Are there any vegetarians here?

dandy-candy

I'm trying a meat/fish free diet and I was wondering if you could tell me what sort of things you would eat for a weeks worth of dinners?
I had pasta with tomato sauce on Friday, jacket spud on sat and a lentil lasagne on Sunday. I'm happy to eat these kind of meals, but I wouldn't want to have them more than once in a week. What other options are there?
I do eat dairy, but I don't like tofu. Thanks for any help!

welshbookworm

Sunday
Nut roast, roast potatoes veg and gravy
Monday
Vegetarian sausages and chips
Tuesday
Vegetable curry and rice or bread.
Wednesday
Pasta and tomato or veg sauce
Thursday
veg and bean shepherds pie
Friday
veg and bean stew with dumplings (yes you can get vegetarian suet)
Saturday
Vegetable pakora with dips and salad
The thing is to remember don't use mixed veg with every meal and to use two or three veg in a dish to make it easier to vary your diet.

Out,_Vile_Jelly

Veg chilli
Veg pasta
Veg curry (Indian or Thai)
Veg stir fry
Margherita pizza with extra veg on top

You haven't mentioned veg in any of your meals so far!

ragz_2

Your current diet sounds very carb heavy, you need to be getting a LOT more veg, like more than 5 a day... and vary your diet as much as possible to get the full quota of amino acids. Veg should form the majority of your plate, not carbs, or you won't be getting the nutrients you need. So pasta and sauce is not very good for you, but a small serving of pasta on the side of a large veg laden plate is fine.

Soup is a good one, big salads (with enough crunchy bits and importantly dressing salad is lovely), veg curry, cheesey veg bake, roasted veg, vegetable pie, quiche, omelette,

Quinoa is a good source of protein for vegitarians and you could roast a bag of frozen 'chargrilled' veg to go in it. If you are eating eggs get plenty of them in, fab source of protein.

For desserts, fruit salad with a splash of cream will give you vitamins and much needed fat. Use real butter and eat nice real yogurt and cheese, the nutrients in them will replace a lot of what you don't get from meat.

Also - try to avoid eating loads of soya products as they are processed rubbish and also soya is quite bad for you.

I am not a vegetarian at all, totally cannot see the appeal I really love my meat but I have studied diet and nutrition

stiltwalker

if you are looking for things to replace the meat element of the meal and serve them with veg and potatoes for instance -
Quiche (also makes great cold leftovers for a midnight snack or pack up for the next day)
vegetable or cheese and onion pie (this is also pretty good cold)
bean burgers
mushroom or nut roast (can be sliced and used on sandwiches like a haslet)

If you are looking for a whole meal type dinner there are innumerable different pasta dishes that are completely veggie - Truly Italian by Ursula Ferrigno is a good place to start, lots of wonderful (as well as quick and simple) veggie ideas. Think beyond pasta and tomato sauce or macaroni cheese to more authentically Italian fare such as pasta with broccoli and gorgonzola or maybe a rissotto primavera (spring veg).

There are also lots of good recipes in Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall's - River Cottage Veg. You could borrow it from the library and try a few dishes out to add to your repertoire.

dandy-candy

Gosh I had forgotten all about quiche! I love it too.
Thanks for ideas and advice. I love things like cauliflower cheese but didn't want to eat too many fattening foods, I think a curry would be a good thing to try. What veg would I put in? I'm thinking onions, cauliflower, peppers and potatoes; any other good ones for a curry?
Thanks for advice on being carb heavy, I will try and correct that.
Great ideas so far, thank you.

sm1971

I would recommend The Bean Book by Rose Elliott (or anything by her, really) as you get wonderful veggie recipes that actually think about the protein element rather than just being vegetables or cheese. The bean and veg pie (sort of shepherd's pie) is amazing and very easy to make.

We also eat stir fries with cashew nuts, lentil bolognaise, bean hotpots and moroccan chick peas. We don't eat an awful lot of meat substitutes.

mummybearx

Tonight I'm making a roasted butternut squash and tomato bake kinda thing. Chunk up the squash, fry in oil and sage and season. Put into an ovenproof dish, add in a can of chopped tomatoes, a can of butter beans and any veg lying around that I fancy. Add in herbs, spice, seasoning, whatever you fancy really.

I normally bake it in the oven for 30mins, sprinkling some cheese on top to brown it. Serve with sliced crusty bread, lovely!

I also make vegetarian shepherds pie, the one from the bbc good food website. Love the sweet potato topping on that.

When I'm making curries, I tend to stick to onion and peppers as my base. Then add in a can of chickpeas, or frozen broad beans, can of butter beans, a handful brocolli or cauliflower, maybe a sliced carrot, whatever veg I have in the fridge really. Peas and pototoes as well!

hth x

blodwyn_t

Here are 3 of my favourites . First - frittata (serves 2). (peppers, red onion, sweet potato, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes - all chopped and fried, and then add 5 beaten eggs to the pan to form a sort of omelette. Once the bottom starts to cook, sprinkle cheese on top and stick it under the grill to finish. Add fresh basil before serving). Second - Avo Couscos Salad. (Avocado sliced up and mixed up with crumbled Feta cheese and chopped sundried tomatoes, plus a few chopped nuts, such as walnuts. Mix up with wholewheat couscous which has been made up with vegetable stock. Then serve on a bed of rocket. ) And third - haloumi and bean salad. Slice haloumi cheese, brush with olive oil and sprinkle on some ground chillies. Fry lightly on both sides, and then mix with sliced red onion and a tin of mixed beans. Add a dressing made of honey, mustard and lemon juice, and serve on a bed of lettuce.

Byatt

http://33shadesofgreen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/tasty-tuesdays-spinach-broccoli-lasagna.html

found this for a vege lasagne

poppyjane

Blimey, that doesn't sound very exciting! What did you usually eat? Is just swapping the meat you used to eat for a meat substitute an option? That would be an easy way to go about it to start off. I'm a big fan of Quorn, although it isn't cheap The 'plain' varieties are low fat, low(ish) carb and high protein.

If you want any further advice, the Veg Society are very good. Their telephone number is Tel: 0161 925 2000

Good luck!

Jane