Picky person looking for meatless meals

krazy1sbk
krazy1sbk Posts: 128 Member
edited November 23 in Food and Nutrition
I am a fairly picky person and I'm having trouble coming up with meatless meals that aren't just "eat a salad" (my dh's suggestion).

My calorie goal is around 1600. I'm not looking for a debate on why I should or shouldn't eat less meat, and no I'm not going vegetarian.

Here are some of the foods I don't like so you can see my problem:
Avocados
Bell peppers (or any peppers)
Onions
Cauliflower as rice
Uncooked zucchini (I've had good zoodles though)
Raw tomatoes (though I do like baby tomatoes)

I love mushrooms and potatoes and most beans, so hopefully that helps!

Replies

  • RachelElser
    RachelElser Posts: 1,049 Member
    Do you not like the taste of onions or is onion powder okay? I too loathe avocados.
  • ThinGoldLineNS
    ThinGoldLineNS Posts: 265 Member
    If you look online at the Forks over Knives website, you may find their version of a minestrone soup. I made it last night and it's very delicious. You can always omit certain veggies (such as onions) if you don't like them, possible replace them with something else.
  • krazy1sbk
    krazy1sbk Posts: 128 Member
    Relser wrote: »
    Do you not like the taste of onions or is onion powder okay? I too loathe avocados.

    I like onion powder, just onions themselves are horrible!
  • krazy1sbk
    krazy1sbk Posts: 128 Member
    If you look online at the Forks over Knives website, you may find their version of a minestrone soup. I made it last night and it's very delicious. You can always omit certain veggies (such as onions) if you don't like them, possible replace them with something else.

    That looks amazing! I'll have to try it, thanks!
  • sanjoparolas
    sanjoparolas Posts: 549 Member
    'Buddha Bowls' - combinations of beans, greens, and grains - can be delicious, and you can throw some mushrooms in there too. I love the combination of lentils and rice (like mujadera) along with a salad or some sauteed greens. Very filling and healthy.
  • DaintyWhisper
    DaintyWhisper Posts: 221 Member
    When I was vegetarian, I ate a lot of rice. I often ate "salsa rice" with beans, corn, lime and cheese in a tortilla or lettuce wrap. "Omurice" which is basically cooking whatever veggies you like with rice and ketchup and putting an omelette on top. Sounds unappealing, tastes good! Chinese fried rice with soy sauce, your choice of veggies and a scrambled egg mixed inside if you want it. Alfredo bake with penne noodles, mushrooms, spinach or broccoli (or neither lol) and a crumb topping. You can do the same with a red sauce, mushrooms and mozzarella cheese. Homemade macaroni.. Baked spaghetti squash with parmesan and butter.. Quicker meals were grilled cheese and soup, cheese quesadilla, bagel and fruit, nut butter sandwich. Hope you find something you enjoy!
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Work around your pickyness, cook from scratch and eat a variety of all the foods you can eat, if you don't want to expand. For a meal to be a meal, it has to have balance, but it doesn't have to be a specific meal - it just have to appeal to you. Build it up with a starchy food, a protein food, some kind of vegetable; add fat, fruit, nuts, dairy as you see fit. Starchy foods are grains and root vegetables like potatoes and sweet potatoes. Not just meat, but also fish, seafood, beans and eggs are protein rich foods.

    Concrete suggestions for meals or parts of meals:
    Salmon filet, rice with soy sauce, frozen peas.
    PBJ sandwich and milk.
    Yogurt with walnuts and honey.
    Raw cauliflower or broccoli.
    Fruit salad.
    Smoothie made from milk, banana, nuts.
    Omelet or fried egg.
    Pasta with cheese.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    edited January 2018
    krazy1sbk wrote: »
    I am a fairly picky person and I'm having trouble coming up with meatless meals that aren't just "eat a salad" (my dh's suggestion).

    My calorie goal is around 1600. I'm not looking for a debate on why I should or shouldn't eat less meat, and no I'm not going vegetarian.

    Here are some of the foods I don't like so you can see my problem:
    Avocados
    Bell peppers (or any peppers)
    Onions
    Cauliflower as rice
    Uncooked zucchini (I've had good zoodles though)
    Raw tomatoes (though I do like baby tomatoes)

    I love mushrooms and potatoes and most beans, so hopefully that helps!

    Make a list of all the meatless foods you like. Use a tool like supercook or pinterest to find recipes with those ingredients.
    Take a recipe you like with meat and leave out the meat or replace it with beans, lentils, a meat substitute or mushrooms. https://ohmyveggies.com/how-to-make-almost-any-recipe-meatless/

    Salads- there are a lot of ways to salad https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10270725/things-to-go-in-salads/p1
    Soup or stew- bean, lentil, potato, tomato, minestrone, mushroom soup, vegetable soup, dals https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=Meatless soup or stew
    Stuffed potatoes, Black bean potato nachos, other forms of potato white or sweet
    Pasta/noodles
    Rice, beans and rice, eggs and rice, lentils and rice, vegetables and rice
    Barley
    Stuffed mushrooms... other mushroom recipes https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=Mushroom vegetarian
    Bean burritos or wraps
    Roasted or grilled vegetables- sweet potato, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, asparagus, mushrooms
    Buffalo cauliflower
    Veggie burger
    Pancakes or waffles
    Eggs- omelets, hard boiled
    Hummus
    Peanut butter
    Oatmeal
    Quinoa
    Polenta
    Cereal
    Grilled cheese sandwich

    http://www.lentils.org/recipes-cooking/recipes/
    http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2013/03/35-meatless-meals.html
    http://www.meatlessmonday.com/favorite-recipes/
    https://www.budgetbytes.com/category/recipes/vegetarian/
    https://www.skinnytaste.com/recipes/vegetarian/
    http://ohsheglows.com
  • krazy1sbk
    krazy1sbk Posts: 128 Member
    Thanks! I'll check these ideas out
  • grinning_chick
    grinning_chick Posts: 765 Member
    edited January 2018
    Eggplant Parmesan is my go-to meatless meal. There's a frozen foods section offering that is pretty reasonable tasting from Michael Angelo if you feel the from scratch recipes are too many steps/too much work.

    If you want a "complete meal"? With a salad that's more other vegetables than lettuce. Maybe a piece of garlic bread.
  • coffeebean92
    coffeebean92 Posts: 41 Member
    This vegan blog is the best and each recipie has a tab where you can view the nutrional info:
    https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/recipe-index/
  • skenibuor
    skenibuor Posts: 3 Member
    Have you tried making Navrattan Korma? It's an easy 30-minute meal to fix and you can use whatever veggies you'd like, including non-riced cauliflower if you want. Traditionally, there are also cashews and golden raisins included in addition to the veggies. I use this recipe although I use a can of coconut milk in place of the milk and heavy cream because I'm lactose intolerant. I also omit the cayenne pepper.

    http://allrecipes.com/recipe/86602/navratan-korma/
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    It must be nice, being a meatless person who likes mushrooms :) I am a vegetarian who can't stand the things.

    Between me and my husband, at least one of us dislikes everything you've listed except avocados, which we don't even eat very often, so I could recommend basically anything we eat.

    Here are some of my favorites:

    Korean style lentils (feel free to use onion powder, dried minced onion, or just leave it out altogether): https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/sweet-korean-lentils/

    Spicy peanut butter tofu: https://kalynskitchen.com/spicy-sriracha-tofu-peanut-butter/

    Vegan banh mi (leave out the jalapenos if you'd like, though the pickling process makes them considerably milder): https://www.loveandlemons.com/seared-tofu-banh-mi-sandwiches/

    Vegan eggplant lasagna: https://minimalistbaker.com/lentil-eggplant-lasagna/

    Spicy eggplant tofu (the tomato gets cooked a little, but feel free to leave it out): http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/08/eggplant-and-tofu-in-spicy-garlic.html

    I have LOTS more, but those are some of my go-to recipes. Feel free to add/message me if you want. Fair warning: my diary has a lot of chocolate in it.

  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    Mushroom lasagna
    Black bean, yellow pepper, and pumpkin chili
    All kinds of stir-fry with tofu and peanuts
  • alicebhsia
    alicebhsia Posts: 178 Member
    some of my dinners that i cook-
    1. veggie and potato curry ( i use potatoes, celery and carrots) and i use regular milk instead of coconut milk and it comes out fine
    2. raviolis or pasta and sauce
    3. low fat baked macaroni and cheese with chopped tomato and cayenne
    4. roasted potatoes with basil and cayenne
    5. homemade spring rolls
    6. tofu veggie stir fry
    7. Morningstarfarms "chicken" patty on an english muffin with sriracha (microwave special!)
    8. broccoli and cheese soup
    -if any interest you and you would like the recipe let me know
  • potatovegan
    potatovegan Posts: 32 Member
    edited January 2018
  • LDBianca
    LDBianca Posts: 28 Member
    Black bean burgers

    I used this recipe and they turned out great! You can try smashed potatoes instead of the egg to use as binding. I ended up adding a lot more panko than the recipe calls for to the patty to get the right amount of firmness.

    https://www.cleverlysimple.com/black-bean-burger-recipe/#_a5y_p=2579026

    After I formed the patties, I coated them in flour before putting the outer layer of panko - then put them in the fridge for an hour before pan frying.
    I couldn't find green chilies so I threw in some mole I had for extra heartiness. I've eaten this on brioche buns and in wraps (like pictured) with guac, lettuce, salsa, and pico.

    mvbfalxnw5sm.jpg
  • Sunshine_And_Sand
    Sunshine_And_Sand Posts: 1,320 Member
    edited January 2018
    Go to publix apron's site and look up "Spicy Taco Chili" and just make it without the meat. Easy, cheap, lots of flavor, can be made in a crockpot if u like/need dinner ready for u when u get home, and makes several bowls worth if you like having leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day.
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