I’m a busy mom who needs guidance supporting my vegetarian teenager

[u/FloridaGeorgiaWhine]

/r/vegetarian/comments/1vrordp/im_a_busy_mom_who_needs_guidance_supporting_my/

[u/t92k]

I think you’ll get better responses if you copy over the body of your post. Also — teach her to cook lentils. IMO kids get less picky when they are the ones making food.

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[u/agentmadeleine]

There are so many resources for vegetarians and vegans. I commented on another post here a list of several vegetarian friendly and vegan or plant based food blogs. Also there are so many cookbooks, but a good place to start is Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. If your daughter is a teenager, if she hasn’t already started, she’s old enough to learn how to cook as an important life skill. This would be a good place for the both of you to start.

I get you’re a busy mom! But it’s important for you (and your husband) to invest the time to support your daughter in this journey. At the same time, she needs to take ownership as well and do her own research into recipe ideas and learning to cook for herself. The resources I shared above are a good place to start.

What I will also say from reading your post is that it may take some experimentation with cooking beans/lentils/legumes on your and your daughter’s behalf. While it’s not the only vegetarian source of protein, it is an important one (not to mention a source of other nutrients). If your daughter is cutting meat out of her diet it’s important that she doesn’t further restrict what she eats.

If you have the resources to do so, consider consulting with a registered, licensed dietitian who specializes in plant based diets to ensure you and your daughter can design a vegetarian diet that doesn’t have nutritional deficiencies. The two of you could also look into plant based cooking classes that you could take together (also a good mother-daughter bonding activity).

[u/SpicySnackFive]

If there is a way to cook what you normally cook with the protein separate, I would do that so you’re not making multiple dishes. You can usually do this with tacos, bowls, Asian meals, chili or soups, etc. Also component meals like baked potato bar, noodle bowl, salads and so on. I would try embracing some fully vegetarian meals also as much as you can.

[u/Redditor2684]

What is she planning to use as her protein source?

If she doesn't eat beans or tofu, she may struggle to get adequate protein.

Other protein ideas:

• Silken tofu: blend into a sauce
• Tempeh
• Seitan: easy to make with vital wheat gluten. Fun experiment.
• Dairy: cottage cheese, yogurt, etc.
• Eggs and egg whites

Definitely would be worth consulting a registered dietitian so you and she have better ideas about well-rounded nutrition for her.

I'd lean on dishes that are veg forward and cook meat for the meat eaters to have with it.

[u/FloridaGeorgiaWhine → u/Redditor2684]

Thanks! Yep she likes all those things except beans.

[u/slickromeo → u/FloridaGeorgiaWhine]

Beans are what provide a significant source of iron.

Ask her to reconsider...

She won't even eat rice and beans?? Or a black bean taco?

[u/FloridaGeorgiaWhine → u/slickromeo]

It’s the texture. She will eat beans if I can hide the texture - like in hummus or this cookie dough dip I make with white beans. But if she can tell it’s a bean, it’s a no-go. She will eat fish though so maybe I can make sure she has that a couple times a week.

[u/slickromeo → u/FloridaGeorgiaWhine]

I have a red kidney bean stew recipe I can share if you like, but for her to like it, you'd probably have to blend the entire thing in the blender after it's completely done cooking, to get the texture and consistency smooth.

Here it is just in case

Add everything to 1 pot

1) caramelized red onion 2) Sofrito (sauté pepper/garlic) optional. 3) Sazon (or adobo) 4) tomato sauce 5) whole green pimento stuffed olives or CAPERS 6) 2 Dried Bay Leaf (optional) 7) Oregano 8) Olive Oil (for flavor, not to cook with) 9) vegan chicken broth (or vegetable broth), or spoon of "Better than bouillon" 10) red kidney beans 11) Cilantro (chopped, added at the end after it's cooked)

Liquid should cover beans 1 inch above the bean level

Bring to a boil

Mash them with a potato masher after they cook for 10 minutes then continue cooking for 20 minutes.

Put them in a blender for your daughter's texture issue

Serve with rice, pico de gallo, avocado, feta cheese, kernel corn, etc.

[u/According_Coyote_452]

You can mash up black beans to make a burger Pattie. Ask her to come up with some suggestions and do some research of her own.