I need help! Beginner cook, picky eater

lynnrocksout
lynnrocksout Posts: 3 Member
in Recipes
Can anyone help! I would like to have more variety in my meal planning but I am having a hard time finding a new recipe!
I am lactose intolerant and my boyfriend is a picky eater. No vegetables! We also don't have a grill and he won't eat steak cooked on the stove/oven.

My meals are:
pork chops with a side (veggies for me, mac and cheese for him)
chicken with rice / veggies for me.
crock pot roast beef
spaghetti

Anyone have any ideas?

Replies

  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,839 Member
    Happily, you have instant access to "zillions" of cooks on the web. There are the more popular cooking websites but also individual websites with a few recipes on them. (I have one www.heidicookssupper.com).

    If you don't have a grill, get a "grill pan." Lodge makes a good cheap one. It's a cast iron skillet with raised ridges. Heat that sucker up in a hot oven and throw a steak or burger or chop or portabello mushroom cap on it -- grilled!! Add a little "smoked salt" and don't tell boyfriend how you did it.

    One thing I do is just google the ingredients I'm thinking about and the word "recipe." You'd be amazed what you'll find. For instance, one night I had an eggplant that needed to be used ASAP and a sweet potato that I'd already baked. Googling "sweetpotato eggplant recipe" popped up a lot of curry recipes from both India and Thailand. And, surprise! Eggplant/sweetpotato curry is really good!

    Another thing you might do is search 'lactose intolerant recipes" or "vegetable hater recipes" and you'll find lots of help.

    Cooking is my hobby and its a great hobby anyone can master with all the free lessons available online. And easy to cook stuff can taste as wonderful as the complex stuff.

    Feel free to friend me and/or drop me a note if you want more pointers.
  • Vicki8524
    Vicki8524 Posts: 33
    Have you looked at skinnytaste.com website? Tons of great recipes there, I think you can put in an ingredient and it will show all recipes with that (ie. pork chops).
  • FITIsTheNewPINK
    FITIsTheNewPINK Posts: 43
    Homemade chili with ground turkey would be nice, also tacos which you could do tons of different fillings with (sliced chicken, ground turkey, refried beans, black beans). Or of course Italian, which can be harder to make healthy but not impossible. I'll include an easy, quick recipe for homemade marinara sauce below. Also homemade pinto beans (from dry) is super yummy and healthy. Or a nice roasted chicken with young potatoes :)
    Hope I helped!

    Homemade Marinara:
    2 Cans Petite Diced Tomatoes
    1 Small Can Tomato Paste
    Salt, Pepper, and Other Seasonings To Taste

    Puree both cans of tomatoes, simmer all ingredients together 20 minutes, and enjoy.
    Also you can cook up some ground turkey and mix it is too. SUPER yummy and easy :)
  • lynnrocksout
    lynnrocksout Posts: 3 Member
    thanks!
  • vingogly
    vingogly Posts: 1,785 Member
    If you like American style homey comfort food, try Evelyn Tribole's "Healthy Homestyle Cooking" and "More Healthy Homestyle Cooking" (and if you!re thinking desserts, "Healthy Homestyle Desserts".). All are available on Amazon. The recipes are all very easy to put together. Tribole has information in her books on making your favorite recipes more healthful, so they have value beyond the recipes themselves. I've used these cookbooks a lot over the past several years and enjoy many of the recipes.
  • kellzi89
    kellzi89 Posts: 65 Member
    Try Weighitup.com.au they have tonnes of recipes and plenty of dairy free ones as well. Just select that option when you are searching recipes.
  • kganc001
    kganc001 Posts: 317
    Use a hand grater to fine grate veggies in to sauces (like marinara and spaghetti sauce and chili, etc.). It gets my picky eater to eat veggies without knowing it and boosts the nutritional content. :)
  • PlayerHatinDogooder
    PlayerHatinDogooder Posts: 1,018 Member
    Stop dating 12 year olds.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Get a grill and stop the picky eating in its tracks.
  • kornaco
    kornaco Posts: 146 Member
    When in doubt, add more fresh garlic--pretty much always helps! :bigsmile:
  • OldManOfTheSea
    OldManOfTheSea Posts: 33 Member
    Can anyone help! I would like to have more variety in my meal planning but I am having a hard time finding a new recipe!
    I am lactose intolerant and my boyfriend is a picky eater. No vegetables! We also don't have a grill and he won't eat steak cooked on the stove/oven.

    My meals are:
    pork chops with a side (veggies for me, mac and cheese for him)
    chicken with rice / veggies for me.
    crock pot roast beef
    spaghetti

    Anyone have any ideas?

    Get a grill, buy some LACTAID ®, and learn how to cook a variety of foods.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,224 Member
    Try Thomas Kellers cookbook, the French Laundry, the recipes are top notch.:happy:
  • jenmck5
    jenmck5 Posts: 126 Member
    My kids are picky too. I bought the cookbook Deceptively Delicious. I puree (spelling sorry) carrots and put it in hamburgers makes it really moist. I steam and puree cauliflower and put it in mashed potatoes. Lots of different ideas. Put a lot of "hidden veggies" into all sorts of things. Good Luck.
  • corgicake
    corgicake Posts: 846 Member
    Do they make exceptions for ketchup?
  • dmarien
    dmarien Posts: 58
    check out lovingmynest.com she has several crock pot recipes also does the freezer version so you can prepare several batches and have them ready for the crock pot. i agree on grating the veggies he will never know...lol
  • RobTheGourmet
    RobTheGourmet Posts: 189 Member
    grilling is not needed to make good food just need good equipment such as proper pan ( cast iron, tri-ply stainless skillet ) using proper heat and technique nothing a grill can do that cannot simply be done much better on a stove or in an oven.

    now if your talking barbecue pits using natural charcoal and wood or smokers that's a different story..
  • austinstow
    austinstow Posts: 9
    jamie eason has a italian hamburger recipe that is really good. there are actually 2 zucchinis within 12 hamburgers. that way you can get your veggies in and they taste like burgers. also just boil 6 pieces of chicken and you can dress them up throughout the week. hot sauce, a-1, chicken salsa, chicken burritos, etc.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    http://momofukufor2.com/2010/04/pan-roasted-dry-aged-rib-eye/
  • RobTheGourmet
    RobTheGourmet Posts: 189 Member
    http://momofukufor2.com/2010/04/pan-roasted-dry-aged-rib-eye/

    any use of dry aged meats is always nice :)

    and done in a cast iron like a champion
  • coppertop_4
    coppertop_4 Posts: 258 Member
    My picky eater likes these meals (They are not figure friendly though so be careful)

    French Dips: roast beef (lunch meat works) warmed in au jus on a bun cheese optional fries or tater tots optional (portion control is key for me)

    lasagna (no weird cheeses allowed) layer your meat sauce and cheese on noodles and top with shredded cheese cheddar and italian mixes work well, mozzerella(Sp) and parmesean are good too. Mix them all if you like.

    enchiladas dip tortilla in enchilada sauce and put chicken or beef inside (season meat with taco seasoning optional) top with cheddar cheese (black olives optional)

    BLT's chips or fries or a pasta salad on the side (I usually double the lettuce and tomato and go easy on the bacon and eat a healthy bread with no side)

    Those are the go to meals for the picky eaters in my house. No onions, minimal veggies, carb loaded, etc. lol
  • carrielynn62
    carrielynn62 Posts: 400 Member
    I put a whole chicken in the crockpot and add 1 cup water or chicken stock and any seasonings you like and cook on low for 7-8 hours. It's always tender and moist. we have that the firat night and then I have it the rest of the week on salads and sandwiches.

    I also take baking potatoes and cut them in half, then put a slice of onion in the middle and then wray in foil and bake, the onion gives a lot of flavor and I don't have to eat butter on them.
  • skyekeeper
    skyekeeper Posts: 286 Member
    I found a lot of good recipes at www.slenderkitchen.com. good luck.
  • vingogly
    vingogly Posts: 1,785 Member
    Regarding adding nutrition without picky eaters noticing, Evelyn Tribole also has a book of tips on this called (I think) Stealth Health.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Stir Fry can be adapted to picky eaters...... you usually start with cooking up bite sized pieces of meat (you can marinate in soy sauce and minced garlic or onion ahead of time)....toss the marinade before frying in a non-stick pan. A little oil goes a long way.

    You then add any veggies you want ..... if your boyfriend wants zero veggies ... then set his portion of meat aside. After veggies are cooked add your sauce and simmer. Sauce is usually a combination of broth, rice wine vinegar, cornstarch, soy sauce, ginger, .... whatever you like). You can half the sauce with your boyfriend. Serve over rice (you can use brown rice) .... or just use portion control for yourself.

    Wraps are great. I made a cobb salad wrap the other day. Rotisserie chicken, bacon (just a bit) 2% cheese, lettuce, tomato, and ranch dressing .... you don't need much. Your boyfriend can just add whatever he wants.

    Chicken fajitas would be similar to the wraps. Stir fry chicken strips, add seasoning. Stir fry peppers & onions. Slice a tomato. Wrap up whatever you like.
  • lewandt
    lewandt Posts: 566 Member
    Use a hand grater to fine grate veggies in to sauces (like marinara and spaghetti sauce and chili, etc.). It gets my picky eater to eat veggies without knowing it and boosts the nutritional content. :)

    I even blend onions and peppers to get the flavor but it hides them from the kids, you could do that too with the veggies

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