Vegetarians, help me plan meals

[Parrothead]

I've been trying to make every other day vegetarian in our house. Dh flat out refuses to do more. I bought two vegetarian cookbooks. Which have great recipes but they don't tell how to put a meal together. I have two casseroles, a stir fry with pasta, one cheese ravioli and two pizza recipes for dinners.

 

I won't buy the fake meat (which thread prompted this thread) because I really think it is nasty. Dh won't eat tofu. So short of putting two veggies and a grain on a plate, how do I plan menus and meals?

 

Would you be kind enough to list what a typical week's worth of meals looks like. Thank you.

[gaillardia]

I'm sorry, I'm too sleepy, and not a vegetarian, but live with two.

Can we talk about this tomorrow?

Dh always has a salad made.

I love green beans chopped on a diagonal, did ispell that right? sauteed in olive oil til they turn bright green. Turn down heat a little. I add sesame seeds, cook a minute, add some tamari (the really good soy sauce), cook a minute or so, poke a bean to check for doneness, add a little water, simmer for three minutes, more or less.

Macrobiotic: in my pressure cooker without a dial, I layer carrots on bottom, cover with cabbage, top with taters. Bring heat up, after 3-5 minutes reduce heat low, cook for 10-15 minutes. Not bad.

On whole grain bread, "natural mayo" -- the better stuff, sliced avocado, tomato slices, slices of cheese if you like, lettuce, sprouts, sprinkle mrs. dash or spike on the mayo, YUM.

Add salsa and frozen peas to brown rice the last 5-10 minutes of cook time.

I know a guy that decided he needed to lose weight so he and his wife didn't eat meat every other day. What a difference! And they ate a lot more raw vegs and fresh fruit.

Fruit salads.

Cook books are sometimes just so fancy schmancy. Give me real life.:tongue_smilie:

[scrappyhappymama]

I think I need to go to bed. I read that as "Veterinarians, help me plan meals." :001_huh: :lol:

 

I'm not vegetarian, but I've cooked for them. Some favorites were lasagna with no meat substitute, pad thai with chunks of portobello mushrooms instead of chicken/shrimp, panang curry, grilled portobello mushroom fajitas, and shish kabobs. Oh, and hummus with fresh veggies for snacks- yum! In general, I much prefer to make regular meals that taste great, and either just leave out the meat or replace it with something we enjoy like black beans or portobello mushrooms.

Edited September 9, 2010 by scrappyhappymama

[Amber in AUS]

What about vegetable quiche with a side salad? Vegetable lasagne is great too.

[helena]

For me a typical put together meal (without fake meat) would be something like:

A hearty mexican soup and giant torta (mexican sandwich). I'd wash it down with a glass of horchata.

http://www.amazon.com/Imagine-Dream-Horchata-Ounce-Boxes/dp/B002GPNT32

(It's fun to make fresh too)

[Sherry in OH]

* Homemade mac & cheese, broccoli, fruit

* Falafel, whole wheat pita, hummus, couscous (with beans, nuts, and vegetables for flavor), carrots

* Curried vegetables with paneer, rice

* Spaghetti with pesto/red sauce, salad or vegetable, bread

* Baked potato with assorted toppings

* Pizza

* Eggs, fried potato, baked beans, fruit

 

Other options -

Stir fry (I'd put tofu, fake meat, and/or nuts in it) over rice or pasta

Vegetable stew, bread

Chili with rice, polenta, or pasta

Spinach lasagne, salad, bread

Cheese tortellini, broccoli/salad, fruit

Curried vegetables with paneer, rice

Eggplant parmesan, spaghetti, salad

Bean enchiladas, Spanish rice, fruit

Soup and sandwiches

Homemade veggie burgers, baked beans, oven fries

Pancakes, fruit

[MomOfOneFunOne]

I usually try to build a plate with a protien, a veggie and or fruit and whatever else sounds good.

 

Some of my favorites:

Lentil stew, those bright green olives from the whole foods bar (don't know the name, sorry), a wedge of fine cheese (my fav is campo), and a wedge of sourdough bread.

 

Bean and cheese enchilada, chips, salsa, and guac.

 

Homemade tomato soup, a dip of carmelized onions and gk yogurt, crackers.

 

hm minestrone, nice thick slice of feta, crackers or bread, fruit or green salad

 

Gk salad with all the fixings inc. feta and bowl of soup w/ bread.

 

Gk wraps are like gk salad but wrapped and with sauteed portabello mushrooms, chips.

 

Fritatta, green salad or diced tomatoes, and roasted potatoes. Often, though, I grate the potatoes and make them into a kind of crust for the fritatta and just have salad or fruit.

 

Pasta, pasta, pasta . . . My daughter is generally in charge of the pasta meals. Pasta salad: pasta shape, asparagus, halved cherrry tomatoes, some kind of bean, a jar or two of marinated artichokes with marinade. Toss with s/p. I like it with crackers instead of bread.

 

spaghetti with hm sauce, asparagus, and a small wedge of parm or other fine cheese OR, oddly, we all like spaghetti and sauce with cottage cheese.

 

Pasta tossed with olive oil, a veggie (for us usually broccoli or asparagus), shredded parm, a white bean, and squeeze of lemon and s/p.

 

I love polenta! Make the polenta and cut into squares, brown on one side, flip and top browned side with cheese (the kind depends on topping). bown other side and melt cheese. Top with . . .

-- toss of black or brown beans, oreg, diced toms, olive oil, s/p

-- white beans, basil, tomatoes, et c.

-- salsa

served with a side of what suits . . . green salad, veggie, fruit salad, et c.

 

I think my husbands all time favorite veg meal is egg sandwiches and chips.

 

We don't really eat casseroles but I know there are lots out there. A serving of that with veggie and/or fruit, or something.

 

We also often like a veggie plate and had one last night with cornbread, okra, kale in carmelized onions, ansazi beans, and watermellon. Well, some of those aren't veggies . . . okay, most of those aren't veggies . . . but that's what we call a veggie plate.

 

Hmmmm, there's more, obviously, since that isnt' all we eat. I may post more later.

[Parrothead]

Thanks every one I appreciate the assistance. It has given me some ideas. I seem to be programmed to cook one way and changing that is more difficult than it ought to be.