14 yr old ds1 is now a vegetarian... He is a big lad... Help with some ideas please!

[Piffle]

we eat 4 veg meals a week anyway plus one fish ( he has not decided if he will still eat fish) one chicken and one red meat. We always buy free range ethically produced local produce.
his reasons for being veg are he simply does not like eating meat anymore. Fair enough, but my great worry is this... He will not eat eggs, nuts or mushrooms
he loves lentils. Chickpeas pinto/kidney beans etc
he tried quorn burgers and said umm ok ish but am keen to provide fresh cooked food for him. He also cooks very well.
any great meal ideas I may not have thought of. Oh he hates tofu as well...

Rissoto?
Veg curry?
Chickpea curry, or stew?

I am not a fan of the Quorn burgers and bangers but the mince is v versatile e.g. spag bol, tacos etc. Also the "swedish meatballs" are good in a sauce e.g. also with pasta.

I make a sort of shepherds pie, but with a bean chilli instead of the mince and a sweet potato topping (with cheese).

Until you get sorted could I also recommend that you speak to your local health store about a decent soya based protein shake.
My DS also 14 has these simply because he is doing so much sport he can't eat fast enough ( seriously ). So we give him about half the usual 'dosage' and it tops him up brilliantly.
Just until you get lots of stuff that he can/will eat...

we usually do lentil dahl with chapati
falafel pitta and salad wrap
pasta. Chili tomato or carbonara.
thing is I cook for dd aged 5 and ds2 11 mths... Then cook for me dp and ds2 after 7 when 2 littlies are in bed. Dp works late has two hr each way commute. So need some dead quick easy nutritious hassle free recipes that ds could do himself I guess.

lol thanks pag.. Ds is not sporty in the least!!!

Thisis a great opportunity to get him to do more of the cooking

I wouldn't worry about the quorn (nasty artifical much as far as I am concerned) or tofu if he likes pulses and will eat cheese.

muck

We buy quite a good saus mix which we use to make home-mde vegetarian sausage rolls - We bukk cook and put them in the freezer. they are good as a quick lunch.

Spinach lasagne is something we all seem to eat and it is mega easy as there is no pre-cooking of sauces (except the tomato on) as we use yoghurt with cheese in instead of a white sauce.

Chese and barley bake is delicious (has mozarella, parmesan, tomatoes and courgettes and pearly barley in) . I can give you the (rough) recipe if you like.

Have you thought of making dhal with red lentils? Served with rice and with vegetables included it is a full meal.

ah just seen you do make dhal

why not get your DS to do some reearch (cookbooks in local library, online recipes) and introduce you to some new stuff?

As a supplement, spirulina might be a good idea if you're worried about his protein intake.
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Get a vegetarian cook book for students - dd has one that we find quite useful. That should have a range of simple recipes and clear instructions.

oh he has visions indeed. Which involve commandeering the kitchen and use 65 ingrdients ;) I may get him to cook up in advance on weekends. Then freeze etc me cooking two meals and ds also cooking one sends me into panic mode...

Lentil shepherds pie is a big favourite with my DDs. My recipe changes every time I make it depending on what we have in the fridge, but is ususally red lentils, onion, carrot, frozen peas and/or sweetcorn, chopped peppers. I normally add some crushed chillies and Marigold stock powder. He could make a batch and freeze it. Add cheese and milk to the topping for calcium and added protein.

Veggie sausages, potato wedges, or chips or mash and baked beans. I like quorn suausages but my DDs really like Tesco leek and cheese sausages (chilled section)

Baked potato, cut open and filled with Discovery Refried Beans (in a can) or baked beans topped with cheese and back in the oven for about 20 minutes.

Vegetable chilli served with Tacos, salad and cheese.

Pasta bake with onion, peppers, passatta and/or canned tomatoes. Cover with mozzarella and bake.

Home made pizza. If you don't want to make a base, use ciabatta bread for the base.

Vegetable Lasagne - I rarely bother with a white sauce which makes it easier Sometimes I put lentils in it and sometimes just vegetables.

Lentil and vegetable soup - served with crusty bread to make it more filling.

Get him to eat baked beans on granary bread spread with marmite and topped with cheese every other day, washed down with orange juice, and put dried peaches and walnuts in to his breakfast cereal

I won't bore you all with the mistakes I made as a veggo for 14 years who ended up severely anaemic, but the baked beans dish I described gives maximum vitamin B vitamins and iron absorption and Lord knows those crazy vegetarians need it

Dried peaches are full of iron and the walnuts give omega group oils and vitamins

he us very sensible in eschewing tofu as it is the Devil's Work

As for food..

Bean Chilli

Onion, garlic, a little cumin and chilli (fresh or dried flakes) gently fried for 5 mins in olive oil.
Tinned tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes and tom. puree), chopped red pepper, tinned chick peas, butter beans, red kidney beans, frozen broad beans added with veg stock.
Season and simmer for 15-20 mins.

Serve with rice/ with creme fraiche and chopped coriander/ with tacos and grated cheese sprinkled over/ with crusty bread.

Agree with EP about encouraging your son to research recipes.

please also get him to take a multivitamin and brewers' yeast and an iron supplement, his B12 ia worrying me if he is avoiding eggs and mushrooms and nuts

and a zinc supplement too

Exactly my concern suzy... Iron I know lots about and can conquervthat in his diet plus with spatone supplement. He is such a strapping lad... I was veg for four yes back when he was a toddler but did not make him vege back then. I gave in over a bacon buttie...never regretted it!!!

I make a big pot of dalh and a big pot of vegtable curry, a pot of bombay potato and serve these three dishes all together - a little of everything and a packet of pitta bread instead of naan (cheaper) and not as greasy. I serve with cous cous instead of rice as it is lighter and rice can get boring with too many meals

Vegtable chilli, literally root vegtables and tomato with garlic and chilli served with either rice or colcanon - I like the juice of the chilli running into the potato.

Pasta and pesto, with sweetcorn and cherry tomato, mix in some creme friche.

Refried beans wraped in tortillas and placed in an oven dish with cheese sprinkled in handfulls over the top. Make your own refried beans using cans f whichever beans you like best.

Ooh that curry meal sounds nice IvyKaty. Any recipes?

My dd (13) is veggie and likes (sorry if some already mentioned) -

• falafel with pittas and salad, served with wedges

• wraps with quorn, vege and fajita spice

• huge pots of soup with loads of crusty bread

• chickpea curry with rice and raita (or with chapatis)

• baked sweet potatoes with something or other - veggie sausages and vege, casserole, lentils or something

• big stir fries which she makes herself with whatever is available; her current fave is quorn chunks, soy sauce, chopped onion, baby corn, good dash of chilli flakes and a sprinkling of cashew nuts

• roasted vege (potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, squash, parsnips etc) with veggie sausages or a quorn fillet

Tonight did yummy spiced aubergines in yoghurt with toovar dahl and chapati...
I have no worries doing indian themed meals as we eat a lot of it I adore cooking it from scratch. Have spice dabba and lots of pulses!
Will urge him to research what he likes, he has said he would eat omelette/frittata if he had to...

Sorry to hijack...

Lazycow, could I possibly have the recipe for your cheese and barley bake, please?

I bought a big bag of pearl barley not long ago in a fit of healthiness/frugalness and then realised the only thing I knew it was an ingredient in was scotch broth (and I don't eat meat).

slacksally - Sorry I haven't logged in for a while and have only just seen your message.

I can't remember exact quantities as this is based on a book recepie but I tend to just do it form memory now and vary the ingredients a bit- will look it up tonight and try to remember to post a list tomorrow

Anyway this makes enough for 4 adults (roughly)

Boil the barley (enough for 4 - can't help with this I'm afraid I usually just guess!)in stock according to instructions (takes about 20-30 mins to cook I think)

While the barley is cooking:

Slice courgettes thinly and fry off in some garlic and oil - put them aside

In another bowl mix the following
Grated Parmesan cheese (about 200g I think)
Fresh mozarella cheese (125g cut up into chunks - I use one of those balls in water)
6 fresh ripe tomatoes (chopped up)
Handful of chopped up fresh basil and mint if you have it

When the barley is cooked, drain it and add it to the bowl with the other ingredients in. Season with salt and pepper and mix it all up.

Then in an oven dish, put one layer of courgettes (1/2 those cooked) , followed by the barley mix. Then finish off with a layer of the courgettes.

This can all be done beforehand and kept overnight etc in the frige if need be.

Bake in the oven at 180oC/190oC (I think) for 15-20 mins if from just made (more like 30-mins if it is just out of the fridge)

I have been doing a simple curry this week

1Carrott
1Parsnip
half Onion
1 Tablespoon of curry paste
1 Tin chopped tomato
1 Tin of chick peas

Put the onion and chopped vegtables in slow cooker stir in the curry paste - add more if you like - then pour over the tomat and add quarter of stock, boullion stock I have been using. Add chickpeas and then cook on slow for 15 - 16 hours. Stir every now and then. I have been eating this with cous cous as it is lighter than rice and quick to make when i get in from work. Serve with dalh and pitta bread