Healthy recipes that both you and your (maybe not so health-conscious) BF enjoy?

[gwendolyn]

Ok, so in preparation for J and I moving in, I''ve been doing a bit of experimenting with cooking (on a limited basis though since I have almost no money). I want to learn how to cook some fairly healthy dishes that might appeal to him, but I have no idea what they might be. He''s generally a VERY meat & potatoes kind of guy and I''ve always had a hard time getting him to eat veggies. He doesn''t mind broccoli or salad, but despises most everything else (I know he detests mushrooms and asparagus, two of my favourites!). He doesn''t mind certain fish (like salmon) and loves shrimp/prawns, but I don''t think we''ll have the budget to have lots of seafood--maybe once a week?

Do any of you ladies have boyfriends who eat like this too, with a big juicy steak and some french fries as the ideal meal? Do you have any recipes that you''ve tried that your guys really enjoy? I know there is a healthy recipe thread in another forum, but I''m kinda looking for healthy stuff that doesn''t necessarily TASTE like it''s healthy...do you know what I mean?

Anyway, if your guys have surprised you by liking something healthy when they usually aren''t that into healthy food, please share your recipes/meal ideas here! I will be much obliged!

 

[bee*]

Since D and I have only been living together for 2 weeks, I''ve been going all out on the cooking. If you can order the Avoca cook books from Amazon, do-the recipes are amazing and D has been loving everything that I''ve been cooking. He''s a meat and veg guy most of the time, but I''ve been doing lots of chicken dishes, noodles, etc. Tonight it''s salmon and crab fish cakes and roasted potatoes with salad

That''s so exciting that you''ll be moving in together soon.

 

[ilovethiswebsite]

Hey Gwendolyn,

My bf and I usually eat the following (some healthy some not):

- Home made hamburgers made with lean angus beef
- Rainbow Trout (cooked in the oven with a bit of salt, pepper, garlic, and capers) with basmati rice cooked with onions (yuummmy)
- Asian stir fry made with lots of veggies and lean chicken
- Pasta made with homemade sauce (again - lean angus beef and lots of fresh herbes)
- Salad with tuna and cucumbers and lots of other veggies - use a red wine vinegrette dressing ... yummmmmm

Anyway - all of the above aren''t suppppper healthy but not bad for you either - and very very tasty!

 

[gwendolyn]

Ooh, good start, guys, thank you!

bee-star, I am definitely going to check out that cookbook. J has mentioned stealing a few of his mom''s--who is a phenomenal cook--BUT she cooks for taste, not health, so everything she makes is amazing but loaded with butter, cream, etc.

ilovethiswebsite, I will definitely try some of those with J! I am not sure I could ever convince him to have *just* a salad for dinner, even if I put lean chicken or something in it, but I will have to be creative.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Gwen - my guy does well with pasta dishes. If you use whole grain pasta, plenty of crisp veggies, and a very flavorful cheese of some kind that has lots of flavor for not too many calories/fat (goat cheese, feta cheese, blue cheese are all good), and then you could add some chicken, that''s a quick, healthy, tasty meal.

One favorite combo that my DH always loves:

feta cheese, sundried tomatoes, kalamata olives, oregano, and broccoli and/or zucchini with a touch of olive oil

Just cook the veggies and pasta and toss it all together and season to taste. Super easy and healthy and you could throw chicken or beef or whatever in as well for extra protein, or serve a baked or grilled chicken breast (amybe with some herbs and lemon) on the side.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Goat cheese is also a winner too - if you make it warm, it turns into a kind of a creamy "sauce" with a little warm water, very tasty on veggies and pasta, and yet naturally low in fat even though it tastes creamy. When we were in London on our honeymoon we had a room with a little kitchenette and I used to make pasta with the low fat creme fraiche they sell in the markets there and some veggies - that was really tasty as well.

 

[gwendolyn]

Oh, AmberG, you are making my mouth water. I will definitely have to try those tips, especially the goat cheese!

 

[fieryred33143]

I don't cook. He's the cook and he's awesome at it. Problem is you can't really tell the cook what to cook.

So we've made a few changes. One is no white anything...bread, rice, pasta, sauce, etc. The other is that he cooks, but I serve. Before, he was literally eating for 3. Now, I measure out our food to make sure we're eating sensibly.

Some of the meals that he has made which are delicious:

1. Honey mustard (lowfat) pecan chicken salad

2. Grilled chicken, wheat rice, brocolli with hollandaise sauce (sp?)

3. Homemade whole wheat pizza that is to die for

ETA: He was against the wheat for a long time but he slowly came around and now he'll get it himself without me having to mention anything.

 

[katamari]

Good luck with the cooking, Gwen! I second AmberGretchen''s pasta and ilovethiswebsite''s stirfry recommendations. These seem to be good ''tricks'' for boys and taste way better than the drowning in oil restaurant versions. And, I haven''t had homemade whole wheat pizza, but fieryred has made me want to try it.

My BF and I also like fish tacos with tilapia poached in water and taco seasoning (a cheap fish). We also eat a lot of faux meats (veggie corndogs and riblets are to die for and taste very much like the unhealthy fast-food versions), chicken sausage (either on a bun or cut up in pasta), and ground turkey (in chili, burgers, shepard''s pie). I have my BF on an almost no-red-meat-diet and this is a complete turn from when we moved in together. Now, when we go to the grocery, he doesn''t even stop to lust after the steaks.

 

[Deelight]

I was going to suggest stuffed mushies but you said J does not like them so they are out, stuffed capsicums maybe?? I usually top mine with a lean meat, zucchini's, olives, onion, garlic and other stuff that I sautée first and then top with really low fat, low sodium plastic cheese and then bake in the oven. According to one of the trainers at the gym actually pretty healthy as it has virtually no carbs .

I usually find most of my recipes here Womens Weekly they are simple to use and use normal ingredients , always handy.

We love stir-fry's, casseroles in winter and home made spaghetti bog

(though spaghetti is not healthy LOL). Curries are always good fairly simple and tasty, butter chicken is a fairly big no-no but Korma is a but better. If you have rice as an accompaniment use brown (if you can eat it) instead of white as it is much better for you, I just suggest adding more water and cooking for heaps longer for a really good texture.

I find most things can be adapted to be made healthier either by using low fat ingredients or cutting the amount of carbs down.

Quiches are not a bad option for lunches or a quick dinner I love tuna quiche and quiche lorranie quick simple and with a huge salad again not too a bad option, I usually cut down the oil used.

If J is a meat and fries kind of guy you can always make that but instead of fries do a pumpkin mash (much less carb then potato) and vegies on the side.

I also love a good pad thai OMG that there is heaven.

I sound like a carb hater but I am not I swear, I eat way to many but I love them.


YAY for the both of you living together soon WHOO HOO


ETA: Peppered Lamb Pizza is another of his faves, I get rye pocket breads top it with pizza sauce, olives, caramelised onion, and baby boccocini, for the lamb all I do is crack a crap load of pepper onto thin lamb steaks and fry/grill them slice and top on the pizza about 15-20 minutes in the oven and it is sooooo good

 

[gwendolyn]

Oooh, these are great, thank you so much!

Just so y''all know (and I was dumb not to mention it in my first post), J is a diabetic (type 1), so a certain amount of carbs is good for him, since they are slow to digest and keep sugars in his system for longer. I''m totally into pasta (but buy either the whole wheat stuff OR, back home, the Dreamfields pasta), but J can take it or leave it. I think it''s mostly going to be lots of trial and error to see what new things he actively likes and which he eat just because I cooked it.

I know if I want us to have a healthy lifestyle, we have to make it into a habit, so I don''t want him to suffer through any of it thinking that one day I''ll give up and let him go back to his really fatty foods. Every once in a while is ok, but not all the time like he''s had growing up. It''s just too unhealthy and (as a diabetic especially) he needs to be more careful about what goes into his body!

Thank you for all your input so far. I can''t wait to try some stuff and get back to you how well (or not

) it is received!

Oh, and Deelight, I will probably still do some stuffed mushies for myself and see if I can''t tempt him into trying them one more time...

And pad thai OMG I am in love with pad thai, no problem for either of us with eating that.

 

[Deelight]

Gwen My dad has type 2 diabetes and I am constantly yelling at him to be more careful with what he eats, he is careful with the sugar but no matter how hard I try to drill it into him he doesn't get FAT is just as bad

.

The stuffed mushies are soooo good I forgot to mention you need large mushies but they are so easy and really budget friendly. When I first made them FF was like meh I don't want any but then when they were done he was all like okay give me one and was very very very impressed, they are really surprisingly filling as well. I spray a little oilto help them cook then whack on a tray with baking paper and it is so quick and easy and yum

, the longest thing is heating the oven they only take about 10-15 minutes at 180'c for them to be done. The plastic cheese also gives it this yummmy creamy texture OMG you know what I am having for lunch/dinner tomorrow.


I am so all over pad thai there is a noodle place up the road and they do the BEST pad thai I have ever had, it is literally TDF.

Healthy eating just takes time and it takes time to change those habits but eventually he should get used to it and crave it more.

 

[purrfectpear]

For the budget, stir fry anything is a good bet. Most stir fry dishes use very little meat. Use some creative sauces or soy marinades and cook up some brown rice and you have a tasty, quick healthy meal.

The other budget stretcher is a crock pot. Cheap meat comes out tender and delicious, plus you only have one pot to clean. A glass of wine and you look like a gourmet.

 

[Independent Gal]

Here's a vegetarian fave that even my meat-lovin' DH enjoys. It's super cheap to make (like, $3 for a huge meal) and fast and healthy too.

1) Saute an onion and a clove (or two) of garlic in a little oil, with chili flakes and rosemary...
2) then OPTIONAL - add a green pepper and continue to saute until cooked
3) Add a large tin of tomatoes and a large tin of chickpeas
4) Heat and serve.

 

[FrekeChild]

Um. I don't really have a recipe, but BF is a chicken/potatoes kind of guy, and I make that salmon/asparagus doused in lemon juice and he really likes it. Which is amazing because it doesn't have any fat, except from the salmon, and that's good fat anyway. He hated asparagus before he had mine.

I don't know Gwen! I'll make whole wheat pasta with shrimp or chicken and different veggies (tomatoes, spinach, bell peppers, artichokes, asparagus, anything that looks good at the grocery store)....

What about chicken pasta puttanesca? BF seems to like that...In fact, I should so make it again...

Or I saw Rachael Ray making flank steak pinwheels stuffed with spinach the other day. Here is the recipe: link I'd just cut down a bit on the cheese and add more spinach.

I like Beef Stroganoff a lot-I'll use sirloins instead of like ribeye or whatever, whole wheat pasta, onions, mushrooms (both sauteed in olive oil) beef consomme or beef stock that's VERY reduced, and then low fat sour cream to finish. BF seems to like that ok, probably because it doesn't have any veggies.

Um...succotash? BF likes it so long as I don't use any beans (lima or other) I never really use a recipe, but it just consists of corn, bell peppers, chopped spinach (I sneak it into everything), chopped parsley, onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Heck, even asparagus too.

I also like to make lasagna with whole wheat pasta, spaghetti squash, zucchini or yellow squash, bell peppers, sausage, spinach, sometimes eggplant, onions, mushrooms, etc. He likes that and takes leftovers to work the next day and brags to his coworkers...

Chicken Cordon Bleu-but not all fried style like some of the stuff here in the US. Chicken stuffed with ham and cheese, rolled in breadcrumbs, drizzled with olive oil and tossed in the oven for about 30-40 minutes.

Heck-chicken florentine-chicken stuffed with cooked spinach and cheese-the same way as above.

Butternut squash-roasted and then mashed, with a bit of 1/2 and 1/2, olive oil and brown sugar just to enhance the flavors.

Stuffed porkloin-this is my FAVORITE to make in the fall. I'll sauteed some chopped apples (usually fiji-I like the sweet ones) with a bit of olive oil and maple syrup, stick a long skinny knife through the middle of the marinated porkloin. I'll marinade the pork in some whole grain mustard, maple syrup, seasoned pepper, salt, fresh ground black pepper-so that it's a thick paste and slather it on. Then stuff the warm apples into the porkloin-jam packed, and roast in the oven for 45 min-1 hour. Then I'll slice it and serve it with the mashed butternut squash, and BF is uber impressed.

With that last one I could make it even more intricate and impressive (same as above-only lose the mustard, and instead use mushroom duxelles (sauteed mushrooms with onions and garlic-and then goes through the food processor so that it's pretty fine and like a chunky paste) wilt some swiss chard-lay them out flat to as to wrap up the porkloin-then spread the duxelles onto the chard-leaving empty edges around the chard. And then lay the porkloin out on the chard/duxelles and wrap it up like a present-covering the ends with chard as well. Cook this at a low temp (325-350 F) with a pan of water in the oven as well for 1hr to 1 hr 15 min or so. Totally totally impressive. I was told by an old chef that this was a competition worthy dish-and it's really not that hard (the first time I made it was when he said that).

Harvard beets (YUM!)

Glazed carrots (YUM!)

If you want any detailed recipes-let me know. And I'm sure I have more where all this stuff came from!!!

Anyway! I have to go, BF is wanting food. Lol.

ETA: i like to make barley to go with the porkloin. AHHHHH he's yelling at me!!!!GTG

 

[Kayakqueen83]

Ohhhh, I''ll be able to help you out here! BF and I have been living together for two years now and during that time I have tried to make "healthy" recipies.... some have been hits... others have been misses. Mr. Man loves almost everything that I make but one of his favorates is the veggie chilli that I make. Here is the recipie. It is all vegitarian and very yummy. (although it is more of a fall/winter dish)

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/black-bean-sweet-potato-chili.html

I''ll be looking at more healthy recipes tomorrow when I''m making my grocery list and I''ll send more your way.

Oh and try Sparkpeople.com They hove lots of healthy recipes that are very good.

 

[Mediterranean]

Do you guys enjoy pasta?

If so, check this out: there''s a product called shirataki tofu noodles. The average, regular semolina flour pasta is about 210 calories for one-quarter of a cup of cooked pasta. Add sauce and meat...and, well... it''s really easy to go over 1000 in one sitting.

The shirataki tofu noodles, though...have 40 calories for 16 ounces (about 2 cups, a nice, fat serving).

I will warn you: they''re packaged wet (I find them in the produce section because they have to be kept cool) and they STINK LIKE FISH when you take them out of the pack at first (no worries, though...the smell goes away when you rinse them)

If you toss them in a pan with some olive-oil flavored PAM, some garlic (or garlic powder) some seasonings (whatever you like--red pepper flakes or Italian seasoning or oregano or just salt and pepper) and cook them up till they''re dry, and pasta-consistency, then you can toss on a half of a cup of marinara sauce and a chopped-up half of a abked boneless skinless chicken breast...

You have a very filling meal with a lot of protein and fiber (plus lots of lycopene from the tomatoes) And the WHOLE thing...pasta, chicken, sauce and everything is only about 350 calories. There''s not a lot of processed carbohydrates, either. Not a lot of carbohydrates, period really. I think maybe 6 or 7 grams? All together?

Chicken pasta pomodoro!!


It''s yummy.

Those noodles can be subbed out for lots of things: stir fry noodles, Pad Thai noodles...just replace the flour noodles with those. If you like pasta, these will keep you happy. They''re really good, I promise!

 

[gwendolyn]

Deelight, yeah, J has gotten better after years of me saying, "Oh my goodness, do you know you''ve just had enough calories and fat to sustain you for a week?!" I think he''ll continue to improve once we''re on our own and I''m influencing lots of his food choices, especially if I do all the food shopping.

purrfectpear, a crock pop and a wok are two things on my moving-in list! We both love Chinese (well, any Asian food really) so getting him to eat stir-fry should be a piece of cake, and I''ve had a few ideas on crock pot meals that I *think* should be a hit. Thanks!

IndyGal, that sounds great! I love fast, healthy and cheap!

I will definitely give that a try, thank you!

Freke, LOL, you are hilarious. What did you feed the poor starving BF?

I love your tips and will definitely try the recipes you mentioned, and start sneaking spinach into everything I cook (I love it too but it''s hard to get J to eat it on its own). J would LOVE the chicken cordon bleu and the stuffed porkloin I am sure, and the steak pinwheels too! Great ideas, babe, thanks!

Kayaqueen83, ooh, veggie chili made with sweet potatoes?! Awesome, I will definitely try that (if only because I think it sounds delish)! I haven''t heard of sparkpeople.com but will check that out as well. Thank you!

Mediterranean, I *love* pasta, and J is so-so about it. I''m all about some tofu noodles, although I wonder if I will have trouble finding them here in England. I don''t usually get my pasta from the refrigerated section though so it could be there unbeknownst to me! I will give them a try if I can find them, they sound like a perfect way for me to get the pasta I love without the guilt associated with it!

 

[FrekeChild]

Ugh. Nothing good. Our normal Saturday lunch place was closed, so we had fast food. Gross.

If you need any help or any real recipes-let me know, k?

 

[EricaR]

A crock pot is your friend. There is NOTHING better than getting home from a long day of work and having dinner completely ready for you!

My current favorite recipe is turkey with veggies. I cut some some potatoes, carrots and celery and put them in the bottom of the crock pot. Place a turkey breast on top, meat side down. Season with whatever - a little bit of salt and pepper, some rosemary, oregano, etc. Pour in half a can of veggie broth and cook on low all day. YUM!

The best recipe website I''ve found is allrecipes.com. Here are a few of my favs:

Chicken Taco Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup

Garlic Chicken (yum! this is dinner tonight!)

French Dip Sandwiches

 

[gwendolyn]

Will do, Freke darlin''. *salutes* Danke!

Erica, thank you so much for the recipes! I have the French dip sandwiches recipes bookmarked from the last time we all talked about recipes, but the others look great too! Thank you!

 

[trillionaire]

Chicken tortilla soup:

2-3 chicken breasts cut or shredded
1 TSP garlic powder
1 TSP onion powder
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies
1 can black beans, drained
1 small can corn, drained
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can chicken broth, (or 2 cups water and 1-2 bullion cubes)
1 tbsp fresh cilantro (key!)
salt to taste

***garnish***
white cheese for garnish
tortilla chips (garnish)

Basically, cook chicken will simmering all other ingredient in a medium-large pot. Add chicken and let simmer. Add water if you want a thinner soup. Serve and garnish with cheese and crushed tortilla chips, or serve chips on side.

SO LOVES this, and it is very easy. Totally a dump and simmer recipe, except for the chicken.

 

[Bia]

Oh man Gwennie, I have the opposite problem, my man is a health food junkie...you should have seen the look I got on Saturday for ordering some fried dough!! We were at an amusement park and he looked at me like I was about to smoke some crack!

Anyhow. I am Hispanic and we do everything (well, most everything) w/ meat and starch, starch and more starch! Give me enriched rice, pasta, bread, potatoes, plantains or anything really starchy and I'll love it. However because I am now a conformed healthy eater, here are some dishes I have grown to love almost as much...very healthy and very tasty:

Whole wheat pasta w/ with sauteed kale*, garlic and olive oil (add good quality parmesean or pecorino romano)
The whole wheat pasta takes some getting used to but with the right toppings and some good cheese, it is very yummy!
*mustard greens/chard/arugula/escarole and/or any green, leafy veggie (or any veggie really) can be substituted if you don't like kale

Stir-fried chicken, steak (lean), or shrimp fajitas (w/ stir-fried green and red peppers and onions) on whole grain tortillas Add a good quality sour cream and make your own guacamole...this is one of my bf's favorite dishes and he requests it a couple times a month! Make some brown rice and a pot of black or red beans and you're home free--yummy!!!

Teriyaki & Sesame marinated salmon w/ roasted sweet potatoes and broccolli w/ butter sauce (steamed brocolli with a drizzle of butter or olive oil) another favorite....

I coud go on all day...we should have a recipe thread for the LIW because I love trying new dishes.

BTW: Congrats on the BIG MOVE!!!