1500 Days to Freedom

Think different and escape the rat race.

Ask the Readers: Do you have any good vegetarian recipes?

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Hi there, Mrs. 1500 today.

So at the end of 2013, we suggested monthly goals rather than one New Year’s Resolution. Our January went well, February did not. The February goal was to work out 24 hours in 28 days, which is a goal that the YMCA in Madison proposes to their members to try and entice them into the gym. You get a T-shirt and everything!

Well, we were hit pretty hard with illness. The little 1500’s both had horrible sinus infections, coupled with ear issues and sore throats. I swear we went through 5 boxes of tissues! And it lingered forever. I didn’t make it into the gym one time the entire month.

I also didn’t make it to asking a question last week. TWO weeks ago, I asked if you are a landlord. The duplex next door to us went on the market, and we were disappointed that it sold to someone else. The numbers weren’t great on it, but the rent collected from our current, elderly neighbors would have paid the bills, and we would continue to have good neighbors.

Alicia from Financial Diffraction is a landlord, because when it was time to move, the market was soft and they would have lost their investment. Their numbers aren’t great, either but at least there is still equity in the home, and all bills are paid. Basically, someone else is buying them a home.

Stacy over at Farm Raised has two rentals. One runs itself – rent paid on time, small repairs completed by the tenants, etc. The other one, not so much. Rent never paid on time and it will probably be trashed when the current tenants leave. While I am sorry this is the case, it is a good reminder that not everything is perfect and rosy as a landlord. You don’t just buy the house and the money starts rolling in. Stacy recommends following your gut. If the prospective tenant sets off warning bells in your head, keep looking.

JoeTaxpayer also has a cautionary tale, and a great quote. “All areas are different, but buying a house that barely breaks even is an accident waiting to happen.” I do tend to look at things with rose-colored glasses, and the duplex next door was going to be just barely breaking even. While money isn’t everything, I don’t want to buy something so I can lose money on it, even if it is to keep good neighbors. Thanks, Joe!

Dave from The New York Budget, theFIREstarter, and Liam at Hare Brain Investments all recommend FI Fighter‘s posts about turnkey investing. Bigger Pockets got a mention as well.

Thanks for all the things to think about, as we decide whether to invest in real estate right now. And now to this week’s question, do you have any good vegetarian recipes?

March is supposed to be vegetarian month. In an effort to eat healthier, and save money at the grocery store, we are trying to eat more vegetarian meals. The problem is, like most omnivores, I don’t have a big bunch of vegetarian recipes that I make on a regular basis. Pretty much salad is my only vegetarian recipe. One time I decided to add lentils to sloppy joes, and that was a disaster! The kids wouldn’t put the second bite in their mouths. It was pretty gross…

So, do you have any good, kid-friendly vegetarian recipes you would like to share?

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  1. I think you really have to look into Asian cuisine for this, as those cultures have been working at pairing sauces with non-meat for hundreds of years.

    This week, I made tofu in an Indonesian satay sauce that’s mostly peanut butter… Peanut butter is a pretty good gateway into vegetarian stuff 🙂

    There are also a lot of dishes that you can sorta ease into. I do a mapo tofu that I started out making with a ton of ground pork and just a little bit of tofu, then over time have eased it down to a little bit of ground turkey and a ton of tofu.

    Would be happy to help you build up your list of veggie meals 🙂
    Mario Adventuresinfrugal recently posted…Net worth update for March 2014 — up $5,700! — and February goal resultsMy Profile

    • I cooked an Asian inspired veggie recipe last night just for you Mrs 1500!

      http://thefirestarter.co.uk/egg-fried-rice-with-vegetables/

      (I am presuming/hoping eggs are allowed in your challenge?)

      It’s actually a great balanced meal, bit of carbs, bit of protein from the eggs and the nuts/seeds and obviously some veggies thrown in as well. I can’t believe how tasty this was and I really didn’t notice the meat “missing” at all. And how cheap it worked out per portion either, I might just start eating this for lunch every day as I reckon it would give my savings a shot in the arm as well!! 🙂
      theFIREstarter recently posted…Egg Fried Rice with VegetablesMy Profile

  2. We have veggie stew or veggie pizza pretty often. Along the vein of using veggies to make thing go further. Mixing in either a can of black beans or a cooked (medium sized) potato with soft taco filling (in our case ground turkey, onions, and green pepper) adds a healthy filler and tastes awesome.
    -Bryn
    Income Surfer recently posted…Weekly Recap- 3/9/14My Profile

    • I have started adding cans of black beans to my taco meat already, but never thought of adding a potato. That’s next for taco night. Thanks for the tip! Veggie Stew sounds good, as the kids don’t like the meat in beef stew.

  3. I’m not vegetarian, but I like to eat meatless now and then (and my family observes Lent). One of my favorite blogs for vegetarian recipes is http://www.ohmyveggies.com

    These Portabella Mushroom “Cheesesteaks” were very good: http://ohmyveggies.com/recipe-portabella-mushroom-cheesesteaks/

    I also love these Baked Falafel Sandwiches from a different site: http://www.poorgirleatswell.com/2011/09/recipe-spicy-baked-falafel-sandwiches-with-homemade-tzatziki.html
    Jen @ Jen Spends recently posted…How We’re Using our 2013 Tax RefundMy Profile

  5. We don’t eat meat and are about 90% vegan, so basically all of our recipes are vegetarian. Try having bean burritos for starters. All you have to do is heat up some beans and throw them in a tortilla with lettuce, tomato, and onion. Add cheese and sour cream if you want! Vegetarian soup is also a great starter vegetarian recipe. Just throw veggies in a pot with veggie broth (carrots, squash, tomato, onion, parsnip, rutabaga, celery, etc.) and add basil, coriander, thyme, and salt and pepper.
    Holly@ClubThrifty recently posted…My Frugal Kitchen RemodelMy Profile

    • I think the girls would eat bean-only burritos. Thanks. I haven’t thought of that before. Add a little guacamole and the little one would scarf it down.

  6. Black bean burgers are tasty – many good recipes online. I also made a quinoa/broccoli/cheese casserole the other night that was delicious. Again, just a recipe I found searching the ingredients I had on hand. I would second the veggie pizza, veggie soups/stews. Don’t try to get over creative – you can make a lot of simple, every day things to be vegetarian. Lasagna – put in summer squash, zucchini, sliced carrots, mushrooms, onions, spinach and it still tastes just as good. Chili with black beans in place of meat. Sweet potato/pinto bean burritos. Broccoli roasted in the oven with garlic, olive oil, and salt & pepper is also a new one for us. You can sprinkle with some cheese too – tastes completely different than steamed broccoli. Sometimes finding new ways to prepare regularly eaten items helps. Good luck!

    • Thanks, Wendy. I haven’t tried chili with just beans before. I know the girls will eat chili. Maybe I will puree the tomatoes so they can’t see them. Otherwise, they will just pick them out.

  7. For kids? Mac & Cheese is always a winner! Not the healthiest, but creating a cheese sauce isn’t as hard as it might seem. Add in some inions and bread crumbs on top and bake it and it is delicious!

    Other than that, these quesadillas are UNREAL:

    http://www.budgetbytes.com/2012/02/hearty-black-bean-quesadillas/

    and Dragon Noodles are my personal favorite, but may be a bit spicy for the kids:

    http://www.budgetbytes.com/2012/08/spicy-noodles/
    Dave @ The New York Budget recently posted…What’s a “Life List” and How Can It Help You?My Profile

    • Oh, the kids would eat Macaroni and Cheese every day if I let them. The only thing they let me add is tuna, which gives them some protein so that is nice. Thanks for the link to Budget Bytes. I saw some pretty amazing recipes in just a quick perusal. I will have to go back for more. She had a Black Bean and Avocado enchilada recipe that looked amazing…

      • I was going to recommend budget bytes as well! I am a vegetarian ( with a meat-eating partner) and have found quite a few recipes there that we both like ( the creamy spinach pasta is on repeat here, fast easy & tasty–and if you cook a sausage on the side it can be both vegetarian and non). The meal cost breakdowns and budget conscious philosophy are an excellent bonus!

  8. TVP tacos – just rehydrate some TVP from dry and then make taco “meat” the same way you would using bee for turkey. For us this is adding onion, some salsa, and our own blend of taco seasoning. I’ve had meat eaters not realize the difference and think it was ground turkey.

    I made lentil soup this weekend – the one from the fat free vegan blog and it’s very tasty and filling.

    Do you have a trader joes nearby? Grab a jar of their yellow curry sauce and dump it on top of some cubed (~1cm) and browned tofu mixed with a can of garbanzo beans (rinse the beans). Serve over rice. So tasty and a good source of protein that is a boost of lasting energy.

    Almost all of my recipes are vegetarian or have easy ways to modify, so if you’re looking to scratch a specific itch, let me know!
    Mrs PoP @ Planting Our Pennies recently posted…PoP Balance Sheet – February 2014My Profile

    • Thanks Mrs. PoP. I picked up some TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein for all you non-vegetarians out there who are wondering) a few weeks back. I didn’t know how to use it! Maybe I will start the tacos with half TVP and half ground turkey. I have done lentils, the girls would rather be hungry. And Trader Joe’s just opened down the road, so I am definitely going to try that curry/tofu/garbanzo bean thing. The little one loves garbanzo beans and eats them right out of the can!

      • TVP is so flexible it’s awesome. Try rehydrating it with vegetable broth made from bullion. It takes on whatever flavors that you use to rehydrate it.

        As for TJ’s, there are several different curries, the yellow was my guess at the most kid friendly since it’s got a sweet-ish taste and isn’t spicy at all. The green, red, and masala ones all have a little kick to them.
        Mrs. Pop @ Planting Our Pennies recently posted…Breaking Up Is Hard To Do…My Profile

  9. I was wondering how the 24 hour gym workout goal was going. I failed January and hit February’s goal of 42 miles walking after work. In an effort to stay focused on the fitness/health portion, I have pledged to do a weekly Fitness post for the month of March. Good luck with vegetarian, I tried it for a week and well I like meat and vegetables, not one or the other!
    Steven recently posted…Post 101-What Rich and Poor People Do With Tax ReturnsMy Profile

  10. My standard recipes are just to make something normal and leave the meat out. It works for pasta dishes, chili, soups.. just about everything where the meat isn’t the point of the dish (steak, burgers, etc.). Asian dishes also tend to be easy to make vegetarian, if they’re not already.

    For more complex recipes, I recommend Vegan Dad and Kenji Lopez from Serious Eats, who did a “vegan month”. I usually try to pick the simpler recipes, since both of them tend to go over the top sometimes.

    For example:

    http://vegandad.blogspot.com/2009/02/crispy-cajun-chickpea-cakes.html
    http://vegandad.blogspot.com/2007/12/coconut-curry-chickpeas.html

    http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/03/vegan-recipes-mains-soups-salads-breakfasts-sandwiches-appetizers.html
    http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/02/vegan-pasta-with-rich-and-hearty-mushroom-bol.html

    • Hey Brendan. Thanks for the links! I really appreciate it. I really like VeganDad’s search labels at the bottom of his site. So nice to be able to find all recipes that have blueberries, or whatever I am trying to use up. I will absolutely hit this site again.

  11. Soy chorizo from Trader Joes! This was the gateway food for my husband who traditionally never ate anything green or anything which ends in “berry”. We eat mostly vegetarian now with some vegan spurts here and there. Good luck!
    Refinerr recently posted…Mad Money – Drop It Like It’s Hot!My Profile

  13. My bf is all into eating meat, but a lot of our meals you can take the meat out of and it still tastes pretty good! A few of the favorites are tacos with rice and beans ( if you want to try and make it vegan, leave out the cheese) also chili with just beans and pasta with lots of veggies in the sauce. We haven’t done this yet but a baked mac and cheese is a definite for lots of people. Best of luck!
    Amanda @ Passionately Simple Life recently posted…The Power of BeliefMy Profile

  14. I’m a vegetarian! (Pescatarian, but let’s be honest, I don’t even eat fish that often.) Here are some of my favorites, that even my husband (a committed omnivore) really likes.
    • http://www.veggiebelly.com/2010/07/balsamic-grilled-summer-vegetables-with-basil-quinoa-salad.html (I would bathe in this stuff if I could)
    • http://www.budgetbytes.com/2013/07/bbq-black-bean-pizzas/ (We fought over the leftovers!)
    • http://allrecipes.com/recipe/vegetarian-sweet-and-sour-meatballs/ (We eat them on their own, but could be good with pasta too.)
    Allie recently posted…Some Stuff I DidMy Profile

    • Someone else suggested lasagna and slipping some summer squash inside. I think a peeled zucchini would work as well. While I would rather not have to resort to sneaking healthy things into their food, I will do it if I have to. I would like for them to just try it, but no dice.

      I didn’t know Boca made a meatless Italian Sausage. I will have to try that. Thanks!

  18. This certainly isn’t a “recipe” – but one of our most favorite meatless meals: Zatarains red beans & rice or black beans & rice. Cook as directed. Put on soft tortillas (we like corn). Top with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream & salsa. Really, any kind of toppings work. Super tasty, super easy, super inexpensive!

  21. I’ve been eating a semi-vegetarian diet for a couple of years now and I’ve been playing with vegan this month. This winter has given me plenty of time to play in the kitchen and I’m getting much better with finding combinations of herbs and spices that I like. That is the trick, find ways of making vegetables tasty. Here is a personal recipe I recently came up with.

    Cook up some quinoa, I like to cook mine in vegetable broth, and in a separate pan saute some vegetables, whatever you like. I like to use EVOO and throw in some garlic, onions, carrots, celery and zucchini. While these two dishes are cooking take another pan and add a little olive oil and soy sauce and cook some tempeh. Cook on each side until golden brown over medium heat. About five min. each side.

    Here is what really brings this meal together, the spices. While the vegies are cooking I add Zatarain’s spice mix, red pepper flakes and ground pepper with a touch of soy sauce. In the quinoa I add some chipotle powder, but go easy, this stuff is potent. I typically only use a 1/4 tsp. and mix well. Depending on how spicy you like your foods you add more or less. When the vegies are done, mix the quinoa in with them and serve with the tempeh on the side. I think it is delicious!

    If you try it let me know what you think.
    The Stoic recently posted…Spring ComethMy Profile

  22. Lorna Sass’ Complete Vegetarian Cookbook has been my go-to for years. Not fussy, not complicated, not expensive. The recipes are all really good.
    Side note: when we switched from processed foods to “whole foods” I found my daughter wouldn’t eat much at first. She wouldn’t eat beans at all. I didn’t force any on her but I didn’t cook separately for her either. I just kept putting beans among other things on the table 3-4 nights/week. After about three weeks she was eating them regularly. After 6 months she’d ask for them if they weren’t there. Now she won’t eat processed food. I think it was more unfamiliarity than a real dislike. My takeaway was to not give up too soon.

  23. Breakfast for dinner (oatmeal, french toast, fruit, etc.) or breakfast tacos are two of the easiest vegetarian meals I make. We put eggs, peppers, onions, and cheese on tortillas – yum!

    Good luck with this challenge!
    Amanda recently posted…What social media do you use?My Profile

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