I need a vegetarian recipe that my meat-loving husband will like?

Question

We want to start having "vegetarian nights" where we have meatless dinners. But, he doesn't like fish :( What can I make that he'll like?

Answer 1

If you and your husband are open to international foods, you may want to try theme nights just for fun. I am dating an omnivore who loves his meat as well but when I cook, he doesn't eat meat that night. To try to make up for it we have Mexican night, Indian night, Szchwan Stir-Fry, etc. We also have nights where he cooks his meat separately and then half of the non-meat part is added to his pan.

Tomorrow is Italian. Here is what we will be making just to give you an idea:

Italian Skillet Supper

Serving Size: 4

* 1 14.5 oz can vegetable broth
* 8 ounces uncooked orzo pasta
* 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes w/basil, garlic & oregano -- undrained (I will be using stewed tomatoes, but either is okay)
* 1 15 oz. can black beans -- rinsed & drained
* 2 cups frozen broccoli, cauliflower & carrots -- (from a 16 oz. pkg.) (I am using freshed steamed, but either is fine)
* 14 oz of Gimme Lean Sausage style, cooked and broken into small chunks
*1 lb of sausage out of the casing, cooked and broken into small chunks
* 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (optional) -- chopped

Heat broth to boiling in a 10-inch skillet.
Stir in pasta.
Heat to boiling and reduce heat to low.
Cover and simmer 10-12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Stir in tomatoes, beans, and vegetables. Separate half of mixture and put into another skillet. Add Gimme Lean to one pan and the sausage to the other pan
Cover and cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.

Stir in parsley.

I hope that helps. Otherwise I think going over a few recipes together that you would both like is an excellent idea. Happy cooking!

Answer 2

First of all, congratulations! It will be really nice when you just walk right on passed the meats and see how low your bill comes to! Veggie meals are more healthful, so you may try to find recipes on many of the websites. Just make sure that you start out slowly so that you feel confident about how to prepare the meals. You don't have to go overboard all at once. You may make some meals throughout the week that are "meat free" nights/lunches, etc. Introducing a meat-eater this way is easier. Before you do too much 'ranting' about no meats, back up what you say to inspire him. He may not know that eating a cup of beans [yum! mexican food ] is pretty much all that's required for protein vs. meats, an sooo much cheaper! Find some interesting facts such as a nice 'nutritional' list of the fruits/veggies showing how much vitamins/minerals there are in the foods. Just do a search on the web! I was suprised myself to find how much vit. C is in red bellpeppers compared to oranges! He can still be a "meat' and potatoes" man on a vegetarian diet! Good Luck!

Answer 3

First of all... Fish IS meat. Therefore your sentence regarding it doesn't belong in your question.

Veggie tacos - Substitutes the hamburger for Morningstar Farms crumbles or Boca ground. Do everything else the same.

Eggplant Parmesan - Take a chicken parm recipe, and put eggplant in instead. Fry it a little first.

Various pastas - The abovementioned fake hamburger works well to make a "meat" sauce.

Stir Fry - Morningstar Farms has this delicious spicy fake chicken strip. Throw it in with a bunch of veggies in a stir fry.

Have fun.

Answer 4

Check out "The Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook" by Robin Robertson for ideas. You can also go to www.vegweb.com, which should have some hearty recipes. Both you and your husband should look for recipes that sound good to you. But it's also as simple as crumbling tempeh or veggie crumbles into pasta sauce or making chili with tempeh instead of meat. And you can make hearty soups and stews as well.

I see no problem with meat analogues. Some are good and some are not so good, and you have to decide what's right for you. But for someone who likes his meat, you might want to use the substitutes to give him the hearty flavor and texture he likes. And if you use tofu, check out my tips for avoiding the mushy factor. Also know that it does take practice to get it right.

And fish is animal flesh, so it's definitely NOT vegetarian.

Good luck!

Answer 5

I make a vegetable/dumpling recipe. I just use vegetarian broth cubes, cook the veggies in the broth (carrots, green beans, onions, garlic, ears of corn) and season till I'm satisfied. Then I make a dumpling out of unbleached flour, baking powder, salt and shortening (mixture of palm oil shortening and Earth Balance) and soymilk. The palm oil shortening in its natural state is like Crisco but the palm oil is not hydrogenated. I then drop the dumplings on the soup when the veggies are done, cover and let them cook.

Hope this helps.

Answer 6

Try pizza. Scramble fry a meat alternative or just go with a plain cheese pizza. Or lasagna. You need to find something where you can substitute for the meat without really changing the flavour or texture of the food.

Answer 7

I use the veggie burgers, crumble them up and use the meat to make lasagna. My family didnt even know it was "meatless" IT tastes great!

Answer 8

I wrote an article with some Fake/Faux Meat meal ideas -
here's the link :)
http://hubpages.com/hub/Fake-Faux-Meat-Entrees-Vegetarians-Can-Quickly-Make-

Answer 9

first off, fish IS meat.

secondly, I've always been a huge fan of pasta, despite being a carnivore. marinara sauce with spaghetti or Mustoccoli(sp?) and plenty of cheese.

Answer 10

Soy Tacos. You make them with the Boca ground beef, but that's the only difference. My brother, who I guess might be considered "anti-vegan foods", loves them. He says he can't tell the difference.