Discussion Board

I feel like I NEVER know what to cook for dinner. NOTHING sounds good, especially pastas. My husband hates beans, although he is more than willing to each McDougall. Breakfast and lunch are easy. Dinner is just not happening.

Also, does anyone have a recipe for scalloped potatoes?

Signed.

"Determined" to get through this!

Grill some portabella mushrooms on the GF grill. Make them into burgers.

How about a vegan meatloaf? How about a hearty soup with corn bread?

Does he like tofu? Tofu can be stirfried with veggies.

Mashed potatos with garlic are wonderful in themselves.

Which McDougall books do you have that contain recipes? Maybe some of us can tell you our favorites in the recipe sections.

There's a Lentil-Potato "Burger" recipe in the 12 day book that turns out pretty good (if they don't know what's in it maybe???)

The Lentil Stew is good over potatoes. (12 Days)

Several hearty sauces that are good over potatoes, rice, grains, etc. in the 12 Days book.

Does he like beans if they are part of a stew or soup or casserole, etc., not just served separately as beans? --like Garbanzo Stew? MWL book. Even tho' it is a "stew", I sometimes prepare it (substituting if I am short something) and then serve it hot over a thick pile of salad greens that have been tossed with a small amount of FF Catalina dressing.

Keep asking. Lots of help and ideas here. You might even consider repeating your question again on the "Food and Recipes" forum.

How about pancakes for supper with a tofu stir-fry?

If you go to the recipes section there is someone else who asked for a recipe for scalloped potatoes. I posted a link.

It is frustrating to try and figure out what to have for dinner, and thinking: dosen't sound good, takes too much time, don't have the ingredients. Since most families repeat a set few 'favorites,' it does help to try to make a notebook with recipes or at least a list to refer to. It takes some time to find out what to add to the list. I find it helpful to add simple things that don't require a recipe, like a baked potato topped with split pea soup. It it is in my recipe book, I don't foget and never make it again.

I copied the scalloped potato recipe, I have never bought white miso but the recipe sounds good. If beans are out, tacos made with lentils are good.

I guess most recipes fall into categories: the starch: potato, rice, yam, lentils, bulgar, pasta or sad food substitute: burgers, meatloaf, tacos, pizza, stew, lasagna or ethnic: mexican, chineese, indian, italian.

When I try a new recipe or an old one that got mediocre reviews, I add side dishes: biscuits, fruit, salad or a desert. For real favorites I know everyone will get enough to eat with the one dish.

"Sandie's Menu" could be of help to you, not only for some planning ideas, but also for the recipes. Many of us McDougallers here on the board (and our families) have benefitted from Sandie's skills and creativity.

http://www.geocities.com/sandieb101/Menu2.html

Can you come up with a set way of making dinner - with different ingredients - to at least give you some guidelines? You will, of course, need to adapt it to your preferences, but here are some ideas. Pick one and always make some variation of it.

One dish meals - these have your starch, optional legumes, and veggies all in one dish. Examples include casseroles, soups, and stews.

Starch topped with veggies in sauce - this has the possibility for huge variety, but gives you a formula. Rice with stir-fried or sweet'n sour vegetables, rice with curried vegetables, pasta with chunky vegetable sauce, mashed potatoes with steamed vegetables in gravy, pizza, etc.

Stack-up of starch, salad, sauce - this can be a variation of the above with something like mashed potatoes, spinach salad, and "cheezy" gravy sauce or it can be as easy as tostadas with beans, shredded lettuce & green onions topped with salsa.

Divided plate - this looks more like the traditional dinner plate where you've got your legume dish, your starch, and your vegetable on the plate. An Indian version would be basmati rice, lentil dahl, and spinach Bhaji. A Western version might be barbecued pinto beans, mashed potatoes, and tossed salad.

Sandwiches - I prefer this for lunches, but it can be used for dinner plan as well. Any kind of sandwich, burrito, or wrap. Just be sure to include lots of cooked or raw vegetables. Whole wheat pitas are fun to stuff and each person can customize at the table if multiple fillings are offered.

Hope this gives you some ideas!

Chile

for all of your awsome suggestions! I will get to work planning something for the remainder of the week.

4 med. potatoes
1 1/2 c. soy milk
2 T. flour
1 t. salt
1/2 - 1 t. garlic powder
1/2 - 1 t. cayenne pepper
1 med. onion, chopped

Peel and slice potatoes thinly. In sauce pan, combine milk, flour, salt , garlic powder, and cayenne and cook over med. heat until sauce thickens. Add onions to sauce.

Layer casserole dish with half of potato slices. Spoon half of sauce over slices and repeat with remaining potatoes and sauce. Cover and bake in preheated oven at 350 for 65 minutes.


I got this from Vegweb.com

I have not yet tried this recipe. But I thought it sounded pretty good.

kimba.