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Meal ideas - here is a reaalllly challenging one...

14 replies

Monstersincq · 04/03/2023 19:40

Household of 7, there are just too many of us to be faffing about with different meals or different add ons etc. I desperately want to find a whole host of meals that everyone can eat. I love love love all food and feel so sad that I'm becoming a person who just wants to forget about it all together. I'm fed up of eating only pasta and dahl on repeat! And before you say it, the fussy bits are mostly the adults in the family that I cannot train to be unfussy!

So here goes on the requirements;
some vegetarians - others hate veggie substitute stuff
2 coeliacs in the household - others hate gf stuff
multiple haters of cheese, cream, yogurt, dairyish type sauces
things that are spicy are out
sweet potato, aubergine, butternut squash are out
mushrooms tolerated but only as part on a bigger thing IYSWIM (i.e. no portobello mushroom as a burger or steak etc)
no fruit
sweet with savoury is a no go, eg no tagine with apricot or honey in things etc
2 egg refusers (fine baked in cakes but no omelettes, egg and chips etc)
chickpeas and courgettes are pretty unpopular
nothing sour/vinegary

Any ideas would be INCREDIBLY gratefully received.

In case anyone could be helped out by my limited and pretty obvious ideas;
puttanesca pasta
tomato pasta
roast cauliflower pasta
minestrone
cauliflower and cumin soup
carrot and lentil soup
watercress soup
spanish bean stew
vegetable ramen
vegetable noodles
pea, leek and sundried tomato risotto
black bean tacos
vegetable chilli
coconut dahl
tarka dahl
cannellini saag
leek, fennel and cannellini slow cooked til creamy
veg fried rice
cauliflower and cashew curry
marinated tofu in rice bowl with veg, pickles etc
vegetable fritters (sweetcorn/carrot/courgette)

OP posts:
loafintheoven · 04/03/2023 19:49

I spotted this the other day. It sort of fits your requirements if you leave out the chillis (and maybe the ginger) ... unless all spice is out, in which case you have my deep sympathy!
www.theguardian.com/food/2023/feb/25/vegan-vegetable-pulao-recipe-meera-sodha

Good luck!

TippityTappingLikeAWaterboatman · 04/03/2023 19:49

I'd look up nightshade (chillies, aubergines etc) FREE Paleo recipes and see if anything fits. Paleo has no dairy and no grains so no gluten, many Paleo recipes are vegan, no faux meat just natural dishes.

AtleastitsnotMonday · 04/03/2023 20:29

I'm giving you the ground breaking recipe for a gourmet meal. Jacket potato with baked beans! I bet you're glad I posted!

Maybe some kind of root veg casserole or hot pot topped with sliced potato.
Lentil cottage pie.
Would falafel be too much chickpea? I make some nice ones that I bake, that include mashed carrots. Can you get gf pita?
What about black bean and roasted veg corn tacos? Guacamole, salsa, sour cream for those that eat it.
Breaded cauliflower florets are nice.

TheHomeEdit · 04/03/2023 20:35

Risotto of various kinds ? Some recipes don’t have Parmesan in but even when one of mine was a cheese hater he never seemed to notice.

pastabest · 04/03/2023 20:49

we are a family who are coeliac and often Low Fodmap so very similar - although we are meat eaters.

Veggie lasagne - gluten free lasagne sheets are indistinguishable from normal, I use dolmio white lasagne sauce (surprisingly gluten free) if that is tolerable to the dairy haters?

risotto with whatever is tolerable to the eaters

baked potatoes with whatever fillings people want

I do an amazing garlic rice with fried broccoli and whatever leftovers I have meat wise - you could sub in something else with the rice and broccoli

beam chilli and rice

we are also big fans of spag Bol using gluten free spaghetti - either barilla or Napolina. Again I can't tell the difference with the pasta if you use a decent brand rather than supermarket own.

Fivemoreminutes1 · 05/03/2023 07:32

Have you tried making black bean burgers? We also like this burger recipe - you really don’t realise they’re made from chickpeas.
Tofu satay stir fry
Tofu skewers
Lentil meatballs
Lentil bolognese
Jambalaya

sashh · 05/03/2023 08:52

Buy a raclette? Or possibly two, one meat and one veg - everyone cooks their own choice.

Get a rice cooker - throw in rice, water or stock, vegies and cashew nuts. Add seasonings of choice.

Spread out the cooking so it isn't just one person

Embrace tins / packets / ready meals so you cook for say 5 people and the other two can get themselves beans on toast or a sandwich. Rotate so it isn't always the same person eating the 'odd' meal.

It doesn't need to be bought in ready meals, freeze single portions of what you have now so there are options if you cook eg a roast dinner.

Toad in the hole? You could do one with meat and one with veggies instead of the sausages.

A couple of 'picky meals' just put out ham, bread, cheese if anyone does eat it, dips like hummus, veg sticks, toasted pita bread, baba ghanoush, salad, quiche - people get to pick what they want.

1 packet of frozen mixed veg, 1 or 2 packs of passata, a bit of garlic paste salt and pepper all in one pot. Serve with rice or pasta or potatoes or crusty bread (obviously gf versions).

thankyouforthesun · 05/03/2023 09:28

Are the gluten free a the same as the veggies? Because if not that opens up meat subs like seitan while the gluten frees eat the meat equivalent. Bosh have a nice recipe for bangers and mash using root veg and vital wheat gluten but obviously only if that's safe in your kitchen and with your dietary combos.
Most of my ideas are cake. You can make gluten free brownies with almond flour for example.

Baldieheid · 05/03/2023 12:07

Are any of them old enough to put together their own meals? I'd suggest that for them if so - have a fridge, freezer and cupboard stocked with appropriate foods and let them sort their own meal. It might mean you all eat seperately and I get the feeling from your post that you want family mealtimes, so ignore me if so.

Batch cook some things - roasted veg, pasta, rice dishes like biryani, protein such as chicken breasts, salmon portions or veg burgers - and have them stashed in the fridge ready to be "pick and mixed" and reheated when required. That way you could all be eating different things at the same time?

Batch cook some chillis, curries, stews, etc and stuff a freezer full of individual portions, ready to be hauled out so again, different meals but all eating together?

Pre-prepare veg so you can just grab a handful and shove in a pan with some noodles, cashew nuts (unsalted) and spices etc for a homemade "pot noodle" that can be adapted to each eater's needs.

Pizzas - have based (GF and normal) stashed and ready to be topped with whatever they want.

Soups, chunky and wholesome, with appropriate breads or scones.

I'd definitely encourage those able to prepare their own food themselves to do so though. I don't know how old your family is, but one or two of them can surely help rather than leave you to carry the whole load yourself?

Dyslexicwonder · 05/03/2023 12:26

Can't help but thinking root vegetables and / or pulses are your friend here. Pies topped with sliced/ mashed potatos, soups thicked with lentils/ potatoe. Beetroot rissoto and soup are both very popular here.

Florissant · 05/03/2023 13:46

Corn tacos with refried beans, lettuce, tomato and avocado. Shredded cheese / sour cream for those who like dairy.

Stuffed cabbage leaves - stuffed with meat for those who like it and lentils for those who don't. Served with tomato sauce.

Florissant · 05/03/2023 13:48

Three bean salad.

Baldieheid · 05/03/2023 16:35

Can I also suggest this website. Loads of brilliant recipes here. I'm particularly fond of their chickpea and sweet potato buddha bowl.

minimalistbaker.com/recipe-index/

Florissant · 05/03/2023 17:27

Lentil salad: brown lentils, roasted red pepper strips, black olives, sweetcorn, avocado and feta cheese (for those who like dairy). Vinaigrette or olive oil to keep it from being too dry.

Shepherd's pie with brown lentils and tomato sauce topped with cauliflower rice / mashed potatoes.

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