Friday, August 21, 2009

mixed diet meat-a-balls

I understand how confusing it can be for some people when they come home and find out their teenager has become a vegetarian or their new in-law is throwing a monkey wrench in a holiday meal by not eating meat. I mean do you just make them side dishes? It wasn't an easy transition for me when I made the switch well over a decade ago. But, over the years I learned how to make it work and I learned to eat more than sides. The influx of numerous vegetarian products on the grocery shelves hasn't hurt either. Of course, that meal planning ease all went out the window when I met the carnivore. I was back in the same boat. How do I make this work?

After all, I had given up on things like bar-b-que sandwiches and meatball subs, but there is no way he was about to do the same. I am happy to report that thanks to some really amazing products out there I can now enjoy things with the carnivore that I wouldn't have even imagined in the past. I have found a place that makes a bar-b-que sandwich that is so good even the carnivore sneaks bites. And, I have managed to make meatball subs at home.

You start by getting some good hoagie buns from your bakery. Then make your own sauce with canned organic tomato paste and sauce (things we buy in bulk at the big box store). Add in fresh Italian herbs - like oregano, basil and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, and of course garlic. In separate pans heat up your real meatballs (which you can buy pre-made or make yourself) and your fake ones (you can find these next to all the other vegetarian products). Remember to use different utensils too! Then melt some shredded provolone and mozzarella on the bun. Add the meatballs. Top with sauce. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and parmesan.

See, its not that hard to make it work. So don't panic if you suddenly find yourself in a mixed diet family. It just takes a bit of creativity, but it isn't impossible (even if you are craving a hard-core carnivore meal like a meatball sub). Oh, and if you are wondering. The first picture is the vegetarian sub, and the second one is the real thing. Hard to tell the difference, isn't it?

menu ideas:
Don't fell bad about indulging your inner Italian by having this as your main dish. Think about all the lycopene and vitamin C in that sauce. You can also make some zucchini fries so that you have something green on your plate.

6 comments:

  1. oh! i would love to find a good recipe for veggie meatballs to make at home!

    see if i could trick my dad! (he LOVES spaghetti and meatballs) i swear, as soon as he finds out something is healthy, he decides its bad. i just never tell him anymore, and he cant tell the difference half the time!

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  2. i am the same way with the carnivore.

    i don't make my veggie meatballs though. i just by the frozen ones. i think they are pretty close to the real thing.

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  3. The vegetarian one looks better! haha

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  5. Excellent veggie meatball recipe: http://www.fatfree.com/recipes/meat-analogues/carmas-meatballs

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