Try some new food--if you like any of it, that'll be all the reciprocity I need. Here are just a few things that my ovo-lacto husband likes best.
Easy stuff:
Lunch
-Yves "Deli Slices" sandwiches (like balogna--it's the only mock meat product I actually like and Safeway carries it!) No one will ever know that it's not meat. Check out the nutritional info at
http://www.yvesveggie.com-Grilled Cheese w/tomato, cuke slices, lettuce & guacamole (grill them open-faced and add the veggies at the end so they don't get warm and limp.) Serve with two napkins.;)
-Black bean salad--one can whole black beans rinsed, one can corn (niblets, shoepeg, whatever whole corn you like,) half a red pepper chopped, about half a bunch cilantro chopped, couple of tablespoons balsamic vinegar, couple of tablespoons lemon juice, a little salt. Cool, easy to make, holds well, good protein.
Dinner
-Quesadillas--warm two wheat tortillas in a frying pan (fry w/ a little oil if you like them crispy.) Top one with warmed whole black beans, spinach & shredded jack cheese, stick in the oven for a minute to melt. Put second tortilla on top, finish with tomatillo salsa & guac if you have it.
-Frittata-Pretend you're making scrambled eggs in a not-too-wide pan. Start on the stove-top on low heat; add spinach, feta, and a little garlic, making sure that it sinks into the egg mix a bit. Finish in the oven--it only takes a few minutes.
-Spinach salad--Big pile of spinach, some halved red grapes, walnuts, & diced smoked tofu. (Safeway here carries "Soy Deli" brand and I buy the hickory variety. See
http://www.quonghop.com/products/baked.htm for picture.) DO NOT use plain tofu! For dressing, we like raspberry vinaigrette, Consorzio brand, also at Safeway.
-Hummus & pita--I like to split the pita bread and cut it into pieces, spray with just a little olive oil and bake for a few minutes. Serve with lots of raw veggies, too. Baba Ghanooj is also good, but I only really like my own. What the heck: one medium eggplant, roasted (poke many holes in it and cut off the stem end, bake at 375 for about 50 minutes.) Spoon egglant out of skin into food processor; add about 1/4-1/3 cup tahini, couple of squirts of lemon juice, salt, and 1-2 drops of liquid smoke. Puree until smooth, add a handful of chopped parsley at the end. If dips don't seem hearty enough for dinner, serve with a little raita on the side. (Easy cucumber aita=plain yogurt, diced cukes, cumin, lemon juice & a dash of cayenne.)
-Homemade refrieds are better than storebought and lower in fat. Rinse one can whole black beans and warm in a saucepan with a little lime juice, cumin, coriander and a small dash of cayenne. I add a heavy dash of cinnamon, too. Odd, but it rounds out the flavor.
Shopping
-I depend on big bags of pre-washed baby spinach. A little more expensive, but totally worth it to me.
-Broccoli (and any other cruciferous vegetable)-High in iron & fiber. Make friends with them.
-Buy only whole wheat bread products.
-Beware of hidden products--Lots of soups have meat-based stock. (Progresso Lentil is safe & Campbells Green Pea is safe.) Bacon and gelatin sometimes sneak into salad dressing (the bastards!); if you miss the bacon flavor, add it yourself with Bacos (incredibly, they're vegetarian.)
-I think someone recommended Zatarain's rice mixes to you--some of the boxed varieties are fine, but the "quick" variety (in foil pouches) has lard in it.
Good luck. Please feel free to ask if you have questions or need ideas.
Rachel
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