Vegetarian Dinner

[ssn01]

Okay...

So last night I made lasagna... diced carrots, zucchini, some corn, tomatoes, peppers & onions... sauteed (in olive oil... that's ALL i ever use).

Made my own sauce... cuz there's just no other way!

The boy & his father enjoy meat... prefer beef. So I made my well-known lasagna. I've made this dish (with variations of course) so many times & fed so many meat-eating men... and they have all gone for 2nds & some even thirds!

It's chunky, hearty & full of flavour, colour & texture (the basis of a good cook's meal).

Well, I dished up everyone's plate (so as to avoice messes!) and gave the child (11 y/o) a decent sized portion... he ate every bite!!!
Well, his father, I gave a double portion to... he actually went back for seconds... AND the same helping size I gave him initially!!

Talk about being a proud mama moment!

But, it's creating the same effect meat does w/in a dish. (as I read from a posting on frugal vegetarian).
Substance... that's all meat really is. It's a filler in most dishes (unless it's steak... then it's the main meal!).

take something sturdy like zucchini or eggplant - which has little taste to begin with... I dice it up into tiny sized pieces (say the size of a pencil-head eraser). So it just looks like lots of little bits. Add your peppers & onions & olives & mushrooms if you like. Dice those up too if they dont like those. They WONT notice...unless they start picking.

The nice thing about sauteeing the veggies PRIOR to throwing 'em in the oven (besides them being fully cooked)... is you can add spices & such to change it's colour! *HINT*

With eggplant or zucchini, in the skillet i've sauted the onion (and if you prefer garlic), I use olive oil, use that if you choose, but add a tablespoon or so of butter. When butter cooks, it turns a little "brownish"... this will help to colour the 'white' veggies some. Also I use a little chili powder for kick or paprika -if you only want the colour & little spice/taste.

Creativity in Cooking... just one more service I offer (besides sarcasm!)

[britbunny]

I totally agree with what you've said. Seems like you couldn't save any leftovers if you tried with dishes like that!

What I also do for some dishes is that I'll dice some veg up really small - such as carrots and come zucchini and then leave other bits more chunky - especially mushrooms and aubergines. I'm lucky in that I don't have to try to "trick" DH into thinking it's meat but I do grate stuff up really small that he thinks he doesn't like!

I can't remember whether you said you eat eggs and dairy produce or not. Well I guess you do if you had lasagne.

I never have trouble finding recipes to eat at home but I do find it more difficult when I'm out, as I don't like cheese, most vegetarian options contain some cheese. So whenever we get invited somewhere DH and I have to go and check it out before we accept so there's something for us to have!

[ssn01]

You know.... i RARELY eat cheese.

I'm not only lactose intolerant - but I simlply cannot stand the taste of it. I find it disgusting.

But once in a while (as my bf hates cheese too - but his son would marry a cow if he could... he lives on milk & cheese which I think is great!) I do enjoy a little bit (like something simple, ricotta). Most other cheeses are too dense or coarse in texture - which makes them more difficult to digest (and my thoughts are: great gotta take double the lactase pills!)

So, I stay away from that.
Eggs... gross me out to NO end!
BUT... if I'm having a major protein craving that I can't subside even w/nuts or pb or anything like that - my last resort is a boiled egg. We're talking maybe twice a yr MAX!

I'll cook with them as is necessary at times... but so long as I can't see/taste/smell them... I'm ok.

So I'm on the verge of being a vegan if you will.

But it's difficult.

[Darlene]

Ok Sue, I'll eat the cheese you don't want, lol.
Don't ya just love it when a meal goes over well? Good for you!