tx "flexitarian" couple
Posted by chrisold97 on Aug 22, 2010 · Member since Aug 2010 · 9 posts
howdy from austin...i was vegetarian for 10 years, and fel off the wagon so to speak, headed back in that direction but looking for any tips on cooking meals which can fit both a vegetarian and non veg alike or even just tips, i was vegetarian when my wife and i got married but i still dont want to alienate her if i do go full on vegetarian or even towards vegan...
Don't use faux ingredients. They're not all that nutritious and taste gross (i.e., don't mix TVP into something). Try whole wheat penne pasta mixed with veggies (I use frozen - like green beans and chopped spinach), beans (is that weird?), and topped with a tomato-basil sauce (keep it fresh and flavorful with an all-vegetable sauce - not a four cheese pasta sauce). Then, if she wants to put meat on her portion, she can. Honestly, fresh food tastes good. Another tip is to make food and freeze it in portions. For example, I'll cook penne pasta and freeze it. At least the whole wheat kind freezes fine. I'll also make lentils 'n things and freeze them. It makes putting together a whole foods meal much easier than starting from scratch each time or being stuck with the same leftovers for days.
Hey Chris, I'm in Austin too, howdy neighbor! Any kind of pasta dish can be done vegan, like humbolt said, by making the main dish, and adding the meat on the sde. Poached eggs on a bed of veggies is a good choice, you make a veggie hash, and when it's done, make a hollow on one side for the wife's eggs, put a bit of Earth Balance in the hollow, drop in the eggs and cover and turn off the heat. In a couple of minutes, thy eggs are done, and you've got a one pan meal with the eggless portion for yourself.
Good luck!
Don't use faux ingredients. They're not all that nutritious and taste gross (i.e., don't mix TVP into something). Try whole wheat penne pasta mixed with veggies (I use frozen - like green beans and chopped spinach), beans (is that weird?), and topped with a tomato-basil sauce (keep it fresh and flavorful with an all-vegetable sauce - not a four cheese pasta sauce). Then, if she wants to put meat on her portion, she can. Honestly, fresh food tastes good. Another tip is to make food and freeze it in portions. For example, I'll cook penne pasta and freeze it. At least the whole wheat kind freezes fine. I'll also make lentils 'n things and freeze them. It makes putting together a whole foods meal much easier than starting from scratch each time or being stuck with the same leftovers for days.
thanks, i tend to stray from analogues, i like veggie burgers that aim for flavor of the veggie not the burger...
All the best.