Vegetarian dating a meat lover
I am a vegetarian who is dating a guy who loves meat - I am cool with it as long as I don't have to eat or cook it. I want to invite him over to cook for him, but don't know what to make. Does anyone know of any recipes that will work without resorting to fake meat products - which are sometimes more objectionable than the real thing.
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23 Comments:
I eat meat but love veggies. Meat eaters don't always have meat at every meal. I don't know about others but I would rather eat just pasta and veggies than have to eat some sort of fake meat product. How about pasta and marinara? Or spaghetti squash w/marinara? Pasta primavera? Do something with mushrooms.
tapioca at 1:01PM on 05/25/09
Macaroni and cheese, crusty bread and a salad?
goodcooker at 1:06PM on 05/25/09
Focus on getting the desert right.
Grumpy Old Man at 1:12PM on 05/25/09
There are a lot of pastas that don't include meat, and are just as filling. How about some gnocchi...i was just looking at this recipe which looks easy but fantastic.
And i agree about the fake meat products. Usually best to stay away from those.
Mandi at 1:43PM on 05/25/09
I think eggplant works well as a meat substitute - it's textured enough that it's filling, and is very versatile. What about something like ratatouille or eggplant parm?
embolini9 at 1:50PM on 05/25/09
Oh and I also second Mandi on the gnocchi. Stick to meals that aren't necessarily heavy, but have ingredients with a lot of texture. I think the appeal of meat is that you feel like you're eating something substantial, and for me, pasta definitely fills that void. I'm not strictly vegetarian but I rarely cook meat because I'm very picky about the quality of meat, and I'm also on a strict budget. I definitely think it's possible for you to compromise, most meat eaters are okay with not having meat in every meal.
Also, do you eat fish or seafood?
embolini9 at 1:53PM on 05/25/09
Italian food - baked ziti, vegetarian lasagna, cheese ravioli, etc. Make something with mushrooms and/or eggplant to make it more substantial if you like.
Mexican food - cheese enchiladas, bean burritos, meatless taco salads, etc.
Fish (if either of you eat it) - lots you could do with that.
Salads - Go crazy with them to make him forget about the fact that he is eating salad for dinner. Marinate & grill veggies to put on them. Add some great cheeses, nuts, hard-boiled eggs, croutons, etc. Serve with some great, crusty bread.
Baked potatoes - Go crazy with toppings for these too. For more of a "meal," make a bean chili to put on top.
Soups or stews - I'd pick a "chunky" one with lots of veggies in it. If it's stew, serve over noodles, rice, cous-cous, quinoa, etc.
Breakfast - omelettes, pancakes/waffles/muffins, fruit, etc.
And ditto on Grumpy's comment. Make an awesome dessert and he'll forget that he didn't have meat for dinner. :)
kimberlymac at 1:57PM on 05/25/09
mushroom bourguignon, falafel, mushroom/spinach/cheese stuffed shells or lasagne, eggplant parmesan (I bake the eggplant instead of frying), cheese and/or black bean enchiladas are my go-to vegetarian food for carnivores.
Also, do you know much about his willingness to try new food or the details of his love of eating meat? My boyfriend is happy with anything that tastes good, so cooking as veg as I want (still an omnivore, but eating WAY less meat these days) isn't much of an issue. I have a suspiscion that unless you're including a fake meat product or dating the "I won't eat vegetables" man, he'll likely just happily eat whatever you put in front of him.
And I'm officially thirding the suggestion that you avoid fake meat products.
joyyy at 2:03PM on 05/25/09
goodcooker took my suggestion. He/she who doesn't love meat should like cheese! OW their just crazy! ahaha
My OH is a total-carnivore and I went three-weeks as a presecetarian (sp?) [only meat = fish] anyway...i tried it and my BF refused to be on-board..
Really though;
we ended up eating entirely different meals anyway most of the time.
I pretty much ate a lot of parchment-oven fish dishes and sushi while he made his own. The only suggestion maybe that I have is share your side dishes?
example - If you're having grilled-portabella burgers (which meat-eaters tend to like) suggest he have his beef-burgers the same day? That way you can buy your kaiser buns and fixins and not sacrifice sharing your meal together.
Good luck! :D
hungrychristel at 2:06PM on 05/25/09
Also, this is really good, filling, and pretty healthy. My boyfriend inhaled it - my bf who orders nothing but the 2 lb t-bone when we go out for steak.
joyyy at 2:10PM on 05/25/09
@mandi - Oh for sure; gnocci's perfect! I third it.
hungrychristel at 2:14PM on 05/25/09
Homemade pizza! If you're up to it: grilled pizza! Delicious, and you don't need meat. Top it with a mixture of mozzarella, Monterrey jack, and mild cheddar, onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, black olives, and green onions. mmmm
Other topping ideas: squash, beans, sun dried tomatoes, eggplant, roasted garlic, etc (I'm sure you have some ideas of your own).
PeteRepeat42 at 2:48PM on 05/25/09
Things I've made for veggie girls, vegan friends:
Mushroom cream risotto, pan-fried spinach and mozza patties, veg pizza, baked mac n cheese, bean chili + nachoes, bean and yam burritos, thai green curry with sweet potato + green beans + squash, chana masala, vegetable biryani...
I've always been a meat eater, but I've never said no or thought "where's the meat??" to a simple meal of pasta served with a sauce thick with chunks of roasted tomato and red pepper, with a side of garlic bread and cheese...
bearsarefree at 4:07PM on 05/25/09
Brinner! (Breakfast for dinner) Make him a nice omelet with some salad and crusty bread, I doubt he'll notice it's vegetarian at all.
swampyankee at 4:08PM on 05/25/09
I was in the same situation a few years ago... I found that vegetarian sausage tastes pretty great mixed into a lasagna (the guy never knew it wasn't real!)
gingercookiewithlime at 4:09PM on 05/25/09
There are many on here they are meat free dating or married to meat eaters. I am sure they can shed lots of light. Me personally I do not believe that people can be together with one meat and one no meat. I think it is a stretch way beyond plausible. But do not let me fry your egg. Ask the ones who do it daily.
JerzeeTomato at 5:02PM on 05/25/09
What is his flavor profile? Typical 'man pleasin' foods are mac&cheese (as noted), tacos or nachos with cheese, pizza (as many have noted), chili with cornbread, or even Mediterranean 'junk food' like falafal. Breakfast for dinner would be my pick the form of eggs, pancakes, french toast.
Grilled cheese of fancy types and fries.
I happen to like many fake meat products like chicken patties and sausage better than I ever remember liking the real thing
HeartofGlass at 5:26PM on 05/25/09
@HeartofGlass -
haha "man pleasin" foods!
Starting a blog maybe? nudge nudge
*hint hint*
hungrychristel at 5:45PM on 05/25/09
Lots of good recipes here: http://www.seriouseats.com/talk/2009/05/need-vegetarian-menu-for-meat-eaters.html
I'd suggest a good comfort food dish that doesn't involve any meat. Pasta quattro formaggi is a good one, since it's rich and creamy and doesn't involve any meat...and it might be even better with the gnocchi that was mentioned earlier. A good eggplant parmigiana will make him forget that no chickens were harmed in the process of making the dish. Stuffed shells are great, and don't require any meat. Vegetarian stew with buttermilk biscuits can be every bit as good as the ones with beef, and what man can resist some nice rich mashed potatoes on the side? I once had a vegetarian sweet potato chili that topped every meat chili I've ever tasted (and I like meat chili a lot), so that might be something to consider...if not, I've never met a guy who didn't like sweet potato casserole. If you eat eggs you can consider a veggie frittata or strata, and if you eat seafood or fish, that opens a ton of other opportunities.
cycorider at 6:43PM on 05/25/09
eggplant parmigianna sounds good to me..... with a nice side of pasta with tomato and fresh basil.... who couldn't love a meal like that.
pooch at 10:11PM on 05/25/09
The suggestions here are great. I was going to suggest pizza, but I noticed it has already been suggested. I just wrote a blog post last night about this (potential) problem. I have been living with my boyfriend for a couple of years and making the veggie/non-veggie thing work. As long as you have a sense of humor about the whole thing, it shouldn't be a problem. If you'd like to see the pizza I recently made, here is the link:
http://live-maple.blogspot.com/
pumpkinfiend at 10:15AM on 05/26/09
This is my go-to recipe to impress boyfriends... baked pasta with 4 cheeses. Believe me, it tastes as it came from a restaurant. I have made it for various guy friends, all meat eaters, and thay have all been impressed. Plus it's super easy to do.
Try to accompany it with some baked sweet plantains and a side salad... believe me, he will never miss anything with this menu. He'll just want more of your cooking...
Good luck,
Madelyn
KarmaFreeCooking
MadelynRodriguez at 2:28PM on 05/26/09
Lots of the milennium dishes are so delicious you dont need meat, try doing a search for them.
My husband doesnt mind veggie stuff as long as its not too bland and sloppy. He needs a mixture of textures.
jennywenny at 6:26PM on 05/26/09