Hoag - One Dish Two Diets: Recipes for the Hybrid Vegetarian and Meat-Eating Family

One Dish, Two Diets: Recipes for the Hybrid Vegetarian and Meat-Eating Family

Julie Hoag

Copyright 2017 by Julie Hoag

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Printed in the United States of America

First Printing, 2017

Editor: Judy Hoch

Layout and Design: FiveJsDesign.com

Julie Hoag writer

P.O. Box 661

Hugo, MN 55038-0661

Contents

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my husband and three sons.

About me

Im a Family Lifestyle & Food Blogger . I run a blog about family and food, including recipes, travel, kids, motherhood, and DIY projects.

I couldnt imagine not including food in my blogIm basically obsessed with food and recipe creation. New ideas pop into my head all the time, which I just love! I love to play in the kitchen and try out new recipes and new combinations. Its a giant thrill for me when a recipe works out. I guess Im a foodie nerd.

About this Cookbook

This cookbook includes some recipes that will work for both vegetarians and meat-eaters, as well as some strictly vegetarian recipes. I focus on ways to make each entre work for both styles of eating.

I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian, so this book includes recipes with dairy, eggs, nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruits, and grains. There are many non-dairy options available that may be substituted in my recipes for people who do not eat dairy. Id love to know how the recipes turn out with non-dairy options, so drop me an email if you try this ()Id enjoy hearing about it!

There are so many cookbooks on the market for vegetarians, including cookbooks filled with hearty vegetarian recipes for meat-eaters, and cookbooks for people transitioning to vegetarianism for health reasons. However, there arent many cookbooks with meals for families who need both vegetarian and meat components in one dish from one recipe.

I wanted to fill that hole in the cookbook market and, at the same time, meet the needs of people making meals for both vegetarians and meat-eaters. In addition, because many people have wondered what to make for me as a vegetarian dinner guest, Im providing some helpful options for non-vegetarian cooks who are serving vegetarians around their table. Its not hard to cook for vegetarians and meat-eaters at the same time, but more of a practice of being mindful in preparation.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the recipes in One Dish, Two Diets.

Introduction

Do you have both vegetarians and meat-eaters in your family? I call this type of family a hybrid family, because family members have different dietary needs and preferences. My own family is a hybrid family with differing diets, including vegetarian and meat-eaters.

Do you find it hard to mesh vegetarian and meat-eating diets to make meals that work for all members of your busy family? This book will give you delicious meal suggestions that I have developed over the years to accommodate both diets in one dish. I have also included vegetarian recipes in this cookbook.

This is a realistic cookbook for the busy modern mom with a hybrid family. My recipes are easy, combining some convenient pre-prepared items with healthy ingredients to help busy moms make foods to fit two diets within their family.

The recipes in One Dish, Two Diets are mainstream American recipes that do not include any tofu. This makes my recipes unique and realistic. I also have included a section of quick recipes for the vegetarian(s) of the family when the family meal does not work for the vegetarian.

What Is a Hybrid Family?

My family is unique because it is a hybrid family composed of vegetarian and meat-eaters. I am the vegetarian, and my husband and three boys are meat-eaters. However, my youngest son only eats certain types of meat, so I often modify meals to fit his tastes, or offer easy alternatives.

Im a vegetarian who cooks meat. Yes, that is odd, I know, but over the years Ive come up with recipes and cooking methods to accommodate my familys dietary preferences.

I became a vegetarian at the age of thirteen. I started cooking as a teenager, trying to make meals that would work for my dad, my sister, and myself (my dad and my sister ate meat, but I did not). I married a man who eats meat, and as I mentioned before, my boys eat meat, so Ive been cooking for a hybrid mix of vegetarians and non-vegetarians for around 27 years. Ive had a lot of life experience!

Im not a trained chef or dietician, but I am trained by life. Cooking for my family these past 27 years has taught me a lot about cooking this way. It hasnt always been easy, but Ive found little tricks to make meals work for both types of eaters in my family. Ive become a life expert in this type of cooking.

I created this cookbook to share my experiences to help other hybrid-diet families. The purpose of this cookbook is to help other moms who have hybrid families, giving them some ideas and solutions for meals.

Being a Vegetarian

My mother was a nurse and she didnt like it when I became a vegetarian. She was concerned that I wouldnt get enough protein. Her concern was just the beginning of all people around me becoming obsessed with what I would eat.

Ive always found it strange how people are so concerned that I dont eat meat. They seem compelled to comment on the lack of meat on my plate. Im not sure why they feel this need to point out my meatless plate, because I dont comment on others who never eat salad, potatoes, or green beans. To me, missing one part of the mealthe meatis not different than the person next to me who is missing salad. Its the same thing to me, but others consider meat to be the cornerstone of the meal, and they freak out when I dont eat it.

People mean well when they ask me if I will have enough to eat, but Im a big girl; Im in my forties, and I think Ive got my own diet figured out. Trust me, I get full, and Im 100% sure I will not go hungry. I love food!

Food Is Art

Food is a form of art in my mind. The textures, flavors, appearance, and overall cohesiveness of a meal are a work of art. I often wish I had become a professional chef because its so much fun to cook. Its a fantastic daily creative outlet that is highly satisfying because I get to eat the artwork.

Cooking is a form of artwork that we all enjoy daily. There is no shortage of recipes on the internet; there is never a lack of food advertisements. All of us are obsessed with food: what to eat, what not to eat, when to eat it, and ways to make it. Our favorite foods are always on our minds and we get cravings for those foods.

We all talk about food. We talk about what we will eat for dinner, what we plan to make, where we will eat out, when we will eat it, what we already ate, what we plan to make for the weekend. Plus, we talk about our food to each other. Its a common topic of everyday conversation.

See what I mean? We really are all obsessed with food. Food is always on our brains. Food is important.

Tips for Parents Who Have Kids Who Are Vegetarians

I want to address kids who are becoming vegetarians, because I went through this as a child. I remember what it was like to be different, to be unable to handle eating what everyone else was eating. It made me sick to eat meat; I simply couldnt do it. I want to share my experiences and tips, because I believe my unique perspective will help parents of wannabe child vegetarians.