for some strange reason that is way outside of my thinking my wife has decided to become a vegetarian :Wow1:. Can any of you suggest so good meals that we would be able to take with us on trips. I am not going to be giving up the bacon for breakfast so looking for some stuff that is yummy for us to have at night that isnt just tofu something
wife became a vegetarian
- Thread starter Clymber
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Evil weevil
New member
Do you like curries at all ? Try http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/420629/cauliflower-and-potato-curry it's pretty yummy add a steak and some naan bread to it and you will both be happy !
Clawhammer
Adventurer
I've been in long-term relationships with a couple different vegetarian ladies. Honestly, it's no big deal... and I say that being the one in a relationship that usually does the cooking (funny how's it's always worked that way). I've always been a decent cook, but cooking vegetarian made me better. I learned to make a great vegetarian chili, good bean and rice burritos, sweet potato and rice curry, beans and mash, vegetarian pizza, and learned to modify a bunch of different recipes to omit meat. In the end, I learned to be a better cook and lost weight to boot. So, head down to the library and get some cookbooks. Do some reading and learn some new dishes. If you do it right, you'll never miss a thing.
uncompromise
Adventurer
Not only that, but adopting a more plant-centric diet - especially when going off grid - saves energy and lets you motor on for longer.
No, I'm not a vegetarian; I've just learned the value of changing my eating habits when traveling so I can travel for longer.
Arclight
SAR guy
My wife was a vegetarian for years prior to having kids. I can offer some advice:
First off, find out why they want to be vegetarian. Do they feel that meat as a main meal is wasteful? Is it for health reasons? A moral or religious obligation? This will determine how flexible they are (i.e. are trace amounts of animal foodstuffs OK, do I need to up our game on healthy eating in general?)
The good:
1. Vegetarian food is cheap if you cook it yourself. Base your meals on staple items like rice, lentils, beans, and in-season vegetables.
2. Food safety is easier to deal with. A week-old vegetarian curry is less likely to get dangerously nasty than a meat-based dish.
3. Most vegetarian ingredients are available in a shelf-stable form.
The bad:
1. Meat is a seasoning in and of itself. Get comfortable starting out meals by frying up an onion, adding garlic, and using veggie bullion and spices.
2. Your options for protein are limited, especially if she doesn't do eggs. Lentils cook quickly, and canned beans are also an option. Dried larger beans can be cooked quickly in a pressure cooker.
3. Is cheese or yogurt OK? If so, use these to cream up the meals. If not, this is harder to achieve. Hummus is a good protein add-on, and can add creaminess.
4. Fake meat products. These are often expensive, refrigerated and not delicious. I'm not a fan of fake meats. Consider mushrooms, (Portabellos, Criminis, etc), eggplant and other items instead. The one exception: freeze-dried TVP (textured vegetable protein) is an amazingly good ground beef stand-in.
We made a lot of curries, chilis, rice bowls, bean casseroles and the like. Good luck!
Arclight
First off, find out why they want to be vegetarian. Do they feel that meat as a main meal is wasteful? Is it for health reasons? A moral or religious obligation? This will determine how flexible they are (i.e. are trace amounts of animal foodstuffs OK, do I need to up our game on healthy eating in general?)
The good:
1. Vegetarian food is cheap if you cook it yourself. Base your meals on staple items like rice, lentils, beans, and in-season vegetables.
2. Food safety is easier to deal with. A week-old vegetarian curry is less likely to get dangerously nasty than a meat-based dish.
3. Most vegetarian ingredients are available in a shelf-stable form.
The bad:
1. Meat is a seasoning in and of itself. Get comfortable starting out meals by frying up an onion, adding garlic, and using veggie bullion and spices.
2. Your options for protein are limited, especially if she doesn't do eggs. Lentils cook quickly, and canned beans are also an option. Dried larger beans can be cooked quickly in a pressure cooker.
3. Is cheese or yogurt OK? If so, use these to cream up the meals. If not, this is harder to achieve. Hummus is a good protein add-on, and can add creaminess.
4. Fake meat products. These are often expensive, refrigerated and not delicious. I'm not a fan of fake meats. Consider mushrooms, (Portabellos, Criminis, etc), eggplant and other items instead. The one exception: freeze-dried TVP (textured vegetable protein) is an amazingly good ground beef stand-in.
We made a lot of curries, chilis, rice bowls, bean casseroles and the like. Good luck!
Arclight
Last edited:
toyotech
Expedition Leader
It takes time to get used to. I have to use twice as much pots and pans when cooking. Instead of throwing it all in one pot. It's even harder since my girl won't do anything that is from an animal. Milk. Eggs and what not. Out of the question. Took me a while but I have to read the labels on everything.
Good thing when camping. She is ok with just simple veggie and rice.
At home. Do a lot of Indian type meals.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Good thing when camping. She is ok with just simple veggie and rice.
At home. Do a lot of Indian type meals.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Happykamper
Explorer
She's the veg lol let her pack her meals
Christophe Noel
Expedition Leader
I was a vegetarian for several years. I now only eat meat about once a week, maybe twice at most. Many ethnic foods are good go-to ideas because many corners of the world either can't afford meat, don't want to eat it for religious reasons, or it's just a really bad idea. So, many Asian, Middle Eastern, or Latin meals can be made without meat. Even a lot of Italian food (pizza, pasta, etc) is flavor rich, easy to prepare in camp, and doesn't need to include meat or sacrifice flavor.
colorado matt
Adventurer
the real indian cookbook is a great tip ... if eggs and cheese are on the menu that helps a lot .... grilled veggies right along side the steak are great .... if you have to have separate everything that never touches meat god help you .... let her know that most of the animals you eat were vegetarians also and then comment on her nice drumbsticks .... hopefully you both will realize that not every meal has to have a meat substitute ... just more sides .... Matt
Happykamper
Explorer
Humans are carnivores ! How can you say eating meat is just a plain bad idea? I love meat, my daughter did the I'm a vegetarian thing for years . And being as we loved Mortons of Chicago for after kings games the gym would always make her something special.
Turns out she would have burgers on the side .
I have never met a healthy full blown vegetarian in my life. It's alway , either I quit I want a Porterhouse ! My daughters response one night at Mortons. Or they lie and eat meat on the side.
Turns out she would have burgers on the side .
I have never met a healthy full blown vegetarian in my life. It's alway , either I quit I want a Porterhouse ! My daughters response one night at Mortons. Or they lie and eat meat on the side.
Grew up as a vegetarian, didn't try meat until around 17 or 18. Meals might taste a bit bland for a while until your cooking catches up but there's lots of options. Definitely pick up some cookbooks, mushrooms form great texture, tofu can taste good, spices are your friend. It forces you to think about what you put into a meal and how the flavours interact.
Biggest reason I moved to meat was flavour. It adds a new set of profiles, took me 6 months for stomach to adjust and a few years for cooking skills to catch up, but we still do veggie meals regularly.
Biggest reason I moved to meat was flavour. It adds a new set of profiles, took me 6 months for stomach to adjust and a few years for cooking skills to catch up, but we still do veggie meals regularly.
Clawhammer
Adventurer
Or.... and here's a crazy idea, you could be a decent and supportive partner.
