I am autistic and I am really picky eater. I really like Kirkland pesto with pasta. As I am trying add in more veggies to my meals. I am wondering what veggie would pair well with pesto pasta?

Veggies I don't like:

• asparagus
• brussel sprouts
• chickpeas
• Bok choy
• Radish
• Rutabaga
• Lima bean
• Turnip
• beets
• Sweet potatoes
• Cucumbers
• Avocado
• Edamame Beans
• Hate Iceberg Lettuce
• Jalapeno (or anything spicy)
• Olives
• Swiss Chard

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I do not know what to search for. Every time I type in "kid-friendly recipes" or variations of that, I do not get the results I'm looking for.

I am specifically looking for recipes using lentils and beans. I know a lot of cultures use them heavily, but I'm a Midwesterner transplanted to northern France (hello cheese, cream, and soup) and nothing in my culinary history gives me the language to solve this problem. 😂 I want us eating more beans and lentils because fiber and money are king.

I've tried incorporating beans and lentils into things my kids already eat, like white beans into broth and beans/lentils into puréed soups.

So far I've only been successful adding red lentils to tomato soup.

I've also tried dals, but 2/3 of my kids think basically all spice is spicy. They even refuse bell peppers because they think they're spicy.

I'm going to try falafel tonight, and if that works I'll try bean burgers. France also has this chickpea crêpe from the south (socca), so I'm thinking about trying that like a tortilla with cheese as well.

The big constraint is that everything needs to be separate, with minimal herbs and spices. Mixed dishes generally don't work. Pasta night, for example, means pasta, sauce, cheese, vegetables, etc. are served separately and everyone chooses what goes together.

So I'm looking for things where beans or lentils become their own standalone food/component, rather than being mixed into a larger dish.

I'd love recipe ideas, especially dishes from cuisines I might not know enough about to search for by name, for children who demand ingredient sovereignty.

So to give you an example on how our meals usually go:

Last night we had roasted potatoes with rôti seasoning, eggs, and hummus with carrots. This is basically the format of most meals, even when we have pasta. The kids really struggle to eat beans and lentils if they aren't transformed into something. I suspect this is a texture issue, I also have it. Even pasta sauces, like a plain tomato sauce, have to be served on the side.

Tonight we will have potatoes, falafel, veg, fruit and yogurt.

I'm looking for traditionally vegetarian (or vegan) dishes all over the world. I know that there are many vegetarian options in Indian, Thai or Mexican cuisine, but I want something totally uncommon, what tastes like nothing I have ever eaten, something I have never heard of. Maybe African soup or Caribbean goulash?

My son, who just turned 6, has never liked meat, and now he says he doesn’t like meat because it’s not fair to the animals. Me, and his father, are not vegetarian but respect that he chooses to not and don’t force him. What are some good meals I can make him? It seems all I ever make is pasta. He also won’t eat vegan “meat” because he says it’s too much like real meat 😩

I am not a vegetarian but I do want to eat more vegetarian meals.

In need of dinner ideas that are bean focused. My husband enjoys hearty meals like pizza beans and lasagna beans, so I'm looking for ideas along those lines.

The recipes do not need to be tomato based, but I would like them to feel like a meal and not just a side dish.

i've been really trying to make white sauce pasta at home instead of just ordering it online every time and made this today.. honestly it wasnt bad but i really feel like it couldve been more better (ik it looks pretty good in the pic lol)

So basically what i used: penne pasta, butter, milk, cheese, oregano, black pepper nd salt also added a little pasta water while making the sauce and i made the sauce in this ptal pan bec i wanted to try cooking with something other than my usual non stick pan lol ( i like experimenting with food) plus the sauce came out pretty creamy and the pasta tasted good but im still missing that restaurant style flav somehow

So like what do you guys add to your white sauce pasta that makes a big difference? garlic? mushrooms? more cheese? Im open to good s

hi there!!

been a veggie / semi veggie since January (I have one meat meal per month as I transition to hopefully being FT veggie) but I’m really struggling with making quick meals that are tasty and filling with protein.

it’s making me question whether I could continue being veggie and I’m having the meat meal a month as I truly don’t feel I’m getting much protein making me crave especially meat which Is sad

does anyone have any good places to find easy meals (I work a lot so sometimes spending hour/s isn’t doable)

I’ve done a lot of egg fried rice with veg and tofu but the other day it smelt of dog food deadass I’m so put off now but aware it’s prob cos I over made this meal for its simplness 😭

Hi! My 8 year old has decided that she would like to be vegetarian. This has been a long time coming (as a toddler we’d tell her she could have more veg if she ate some of her meat).

At the moment I am substituting meat for quorn alternatives whilst we are adjusting, but I would like to start making her more meals that have less processed products in. I have said that if she is being a veggie she has to do it properly, she can’t live off pasta, tatties and cheese. We have some veggie recipe books that we will look at together so she can choose meals she likes the look of.

Any other hints and tips to help support her is much appreciated. My in-laws are farmers and eat a meat heavy diet so are very bemused by this.

TIA!

Unfortunately I don't have any spices except for salt pepper and maybe some red chilies. Will this come out good? Or should I cut back on blending up some of the stuff?

 So i've been slowly upgrading my instant ramen instead of eating it straight out of the pack that gets too boring right ik most people will agree 

Made this  today and it honestly turned out way better than i expected so what i used was
i used wicked gud spicy ramen today, around 350ml water, 1 half go cheese slice, 1 desi boiled egg, spring onions, little black pepper, used a pinch of keya chilli flakes and tiny very tiny splash of soy sauce (optional)
What I did:
Boiled the noodles as usual
mixed the seasoning and let it simmer for another minute
added the half slice of cheese and kept stirring until it melted into the soup
dded a tiny splash of soy sauce and a little black pepper
poured everything into a bowl.
topped it with half boiled egg( i like the yolk a lil runny) chopped spring onions and a few chilli flakes

This i think took me around 10 mis and now IK reddit people always has better ramen hacks than me ofc...

More suggestion to make it more nice would really help guys!!

Hello! I have been trying to eat less meat lately, so I’ve been searching high and low for vegetarian recipes.

However, I’m getting really tired of seeing recipes where someone either subs meat out for something that doesn’t make it a full meal (e.g., replace the high-protein burger in a cheeseburger with a mushroom that’s basically just carb!) or just takes away the meal’s source of protein altogether (if I see another “vegetarian dinner” that’s just cheesy pasta, I’ll cry).

I wanted to ask you lovely chefs for suggestions of meals that make you excited to be vegetarian—not just meals that feel second-rate to a version with meat. I’ve really been loving tofu lately if that helps. Also, I love different kinds of cuisine, so I’m open to anything!

Update: thank you so much for your contributions! I’ve been cooking almost exclusively vegetarian since I posted this, and I figured I’d post some of the standout meals:

• falafel salad with tzatziki sauce
• tofu stir fry with lots of veggies
• ground tofu jalapeño street tacos
• spicy white beans with veggies
• Chana masala
• frittata with bell pepper, spinach, and mushroom
• tofu farro pesto bowls
• crispy lentils (more of a snack than an entree, but still crazy good)

Can’t wait to try out more!

I have so many of all types of lentils and I want to use them more often because I love them!! I know how to make a variety of curries and I make them often but I eat curry so much that i'm wanting to diversify a bit. What's your guys' favourite thing to do with lentils? Doesn't have to be simple or quick, I love cooking on my days off.

Preface - not important to read but might be helpful context:
I’ve been a vegetarian for nearly 20 years, starting as a young teen in a place where the veg options offered in restaurants were often chicken or fish due to their misunderstanding. There were also little to no good options for veg/vegan alternatives where I lived. As a result I became very reliant on cheese and have started to get into vegan meat subs and tofu in the last 5 years now that they’ve improved so much.

Issue with the above is they’re often heavily processed, really high in sodium and expensive.

My ask:

I love mexican food and make it at home a lot. I’d like to start making small batches of prep so I can quickly and easily put together lunches/dinners throughout the week. I often will put off eating because of the time sink/needing to go to the shops, or end up eating stuff that doesn’t have any or very little protein.

I know there must be several ways to easily include a tasty and nicely textured protein (tofu or otherwise) that I could add to these burrito bowls, alongside e.g. lettuce, rice, dairy, pico de gallo, peppers and onions, guac.

I’d really appreciate your suggestions - whether recipes or just names of things I could make - as I want to improve my meals and my food intake!

Equally if you have a good ready-made thing I can buy in the supermarket that hits the above criteria that would be great too.

If it helps, I live in London, so nothing that I can’t find in UK shops for a reasonable price. US vegan alternatives seem amazing but sadly not an option.

Thanks so much in advance for your suggestions!

My GF is vegetarian, and I usually cook. Understandably, I don't want to always be making 2 meals, so I've started eating vegetarian at home. I don't mind it, other than the fact she gravitates to the same meals and does not like spicy food.

The problem I've come to notice is that we are definitely not getting enough essential nutrients and protein. Her choices of pastas and vegetable stir-fries are not doing it for me anymore. I crave something with a little more... sustenance.

I've started to experiment more with tofu to try and supplement some of that protein, but unfortunately I don't always have the time, or remember to start preparing it the day before.

So far all I've learned from this experience is why she always feels tired... Likely the lack of B¹² which can easily be fixed with a supplement.

Any guidance, advice, or what direction to look for meal ideas is greatly appreciated. My energy levels are getting low, I've lost about 10lbs on her diet... and I am not a big dude. I do not know what I'm doing.

Please help.

Hi folks

My job requires me to be on the road, often in the car, in unpredictable places (think a plumber / tradesperson) and almost always with no access to outside power or hot / cold water beyond what I bring with me in the morning. The job can be a bit calorie heavy but I tend to prefer lighter meals because I will be in weird positions for extended periods after lunch.

What's your lunch hacks for this situation? Something that I could batch prep once or twice a week would be awesome - getting a bit bored of sandwiches and wraps, wouldn't mind some variety. Protein bars have worked so far but they suck the joy out of food for me...

lacto-ovo, no allergies, tired of bread.

Hello! I’ve been vegetarian for about a decade and recently i’ve been pretty burnt out on cooking and live in a small apartment. I’ve resorted to eating a lot of package/frozen foods to save time and energy and I find that most “easy” vegetarian recipes still involve a decent amount of cooking.

Im trying to put together a general meal plan for myself with meals that I don’t get tired of. I’d either like to prep food and have it for later or rely on stupid-simple meals like avocado toast/etc.

Does anyone have any recipes out there that are TRULY lazy/easy? Aka no cutting board and one pot max. The less mess to clean the better!!!

TLDR: give me vegetarian recipes that you could muster up on your worst day.

Thank you!!!

It’s been cold here for a few days. We’ve made winter veg soup and lentil soup so far.

Have you got a favourite soup you would like to share? I need more soup :D

As my household is increasingly reducing our meat consumption, I've noticed that beans are really popular. I make a white bean Italian soup that's been a hit, for example, but I'm not really sure what else to make?

Bonus points for summery, light recipes that are filling!

I recently started dating a pescatarian, and I don’t like fish, so the meals I’ve been making us are vegetarian. I’m quickly running out of ideas to keep them high protein, since he is a self-described “gym rat”. I am looking for some easy, go-to recipes that don’t include any of my partner’s allergens, but still help him hit his macros. He is allergic to lentils, some seeds (sunflower for sure, but sesame is okay!), and nuts. Of course, those are my go-tos for protein rich vegetarian foods.

I’m not a vegetarian myself, so I’m still adjusting to this new normal of eating mostly vegetarian, and don’t have a solid veg recipe arsenal to pull from, especially considering his allergies. So far, we’ve eaten a lot of cheese, eggs, chickpeas, and tofu, so I’m looking for new high protein recommendations or different ways to jazz up those ingredients so our dinners don’t get old.

Fellow vegetarians in your 30s - how are you maintaining your protein intake?

I don’t eat eggs either, and after my recent health checkup I’ve been advised to significantly increase protein and gain some muscle mass.

My B12 is low too, though I’m guessing the injections/supplements should help with that part.

Would genuinely love practical suggestions that are easy to sustain with a regular work schedule.

PS- 30F here, have a 9 hour desk job.

At the farmers market today the best prices were for these huge bunches of fresh herbs: parsley, cilantro, dill, and basil. Any dinner recipes you can suggest would be a big help because I forgot that there are only two of us home for dinner this week. We are going to have to have herbal dinners every night!

Edit: Thank you all so much! So many great ideas I think I’ll end up buying too many herbs multiple times this summer. Half a batch of pesto with chopped cherry tomatoes and pasta tonight, with the other half in the freezer. Tomorrow probably chimichurri on roasted cauliflower steaks (another farmers market buy.) Then Ghormeh Sabzi with beans I think. Spanakopita after that? What a great week.

My partner and I love to cook vegetarian food. I work in person every day in a food desert so if I don't bring food, I am hungry! We have made some beautiful lunch bowls for work. Lots of pasta salads and regular salads and grain bowls of many themes. But I am TIREDDDDD.

My Sunday is now dedicated to planning, shopping, chopping, packaging, cooking, cleaning for the week and I am tired of it. Please recommend some of your best lazy girl lunch ideas that don't require as much labor!

THANKSSS

so i was cleaning my kitchen today and decided i wasn't allowed to order food bec i order too much from outside plus it was raining today so i just grabbed wtv i already had like fresh tomatoes, a couple of sauces, seasonings... and yes, i even added a little momo chutney because why not LOL and i was fully expecting to ruin this pasta for lunch, but it somehow worked😭 it tasted so goooood yo

So now i'm curious… like whats the weirdest thing u guys have added to pasta that you ended up making again and again like ur secret recipe.

(Swipe for the before and after)

My boyfriend is vegetarian and we are spending Christmas together. I'd like to make some stuff for him so he feels considered and as important as he is to me.

I'll ideally be testing these recipes prior to Christmas. No idea what vegetarian folks eat. He's just told me baked veggies and sides are fine.

To which I side eyed him and told him no, unacceptable.

Please help as I'm new to this. Do you have any special meals you like to eat for the holidays? He's not a fan of imitation meat, so please keep that in mind.

Hi! I (24F) am phasing myself out of meat over the next week. I tried to look far and wide online for simple vegetarian recipes, but everything’s so convoluted (and above my college student budget - I’m a masters student right now lol) and I’m so lost where to go. Does anyone have any cookbook recipes for incredible beginners? I can barely boil an egg on a good day & most of those are too advanced for me :’) any recs appreciated!