Vegetarian Idea's

VeganClaire

What is the "soy mince" like?

I like it - but I do like bland food! I find it nicest if cooked with a stock cube when rehydrating it, then drain exess water and add to something with a sauce.

I do prefer lentils and they also count towards 5 a day

kunekune

I'm cooking for two meat-eating adults with gourmet tendencies, a 9 year old with a passion for starch, a liking for meat protein and a fear of most vege, plus a 7 year old semi-vegetarian. She sometimes eats fish (we wait for her to say if she wants it) and occasionally meat (ditto). I always offer a vege option. What I've ended up doing is 'modular' meals. For instance, this week our meals have included:

salad of new potatoes, green beans, boiled egg, little gem lettuce & cherry tomatoes with an anchovy dressing plus left over lamb for grownups + undressed potatoes, beans, egg, lettuce & tomatoes for DD + undressed potatoes, egg, lamb & bread & butter for DS

pasta in cheese sauce with cauliflower & a crumb topping for everyone + crispy bacon pieces for adults and DS + asparagus roasted with cherry tomatoes and honey roasted carrots for adults

I put all the components on the table for people to help themselves. It's a lot more pots but we have a dishwasher and it makes it more likely that DS will try new foods.

With other meals we eat completely vege about 3 days a week (felafel mix is good), fish 1-2 days and meat 1-2 days. THe meat days the meat is almost always served separately, if not I make something separate. It doesn't cost any more, now I've got used to it.

Edited to add: I know that my daughter can't really be called vegetarian as she eats some (sustainable) fish, but (a) I don't want to get hung up on labels, just respect her decisions and (b) it's partly because a lot of the "vegetarians" at her school aren't really vegetarian at all, they eat halal at home but her school, being 95% christian doesn't offer halal meals. So she is using the label they use to describe their school eating habits.