Ideas for meals where the “main” can be veggie or meat

[Maloneyb]

My mum is coming to stay for a couple nights (can’t wait!!) but I’m struggling on what to cook for dinner… she always does the cooking so I want to make sure she isn’t while she’s here.

hubby eats meat.. so need a protein that he will enjoy
and she is a vegetarian- eats eggs, dairy etc.

I just need some ideas of stuff I can make - easy not too much hassle but also tasty, where I can swap out the meat protein for something vegetarian.

We had salad and jacket potatoes last night (coleslaw home made and green salad) with jackets and halloumi or chicken.

You're the one on here asking for veggie meals that can be made with meat. I quote "hubby eats meat so needs a protein he will enjoy" and then swapping meat protein for something veggie for your mum. So yes you did pretty much "say that"

a) we don't need to eat flesh every day
b) men don't need to be eating massive great slabs of meat for health. The recommended meat serving size is 90-100g red meat which is approx 4oz and slightly more for white meat. The modern mania for protein is leading to people vastly over consuming it
c) swathes of men in India and similar countries eat no meat at all with no detriment to their health

veggie meals enjoyed by my Dh who feels cheated if he doesn't get meat (oh well)
vegetable cobbler
pasta dishes with veggies eg tomato and mascarpone sauce
macaroni cheese
quiche
omelette

@StiffyByngsDogBartholomew If OP's husband wants to eat meat at every meal that is his choice and not yours. It really is none of your business!

That 5 minute dahl looks nice @shearwater2

• Frittata, veggie version with pepper, onion, potato and lots of paprika, garlic etc. Add fried chorizo to your DHs “section” as it sets (or too separate pans if your DM prefers
• Home made pizza - supermarkets have the ready to roll pizza dough and just add whatever toppings
• Picnic tea - ham, boiled eggs, cheese, bread, olives etc. Everyone makes a little picnic plate.

Hmmm, over comsumption of meat ( which everyday is) is sort of all our bussiness in terms of enviromental impact and pressure on the health service.

It’s not up to you what people choose to eat. You may feel strongly about environmental impacts, but it’s not illegal to eat meat and therefore it is none of anyone else’s business what people eat

It's really good. It probably takes me a bit longer than 5 minutes, about 15 tops though. I often serve other veg with it.

Luckily DH isn't massively into meat. He likes sausages and mash every now and then, and a bacon butty. If I cooked meat two days in a row he would say "Can we have veggie or fish today?" on the next day.

And while there are various dietary preferences in the house, we all like pulses, beans, most veg and cheese thank goodness.

You could make a platter of skewers chicken/steak and veg for meat eaters and swap meat for haloumi for veggies. Then serve with flat breads and salads suitable for both.

On Monday I made pork medallions with a Stilton sauce for the meat eaters and Stilton stuffed field mushrooms for the veggies. Bother we're served with vegetable wild rice, green beans, tenderstem broccoli and spinach. Similar enough to minimise work load but both parties catered for.

Butternut squash and sage risotto is delicious as a veggie dish and easy to scatter over some crispy prosciutto for those who 'need' meat.

Just because it isn't up to me and I cannot influence it doesn't mean it doesn't impact me. Honestly I think excessive meat consumption will come to be reguarded like smoking in the next 20 years. It is an anti-social habit.

Well until then, time to stop having a go at people online about what they eat. It doesn’t make them want to change, it just irritates them, making them less likely to make a change. You might have a crystal ball and be right, but it’s been 20 years approx since I first tried going veggie and honestly things have changed but not as drastically as your suggesting they will in the next 20.

Are you a vegetarian ? I'm not but I don't eat meat daily, more like once a week and I accept the health and environmental impacts of my choices.

I would do a veggie curry one night - either an Indian (chickpea or paneer) one or a thai one (with whatever fresh veg you have and tofu if most people will eat), rice, pappadoms/prawn crackers.

And then for the other night I would do a typical main with potato and veg. So do roast chicken drumsticks (for meat) and a stuffed something or other (for the veg). So I often do puy lentils and feta in a field mushroom or pepper and roast, or could do the same in a small butternut squash. Serve with potatoes (mash, gratin, new) and roasted veg (peppers, onions, squash, mushrooms, fennel, courgette, garlic, etc. depending on what you have included in the main) along with a green veg (like sauteed kale).

I’ve done:

A big pan of onion gravy, mash and veg with separately cooked meat and veggie sausages

Aldi do nice curry pouches. You could do a vegetarian massuman and fry and slice up some steak for whoever wants to add it

Spaghetti in a sauce of your choosing with breadcrumb fried chicken / aubergine / squash on the side.

I’m not, I’ve tried many times though but not succeeded, My husband is though so I do end up eating a lot of vegetarian food as I simply cannot be arsed any longer to keep cooking meat every day as well as veggie!

Feta, red onion and butternut squash quiche

Paella then just add some prawns or chicken for your DH.

Me too, veggie DH and Dd so cook v.little meat at home.Find catering to carnivores a real PITA, you have tobe soo careful with meat.

You could do something simple like sausages where you cook meat/veggie ones separately or a tray bake where one tray has chicken pieces, the other quorn or chickpeas.

Or you could prepare a veggie pasta or risotto and add chopped ham/cooked chicken into your DH's portion . Extra cheese on the veggie ones.

Ugh, I know what you mean! It’s a faff in general, especially when I’m only cooking for me basically as my two kids ignore anything that isn’t beige or green 😵‍💫

Lentil chili. Just add mince to the meat eaters

Same with bolognese etc

Fajitas

Yikes.. who knew a thread about food could become so controversial…
@Neurodiversitydoctor @StiffyByngsDogBartholomew …it was just an idea to switch it out. My whole idea was veggie or meat dishes..
hey guess what my dh had a veggie meal tonight… no issues - but there never were any issues..until you decided to read into the post way too much and make it more than it was. Thanks for your contributions… helpful.

Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions!
I’ve ended up doing a pitta/flatbread type meal
and tomorrow I’m making a Thai curry.

Will definitely be cooking some of these delicious recipes you’ve suggested 😊