Ideas for what I can cook my awkward family please?

[ClockWatchingLady]

1. DS and I are pescatarian.
2. DP is strict vegetarian, and also doesn't like to have too many eggs or too much cheese.
3. I can't eat beans or pulses (they don't agree with me). Same for DD.
4. I need to feed the DC lots of protein as they just don't feel full up otherwise.

I'm a bit of a crap cook, and just don't know what to make any more with these requirements.
Everyone's fed up with my inept cheese omelettes.

Can anyone give me some inspiration?

Thank you in advance.

Nuts?

I mean can you all eat nuts?

Yes, we can (and probably are), trice. I do forget about nuts (and have never cooked with them, though we have/give them as snacks). I'll google some recipes. Thanks.

I would do a basic meal that suits all which appropriate protein can be added to, e.g. Ratatouille with pasta or rice, then you can add cheese on top or poach some fish or cook veggie sausages.

Basic veg stir fry with rice or noodles, protein on the side ( quick soy/ginger/garlic based marinade for fish is lovely)

Also this is fantastic: www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1263668/turkish-onepan-eggs-and-peppers-menemen

You can just do with onions and tomato for very simple and can then vary it by adding pesto and mozzarella for Italian style, curry paste with onions and then spinach for Indian style etc. We add chorizo, peppers and paprika for Spanish style - can you get a spicy veggie sausage alternative?

Such lovely ideas, everton! Thank you - am already starting to feel enthusiasm for cooking again.

the vegan society recipe page
The vegetarian society recipes may help as a starting point.

A big tray of roasted veg with tofu chunks . Nice with a tomato sauce or a balsamic vinegar and honey glaze .

Toad in the hole with veggie sausages .

I make fish pie with loads of sauteed leeks, mushrooms , carrots and peas in it. You could probably make a"non fish" pie for dh.

Also a big hit here is dips and crudites and jacket potatoes . eg carrot sticks, lightly steamed broccoli , cauliflower , celery. Then a tuna and almond dip, a hummus type dip, a blue cheese sip, a guacamole .

Do you feel like you need to cook a proper dinner or would it be okay to have a selection of smaller things?

Here in Germany it's popular to have abendbrot, basically a selection of cheeses, meats, breads, salad, maybe eggs, any leftovers. We adapt this for our own preferences so for ex tonight we are having hummus and flatbread, a tomato-feta-onion salad, some meatballs for DS, then fruit and cheese for dessert. Another night we might have a bit of leftover veggie soup, some sauteed mushrooms and courgette with a bit of cheese, on toast.

It's a really easy way to make everyone happy and do very little cooking. If you put everything on a big wooden board it looks a bit more like a real dinner and not just foraging :)

Thank you thank you! All these ideas are excellent

Veggie fajitas are a hit here: stir fried onion, peppers, big mushrooms, courgettes etc with seasoning (we use a packet and assume they're veggie) on wraps with salsa, guacamole, soured cream and cheese

I love this Turkish food website. - it has lots of veggie and fish recipes.

I do a sort of paella thing but use things like tofu or veggie sausage plus peppers, courgette etc instead of shellfish.

Some sort of nut roast/loaf? delia has one although haven't made it for a while, may have pulses in.

Mushroom Wellington (will see if I can find a link to the recipe, it is a mushroom/nut based pâté type thing wrapped in puff pastry and served with veg and onion gravy)

Found the mushroom one vegetarianforlife.org.uk/recipes/pies-and-pastries/rose-elliots-mushroom-pate-en-croute I love this and it isn't difficult to make

If I had those restrictions I think this weeks meal plan would be -

Sun- nut roast with roasted parsnips, carrots, Yorkshires, veg gravy, and mash- either buttery leek mash or swede and potato mash- make extra for leftovers

M- Fish cakes( made with leftover mash and a fillet or two of salmon) and salad ( just mashed potato cakes and salad for dh)

T- butternut squash and roasted red pepper lasagne

W- fish tagine / chickpea for dh tagine with cous cous or flatbreads

T- mezze- Spanish tortilla, garlic and chilli prawns, red pepper humous and crudities, roasted pepperdew peppers stuffed with feta, etc

F- pea and mint risotto / pea and asparagus risotto/ squash risotto / leek risotto - dependant on season/ what's cheap in whoppsy aisle - make enough for leftovers

S- arancini with leftover risotto and mozzarella - maybe without mozzarella for dh. But he'd be missing out

But I'm not sure if I've enough protein for you and perhaps I'm also heavy on the cheese- I'm not very good at this am I

You really all are amazing - thank you massively. You've got me out of a serious cookery slump.

Started this evening with a vegetabley fish pie (as described above), and left some without fish for DP. Was delicious. Will continue following all your lovely suggestions.

Thank you again.

Hairy bikers dieters mushroom risotto is yummy, you could leave out the chicken :-)

Get into using tofu. Done well it is a fantastic protein packed food.

Such as here and here. Serve in good buns with garlic mayo, relish and salad. Yum.

Sorry should have said, the links are for tofu burger recipes.

This is a great chinese tofu recipe, serve with noodles or rice.

I also do pasta using philli for a sauce, frying whatever I have in a bit of olive oil first while the pasta cooks. Usually courgettes, onions, chorizo, pancetta. You could use prawns, and a selection of veggies

Glad you're feeling inspired again, Clock

How do you make tuna and almond dip Cies?
I have never heard of this. Is it nice?

IMO this tuna and almond dip is food of the gods. I could quite happily eat it by the spoonful .

30 g walnuts or almonds
1 small onion or spring onion
60 g mayonnaise
250 g cream cheese
180 g tuna
salt and pepper

First blend the nuts and onion, then add the rest of the ingredients and blend till smooth.