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You are here: Home / Healthy Living / Converting Mr. Meat and Potatoes

Converting Mr. Meat and Potatoes

May 21, 2012 by One Beet 3 Comments

Snazzy SaladAn old friend recently asked me for suggestions about how to interest her meat and potatoes husband in healthy eating.  Her suggestion got my wheels turning and obviously I have tons of ideas!

Flavor First:

My experience with my own husband and others is that flavor trumps health food every time.  Most people have an incorrect perception of what health food is and what it tastes like (usually something similar to cardboard).  I have found that delicious health food speaks for itself — people want to eat it because it tastes good, not just because it is good for them.

When thinking about flavor I think the two most important categories are quality of ingredients and sauces.  For flavorful ingredients, nothing beats super-fresh fruits and vegetables.  There is just no comparison between canned peas and fresh peas shelled right before dinner.  Many people think they don’t like vegetables just because they have never eaten really fresh vegetables prepared well. Choose the freshest ingredients you can from your local farmers market or grocery store (remember that food from a farmers market is likely at least a week fresher than anything available at the grocery store).

Making flavorful sauces is critical in jazzing up bland grains and vegetables.  Since I rarely use recipes I tend to whip up different sauces based on what I have available and what flavor profile I’m looking for.

Here are some of my favorite sauce ingredients:
Base – Olive oil
Acid – Balsamic, red wine, and cider vinegar
Lemon juice
Salt – Soy sauce (I prefer Bragg’s Liquid Amino’s since it’s lower in sodium and healthier for you)
Umeboshi Paste (Japanese pickled plum paste that has a very salty flavor)
Spice – Garlic
Mustard
Horseradish paste
Herbs – Parsley, cilantro, basil, rosemary, thyme
Other – Miso paste
Goat cheese and feta cheese

Using different sauces ensures your food tastes unique and avoids flavor ruts.  Experiment with ratios and ingredients to find combinations that you like and that compliment different dishes.  For example, quinoa salad, wouldn’t be terribly delicious without the sauce, herbs, and cheese added for flavoring.

Reduce Animal Protein:

For many people meat is the central part of a “proper” meal, especially dinner.  In these cases it’s unlikely that you can successfully switch to completely vegetarian eating without quite a fuss.  Instead, I’d focus on reducing the percentage of any given meal that’s animal protein while also adding in many delicious non-meat sides.  For example, instead of making chili with a 1/2 pound of ground beef, try using only 1 – 2 cups.  You’ll still have the beef taste and the meal won’t be labeled as “vegetarian” but you’ll significantly increase the nutritional value of the dish (especially if you substitute beans and other veggies to make up for the reduction in meat).

Similarly, try to use flavorful meats so you get as much flavor as possible from smaller portions.  I like using spicy sausage in this way.  It adds a lot of flavor to stews, sautes, fajitas etc. for a relatively small amount of actual meat.  I also often use chicken stock as the bases for my vegetarian soups and stews to deepen the flavors.

Get Creative with Grains:

Many people get stuck in their grain repertoire and use the same grains over and over (i.e. white rice).  Grains are incredibly healthful and quite benign in flavor — I find they reliably take on the flavor of whatever they are cooked with.  Using new grains provides more variety in texture and nutrients, and is also a good way to help a picky eater get comfortable with trying new things in a low-risk environment.

Here are my favorite grains:
Brown rice
Quinoa (red and yellow)
Millet
Barley
Wheat berries
Amaranth
Faro
Bulgar wheat

All of these follow generally the same cooking pattern (soak if possible and simmer over low heat for approximately 30 minutes with double the amount of water as grain).  They can also all be made with chicken or vegetable broth to enhance their flavor.  I also usually add seaweed when cooking grains — it doesn’t add much flavor, but adds tremendous health benefits.

In my experience transitioning the way people eat takes time and is much more successful if you don’t force it on people and instead let them get comfortable with a new way of eating.  Most importantly, please avoid being preachy!  Everyone has a right to eat what appeals to them and all we can do is share information about healthy choices and teach people how to make flavorful and healthful meals.  It’s all about options!

Usually eating healthier will make people feel healthier too.  My husband now has a clear physical reaction to eating red meat since we don’t eat it often.  This doesn’t stop him from having a fancy steak once in a while, but it does stop him from eating a mediocre burger.  You may notice similar changes in yourself or your family as you adopt healthier eating patterns.

P.S. I really liked responding to a direct question from a reader.  Please be in touch if you have any wellness questions or suggestions for posts.

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Filed Under: Healthy Living Tagged With: animal protein, health coach, healthy cooking, picky eaters, whole grains

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Comments

  1. Adrienne says

    May 21, 2012 at 7:16 pm

    Zoe, great post! A lot of these strategies are familiar, I’ve been successful over the past several years in getting my husband to be willing to cut down meat in favor of more plant-based foods. One thing I would add is legumes can add a lot of satisfying bulk (and protein) added to a grain salad or just as a stand-alone side dish.
    I have a question for you. Any ideas for getting veggies in at breakfast on busy weekday mornings? We eat a lot of fruit but I’d love to work veggies in too. I’m stumped! Thanks!

    Reply
  2. Julie Williams says

    May 22, 2012 at 11:22 am

    Love your blog, Zoe!!! I’ve been veg for 14 years now and my husband is not, but he mostly eats veg with me since I won’t cook him meat (and it’s so much more expensive to buy, anyway). He almost always adds cheese or an egg or two to whatever we eat (if those ingredients aren’t already in the dish) to get his protein. He doesn’t mind veggie food at all as long as he gets his cheese and eggs! We’ve also been doing fresh fruit smoothies or veggie juices every morning for breakfast – yummers!

    Reply
  3. RB says

    July 27, 2012 at 9:56 pm

    Hi Zoe! Could you talk more about how you incorporate seaweed into your meals?

    Reply

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Welcome to One Beet Wellness! I’m Zoë, a Holistic Health Coach, Herbalist, and all-around wellness warrior. I offer boutique food and lifestyle coaching for busy, go-getter women and men who are inspired to heal themselves from the inside out. I’m passionate about living life to my fullest potential and helping you to do the same!

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