Vegetarian batch cooking no beans

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My elderly dad is vegetarian, can no longer tolerate beans/lentils, and doesn’t seem to be cooking much or eating well.

I’d like to start batch cooking freezer meals for him but struggling for ideas!

He does eat cheese but doesn’t seem to like cheese sauces (I’ve never known him eat macaroni cheese for example).

He likes Indian or Mediterranean type of food, not keen on pizzas/anything too heavy.

Any suggestions please?

Mediterranean roast veg tray with feta cheese and cous cous on the side

Will he eat things like veggie mince or veggie sausages? If so, you could do Shepherds pie, sausage casserole type things.

Perhaps a vegetable lasagne, as the cheese sauce isn't so distinct as it merges into the tomato sauce. Or a vegetable + black olive pasta bake with a tomato sauce, and a layer of cheesy sauce on top.

Oh can I follow. I want to eat more veggie but cannot stand beans or lentils.

Lots of substantial veg soup options eg minestrone, leek and potato, roast butternut/carrot/parsnip (with or without spice), pearl barley. If freezing a soup with cream in the recipe, use milk instead of cream.

Pasta sauces, if he’s happy to cook the pasta. Tomato, roasted red pepper, pesto all freeze well.

Curries - plenty of veg curries that aren’t not pulse based, I like cauliflower curry or paneer curry. Can be eaten with microwave pouch rice to save him cooking. Thai veg curries are great too if he likes those flavours, and no pulses.

Stuffed pasta can be cooked from frozen easily.

Bbc good food mushroom stroganoff is very nice if he likes mushrooms.

Veggie samosas always make a nice lunch I think and are v calorific in a small package so good for oldies with small appetites. I have never made them though, always just buy them.

Spanakopita?

My concern would be without the beans and lentils where is he getting the protein?

Can he tolerate tofu or soya? Otherwise he needs a lot of dairy, eggs, nuts and seeds.

dahl is super easy to make and freezes well. You could freeze a portion with rice on the side.

Oops just ignore me I missed the lentil free bit!

Bubble and squeak
Risotto

Saag paneer and muttar paneer are favourites of mine to freeze.

Samosa pie www.greatbritishfoodawards.com/recipes/freeze-ahead-veggie-samosa-pie#:~:text=Cover%20with%20foil%20and%20freeze,the%20tzatziki%20and%20the%20salad.

Chickpea and vegetable tagine www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/spiced_vegetable_tagine_32956

Jackfruit and walnut ragu www.sainsburysmagazine.co.uk/recipes/mains/braised-jackfruit-and-walnut-ragu

Falafel burgers www.mob.co.uk/recipes/the-ultimate-falafel-burger

Sweetcorn fritters searchingforspice.com/sweetcorn-fritters/

Frittata https://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/pea-and-potato-frittata.html

Thank you all, this is super helpful!

I should have said, he does eat tofu but not soya mince/the vegan plant proteins. I wasn’t sure if tofu freezes well?

If he can't tolerate beans and lentils, chickpeas might also be difficult.

And I forgot that daal is lentils and not chickpeas!

Tofu freezes absolutely fine. If anything it improves the texture. So tofu in a curry or similar would be absolutely fine to be frozen.

Halloumi and paneer are also fine to be frozen eg in curry or in a pasta bake.

How about oven-roasted Red peppers stuffed with couscous or orzo pasta and cherry tomatoes, basil, mushroom, little bit of lemon zest. You can buy him a bag of pre-grated cheddar to sprinkle on top, then he can microwave them.

The problem is that a lot of vegetables don't freeze well so I can see why this is a bit more challenging.

Would he eat a veggie lasagna? I do mine by roasting a lot of mediterranean style veggies, cook a tomato rag and then mix those together for the sauce bit. Bechamel etc as normal then in the freezer and cook from frozen.

Roasted tomatoes, cooked slow, don't hold their shale that well but can be frozen and defrosted and served on couscous or pasta - is he able to make that? Feta or goats cheese is good with them, but it's up to him.

Aubergine is a good for frozen - some sort of bake or similar? Mince free moussaka perhaps? I do a sort of aubergine, tomato and chilli pasta sauce that could probably freeze quite well. If done as part of a pasta bake could just be defrosted?

Oh, actually, large chunks of cauliflower, not cooked too much, freeze quite well so perhaps cauliflower and aubergine curry? Could do Thai or Indian style.

Thank you everybody I am feeling more confident about this now! He’s a fussy eater, always has been, so it’s great to get some new ideas.

Serve these vegetable stews/curries/casseroles with quinoa for protein instead of rice/pasta.

Is it the taste of beans/lentils he doesn't like or is he struggling with digestion?

Could he manage pea pasta?

Would he be up for Middle Eastern style food? Ottolenghi’s Plenty is a veggie recipe collection.

Loads of good ideas on here, which I'll be pinching!

Veggie sausage casserole

Quiches
Pasties
Veggie sausage rolls

Top tip on freezing tofu! I'm always throwing away half a block of rancid tofu!

You can also freeze down cooked rice, quinoa, buckwheat, whole barley and couscous in small portions that can be reheated in the microwave. You dad can then mix and match.