How to Cook for a Vegetarian

So you meet a girl or a guy and you go out on a few dates. Sounds great right? Well, the next thing to do if you are really into them is to have a romantic dinner at your place. Also sounds great. But you are a meat eater and he/she is a vegetarian. Bad luck? It doesn't have to be. You can make a great vegetarian meal without thinking that it's a hard thing to do.

Now being a vegetarian is a choice just as being a meat eater is. No matter what your political views, making a vegetarian meal is just as a easy as making a meal with meat. It doesn't have to be a hassle as long as you try your best. If you want to be considerate, make a meal that pleases them and yourself at the same time. Here are a few ways to make a vegetarian meal and a few tips to remember before you make the meal.

Different kinds of veggie meat.

There are just as many different kinds of veggie meat as there are real meat. From canned chicken, to breaded, to chicken nuggets. From beef scramblers (for chili), to chili in the can, to canned beef, to meatballs. From turkey, ham and beef cold cuts to veggie duck in the can. All of these are veggie meat that has the texture of real meat. They are high in protein and are textured enough to make it feel like real meat.

These meats are cooked just like real meats, on the stove and some you can put in the oven. Others you can put in the microwave but never anything that comes in a can. For a romantic dinner or a hearty meal, use the veggie meat in a can because it tastes better, has better texture and you can really cook it to make it believable as a meal. You can pick these canned foods up at Asian markets, Trader Joes and big bulk grocery stores.

Then there are veggie burgers and chicken patties. These are obviously used in a bun most of the time and the ingredients can range from real vegetables to chic peas. These patties are easily heated up in the microwave and are usually bought in a box from the frozen food section.

Tofu

Tofu is the elusive veggie meat. All other veggie meats are made from some high protein products like wheat gluten, eggs and concentrated soybeans and vegetables while tofu is made from pure soybeans. It is soft and hardly has a taste so it will need to be cooked right with spices and other foods that compliment it.

Cooking tofu can be easy. Butter your pan very lightly, then, slice the tofu into 1/2 inch triangle shapes. Cook on medium for about 10 minutes or to your fancy. Make a plate of fried rice to go with it and some vegetables.

Protein

Choose something that is high in protein, not just in the veggie meat section but also in the vegetable and dairy sections. You can make a meal with eggs or get really green vegetables, which are all high in protein. But don't overload on protein. Vegetarians are used to having eat their amount of protein per day without having to rely on other people. But be sure to have at least some in their meal.

Veggies and Fruits

Getting in good on the veggies and fruits as side dishes can be a great thing. A side dish would be squash casserole or a veggie medley. How about mashed potatoes or cheesy rice? You can do just about anything as a side dish, as long as it's hearty and healthy. Fruit as a desert is always good as well. You can even have ice cream with strawberries.

Salads

Salads are great openers for any nice dinner. But instead of the regular tomato and lettuce salad, you can always have an Italian dinner with pasta salad at the beginning, or bean salad, or fruit salad.

Spices

Using veggie meat is great but it doesn't always taste good. Use the same spices as you would to spice up your meat but you might wanna put a little more to enhance the taste, especially on tofu.

Tip # 1 - Make sure they know that meat will not touch there food if they have a problem with that.

Tip # 2 - Make sure that you get the right brands of veggie meat. All vegetarians like different brands of veggie meat just as meat eaters like different kinds of meat and like them prepared in different ways.

Tip # 3 - Make sure that they can eat egg and dairy products. Most veggie meats have some kind of egg in them. Some don't and you can look for those as well. Some vegetarians prefer not to eat them hen they can. Make sure whether or not they are vegan. Vegans don't eat any kind of egg or dairy product.

Tip # 4 - Tell them what you're making before they come so that they know what they're in for. If you need to ask for tips, do so. They'll be able to help you.

Tip # 5 - Taste the food before serving it. A lot of people get scared about eating veggie meat but it's honesty not bad at all depending on the brand.

Tip # 6 - If you can, eat the veggie meat instead of real meat with them. It will show that you are not scared to try something new. But I recommend making your own veggie meal beforehand and trying it out. That way you won't be surprised the second time you eat it.