Vegan meals friendly for the non-vegan carnivore

[stephanier.1765]

DH and I have semi-recently become vegan. I'm enjoying the change however my son who is all carnivore does not. He's only here for dinner 2-3 nights a week but that's about a couple of evenings too many for meals I know how to make that he will eat and are vegan. I make one pasta meal that he loves but I don't want to make pasta multiple evenings in a row. Is there anything I can cook that the picky man-boy will eat? He's stressing me out!

[nixpix5]

Well...I have some picky eaters and on all recipe there is a black been quinoa dish that everyone loves. I make a separate dish of turkey burger that I season and those who want the meat take a scoop and mix it in. I also usually make a side vegetable dish like broccoli or asparagus etc.

[gardenmom5]

I apologize that I can never remember if vegan eats eggs/diary or not.  spanakopeta?   a gal I know can't eat meat when she's pg, but she loved it.

[lewber]

We have come to prefer lentil tacos over regular beef ones. I just make a batch of red lentils, then I saeason them with taco type seasonings, add beans and tomatoes. Then add regular taco toppings. If you're not opposed you could put out some cheese, sour cream, etc, but we're usually ok with lettuce and guacamole, salsa, etc. Side of Spanish rice with some fruit and it's a yummy dinner.

[freeindeed]

Black bean tacos, vegan nachos, Portobello mushroom fajitas, http://damndelicious.net/2014/10/03/easy-lo-mein/, http://meatfreeketo.com/vegan-keto-crack-slaw/, and this list: https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/top-10-vegan-recipes-of-2016/. My dd16 and I are vegan, and my ds14 is pescatarian. My dh and dd9 still eat meat, but they like these vegan meals.  :001_smile:

[Guest]

I'm a big dip fan. Several hot and cold bean dips like vegan taco dip and garlic hummus, along with appropriate crackers and veggies for dipping, is always fun for one meal out of the week.

[AK_Mom4]

First to know - I think vegan cheese is just gross. If you have found one that you like for your family, that's great but I avoid it.  So when doing vegan, I try to stick to foods that are culturally vegan rather than try to "vegan-ify" an meat dish IYKWIM.

 

Second - we are not vegans here.  Nor are we vegatarians.  But sometimes we have guests who are or choose to eat meat-free.  These are all vegan meals that pass the test with our family of meat eaters.

 

Meal One - Big pot of beans.  We like red beans, but black or pinto are good too.  Serve beans with big slices of cornbread. This Recipe uses soymilk which I never buy so I substitute water and it works fine.  With lots of people to feed, I put out chips and salsa.

 

Meal 2 - leftover beans turn into yummy burritos.  Beans, rice, sauteed veggies (I like mushrooms and peppers in mine) in a vegan tortilla.  Note - vegan tortillas in the store can be gross.  Make your own - it's just flour, water and oil.  Here's a recipe with instructions/

 

Meal 3 - you made extra tortillas, right?  Taco night!  Grilled veggies are the stars here.  Long strips of grilled portabello mushrooms, grilled peppers, onions.  I had a Sweet Potato taco one time where the sweet potato was baked and mashed, then used like refried beans, but I have also seen it cubed and baked and added to tacos. YMMV.

 

Meal 4 - Stirfry broccoli and mushrooms over rice with egg rolls.  I have never owned a wok, but my cast iron fry pan works great.  Here's a recipe for baked egg rolls - honestly, we like the fried ones better, but these are tasty.

 

Meal 5 - Black Bean chili. Cornbread usually is the side dish for this one, but tortillas would work well too.

 

Meal 6 - You can't go wrong with a nice baked potato topped with yesterday's left over black bean chili.  DD16's friend likes vegan yoghurt on hers, but it might be an acquired taste. 

 

Meal 7 - Ratatouille (aka vegetable stew).  This recipe is super-easy once you get past chopping up all the veggies. Do a vegan flat-bread (think fat tortilla that's baked instead of fried).

 

 

Edited October 1, 2017 by AK_Mom4

[eternalsummer]

If your local store (esp a natural foods store) stocks Stacy's Organic Tortillas, those are vegan and very tasty.  

 

Even when we were on a sort of standard American diet, we never ate meat 4x per week, so I think it's pretty normal to have some beans & rice nights, or salad + soup nights, or veg. casserole nights.  A hearty bean soup, big salad, and garlic bread satisfies here.

[Selkie]

We eat mostly vegan and I get most of my inspiration for meals from Instagram. Here are a few of my favorites:

 

https://www.instagram.com/bestofvegan/

 

https://www.instagram.com/veganfoodspot/

 

https://www.instagram.com/minimalistbaker/?hl=en

 

https://www.instagram.com/letscookvegan/

 

 

[hornblower]

We're vegan for years now.

I find for carnis or people transitioning, one of the best things is to veganize 'normal' meals with faux meats. Their texture and flavours have improved by leaps and bounds in the past 5 yrs. 

So if you like to have mashed potatoes and sausages (bbq or on frying pan), try Field Roast sausages. Field Roast sausages are honestly too meaty for me but a couple people in my family adore them. 

Any recipe that uses ground beef is easy to veganize with Yves Cuisines Just Like Ground, or Gardein Beefless Crumble. So shepherd's pie, tacos etc. 

The Gardein beefless tips do well in stir fry. 


Lentil soups, Mexican tomato & bean soup are other easy options. Chili. 


falafels 

curries 

ratatouille 


I disagree about vegan cheese being gross :) 

Daiya is ok as is Earth Island.
Tofutti sour cream can be subbed straight for any sour cream 




 

Edited October 1, 2017 by hornblower

[Χά�ων]

DH is currently obsessed with portebello BBQ

[hornblower]

btw, Minimalist Baker has lots of quick recipes if you're looking to expand your repertoire....  https://minimalistbaker.com/amazing-vegan-dinners/

 

[displace]

Sweet potato chili from chocolate covered katie.com. I think it's vegan. It's awesome!!

[mamaraby]

Daiya is ok as is Earth Island.

Tofutti sour cream can be subbed straight for any sour cream

Earth Island in the US is the brand Follow Your Heart. Their slices are my favorite as is their parmesan style. Tofutti sour cream does have an aftertaste that a non-vegan might not appreciate. But really, like everything tastebuds change. There are a lot of things I didn’t like when I first went vegan that I love now and vice versa. Field Roast also makes slices called Chao that are tasty and work great on burgers or the like.

 

Aside from that I pretty much agree with hornblower. Aside from Gardein, Beyond Meat, and Field Roast (best frankfurters ever!), I find that I prefer seitan to things from brands like Boca or Gardenburger.

 

I’m willing to bet some of what your omni is missing is that umami flavor. You can work that in with things like miso, Better than Boullion, tomato paste, mushrooms, soy sauce, marmite, etc. I usually look towards layering those sorts of flavors when taking old recipes and veganizing them.

 

And maybe some new recipes? Hot for Food has some very accessible recipes with a good eye towards layering flavors and good flavor complexity. https://www.hotforfoodblog.com/welcome They also have a YouTube channel. Gaz at Avant Garde Vegan (https://www.avantgardevegan.com) is really good at that as well.

[MistyMountain]

We have come to prefer lentil tacos over regular beef ones. I just make a batch of red lentils, then I saeason them with taco type seasonings, add beans and tomatoes. Then add regular taco toppings. If you're not opposed you could put out some cheese, sour cream, etc, but we're usually ok with lettuce and guacamole, salsa, etc. Side of Spanish rice with some fruit and it's a yummy dinner.

 

This was going to be my suggestion. Lentil tacos are yummy and there are so many toppings that can go with them including non cheese ones like mentioned.

[SparklyUnicorn]

As a non vegan carnivore, none of these sound appealing. 

 

I think it would be easier to just cook up a piece of meat for him. 

 

Then again, I guess you could also take the approach this is what I'm serving...eat it or make your own food....

 

 

[Junie]

Can you tolerate cooking and smelling meat?  If so, that would open up your options.

 

The only meatless meal options I can think of are pasta, fried rice, vegetable soup, and maybe individual pizzas.  For the pizza, you could put on real cheese and some pepperoni or w/e for your son.

[regentrude]

I apologize that I can never remember if vegan eats eggs/diary or not. 

 

Vegan means no animal products. So nope, no dairy, no eggs.

Vegetarians eat no meat, but eat dairy, and some of them will eat eggs.

[J-rap]

We have the whole mix in our family (vegan, paleo, "normal" :), GF, keto and others).  We've all found that garbanzo beans make a great meat substitute in soups and stews.  They're dense and filling, and bigger than other legumes.  

 

But also, could you keep some individually wrapped chicken breasts or some other individual type of meat that you could prepare and serve on the side when your ds is there?  My ds is on a paleo diet and he likes to eat a lot of meat.  I keep various packages of grass-fed beef sausages or individual hamburger patties along with free-range chicken breasts in my freezer that I can easily take out and prepare when he is here.  

[stephanier.1765]

We have the whole mix in our family (vegan, paleo, "normal" :), GF, keto and others).  We've all found that garbanzo beans make a great meat substitute in soups and stews.  They're dense and filling, and bigger than other legumes.  

 

But also, could you keep some individually wrapped chicken breasts or some other individual type of meat that you could prepare and serve on the side when your ds is there?  My ds is on a paleo diet and he likes to eat a lot of meat.  I keep various packages of grass-fed beef sausages or individual hamburger patties along with free-range chicken breasts in my freezer that I can easily take out and prepare when he is here.  

 

As much as I don't want to do that and cook a "one meal fits all," it may just be the best approach. Funny though, those are the kind of meals that stress me out the most. I work best with one goal in mind vs trying to accomplish many. 

[Guest]

Street tacos. You can have vegan fillings and add a serving of shredded cheese and of Meat filling pretty easily. Vegans can use Beyond Meat taco-ready pea-based protein and it is yummy enough that the meat-eater might just join in. I did this today for church coffee hour. WehAve meat eaters and vegetarians and vegans and allergies of all kinds. This way, everyone gets something to eat.

[regentrude]

veggie pizza (no cheese for you, but perhaps cheese for him?)

 

hearty vegetable stew

 

chickpea curry

 

[mytwomonkeys]

chili, beefless stew, potato soup, veggie pizza, quesadillas, burritos, spaghetti, lasagna, farmers plate (mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, biscuits), stir fry, cheeseless mac & cheese... really anything you would normally eat there is a vegan healthy version. I don’t buy fake meat & all of my meals satisfy my carnivore husband ðŸ‘ðŸ»

 

ETA- On my Pinterest I have some yummy recipes pinned: https://www.pinterest.com/amykeith71/ hope that helps youðŸ½

Edited October 1, 2017 by mytwomonkeys

[gardenmom5]

if you want to do something different, a lot of indian curries are vegan.

[hornblower]

Oh, I forgot that in the US you guys have a product called Beyond Meat. It's way harder to find around here but I've read good reviews of it. 

No soy, for those that don't/can't eat soy. http://www.beyondmeat.com/

[Zinnia]

Bean and rice bowls.  I do pintos, rice, then top with cilantro, onions, jalapeno, some sort of salsa, cooked onions and peppers, guacamole if we have it, corn if we have it, whatever sounds good.  :)  If you have the guacamole or cubed avocado, you miss the cheese and sour cream less.  

 

My kids also like sloppy lentils.  Make sloppy joes however you do (even a can works for this), and mix in 1 lb of cooked lentils in lieu of the ground meat.  

 

The other one my kids like is Thai curry.  Super easy.   We like tofu, so I'll add it sometimes, but sometimes just veg.  

 

Trader Joe's General Tsao's cauliflower over rice.

 

My kids like fried tofu, just cubes, with bbq sauce, like nuggets.

 

Oh, and I make a pasta salad that is pasta, tofu cubes, black olives, artichoke hearts, and a vinaigrette.  So good.

 

 

[Catwoman]

As a non vegan carnivore, none of these sound appealing. 

 

I think it would be easier to just cook up a piece of meat for him.

:iagree:

 

In my personal opinion, imitation meat only tastes like meat to people who don't eat meat. :)

 

Since your family has eaten meat in the past, you obviously already know how to cook your son's favorite meals, so can you cook foods like potatoes, vegetables, and salad for everyone and then add a piece of meat for your son? You could buy small packages of the meats he likes, and freeze individual servings so you can thaw only what you need for each meal.

[eternalsummer]

If they're ethically vegan, they may not want to cook meat.  (this would be the equivalent of saying, I know you guys don't believe in slavery but can you just hire one to serve me dinner when I'm there, not to serve you).

 

Field Roast's vegan burgers are very good.  They are not anything like an actual burger, but they are their own kind of tasty.  I say this as someone who loathes imitation meat products on the whole.

 

Fake cheese is okay as long as it is very cold.  Once it's warm or melted it definitely tastes like not-cheese.  I have gotten used to it (the Daiya anyway) and the kids don't know the difference so they like it, but to someone new to the idea it is definitely distinctively not-cheese.

 

Those Chao slices are great cold with crackers, though.  You could do that, bean stew, sliced fruit, salad.

 

 

[Catwoman]

If they're ethically vegan, they may not want to cook meat. (this would be the equivalent of saying, I know you guys don't believe in slavery but can you just hire one to serve me dinner when I'm there, not to serve you).

 

Field Roast's vegan burgers are very good. They are not anything like an actual burger, but they are their own kind of tasty. I say this as someone who loathes imitation meat products on the whole.

 

Fake cheese is okay as long as it is very cold. Once it's warm or melted it definitely tastes like not-cheese. I have gotten used to it (the Daiya anyway) and the kids don't know the difference so they like it, but to someone new to the idea it is definitely distinctively not-cheese.

 

Those Chao slices are great cold with crackers, though. You could do that, bean stew, sliced fruit, salad.

You're right -- I hadn't even thought of the ethical aspect of this, because I was only thinking that they are fairly new to veganism so she would know how to cook meat. Thanks for pointing that out. :)

[stephanier.1765]

Ethical was the beginning of our veganism. DH watched a documentary declared he was a vegan and I went along with the ride. At first I couldn't wait for him to give it up like a fad but now I've come to enjoy and prefer it. The thought now of eating meat, cheese or any sort of dairy turns my stomach. And on the plus side, it makes weight maintenance a whole lot easier.

[KungFuPanda]

Can you just prepare a side of meat for him to go with whatever you're cooking? He wasn't raised vegan, and you've only recently become so, so I'm guessing your remember how to grill chicken or fry hamburger and his body is used to having meat proteins at dinner. Pulling off a vegetarian meal that is satisfying for meat eaters isn't that hard. Pulling off a vegan meal is tricky. I can only think of using the fake ground beef and making ground beef recipes he's used to with it. Maybe chili, tacos, etc. he may still be hungry after that with no meat or cheese protein to tell his body it's full.

[hornblower]

Can you just prepare a side of meat for him to go with whatever you're cooking? 

I think op has stated they are ethical vegans. 

 

Think of it like conversion. You're doing it for deeply moral reasons. You cannot just turn that off.  

 

Ds can learn to like plant proteins. There's no magic involved in protein. They break down into amino acids no matter what form you consume them in. 

 

If he's really miserable I'd cheer him up with vegan junk food desserts. Like Oreos. And the new vegan Ben & Jerry's ice cream..... 

[LifeLovePassion]

I made an instant pot beef and broccoli, but instead of beef used sliced mini portabello mushrooms.

[eternalsummer]

hornblower, what do you think about bone char sugar? (since you referenced the oreos).  I am on the fence and would appreciate any thoughts.

[hornblower]

hornblower, what do you think about bone char sugar? (since you referenced the oreos).  I am on the fence and would appreciate any thoughts.

 

soooo, this is how we handle it: we don't buy bone char sugar for our own baking (fortunately there's a readily available and inexpensive brand available which is not bone char treated) but I do not worry about the sugar in a finished processed food product.   So long as it's sugar and not honey, if it has no obvious animal products listed in ingredients, we will buy it. 

 

Same with l-cysteine. 

 

 

[Χά�ων]

I find this discussion interesting. I am amazed that there are people who do not have meatless meals on occasion.

 

We are not full vegan, I refuse to throw out frozen meat, but we are transitioning.

[Anne]

I find this discussion interesting. I am amazed that there are people who do not have meatless meals on occasion.

 

We are not full vegan, I refuse to throw out frozen meat, but we are transitioning.

 

We eat some meatless meals, but most of them involve cheese, and/or eggs, which I understand vegans do not eat.  

 

Anne

[Soror]

(hugs) I hope you got some good ideas (I love the Veg Keto site myself- I need lower carb and am trying to up my veggie intake, which has been less than optimal these days). If you are ethical vegans I'd continue trying new things, surely you will find some things he likes. Personally, I very rarely serve gluten in my house and then it is very limited to things that won't contaminate, I do my best to make dishes that everyone likes when I have company but I'm sure some miss the gluten, that is ok, it won't kill anyone to live without it and it won't kill your ds to live without meat a few meals and if he feels he has to have it he can eat before or after visiting.

 

Personally, as a meat eater, I do not care to eat meat substitutes, I can't eat wheat and avoid soy. I do really enjoy beans, especially various ethnic dishes. I've been dairy free for the most part of 10 years, I still don't care for cheese substitutes. I think Daiya is better than the others but I'd rather just go without. I do like nutritional yeast in some things, especially on popcorn!

 

Besides the yummy suggestions(especially the curry, mexican dishes and ratatoille) already mentioned, have you tried any buddha bowls? Roasted chickpeas (with some spice) are delicious, throw together with some nuts, greens, veggies and yummy dressings and it is very filling.

 

 

Edited October 2, 2017 by soror

[SparklyUnicorn]

I find this discussion interesting. I am amazed that there are people who do not have meatless meals on occasion.

 

We are not full vegan, I refuse to throw out frozen meat, but we are transitioning.

 

I have meatless meals, but what I don't care for are weird meat substitutes.  I'm also not a fan of beans.  So with my meatless meal I'd probably have cheese, nuts, or yogurt.  Except for the nuts, that's not vegan either.  And no I won't eat fake cheese.

[Zinnia]

I have always been too scared to try fake cheese. Like I can't imagine what it would taste like. I went dairy free for a breastfeeding baby for 18 months, andid just skipped cheese.

 

We are huge bean eaters, though, so that part is easier.

[Ravin]

I would give him permission to scratch for himself from what's available in the kitchen, and have him make a list of staples he'd like to have available and keep those stocked, then just make what you want and let him eat it or not. I would not cater to a picky child capable of cooking for himself beyond that.

 

ETA if the reasons are entirely ethical, in that you don't want to spend money on animal products, I would still do as above, but maybe give your DS a food budget with which to decide for himself what to buy and eat, with a request that he not bring animal products into the house.

Edited October 2, 2017 by Ravin

[Excelsior! Academy]

Not vegan here, but we gave up dairy as a family for a while after a kiddo was diagnosed with food allergies.  We found Daiya cheese to be a pretty good substitute for regular cheese.

[ktgrok]

I'd do black beans and rice, or red beans and rice, with maybe some roasted peppers. (I broil pepper and onion slices to simulate grilled ones, super easy and fast). My kid prefers the yellow rice to white rice. 

 

Or a bean based soup, like a lentil soup, or a bean based chili. 

 

Both of those are "normal" things that non vegans eat. 

[stephanier.1765]

Both of those are "normal" things that non vegans eat. 

 

You would think so but my non-vegan is non-normal and uber picky. Beans of any sort are a big no. I once saw him vomit after taking one bite of a green bean.  :eek:

 

Pretty much veggies of any sort are a no. You would think someone would outgrow that and if so I'm still waiting for it to happen. His girlfriend keeps trying to expand his palate but she is having no better luck than I did.

[ktgrok]

You would think so but my non-vegan is non-normal and uber picky. Beans of any sort are a big no. I once saw him vomit after taking one bite of a green bean.  :eek:

 

Pretty much veggies of any sort are a no. You would think someone would outgrow that and if so I'm still waiting for it to happen. His girlfriend keeps trying to expand his palate but she is having no better luck than I did.

 

Well, if he won't eat beans, and you won't serve meat or eggs or cheese, I'd say have lots of peanut butter and jelly and bread around, lol. 

 

Pancakes with veggie sausages? I don't like most non meat things, but the sasage patties are pretty good. Plus fruit. 

SaveSave

[foxbridgeacademy]

I've found that Boca Veggie Crumbles or TVP (basically same thing) works great as a ground beef stand in for tacos, chili, spaghetti, and Cottage Pie (not shepherd's pie which has milk). We also do Boca burgers, and Gardin Pork Bites are AMAZING.  Other options that make a decent stand in for texture (in chicken dishes) is sweet potatoes (in Curry) Portabella mushrooms and Eggplant.  I also really like black/beluga lentils, they don't get as mushy as the red/green ones do.  For dressing/sauces try Miso & Tahini they have that savory/umami  flavor with out the meat. 

 

 

DD is Vegan(almost 2 years), the rest of us are flexitarians(about 1-2 months) with DH leaning more Vegan.  I keep a bag of pre-cooked chicken in the freezer and I make carnivore food about 1X a week when I can't take it any more but that's getting less frequent.  We have given up ground beef entirely (even though I have about $50 worth of grass fed in the freezer) because it just tastes gross now.  I'm hoping I can use up the chicken and pork in freezer before we're completely turned off meat.

Edited October 3, 2017 by foxbridgeacademy

[MBM]

Will your son eat a tofu scramble? The trick to making those taste good is the seasoning. I have one that is a combination of brewers yeast, turmeric, cayenne, garlic powder, kalanamak salt and a few other things. I'm not at home right now so don't have access to recipe.

 

Quinoa recipes might be an idea, too.

Edited October 3, 2017 by MBM

[KungFuPanda]

I find this discussion interesting. I am amazed that there are people who do not have meatless meals on occasion.

We are not full vegan, I refuse to throw out frozen meat, but we are transitioning.

  

I'd do black beans and rice, or red beans and rice, with maybe some roasted peppers. (I broil pepper and onion slices to simulate grilled ones, super easy and fast). My kid prefers the yellow rice to white rice. 

 

Or a bean based soup, like a lentil soup, or a bean based chili. 

 

Both of those are "normal" things that non vegans eat.

 

Vegetarian is easy. I think a lot of people have vegetarian days here and there without having to think too much about it. Vegan is SO much harder. At least it seems that way to me. I'd be eating a LOT of beans and rice and wishing for real cheese or sour cream for it. I could do veggie soup every day, but I'd miss the richness of bone broth. My favorite red beans and rice recipe actually has two kinds of meat in it and I'm making that tomorrow. :-/

 

Funnily enough, with all my complaints, dinner was vegan mulligatawny soup. That and hummus are my most-craved vegan meals. I do ruin the soup with a dollop of yogurt. I also LOVE a broccoli soup that's made with water, salt, and broccoli and puréed. It's SO creamy. Part of the reason vegan is hard is that creamy is a much-desired texture done best with cream.

[eternalsummer]

Given his reluctance to eat beans or vegetables, I'd also say feed him a lot of pb & J sandwiches.

 

[J-rap]

As a non vegan carnivore, none of these sound appealing. 

 

I think it would be easier to just cook up a piece of meat for him. 

 

Then again, I guess you could also take the approach this is what I'm serving...eat it or make your own food....

 

We eat a lot of vegan meals (even though we're not vegan) so a lot of the suggestions actually sound really good to me!

 

But I do think cooking up one piece of meat to serve to him on the side of whatever else you're making for the whole family would be pretty easy to do.  I don't mean making a fancy meat dish on the side...  Just a plain chicken breast or hamburger patty or something simple that he can flavor himself.

 

Since I'm assuming you were eating meat before becoming vegan and that this is a deviation from your typical family meals, I'd still try and accommodate his preferences (not necessarily every night, but often) but do it as easily as possible.