The hardest part of being a vegetarian for the last decade, and now being dairy-free and gluten-free, is most definitely the stress it brings to the people I love. Everyone is afraid to cook for me, despite my best efforts to be as accommodating and low-maintenance as I can. I am FINE to eat salad while others eat steak. I am not belligerent about my food choices, I try to be discreet. I've managed eating vegetarian in Russia plenty of times (though it's easiest during Lent). It's tough at work lunches or similar events when I am trying to graciously eat as much as I can but the food is truly limited, but I never, ever want my choices to be stress for someone else. Even my wonderful mother said she just got used to cooking for me as a vegetarian, and these new restrictions can trip her up.
The thing is, it's really not that hard . . . once you get into a new line of thinking. That's the hard part. So, in the interest of accommodation and collaboration, I give you, in no particular order, the Top Ten Ways to Feed the Vegetarian (Vegan, Dairy-Free, or Gluten-Free) in Your Life.
1. Pizza
This is really easy. For a vegetarian, order (or make) a cheese pizza. Get a little fancy if you're feeling generous and add some veggies, or check out a place like Jockamo for some inventive options. For a vegan/dairy-free diner, skip the cheese. (It's really OK!) For gluten-free, you'll need a gluten-free crust. You can get these at the grocery (Kroger or a health-food store), some pizza parlors have them, or you can make your own with gluten-free flour or mix. It wouldn't hurt to have a hearty (meat-free, dairy-on-the-side) salad to round things out.
2. Pasta
This was much easier before the gluten-free days. Spaghetti. Marinara. You're done. (Again, some extra veggies would be nice.) There are infinite combinations of veggies and pasta. Lots of sauces, too . . .pesto, white wine sauce, diavolo, all kinds of stuff. Again, for vegan/dairy-free, skip the cheese or keep it on the side. For gluten-free, you'd need the gluten-free pasta, which you can find at most stores. Just please remember to keep it separate from the rest.
3. Veggie Burgers
Another one that gets tricky for gluten free (though fine as-is for vegetarians). Packaged veggie burgers usually have all kinds of wheat product in all kinds of crazy forms, making them a disaster for gluten free folks. It's not too hard to get your hands on a less-processed veggie burger . . . farmer's markets or locally oriented grocers usually would have some made by local kitchens, and they can be quite yummy. Just check your labels--as always, the fewer ingredients the better. For gluten-free, no wheat, malt, barley, etc . . . the label would likely say 'gluten-free.' For vegan, no eggs or dairy (milk, casein, whey, etc). You might even have some gluten-free bread on hand for sandwiches. And truly, making veggie burgers from scratch isn't too hard and can have some great results! Combinations are endless here, too. All Recipes is a great place to compare different recipes and tips from other home cooks.
4. Sandwiches or Wraps
You can please everyone by setting out a nice assortment of veggies, cheese, meat, and bread (including gluten-free if needed). You can add hummus or some other bean dish for veggie-friendly protein. Let your difficult guest feed herself! :)
5. Soup
There are TONS of vegetarian/vegan soup options in the world. You can take an old favorite and just swap out chicken stock for veggie stock. For vegan/dairy-free, you can sub olive oil or coconut oil for butter when sauteing veggies, etc. A quick pass with the hand blender can make super-creamy soups without addition of cheese or cream. Skip noodles or barley to avoid gluten, but you can always use quinoa or some other healthy grain. Veggie soups of any kind--tomato, broccoli, potato, bean--are all good choices here.
6. Salad Bar
Here's another easy way to please everyone. Set out everything anyone could ever want (or just a reasonably amount of food, your choice) and let them build their own lunch. Adding beans, nuts, or chopped egg (for the non-vegans) is an easy way to add protein. Just watch the dressings here--wheat and dairy are very sneaky. Your gluten-free, dairy-free guest might be happier with some lemon and extra virgin olive oil.7. Breakfast for Dinner
Who doesn't love breakfast for dinner? This is easy for a vegetarian, but takes more planning for the rest. For the vegetarian, eggs in various forms, pancakes, waffles, anything but bacon, sausage, or ham. For the vegan, carefully chosen pancakes/waffles, oatmeal or other grain, or fruit can work here. Gluten-free diners will wary of the pancake/waffle/grain situation--you can find gluten free pancake mixes, and oatmeal can be tricky. (Serious gluten avoiders need the higher-priced gluten free oatmeal.) For dairy-free, just pay attention to what goes in . . . use water or non-dairy milk instead of milk for eggs, pancakes, etc, and keep butter and cheese on the side.
8. Asian Food
Asian food is awesome. Indian, Thai, Chinese, Japanese, it's awesome. Most of it is easily vegetarian, vegan/dairy-free, and gluten free--though dumplings are a problem, and of all things, soy sauce usually has wheat in it. Odd, I think. In Indian food, watch out for dairy--dals or curries can be good. For Thai, Japanese, or Chinese noodle dishes, choose rice noodles, glass noodles, or bean thread noodles over egg noodles, soba noodles, or udon.
9. Mediterranean Food
This is one of my favorite vegetarian/vegan go-tos, but it can be tough for gluten free. For dairy free/vegan, just avoid tzaziki and you're good. Feta is an either/or, depends on the feta and the person. If you go out, sometimes the Greek green beans or soups are cooked in animal stock. Falafel may or may not have wheat flour, just ask. And of course, no pita or couscous for gluten-free folks. Hummus is a great option, salads are more fun than usual, tajine dishes served with rice, and other individual offerings can keep the veg-heads happy.10. Mexican Food
To me, Mexican is about the easiest way to balance fun food and dietary restrictions. Again, you can please meat eaters and veggies in the same crowd with a taco bar. Be sure the beans and tortillas are NOT cooked in lard or pork. Keep cheese and sour cream on the side, and your vegan/dairy-free eaters are happy. Be sure you have corn tortillas available, and your gluten-free eaters are happy. Lots of avocado, olives, beans, and veggies make for a fun and satisfying meal for everyone.
Now, I never stated the obvious--your vegetarian friend is not going to want to eat chicken, beef, pork, lamb, and probably not fish (though some pescetarians do).
These are just some basic, easy ways to keep everyone happy when eating together--though once you start, all kinds of fun ideas abound. These meals can be as healthy or as indulgent as you make them. I have found that I really don't miss cheese, sour cream, and the like very often, and my dad has said eating with us has forced them to eat healthier too. That is my comfort--maybe by being a pain in everyone's tuchus, I am helping people discover the benefits of at least eating a bit less of those animal products we Americans use as staples. But if this list or other adventures still doesn't inspire you to cook for your veggie friends, there's one fallback I have used on more than one occasion . . .tell them to bring their own. :)
Cheers,
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