1/8/11 Veg Household Exchange @ Amitabul

The food: There are great omnivore dinner and dessert exchanges that happen monthly. This is for people interested in doing a vegetarian dinner exchange (without meat or meat stock etc, but can include eggs and dairy). We make 5-10 servings of one dish, and bring back 5-10 different dishes. Participants bring one pre-portioned serving of their food for everyone who has RSVP’d to come that month. A serving is whatever you think it is for your food item. The priority will be for entrees, soups, salad, stews, legumes, grains, etc. There's a preference for healthy dishes.What: Meatless Meals (that means NO poultry, pork, fish or red meat but CAN include dairy and eggs) exchange


When: Saturday, January 8, 2011 at 2pm

Where:Amitabul Restaurant
6207 N. Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago, IL 60646
773-774-0276
http://www.amitabulvegan.com/

This location is a little far flung, but accessible by public transit via the Blue Line or Metra UP-NW and a short Pace bus ride.

Number in the group: We will cap attendance at each gathering at 11 so that participants are never making more than 10 servings of anything. Couples will be counted as one serving.

The containers/delivery system: Everyone in the group should use the Gladware 3 1/8 cup plastic containers (it’s the approximately 7” x 7” square with the pop-up lid). You’ll portion your food into those containers to bring and hand out at the gathering. You can freeze them or not depending on your schedule and when you make your food. There is no need to fill the container, just put in whatever is a serving to you. If you use something else to deliver your food that month (Ziploc bags, plastic wrap, etc.) you should also return the empty containers from the last round so that everyone always has a stash of these containers for the exchange and doesn’t have to run out and buy more. Also, let's give it a whirl & include your user name & the name of your dish on the lid of the container. Sometimes, when we freeze a dish for later we just have no idea what is inside & who to ask for the recipe & we are too embarrassed to ask out loud on the board.

The process:

Each of us will take turns being the organizer each month. Each time we meet, someone will offer to organize the next month’s gathering.

Approximately two weeks before the next gathering, the organizer will post a new thread to the events page announcing the date and the location for that month and asking for RSVP’s.

Participants will need to RSVP their attendance by one week before the monthly gathering. They will then need to post what they are bringing by three days before the gathering. This is to help make sure we get some balance in the food so that we’re not all bringing something that has to be eaten in the next 2-3 days; that there’s a balance of stuff that can be frozen for later, or eaten sooner.

The organizer will monitor the thread to see what people are bringing. The organizer will also make reservations for the group at the restaurant where we will be gathering. People can choose to stay for the meal or just come and exchange food and leave. Just let the organizer know so they can get an accurate count for the reservation. Other LTHers are welcome to join us for the meal, even if they are not bringing food to exchange.

Exchange:
lemoneater - Tamale Queen's tamales
pairs4life - Butternut squash soup and bread
Pie Lady - Kale and Chickpea Stew
ecs - White bean, garlic and greens soup
jami
Indian Badger

Lunch:
lemoneater +1
pairs4life
Pie Lady
ecs
jami
Indian Badger

I'm in for the exchange & lunch. It's a great time to finally get to this vegetarian stalwart. I understand there is a soup that cures/prevents cold & flu.

http://www.amitabulvegan.com/

Yes, Dr. K's cure all soup, and an anti-cold soup. The soups are huge portions, and everything else is a healthy serving too. This is a great spot for sharing. If there's interest, we could do it LTH-style and pre-set the menu to get maximum tastings.

lemoneater wrote:This location is not near public transit. Give out a shout out if you need to carpool, and hopefully we can figure something out.

Well, not near, but it's just a short bus ride north from the Jefferson Park terminal, so if you're close to the blue line or UP-NW Metra you can pick up the #270 bus and it's only another 10 minutes or so.

It would be silly for me not to join in since I'm so close. Put me down for 1; I think I'm making Curried Lentil Salad.
It's sure to be cold, so I recommend the date tea. I'm all for sharing dishes, though for newcomers I must warn that the Cure-All Soup is quite spicy.

Sorry, I'm sure I asked this before, but is this the same as the Veg Small Household Exchange?

Sorry, I'm sure I asked this before, but is this the same as the Veg Small Household Exchange?

Welcome, Pie Lady! I'll add you for one. Thanks for the additional transit info. I didn't know there was a Pace bus stop. And yes, this is the same as the veg exchange. If there's enought yeas, I'll work on a New Year, deliciously salubrious menu for the group.

Count me in and i love the idea of doing a set menu of sharable items!

I'm changing my contribution. Not only is curry the enemy of tupperware, but the meal I made Tuesday was so good I must share with others. Put me down for Kale & Chickpea Stew. Am I mistaken or is there someone here allergic to mushrooms? I can attempt making a serving without them or I can give you one of my exchanged meals instead.

Pie Lady wrote:I'm changing my contribution. Not only is curry the enemy of tupperware, but the meal I made Tuesday was so good I must share with others. Put me down for Kale & Chickpea Stew. Am I mistaken or is there someone here allergic to mushrooms? I can attempt making a serving without them or I can give you one of my exchanged meals instead.

I think that's leek in the Omnivore's exchange. I think everyone on the Vegetarian Exchange is okay with mushrooms.

I'm in, but I'd have to carpool with someone if it's that hard to get to via public transportation.

It's not so bad. Are you near a blue line or UP-NW metra? Just take that to Jefferson Park, then take the #270 bus north about 10 minutes. You can plan your trip here: http://goroo.com/goroo/index.htm

Just a little BUMP to remind us to keep this on the calendar. It sounds like there's interest in a putting together a menu to share, so I'll get to work on that. My goal is to keep it at $20 or less per person.

Shouldn't be too hard. Those bowls of soup are big enough to bathe in.

Please add me to this.

I will post what I decide to make after new years!

VCT

I'll call tomorrow for the reservation and menu. Right now I count 6 for the exchange and 7 for lunch. So, we are each making 5 portions. I'm bringing tamales made with my mom, the Tamale Queen, along with a side of arroz con gandules.

Here's what I'm thinking for the menu. What do you think? Knock something off or add something you love? When I call for the reservation, I'll also ask if they have any suggestions.

Mandoo (12 pcs)
Energy Pancakes
Dr. K's Cure All Noodle Soup
Wolfman's Dream Treats
Buddha's 3 Luck
Dark Side of the Moon

So, with tax and tip about $15/per person. I figure we can order and pay for drinks separately.

This sounds good to me. See you then!

the menu sounds great! i think i am going to make a version of a white bean, garlic and greens soup. see you saturday!

Butternut squash soup and bread.

I don't know what those items are on the menu. When I looked I didn't see a description of Mandoo.

Unfortunately, I have to fill in for someone last minute at work today so I won't be able to exchange or make the lunch!

I hope everyone has a good time. I'm bummed I'm missing out on all this good food and that I still haven't properly met Victor.

Next time.

So that's 4 portions right?

Indianbadger- Alistair said that dish was "oustandingist"! What's the name of the dish & the book? Perhaps I will get a crock pot.

Thank you very much

Can you folks name the dishes I put up on the Amitabul thread?

Looks like Pie Lady definitely had a change of heart about Amitabul.

The top unnamed one was the Wolfman's Dream Treats and the bottom one was the Buddha's 3 Luck.

pairs4life wrote:Indianbadger- Alistair said that dish was "oustandingist"! What's the name of the dish & the book? Perhaps I will get a crock pot.

Thank you very much

The dish is the regular Punjabi Chhole (Chickpeas curry) made in the slow cooker!

The book is Anupy Singla's Indian Slow cooker