To ask for your help with going vegetarian?

[StormzyInaDCup]

Hi all, cheeky ask.. But I'm finding I'm really going off meat. The texture has just started turning my stomach.

The problem is, my cooking has revolved around meat for so many years, I don't even know where to start! It's only my DS and I at home and he's happy to convert and a good eater.

Any help, ideas or resources would be hugely appreciated.

try to make a meal plan before you start. You might find it helpful to sign up to receive a veggie starter kit (they email it to you and it contains recipes etc)
www.vegkit.com/kit/
friends of the earth also have loads of recipes
friendsoftheearth.uk/food/16-cheap-vegetarian-recipes-taste-amazing?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1P6X68ma6gIVgbHtCh2W5AsLEAAYAyAAEgLPJvD_BwE
all the best x

Is there a particular chef or style of food you like? I'd start there.

Well you can either replace it with meat alternatives (which might be most useful where you would have been eating a chunk of meat like a burger), or things like beans, mushrooms, tofu (don't try and eat it plain and unflavoured), and tempeh (e.g. in chilli etc).

There are various recipes and guides etc here: www.viva.org.uk/going-vegan

Lentils are your friends! Great to make things like veggie meatballs, lasagne, bolognese by just switching beef with lentils and beef stock with veg stock.

I stopped eating meat in January but didn't eat much before then. I like Hugh Fearnley-Whittinstall Veg everyday book and Meera Sodha Fresh India and East as they are really good for inspiration.

I use a lot of meat alternatives personally. I'd recommend no bull, naked glory, oomph. Asdas new plant based range is pretty good too.
Currys and pastas are easy, just chuck a mix of veggies in instead of meat. Pizzas same. Stuffed mushrooms or peppers are good as a non meat alternative meat alternative. Stir frys are easy.

What kind of food do you eat?

The green roasting tin is a great recipe for inspiration. It's 50% vegan and 50% veggie. Every recipe I've tried from it so far has been great and they're all really easy.

Some of my favourites

Baked potatoes + topping
Califlower cheese
Stir fry veg can add noodles
Veg soup & garlic bread
Veg pizza
Veg wraps
Veg curry, even better the next day
Roast veg
Veg pie with mash or pastry
Samosas
Tapas assorted
Nachos with dips
Beans
Lentils
Pasta
Salad
Rice
Pancakes sweet or savory
Desserts

Meals I like eating which don’t involve meat substitutes:

• halloumi, Mediterranean veg, cous cous, and can add a dollop of humus on your plate too for extra protein
• indian curry (maybe add paneer too?)
• Thai style curry
• pasta, veg and feta stirred through til it goes melty
• stir fry with tofu. If you look in the vegan ready meal section in Tesco they stock pre-cut, pre-marinaded tofu which is an easy way into tofu.
• falafel with humus and veg
• ragu. Make as normal but use lentils instead of mince. You can also put vegan mince in along with the lentils if you’re happy to texture-wise.
• bean chilli
• fajitas with peppers etc, beans and all the usual toppings

I'm not really a great fan of a lot of the fake meat products that are all over the place now. Although I make an exception for Linda McCartney meatballs which are great in a tomato based sauce with pasta. Pasta is definitely a great starting point for easy tasty veggie meals as is risotto. If you like cheese, mushrooms, pesto etc.

Curries and stir fries are also brilliant without meat. Some of the cheat cook sauces and packets are amazing- Try Tastesmiths! Decent paneer is beautiful but I fry mine off before it goes in the sauce. Firm tofu is lovely in stir fries or thai curries - but again crisp it off a little first.

Lentils and other pulses are useful- buy the ready cooked packets if you want quick meals. Moussake, lasagna, casseroles, stroganofs etc.

I think the hardest is to create something a little more spectacular for maybe a sunday lunch. There's often a reliance on pastry dishes which dont always suit - try big platters of roasted veg with jeweled couscous

I’ve been vegetarian since Christmas and loving it.

I don’t do meat substitutes. Some of my tried and tested favourites below. Having vegetarian burgers tonight.

www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/aubergine-lasagne/

www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/aubergine-parmigiana-melanzane-alla-parmigiana/

www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/veggie-chilli/

maunikagowardhan.co.uk/cook-in-a-curry/butter-chicken-murgh-makhani-chicken-cooked-in-a-spiced-tomato-gravy/

I just replace the chicken with paneer in the above recipe.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/burnt-aubergine-veggie-chilli

I'm another who doesn't like the meat substitutes, and if you're going off meat because of the texture they may taste too meaty for you. Ann's Jones vegetarian chilli is a favourite here, and makes a good spicy shepherd's pie filling too. Other things that go down well here are Macaroni cheese or cauliflower cheese, vegetable curries, quiche, risotto, stuffed aubergines, stir fry, lentil bolognese, mushroom stroganoff. Delia smiths shepherd's pie with goatscheese mash is lovely, and her vegetarian sausage rolls are fab.

And Canadian egg burgers from the guardian are great both as burgers and as meatballs.

We love to eat: Canadian eggburgers
Ingredients

Per person/burger

One egg

A handful of oats

A handful of grated cheese (cheddar or feta)

2 slices of onion, finely chopped

½ tsp dried sage

1 tsp olive oil, for frying

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat and pour in the mixture. After three to four minutes, flip them over on to the other side and continue flipping every couple of minutes until both sides are golden brown. Serve in buns with salad and ketchup, or by themselves. They are also delicious cooked in a pan over an open fire.

Recipe from the guardian

Dont think of it as 'going veggie' because one day you'll feel like your missing out. Just think of it as eating less meat. This week, start by switching out a couple of meals, then next week a couple more until you're happy with the balance. If you wake up one morning and think I NEED BACON! (as I do occasionally) have it. Dont worry about it.

Hi! I am a vegetarian but I don’t really like meat alternatives. I find halloumi or paneer to be really good substitutes for meat in curries, and you can make a really good bolognese from mushrooms and lentils.

The Wagamama cookbook has really good recipes as do ottolenghi and meera sodha.

Also check out Bosh website/books. I love their sweet potato, chickpea spinach curry and their lasagna.

Oooh I love Boosh, I followed them despite not being vegetarian, it's come in handy now that DC3 has become Vegan..

Thank you all so much. These recipe ideas are fantastic.

I've ordered the veg kit and hughs book to get us started. @CookieMumsters that's great advice, I'll try it from that perspective to start, I think.

I transitioned over three months, mostly because I didn't yet know what to cook but also because I didn't want to have meat cravings.

Watching with interest, as I really feel I should be going veggie and maybe dairy free too... I love animals and feel so guilty about the environment too!

Hi OP. I cannot recommend the BOSH! Cookery book for vegan/veggie recipes.

www.bosh.tv/recipes/main-dishes the website is also useful.

Have been veggie for 2 years now. I bought a few vegetarian and vegan cookbooks. I tried to go veggie 5 years ago and it wasn't successful because i didnt learn to cook anything new. I also gave up meat and fish in phase. So gave up pork and beef for 3 weeks.then fish for weeks and then poultry. Helped loads. My meals are far more interesting.

I like Quorn but keen on some of the new meat alternatives with the fake bleeding and all that

Really the easiest thing to start out with is to simply switch quorn for meat in dishes where the meat is hidden a bit by gravy/ mash etc

Cottage Pie. Lasagne, toad in the hole. etc

The try some nice naturally vegetarian soups and chillis. Especially over the summer.

Then maybe try one more properly vegetable-y recipe a week? You'll develop a list of go to nice veggy meals.

Ha @Sexnotgender those are among my favourites too! Excellent taste there

OP definitely start with easy swaps, so whatever you'd normally cook with meat but replace the meat with meat subs (I'm personally not a fan) or mushrooms, lentils etc.

Indian food is great for veggies, lots of dahls and veg curries. Veg stir fry works but add nuts or something to keep you full. Good luck, there's a whole world of delicious veggie food out there! I really don't miss meat at all and like you find it off-putting now.