One night vegetarian
Posted on August 19, 2009 by LJ
Wednesdays are simplicity days at SimpleProductivity blog.
In addition to my resolution that we eat in locally-owned businesses when we eat out, I am also trying to incorporate one meatless day in every week.
This new resolution is partly because of the green-ness of not eating meat, the lessening of the food bill, and I’ll be perfectly honest: cooking vegetarian is simpler because I don’t have to defrost anything!
However, doing vegetarian is not easy for someone raised in Dairyland, where beef is on the table pretty much every day. (And my Hindu friends are having a really good time laughing at me as I struggle with this!) On the frozen Tundra, vegetarian foods are generally encased in Jello or slathered with mayonnaise. Not exactly what I’m looking for.
I have a few vegetarian recipes that I use during the winter: I make mean split pea and navy bean soups. But when the temperature is pressing 100, with a family who doesn’t particularly like salads, I am being hard pressed to find something that works.
If anyone has any suggestions, I would love to hear them. I have to find something that isn’t too weird for my daughter (who is not a picky eater, but prefers “known” foods, particularly if she can identify the ingredients) and something hearty enough to fill up my husband (who can consume vast quantities of calories and never show them).
Any suggestions brought forth will be tried and I will report back on the success of this experiment.
Photo by thebittenword.com
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Comments (14)
I like this mixed bean chilli:
http://diabetes.ie/WebSite/Pages/cookbook.aspx?recipename=mixed_bean_chilli&acategory=main%20meal&lapage=1
Because it’s mostly made from tins, it’s a good standby recipe. It’s also nice to throw in other vegetables – I added a tin of peas last time…
This is a great idea. I think I could actually get them to eat it too!
why not reverse it? 6 nights without and 1 night with..makes it extra special
It might be possible…someday. Going from meat all the time to meat once a week is too much for me when I don’t know that much about plant-based protein. I have a growing daughter, and she has to keep growing!
I really love meat myself, but my husband likes the vegetables more, so we made a similar resolution, and while it is not so much a planned night, we do have one if not more vegetarian meals a week.
It is often really easy to convert a meal that usually has meat into a vegetarian one. For instance a vegetarian pasta sauce or pizza topped with spinach, tomatoes, onions, eggplant, olives, and herbs. (I still add cheese don’t know if you are including that). It is surprising how little you miss the meat if there is a lot of other flavours.
Baked potatoes are good served with a variety of choose your own toppings. (tomatoes, shallots, pineapple, beetroot, peppers, whatever your family will eat). Also nice with yoghurt and sweet chilli sauce. (Potatoes can be cooked in microwave and then grilled for a short period to brown them)
I make a nice stuffed eggplant. Usually it contains chicken, but I found I enjoyed it with mushroom (as well or instead)
1/2 pound mushrooms (originally chicken)
2 lrg eggplants (1/2 one per person)
1 lrg onions
¼ cup low salt soy sauce (start with 1/4 cup, increase to taste)
water or stock, to cover
1 handful cheese, grated
Cut the eggplant in half. Scoop out the flesh, and cut it into cubes, try not to brake through the skin.
Dice onion and mushroom and cook till browned,
Add eggplant cubes, water to cover and soy sauce to flavour.
Microwave the eggplant skins to cook them- try 3-5mins, more if not cooked.
The eggplant cubes should shrivel up, and the water evaporate. Check the flavour as you go.
Do not add too much soy sauce as it will be too salty.
When it is done, scoop mixture into flesh, sprinkle with cheese and brown in oven or grill.
Serve with a light salad as this is filling!
If your family don’t like a regularly green salad you could try Tabouleh or a French potato salad (doesn’t contain mayonnaise).
Also make things like a pumpkin soup with coconut milk, and a nice tomato soup, but they are more for cooler weather.
Thank you, Katie. I am going to try a baked potato night this week, and I’ve also dug out my recipe for pierogies, which are vegetarian as well. (They’re also a lot of work to make from scratch, but oh so good!) I will be doing the potatoes in the crockpot, though. I’ve enjoyed the way they have come out when doing it in the crock rather than the microwave.
This is so great that you’re take this on!
You might make omelets or top baked potatoes with just about anything – baked beans and cheese or stir fry vegetables. Taco salad or burritos with black beans. Soups and salads are good. Risotto.
@Kate: These are great and simple suggestions. I can do eggs, and Katie also suggested baked potatoes, which I will attempt this week. I had completely forgotten about the possibilities of Mexican food without meat! Great suggestion!
You could try quesadillas/tacos with home-made refried beans, cheese and veggies. If you make them at home refried beans can be quite healthy – just limit the amount of oil you use. (2 T is enough for refried beans for 4)
Another idea is hummus with pitas and lots of veggies for dipping. Not sure if that will convince your husband that he’s eaten enough, but you could also try a trio of bean-based dips.
Another favorite of ours is Otsu, which is Japanese noodles with stir-fried tofu – you can find the recipe here: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/000110.html
The whole site is probably a pretty useful resource for you as well.
@Edenz: I didn’t consider hummus, even though I have packed it for lunches. All of us love homemade hummus.
Try gazpacho (however you spell it). It’s cool, refreshing, you can eat tons of it, and it can be spicy. Just check out these recipes: http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/egg/egg0896/gazpacho.html
I love gazpacho because it can be tweaked for any palate. Make it spicy, sweet, add fish, whatever. Great for the summer.
@Lynn: I have to confess, I’ve never been brave enough to try gazpacho. I might look into it!
Nothing beats 100 degrees like a nice cup of gazpacho! Any recipe online will do. Extra credit if you do a cucumber gazpacho!
Ditto edenz, everything heidi does (101cookbooks.com) is awesome. I like cuke & onion sandwiches, & did as a kid (see my blog). Veggie lasagna, make a few & freeze them. Pasta with veggies or mac & cheese. Now that it’s cooler (having cold spot in Chicago/southeastern Wisconsin the last two weeks) I say turn on the oven! Roast veggies & put on pizza, pasta or purée in a soup, or over lettuce. Just hoping it warms up again so my tomatoes ripen! Panzanella, caprese. I’m a meat eater but love my meatless nights, especially during the growing season.