Reluctant vegetarian

13 replies

Shehasadiamondinthesky · 14/11/2021 11:57

I've been a vegetarian for 40 years ever since I saw a truck load of miserable looking sheep going off to slaughter, and for environmental reasons. My son who is 37 has never eaten meat and embraces it, he is a very good cook though.
I am a crap cook and would live on soup and bread given half a chance.
I really do prefer meat eating but never will eat it again for above reasons.
I just don't know how I can get interested in vegetarian food rather than just eating as a chore or eating chocolate
Anyone ever eaten something vegetarian that has blown their socks off? I can't cope with very spicy food as I have a stomach ulcer.

OP posts:

jusdepamplemousse · 14/11/2021 12:01

40 years?!!! Bloody hell. But never too late. Get some cook books. Little green roasting tin is very easy. The asparagus and courgette and goats cheese tart is lovely. So is the harissa roast cauliflower.

Even something simple like a really good penne alla vodka? Baked Camembert? Babaghanoush and flat bread? Cauliflower cheese?

SuperLoudPoppingAction · 14/11/2021 12:03

Have a look at the vegetarian recipes on Gousto - they're pretty much all brilliant.

Tofoo is so much better than cauldron tofu and if you pat it dry, marinate it, coat it in cornflour and fry it, it's so nice.

BeaucoupFish · 14/11/2021 12:05

Tom Kerridge Lentil Cottage Pie OP
It’s lovely, easy and very adaptable

Atozofpoodles · 14/11/2021 12:14

Following

EileenGC · 14/11/2021 12:23

Mediterranean, Thai, Vietnamese and Middle Eastern cuisines are your answer. Add in some Mexican as well.

Thai and Vietnamese don’t have to be really spicy, I regularly eat lots of curries and stir fries which have minimum spice. Lidl do a frozen veg Thai mix where I live, could you look for something like that?

Mexican you could eat everything except hot sauces and peppers.

Mediterranean and ME dishes are all about texture and finding extra flavour from the veg, nuts and oils used used when cooking.

I’ve also been vegetarian since birth and I hate cooking, but love trying new foods all the time. Veggie food can be really tasty, but I find it’s harder to achieve that by sticking to a Northern European/colder climate diet. You need fresh veg, lots of seasoning and different oils (coconut, olive…), different textures to make the food more varied. There’s so much veggie sausage with mash and peas, cottage pie and lentil soup one can stomach.

MilduraS · 14/11/2021 12:53

Cooking is all about building confidence with practice. I used to think it was a special skill because my mum made it look so hard but I started to really enjoy it after living with a confident cook. Pick some simple looking recipes and jump in. Unlike baking, it's not an exact science so no need to panic if it says "simmer for 15mins" and you accidentally leave it for 17. If a recipe calls for 2 garlic cloves and you've only got one left, it's fine.

I really like Jamie Oliver's veg book for everyday cooking. Sometimes I need to read recipes twice as his writing style isn't quite "step 1... step 2..." but he's pretty consistent. I've never had anything fail, just a few recipes I've liked less than others. He has loads of free recipes on his website so you could build up your confidence by working through the veggie recipes labelled as easy on there.

Middle Eastern and North African food are very flavourful without being the hot type of spicy. Some Indian recipes are naturally mild but even the ones that use chillies could be delicious without the heat. I'd probably replace any chilli with Kasmiri chilli powder which is mild in heat but adds flavour and colour.

Original poster

Shehasadiamondinthesky · 14/11/2021 13:07

Thank you for all the suggestions. I'm trying to cut down on the cheese as I'm not exactly thin and cheese is so moreish and so fattening. Nothing can't be improved with half a pound of cheese on top
Well try tofoo for sure, I LOVE tofu but never seem to be able to find a really firm one. There was one I found in a health food shop once that was really solid and delicious but it cost £5 per small pack - lovely occasionally but too expensive for everyday.

OP posts:

Ozanj · 14/11/2021 13:11

There are non-spicy Indian recipies that exist specifically for people who have ulcers and liver problems. Really easy too. If you like soups then dals with rice or naan would be an easy win with a pressure cooker

BeaucoupFish · 14/11/2021 13:26

@Shehasadiamondinthesky
Cheese is the best I need to cut down too

With that Tim Kerridge lentil cottage pie I have used the merchant gourmet `puy lentils’ and also the cheap tinned green ones with exactly the same result so i dontuse the puy anymore as it makes no difference at four times the price
Just need to make sure you give the tinned ones a really good rinse first.
Also Lentil moussaka is nice but quite a lot more fiddly to make

RedCarsGoFaster · 14/11/2021 13:40

I highly recommend Gousto boxes, maybe even as a one off, to see if it helps you get some mojo! I get it fortnightly and I've attached tonight's dinner to show you what we're having. I'm not vege, but I'm trying to cut down our meat. I've found so many dishes DH and I both love with piles of lentils, black beans, cannelini beans, butter beans (which I detested as a child) to mix things up a lot.

Most recipes I cook take 10-30mins max. This 1hr "feast" is something I like to do when I have more time, like on a Sunday.

Shamelessly posting a referral link if anyone does want to try a Gousto box - it gets you 60% off your first box and then 30% off any additional boxes for your first month and I get £15 credit to spend on my own boxes.

cook.gousto.co.uk/raf?promo_code=ALLIS33205208&utm_source=androidapp