Meatless Meals?

[emily_hope]

Just curious what delicious meals you make that are meatless. I have a tough time with this because DH likes to have meat. My DDaddy always wanted meat with his meals as well, so I grew up this way. I know it would save a little money each week to have at least one meatless meal. I'd appreciate it if you all would share your ideas, please. Thanks!

[perSue]

the one thing i made that got my meat eating ex to try was a big fat lasagna.

at the time i ate cheese, so i made a big pan of sauteed veggies - all kinds! (the more the better... provides bulk!)

and just layer w/the ricotta mix (i usually put fresh herbs in for speckling)... and he got THIRDS! LOL

made my day.

so i'd recommend starting with a naturally filling meal like lasagna, just use a veggie mix from the tins or frozen section.

otherwise, think casserole or one pot dishes to introduce the "no meat" part of meals.

if you set a plate of veggies and bread in front of someone who's used to meat there... they'll feel like something is missing... which is right!

so, try something simple first.
then move to soup and sammies or soup/salad nights... no meat. or if meat, just cold cuts in the salad.

spaghetti w/lotsa veggies in the sauce.

taco salad night: refried beans (there's regular and black bean), rice, lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese, tortilla chips... whatever else, minus the meat. for that need to "chew" on something... sometimes i'll add pinto beans to the regular refried beans so there's something "whole" to chew.

i recently made black bean burgers... you can use rice as a filler/extender too! top w/the usual & serve w/chips or fries.

rather than adding pork to your beans, just make the beans and cornbread and a green veg for a southern treat.

there are, however, some foods ppl won't give up meat... and that's ok.

in my family, it's chili. and i cant blame 'em. i dont really like chili myself, but i understand that meat in chili IS chili.

just think of some of the things you make regularly and how you can replace or just not add meat.

good luck.

btw, anyone want recipes... just IM me.

[Momto2Boyz]

We do spaghetti and Dh doesn't miss the meat. I also have a recipe that is really good with no meat!

I can't remember the exact amount needed to make, becuase a friend borrowed the cookbook, but I can give you the ingredients!

Cooked spaghetti noodles
Olive oil (I think it was 3/4 cup)
Garlic
Parmesean cheese

Brown the garlic in the oil, toss noddles in olive oil and add parmesean cheese to taste. Serve hot with a good hearty bread or garlic bread. This is one of DH's favorite summer meals! And he is a huge meat eater!

[The Muse]

I'm a vegetarian so all my meals are meatless. VegWeb is a great source for vegetarian recipes.

One of my favorites is chickpea tacos. I cook 3 cups of chickpeas and 1 cup of their cooking liquid in a frying pan with a packet of taco seasoning, until most of the water evaporates. Then serve them with the usual taco fixins.

I pressure cook my chickpeas in bulk because it's cheaper than using canned, but the equivilant is 2 15 oz. cans.

I have tons of recipes, but they use tempeh, TVP, and tofu...things that are hard to pass off to ominvores.

I'm glad DH and I switched to vegetarian eating because it's very inexpensive and we've lost weight and lowered our cholesterol as a result.

[sunshine]

MEAT SUBSTITUTE

1 cup rolled oats (long cooking oatmeal)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sage
2 eggs- beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 beef bouilloncube.

Mix the oats, salt, sage and eggs; form into four flat patties. Fry inthe butter
until browned on both sides. In a kettle or saucepan, boil 1 qt.water and add
bouillon cube. Pour mixture over patties; simmer, covered for 30
minute.

Doubles or triples easily. I've froze them and they freeze just fine too! The
first time I fixed them for my kids they enjoyed them and did not suspect
anything.

[sunshine]

We also do:

huge salads with perhaps a hard boiled egg, chopped

vegetable soup with a hearty homemade bread

veggie sandwiches my mom used to make cucumber,radish mayo sandwiches.

baked potatoes with cheese and veggie toppings

[sunshine]

quiche

cheese/potato pierogies

veggie pizza

[YankeeMom]

Meatless meals for us are usually:

breakfast for dinner- eggs, grits, toast. pancakes or waffles or french toast and fruit
tomato soup & grilled cheese sandwiches
macaroni & cheese (with tomatoes...yum!)
homemade cheese pizza (or veggie pizza)

[Domestic Gal]

I makes stuffed shells without meat

I also make a pasta casserole meatless

1 box of pasta, peene or rotini (I use WW Pasta)
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
1 cup of sour cream
1/2 10 oz box of frozen spinach
shredded cheese (moz. or colby jack)

Cook pasta
thaw and squeeze out any excess water from spinach
Mix sauce, sour cream and spinach together
add to cooked pasta and mix
Put in a 9 x 13 pan cover with foil
Place in 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes.
Take off foil. Add cheese put back in oven cook 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

I use 2 8x8 pans and freeze one before cooking it for later use.
I have also used shredded zucchini instead of spinach

[Lady_V]

There are a lot of great ideas here...

The Old Man goes from one extreme to the other... one month he may want to eat half a cow... the next, no beef at all... what is constant is he wants MEAT (or so he thinks he does )

What he wants is bulk... something solid that goes when it hits the plate. A bowl of soup... no matter how great it is, will not satisfy a person who is "ugh meat ugh"

Start small... literally! Give 3/4 of the meat you normally would give and have more veggies... (I also use smaller plates ) If he doesn't miss the 1/4, then chances are you get slip a few casseroles his way... and you are on your road to spaghettiville!

[larabelle]

I love meals of a large garden salad and a small baked potato. With the hot Texas sun this is a great meal for me especially since I am trying to live without air conditioning this summer.

[pollypurebred39]

I'll make a diner type of breakfast meal for my family.

Home fries

In an iron skillet put in a good bit of oil or bacon grease.
Slice potatoes and add to pan. I keep peels on.
Cover with a lid and cook over medium to medium low heat until bottom of potatoes are crispy.
Resist the urge to turn potatoes until they are crispy brown. Turning potatoes too often will result in a pan full of mushy potatoes.

I'll make pancakes, waffles or french toast. To the pancakes or waffle batter I'll add a dash of maple extract and a bit of brown sugar. To the french toast a bit of white sugar and cinnamon and vanilla added to the dipping batter.

Eggs are each persons choice. Usaully they like them over easy or scrambled. But sometimes they like it when I make omelettes with cheese and fried onions, green peppers.

Or eggs in a frame.
Melt butter in a non stick pan and place in it a slice of white bread that you have made a small hole in with small bisciut cutter. Or pull a small amount out with your fingers. Crack an egg in the hole and fry until bread is crispy. Turn and fry other side.

Orange Juice
In a gallon size container add orange jucie, a packet of orange kool-aid, sugar or sweetener to taste. Then fill to the top with water. Stir and chill.

[starsapphire]

I'm lucky, DH likes meatless meals. He likes meat too. I make this lentil recipe and serve it over rice.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lentils...es/Detail.aspx

I add cumin, hot pepper flakes and some chicken boullion (which you can omit). I use 2 cans of diced tomatoes instead of fresh.

It really is very delicious, I know that lentils with tomatoes doesn't sound very exciting but you spice it up and it tastes great!

[Palooka]

HM veggie burgers are yummy on the grill with all the fixins.

Sometimes you can get Morningstar products on sale. A mock meat.

Me and my daughter are way into big stir frys with rice. You can add nuts for texture and added protein. I use my rice cooker all the time. Most always brown rice. I will even throw a bag of veggies in the rice cooker with it.

Mostly mexican themes here. Lots of black beans, pinto beans, enchilada sauce. You can stuff a taco so many ways and make fun wraps.

Veggie lasagne or grilled eggplant or portabelo mushrooms.

Hummus with all kinds of veggies, crackers, bread or wraps. Big veggie sub sandwiches in the toaster oven with cheese. It will fill you up.

I have really fell in love with whole wheat pasta but the family hasn't. It has more protein and fiber in it.

Sauteed' zuchini and squash and garlic with pasta and sauce and some good bread with olive oil. yum.

Most Italian recipes will work. Just leave out the meat. Use ricotta or cottage cheese and maybe add more veggies for bulk.

Potato soup is yummo. Bean soup so many ways.

You can't go wrong with beans.

Make a big yummy taco salad. Add quac.

I have never tried seitan but a lot of people love it and I am not really a tofu person. I agree with vegweb. They have great and simple recipes.

Now I am hungry.

[sweetgirl1981]

Baked potatoes -used red and white- topped with broccoli -fresh or frozen-, cheese -any-, and sour cream -only need a touch-

Cheese Quesadillas-
Flour tortillas -leftover from sandwiches-
1 cup grated cheese -Mexican mix works well-
Olive oil

Brush lightly with oil, grill oiled side down, top with cheese to taste and another tortilla on each, turn quesadillas when browned and cheese begins to melt.