How to eat vegetarian when you don't like cooking

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fairyhedgehog

fairyhedgehog

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Relationship to Diabetes
At risk of diabetes
My husband and I are thinking of going vegetarian, which will be a big change as my current "cooking" for dinner is mostly bunging lumps of meat in the oven, then serving with microwaved fresh or frozen vegetables. He adds a jacket potato or ready-cooked rice, I don't.

I'm not on meds so I need to keep my carbs really low. I've tried a tiny bit of wholemeal pasta and it's a no-go, so easy pasta meals are out.

Is there any hope for me?
 
I went vegetarian for a couple of years a few years ago and didn't really find it a problem finding things to eat. Do you still intend to eat fish and dairy? Perhaps @Matt Cycle knows of some good websites to try? You can still use all the low-carb alternatives that meat-eaters use, like cauli rice, courgeutti-spaghettl etc. 🙂
 
Northerner said:
I went vegetarian for a couple of years a few years ago and didn't really find it a problem finding things to eat. Do you still intend to eat fish and dairy? Perhaps @Matt Cycle knows of some good websites to try? You can still use all the low-carb alternatives that meat-eaters use, like cauli rice, courgeutti-spaghettl etc. 🙂
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I do still intend to eat dairy, possibly even fish so if I go ahead I should do what my friend does and just say, "I don't eat meat" rather than "I'm vegetarian".

We're going to have chilli tonight with Quorn instead of meat; I don't know what I'll put with it because the others will most likely have rice. I may put it on a bed of green beans because I really like them!

I think it's a case of rethinking what we eat. I see a lot of eggs in my future, and mushrooms. Lots of lovely mushrooms!
 
Not sure of any specific low carb vegetarian websites as I'm not low carbing (although in 21st century Britain it probably is low carb compared to what most of the population eat). Substituting veggie alternatives like quorn is a good start and make good use of herbs and spices. I made a curry the other day using soya pieces with veg, mushrooms, chopped tomatoes and a pataks curry paste. I had it with brown rice but quinoa is very nice and lower carb (full of protein as well). I make a lot of soups at this time of year - using beans, lentils and veg with various herbs and spices. Omelettes with spinach and other veg are low carb. Aubergines are lovely and if you are used to having meat they have a 'meaty' texture. I have aubergine with chick peas, chopped tomatoes, onion and spices or use it in an aubergine bake with plum tomatoes and cheese. For Christmas we usually make a nut roast or buy a quorn or Linda McCartney roast to have with the veg. None of the stuff I make takes very long to do as I don't have the time but generally most of the things I have are made by me.
 
I’ve found that experimenting with low carb recipes has improved my enjoyment of cooking, which I used to see as nothing but a chore.
I’m not sure how low carb you need to be. If you look at some of my posts on the what did you eat yesterday thread, it might give you some ideas.
I live with a carnivore and this means we eat quite a lot of Quorn.
I recently decided to list my full repertoire of meals and am happy to send this to you if it would be useful.
 
Radders said:
I’ve found that experimenting with low carb recipes has improved my enjoyment of cooking, which I used to see as nothing but a chore.
I’m not sure how low carb you need to be. If you look at some of my posts on the what did you eat yesterday thread, it might give you some ideas.
I live with a carnivore and this means we eat quite a lot of Quorn.
I recently decided to list my full repertoire of meals and am happy to send this to you if it would be useful.
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That list of meals would be very helpful!

I'm not sure how low carb I need to be; I was disappointed the other day that a lentil soup that looked pretty low carb on the tin was enough to push my BG up to a 9. I'm still working it out and trying to remember to test!
 
fairyhedgehog said:
That list of meals would be very helpful!

I'm not sure how low carb I need to be; I was disappointed the other day that a lentil soup that looked pretty low carb on the tin was enough to push my BG up to a 9. I'm still working it out and trying to remember to test!
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I have taken a picture. Let me know if you need any explanation or more detailed serving suggestions as I’m aware that this doesn’t give the whole story. I’m trying to widen my repertoire of vegetables as well, the trouble is I do have certain favourites, such as onions, peppers and mushrooms fried together, roasted carrots, broccoli and cauliflower.
 

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Thank you, Radders. I didn't realise there were so many Quorn options available!

I probably need to widen my repertoire of veggies as well.
 
Just realised that I need to explain how some of those things are low carb.

Where pasta is mentioned, I sometimes use proto-pasta from the low carb megastore. Similarly for things involving tortillas. Alternatively I did find some pasta made out of veg in Holland & Barret. Pizza is either a home made base using almond flour or for a quick recipe, a low carb tortilla as a base. Cottage pie is made using cauliflower mash.
 
fairyhedgehog said:
Thank you, Radders. I didn't realise there were so many Quorn options available!

I probably need to widen my repertoire of veggies as well.
Click to expand...
Some of those are recipes we make using mince or pieces, eg the cottage pie, chilli, Quorn supreme, lasagna.
 
Those are all useful substitutions to know about. I've tried courgetti and it was fine; I'll have to see what else substitutes well.
 
fairyhedgehog said:
lentil soup that looked pretty low carb on the tin
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Trouble that these canned (or otherwise) foods tend to be unnaturally processed & that can cause BG readings to go through the roof..... Remember (as a newly minted D) a can of soup with perhaps 17g carbs pushing my BG through the roof (over 10 if I remember)
 
Martin Canty said:
Trouble that these canned (or otherwise) foods tend to be unnaturally processed & that can cause BG readings to go through the roof..... Remember (as a newly minted D) a can of soup with perhaps 17g carbs pushing my BG through the roof (over 10 if I remember)
Click to expand...

I'm not sure I fully understand how that works but I'm totally convinced that it does!

Hey ho. Back to toast and eggs for lunch. (A slice of really seedy toast, two eggs, and some little tomatoes doesn't send my BG rocketing, so there's that.)
 
peas and beans seem to punch above their weight when it comes to carbs, for me and for quite a few others.
I can manage a few peas or green or French beans, but most other legumes push up my BG more than they should.
 
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