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Ideas for simple vegetarian dinners

(48 Posts)
Ionia Sun 02-Jun-19 17:18:23

My daughter and SIL are coming to stay with me for several days. I love my SIL like he is one of my own, and we get on very well. He's in his early thirties and has become vegetarian - actually the one where they eat fish. I can do a salmon dinner, and maybe mac n' cheese. The trouble is I actually loathe fish. I'm looking for some easy dinner ideas please. He's a tall lad and eats a lot!! I live alone so my cooking skills aren't what they used to be.

Ionia Sun 02-Jun-19 17:19:43

Just to clarify I'd usually make him shepherd's pie and lasagne, and lots of meaty things, so this is something different. I want to respect his decision and make sure he isn't hungry.

M0nica Sun 02-Jun-19 17:24:54

Spaghetti bolognaise using lentils rather than mince. You could do that for shepherds pie and lasgagne.

Google 'recipes simple vegetarian meals'. You will get lots of ideas

MiniMoon Sun 02-Jun-19 17:26:58

Quorn mince is easy. I make spaghetti bolognese and lasagne with it. Straight from the freezer and into the frying pan. Yummy.
This is my go to curry these days, and it's very easy to make, my vegetarian granddaughter loves it.s
Here's a website you might also be interested in. 19 Pescatarian Dinner Recipes That Don’t Neglect the ... My DD and family are pescatarians, so I'm used to looking for recipes. Have a go, and enjoy.

MiniMoon Sun 02-Jun-19 17:27:37

Pescatarian Dinner Recipes That Don’t Neglect the ... Sorry didn't turn it blue.

Elvive Sun 02-Jun-19 17:29:28

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/butternut-squash-chickpea-tagine

SparklyGrandma Sun 02-Jun-19 17:31:51

I bought this;

nanny2507 Sun 02-Jun-19 17:44:31

i love a meat free roast dinner...everything everyone else has just no meat or a mushroom dish....like a carabonara but with mushrooms...yum yum

nanny2507 Sun 02-Jun-19 17:45:14

Just remember not to cook any potatoes and bits in meat juices!!

Charleygirl5 Sun 02-Jun-19 17:48:43

I am not vegetarian but I do have meat free days and I love a vegetable stir fry. You could bulk it out with prawns or with a selection of similar.

Humbertbear Sun 02-Jun-19 17:49:11

Weightwatchers have produced a fabulous little boom full of great veggie recipes

annodomini Sun 02-Jun-19 19:28:10

I make mushroom stroganoff for myself quite frequently, using yoghurt instead of soured cream. There are plenty of recipes on line. In fact, I use the internet for recipes so often that I barely need to consult a cook book.

Ionia Sun 02-Jun-19 19:29:09

Thank you everyone, much appreciated smile

Madgran77 Sun 02-Jun-19 19:41:36

Buy a packet of microwave rice or quinoa or mixed grains. Chop a leek, some mushrooms and a small courgette, and steam until nearly cooked. Stir into grains with herbs and a small tin of chopped tomatoes.
Buy some large red peppers cut in half carefully and remove seeds in centre. Put in a dish and pour small amount of oil into each pepper. Stuff each pepper half with mixture.
Bake for 20 minutes. Slice a goats cheese log (firm, not creamy) and top each pepper half with a slice. Bake a further 10 minutes.

Serve with broccoli and other vegs. I make a tomato sauce to go with it as well just using some small skinned plum tomatoes, softening them in a pan and then whizzing them to liquidise.

Flossieturner Mon 03-Jun-19 06:52:30

I would speak to him before buying lots of ingredients. I love a roast dinner and when I go to my DCs I have everything that they have except the meat. I make a shepherd pie with vegetables instead of mince and fish cakes which are very easy to do. Lots of vegetarians do not like meat substitutes so don’t buy Quorn unless you know he will eat it. Also avoid the vegetarian ready meals. They are overpriced and so many of them just have a list of chemicals.

Grammaretto Mon 03-Jun-19 07:13:16

I've been pescatarian for 30years so have forgotten how to cook meat.
I wouldn't worry for a start. He won't starve in a week even if you have no fish or meat.
Eat what you like. Baked potatoes with different fillings. Salads. Enchiladas. Stir fry. Omelettes even ready meals if you don't want to spend hours cooking. Quorn mince. All grains and even good old quiche. Ready made pastry.
Strawberries and cream. It's June. Wine?grin

vickya Mon 03-Jun-19 11:17:00

Older daughter is vegan and makes a delicious spinach and pine nut pie. Googling I found one but this is not vegan. Sounds good though.
www.waitrose.com/home/recipes/recipe_directory/s/spinach-pine-nutfetafilopie.html
Oh this is vegan
www.bbc.com/food/recipes/vegan_spinach_filo_pie_00640

He can eat cheese, can't he? Cheese and potato pie? Do huge jacket potatoes which will fill him up for a couple of meals.

I used to do a 3 bean pie for her, one from a book called Beanfeast, I think. Or Not Just a Load of Old Lentils.
Pies in pastry are filling and then potatoes. Egg and lentils are protein. (No egg for vegans)

vickya Mon 03-Jun-19 11:22:06

This looks easy
www.planetveggie.co.uk/recipe-butter-bean-pie/

cookiemonster66 Mon 03-Jun-19 11:22:45

I have been veggie for 40+ yrs, my advise is to check with him what he would like. I am like many veggies who cannot stand all the new trendy 'meat-a-like' substitutes. It always makes me feel uncomfortable when I visit people and they say 'oh Ive made you this' and I wont eat it because xyz. Just be honest and ask him!

Cagney Mon 03-Jun-19 11:35:56

Mary Berry courgette , spaghetti with courgette garlic chilli and sun dried tomatoes always a favourite here

jacq10 Mon 03-Jun-19 11:57:27

SparklyGrandma - Is the Rose Elliot book a new one? My DS went vegetarian over 20 yrs ago quite suddenly and I raced down to the local library and came home with a couple of her books and they were brilliant. I've always enjoyed cooking but it was quite a challenge back then but it is very easy now. DS is a very good cook himself and cooks non-vegetarian food for his 9yr old quite often but to be honest I are quiet happy to eat vegetarian and often choose to do so when eating out.

Gizmogranny Mon 03-Jun-19 12:04:01

Fish pie is very filling. You can buy fresh packs of fish pie mix from the supermarket. The fish is cut up into bite size chunks so all you need to do is put the uncooked fish in the bottom of a dish, add a handful or two of frozen peas, pour over a white sauce just to cover the fish and peas and then top it all with lovely creamy mash. Pop it into a hot oven for about half an hour then serve with veggies and parsley sauce. Yummy and filling.

BladeAnnie Mon 03-Jun-19 12:04:09

Courgette & pasta bake. While pasta is cooking, stir fry onions, courgette (and any other veg you fancy - mushrooms work well), add a tin of chopped tomatoes, veg stock cube, mixed herbs etc. Then when pasta is cooked, mix everything together in overproof dish, top with grated cheese & bake for about 20 mins. Good with garlic bread, crusty bread and/or salad

sweetcakes Mon 03-Jun-19 12:06:07

Google recipes, hairy bikers do vegetarian, also nom nom, Mary berry, there are loads just get yourself a note book and copy in to it or just save it to your phone. Curry's are great made with chickpeas and cauliflower popcorn are very nice. Good luck ?

Daisymae Mon 03-Jun-19 12:06:20

Any type of pasta can be dressed up
Jacket potatoes with cheese/beans. Risotto, lasagna, Linda macartney sausages, pieminister do a great vegan pie. X