Child friendly veggie meals with no eggs or spice -ideas please?

[Just2MoreSeasons]

My dd (8) has decided to go vegetarian and I'm unused to cooking veggie meals.

I'm struggling a bit to be honest.

I'm totally ok with her choice to be a vegetarian but insisted that she needs to be healthy with her food choices. I can foresee a situation where she will limit her choices to sandwich or pasta with grated cheese, and while they're fine for once in a while they aren't going to fulfill her nutritional needs on a daily basis.

She won't eat eggs (although has no problem putting them in her baking)

She doesn't really like potato but accepts that she will need to have it sometimes.

She's made good steps toward eating salad -iceberg lettuce, raw pepper, cucumber and tomato. She'll also eat couscous, rice and pasta. She likes houmous.

She will eat vegetables, esp the child friendly ones such as broccoli, peas, carrots, but refused sweet potato and can even detect it if there is a bit in a soup.

She says she doesn't like soup but I will keep pushing small dishes of soup as a starter I think.

Ideally I like the whole family (me, Dp and Ds(2) to eat the same meal, but I don't mind tweaking a bit to satisfy everyone.

Any ideas please? I would be pathetically grateful -I feel like I'm trying to reinvent the wheel each time I look in the fridge!
Thankyou

[MrsStinkey]

Ratatouille? You can put loads of different veg in that so could vary it each time my favourites in it are aubergine, pepper, corguette and red onion. You could serve with cous cous, baked potato, mash or pasta so it's pretty versatile. Vegetable curries, 5 bean or veg chilli, make at home veggie pizza. Also, if she's not into eggs have a look online for vegan recipes. Loads that are really easy and delicious that the whole family can eat.

[milkmoustache]

Wraps are good because everyone can pick and choose: refried beans, avocado, peppers, spicy chicken for whoever wants it. Shepherdess pie is good if lentils are acceptable, you can get a hell of a lot of veg into one pie!

[Just2MoreSeasons]

Gosh, lots of ideas there. Thanks so much I will cook all of those . I think aubergine and onion will be picked out but I am determined that she will need to get used to them slowly if she going to limit foods by way of meat.

[IToldYouIWasFreaky]

Will she eat, and are you happy to serve, meat substitutes like Quorn? That might make it easier to do the same meal for everyone as you can just replace the meat element with a veggie one, especially with things like sausages!

DS (10) was veggie since birth but has also eaten fish for the past couple of years. His favourite meal is macaroni cheese (served with a couple of types of veg). He also really likes Mexican dishes like fajitas or tacos. I know you said no spice but they can be very mild with no actual chili if it's the heat she dislikes.

We also eat quite a lot of pulses. DS is a big fan of beans on toast for breakfast which suits me fine as it's quick, filling and good for protein. For dinner we have lentil bolog, or cheese and lentil slice (from a Rose Elliot cookbook - she does excellent veggie recipes), or shepherds pie made with beans or lentils, bean chili, dhal etc

Does she like cheese? DS is not keen on strongly flavoured cheese like goats cheese or anything blue but he does really like paneer or halloumi which can be used in lots of different ways.

[MikeUniformMike]

Quorn or cauldron foods sausages are good.
Soya mince is good too.
Vegeburgers.
Falafels.

Cook things that everyone can eat and add chicken or meat-substitute to each plate.

[MikeUniformMike]

Forgot tofu. Paneer is really good too.

[Doje]

Stuffed peppers is a surprise hit in this house. I fry up some veggies, normal whatever leftover bits that are in the fridge, mushrooms, celery, tomatoes, French beans, baby sweetcorn etc, and then add it to cous cous, and throw some feta on the top.

Spinach, chickpea and Potato curry - fry onion and garlic, then some grated ginger, add a curry powder (we use a korma one, my kids don't like anything spicy), tin tomatoes, two cans of water, potatoes (in one inch cubes). Let the pots cook for 30 mins, add chickpeas, cook for another 5 mins, add spinach (I use frozen) and done! Top with a dollop of yogurt and serve with naan or rice or on its own.

Leek tart - chop 500g leeks, fry for 10 mins, add a big dollop of creme fraiche and a beaten egg (I know you said she doesn't like these, but I doubt she could tell it's in there) and crumble in some Lancashire cheese. Spread on the top of a puff pastry sheet and cook for approx 30 mins. We sometimes put cherry tomatoes on the top before cooking, and sometimes peas.

[SuburbanRhonda]

OP, I would advise against too much Quorn in the diet of a growing girl, as it is low in iron compared with soya products. Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Linda McCartney products are made from soya. Tesco also does its own brand soya mince, which is really easy to use and is often on a 3 for 2 offer.

[Just2MoreSeasons]

IToldYouIWasthanks. I tried quorn and thought it was truly awful to be honest! That's exactly what I thought I would do when she first announced it, but it hasn't worked out that way and I now feel like a need to think of new meals not just substitute for meat.
Thanks for the cook book recommendation too, I'll get that one, and try the dishes you've mentioned and start with little to no spice and build up a little bit.
She likes medium cheddar, reused goats cheese yesterday and I've yet to try halloumi.

Falafels we also tried yesterday and she thought they were too spicy, but I'll try them again.

Haven't tried tofu and paneer, I'll look for some recipes with those in and give them a try too.

Doje I'll definitely try those meals too. I think they sound yummy, so at least someone will be happy

Thanks so much everyone. I'll print this off as a reminder.
Any other meal ideas would be very welcome. [flowers

[LadyIsabellaWrotham]

My DD loves cheesy beany bake. Fry a chopped onion in a Le Crueset or similar. Add garlic purée to taste. Add one tin of baked beans and one tin of mixed beans (rinsed). Add veggie Worcester sauce to taste. Heat through. Cover with torn up bread and then with lots of grated cheese. Put under the grill until cheese is browned.

[AtleastitsnotMonday]

Quaesidilla and homemade veggie/bean burgers.
If she found falafel too spicy try making your own with a mix of chickpeas and butternut squash with paprika.
Stir fry with cashews

[EElisavetaOfBelsornia]

Bean or veggie burgers, wraps, bean bake with cheese and breadcrumb topping, stir fry with noodles and cashew nuts, dhal, ratatouille or briam, hearty soups like minestrone, ribollita or borscht.

[Whyhellodaffodil]

Jack monroe’s carrot and kidney bean burgers are lovely, have with pitta and some salad and yoghurt dolloped on top - link here: cookingonabootstrap.com/2015/01/31/carrot-cumin-kidney-bean-burger-9p/amp/ in fact her whole website is worth a look

[diymania]

Mine like cheesy tomato rice aka tomato risotto with lots of cheese on top! I do it with bacon, but could have it plain or add mushrooms?

veg lasagne would be a good option if she ends up liking ratatouille (just replace the mince with the ratatouille).

[Just2MoreSeasons]

These are fabulous ideas everyone, I really am very grateful!

[Ifailed]

most dishes made with mince can also be adapted to be made with lentils and the whole family can then eat the same meal. so cottage pie, lasagne, bolognaise, chilli etc.

[newmumwithquestions]

If she’ll eat cakes will she eat pancakes?
Pancakes with avocado, cheese, mushrooms and kidney beans are
a favourite in this house.
Lentils are your friend. Veg, tinned tomato and lentil soup is really quick and healthy or as pp said use lentils instead of meat in a Shepard’s pie (add stock to give flavour).
Veg lasagna with soya mince and lots of peppers etc. I replace one lager of pasta with a layer or aubergine.
Asparagus risotto - you can get veggy alternatives to Parmesan (they’re not as good but some are ok) and make with lots of wine with veg stock to replace the flavour from the chicken stock.

[Mummydoctor]

We’ve always been vegetarian and don’t eat eggs. The kids vary in their tastes with one being very adventurous and the other less so.
Typical meals for us include: pesto pasta with roast veg and tinned chickpeas thrown in, homemade chilli with kidney beans and sometimes soya mince with rice (I make it it v mild with cumin and coriander for seasoning) and serve with plain Greek yogurt, lentil shepherds pie, veg and mince lasagna, chickpea and cauliflower curry, Dahl and rice, scrambled tofu with veggie sausages and beans, we eat a fair amount of soups, roast veg and sausage traybake, homemade tortilla pizzas, fajitas and enchiladas (again very mild seasoning).

[Sleephead1]

We aren't veggie but these are what veggie meals I do. Veg stir fry - loads of veg with noodles and cashew nuts. Veg curry loads of veg and use a mild curry sauce plus add coconut milk for my little boy we have with brown rice. Veggie and lentil patties these are carrot , sweet potato and butternut squash plus lentils all cooked and mashed then add breadcrumbs, cheese and egg shape into patties I lightly fry then pop in oven. We have with wraps with salad. Puff pastry sheets with tomato , veg and motzerella. You can do lots of pasta bakes with veg and soups. Does she like peanut butter as lots of options for snacks with nut butters.

[saladdays66]

Veg chilli

Wraps with various fillings
veg fajitas
tortilla - potatoes with egg and whatever veg you have in the fridge

I whizz spinach, peas and broccoli into a sauce then add it to pasta.

See www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/healthy-vegetarian-comfort-food-recipes?cm_mmc=ExactTarget--email--Good-food-newsletter-584-15-01-2018--email&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=ExactTarget&utm_campaign=Good-food-newsletter-584-15-01-2018 - if you subscribe to BBC Good Food they sent you lots of emails with recipe ideas

If you're near a Tesco, this month's free Tesco magazine has great veggie recipes too.

Pasta pomodoro

I'm doing this tonight:

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/halloumi-traybake?cm_mmc=ExactTarget--email--Good-food-newsletter-584-15-01-2018--email&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=ExactTarget&utm_campaign=Good-food-newsletter-584-15-01-2018

[wombatron]

Something that gave me loads of veg ideas was Slimming Eats. It’s a slimming world/WW website but has some lovely vegetarian ideas - vegetable gratin etc in its meal plans. The only thing really slimming is the lack of oil and full fat dairy which is easily changeable. Could be a good starting point. Also Pinch Of Nom is a nice site... I’m on slimming world in case you didn’t figure it out :)

[UrbaneSprawl]

Would eggs be acceptable in Yorkshire pudding? Veggie sausage in Yorkshire pud otherwise known in my house ‘turd in the hole’works well.

Lasagne with spinach & ricotta is quick and easy, especially if you make and freeze a ton of tomato sauce at once.

Hugh F-W has a great mushroom cobbler recipe with a cheesy, mustardy scone topping...but I know lots of kids find mushrooms seriously difficult.

Meat substitues don’t have the flavour of lamb, beef etc. on their own, so are much better if cooked in sauce/stews etc. where they can take on the flavour from that.

Henderson’s Relish is a great vegetarian alternative to Lee & Perrins (which has anchovies in it), and is increasingly available outside the People’s Republic of South Yorkshire - it never fails to improve stews and the like.

[Plasticgold]

Risotto- add veg, cooked chicken or sausages alongside for non veggies.

Pasta bake, lots of cheese on top.

Lentil ragu is yummy

Fajitas

Veggie mince is great, there are some good recipes on the quorn website