday living. Ingredient lists are always reasonable and understandable; you won't have to search high and low for something esoteric that'll make or break a recipe. This is comfort food that's easy to prepare, and that deprives you of nothing. If you're not a full-time vegetarian, this is the biggest book of potential starters and side dishes you'll ever see.
Dragonwagon's "swoon-worthy, knock-your-socks-off, delicious food" includes hors d'oeuvres; salads; soups; stews; layered dishes; dishes that star grains, beans, or soy; recipes for every vegetable imaginable; burgers and patties; quick dishes; and desserts. From the simple Melissa's Spinach Casserole and Susie Pryor's beautifully impressive "Perfectly Delicious" Stuffed Acorn Squash to the vibrant Stir-Fry of Asparagus with Black Bean-Ginger Sauce and Mr. Panseer's North-Indian-Style Spinach, Dragonwagon offers flavors and cooking techniques from all over the world--everything from old favorites to new twists. With notes on "cooking, eating, loving and living fearlessly," there's a lot to learn here, and it's not just about vegetables. --Leora Y. Bloom "
2006-11-27 06:42:29 · answer #6 · answered by HusseyGirl 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
What a nice thing to do!
One regular problem for new vegetarians is the lack of variety.
Some places simply don't have huge arrays of vegetables, fruits, grains and protein (tofu). While most of these will spoil or require refrigeration, nuts, seeds and grains are shelf-stable, easy to come by and not too expensive.
Internet to the rescue!
Jasmine rice, Nishiki (medium grain rice), quinoa, bulgur, etc., packed in pretty containers can be a wonderful gift.
Nuts and seeds (also dried fruits) that are not packed for "snacking" , but for cooking can be extremely welcome.
Likewise seaweeds such as wakame and Kombu - Nori - Hijiki are easy to prepare and an excellent source of trace minerals
Don't forget pastas! Orzo, Orchietti, Soba (buckwheat noodles), rice stick, cellophane, etc. may be the ticket!
Having ingredients on hand may help your niece find new, healthy, fun menus that will keep her going! None of these are expensive, or particularly hard to find. Have fun!
Best wishes!
2006-11-27 06:50:21 · answer #7 · answered by HeldmyW 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Hey, good for you for being caring and accomodating!! It's nice to hear that there are still thoughtful people in this world.
A cookbook is a pretty good idea, or you could also get her some vegitarian/vegan candies or choclettes online. They usually make a big deal on the package of pointing out the fact that they are "animal free".
Or maybe a gift card to a vegitarian restaurant that she likes. I love Chipotle and I can get vegitarian/vegan food there and all of my friends love it too so they don't have to do anything different to accomodate my eating habits.
Good luck!
2006-11-27 08:18:45 · answer #8 · answered by quickblur 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Get her a gift certificate to your local super market. If she doesn't already know tell her you saw some Morning Star brand food for vegetarians that you heard is really good. Tell her to stock up. The food is very expensive, $5 for 4 corn dogs but if she gets a gift certificate she will be able to stock up. I used to feel bad asking my mom to buy me that stuff because it's so expensive and we never had a lot of money.
2006-11-27 06:43:55 · answer #9 · answered by hot like me 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The book "Vegan with a Vengence" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz or "The Farm Vegetarian Cookbook" are two of the greatest all emcompassing vegetarian cookbooks out there. The first is geared toward teens and twenty somethings (like myself) but anyone would love it! The latter is a classic which has been printed over 6 times! All the recipes are fabulous and easy to follow. Check them out on http://www.amazon.com
2006-11-27 10:44:45 · answer #10 · answered by lunachick 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋