Our Semi-Meatless Life

I find meat to be a little over-rated. About a year ago Noni and I decided we weren't going to buy meat anymore for meals. We aren't vegetarians and we do still eat meat from time to time, especially when we go out to eat, but we decided to not cook with it because,
 A. it is expensive and I felt that the cost of meat was the majority of our grocery bill. 
B. Ever since we cut down on meat we feel that we have more energy and our bodies are "happier." 
After making this decision I thought I would miss meat and it would be quite a noticeable change, but to be honest I don't even realize that it's gone. We eat a lot more veggies, grains, beans etc that are hearty and keep us full and happy. 
What are some of our favorite meatless recipes you ask? Well let me indulge you...



1. Risotto with Tomato, Corn, and Basil. This is by far one of my favorite meals. I love creamy risotto and this is so filling and delicious. 



2. California Grilled Veggie Sandwich. We make these probably once a month. They are so easy and packed with flavor. You wouldn't think just veggies alone on a sandwich would be enough, but it totally is.




3. Vegetarian Lime Orzo. This is another recipe we make quite frequently. Pasta is always a favorite at our house.



4. Gemelli with Yellow Squash, Peas, and Basil. I was completely surprised by how much I loved this meal. It was so quick and simple to make and we devoured it in minutes.



5. Silky and Creamy Wild Rice Soup. I LOVE chicken and wild rice soup so I searched high and low for the perfect meatless version. This is so yummy but so bad for you. It's got 1/2 cup of butter and like 5 cups of milk but it's so worth it, trust me.


These last few recipes are from my favorite blog meatlessmealsformeateaters.blogspot.com. Miriam is the queen of meatless meals and she posts the most delicious recipes. I also have her cook book that recently came out.


6. Autumn Garden Casserole. Pasta, beans, veggies, cheese. Yum.



7. Italian Spinach Quinoa. This is another recipe that surprised me. I absolutely loved it. It's got a lot of flavor and I may have packed it with a little extra cheese. I love cheese.




8. Butternut Squash and Spinach Pasta. Butternut squash is delish but I absolutely hate dealing with those little buggers. You can't cut them, you can't peel them, it's like pulling teeth. Oh well, this recipe is worth all the hassle.


Oh my. This is making me so hungry. 
Try out some of these recipes, you won't even miss the meat.
Enjoy!






Comments

  1. This is an awesome post, thank you SO much!! We have been trying to transition to veg for the reasons you listed above but I've been very "wah, wah it's too hard to find filling recipes without meat". You have proved me wrong and I'm so happy about it! I'm trying out these recipes ASAP :)

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  2. Wow- so much deliciousness in one post! I'm a lifelong veggie and I have noticed that in the last few years there are so many more people reducing how much meat they eat. I did start eating some seafood a few years ago and my husband eats a fair amount of fish. I never grew up with that taste so I actually don't really like it. I never get bored of veggie meals. I'd never heard of that blog or many of these recipes, thanks so much for sharing!

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  3. YUM! These recipes sound so amazing! I'm going to have to try some of these asap!
    Do eat a ton of quinoa since you don't have meat?

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  4. i'm with you - not a vegetarian but often surprised by how little meat i eat without even thinking about it. when i lived at home (and didn't pay for groceries) i used to eat a turkey sandwich for lunch every single day. now that i pay attention to how expensive cold cuts are, i have come up with so many delicious meatless lunch alternatives that i don't miss my turkey sandwich a bit! :) thanks for all the great recipe ideas!

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  5. oh my! I'm a huge meat lover, but I think i could adapt to these recipes! they seriously all look so amazing, i've already bookmarked half of them!

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  7. Read this yesterday but forgot to comment, these look delicious! I am so sick of meat right now so i will def be trying these, thanks for the good ideas!

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  8. Oh my goodness. All of this makes my mouth water! It looks so delicious.

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  9. Lyss these look amazing. I will for sure try some. How are you and that baby. I'm so sorry I missed the shower. Love you.

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  10. We don't eat a lot of meat here either, and grilled veggies are awesome!!! Great ideas, I need some new ones so I'll be clicking on that site, thanks!

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  11. Mmm everything looks delicious! I'm starving now!


    Wida
    Missing Amsie Blog

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  12. We are "semi-meatless" too! We don't buy meat (aside from some holidays, like Thanksgiving and then only organic and humane) and only eat meat out occasionally. I'm always looking for new vegetarian ideas. These look great!

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  13. These look great! My oldest daughter has never really been a meat eater...and she has tons of energy...lol...I might need to try this!

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