Check out Celia Brooks Brown's cookbook "Low Carb Vegetarian." I was a low carb veg for a while. Lots of eggs, cheese and beans balanced out with veggies and greens.

Off the top of my head I can recommend dishes that focus on nuts, eggs, and cheese.

Eggs especially lend themselves to so many applications: quiche, omelet, custard, foam, souffle, etc.

I can also suggest baking using either almond flour (ground almonds) or soy flour (30% protein).

Good luck!

i struggled with this as well. i was a vegetarian (no fish either) for several years before i found myself feeling physically worse than when i was eating lean meats. vegetarian options are often carbtastic, especially when eating out. i wanted to lose weight and cut down on carbs but that left me with so very little to eat as a vegetarian. i was also a full-time worker and part-time student, so i had no time to actually prepare meals. the low-carb veggie diet was a big fail for me and i ended up relenting to chicken and pork.

I've been a vegetarian nearly 18 years and will recommend approaching all meals the way you would if meat were included. Stir fries with veggies and tofu or seitan, legumes (lentils especially, chickpeas, etc), egg dishes, etc. The thing about low-carb people seem to forget, is that whole grains are important to good health and are satisfying to eat. So, quinoa, farro, barley, wild rices, and so on, mixed with plenty of veg, beans and/or something like an egg or tofu go a long way. Vegetarians who know what they're doing do not subsist on pasta alone. A big part of being successful with this lifestyle is stocking your pantry with whole grains, legumes, and being willing to eat lots of veggies. I've never wanted for meat, and I've never had any nutritional deficiencies. And, I should mention, I do not believe in highly processed sodium-laden "fake meat."

You and your boyfriend will find common ground. Check out 101cookbooks for ideas on good ways to envision healthy, balanced veg meals.

There are so many vegetables that are low in carbs and which can be made into delicious dishes. Focus on things like eggplant, zucchini, portobella mushrooms, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, and all types of greens. Avoid high carb vegetables like potatoes, winter squash, carrots, and corn. Maybe you can convince your boyfriend that a low-glycemic diet (like South Beach) is actually healthier than low-carb and just as effective; then there will be a lot more options. I've been eating the South Beach Diet for more than 6 years now and find plenty of options.

I'm diabetic so I'm always trying to keep a low-carb diet but I'm also trying to eat more sustainably, which for me means organic meat once or twice a week or fish... but usually sardines or other sustainable fish. I'm not crazy about meat so that's not too hard, the hard part is my love of baked goods. I focus on making vegetables the bulk of my meals and trying to have legumes and whole grains for protein.

I have eggs every morning for breakfast with spinach or another vegetable. Lunch can be a soup or salad w/ veggies and beans and farro or rice. Dinner is chickpea veggie curry or roasted veggies and tofu or our go-to easy dinner of a cup or more of marinara and mushrooms with about 1/2 a cup of whole wheat pasta.

The hardest part of it is eating out. I do a lot of cooking because restaurants rarely have veggie-centric dishes. I second the 101cookbooks suggestion. I love her garlicky greens with soba and parmesan tofu!

It depends on what you mean by "low-carb." I have several friends on some serious low carb diets where going vegetarian is very, very difficult. It's true that there are many vegetarian items that are low in carbs, but there are very few that are low in carbs relative to other macronutrients. Eating less carbs means eating more protein and fat. Very few vegetarian items contain a very high amount of protein (or fat) relative to their carb content. Most beans and cheeses have way too many carbs relative to protein. Nuts, eggs, and avocadoes work. Soy/tofu can also work, but many people inclined towards paleo/low-carb diets are often also anti-soy. In short, for a "serious" low-carb diet, vegetarianism is very challenging.

Also, to the comments above: "eggplant, zucchini, portobella mushrooms, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, and all types of greens" are all low-carb, sure, but they also have very little protein or fat. So where are your calories coming from? If you're just eating lots of low-carb veggies, your diet is still mostly made up of carbs. Similarly, the fact that soy flour is 30% protein won't help anyone on a "true" low-carb diet.

FWIW, I don't think low-carb diets are better or worse than vegetarian diets (I've done both, currently doing neither). To each their own. But unless you're content to have little variety in your food or are OK with a "moderate-carb" diet, vegetarianism and low-carb diets are not very compatible.

A slightly different perspective here--when someone goes on a diet they tend to be very protective of their new way of eating. You don't mention if he's doing this to lose weight or if this is a long-range plan, but if he just started, let him control his own food.

I've been a vegetarian for 36 years without any adverse affects or deficiencies, and I admit I ignored the whole low-carb craze. But as someone said above, living on nothing but pasta and rice is not how savvy veggies tend to eat. He'll either settle into his new thing and you two can figure out good overlaps, or he'll chuck it and you never have to stress about it at all.

I have to comment again to caution against using a ton of legumes, as most of them are also high in carbohydrates.

Some options I forgot to mention above are greek yogurt and cottage cheese. These are tricky, however, and require some label reading. Cabot greek yogurt, for instance, contained about as much sugar as protein while Oikos had a nice 23g/9g protein/carb content.

Why not adopt a lifestyle that is sustainable for long-term success instead of a diet that ends?

Why assume that it must end? I know several people who have been on strict low-carb diets for many years with no plans to ever stop. Most people who adopt the Paleo diet (which has low-carb aspects) do so with a belief that it is a healthier permanent way of living, not a short-term weight loss solution. It's true that many people use low-carb as a short-term weight loss solution, and I agree that's silly, but there are valid reasons to do it in the long-term.

I've been eating low-carb for about 6 years now, and I love it! If I decided to go vegetarian, as well, it would certainly be more of a challenge but definitely not out of the question. If you search out some of the popular low-carb online forums, there is usually a vegetarian section that can offer lots of helpful info.

Instead of focusing on lo-carb, you just need to be eating the RIGHT carbs, meaning tons of fruits and veggies, and going for whole grains instead of processed refined white flour. Your body needs carbs to function, but so many people think carbs = bad. That is not the case. Simple carbs like table sugar are white flour are bad, but complex carbs like grains, oatmeal and veggies are good.

When I first became a vegetarian I found myself relying a lot on carbs like pasta and bread (sometimes that the only option you have eating out!). Its a common vegetarian mistake.

If your body is getting all the right nutrients in the right quantities, the pounds will come off. The problem is so many times we end up with too much of one thing and not enough of another. I would suggest to your boyfriend, and especially to any vegetarians out there, to check out caloriecount.about.com. Its great if you're trying to lose weight, but its even better for making sure your body is getting everything it needs.

@NowNThen: The body doesn't actually *need* any carbs to function. This is a common misconception. It's a little complex to explain why in this comment, but I did write about it in my blog earlier this week: http://carboholicsanonymous.blogspot.com/2011/05/misconception-about-glucose.html

I've been trying to convert my husband to a lower-carb diet for several weeks. We're both strict lacto-ovo vegetarian. We also both need to lose several pounds, due to inactivity and too many carbs (see below).

I've been trying to embrace the increased amounts of nuts, seeds, beans, and healthy fats that come along with low-carb vegetarian, but my husband is extremely resistant. He believes that a meal isn't complete without some starchy carb (pasta, bread and pizza dough are the worst offenders). I can't replace penne pasta with lentils or beans without him complaining mightily.

I need to convince him that thinking outside his normal meal spectrum will be good for both of us, but I'm not sure how. Like other people who have struggled with low-carb veg diets, we both work long hours and have little time to come up with delicious new meals on a regular basis. Eating out is difficult unless we go to an Asian restaurant and refuse to order rice or noodles with our meals. If anyone else has suggestions for doing this with limited time (our budget isn't restrictive, but we can't afford to have food prepared for us), I'm all ears.

Itsakitty,
I found that Gary Taubes' book "Good Calories, Bad Calories" gives a very comprehensive and well-researched explanation for why starchy carbs are so bad for us. It is about 600 pages though, and his follow-up book "Why We Get Fat" is the easy to read version (the content is very similar).

The idea of replacing carbs with fats and proteins takes some getting used to, though once people get their head around it, there's a wealth of delicious food to be eaten! And there's nothing that beats the high you get from effortless weightloss after years of slow weight gain.

Although I eat meat, I don't eat it every day by any means. There are so many lacto-ovo recipes that work very well in a low-carb diet, and in my opinion, there's little reason to go back to the boring beiges of breads, pastas and starches.

Oh my goodness... there are TONS of ways to eat "low carb" (from the standpoint of limiting pastas & breads, etc.) and still be vegetarian AND lose weight if that's what you are after.

First, make sure you are eating protein or fat (or both) with your veggies. I read that adding healthy fats like olive oil when you eat veggies helps with nutrient absorption.

Anyway... here are some ideas of things I eat daily.

Zucchini Ribbon Salad with tomatoes, basil, olive oil and fresh mozzarella (if you eat dairy). Shave raw zucchini ribbons with a vegetable peeler. Toss with olive oil (I use a lemon olive oil), basil, tomatoes (fresh OR use oven- roasted tomatoes...I make a batch of these weekly and use as needed for TONS of flavor) Add salt and crushed red pepper just before serving. Adding the salt too soon pulls the moisture from the zucchini and makes everything too wet. I eat this everyday. Add white beans for protein.

Another variation is to make a dijon vinaigrette and toss the ribbons before serving. Delicious!

Or...Salt and pepper half an avocado and enjoy with an egg or toss with black or white beans and a little lemon / lime juice. Avocados are packed with healthy fats.

You can also make a delicious greek salad sans lettuce. I toss all the "Toppings" together with a quick red wine vinagrette. Add feta if you eat cheese or leave it out. Add white beans for a filling meal. Yummy!

You kind of have to realize you can't "replace" real pasta, rice or bread. You will always feel like the replacement doesn't measure up. Instead, simply change your thinking to be excited for the incredible variety of all the delicious fruits and veggies available.

I would also encourage you to not cut out carbs entirely. Eat a serving or two a day BEFORE dinner, then eat light, veg heavy dinners. For instance, I eat a high fiber english muffin for breakfast smeared with mashed avocado. Adding this whole grain, high fiber carb for breakfast paired with the healthy fats of the avocado allow my brain to feel fully alive without that "fog" that comes with super low carb diets.

And, don't be afraid of fruits. I know apples have "lots of carbs" but this comes from the Earth! It's good for you! And, that goes for sweet potatoes, too.

Enjoy higher carb fruits and veggies in moderation along with your "lower carb" fruits and veggies. Your body will love you for giving it a variety of nutrient dense foods!

Another dish I make almost nightly that I find pretty filling and super delicious is Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic.

My Roasted Cauliflower

Chop up a head of cauliflower in bite sized pieces. Throw in a small jar of garlic cloves (the ones in brine, drain the liquid first). Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and italian seasonings grinder if you have one. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 30-45 minutes. Extremely delicious!

If you really want to make this decadent (and don't mind a little butter) drizzle some browned butter over when serving. Oh, dear, is that good! Still delicious without it.

*Variation is to also add some chopped up broccoli. It takes on a nutty quality. Just be sure to cut it a little larger than cauliflower since it cooks a bit faster. Or roast in a separate pan.

Another delicious recipe. Roasted Cabbage. My husband loves this.

Also, Grilled lettuces are nice. They add a nice taste and are an interesting addition to a plate. Unexpected.

These suggestions have been immensely helpful! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE!

I did want to answer a few questions:
-I eat a very varied diet which does not focus around breads or pastas.
-He is doing the low carb diet to lose a few lbs that have recently been acquired. It's not a long term diet for him. But it should be noted that where I'm an adventurous eater, he's not.
-Generally I try not to change his mind. It's his decision to go on this diet and while I don't think it's the healthiest method, it's not my body.
-we don't live together or eat all our meals together but we do like cooking together once or twice a week. I'm looking for recipes that will keep us in the kitchen together the couple nights a week when our schedules permit.

also, to the several of you who suggested 101cookbooks ... THANK YOU. This is an amazing resource!

I've been vegetarian for 17 years and wheat free for almost 10, which means that by necessity most of my meals are low carb.

It's not easy, but it's definitely doable (and enjoyable once you get the hang of it!) - try things like spaghetti squash with pasta sauce (instead of spaghetti), stir fries and curries served on steamed greens instead of rice.

Mmm I'm hungry just thinking about it.

Ditch the boyfriend and get one who eats properly.

If you're trying to lose weight, why not exercise and adopt a healthful and well-balanced diet?

If you really want to commit yourself to a very restrictive way of eating (I dislike the word diet in regards to a change of lifestyle), why not invest in it? There are so many books out there on everything. It shouldn't be hard.

Also, why force your spouse into your new way of eating? What happened to respecting each other? Sure, it would be great if your spouse mirrored your eating habits often, but give them some flexibility, no?

My thoughts in general, not specific to the original question posted.

Why would a vegetarian diet be any higher in carbs than one that includes meat? If you think you need to eat a lot of legumes to get enough protein, then maybe, but I question the legitimacy of any diet that doesn't let you eat beans and lentils.

You can switch out actual pasta for spaghetti squash, green beans or tofu noodles (a bit tricky to find). I've also found quinoa to be a good option-- high in protein and a simple carb so you'll definitely eat less than if you were eating just simple carbs.

This is one of my fav recipes: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Spaghetti-Squash-I/Detail.aspx

I've never heard anyone talk about carbs in beans before. They're Vegetables!! Eat them and just switch to whole grains. You're over thinking it.

Carbs in beans:
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/legumes-and-legume-products/4283/2

compared to say, chicken breast:
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/poultry-products/703/2

That is one reason that vegetarian diets tend to be higher in carbs.

I'm a strict lacto/ovo vegetarian, and have recently started a "slow carb" (not quite the same as low carb) diet. I eat much better now than I did before, and I'm quite pleased with my rate of fat loss. I'm by no means eating fancy food, but it tastes good, I feel great, and it's easy. I think it would probably be a bit easier with the extra options meat provides, but it's not really an issue since I've been getting my protein from non-meat sources for over 6 years now anyways. I still eat carbs, but they're in the form of veggies, not starches.

I'm following the diet plan as outlined in Tim Ferriss's book The 4-Hour Body, but there are many others that write about this type of diet as well. Have a look at a few of the other options that are similar to low-carb diets, and you'll likely find something that is a nice balance. Good luck!

I've had a HUGE problem with this since I'm a vegetarian and now have gestational diabetes. I even lost 9 pounds while pregnant! I wish I had seen all this advice three months ago, but at least maybe my last 10 days as a diabetic will be better than my last three months!

I found the carb issue to be worthy of a great deal of attention as well, as a long-time vegetarian. I did well following "low carb" meal plans and substituting either straight veggies or tofu for meat sections. However, after a year and a half in a very stressful job (24-36 hour shifts), my iron levels have plummeted to rock bottom and I'm having some bad protein deficiencies. Caveat: this not normal for the average veggie- just for the veggie who had to work oddball shifts and a huge job stress for far, far too long. I'm actually working with a nutritionist to add some meat products back in until my vitamins and minerals are back to normal. I think long term vegetarianism works for me, but I will have to re-think the carb/protein relationship when I return to it once I get my body straightened out.

I eat a low-carb veggie diet. For breakfast I have a soft-boiled egg and fruit, or kefir and fruit. I get kefir from Redhill Farms. They treat their goats really well. Plus, kefir is lighter than yogurt, easy to digest. I also like to put walnuts in the kefir with vanilla extract and cinnamon. You can sweeten it with honey or stevia. On the weekend I have eggs and one red potato. There's some starch there w/ the potato, but not much, def. not like eating a russet potato. Sometimes I'll saute spinach and garlic for breakfast with a boiled egg.

For lunch and dinner I'll have a big salad with seeds, nuts, avocado, olives, etc. The more veggies, the better. You can add cubes of tofu, garbanzo beans, toasted onions. Lots of different ways to vary a salad. Make sure you add something "fatty" like avocados and olives, it's much more satisfying.

Sometimes I'll have hummus with veggies like carrots, celery, cucumbers, etc. You don't need to eat a pita to enjoy hummus. I'll also have guacamole with a couple of soft corn tortillas (not fried corn chips).

For dinner you can stir fry all kinds of different veggies. Adding mushrooms are always satisfying. Eat the veggies with 1 cup of quinoa. It's very high in protein, and is a complete protein at that. I like to toss cauliflower with oil, salt, and garlic and roast it for 20 mins. in the oven. You can do that with all kinds of veggies. Saute greens and beans Italian style, or make spinach and red potatoes Indian style. There are all kinds of satisfying ways to eat veggies. You need to allow yourself SOME starch, tho, like potatoes, or you'll go mad. Also, allow yourself some pasta, maybe once a week or so. A slice of bread here and there won't hurt, either. But it's possible to be totally satisfied eating low carb while being vegetarian without fancy, complicated recipes. Oh, and some cheese here and there will help things! I try to stick to the non-aged cheeses these days like cottage cheese and goat cheese.

I recently read an article on NPR's site comparing various diet plans. I'm not sure if you're boyfriend is on Atkins or another low-carb paleo diet, but Atkins came in very low on the long term success scale and overall weight loss scales.

This may not be the MOST helpful answer to your question about melding low-carb and vegetarian diets, but the two of you may want to check it out. There's a diet called DASH which is meant to help cure hypertension, and has, incidentally, proven the most successful way to lose weight. Not all the recipes are vegetarian, but some are and they sound pretty good.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/06/10/137041187/in-latest-diet-ranking-dash-races-to-the-top?sc=fb&cc=fp

Good luck!

Sounds like your boyfriend doesn't want to have to be an herbivore just because you want to be one. Consider making a separate main dish for him than you do for yourself, and take the focus off being a vegetarian, putting it instead on being healthy together. If you are just upset that he doesn't want to be a veggiepire, reconsider your reasons for asking him to be so.

@moules frites: If your only answer to conflict is to run away from relationships, you will find yourself alone very quickly.

My recommendation: moderation in all things. Just because you decide to change your lifestyle doesn't mean everyone else has to. Decide if you love your boyfriend/family/friends/pets enough to overcome their eating habits, or join a vegan commune. You can do either one successfully with a little effort.