Mission impossible: feeding my husband. Helpful suggestions?

[Flaxbee]

I'm looking for lunch suggestions; he works quite late and usually just wants coffee when he gets up (around 11 or noon), then would like lunch before long. No breakfasty things. Lunch things.

But here's the deal: no bread. No pasta. No meat. No eggs. Well, he'll eat chicken (but I don't eat meat so I don't buy it a lot; we have a lot more tofu in the house). He doesn't like bread because there really isn't any good bread near here - all grocery crap; we don't have a good bakery nearby. He also tends to go through a loaf of bread more quickly than he should, so we just don't bring it into the house.

I'm really not terribly creative in the kitchen; I'm a much easier person to feed - I don't eat meat, either, but I'll have eggs (if I can verify that they hens are treated well) and pasta and waffles and sandwiches and... basically haven't ever really needed to cast about for appropriate foods.

So - anyone here more creative with food? What would you prepare for lunch? It doesn't have to be packable; his office schedule is whatever he wants it to be so it doesn't have to go into a lunch bag or Tupperware or anything.

Sigh. Thanks for any input.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

1. I buy frozen Viola bags.

Chunks of white meat chicken, pasta, assorted veggies and a sauce. Cook in a skillet for 16-18 minutes or until thoroughly hot. We serve with garlic toast. SOO good and relatively inexpensive. It's easy to see the chicken. For you since you don't eat meat, you could just pick it out.

[Flaxbee]

19. My only reservation is that some frozen foods have a TON of sodium ...

Otherwise, sounds good. I'll check it out next time I'm at the store.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

32. My husband obsessively checks everything for sodium.

He signed off on them.

[RebelOne]

2. Post this in the Vegetarian, Vegan and Animal Rights forum.

There are plenty of meatless menu ideas there and lots of recipes.

[Flaxbee]

20. I will -- thanks.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. Oreos.

[fizzgig]

66. this is the correct answer

[Ashley96]

4. Spam deleted by gkhouston (MIR Team)

[MissB]

5. A sampling of things that my dh will eat.

Roasted red pepper and carrot soup (non dairy). Dh will take this and eat it cold. I prefer to heat it up, but it tastes great cold too.

http://www.nutritionmd.org/recipes/view.html?recipe_id=474

Confetti couscous salad. This salad lasts for days in the fridge. I take a sandwich size container of it and some fruit for lunch.

http://www.nutritionmd.org/recipes/view.html?recipe_id=189


We also steam small artichokes and cool the leftovers. Dh and I will take one along with curried or pesto mayo in our lunches the next day.

Hummus and pita chips and/or cut veggies are popular too.

[Flaxbee]

14. These sound terrific - thanks. I've made a lot of couscous and LOVE it

but again, I'm an easier nut to crack than dh is.

[trof]

6. Wow. Between the two of you...

you've put a lot of limits on what you'll eat.

Sorry.
No sympathy.
Good luck.

[Flaxbee]

13. I know - vegetarians are easy but if you take out bread items... it gets tough

But really, trof. No sympathy? That's rough.

[trof]

54. I like you, but no. No sympathy.

You've made personal choices about what you'll eat.
And you have every right to do that, whatever the reasons are.
But when you restrict your diets to the degree you two have, and then complain about it, you get no sympathy from me.
You've made your bed.


Sorry.
Best of luck.

[Flaxbee]

56. Did it sound like I was complaining? I certainly didn't mean to. Explaining, perhaps, so I could

get suggestions that didn't include things like "steak and eggs!"

Really, our diets aren't that limited if you're a creative cook, which I'm not, hence the request for assistance.



What I don't understand is the hostility in some of the replies, like "Let him make his own damn food!"

[pitohui]

65. hostility is the wrong word maybe

but if you treat a man as a baby and cater to him like he's an 8 year old princess, then he becomes nonsexual and unattractive and you have neutered that man and killed your sex life

people are not trying to be hostile, they are just kindly pointing out that you are probably a big girl and you are not interested in having sex with a baby and if you turn your husband into a baby then at the end of the day it's destructive to the relationship

"he needs to make his own damn lunch" is not meant to be hostile, it's meant to be a life preserver to save what you have before it's gone

once you see a once-adult as a baby, it's hard to get back the spark -- don't even put yourself in that position, treat your husband as an equal

if it was a non husband making these demands, you would chuckle and say fine, make your own lunch

and you would still see that person as an equal and an adult

[Flaxbee]

71. This is totally bizarre. Cooking something for my spouse is supposed to make me see him as a

non sexual baby?

I love this guy. I want him to be healthy and happy. Making food for your family is as ancient a ritual as you'll get - the hearth, the home, food preparation - all part of being human and living with and caring for others in your home.

He cooks for me, too. When I was working 80+ hour weeks as a lawyer in DC, he'd always have something great for me when I got home, even if it was at midnight. I do think I indicated that he's a great cook, but he's overwhelmed with things to do right now. It's my turn to pitch in.

OK. So, cooking for one's spouse makes him or her into an infant. Especially if that spouse has special food requests, likes and/or dislikes.



I'm sorry, pitohui, you responded to my post in detail and I appreciate that, but this is such an off-kilter way to see marriage and relationships I can't even relate.

[4th law of robotics]

72. This thread took a turn for the strange

Anyway, have you tried stirfry or fried rice?

Just throw a bag of assorted veggies, whatever you like, in a pan with some soy sauce and tofu and mix with steam rice. Simple enough.

One thing I enjoy with stirfry (same principle I suppose, but without the rice) is using lettuce wraps to pick it up. Makes a good communal meal that way and no carbs (well, few).

[Flaxbee]

73. lol. I know. Maybe it's time for me to ask to have it locked.

That's another good suggestion - I just seem to get a mental block whenever I walk into the kitchen and need to make something a little different than our usual stand-bys...

Thanks, 4th law...

Used to love the lettuce wraps I'd get at my favorite asian place.

[4th law of robotics]

74. No prob

also: do yall like indian food? They have a lot of options that are tasty and meatless.



I may not be a good observer though, I'd eat an old tire if it was covered with enough curry sauce.

[trof]

75. Kinda, I guess. Anyway, hope you can work it out.

[handmade34]

7. idea...

we have taken to using a slow cooker a lot... veggie stews, bean soup, quinoa...

partner and I have cut out bread, meat, pasta, etc... and have learned to love soups, stews, stuffed peppers, fruit and a little bit of fish for the SO

a whole grain and veggie dish is always yummy!

[Flaxbee]

15. where do you get your quinoa? At our local store it seems to rival the price of gold...

I keep saying I'm going to buy in bulk online, but somehow never do...

[handmade34]

21. possible source....

http://www.thecatalog.com/index.php/quinoa-grain-organic-1-lb-code-6311.html

http://www.edenfoods.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=22_37&products_id=106900&ref_src=google&ref_id=quinoa&gclid=CNCIhsjHx7ACFY_J7Qod31A9YQ

but because we travel, I usually find local coops and buy bulk... true that the price can range from unbelievable inexpensive to very dear... I used quinoa yesterday to make tabouli... very good!

[Flaxbee]

26. thanks, handmade. Appreciate it!

Unfortunately, no coops here and my local grocery store used to let you buy in bulk but it was more profitable for them to remove the bins and replace all these lovely organic grains with prepackaged, very $$$ stuff.

[elleng]

8. I always have these around:

All grain crackers, extra sharp Vermont or NY cheddar, and V-8 juice, AND tabouleh.

AND the fresh fruit of the season. Found a market stand with local strawberries, and they really taste like strawberries!

[Flaxbee]

22. That sounds good - we have that in the house a lot, too...

Do you make your own tabouleh? Or buy it?

[elleng]

23. Buy it. Its always at the grocery store.

[Throd]

9. Let him prepare his own damn food!

[kwassa]

11. My wife has never made my lunch.

or almost never.

No joke: last summer we were rushing about trying to get something really important finished. She helped me out by making me a sandwich, and then looked at me and said "I don't think I've ever made you a sandwich before". We had only lived together for 14 years by that time.

[Flaxbee]

16. He's much more creative with food than I am, but he's also just incredibly busy right now...

so I have no problem doing this... I just sort of suck when it comes to culinary marvels. B/c give me whole grain waffles, cottage cheese, blueberries and real maple syrup and I"m a happy girl.

[polmaven]

34. That was going to be my answer, too.

Let him feed himself!

[MiddleFingerMom]

10. My recommendation to anyone for a healthy, meatless meal is caprese salad.

.
.
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Fresh mozzarella (usu. found in the cheese aisle or island), sliced tomatoes, fresh
snipped basil (dried CAN be used in a pinch) -- all drizzled with olive oil (I drizzle
mine with balsamic vinegar -- it really brightens the whole thing up).
.
Light, healthy, DELICIOUS!!!
.
.
.

.
.
.

[Flaxbee]

17. ohhh, I know! Waiting for our neighbors' tomatoes to come up (they plant tons and share generously)

I'm growing my own basil.

We love it with balsamic, too.

Just waiting, waiting, waiting for the fresh tomatoes to arrive

[kwassa]

12. I also think your husband should make his own lunch.

It isn't your problem, it is his problem.

There are a zillion delicious vegetarian/vegan alternatives out there. I am on a mission to learn vegan recipes, for health reasons after having a heart attack. My wife has been a vegetarian for many years, and eats completely differently.

I had to learn to cook these meals in order to get what I needed to eat. Her diet is full of eggs and cheese, two things full of saturated fat and dietary cholesterol, and perfectly wrong for me. We look at vegetarianism very differently.

I am also a "flexitarian" eating occasional bits of lean meat, and I do eat fish and other seafood. The reality is, however, to eat the way I need to eat is my responsibility, not hers.

[Flaxbee]

18. What are some of your favorites?

We both work from home - our schedules are very flexible, so I don't mind doing some of the cooking (he does it too when he isn't swamped).

I think I'm just lazy when it comes to cooking I also have a much zippier metabolism than he does, so I'm trying to be mindful of his issues and prepare healthy foods we can both enjoy.

Don't get me wrong - he does cook, and well. I'm just trying to take some of the load off him right now - and if I can make some items in bulk in advance that's great. He's not demanding I stay barefoot in the kitchen - I just want to make good foods that we can both enjoy and are relatively quick to prepare ... well, that's my goal.

[kwassa]

50. Two different approaches.

I am a devotee of Googling recipes. Buy a bunch of healthy stuff, put in in the search engine, see what recipes pop up. An additional trick is to put in a regional style like "asian" or "mediterranean" or "caribbean" to get different ways of cooking and different use of spices.

My wife is a devotee of cookbooks. She has a large number of vegetarian cookbooks, but uses the Moosewood series way more than the others, particularly the low-fat one. She is a much better cook than I when she is motivated to cook, which isn't all that often.

Mostly, you get what you work for. There are some easy recipes, but if you want to eat well, you have to do the work.

I often say that with a little bit of effort, one can eat more delicious food than can be had in any restaurant at any price. It's true.

[Flaxbee]

52. I like the whole Moosewood idea, but some of their recipes are so ingredient-intensive....

though I think they came out with a cookbook relatively recently that wasn't quite as detailed.

It's true - whenever either one of us makes an effort, the food is usually much better than anything we buy out (except for our local Thai place, which is fantastic

[AnneD]

40. Flexitarian????

Hubby is Hindu and mainly vegan. Daughter eats in phases, was raw foodist for a while. Moi-I tell folks I am a Buddhist-what ever falls in to the begging bowl. I guess I am a flexitarian.

[kwassa]

51. The Flexitarian Diet

http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Flexitarian_Diet.html?id=Afa_dYtzhM4C

[cyberswede]

24. Hummus and pita? Tabbouleh?

These are good on a hot day.

[GoCubsGo]

25. I do a lot of leftovers. Do you have a grill?

I recently discovered a great trick for tofu. Drain the liquid and freeze it overnight. That will allow you to squeeze out more liquid once it thaws, which is great if you want to marinade it. When you do this, it soaks the marinade up like a sponge, so you get more of the flavor. Slice it about half an inch thick and grill it. (Or, bake, broil, panfry...) It's good as a left-over for lunch.

The same goes for grilled and roasted veggies. You can can brush just about any of them with olive oil, or marinade them with your favorite marinade or Italian dressing before cooking. They're delicious cold the next day with a little bit of Italian dressing, Asian sesame dressing, or a dressing of lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic. You can also marinade a variety of raw veggies in Italian dressing overnight.

Would your husband eat tabouli and hummus? Those make a great lunch. You might finds some additional inspiration here:

http://www.molliekatzen.com/archives.php

[Flaxbee]

27. I love tabouleh and completely forgot about it... we both eat a lot of hummus

will check out the link, thanks.

Neat trick with tofu; would never have thought of freezing it. Husband loves Thai and Vietnamese foods so I'll look into some sauces / marinades.

[madinmaryland]

28. Sonia "The Angry Stomach" prefers tuna!

That's her new nickname. Once the Angry Stomach has been fed, she is a wonderful kitty!!

[Flaxbee]

30. lol! How did Miss Angry Stomach get her nickname?

do tell, I'm sure it's funny

I am a tad bit hypoglycemic and have a very angry stomach if I don't have regular meals

[applegrove]

29. We've been having cobb salads often. You can find honey roasted almonds, bacon, green onions, near

the salad section in the grocerty store. In the meat section we can buy already grilled real chicken strips. Avocado, tomato, etc. In a balsamic vinagrette.

[Flaxbee]

31. you'd mentioned you've been enjoying those...

I love almonds, too. Thanks, applegrove

[hobbit709]

33. Our household rule was

If you don't like what's being cooked, either fix or get your own. But whatever you do, keep mouth shut about it.

[seabeyond]

35. +1. lol. nt

[riderinthestorm]

36. Use tortillas instead of bread - delicious wraps, fajitas, burritos can be customized to suit

Stir fry is also really easy and customizable. I've never tried to make egg rolls or spring rolls but I hear they're not too difficult (I just pick those up at my favorite restaurant and keep them on hand). Rice salads and/or potato salads go well with green salad and fruit for an excellent meal.

Will he eat seafood? There so much that can be done with seafood if that's included and its really healthy. I'm not a fan of sushi but throw it out as a suggestion since you guys can cook.

[cbrer]

37. Fish Tacos...Topless

No more complaints. Just sayin'

[Flaxbee]

45. Hmm. That could work. He doesn't complain, but if he did, your option would surely help!

nt

[HopeHoops]

38. Does he like flour tortillas? I make wraps with them (but use egg and cheese).

You can get creative. Use romaine instead of iceburg, good cheese with flavor, dulse (seaveg.com), mushrooms, peppers, cucumber, avacado, carrot shavings, sliced summer squash, cucumber, spicy brown mustard, herbs, etc. The same fillings can be used for "sushi" (which just means "fermented rice" - meaning vinegar - it does NOT mean "raw fish&quot . It's easy to prepare and great cold.

[harmonicon]

39. have you tried fried plantains?

It's one of my favourite dishes, but I'm generally too lazy to go to the only place here that sells plantains, as it's the opposite direction from the grocery store.

Cut them into round sections, saute them, and then smoosh them down some more and keep sauteing.

I eat them alongside, or on top of rice and beans, maybe with avocado, salsa, sour cream, etc. The first time I had them, a friend's Ecuadorean housemates made them along with some sort of magical garlic-y cheese sauce. I maintain that it was the best meal I've ever had, and I mourn the fact that I'll never cook anything that good ever.

on edit: Are rice noodles allowed? It's a good change-up from rice, I've found when you're out of ideas.

[Flaxbee]

46. I love, love, looooove plantains.

A restaurant in LA called "Mexica" served plantains with mahi mahi, rice, tortillas... oh my goodness it was heaven.

[lunatica]

41. Potatoes can be cooked in a thousand ways

From soups to baked to fried to boiled. I don't think there isn't a way potatoes can't be cooked. Cold potato salad with scallions and spices and a oil and vinegar dressing and you add some nuts and I bet both of you will love it. Just google how to cook potatoes.

[Flaxbee]

58. We have a lot of sweet potatoes ... not so many potatoes,

but I'll start rotating them into the diet.

[lillypaddle]

42. This is very hearty, and healthy

Pea soup is easy cause you don't really have to chop stuff up cause you
put it in the blender. No soaking required on the peas. put in water
and bring to a boil. Add whatever you want. In the latest one I made, I put a
handful of carrot and some chopped celery, half an onion (not chopped,
the only reason I chopped the celery is because it's so stringy), and
about a quarter of a cabbage, and a little broccoli. Sometimes I add a potato quartered.
Spices: dash of basil, pinch of tarragon, pinch of marjoram, salt &
pepper) I also add about a teaspoon of olive oil at the end. But you
can use whatever you have: asparagus, broccoli, some spinach, a
squash, etc. I guess it's really more of a veg soup.

Tilt the lid and simmer about 45 min to an hour, or when the peas are really soft & the
veggies are done. Cool it down and then put it in the blender & puree
it. Don't puree too much at a time or it will come out the top of the
lid. Add more water to thin it up a bit. You can always add water to
your cup or bowl if it gets real thick. Add less veggies or none for a
more pea soup taste. I added some ham base, but you really don't need
to. A Bouillon cube would work.

Top with croutons or chopped ham if you want. Or serve with some crispy french bread.

[Flaxbee]

59. that sounds good. thanks!

I love soups and stews, and so does he. Will give it a try. Thanks for posting the recipe; appreciate it!

[lillypaddle]

70. YVW

Enjoy!

[geardaddy]

43. veggie tater tot hotdish

http://www.pepperoniisnotavegetable.com/2011/04/02/comfort-food-for-grown-ups-tater-tot-hotdish/

1 bag tater tots (the organic ones from the co-op were sooooo good)
1-2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup (it depends on your preference – I used just one can)
1 bag veggie crumbles (Quorn or Morningstar work well)
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup fresh or frozen veggies of your choice (I used broccoli, but you could do green beans, peas, or corn too)
Olive oil
Sriracha (optional)
2T sage

[Flaxbee]

47. Interesting. Huh. Looks like one of those sinfully yummy dishes you can't stop eating

I can't stop eating tater tots, anyway, but with all of those extra ingredients ... yum.

[geardaddy]

49. It's kind of the Minnesota State dish.

It's normally made with ground beef or ground turkey.

[MiddleFingerMom]

44. The absolute BESTEST source for recipes that I've found is...

.
.
.
... http://recipesource.com/
.
.
.
Look towards the bottom of their homepage under special/restricted diets
and you'll find just shy of 700 vegetarian recipes.
.
.
.
They have over 70,000 total recipes listed, so you can find plenty of recipes
by simply browsing -- it's set up in pretty handy sub-divisions.
.
.
.
Going back there myself tonght.
.
.
.

[Flaxbee]

48. Thank you, MFM! Site has been bookmarked!

[FloridaJudy]

53. Gazpacho (cold tomato soup)

Throw some coarsely chopped veggies - celery, onions, cucumber, bell pepper, squash, tomatoes - in a blender with about 2 tbsp. olive oil, a quart of tomato juice or V-8, and half a cup of bread crumbs. Puree.Top with minced scallions and green pepper for texture. Chill and serve. I also add a lot of garlic and basil, but YMMV.

Very refreshing on hot summer days.

If you're an Almodóvar fan, rent "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" and laugh yourself silly. I don't recommend adding Pepa's secret ingredient, though.

[Flaxbee]

61. waiting for two neighbors to start sharing their tomatoes :)

they always leave what seems like 10 lb bags of tomatoes on our doorstep-- two people around here seem to plant enough to feed the street (there are only 4 houses here, but still... they're very generous).

Then will definitely do this - would be a great breakfast / lunch treat. Alternate that with caprese salad all summer and we'll be happy.

[LiberalEsto]

55. Maybe try baking your own bread

when things slow down a bit? When we moved to Maryland 22 years ago there was nothing but tasteless mushy white bread available in the stores. We used to stock up on stuff like Portuguese rolls and pumpernickel in NJ and freeze it.


My usual lunch is a piece of cheese, a piece of fruit and a cup of tea. I don't know if that is something your husband might like.

[Flaxbee]

62. I'd love to - some great nut breads would be wonderful

with a good slice of cheese...

I love dill bread, too, and my husband likes traditional Russian black bread.

[Kaleva]

57. Raw potatoes with a little salt

http://www.livestrong.com/article/501002-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-raw-potatoes/

For eating raw, I prefer well washed small red potatoes myself.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/322492-red-potatoes-nutrition/

Sometimes I'll boil a pot of red potatoes (with the skins), drain and put in the frig for later use as a snack.

[mrmpa]

60. Cottage cheese and fruit...........

I've always liked tuna in oil on whole wheat or cracked wheat bread. I hear you about the bread, I don't know if you'll have tuna in the house.

My mom for her lunch, quite often will in a small pan, add pasta, diced tomatoes a little onion and garlic heat it and she's very happy. She's 82, so she's often happy just in the fact that she wakes up.

Gazpacho, we just made a pot of it. It's good for a few days.

[crunch60]

63. I make a large amount of jasmin rice, top with some quick steamed kale,

and top with a couple of poached eggs. yum

[pitohui]

64. oh ffs!

many years ago, prob. about 30, hubby suggested he wanted his trousers ironed a certain way

i suggested if he wanted this, he would wash and dry and iron his own clothes, and i would wash and dry and iron my own clothes

and we have lived happily together ever since and i only have to worry about washing up my own clothes

seriously, i simply will not tolerate a man being a princess, if it's that narrow and specialized, it must be his job to make his own lunch, trust me, he's a grown up he won't starve and he won't even be that angry, he'll respect you more if you don't put up with stuff you wouldn't tolerate from a 9 year old

do you want an equal you can respect or do you want a baby you have to cater to? impossible to have any sexual interest in a baby...don't let him be a baby

so yeah, if he's a princess and a baby, he must make his own lunch, and so the answer to what would "you" prepare for lunch is...that's his problem and i trust he is adult enough to figure it out for himself

[davsand]

67. Soy is my veggie "go to" for quick foods.

I know there are some folks who are worried about eating too much soy, but it sure is handy to have on hand for a quick meal. You can buy the organic TVP in bulk for under $3.00 per pound and it keeps on your shelf forever as long as it stays dry. Pretty much ANY recipe calling for ground meat can be modified to accommodate TVP as long as you are willing to use spices. (Without spice I think it is bland.) Chili, Sloppy Joe, Spaghetti (or any Italian, for that matter...) all turn out fine when you use TVP.

My most recent quick meal was enchiladas stuffed with TVP, diced zucchini, onions, peppers, and cheese. If you don't want to mess with rolling and stuffing the enchiladas, you can take an 8 or 9 inch cake pan and layer it like you would a lasagna (I do add a layer of re-fried beans to that just because I like them...)

Again, I'd not suggest the you eat ONLY soy every meal, but it sure can be handy to keep in your bag of tricks.



Laura

[onethatcares]

68. beans/rice/veggies

meat if you want, but that trio is what I'm eating right now for brunch.

[raccoon]

69. Try escargot. nt