a rice risotto without saying "where's the spuds" as long as there are heaps of veg in it, and he's even suggesting we should have two vegetarian meals a week.Great - BUT, he won't eat pasta and although he loves pastry it doesn't like him and gives him chronic indigestion.He won't eat things like legumes, and although he likes eggs they don't like him (they upset his tummy) So my question is, what can I give him other than rice risotto for a vegetarian meal!I'm sure he would soon get sick or rice risotto if we have it twice a week.
245sam,
Apr 13, 7:49am
kuaka, can your DH eat red kidney beans!I have an Alison Holst recipe for Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie which I enjoyed before I found that my digestive system does not cope well with red kidney beans. Recently we went to a Destitute Gourmet Sophie Gray demonstration everning where she made a lentil bolognaise sauce - would that recipe help you out with your DH's suggested vegetarian meals!Another suggestion would be to gradually get your DH used to lentils by adding them toe.g. mince - that way he could get used to the lentils while still enjoying the meat meals that he is obviously used to and fond of and it should help you with your meat budget costs by making the meat go further.
Re the pastry - I'm guessing here that it is the fat in the pastry that causes your DH's problems so I wonder.have you tried using filo pastry and brush between the layers with either oil or yoghurt to keep the fat/butter content to a minimum!
Hope these thoughts help and please do ask if you'd like Alison Holst's Shepherd's Pie or Sophie Gray's Lentil Bolognaise recipe.:-))
olwen,
Apr 13, 8:44am
If the problem is fat in the pastry then several brands make reduced fat flaky pastry.
I used to cook brown lentils with some onion.I would then add frozen mixed veges, and I don't remember exactly but you could make a gravy type sauce with yeast extract and a little flour to thicken and maybe some tomato paste.You can top this with mashed spuds to make a tasty vegetarian shepherds pie.
You could probably do this with canned brown lentils too.Drain and rinse them then add whatever veges appeal and something in the way of a gravy type sauce.
kuaka,
Apr 13, 9:48am
Thanks - I didn't realise that reduced fat flaky pastry is available - well I haven't seen it, maybe our one and only supermarket doesn't stock it, but then I haven't searched for it, so I will check that out.
It's not so much the budget (although that is a consideration), but he has just suddenly decided that maybe he doesn't need to eat meat every night of the week.This was quite a surprise as this is such a change around from his normal meat, spuds and two if not three veg.Previously if we had curry and rice he would still expect potatoes, likewise with risotto, he would still want spuds, but now suddenly he is happy to have risotto without wanting spuds, and says he'd like two meatless meals a week.He says he'd be happy to have risotto twice a week, but I think it would be better to have some variety.I'll work on it and see how we go.
Thanks for your suggestions.
frances1266,
Apr 13, 10:16am
Males seem to like dishes made with chickpeas - a pumpkin, chickpea curry is nice or you could google seitan, it is very much like meat as is TVP which is cheap and can taste just like meat.
switchie,
Apr 13, 10:21am
yes I agree a good veg curry with some rice on the side may helpor maybe a frittata, just use egg whites as often its the yolks that cause the problem.or maybe some fish instead of meat.
kuaka,
Apr 13, 10:25am
ah yes, fish!Normally we go out fishing through the summer and have snapper at least twice a week, and have enough in the freezer to last us through the winter for two meals a week.We haven't been fishing for over a year, for various reasons (ill-health, bad weather,then repairing our leaking roof) but we hope to go soon.Will definitely try a veg curry, he likes curry as long as it's not too hot.
marcs,
Apr 13, 12:00pm
Have a log at indian vegetarian foods if you don't mind the spices. Leave the chilli out if you don't want heat in your food.
esther-anne,
Apr 13, 1:19pm
kuaka -you are not going to like my reply!
You are being a doormat.I have an 82 yer old husband and I WILL not cater for what he thinks he wantsFor God's sake-I am 78 and I won'"t be dictated to any more!
If he doesn't like what you offer him for meals tell him to cater for himself.
My husband has heatlth issues too but he insists on eating what he wants- so be it.A side note-he has had a stroke and recovered somewhat miraculously.After serious surgery involving strippig the carotid artery - he still eats butter!
I have spent 58 years trying to balance a decent eating road map.Comes a time when one almost stops giving a damn!
Im my opinion men of this age have too much expectancy for the women in their llives to care for them and far too little on understanding they need to take responsibility for themselves.
And considering the stress their partners endure they may find themselves having to fight their own battles!~
Just saying my thoughts out loud /////////////////////
They are men of their generation!
lilyfield,
Apr 13, 7:53pm
so agree esther ,but if kuaka also likes vegetarien, why not
Tuna casserole with potatoes, not pasta pancakes filled with spinach simple large Russien salad and baked potaoe baked potatoe and cottagecheese+greens.
kuaka,
Apr 13, 7:55pm
ester-anne - I would agree with you if we were discussing my first husband, who developed a serious kidney problem and ended up having a kidney transplant (that was after I left him, but before he got run over and killed!) and was on a strict low-protein, low-fat diet, but it didn't stop him eating all the wrong things and in the end I gave up.
Husband number two is a different kettle of fish.He isn't very adventurous in the meal department, preferring his usual meat, spuds and two or three veg, so if he wants to try to have vegetarian twice a week I'm happy to oblige.And rather than just stick to risotto twice a week which I think he will soon sicken of, I'm happy to try other things.He's actually always very appreciative of anything I cook for him, and very very rarely complains (he even ate the smokey trifle recently - I burnt the custard -and said "yum").He also has had a serious stroke a few years ago and several smaller ones. He came out of hospital unable to walk, couldn't see properly and could hardly talk.The specialist told him that he wouldn't get any better than that.He's back winning snooker tournaments and you'd think it impossible that he's had a serious stroke.He does take a keen interest in what he eats, and won't touch butter, likes lots of veg and is very careful what he eats and how much - he actually eats less than I do.
And yes, I agree, there comes a point when you don't really care any more.
esther-anne,
Apr 14, 7:30am
Goodness-that was a very short-tempered response from me wasn't it kuaka and I am grateful for the peaceable replies - it's a wonder someone didn't snap MY head off.
As you might guess-we had had a real argument last night and he slammed off to bed and I took to the computer to see if anyone was awake - and had a vent along the way lol!
Your husband actually sounds lovely kuaka - not at all a whinger.My goodness though, your first husband certainly had his moments didn't he culminating in the worst one!
Anyway lots of good suggestions have come in for you - I apologise for mine being the worst possible in the way of assistance!
scarlettnz,
Apr 14, 7:49am
Have you looked on the Healthy Food Guide website Kuaka!They have some lovely recipes (both vegetarian and otherwise) www.healthyfood.co.nz
cookessentials,
Apr 14, 7:50am
Canellini beans or red kidney beans. Will he eat pumpkin! you can do a pumpkin cauliflower and gourmet potato dish ( it does have Tikka Masala paste in it) so not sure if he would be adventurous enough to eat that!
kuaka,
Apr 14, 9:06am
esther-anne - actually I think all men "can" be hard work at times, but my first one was nothing short of that little round thing in the middle of your backside, I'm just sorry I went through all the trauma of divorcing him when I did, only to have him die not long afterwards.At his funeral I couldn't believe what a saint he had turned into in my absence (or maybe I was at the wrong funeral)
This one is quite different though, a real character and he does have a sense of humour.Like today when we were playing snooker and he potted a red and a blue (so six points) and I said "six".He thought I said "sit" and he said "woof - I'll sit down when I'm ready" - but I digress.
cookessentials:
He loves pumpkin and cauliflower, broccoli, silverbeet, well just about all vegetables really, it's just finding something to do with them other than just boiling them.He loves cheese (tasty cheddar - nothing else) but limits the amount he eats because of the high fat content.Sticking to the meat and veg "normal" meals, he will basically eat anything I put in front of him, I'm just looking for something to vary the meals that he thinks he'd like to have without the meat.Just a normal meat, spud and veg meal minus the meat isn't my idea of a vegetarian meal.So I'm just looking for something we can both enjoy which is tasty, satisfying, meatless and not too expensive nor too complicated to make.
scarlettnz - no I haven't, but I will do so.Sounds interesting.
Thanks for the ideas.
kuaka,
Apr 14, 9:11am
He also exercises every day, uses his exercycle, does chest exercises and goes for long walks.He has biceps that lots of 40 year olds would be proud of!
marcs,
Apr 14, 9:14am
How about soups. Many vegetarian versions out there. I think you can make many variations with all the vegetables out there.They are yummy to eat over winter too.
kuaka,
Apr 14, 9:42am
We often have home-made veg soup for lunch in winter, but I for one would want to have something a bit more "solid" for my main meal in the evening, especially as we usually have our main meal around 6pm and I often don't go to bed till midnight.If we had soup in the evening I'd be starving again before bedtime!
jaybee2003,
Apr 14, 4:47pm
Orzo and Rizoni are two pasta's that look like rice. Rizoni or risoni is a slightly larger looking 'grain' and makes delicious salads. You could use them for a bit of variety in risotto type dishes. Could be worth a try - he might like them as it doesn't taste like pasta. They are both nice as a salad too and so easy.
An orzo suggestion risotto style: cook orzo in chicken stock, add lemon juice, some good olive oil and veges of choice: mushrooms, peas, asparagus - whatever. Cook/heat through. Add pepper and salt. Serve sprinkle with parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Roll any left overs into balls, keep in the fridge overnight, flatten and make fritters.
A (non vegetarian) Risoni Suggestion: Risoni with tomato and meatballs. Mix your mince as desired (eg herbs or flavouring, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, grated carrot etc), roll into balls and brown all over. Add liquid (tinned tomato, tomato paste, water, dash of worchester sauce etc), cook for 10 - 15 minutes. Add risoni and cook for another 8 minutes or so (depending on what it says on the packet) until risoni is just cooked. Grate a little parmesan on top just before serving, and enjoy say with green beans or whatever you fancy.
For a vegetarian risoni dish: Try cooking it risotto style adding roasted pumpkin (diced, tossed in oil and seasonings of choice then baked on flat tray), broad beans or green beans or cauliflower etc. Once cooked, stir in butter and lemon juice to coat + dash olive oil. Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese. Can add in toasted pumpkin seeds, or add onions at the start too etc. Loads of variety depending on what is in the fridge or garden.
Vegetarian 'lasagne' could be another option - using par boiled potato as a lasagne substitute along with a bit of cheesey sauce, or a tomato based one. Cook or prepare raw the other veges, depending on cooking time of indivudual veges, and layer with sauce in baking dish. Or healthy option: layer and pour over milk or chicken stock . Can top with a mix of fresh breadcrumbs, grated cheese and chopped parsley. Cook till warmed through/cooked and topping is browned.
Have fun! :-)
roshu,
Apr 14, 11:51pm
falafel burgers
fifie,
Apr 15, 2:06am
curry potatoes, potato and pumpkin bake, leftover chicken and brocolli bake all with creamy sauce and crusty cheese toppings.Soups with crusty warm bread, Orzo and Rizoni with vegs either warm or as a salad, leftover roasties warm with a dressing as a salad, baked potatoes,kumeras, stuffed and salsa's are some of my favourites forMr who is slowly being educated from meat, spuds, and 3 boiled vegs every day. I don't muck around if he dosen't like something fine, tomorrow i tell him you cook, ha ha always works for me or sometimes he will cook 2-3 spuds for himself old habits eh!
cookessentials,
Apr 15, 6:35am
Kuaka, I think he may enjoy the vegetable bake with sour cream sauce! It has pumpkin, kumara, onion, silverbeet/courgettes feta chesse and ordinary chesse on the top with the sour cream sauce. Give me a yell if you would like the recipe.
hi kuaka, fantastic news! i still remember the threads with discussions on what to make as he wouldnt try anything different, my sister husband is a bit liek that and he loves rice noodles, maybe a vege and chickenstirfry over rice noodles when made that way you dont use much meat. and rice noodles are cheap if you buy them from asian stores
kuaka,
Apr 15, 10:39am
Hello cookessentials, this sounds really good and something that we would both enjoy - I'd love the recipe when you have time to share it.
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