Guests for 1 week - 1 Veggie

[whatsontonight]

I have guests staying next week for 7 nights, 1 vegetarian (also doesn't eat fish) and 2 other adults who eat meat etc. Can anyone suggest what to cook!?!?

honestly, if guests were staying with me for 7 nights, I would expect decision making on cooking to be collaborative. I'd organise the first couple of nights but then would expect they'd contribute with ideas etc beyond that.

Roasted veg - big mix of mediteranean veg or a carrot and cauliflower version would probably feature heavily and/ or I'd do a good vegetarian curry.

If I wanted to accommodate both meat and vegetarians I'd probably do burgers one night - meat/chicken for those who eat meat and vegetable for the rest (mushroom and aubergine, halloumi etc. I saw a recipe for a sort of honey aubergine and goats cheese burger recently on BBC good Food which looks good).

If you want to prep in advance, a veg and a meat lasagna is always a good choice. Easily stuck in fridge/freezer and used as needed with a salad.

Have you got kids in the mix too, and how awkward are they if so?

Ideas:
Couple of quiches (bought or homemade), jacket potatoes, couple of salads

Chicken curry and veggie curry with bought bread/bhajis etc

Sausage and mash with green vege

Tray of wedges, hotdogs, corn on the cob

Fajitas

Haloumi and vege skewers plus a meaty version, with spiced rice or cous cous and some salads/tsatziki

Aubergine parmigiana

Pizza night is a good easy one to do. Add a couple of salads, garlic bread, olives etc to make it more occasion like if you need to.

Curry night is easy to accommodate a veggie. Bought naans, samosas, bhajis etc plus a rice, a couple of curries you can make (buy?!) in advance and reheat.

@Tinpotspectator

Aubergine parmigiana

This would need to a veggie Parmesan alternative. Parmesan is never vegetarian because of the rennet.

Watch out for cheeses.

Sigh.

Is there a MN law that says every veggie thread has to have somebody lecturing about cheese?

I have one veggie in the family.

I make curries etc by making the sauce separately then add quorn pieces for him or cooked chicken for us.

Richmond meat free sausages are pretty convincing too, so we’ll have toad in the hole by making the big Yorkshire in a pan, then sausages of whichever variety separately.

Otherwise just make some naturally veggie stuff like a lasagne using grilled veg and tomato sauce instead of bolognese. Or maybe some sort of vegetable strudel, or Lidl do a lovely feta and spinach pastry spiral in the frozen section which would be nice for everyone with some salad and olives etc

For dinner, I’d go for vegetarian main dishes which are not obviously veggie. And if you want to offer meat, add it in as an option, like a side dish. I’d not do two completely separate meals; no need.

Make sure you’re not using meat in your other side dishes - for example, greens cooked with ham or crumbled bacon on a salad or chicken stock in soup - so everyone can eat those. Above all, if something does have meat in it just remember to let the veg person know to avoid it; it’s not always obvious.

Some specific “most carnivores won’t miss the meat” dinner ideas:

• Vegetarian lasagne. Most people don’t notice there’s no meat, but if you want you can do a side dish of meatballs or sausage.
• Quiche. Just leave out the traditional ham and use flavourful veggies, cheeses, and herbs. Same concept but easier to make: frittatas.
• DIY tacos: a stack of warm tortillas + (all in separate help-yourself dishes) beans, rice, guacamole/sliced avocado, sour cream, grilled veggies, salsa, shredded cheese. Also provide meat if you like: chicken, prawns, chorizo are easy and it all stays separate.
• Vegetarian chili with loads of accompaniments: shredded cheese, sour cream, onions, a little side salad, bread sticks or tortilla chips or cornbread, etc.
• Stir Fry over noodles or rice. Informal but good. You can separate out a portion for the vegetarian and add in meat like leftover chicken or prawns to the rest if you want.
• Curries. Can be made fully veg, or separate out a veg portion before you add meat at the end. (I find Thai curries work well for this; some others tend to simmer the meat for longer and rely on the meat for flavour, so the veggie part is less flavourful.)
• In a hurry: pasta or gnocchi with veggies, herbs, cheese, maybe some chickpeas. Just make sure the sauce, if you’re using it, is meat-free! Loads of options with pesto traditionally don’t include any meat.
• Risotto or paella: can have any ingredients (in addition to the rice), so why not all-vegetarian ingredients?
• Already mentioned: pizza: easy to use one base and vary the toppings.

Vegetarians NEVER eat fish what an odd comment

My suggestions:

Casserole one night - you can do a veggie one and cook meat separate for omnis to be added at end or simply serve everyone veggie casserole. Super easy to do and doesn't require you standing over cooking. You could even get pre-prepped veg. Serve with roasties or nice crusty buttered rolls

Chilli - again could either go with making a veggie one that everyone eats or do 2 pots but still relatively easy to do, serve with tacos or tortillas, sour cream, guacamole etc

Burger/pizza/pie and chips night - plenty of veggie versions available to cook at same time as the meat (but you may want to use a separate tray)

Pasta - again very easy to make main part veggie and add meat near the end for omnis - watch the pasta sauces not always as veggie as they may appear

Curry - again everyone have veggie or add meat near end or 2 pots on go at once. If you have a slow cooker you could have the omni in there and the veggie on the hob. Serve with naan, poppadoms, raita etc

Roast - veggies can have nut cutlets or Quorn fillets or veggie Wellington, cook roasties and veg in a veggie friendly way, Paxo stuffing is veggie (cook as stuffing balls - gorgeous hot or cold) Yorkies etc

Build your own salad night - set out family style bowls of salad leaves, cherry tomatoes, slices of cucumber, grated carrot, cold cuts, cheese board, hard boiled eggs... you get the idea. Also accompaniments - beetroot, pickles, coleslaw etc also include some carbs bread sticks, sliced french stick, wraps etc everyone just has what they want.

I think that's 7 ideas

Thanks all I'm making a list now 😁