How do you convert / trick a little carnivore ?

[tonttu]

I have been trying to steer my family of 6 kids more towards vegetarian food . I used to be a vegetarian ( ovo-lacto) for many years , and I honestly have to say , I miss it . 

Plus , the less meat and meat products I eat , the better I feel !

So , my DS1 and 2 , no problem , DS 1 anyway , he happily eats just about anything , DS 2 has some intestinal problems and actually somewhat initiated the change .

 DD1 will be on board probably about 85% of the time and DD2 and 3 are too small to care . 

BUT DS3 , I think his name is probably in the dictionary next to " carnivore " 

The thing is , I know , so much protein , along with the other unhealthy aspects of meat are not good for him and I can always tell by th way he acts , when he´s had too much . 

But how do I steer him away ? 

Anybody have good recipes ? You know , the " wow , I didn´t even miss the meat " kind 

We already eat a lot of beans and other vegetables , plus he loves grains , so variety should not be a problem .

[sassyfirechick]

I've been working to convert carnivore DH to more a veggie heavy diet, and for now I do a lot of bean heavy soups and chilis - things he likes anyways and it's harder to miss the meat.  You could do either less meat to bean ratio, or use the fake meat.  Our vegan friends made a chili once with  vegan 'sausage' - DH asked how come they were eating meat!  I love the morning star black bean burgers.  We aren't vegetarian but I made the decision that any meat we buy must be organic, eggs are organic free range, and we're dairy free at the moment bc DD doesn't tolerate it so I find it easier to eliminate it altogether from the house (except goat cheese, that she can eat, yah!!).  If he's super dependant on it, just lessen the serving size over time and he should adjust fine.

[greenemami]

I like the idea of the soups, chillis, etc. that are harder to miss the meat.  Also, maybe try serving meals that still contain meat but where the meat is not the main dish to lessen his serving sizes.  I can't really think of many examples (it has been a long time!  :) but maybe a salad topped with chicken on the side of a great veg. soup?

Dp is a carnivore and I think that a lot of my meals leave him unsatisfied too, honestly. Dsd (step-daughter) eats meat as well at her mom's, but some of the things she likes here that are veg are : homemade pizzas topped with veggies, avocado, tomato, etc., veggie lasagna with spinach and red pepper, veg chilli, vegetable soup, sweet potato fries (she does not like the veggie burgers I generally serve them with though! hah!) quiche with broccoli and cheese ( a favorite), breakfast for dinner...She used to like tacos and burritos made with beans, but changed her mind about beans!, she also likes spaghetti with red sauce and mac'n'cheese, other pasta dishes, etc.  She likes "chinese food" usually just vegetable stirfry with a peanut butter/ginger sauce, sometimes with tofu, served over rice. 

Hope that helps!

[tonttu]

The main problem , I have is , that he seems quite addicted to it and I can usually tell , if he´s had too much , as he seems to go into some kind of " animal protein " overkill , if you know what I mean .

I just think , it gets too much for him , I mean people can be over-sensitive to too much animal protein , right ? 

He does like beans though ( only the " normal " ones , not green beans ) but I am happy with that , as he used to refuse even trying them , when he was smaller .

So , I will definitely try the vegetarian meat replacer , haven´t even thought of those , as I´ve never really used them myself , for me it wasn´t about replacing meat , I could and can do with just dumping it altogether . 

Maybe if we are lucky , he won´t notice the difference ,  sometimes I feel like a restaurant chef/ dietician , not a Mom !

[sassyfirechick]

Well good luck - but I have to say if my carnivore doesn't notice a difference you might be safe with the meat replacers for now!  I understand the overkill, it happens with DH.

[kellybeth]

there is a product called "beyond meat" and they have vegan chicken that is amazing. it's alarming at first as a vegan because it is so chicken-like, but it's definitely worth trying out. it's great. they are only available in certain areas, so i'd check out their website to see if it's available around you.

otherwise, lentil burgers are always a hit in my home with meat-eaters, as are vegan chickpea curry dishes.

[Mamallama35]

Do watch out for Quorn products, though.  They are made from fungi, but don't mistake that to mean it's made from mushrooms.  Apparently many people have bad allergic reactions to Quorn.  My husband did (a bad, red rash all over his torso), and we decided not to eat it anymore.  I was sorry about that, too, because the chik'n nuggets and a couple of their other products really were quite tasty! Nevertheless, don't go that route.

Also, many of the meat-like substitutes can pose their own problems.  Seitan (which I think is awesome) is made from wheat gluten, and therefore not for those with gluten problems or celiac. Other substitutes are made with soy or tofu (well, ok, soy again).  Unless the packaging claims "GMO free," then you're feeding genetically modified soy to your family. Soy by itself should be eaten in moderation because of the degree to which an element of it mimics estrogen.  It's a useful addition to vegetarian cooking, especially when you're looking for that firm, flavorful, meat-like feel, or perhaps the additional protein, but just be judicious in how often you serve it.

Mushrooms either sliced and baked until they're kind of dried up or sautéd in a little olive oil are great additions to meals that benefit from a 'meaty' taste.  The mushrooms actually undergo a chemical change in the cooking that brings out a very similar flavor to meat.  We all know about portobellos, but this applies to other mushrooms, even button mushrooms.  I've chopped them fine, sautéd them, and added them to spaghetti sauce, soups, chili, and other meals with no one the wiser (if you don't have mushroom lovers in your house) and with a great response to the deeper flavor.

I make a black bean burger that is to die for, and I found the recipe on AllRecipes.com.  It's called Home Made Black Bean Burgers.  I just leave out the hot sauce, and I like to sauté the onions, garlic, and green pepper a bit before adding it to the mix. AllRecipes.com is a good way to explore some meals that your husband and kids will like without having to commit to a cookbook.  That said, one of my favorite cookbooks is called Vegetariana by Nava Atlas (great name!!). I culled through it this summer to try some new recipes, and everything was delicious (and meat eater friendly because it was so flavorful).

One last tip: when I moved our household to only vegetarian meals, I found myself making a lot of stews, soups, beans & rice, and chilis.  My kids got totally fed up with the "mushy food."  Find ways to serve firm stuff along the way, and a couple of nights serve a meal that resembles a traditional meat & potatoes.  For example, black bean burgers, a salad, and sweet potato fries, or fish, colorful roasted vegetables, and pasta. Most of my family loves it when I make falafel. I find the falafel balls in a package at Costco!!! We're dairy free, so I make the sauce from Tofutti Sour Cream with lemon juice, dill, and cucumber. It's delicious!!!

Good luck!

[tonttu]

Mushrooms are a problem with him , the ONLY way , he will eat them , is if I literally puree them into a pulp and if there is even as much as a hint of what might resemble a mushroom , he throws a fit and refuses to eat anymore at all !

I don´t know , why , since WHEN I puree them and he eats everything up , he has no problems , so I think , it´s just a thing he has with them , but not an allergy !

The black bean burger sound great , I will definitely give those a try , since we all love beans .

The biggest problem I have with him , is that he seems to react in a bad way to too much protein , they have great school food here , but I can always tell , when he has had too much meat too many days in a row , because he just starts acting strange , plus his joints hurt sometimes , noticeably after he had a lot of animal protein . 

We had some extensive blood work done , so we know he has no rheumatism or arthritis , but still , it makes me wonder  

Plus , in my personal opinion , with the vast array of foods available , and the abundance of recipes , one really limits themselves if they stick to the standard meat and potato diet . 

@kellybeth , do you have a recipe for those lentil burgers ? I´d love to get a hold of that ! 

[crayfishgirl]

Saw this on the main page, and we're certainly carnivores in our family so I would have never even looked in the veggie living section, but both my kids L O V E  this soup.  We make ours spicier, in part because I misread the recipe the first time in put a full teaspoon of cayenne in.  So good, so easy!

Curried Lentil Soup

olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 8-ounce russet potato, peeled, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled, chopped
2 tablespoons curry powder ( or more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 14 1/2-ounce cans low-salt chicken broth (we didn't have chicken
broth so we used the knorr cubes...still awesome)
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
2 cups lentils (about 12 ounces), rinsed, drained

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, potato
and carrot and sauté. until vegetables begin to soften, about 5
minutes. Mix in curry powder and cayenne and stir until fragrant,
about 30 seconds. Add broth, tomatoes with juices and lentils and
bring to boil. Cover pot, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until
lentils are very tender, about 45 minutes. Season soup to taste with
salt and pepper. (Can be made up to 2 days ahead. Refrigerate until
cold; cover and keep refrigerated. Before serving, rewarm soup over
low heat.)

[tonttu]

Originally Posted by crayfishgirl 

Saw this on the main page, and we're certainly carnivores in our family so I would have never even looked in the veggie living section, but both my kids L O V E  this soup.  We make ours spicier, in part because I misread the recipe the first time in put a full teaspoon of cayenne in.  So good, so easy!

Curried Lentil Soup

olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 8-ounce russet potato, peeled, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled, chopped
2 tablespoons curry powder ( or more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 14 1/2-ounce cans low-salt chicken broth (we didn't have chicken
broth so we used the knorr cubes...still awesome)
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
2 cups lentils (about 12 ounces), rinsed, drained

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, potato
and carrot and sauté. until vegetables begin to soften, about 5
minutes. Mix in curry powder and cayenne and stir until fragrant,
about 30 seconds. Add broth, tomatoes with juices and lentils and
bring to boil. Cover pot, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until
lentils are very tender, about 45 minutes. Season soup to taste with
salt and pepper. (Can be made up to 2 days ahead. Refrigerate until
cold; cover and keep refrigerated. Before serving, rewarm soup over
low heat.)

[marsupial-mom]

Here is a great website that lists all the different kinds of vegetarian meats there are: http://meatalternatives.org/

[meemee]

morning star fake meats. they really taste very good. i couldnt believe their fake bacon.