Veggie recipes for DC - no pasta

[WineIsMyCarb]

Here's the challenge:

DDs (18mo and 3.5 yrs) generally have some form of meat or fish, 2 veg and a carb as their evening meal 4-5 times a week. The other days will be picky tea / beans on toast / fish fingers if they've been at nursery or busy day out, etc.

Neither are huge pasta eaters. They will go for spaghetti but not really penne / swirls etc.

The 3yo doesn't like passata (eg, doesn't like pizza for this reason).

They both love nursery's tuna pasta bake (because of course they do!) and I think it's in a white sauce.

Any ideas for more veggie meals to give them pls? Want to reduce our meat consumption a bit and widen our 'repetoire' (yes, indeed, repertoire!!)

They like all the 'basic' veg (carrots, broccoli, peas, sweetcorn etc) and they are usually cooked plainly.

The broccoli is cooked plainly, rather than the DC. I always add various spices when I serve one of their legs up, of course!!

Frittata
Egg fried rice
Macaroni cheese
Jacket potato with beans and cheese
Veggie shepherds pie with lentils or Quorn mince

Veggie curry or Dahl
Cauliflower cheese
Cheese and onion pie
Veggie fajitas
Falafel, hummus and salad pitas

Risotto www.annabelkarmel.com/recipes/risotto-primavera/
Cheesy pepper boats www.vegetarianrecipesmag.com/vegetarian-recipes/easy-stuffed-peppers
Bean burgers www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/9978/mexican-bean-burgers-with-lime-yogurt-and-salsa
Chilli www.healthylittlefoodies.com/vegetarian-chilli-kids/
Falafel burgers www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/5605/falafel-burgers
Cheese pancakes

From how you described the tuna pasta bake I guess they would also enjoy cauliflower cheese.

Cauliflower cheese is basically low carb mac and cheese without the pasta:-

cauliflower cheese

Chinese-style stir fry or chow mien style meals with noodles / rice / veg ... lots of variations you could try if you google for ideas.

Would they eat veg chilli and rice?

Veggie sausages, beans, mash

Egg, chips, beans

Breaded fish, chips & peas (or mash and beans)

Macaroni cheese if they'll eat white sauces? Use spaghetti instead of macaroni if they don't like shapes. Sort of a veggie carbonara! Add mushroom and peas in for two portions of veggies. My mum used to cut up fish fingers and put peas in my macaroni cheese. Sounds odd but it was delicious, one of my faves for years! (I might have it for dinner this week now, haha)

What about veggie fajitas / tacos etc? I love mine with mushrooms, onion, pepper, sweetcorn. Cheese on top, avocado for added goodness if they'll eat it. Cook the veg altogether in a frying pan then take out kids' portions without any (or much) spice mix on, turn add the spices for you and DH after. I serve with salad too.

I make a lot of stews, curries and Moroccan tagines in the slow cooker.

Veggie stew. I serve with Sunday lunch style veg and mash. I don't make the dumplings, I buy aunt Bessie's frozen ones. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/butternutsquashhand468133

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Slow cooker veggie lasagna. this was amazing. Dunno if your kids would eat it, but it was so tasty I'll add it anyway. _ https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/slow-cooker-vegetable-lasagnee_

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Moroccan chickpea tagine. I serve this with rice. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/slowcookerrchickpea_12414

Basically, you can pretty much recreate any meal with chickpeas, mushrooms, etc. Except for Sunday dinner! For that, I get Tesco's nut cutlets from the freezer section. (I tend not to eat a lot of soy or quorn as I don't like it much) you need cranberry sauce with it tho! They're good for a quick midweek dinner with mash, peas, carrots & cabbage.

For a treat, I do love a good "fry up". Hash browns, beans, eggs, toast, fried mushrooms, tomato and veggie sausages. (Only ones I like are Linda McCartney's rosemary ones from the freezer section, and you need to do them well done imo!)

Mild curries
Would they like falafel?
Cheese quesadillas
Tuscan bean stew
Leek and potato soup with breadz

No idea where that random z came from

These are all amazing, thanks very much!

@Dec2019mumtobe I will definitely try the fajitas, thanks, as they like wraps. Macaroni cheese yes, good idea. Egg and chips - of course! Tea of the Gods!

@lastqueenofscotland - what veg do you put in your curry? I do a chicken korma for them so so I replace with corgette?

@GemmeFatale and @Ricekrispie22 yes will try falafel. I don't have to make them to be legit do I?! Adding to list!

Thanks everyone. Will try almost all of these this week.

My nieces love a curry made with sweet veg like carrots, butternut squash and sweet potato. I often make a sweet potato curry with coconut milk, then add green beans close to the end of cooking. Courgette's okay in a curry but it's fairly runny and bland.

Rose Elliot's got loads of fab recipes. There's one for lentil croquettes that's very tasty. www.roseelliot.com/catalogue_item.php?catID=2033&prodID=19248

Her books are worth looking at, if your library has them.

Good old fashioned omelette always goes down well with my kids. They like theirs plain but you can make it more interesting eith mushroom, cheese, chilli, veggie sausage, or whatever you have in.

Last night I made these lovely potatoes - added smoked paprika at the end. It's a River Cottage recipe.

bookpage.com/the-book-case/15096-recipe-week-roasted-potatoes-eggplants#.XQeAczfTWdM

My kids were never keen on penne or tomato sauce etc but always loved Orzo (much easier to cook than risotto rice) with sauces made from grated courgette and peas or broccoli and pesto , asparagus, sugar snaps and creme fraiche etc. Very easy .