Supper time help
Posted by mbelding on May 09, 2006 · Member since May 2006 · 1 posts
I've recently gone vegetarian but my husband hasn't. I need to find some receipes that will easily convert so I'm not cooking 2 suppers every night. So far we've come up with stir fry.
My husband eats whatever he wants when he dines out. He works nearly every day, out of town, so he eats out a lot. And if your spouse is less agreeable, or has fewer chances to eat out, it is easy enough for him to learn to grill a chicken breast, or burger, or whatever to supplement his meal. Like I remind my in-laws: I'm flexible enough to allow Hubby to bring meat into my home, so he better be flexible enough to prepare it himself!!!
Check out General Tao's Tofu on this site! This recipe is notorious for its similiarity to the chicken version. My tofu phobic dad loves it.
What we did/are doing:
- At least one day a week my spouse (meat eater) tries new vegan alternatives. In our case, we have another couple that is vegan, and we often get together for dinner or go out and order vegan. Seitan (wheat-based substitute?) is turning out to be a favorite! (I just found vegweb, so I can't reference specific recipes yet)
- I do some large batches (e.g. vegan chili, spaghetti sauce, etc.) and freeze in small containers. That allows for me to have handy 'second' meals to grab and eat. In our case, that is often when we are going to a family party/event, but could easily allow you to do a one-day a week meat dish for your spouse if you so choose. (BTW, my spouse normally eats cold cereal for dinner as a matter of preference... We're now working towards all vegan cereals.)
Also, as I converted to a vegan diet (did that for Lent, and am continuing), I worked really hard to make it possible for me to eat out almost anywhere. This allayed fears that I was forcing everyone around me to go vegan or give up their favorite foods/restaurants. I've mentioned before, I think, that I always have a "salad enhancer" mix with me, made up of "Just Veggies" freeze dried veggie mix (see http://www.justtomatoes.com/html/product/veggiesORG1.html), soy nuts, sunflower seeds or any other nut/seed that strikes my fancy, and imitation bacon bits. Some days, if I know we're going to be eating out for multiple meals, I often also pack a PB&J sandwich (or satay instead of PB - yum!), and other snackies.
Finally, I made the short-term commitment after Lent that I would eat non-vegan one day a week at my spouse's choosing because we used to have a weekly routine where we would pick a fav restaurant and split the dessert (usually contains dairy &/or eggs). This seems to mean a lot - I've only been taken up on it a couple of times (and I'm honestly gamed for weekly, as promised), and I think that she's secretly trying, from the other direction, to become more vegan herself. Not that she would admit it (and, I'd totally ruin the effort if I acknowledged it, so hopefully this won't be read by her!! LOL)
My husband definitely is not vegan. But we seem to do okay with meals. I'm severly allergic to anything dairy which is why i began to eat a vegan diet, it really much easier. Since they had dairy alot and also because the preservatives in meat make me very ill. What we do is actually beacuse he's so understanding. And has just been willing to try new things. He now loves veggie burgers,more than real burgers! But i usually make something vegan and add meat to his and tofu/sub to mine. A favorite quick lunch of mine is in Seashells in the Sand from The Vegetarian Family Cookbook. Its so simple couscous and mini she'll pasta. I mix his with tuna or salmon, and eat mine just as it suggests or add a little tuNO(tuna sub). He really has been understanding though in me making the switch and most of the time he doesn't even realize what he's eating is vegan.