Being Vegetarian in an Omnivore House

I committed to being vegetarian just this past summer. It was a pretty easy transition for me since I was never into red meat in the first place, and I elected to still eat dairy and eggs (but no fish or seafood, those folks are called pescetarian). Though I live with my husband-to-be who is not vegetarian.

So what to do? I have no problem cooking dinner for us both but I had to adapt to prepare meals for both a vegetarian diet and omnivore diet simultaneously! I thought it may be helpful to share my meal plan for one week, including some recipes.



I try to follow the vegetarian food groups recommended by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Most days, I do okay! It's easy to get enough grains and veggies but I have to make an effort to eat fruit and sneak in legumes. Breakfast is sort of on auto-pilot, I pretty much have oatmeal and coffee, everyday, at home. Then have fruit and some other grain once I get to work. I should note it's just the two of us in the house, so I make good use of my leftovers too!

Monday:
Breakfast
Oatmeal and coffee with soymilk
Clementine
Kashi Warm Cinnamon Oat Cereal with almond milk

Lunch
Salad with sunflower seeds, nuts, dried fruit, and goat cheese
Apple

Dinner
Vegetarian menu
Brown rice with honey soy glazed ginger tofu
Potato salad with asparagus, scallion and shredded carrot
Omnivore menu
Honey soy glazed drumsticks
Potato salad with asparagus, scallion and shredded carrot
Recipes




Tuesday:
Breakfast
Oatmeal and coffee with soymilk
Clementine
Kashi Warm Cinnamon Oat Cereal with almond milk

Lunch
Leftover tofu and brown rice with potato salad from dinner

Afternoon snack
Green seedless grapes

Dinner
Vegetarian menu
Last of left over pad see ew with tofu and veggies from Saturday dinner out
Omnivore menu
Bay scallops sauteed in butter with garlic and lemon, asparagus and spaghetti


Wednesday:
Breakfast
Oatmeal and coffee with soymilk
Green seedless grapes
Kashi Warm Cinnamon Oat Cereal with almond milk

Lunch
Veggie burger (Amy's)
Sweet potato fries (frozen, made in toaster oven last night after dinner)
Last of left over potato salad...I love potatoes...

Dinner
Apparently, we were going out somewhere so no time to cook
Vegetarian menu
Veggie burger again
Salad with chickpeas, goat cheese and sunflower seeds
Omnivore menu
Bay scallops sauteed in butter with garlic and lemon, asparagus and spaghetti (again)


Thursday:
Breakfast
Oatmeal and coffee with soymilk
Green seedless grapes
Kashi Warm Cinnamon Oat Cereal with almond milk

Lunch
Whole wheat buttered noodles (with lemon and salt)
Salad with chickpeas, goat cheese and sunflower seeds

Afternoon snack
Apple with peanutbutter

Dinner
Vegetarian menu
Roasted carrots, beets and potatoes with quinoa

Omnivore menu
Oven-fried drumsticks (roasted at same time as veggies)
Roasted carrots, beets and potatoes
Mac n cheese
Recipes



Friday:
Breakfast
Oatmeal and coffee with soymilk
Banana
Kashi Warm Cinnamon Oat Cereal with almond milk

Lunch
Superbowl party at work - grilled veggie sandwich and chips

Afternoon snack
Apple

Dinner
Out with Gina
Three cheese pasta with pear filling

Saturday:
Breakfast
Oatmeal and coffee with soymilk

Lunch
Out with Katrina
Grilled veggie salad (eggplant, zucchini, red peppers)

Dinner
Left over roasted carrots, beets and potatoes with quinoa
Salad with chickpeas, mixed nuts and rasins


Sunday:
Breakfast
Oatmeal and coffee with soymilk

Mid morning snack (after yoga)
Whole wheat toast with peanut butter and a banana

Lunch
Potato skins with cheddar cheese, broccoli and soy bacon

Dinner
Vegetarian menu
Baked eggplant parmesan with spaghetti
Salad with chickpeas and sunflower seeds

Omnivore menu
Baked chicken parmesan with spaghetti
Salad with shredded cheddar cheese
Recipes

Recipes

Potato-Veggie Salad
Adapted from marthastewart.com

1 1/2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
Coarse salt and ground pepper
About 1 1/4 cup asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
2 to 3 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 carrot, coarsely grated

1. Place potatoes in a large pot; cover with water by 1 inch, and add 1 tablespoon salt. 
2. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. 
3. With a wire skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to a large bowl (reserve water in pot).
4. Add the asparagus to the water and simmer until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. 
5. Drain and add to potatoes.
6. Add the mayonnaise, vinegar, scallions, and carrot and toss to combine.
7. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm, or cold

Honey Soy Glazed Drumsticks (with Honey Soy Ginger Tofu on the side)
Adapted from marthastewart.com

Omnivore
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
8 skinless chicken drumsticks (about 3 pounds total)
coarse salt and ground pepper

Plus Vegetarian adaptation
Extra firm tofu
1 inch piece of ginger root
Oil for sauteing (vegetable is fine, I like coconut oil lately)
Brown rice

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees and line a shallow roasting pan or 9-by-13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil for the chicken
2. Start pressing the tofu (tofu comes packed in water so you need to press the extra water out of it so it doesn't fall apart when you cook it. Place it on a plate, then put another plate on top and use a glass bowl or canned goods to slightly weigh down on the tofu, water will slowly start seeping out.) Let set for about 30 minutes, you can prepare the chicken (and potato salad if serving) while you wait!
3. In a large bowl, mix together honey, soy sauce, and 1/3 cup water reserve about 1/4 - 1/3 of the mixture in a second bowl. 
4. Add chicken to first and toss to coat; season with salt and pepper. 
5. Transfer chicken and honey mixture to prepared roasting pan.
6. Bake chicken, basting with juices from edges of pan every 10 minutes, until well browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of drumstick (avoiding bone) registers 165 degrees, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve chicken drizzled with pan juices.
7. While chicken bakes, begin cooking brown rice according to package directions.
8. Peel and finely chop the ginger root.
9. Heat oil in skillet and slice the pressed tofu in to 1/2 inch cubes. Add tofu to reserved honey soy sauce mixture to marinate.
10. Saute ginger in skillet until fragrant, only about 2 minutes.
11. Add the tofu and saute until tofu starts to brown.
12. Serve tofu over rice

Roasted Root Veggies with Quinoa

Quinoa
Two carrots
2 - 3 medium sized potatoes 
2 - 3 medium sized beets 
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Prepare quinoa according to package directions (this usually involves soaking and rinsing, so it helps to start now, you can always keep it warm)
3. Cut tops from beets and rinse free from debris.
4. Place the beets on a sheet of tin foil and drizzle with olive oil.
5. Make a foil packet and start roasting beets
   NOTE: If you're also making the oven fried chicken below, now is a good time to put it in the oven
6. Roast beets until tender, about 25 - 45 minutes.
7. Line a baking dish with tin foil.
8. Peel and cut carrots and potatoes in to approximately 1/2 inch pieces.
9. Add to baking dish and drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.
10. Bake about 20 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until done.

 

Oven Fried Chicken
Adapted from marthastewart.com

Cut up chicken pieces (Drumsticks, theighs, etc. I used left over drumsticks)
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 garlic clove, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Bread crumbs (I usually season mine with something or other)

1. Using a paper towel to grip, remove skin from chicken. 
2. In a large bowl, toss chicken with buttermilk, garlic, and salt and pepper. 
3. Marinate at room temperature 30 minutes (or refrigerate up to overnight).
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
5. Line a baking sheet with tin foil, then lightly spray a cooling rack with cooking spray and place on foil lined baking sheet. This will keep the breading from getting soggy.
6. Lift chicken from buttermilk mixture and dredge in breadcrumbs, pressing firmly to adhere.
7. Transfer chicken to rack and bake, without turning, until cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes, tenting with foil if browning too quickly.

Baked Eggplant and Chicken Parmesan

1 medium eggplant, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces
Thin sliced chicken cutlets
2 eggs, beaten with a fork
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
1 3/4 cups shredded parmesan cheese
1 (25-ounce) jar pasta sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Olive oil
Spaghetti

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Prepare large pot of water and begin boiling pasta according to package directions.
3. Line 2 baking sheets with tin foil and brush with olive oil.
4. Mix about 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese with bread crumbs.
5. Starting with eggplant, dip slices in egg and dredge in breadcrumb mixture, then place on one baking sheet.
6. Dip chicken in egg and dredge in breadcrumb mixture, then place on separate baking sheet. 
7. Bake eggplant about 15 minutes, flip and bake about 10 more minutes.
8. Bake chicken about 10 minutes, flip then bake about 5 more minutes (if chicken is not thin-sliced, bake longer until cooked through)
9. Increase oven temp to 475.
10. Cover eggplant and chicken with sauce, then sprinkle generously with mozzarella, then parmesan.
11. Bake about 10 - 15 more minutes until cheese is melted and golden in spots.
12. Allow to cool slightly before serving.