Less Meat?

[Luckybustert]

If you've ever been on a diet where you have to measure your food, you're painfully aware that those recommended servings of meat are pretty darn small. That would seem to suggest this is one place where both our health and our budget can benefit by cutting down on the amount of meat we eat. One way we can do this is to prepare main dishes that have some meat in them, but rely primarily on other ingredients. Do have a favorite dish/recipe that fits this description? Please share it!

One of my favorites is my bacon-cabbage stir fry. I cut about half a package of bacon into small pieces and put it in the dutch oven to start cooking, then I chop an onion and throw it in the pan and let this cook until the bacon is cooked or at least nearly cooked, and the onions are caramelized. While that's cooking I cut the head of cabbage in half and then I slice each half in thin strips. And then I throw the cabbage in the pan and cook that until wilted. Once that's ready I add about 1/4 cup or so red wine vinegar and mix that through and dinner is served. You could stretch this even further by serving on a bed of rice. And you could use other meats if you're not a fan of bacon. I just happen to love bacon

[larabelle]

Wow that sounds yummy!!! I just love recipes which use cabbage (which is cheap) and very little meat.

[druthb00]

You know, I really had to think about your question....I don't think I have ANY recipes that have just "a little" meat in them. It seems like all of my recipes fit into the "all or nothing" category. I have collected a lot of vegetarian recipes that are BF approved (he is a previous Mega-Carnivore lol...think meatloaf, bratwurst, hot dogs, sausage, EVERY NIGHT when he lived with his father.) But I don't have any that fit your description. I'm curious to see what others have come up with because I wouldn't mind having a couple recipes like that. The main reason we have gone vegetarian at least half of each week is for budget reasons, but I also feel it's healthier too. I know BF would be pleased with semi-vegetarian meals, too LOL.

[ruby3]

I make a very similar dish with cabbage and bacon. We eat a lot of cabbage around here because it is so inexpensive and healthy at the same time! Cabbage, ground beef, with chopped tomatoes is a good one too.

[mauimagic]

Your recipe sounds great LB!!

The first recipe that came to mind was stuffed peppers and zucchini boats - where the main ingredient in the pepper or squash with hamburger added as a smaller filler in the stuffing.

Any stir fry would also qualify - with lots of tasty veggies and a small abount of meat or ham. I usually add a splash of sesame oil to add some depth of flavor.

[frugalfranny]

Thanks for the recipe LB........sounds good and I like bacon too.....bet it would be good with sausage too!

I don't eat much meat anyway but I think this has convinced me to start experimenting with cabbage more.

Rather than have this 'slab' of meat of my plate I will throw a little meat into any other dish I am fixing..........fixing some noodles?--toss in some hamburger/veggies........fixing some veggies?....toss them in the wok with some strips of ?steak---?roast? --- whatever you have.

Gotta do more with cabbage besides just my yummy coleslaw!

Thanks for the REMINDER to expand my horizons!!

[Mrs K]

I often make veggie fried rice to use up left over chicken, I'll just add a tiny bit of it to a big pot of rice and veggies. Same with pasta. I generally try to plan one "meat meal" a week, then strech that for two other leftover meals (eg: soup, omelet, pasta or rice dish). Dh is very carnivore also, so it'squite a xhallenge

[sunshine]

fried rice

ham and beans

pizza! We use all the odds and ends of leftovers on pizza

stew

hash (mix equal portions of meat, carrots, potatoes - add flour, maybe an egg and fry)

pot pies or shepherd's pie

[lisaflex]

we eat sauteed cabbage w/ no meat at all...good for you!

heat canola oil, add a pat of butter, add sliced onion (lots of it!!) hit w/ some (lots in our house) cayenne pepper, black papper and lots of frsh chpd garlic, add sliced cabbage and cook til wilted. yum! great filling lunch on the weekends