My guys ate - and enjoyed! - a meatless meal!

[Ginevra]

So, what I’m saying is, miracles can happen! 😄 I made a bean-based chili with no meat and also made fresh pico do gallo from garden veggies. My ds in college was home, and my younger ds and dh were also there for the meal. They all liked it! Dh and ds ate it again last night. Two meatless meals for dinner in a row! 

The good (though not really good) thing is dh was just dx’d with high cholesterol, so he’s more willing than he otherwise would be to substitute. I have been wanting to do some meatless meals for a few years now, because I think it would be healthier to not eat meat every day. 

Sadly, I might be a one-trick pony in this respect because I was confident I could make a hearty chili with no meat but I’m kind of blanking on other recipes that will be well-received. If you have any to suggest, I’m listening. My other plan is to replace ground beef with ground turkey because it has a better health profile, but obviously that is still meat and not, IMO, quite as beneficial. I don’t think dh would eat any Tofu substitute on a dare. It has to be something where meat is more incidental to the recipe so it doesn’t seem lacking by comparison. 

[fairfarmhand]

We all like falafels on pita bread with tabbouleh and tzatziki sauce. 

[fairfarmhand]

Tacos with refried beans over meat? 

Veggie based spaghetti?

[HomeAgain]

Falafels
Shakshuka with chickpeas
Stir fry (I do a chili, peanut, lime, soy sauce with spaghetti squash noodles that's really good)
Flatbread pizzas (fig, prosciutto, and goat cheese is one of our favorites.  Meat, but not very much)
Butternut squash ravioli with pesto, bruschetta, and a summer salad
Any sort of curry

We keep meat down by adding it as an ingredient to various foods or using it as a topping for
Polenta
Grain salads
Pasta
Green salads

Or offering a second, hardy food at the same meal:
taco night gets beans and/or baked sweet potato rounds with cheese and jalapenos
grains get squash and dark greens added

 

[fairfarmhand]

I’ve found that my guy needs more fat on the meatless nights to increase his satiety. Otherwise he’s hunting for chips and crap an hour later, which is worse that eating some meat at supper time. 

[ktgrok]

1 hour ago, Quill said:

So, what I’m saying is, miracles can happen! 😄 I made a bean-based chili with no meat and also made fresh pico do gallo from garden veggies. My ds in college was home, and my younger ds and dh were also there for the meal. They all liked it! Dh and ds ate it again last night. Two meatless meals for dinner in a row! 

The good (though not really good) thing is dh was just dx’d with high cholesterol, so he’s more willing than he otherwise would be to substitute. I have been wanting to do some meatless meals for a few years now, because I think it would be healthier to not eat meat every day. 

Sadly, I might be a one-trick pony in this respect because I was confident I could make a hearty chili with no meat but I’m kind of blanking on other recipes that will be well-received. If you have any to suggest, I’m listening. My other plan is to replace ground beef with ground turkey because it has a better health profile, but obviously that is still meat and not, IMO, quite as beneficial. I don’t think dh would eat any Tofu substitute on a dare. It has to be something where meat is more incidental to the recipe so it doesn’t seem lacking by comparison. 

Double check that turkey vs beef - a lot of ground turkey is actually worse than lean beef. And definitely worse than grass fed beef - and grass fed beef has a better fatty acid profile than turkey as far as omega 3 vs 6. Some (much) of the push from beef to turkey was marketing by the turkey producers. 

[Scarlett]

Quill the lentil and brown rice taco ‘meat’ might work for you once in a while.  

I also make a delicious quinoa and black bean Mediterranean bowl with a roasted red pepper sauce.  You can have a bunch of add ones and people add what they want.  

[ktgrok]

Good point about the seafood - frozen fish fillets are a favorite for me because they thaw before I have the pan or oven preheated if I put the in some water. Super fast to defrost, super fast to cook compared to most meat. Even my dd will eat a nice white flakey fish if I cook it in the cast iron skillet i a bit of olive oil/butter with some garlic salt or lemon pepper seasoning. 

[Scarlett]

6 minutes ago, Ktgrok said:

Good point about the seafood - frozen fish fillets are a favorite for me because they thaw before I have the pan or oven preheated if I put the in some water. Super fast to defrost, super fast to cook compared to most meat. Even my dd will eat a nice white flakey fish if I cook it in the cast iron skillet i a bit of olive oil/butter with some garlic salt or lemon pepper seasoning. 

Yes we can put this meal together very fast.  Steam some broccoli and some sort of carb and it is a pretty healthy meal. 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, happysmileylady said:

You can sub in portabella mushrooms for beef in some things.  I mean, obviously not everything.  Very few people are going to be satisfied with a mushroom cap over a big old TBone lol.

But like for fajitas, portabella mushroom fajitas are really good.  

Also, Rachel Ray makes a portabella mushroom cheesesteak recipe that is great.  It has too much salt, so we just decrease that.  

 

Do they eat seafood?  I mean it's still a meat, but generally pretty good for you.   

My youngest rejects mushrooms, so that is an obstacle. Honestly, I don’t even *love* mushrooms; I tolerate them mixed in but I don’t like them as the non-meat centerpiece. 

We do eat seafood (although my youngest does not like shrimp). Dh just brought home striped bass from fishing over the weekend and we ate that baked with fresh-from-our-garden vegetables, so that was definitely healthier than some of the other meals dh likes. The only problem with seafood for me is that I’m very particular about its freshness - which, fortunately, where we live is not a major obstacle - but still. Many times I have plans to make a fish meal but the particular fish I intended (like swordfish or flounder, say) doesn’t look fresh enough and I abandon that plan. 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Ktgrok said:

Double check that turkey vs beef - a lot of ground turkey is actually worse than lean beef. And definitely worse than grass fed beef - and grass fed beef has a better fatty acid profile than turkey as far as omega 3 vs 6. Some (much) of the push from beef to turkey was marketing by the turkey producers. 

This was actually why I went forward with my bean-based chili, rather than use ground turkey. The metrics were not significantly better. But they were better. Half the saturated fat and 10mg less of cholesterol. Though, obviously not as good as beans with no cholesterol and no saturated fat. 

[ktgrok]

3 minutes ago, Quill said:

This was actually why I went forward with my bean-based chili, rather than use ground turkey. The metrics were not significantly better. But they were better. Half the saturated fat and 10mg less of cholesterol. Though, obviously not as good as beans with no cholesterol and no saturated fat. 

Awesome! Yeah sometimes it works out better, it just depends on the particular turkey product and the particular beef product. My mom was inadvertently using ground turkey that was something like 20 or 30% fat as a "healthy" substitute for 97% lean beef. Oops!

Definitely look into grass fed meat as well, if you think that may be an easier sell as far as a healthier option than grain finished meat. Obviously some meatless meals are a great idea too, but it's one other substitution and maybe an easier one for them to accept. Bison might be another option - I don't remember the fat/fatty acid profile on that. But grass finished beef has better omega 3/6 than grain fed turkeys and is usually very lean (have to be careful how you cook it, more like venison). 

[Teachaheart]

Since they like the chili, you might want to try this recipe sometime: https://m.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/mexican-style-taco-stew

I prepare a dry cup of red lentils and use it in place of the meat. I use 1 TBL roasted vegetable Better Than Bouillon and 2 cups of water instead of the broth. I add the Bouillon before adding the taco seasoning and the water when the recipe calls for adding the broth. 

DH, who thinks he hasn't eaten a meal if there is no meat, will eat the whole pot if I don't save myself some first. (He works 3rd shift, so we don't often get to eat together these days.)

ETA: In winter I use sweet potato instead of the zucchini/summer squash. 

Edited August 21, 2019 by Teachaheart

[Lady Marmalade]

Lentil taco filling is surprisingly similar to meat.  I don't serve it straight up to my crew, but I do mix it half and half.  My DS doesn't care for it, but will eat it.  Everyone else enjoys it just as much as straight up tacos.  I prefer using the lentils only. 

Lentil Taco Filling

1 teaspoon oil

2/3 cup finely chopped onion

1 small clove garlic, minced

2/3 cup dried lentils, rinsed

1 tablespoon taco seasoning, or to taste

1 2/3 cups chicken broth (or veggie broth if vegetarian)

2/3 cup salsa

 

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes. Mix lentils and taco seasoning into onion mixture; cook and stir for 1 minute.
Cover lentils with chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
Uncover and cook until mixture is slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Mash lentils slightly; stir in salsa.

[Guest]

29 minutes ago, Lady Marmalade said:

Lentil taco filling is surprisingly similar to meat.  I don't serve it straight up to my crew, but I do mix it half and half.  My DS doesn't care for it, but will eat it.  Everyone else enjoys it just as much as straight up tacos.  I prefer using the lentils only. 

Lentil Taco Filling

1 teaspoon oil

2/3 cup finely chopped onion

1 small clove garlic, minced

2/3 cup dried lentils, rinsed

1 tablespoon taco seasoning, or to taste

1 2/3 cups chicken broth (or veggie broth if vegetarian)

2/3 cup salsa

 

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes. Mix lentils and taco seasoning into onion mixture; cook and stir for 1 minute.
Cover lentils with chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
Uncover and cook until mixture is slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Mash lentils slightly; stir in salsa.

Thanks! I’m going to try this next week.

[Scarlett]

1 hour ago, Thatboyofmine said:

can you share the recipe for this?   Thanks!

Yes it will be this afternoon. I am out running errands 

[May]

3 hours ago, Quill said:

My youngest rejects mushrooms, so that is an obstacle. Honestly, I don’t even *love* mushrooms; I tolerate them mixed in but I don’t like them as the non-meat centerpiece. 

We do eat seafood (although my youngest does not like shrimp). Dh just brought home striped bass from fishing over the weekend and we ate that baked with fresh-from-our-garden vegetables, so that was definitely healthier than some of the other meals dh likes. The only problem with seafood for me is that I’m very particular about its freshness - which, fortunately, where we live is not a major obstacle - but still. Many times I have plans to make a fish meal but the particular fish I intended (like swordfish or flounder, say) doesn’t look fresh enough and I abandon that plan. 

Shrimp is high in cholesterol:( I substitute lentils for meat or use half lentils, half meat. I make a great lentil sauce for pasta, which DH does enjoy. I also have a heart health cookbook that I still use.

[Frances]

Have you tried any of the Beyond Meat products? My major carnivore husband brought home burgers and sausages on his own and really likes them grilled.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Frances said:

Have you tried any of the Beyond Meat products? My major carnivore husband brought home burgers and sausages on his own and really likes them grilled.

That’s a good idea. I have tried Impossi-Meatballs at a restaurant; they were quite good. Probably even good enough to not be immediately identified a “fake” meat by a big carni. 

[AmandaVT]

As we head into fall, a pasta w/ butternut squash and goat cheese might be a hit. I've made it a few times and had no complaints from meat eaters.

 

https://food52.com/recipes/24707-goat-cheese-pasta-with-caramelized-onions-and-roasted-butternut-squash

[LucyStoner]

This broccoli and chickpea burrito is amazing and has become one of our go tos.  We have it 2-3x a month.  

https://www.thugkitchen.com/recipes/roasted-chickpea-and-broccoli-burrito

[Katy]

One of my favorite summer meals when I was a vegetarian:  Cook a pound of pasta, in the last minute of cooking add a bag of stir fry veggies, drain, combine with a can of black beans, a packet or two of ranch dressing mix, a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (enough to coat everything and dissolve the dressing powder).  Chill or eat warm, it's delicious and filling.

[Guest]

41 minutes ago, LucyStoner said:

This broccoli and chickpea burrito is amazing and has become one of our go tos.  We have it 2-3x a month.  

https://www.thugkitchen.com/recipes/roasted-chickpea-and-broccoli-burrito

Those directions!!! 😂😂😂

This one definitely has potential. I think all the boys would love this and would not miss meat. 

[LucyStoner]

9 minutes ago, Quill said:

Those directions!!! 😂😂😂

This one definitely has potential. I think all the boys would love this and would not miss meat. 

 

The chickpeas roast up nicely and really so replace the meat.  

So long as the directions amuse you, the book is full of great options.  We really like the peanut noodles with kale, the chickpea wraps with tahini dressing and the BBB bean wraps with peach salsa.  Also, it doesn’t sound good but the vegan enchilada recipe is amazing.  I’m a hero at potlucks with that dish.  

[Moonhawk]

Do they like spicy food? Right now chile relleno is on my weekly rotation. Paired with Spanish rice and refried beans on the side it can be pretty filling; add tortillas . But, you mention cholesterol, and this does take eggs, so maybe not the best fit.

- lentil soup without ham/bacon.

- stirfry with shitake mushrooms and/or tofu instead of meats. My DH doesn't even need the mushrooms or tofu, he will do veggie stir fry quite happily. ymmv on that lol. shitake mushrooms are better from dried than canned if possible, I was shocked how much of a difference it can make (I know you mentioned mushrooms are not generally a good sub in your household) 

- as mentioned above, tacos or tostadas with beans instead of meat as the base. 

- okra gumbo (again spicy, or optional spicy). I usually cut the shrimp down and have done without the shrimp as well.

- a bunch of pasta sauces are meatless, especially with summer and fall produce. We have a few favorites that are peppers-based.

 

[The Governess]

We do a lot of veggie tacos. Corn tortillas with beans, cheese, peppers, avocado or guacamole, whatever veggies we have around (even stuff like broccoli). Often we will add in steamed sweet potato chunks (goes really well with black beans and is filling). 

[Guest]

On 8/21/2019 at 5:48 PM, AmandaVT said:

As we head into fall, a pasta w/ butternut squash and goat cheese might be a hit. I've made it a few times and had no complaints from meat eaters.

 

https://food52.com/recipes/24707-goat-cheese-pasta-with-caramelized-onions-and-roasted-butternut-squash

I made a version of this recipe tonight and we all liked this one, too. I replaced the Butternut squash with Patty Pan, because I have a bunch out of my garden. I boosted the white wine sauce with a little cashew milk to make it a bit more towards a “cream” sauce. I used pieces of mozerella instead of goat cheese because I had it on hand. And I tossed in some cherry tomatoes from my garden. 

It was yummy! 

[Pen]

Subbing to be able to find recipes here!!!

[SereneHome]

Sorry don't have time to read the thread right now

I have made quinoa stuffed peppers.  People I made it for (my parents' friends) didn't realize it wasn't meat at first. I took the recipe straight from the quinoa box.  It's not the quickest recipe though, but very good as leftovers.