Meatless ideas that a meat and potatoes man will eat

There's a recipe that looks yummy in the current issue of Disney's Family Fun magazine for a black bean and sweet potato chili, haven't made it yet, but it looks great!

Do ya'll like stews and chili and such? You could work on variations of these, and that way give him meat (but vary the *kind* of meat, to make it healthy) -- cutting down on the *amount* of meat* in it... that would be a cool way to work in more veggies, too!

Is he a "I don't wanna see anything green on my plate" kind of guy, too? My one buddy's like that, and it makes me laugh...!

We're big carnivores around here, but we all like lentil loaf (like a meatless meatloaf) and vegan falafel (my husband thinks of them kind of like meatballs). You can find lots of recipes at allrecipes.com.

i agree with above - go with tacos/chilli beans/rice etc....filling for a guy used to eating a bigger/heavier meal and you can control your portion size/add more tomato/less cheese etc.

also some of the vege meat substitutes out there are pretty good - depending on your partner's mindset you may not wanna jump straight into plain tofu (my ex was terrified by the idea of this but would quite happily eat a vege burger patty or fake chicken kebabs). just check the packet for nutirional info.
good luck!

Yeah, I second the Vegetarian Lentil "Meatloaf" I just made it for dinner last night and had some for lunch today...yum!

I love to make this for lunch: rice and fat free refried beans on a whole wheat tortilla. I just sautee a little onion and green peppers add the rice (usually 1/2 cup, 1/4 cup for each of us) and 1 cup of fat free refried beans...mix up until hot. Then I put them on the tortilla sprinkle a little garlic powder and cumin, throw in some lettuce and tomato and roll those babies up!! They're huge, delicious and filling.

Fat free refried beans 1/2 cup-90 cal
1/4 cup brown rice --55 cal
whole wheat tortilla--100 cal
tomatos/lettuce/green pepper/onion---less than 35 since there is so little

Less than 300 calories

I usually serve it with some steamed broccoli. Great healthy and satisfying lunch.

Don't understand why you would want less meat (protein) in your diet. I can understand wanting to incorporate more vegetables and other things to get a better nutritional balance, but don't throw out the baby with the bath water. Most people don't get enough protein as it is.

There are other sources of protein besides meat. I don't eat beef and rarely eat pork. I have several meatless days per week and I am usually over my protein goal.

Start with familiar things like lasagna. If he's scared of veggetables start off with just the sauce and lowfat cheeses. Burritos are good too.


If you're not going to be completely vegetarian, then why not make some meals that have just a little meat? Bean soups made with leftover chicken or ham are very filling.

Gardein
Quorn
Morningstar

Those are some companies that make meatless meats. I've been working with Gardein's beef tips lately..........YUM. Quorn has great chik'n nuggets and chik'n patties. Morningstar makes delicious meatless crumbles you can use for chili or whatever. Good luck.

wheat angelhair marinara with grilled mushrooms.
fish tacos...(mahi mahi or orange roughy)
veggie lasagna
blackened shrimp tacos
langastinos in hot sauce over rice
portabellas stuffed with italian greens
pierogies(low fat) sauteed with grilled veggies(zucchini/squash/mushrooms/broccolli/garlic)
wheat linguine and clam sauce
pasta with greens and hot peppers
black bean tostadas
veggie chili
baked potatoes with sauteed broccoli/peppers/
angelhair with baked cauliflower and parmesan and veggie hot sausage crumbles
eggbeaters/hot peppers and fat free cheese sandwiches
whole wheat pancakes sugar free syrup veggie sausage
grilled fat free cheese english muffins and tomato soup......here's some ideas. i have the same problem but he doesnt even notice!! hope this helps!!!

check out my blog. we try to do one or two meatless meal each week. it should give you plenty of ideas.

http://www.everythingisbetterwithcheese.blogspot.com

Don't understand why you would want less meat (protein) in your diet. I can understand wanting to incorporate more vegetables and other things to get a better nutritional balance, but don't throw out the baby with the bath water. Most people don't get enough protein as it is.

There are other sources of protein besides meat. I don't eat beef and rarely eat pork. I have several meatless days per week and I am usually over my protein goal.

That's an interesting personal choice. I still don't understand why she wants to take meat out of her and her husband's diet.

To the OP, I'm sorry I asked. You didn't ask for a referendum on meat in your diet, you just wanted to know how to feed a meat and potatoes guy without meat. Personally, what I think you really want to know is how can you give your husband a more balanced and nutritional dinner when he is only comfortable with meat and potatoes type meals. My fiancee is actually pretty good at doing things like this. She'll use the food processor sometimes to hide vegetables in places you wouldn't often expect them. She loevs to watch me eat something and then ask me what was in it. Lasagna, chili, pasta with meat/vegetable sauce all have opportunities to sneak vegetables in without making him broccoli raw by hiding it in other mediums.

Don't understand why you would want less meat (protein) in your diet. I can understand wanting to incorporate more vegetables and other things to get a better nutritional balance, but don't throw out the baby with the bath water. Most people don't get enough protein as it is.

You can get plenty of protein without it being from a meat source. Changing up the source of protein can incorporate different vitamins/minerals and tastes into your diet. Also, for Catholics at this time of year, it is a religious norm.

I haven't tried this recipe yet, but I figured I can share it first. It is from the Skinny B*tches so I can almost garauntee it is fabulous. I love their recipes.

Sloppy Joes
Makes 4 servings
1 cup water, divided
1 small onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 8-ounce package tempeh, crumbled into small pieces (Or TVP, Lentils, etc.)
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 multigrain hamburger buns
Heat 1/2 cup water in skillet. Add onion and bell pepper and sauté until cooked through. Add remaining 1/2 cup water and tempeh. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, allowing the tempeh to get well-done.
Add tomato sauce, ketchup, agave nectar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and garlic powder and cook for 15 minutes.
Serve on buns.
Note: You can substitute faux meat crumbles, textured vegetable protein (TVP), or even lentils in this recipe.
Nutrition Information
Per serving:
273 calories
7.9 g fat
1.6 g saturated fat
24.5% calories from fat
0 mg cholesterol
17.6 g protein
36.6 g carbohydrate
14.4 g sugar
6.3 g fiber
666 mg sodium
143 mg calcium


And this is a South Beach recipe. I made this for my daughter who hate lasagna and she ate it up like it was stuffed with chocolate covered sugar cubes!!!

Vegetarian No-Pasta Lasagna

Serves 4-6

Ingredients
2 large eggplants
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
2 (14.5-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
1 large egg
1/2 cup fresh-grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil, shredded
2 tablespoons garlic, chopped fine
2 tablespoons onion, chopped fine
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 cups (4 whole) roasted peppers
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups spinach (optional)
1 large yellow squash, thinly sliced lengthwise (optional)
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°F. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in skillet and cook garlic and onion until they become aromatic and begin to brown. Add stewed tomatoes and 1 tablespoon dried oregano. Once tomatoes begin to bubble, stir in tomato paste. Reduce heat to low, add salt and pepper to taste, cover and let simmer lightly while you continue.

Slice eggplant lengthwise in 1/4-inch slices. Spread out eggplant on a rimmed cookie sheets sprayed lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Salt the slices generously on both sides, sprinkle with thyme, and lightly brush (fingers are fine) with the remaining oil olive. Roast eggplant in oven until tender and slightly browned. If using yellow squash, also roast briefly until soft and pliable. Remove and let cool enough to handle. Reduce oven to 375°F.

Meanwhile, stir together ricotta cheese, egg, remaining oregano, and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. In a 12x9-inch baking dish spread 1/4 cup of tomato sauce. Cover with 3 or 4 eggplant slices, then half of the roasted peppers, and then a third of the ricotta cheese mixture, followed by a third of the mozzarella. Sprinkle half the basil over cheeses, and then spinach and yellow squash (if using). Cover with more tomato sauce, eggplant, peppers, ricotta, mozzarella and basil. Top with remaining eggplant, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and any remaining Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for about 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for about 15 minutes more or until cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown. Remove and let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Nutritional Information:
354.18 calories
12.35 g sugar
18.64 total fat (6.82 g sat)
67.48 mg cholesterol
35.4 g carbohydrate
16.76 g protein
3.55 g fiber
754.95 mg sodium


Also, browse through the recipes at www.vegetariantimes.com It is an awesome magazine and they recipes are to die for!!!! I try at least 1 new one each week and they never fail.

:flowerforyou:

2 things I've had that were rather good for not having meat was a spinach veggie lasagna, and a portabella mushroom "burger". Very hearty meals. Sorry no recipes, I didnt cook them. But I am sure a google search would turn something up.