Separate Shrimpies
Hey guys! Happy humpday! Wherever you are, please celebrate Indian food Wednesday for me 😀 Our Indian restaurant is still closed for re-modeling. You can bet your booty I’ll be there the day it re-opens, waiting for them to unlock the door.
Last night, we had a dinner I’ve been dying to try since I saw the beautiful Ina Garten (who is my hostess with the mostess inspiration) make it.
(Anything shrimp and I’m a fan)
I had to scale the recipe down since it was just for the pilot and I, so he had 25 shrimp and I had 15 and I made the sauce separate.
I used canola oil mayonnaise (much healthier than the regular type and can be found at most grocery and health stores) and mine had 1 T while his had 1/4 cup.
I get a lot of questions on how I juggle making our meals, since we have different nutrition and caloric needs. Usually I make a meal that I would want, and “beef” it up a little for the pilot. For example, when we have enchiladas, they’re vegan with lots of veggies and on Ezekiel or other Gina-friendly tortillas, and I add chicken or cheese to his. Or when I do skillet meals, we each have our own skillet—mine is full of veggies and goodness, while his also has meat and cheese.
For last night, my shrimp salad was much lighter (and smaller, with more greens):
While his was more shrimp-heavy, mayo-heavy and with a side of brown rice and butter:
Do you eat the same thing as your significant other, or do you alter your meals a little, like I do?? I’ve found that by doing it this way it keeps everyone happy….. and my favorite jeans fitting 😉
I couldn’t help but break out this vino that a previous dinner party guest had brought over:
No idea what it is but I’ve been loving white vino lately. I almost always roll with red, but ever since our ridiculous Valentine’s Day feast, I’ve been all about the white wine.
When I pryed myself away from the couch, puppies and the Chelsea Handler book I’m reading, I made a bfast cookie for this morning and some slow cooker oats for the pilot.
Some mornings the pilot leaves to fly SUPER early and doesn’t have bfast. I figured this might be a good way to get him to start since it will already be cooked and waiting for him 😀
Before:
(1 C oats, 1 1/3 C water, 1 peeled and diced organic apple, Sucanat, sea salt, vanilla and nutmeg. I put some flax seeds on the side for him to sprinkle on top –for healthy fat, which makes it a perfect meal- and the camera so he could snap this “after” pic)
After:
I hope he liked it 😀
Here’s my bfast:
Another raw bfast cookie with 1/3 C oat groats ground into flour, mesquite, Sun warrior, 1/2 banana, cinnamon and vanilla.
Amaaaaaazing.
I’m off to pump some crazy iron!
xoxo,
Gina
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I LOVE Ina!!! I want to be her friend so badly so that I’ll get invited to her dinner parties 🙂 Her and Giada both!
Ina is my favorite too. Love her! Our meals are usually different – more meat for my hubby! 🙂
Pilot’s oats look yumtastic, for real
We’re the same – always cheese for him (and meat sometimes, too), while mine is more veggies, less or different sauce, etc. It works fine though, and really isn’t that much “extra” work!
A lot of times PB eats exactly what I do, just more. He loves vegetarian meals, but not all the time. Other times I make a nice veggie dinner and add a piece of chicken or some rice for him. He usually eats twice the amount that I do!
Our meals are starting to be very different as well over in this household. 🙂 But luckily the fiance eats whatever I put in front of him happily!
I’ve been craving seafood lately so I will be whipping out that dish ASAP!
I love Ina, that looks like a great meal!
The boyf and I are starting to get to a good point with the way we eat. While I still eat meat, I am trying to drastically cut back, and he is not a big fan of the vegetarian stuff. BUT I have started doing what you do, in a sense, by making something healthy/vegan (like an ED&BV recipe!) and beefing it up with side of meat, or more grain, etc. I have gotten him to eat leaner meats (more turkey, less beef!) and goat cheese, though =D
xo
K
I don’t usually cook differently for the two of us. He’ll eat whatever I put in front of him. 🙂
We basically eat the same thing. I don’t typically eat grains very often so I do add in rice or pasta to his occasionally but he usually just eats whatever I make.
just did week 4 of winter shape up…. and blogged about it. as i didn’t fully read through, and did cardio blasts after each super sets, so i did the cardio blasts times 3! whewwww!
oh i totally do the same thing you do – -i make separate dishes, more for him and less for me, and definitely beef his up!
i’ve been reading your blog for a few weeks now and thought it was time to delurk. you’re inspiring and full of great tips!
i like to get ideas from your meals as well as see that someone else makes two different/varying meals to accommodate a hubby’s needs. 🙂
thank you so much for stepping out of lurkdom to say hi 🙂
xoxo
I love how you and the pilot balance your two different eating styles; such a great example! My husband and I usually fend for ourselves at dinner since we both ahve crazy schedules, but if we do make an actual dinner to eat together, we’ll usually have two versions also since I don’t do a lot of meat either.
Happy Wednesday! 🙂
I think its really great how the two of you have found that balance!!
The hubs and I usually have the same meal, but I do the same as you…he gets more and usually has cheese or more of whatever it is. Mine is a smaller helping and I will leave out cheese or other things that I don’t eat.
I did your Winter Shape Up week 4 today and it kicked my booty. I’ll be mentioning it on my blog tomorrow! 🙂
that’s awesome- i’m so glad you liked it 🙂
I don’t really like anyone else on the Food Network but Ina is great. I won’t make two different meals, but my husband definitely gets more of the meat and a double dose of cheese. He’ll also add extra carbs to his meal—like a roll with pasta. I think he believes dinner isn’t complete without bread.
I still find it a bit of a struggle to cook for my BF and I. I wish we had a slow cooker!
I think since we eat SO differently I think I need to just suck it up and make two similar but basically separate meals. My BF said my cooking HAS been improving though… but I want to become a cooking goddess like Gina!
Hello! How long did you cook the oats in the slow cooker?
I am trying to get my husband to eat breakfast! and by the way I also alter our meals I eat meat but only organic and not in the large amts the hubby does!
8 hours, but they needed more water.. i’d add an extra cup or so!
This is such a good point! I’m in the beginnings of a new relationship, and we cook all of the time together. However, because it’s so new, I’m having a hard time telling him to go “easier on the butter…” if you know what I mean.
Any tips on how to express your preferences to a guy without sounding like “that girl”??
I saw Ina make the same thing and I wanted to try it! Roasted shrimp sounds amazing… I’ll have to give it a shot!!
I definitely often cook two different or variations of a meal. My husband is not as keen about veggies (I know gasp) and other healthier ingredients. He is getting better about trying things, but it helps us both enjoy the meal if we are both satisfied with what we are eating!
Hi Gina, I am delurking also. I love love love your blog and want you to know I check it daily! We live in SC and had friends who went thru the same Valdosta experience (he’s a pilot with the AF and they are now stationed in CA!) I’ve been to Valdizzy and know what it’s like! 🙂
Anyway, I have been inspired by you and others (Mama Pea) to eat more vegetarian/vegan – I’m working on getting more raw. I have an 18 month old and work full time, so it’s more difficult for me at times!!
My hubby gets more meat and I eat more veggies. I’m working on expanding our daughter’s palate! Trying hard to give her as much un-processed food as possible!
THanks for the inspiration! I wish you the best with all your endeavors! When you open your restaurant, I’ll make a visit to GA! Lisa
whoo hoo for delurking!
i’d love if you came down to the restaurant! 🙂
Jason tends to eat what I do – just larger amounts. He tends to order meat dishes when we go out to dinner or eat them when we are over to someone else’s house for dinner. He’s pretty much accepted that I’m not going to make two separate dishes each evening – he actually enjoys eating veggie and limiting his meat to special occasions. It took a while during our dating process but slowly he came to really enjoy the way I eat.
I’m actually in the opposite situation with my husband! I make his food lighter and bulk mine up. He works at a desk all day and his military-related injuries make working out too painful for him, so his caloric needs are less than the average guy. He’s still a big guy, but he wants to keep his girlish figure, so I “slim down” his meals for him. I need to eat more than him though, I have a fairly high metabolism and work out 6 days a week. Plus, now that I’m knocked up, I could out-eat a teenage boy. The only time I make a separate meal for me is when I have some odd pregnancy craving (I can’t convince him that mac ‘n’ cheese with veggie sausage is awesome).
That is one healthy meal! I love shrimps….DO you buy them frozen or fresh?
Gina – Love this post! It speaks to me and my SO so well. He’s vegan and I’m pescatarian. BUT, I also don’t consume dairy products often, and the only cheese I eat is goat’s cheese on occasion. Anyways, the boyfriend eats much bigger portions and loves the soy butter, oil, peanut butter and sauce elements over the veggies. So, we often have slightly different takes on the same dish. Also, he doesn’t eat breakfast b.c he’s a doctor who has to be at work bright n’ early, so he can afford to get a much higher calloric meal at night than I can.
Thanks for your posts; the dinner ones really excite me!!
Well, when I make meals for my significant other—AKA Muffin— it’s usually what I’m eating, too. She’s bad at feeding herself, so I make her eat whatever I’m eating. Hahaha. She rolls with it.
me and my boyfriend actually eat the same stuff. He is on the same path as me, which is nice. But if sometimes he wants beef or chicken I will make it up for him and pass on it. I am not a fan of either. So its pretty easy to make meals in our house.
I had Shrimp stirfry yesterday! Yum shrimp. I haven’t been eating any meat other than seafood (shrimp,crab and fish)
I enjoyed reading about how you prepare similar but separate meals for you and your husband…I think I had been resisting this a little and was secretely making our meals differently…this made me ask myself why I shouldn’t be more open about it! I eat snacks throughout the day whereas my husband probably only gets in three meals; those factors combined with his obvious need for a higher caloric intake means there’s no reason why our dinners shouldn’t be very different. Thanks!
I have a lot of dietary needs to consider…I eat pescatarian style, while the bf eats chicken and turkey but not beef or pork, and then my 8 yeard old son, who will eat just about anything, especially if it includes bacon. Yikes. I usually take the same approach as yours…have at least two skillets going on the stove, one for the boys and one for me…usually one has a TON of stir fried veggies for everyone, and the other has meat just for the boys. I’ll also make a grain for everyone, like brown rice (the boys like theirs with cheddar cheese melted on top. Weirdos). It does add up to more dishes to clean later, but everyone gets what they want and eats well!
The Shepherd and I mostly eat the same thing, he just eats a lot more! Dessert is a different story. He eats cookies, tarts, pie…etc. I eat black bean brownies, raisins, dates, a few chocolate chips.
He’s also a potato man, so often he has potatoes, I have ww couscous, or bread.
I try to make things we’ll both like… he’s trying to eat healthier, so sometimes I’ll give him a bigger portion and he’ll grill up some chicken to go with it.
My husband will often eat the same things I do, but I usually give him bigger portions, and a side of rice or something like that, too. There are days where my dinners are “too” healthy for him, and in those cases I usually keep some really quick dinner options for him in the freezer– veggie fried rice, veggie burgers, etc. That way I can make what I like for myself, then heat him up something last minute in the microwave!
i LOVE ina…she’s seriously my favorite FoodTV gal! i’m glad you tried this recipe and liked it…i just saw her make it the other day and was wondering if i should try it!
There are three of us who all eat differently. I don’t cook for the other adult in the house or do his laundry. He can use whatever I’ve got prepared, but we both work and he can feed himself. He tends to eat much later than we do anyway. I do all the shopping, though.
I’m curious how whole flax seeds can add healthy fat. They’re not digestable unless ground up, right?
hahha yeah, i forgot to put out the ground flax for him. oops 😉
Heh, well at least he got some added fiber!
Your breakfasts are perfection! Usually I make one meal for the hubs and I buy give him a much bigger portion.
That salad is making me salvate!
I definite have a “his” and “hers” version of every meal I make for the husband and myself! It ususally is the same thing you talked about – “beefing” it up or just adding more volume for the hubby:)
that salad looks fab – thanks for the recipe!! I’ll be making it. 🙂
we eat the same food – but he has an extra meal a day. 🙂
The boy and I often eat very different things, but I try and cut down on the amount of dishes created by making two meals at a time. If for example I am making stirfry, I will make noodles for him and quinoa for myself, but I’ll make enough quinoa to pack it into freezer bags and eat for the rest of the week.
He also loves soup so I usually make up a big pot of it on Sunday nights and that way I can eat what I want for lunch without worrying about him going hungry.
So yes, we definitely eat differently, but as we don’t own a dish washer I’ve tried to come up with techniques that will allow us to cut down on dishes because they are so so so time consuming.
i totally agree that meals need to be tailored to the different caloric needs of your spouse and i love seeing the creative ways in which you do that! there was an article in the nytimes about this a few weeks back talking about how women living with mates are heavier than those living alone (and therefore eating appropriate to their specific needs, and yes, the necessary controls were accounted for):
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/05/health/05weight.html
I agree…Ina Garten is my idol. She can do no wrong. I make basically the same meals for my hubby and myself. When he’s not here I make things he doesn’t like (fish for example). So….did you guys like the shirmp recipe or no? I saw that episode too and it caught my eye. 🙂
Cookies for bfast? Yes, PLEASE! I’ll have to try that recipe. My bf and I usually eat the same things when we cook, only he gets the bigger portion. If we order out, I’ll opt for a healthier dish and sneak bites off his pizza/pasta dishes–it’s the best way to indulge and feel satisfied without overdoing it!
http://www.firednfabulous.blogspot.com/
I do the same thing with my boyfriend! Sometime I do make completely separate dinners though since he doesn’t like veggies…can you imagine such a thing??
I have to say, I think your shrimp look so much tastier!
The boy and I always eat the same things, whether or not it’s good for us. I’m trying to make him lean towards more healthier foods (and less fast foods), but most of the time, we eat something fatty and quick, until I end up cooking. It’s hard because we live in different apartments at the moment (just out of college), so we sort of half to juggle eating together.
But one day, we’ll sit down to a real dinner together on our wonderful back porch!!
Hey my boyf has ALMOST the same tastes with me, so I am pretty lucky, but if necessary I do what you do, beef up what I am eating with things he would like, and of course he eats way more!
Hey what Chelsea Handler book you reading? I absolutely loved My Horizontal Life. Laughed the whole way through!!!
i’m reading are you there vodka, it’s me chelsea. my horizontal life is next though 🙂
i’d love if you came to visit! savannah is only 4 hours away from valdizzy
His breakfast looks so yummy!
I thought about you guys on Monday…I took a hop from Guam to HI on an AF refueler and got to see an F22 take off from close range on the flight line. Not sure what your man flies but it was pretty neat for a gal who mainly just sees submarines and tenders. 🙂
I was wondering if you could give me an idea where I might find maca in Whole Foods? We have nothing on Guam. (you though Valdosta was bad…we don’t even have Wal Mart…only Kmar!) So I’m going crazy here buying up stuffs at Target, Lululemon…and plenty of non perishables at WF to ship back to myself at home.
hey samantha,
my pilot flies the a-10 🙂
usually maca is in the vitamin section (random!)
that’s very coold you took a hop, we totally want to do that sometime!
WOOT for a-10’s! Several of my friends are in the air force and they dragged me to see the a-10’s when they still had them at the base I live closest to in Michigan. Really cool to see them up close as opposed to tiny specks in the air 🙂
Hi Gina! I have a quick question…I know you don’t blog all your meals (I totally get that!), but I was wondering if you usually have a dessert or snack after dinner. I always seem to want a little something, but end up eating too much at night!! So frustrating!! Any tips??
hey christine,
unless i’m starving (in that case, i’ll make popcorn), the kitchen is closed after dinner. if i feel a little snacky, i’ll usually just have some tea
I do a very similar thing with mine and Stephen’s meals. I will add more cheese or give his a side of sour cream, or put more meat on his plate. Mostly, I tend to compromise and make a meal that we will both enjoy, but give him more goodies (cheese, etc) to top the food with. Or I will have veggies as a side and he will just have more of the main entree. It works for us, and it definately keeps me from eating like a rabbit and keeps his meals healthier that he would have if I didn’t have a say!
I alter meals for my boyfriend and I too, but not too much. I’ll usually add an extra veggie to mine.
My fiance and I usually do what you do – I don’t eat meat so he will occasionally get a piece of chicken on the side, or I will get more greens and he will have more bread, cheese, etc.
I don’t alter the meals I make, but he eats probably double the portion size that I do.