Cutting down on meat but don't like veggies and fish! I challenge you to help me!

Buddingblonde

I think that mince is the best thing in the world for adding veg to - just pop whatever you want to add into the food processor and whizz it up.

Mash also is a good way of adding veg - cauliflower is excellent in mash - very creamy and you wouldnt notice it. Use misxed veg mash to top cottage pie, sheppards pie, fish pie.

PasturesNew

Cheese & Potato Pie
Vegetable chilli & rice
Pizza
Egg Curry
Potato Curry
Spanish Omelette & chips (Omelette: potato, onion ... then veggies you've got, cheese)
Rissotto

SunnyGirl

I'm not a fish lover but my Mum used to make fish goujons (sp?) and I still make them now & again. Get a piece of white fish (not something delicate like plaice) & cut it into strips from top to bottom (between where the fins would be IYSWIM?) then dip the strips into a beaten egg seasoned with a sprinkle of garlic salt/paprika/chilli/bbq seasoning whatever you fancy really, then dip the strips into flour seasoned with salt & pepper and shallow fry unitl golden. Drain onto kitchen paper & serve with wedges, peas, salad etc. It's very very yummy Some of the egg seasonings may sound a bit odd but I enjoy them as I'm not struck on very herby flavours unless it's in a tomato sauce, obviously change them around to suit you & yours. Making me hungry now I might just have to put this on next weeks menu plan
Edited to say: I have served this to lots of fish hating people & they've mostly loved it. When they were little my kids used to call this Mummy's fish fingins!

poorandindenial

It sounds like you aren't so much fish haters as fish fussy.

I can't stand fish and when I eat it all I can taste is the horrid fishy taste (and I reguarly try all sorts of fish that people tell me don't really taste like fish as I really think I should like it and all I can ever taste is the fishy undertones)

Anyhow, the point of that is that you may be able to introduce more fish into your diet using your tried and tested recipes so that you all get used to a bit more fish and then expand what you are doing.

I agree with the hiding veggies in sauces, I also make a lot of homemade soups and there are always all manner of veg tucked away in there but you would never know as they are blitzed to death with a hand blender.

Have you given much thought to lentils??? I use them to thicken and pad out mince based dishes, I lob them in soups to bulk them out a bit and I am trying to master the art of making dal; I am not a huge fan of veggie food (I think of it as a side dish and am a massive meat eater - I sound a bit like youe hubbie in that respect) but dal and a naan bread is one of the things I can happily eat without a meat dish alongside it. I do think that Indian food does veggie better than any other for me as a non veggie.

poorandindenial

Oooh and what about doing mexican nights where there is lots of dive in and eat food. You could have veg quesadillas (or lob in a little spicy beef or chicken - you wouldn't need much to go a long, long way), nachos with all the toppings, jalapenos with cheese, spicy rice, veg fajitas (or chicken fajitas as that takes relatively little chicken)

Because everyone is tucking in with their hands there is novelty and they might be more inclined to try stuff and may not noticethe meat is 'missing'

Miss_Liquorice

I think starting out with adding veg to mince in bolognese is a good idea, or instead of the usual jacket potato, bake sweet potatoes - yum! You can't not enjoy sweet potato, hopefully it will open your kids up to trying other new veg. I also like making sweet potato chips, just cut them into wedges and drizzle a little oil and soy sauce on, and bake for about 30 mins. They go all soft and delicious.

I agree with the homemade pizzas, and getting them to make their own. Pasta with lots of veg in so the focus is on the pasta and not the vegetables - maybe start them off on tuna and sweetcorn? - or a vegetable risotto?

What about vegetable fajitas? The make-it-yourself/finger food aspect may encouage them. Onion, pepper, mushrooms, cauliflower, chickpeas and tomatoes... mmm. Could make it with homemade guacamole (mashed avocado, touch of garlic salt to taste, and a bit of lemon juice) and pico de gallo instead of salsa (chopped onion, corriander, chopped baby tomatoes) and have a mexican night

There's always omelette and chips. Can throw in mushrooms, spring onions, peas, anything!

I'm not a veggie (one of those meat makes it feel like a meal people, hehe) but just typing all that out makes me wanna do the same thing you're doing and just eat veg for a while!

poorandindenial

LOL - cross post with Miss Liquorice on mexican night - great minds and all that

PasturesNew

Giant yorkshire pudding filled with heaps of colourful veggies and mash with gravy.

inamess200

I read this thread with interest my 11 yearold daughter has decided for lent she is going to give up meat - which is certainly harder for me to plan than her normal giving up chocolate however i am trying to loose weight so maybe i will join her - i have 2 other children that i can add meat to their meals. I want to ensure my daughter has a healthly diet and introduce more beans pulses etc. and you never know it may save me money.