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Vegetarian ideas

Swap ideas and tips or ask advice about being a veggie.
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Vegetarian ideas

Postby Lauren » Sun Jun 24, 2012 6:17 pm

My OH is a bit of a carnivore and I'm not, I do eat meat but it's something I'd like to reduce in our diet a bit. I can control my breakfast, lunch and snacks quite easily but it would be nice to switch our evening meals up a bit.

Because of working hours, he does the cooking in the evening and I tend to take over at weekends. Is anyone here vegetarian, but living with a meat-eating OH? If so, do they eat vegetarian with you a couple of times a week or do you eat seperate meals?

He is open to trying vegetarian foods and we both enjoy cooking together, so I was going to take him through some simple vegetarian meals next weekend that I used to eat regularly.

Has anyone got any good, simple recipes we could try? He does like cheese which is a saving grace in a veggie meal, but he's not really taken with eggs. 30-minute-meals would be great :)

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Re: Vegetarian ideas

Postby Alison Wright » Sun Jun 24, 2012 6:51 pm

Hi Lauren,

Neither of us are veggie, but try & cook two non-meat dishes a week, this is a favourite & it's easy.

Make the bol type sauce without meat, but using plenty of good mushrooms - even dried ones will add extra umami flavour, I promise your OH won't miss the meat.

http://littlebcooks.blogspot.co.uk/2012 ... mesan.html

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Re: Vegetarian ideas

Postby Alison Wright » Sun Jun 24, 2012 7:12 pm

Hi again,

I make this quite often, it serve two people twice & freezes well. It's not too hot, but very fragrant/aromatic, have with rice or warm nan breads or pita's.

http://amisvegetariandelicacies.blogspo ... t-and.html

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Re: Vegetarian ideas

Postby Mrs Vee » Sun Jun 24, 2012 8:05 pm

Hi Lauren

I’m veggie but my husband isn’t, I went veggie sixteen years ago and for the first five years or so I used to cook two separate meals for us almost every night; gradually, although I have never encouraged him, he has got to the point where he now only eats meat or fish if we eat out. I realise that sounds like I’ve somehow forced him into giving up meat, but in his words “I don’t think of it as vegetarian food, it’s just food that tastes good which happens to be veggie”.

I use eggs as a cooking ingredient although I’m not keen on them as ‘eggs’ if you know what I mean.

There are some recipes on my blog, under ‘Main Courses’ which you may like to try. I really am a Simple Veggie, there’s nothing too tricky or time-consuming and most meals will be on the plate in 30 minutes or so.

I don’t use a lot of fake meat and I’d suggest you steer away from it; a meat-eater will most probably be disappointed and say it tastes nothing like meat anyway!

One last piece of advice: never suggest to him “This is so tasty, you won’t miss the meat”….all that does is emphasise he’s not getting any meat and he will miss it!

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Re: Vegetarian ideas

Postby Lauren » Sun Jun 24, 2012 10:21 pm

Thank you both for your replies, I've added the links to my favourites and I will definitely give the curry dish a try. He adores curry, so a nice spicy dish or 2 should tempt him!

I know what you mean Mrs Vee, with the 'you won't miss the meat' thing. I never mention the meat aspect, I just highlight attention to the various flavours and textures to try and break his mind away from the meat aspect. Afterall, you can't compare a good vegetarian dish to a good meat dish directly!! I try and make the dish 'meaty' with pulses, beans, grains and softer texture vegetables. I dislike quorn and fake meats so I've never use them as a meat substitute.

It's taken me a while to get different types of fruit and vegetables into his diet and to actually get him to try new foods, but he enjoyed a vegetarian stuffed pepper dish I made a while ago and he did admit it was tasty 'good food' even though it didn't have chicken in it :roll:

RE: the eggs. I've got him to try omelette with bacon and cheese, which he said was OK and he will eat cakes or foods with hidden eggs but he definitely doesn't like them on their own or as an obvious part of the meal.

He's currently drooling over the ingredients I'm roasting for a red pepper and tomato soup, 'because it smells amazing!'. Might have another breakthrough here ;)

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Re: Vegetarian ideas

Postby Global_Worming » Mon Jun 25, 2012 9:44 am

Lauren my wife was vegetarian till she met me.In the week we will eat 3 vegetarian main meals. Check out the link in I love potatoes :thumbsup

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Re: Vegetarian ideas

Postby jeral » Mon Jun 25, 2012 3:11 pm

Vegetables aren't particularly sustaining, so things like lasagne or pasta bakes or layered potato or aubergine bakes are substantial enough not to seem like rabbit food. As already mentioned, mushrooms especially if left as big pieces make a good textural substitute for meat. Nuts like cashews go well in many dishes, including stirfries to give chewy bite and add nutrition.

Starters like soup or paté make good fillers, not to mention apple or other fruit pies with custard for dessert.

Cuisines from abroad go down well here. Some use spices but almost never hot ones other than a hint. It helps for some "plates" if two dishes arrive so that all the veg don't have to be bunged in the same pot (and thus lose their individual flavours). There's a good method of making ratatouille incidentally which retains original separate tastes.

If OH isn't quite ready to leave meat behind, you can fry up a bit of chorizo or smoked bacon bits in a pan and use the flavoured fat for his (otherwise veggie) dish after you've take yours out.

Does your OH respond to smells? Such as that of onion and cumin sautéing, or tikka powder in a bit of oil, which whets the appetite, if liked of course, so a head start to enjoying the meal whatever it is! The one I cook for always says "Something smells good!" so acts as a good trigger of anticipation.

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Re: Vegetarian ideas

Postby jeral » Mon Jun 25, 2012 3:43 pm

Ooh! I've just remembered filo topped pies where the squares of filo sit on top of a pie to resemble petals, e.g.:

http://allrecipes.com.au/recipe/6633/fi ... s-pie.aspx

http://www.dolmio.ie/Recipedetails.aspx ... d4e410d9d4

The pie fillings aren't veggie (swap for something that is) but quite impressive to show that veggie food doesn't have to be boring :thumbsup

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Re: Vegetarian ideas

Postby Lauren » Mon Jun 25, 2012 8:43 pm

I'll admit I'm trying to keep the foods a bit lighter than the typical layered creamy dishes, I'm lactose intolerant so I don't want to be adding much dairy. From the old days of veggie cooking I found milk substitutes never really worked well.

He responds very well to good smells, it has helped a lot in diversifying his diet a bit! Im experiemental with herbs, spices and methods of cooking and his open mindedness has increased a lot since living with me. It's taken years of gentle persuasion to get him into a mindframe to try new foods without immediately turning it down or refusing 'because he doesn't like it'. I'm definitely not trying to turn him veggie, but once or twice a week would be nice for now :twisted:

We don't eat starters or puddings very often Jeral, but I'll check the main recipes out. Thanks :)

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Re: Vegetarian ideas

Postby jeral » Mon Jun 25, 2012 9:42 pm

We're not big on cheese/milk either, though it's hard to beat a bit of grated Parmesan (veggie "hard cheese equivalent") on some things. Milky sauces are not welcomed here either for savoury dishes, although coconut milk/cream has its place in some dishes (assuming coconut liked). Most veg I put into bakes just have stock (if required). Quark has its merits (it's like a vegan creme fraiche, so non-lactose). I haven't been able to experiment much with quark as it's not often in my supermarket.

Soya milk is non lactose and unsweetened is good for herby sauces and custard) but no good if the sight of milky sauce and buttery bechamels put you off. However, rice milk is really good for drinking (chilled) and on cereals, especially to keep up calcium/protein if meat/eggs aren't on the breakfast table.

We're not starter/pud people either but the starters can be great for lunches anyway and both starter and pud come in very useful if an untried "main" is a disaster (bin job). Some of my concoctions have gone in the bin and trust me they wouldn't have if I thought they were salvageable. (Wrong mix of vegetables and herbs I reckon so that some just "taste funny".)

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Re: Vegetarian ideas

Postby Mamta1 » Sun Oct 21, 2012 2:28 pm

My OH is a bit of a carnivore and I'm not,

same as me; I am now a pescatarion, and have a husband who doesn't like a meal without meat. Try Indian cuisine sometime, it is full of wholesome and delicious main meal that are totally vegetarian.

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Re: Vegetarian ideas

Postby Sakkarin » Mon Oct 22, 2012 1:55 pm

That's weird, one of my favourite meat recipes (keema mutter) is by an almost veggie!!!

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Re: Vegetarian ideas

Postby Puss-in-boots » Fri Oct 26, 2012 5:59 pm

Hi Lauren, how about a mixed mushroom stroganoff with rice. I make mine with a gravy and finish with cream but you could just make it with Alpro.

What i would suggest is to gently fry off some chopped onion and then add the mushrooms, add a little French mustard about ½tsp to it then some veg stock, cook for a few seconds then add the Alpro, cook at a low (ish) heat until the mushrooms are to your liking, the mustard will also colour the dish nicely. You could add a little Tarragon if you like it or alternatively you could add some Basil or Thyme. With regards to the rice you could get the Boil-in-the bag which I use and I find just as good as they do all sorts of varieties nowadays and start it before the stroganoff.

I will have a think of some more veggie ideas for you.

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Re: Vegetarian ideas

Postby DEB » Sat Nov 03, 2012 9:45 am

Hi

I do a good chilli which uses lentils rather than meat. Be warned it makes alot, searve wirh rice, wraps or baked potatoes.

Red Bean Chilli

Preparation time: 10 minutes + 25 minutes cooking. Freezing: recommended.

This quick chilli is good with bread, mashed potatoes, plain pasta or rice, or some potato wedges, soured cream and chives. If there is any left over, it's nice cold as a salad, or stuffed into pitta bread, or as a filling for crepes or tortillas.


1 tablespoon olive oil
400 g (14 oz) can of tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, de-seeded and chopped
150g red lentils
500ml Water or veg stock
432 g can of red kidney beans, drained
125 g (4 oz) carrots, diced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 large green chilli, de-seeded and sliced or chilli powder 1.5tsp


1. Heat the oil in a medium-large saucepan, then put in the onion, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Add the red pepper and carrot to the pan with the garlic. Stir, then cover and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Stir the tomatoes into the mixture, breaking them up gently with the spoon.
4. Add the chilli, and cook gently, then lentils and water/stock cook gently covered, for 10-15 minutes or until the carrot and lentils are tender.
5. Remove lid if too liquid and add more liquid if nessary.
6. Put in the red kidney beans and cook for a further 1-2 minutes to heat them through. Season with salt and pepper and add a pinch or so of chilli powder if it needs more of a kick, then serve.

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Re: Vegetarian ideas

Postby DEB » Sat Nov 03, 2012 9:56 am

Hi

Sorry I ment to give you these links
This reheats well searve with nan/pitta or rice
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1364 ... -casserole

I tend to use this filling between lasagne sheets and top with tomato sauce.
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/5316 ... cannelloni

Another family fav, with peas reather than broad beans reheats and frezes well
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1499 ... ckpea-soup

Hope this hepls

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Re: Vegetarian ideas

Postby Puss-in-boots » Tue Nov 06, 2012 7:30 pm

That Chilli sounds lovely Deb I will definitely give it a try, would you serve it with a Jacket potato?

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