Vegetarian Help...

PandaNate

PandaNate

Silver Member
Hey guys, I've recently become a vegetarian, I'm still eating chicken (hopefully this will be my last week).
I'm struggling for meal idea... what I NEED to eat to stay healthy...

I need ideas to keep the prices down, like I'd usually have a cottage pie/chilli week to make a really cheap week.

I need to move out of my flat by the first of April due to government changes, I can't get a job whilst I live where I do (I'm currently working but it's too far away from my partners job and his earns 10x more than mine) we've decided just to move and live on his wage until I find a parttime/full time job... it means the £50 budget we have for food really needs to drop down to £30 if possible for 2 people. He eats meat, i won't being...

So I need to know how to get everything I need as a vegetarian but keeping to cost right down... Especially since I may need to make two meals unless I can take my part out before adding the meat?

xx
 
It's doable. You can use quorn mince for cottage pie then add lots if veggies to the mix. Your OH will either love it or hate it. If he hates it you could always make two large ones . One mince one quorn then divide into portions and freeze them so it's more economical. You could do that with most meals. Batch cooking saves money in the long run.

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I make an awesome lentil bolognese. We are a family of meat lovers but we love this and it's super cheap

one large onion
two cloves garlic
150g dried red lentils
mushrooms - as many as you want
bouillon powder
brown or white spaghetti
cans tomatoes x 2
cheese and basil (optional)

Gently fry the onions and garlic in a drop of olive oil. Add the lentils and fry gently until pale.

Add two cans of tomatoes. Pop in a teaspoon or two of bouillon.Stir well and simmer for half an hour.
 
Doing the above meal and shepards pie this week... struggling to keep my motivation though... I guess life habits are hard to break.
 
I have been a veggie for over 10 years and do not eat fish or chicken either. Since meat often has a high fat intake if anything I think it can make things easier for us. I do not expect everyone else to be veggie it is what is right for me but my ex used to make life hard for me. It was like I respect you as a meat eater, respect my choices. Quron is a big friend :)
 
I'm on about day 4 or 5 of totally veggy, I had a veggie mcdonalds yesterday, a veggy carvery, veggy indian (eaten out a lot) erm I'm eating more cheese than usual but other than that I'm doing good. Had huge cravings on wednesday I nearly gave into but I actually felt how angry and sick id feel eating an animal.

Xx
 
Chick peas are one of my favourites- good protein content too which I know new veggies often worry about.

You can get them tinned quite cheaply which are ready to use out of the tin or get them dried really dirt cheap but you have to soak them overnight then boil before you use them.

Lentils have been mentioned already.

Mixed veg is good - just pick your favourites- tomatoes, onions, garlic and broccoli with carrots make a good substitute in meals like lasagne, chilli or bolognaise.

Get used to having non meat like dishes. Veggie curries for example - make okra, potato + pea or spinach or mushroom.

Mushrooms are wonderful - there are sooo many different types and they can be a great meat substitute.

Quorn is easy but not that cheap... Also you can buy dried soya mince and chunks from some places (only place I can find the chunks atm is my local Indian supermarket). You can get flavoured soya mince from all supermarkets ASDA, Tesco etc.
 
For meat substitute products I would recommend buying Quorn (mince, chicken pieces, etc) if you will be cooking for the both of you as my oh is a meat eater and says that the ASDA own versions of these 'taste like sponge'

AVOID CHEESE - where possible. It was my downfall when I became a veggie over 10 years ago, it is so easy to make veggie meals without cheese, just a little research and cooking time will really help

Risotto's a good mid-week meal as you can put whatever you want in it - all you really need is risotto rice and some stock.

Basic Risotto:

Make up about 1.5pints of stock - put in a pan over a very low heat to keep it warm

Dice onion, mince garlic, fry until soft but not brown (mid-low heat) - I use 1cal spray but you can use olive oil
- I use 1/2 onion and 1 large or 2 small garlic cloves

Add risotto rice - the weight to add per person will be on the side of the packet

At this point add whatever veg you want! - You can also use quorn chicken style pieces, just put in with the rice, spray with oil and it will cook in the stock with the rice

Keep the pan over a medium-low heat and add a ladle full of stock, stir slowly until the stock has been absorbed - carry on doing this, 1 ladle of stock at a time for about 20-30 minutes until you have the consistency and texture you want!

At the end I add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and some mint but you can add whatever you want, if you have the calories for it you can add parmesan (vegetarian alternatives are sold at most large supermarkets) or mascarpone :)
 
MissMimi said:
For meat substitute products I would recommend buying Quorn (mince, chicken pieces, etc) if you will be cooking for the both of you as my oh is a meat eater and says that the ASDA own versions of these 'taste like sponge'

AVOID CHEESE - where possible. It was my downfall when I became a veggie over 10 years ago, it is so easy to make veggie meals without cheese, just a little research and cooking time will really help

Risotto's a good mid-week meal as you can put whatever you want in it - all you really need is risotto rice and some stock.

Basic Risotto:

Make up about 1.5pints of stock - put in a pan over a very low heat to keep it warm

Dice onion, mince garlic, fry until soft but not brown (mid-low heat) - I use 1cal spray but you can use olive oil
- I use 1/2 onion and 1 large or 2 small garlic cloves

Add risotto rice - the weight to add per person will be on the side of the packet

At this point add whatever veg you want! - You can also use quorn chicken style pieces, just put in with the rice, spray with oil and it will cook in the stock with the rice

Keep the pan over a medium-low heat and add a ladle full of stock, stir slowly until the stock has been absorbed - carry on doing this, 1 ladle of stock at a time for about 20-30 minutes until you have the consistency and texture you want!

At the end I add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and some mint but you can add whatever you want, if you have the calories for it you can add parmesan (vegetarian alternatives are sold at most large supermarkets) or mascarpone :)
Click to expand...

Lol at your hubby's sponge comment! My hubby says similar comments about quorn! I try to avoid giving it to him but once I made a quorn cottage pie and he ate it.
Risotto sounds lovely, not had it in ages! will definatley have to give it a go soon!!!
 
Red Lentils, are they bad for you if you eat them partly cooked? I made the lentil bolonaise but didnt test it before dishing it out onto my pasta and the lentils were slightly hard... i microwaved them but does it do you harm like with kidney beans needing to be cooked?

Cheese is in my diet a lot so I understand, I went without cheese on tonights meal at wetherspoons and did the 5 bean chilli on a jacket. x
 
Huge meatfree shop last night, came to £51 hehe
 
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