How to Cook Plant-Based Meals for Meat Eaters (and a taco recipe)

I have received a few emails from readers asking for my best tips on making vegetarian and plant-based (or vegan) meals for meat-eaters. After posing the question to our Facebook community, it definitely sounds like this is an area many of you are interested in learning more about. And, since I’m in a “mixed eating” relationship myself, I’m always curious about how other couples manage different eating preferences. So, here goes!

First, let’s start with a little background on this: I’ve been with my partner, Ashley for seven years. Ashley was/is a meat eater and when we first met, was a huge skeptic of anything known as a vegetable. When we began dating, I was also a meat eater, but was working my way towards a healthier diet without processed foods. 

A year into the relationship, I began cutting meat and animal products out of my life as well as processed foods and refined sugars. I started eating a greater variety of vegetables, more whole grains, and a variety of legumes. shley was completely supportive of my decision to change my diet and we soon began to find new places to eat out together that could accommodate both of our eating styles. We both discovered that we preferred veggie burgers to the real thing and that there were a variety of plant-based meals that were able to satisfy us both. Even though Ashley was supportive of my dietary changes, she clearly told me that she had no intentions of changing her diet. I strongly believe that the food we chose to eat is a personal choice so although I wished Ashley ate a little healthier, I tried my hardest to respect her food choices.

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Corn and Potato Soup

They say that life is what happens when you are busy making other plans. So true.

Life is what happens when you are busy loving and worrying about those around you - your family, your friends, your cats, your neighbor's cats. Life is what happens when you are busy worrying about worrying.

Life is what happens when you are busy making corn and potato soup. Standing in your kitchen, recovering from a long day, and watching the last few bits of daylight fade away.

Life is what happens when you have to take photographs in the middle of your driveway because that is the best spot for natural light this time of year.  Life is what happens when you almost get run over by your neighbor because they don't expect you to be standing in the driveway at twilight. 

Life is also what happens when you can't eat the bread featured in your own photograph because you're embracing gluten-free-dom.  Such is life, but it's a pretty good one.

Corn and Potato Soup
Serves 4

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 medium red potatoes, chopped
1 Tbs tsp cumin
1/4 tsp ground red chili pepper
7 cups broth
2 lbs frozen corn kernels
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Add olive oil and onion to a pot over medium heat.  Saute for 5 minutes, until translucent.  Add the potatoes, cumin, red chili pepper, and broth and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, lower heat and let simmer for 15 minutes, until potatoes are just tender.  Add the frozen corn and cilantro.  Simmer for an additional five minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.