Currently, my other half and I eat meat pretty much every day, and I don't think our diet is particularly healthy which is why I'd love to cook vegetarian food a few nights a week. He's one of those people who doesn't really think a meal is complete without meat however, so I'd love to see your favourite recipes for vegetarian or vegan food, particularly those that have gone down well with a meat-eating crowd.

Oh gurl. You have asked the right place.

Basically you could choose any recipe from theppk.com and be golden. Isa is the author of a ton of best-selling vegan cookbooks and she is my go-to girl. I don't buy any other cookbooks except hers; every recipe creates food that is opposite from the stereotypical vegan food. There recipe for green bean casserole had my steak-loving father declaring that it was the best casserole he's ever eaten.

An old standby that I love and is super easy to make are her black bean burgers. Here's a copy of the recipe: http://www.democraticunderground.com/di ... g_id=17651

Good luck, and keep at it!

Ooh those burgers look perfect - just the kind of thing I should be able to persuade him to eat without too much pre-emptive whining! The casserole sounds delicious too, I'm definitely bookmarking that site! Thank you!

I'll have to keep an eye on this thread! I became a vegetarian a couple of months ago, but I've gained a lot of weight because I am basically just stuffing myself with pasta and bread. Need some new yummy and healthy menu items.

Also, you should also try using whole portobello mushrooms as hamburguer patties. I don't follow any recipe, I just cover them with whatever I think will taste good (seasoned salt, herbs, Worcestershire sauce, etc), grill it, and voila! I recommend you eat immediately, though, as it will make the buns wet and saggy.

Lentil tacos! Lentil bolognese! Mushroom risotto! Vegie curries! Moroccan-style chickpea tagine!

My fella & I are quite good at this. We eat veggie Monday-Friday then fish or meat in our evening meals at the weekend. I find veggie cooking much quicker after a day at work, and we don't miss the meat at all!

However, we have one friend who is a nightmare about it. He refuses to eat a meal without meat, & last time I invited him over (for veggie enchiladas) he brought sausage rolls 'to make up for the no-meat thing'.

However, after the meal he conceded he hadn't missed the meat at all!

So for veggie enchiladas:

Flour tortillas
400g Tinned tomatoes
Fresh coriander
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Fresh/dried chilli
200g grated wendesleydale cheese ( or any other crumbly cheese)
2x grated mozzarella balls
Small pot sour cream or creme fraiche

Fry the onion & garlic & chilli for a few minutes, then chuck in the tomatoes & coriander. Let reduce a bit.
Fill each tortilla with a dollop of the tomatoes, & a generous sprinkle of the two cheeses. Fold the sides & bottoms in to make a package then place in an oven dish, edges-down. Repeat until you have used all the mixture, but reserve a bit of cheese for the topping. Spread the enchiladas with creme fraiche & sprinkle with cheese. Oven bake until hot & crispy, & serve with green leaves & retried beans.

Leftover enchiladas are great for lunch the next day too!

"Basically you could choose any recipe from theppk.com and be golden. Isa is the author of a ton of best-selling vegan cookbooks and she is my go-to girl."

I am SO with Rachel up there. Love the PPK!

Having been a vegetarian for about six or seven months, I find that it's not so much the taste of meat I miss, but the heartiness of meat dishes. So I try to find recipes that provide that same heartiness. One of my friends makes a to-die-for cheesy mushroom and nut loaf, similar to this recipe: http://bit.ly/jMEBMg. Sort of like a meatloaf.

But my all-time favorite meatless recipe? Shakshuka, hands down :) Almost like chili, but sprinkled with feta and served with pita bread. A wintertime must. http://bit.ly/k8dfEb

Best of luck in your meat-free adventures!