I think it would be fun to make the Italian dishes and, at the last moment, add Italian sausage to half the dish and tofurkey Italian sausage to the other half; serve in similar looking dishes or in a dish that has a separation.
Another idea is to make whatever you like and keep the meat out then serve fish or shrimp on its own and meat on its own, that way everyone can eat the same food but have it with or without the meat/fish.
I don't have too many good Italian dishes to recommend, so I'll leave that for all the people here who are such great cooks!!! But, I do think that serving the meat rather than leaving it out will make the parents feel at home while not forcing your husband or yourself to eat it.
Hmm, also, if you are serving a meat-free pasta dish, try making it a very heavy and filling one, to make sure the non-meat-eaters are full and sated! I'd use cream and cheese and butter...yum!
Have fun!
J.
I just had another thought...If your husband just started this trend and if he might be tempted by the meat on the table, how about calling the parents and checking with them to see if they will play along and eat a meat-free dinner? ...just a thought...

Just an FYI..tomatoes and tomato based sauces can give me the worst heartburn.. Probably to much cheese too.
I've actually found to have less problems with heart burn since removing them from my diet. But I also removed wheat, red meat, corn and soy and only use organic or foreign cheeses/dairy.

Chicken is one of the easiest meats for a body to digest.
You might also want to think about cruciferous veggies being removed from his diet for a while.

I love the idea of eggplant parmesan. A nice big pan of roasted root veggies.
I'd make meatballs or sausageballs and have them in sauce for those that would like them.

jc - thanks so much for those suggestions. I don't think his parents would mind if there was no meat (esp MIL) But my FIL loves meat. So thats why I thought I would do some meatballs and sausage. I will prob have 2 pots of the sauce one for no meat and the other for eat. My DH can't eat sausage at all - thats one of the worst things we've noticed.

Terri - He used to have an issue with the sauce but I've found a website www.drgourmet.com and there are many reccipes on there for acid indigetsion etc.

We tried his solution for sauce and it worked well. He suggests adding a little bit of baking soda. It is strange - it actually fizzes when you first put it in. He had NO PROBLEMS eating it. I was so glad since hes a big italian and loves sauce.

thanks so mcuh

Initially, I was thinking vegetarian lasagna or eggplant parmesan. These tend to make both vegetarians & meat eaters happy. Then, I read Terri's comment above about tomatoes and cheese. How about scallops with pesto sauce over tortellini or you could substitute chicken for the scallops?

I posted this recipe of Lori's recently, for a different reason, but think it is perfect for what you describe.

It's an elegant meal on it's own but would be wonderful with
Chicken Parmigiana ( have a great recipe if you want it) for the meat lovers.

A Caesar Salad and some great rolls would make a lovely meal.

Canneloni Stuffed With Spinach And Ricotta

Notes: Lori's recipe originally called for 2 pounds fresh spinach, cooked and drained. I have served with the cream sauce or a tomato sauce

6 eggs
1 1/2 Cup flour
1/4 Tsp salt
1 1/2 Cup water
1 Package frozen spinach ,thawed and drained
1 1/2 Cup ricotta
3/4 Cup parmesan
2 egg yolks
Pinch nutmeg, salt and pepper
1 butter Unsalted
1 Cup heavy cream

Combine first 4 ingredients in bowl with electric mixer. Let stand at least 1/2 hour. Cook individual crepes over med heat.

Combine spinach , ricotta, egg yolks. 1/4 cup parmesan, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Blend well with a fork.

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a casserole dish with the butter. Spread mixture onto to crepes and roll up. Lay seam side down in the dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup parmesan. and pour the cream over top. Bake until they turn golden, about 20 minutes.

How about spinach lasagna? I have served that to dye-in-the-wool meat eaters and they love it. Make it with your new acid free sauce. I will have to try that trick with sauce myself because I sometimes have problems with it. DH can't eat sausage either and it is the only thing that bothers him. We think it is the spices in the sausage. I miss pizzas with everything!
Clare

This link is to a vegan site, but maybe it will help. I've tried the pumpkin pie and I must say it is AMAZING.

Here is a link that might be useful: vegan holiday feast

roo~thanks for that tip! I'll check out the site too!

Hmm found another thing that does me in..
Lemon Yogurt..I ate a small "natural" yogurt and within 10 minutes..burn!

I just snagged Lori's recipe posted by Sharon..I think I'll make it into Lasagna with my Brown Rice Noodles! I'll grill a steak for hubby when I serve it..That way it's a side dish for him, and a meal for me!

Mmm mmm

A dish I've been making lately is Eggplant Lasagne.....a little bit different than eggplant parm, because you layer a ricotta mixture in between the layers, just like you would in a regular lasagne. Absolutely delish - and nobody would ever miss having meat in it. I'm starting to like this version even better than regular lasagne.
Barb

Mushrooms are another good substitution for meat, especially portobellos.

I made this lasagna a few years ago and I thought it was the bomb. Its great for mushroom and 'smokey flavor' lovers. Only complaint I have it is doesn't keep - turns to rubber the next day. Kids won't touch it :-(. I googled 'smoked mushroom lasagna' and snagged it off Dean and Deluca's site - but I'm sure it's elsewhere too - one of those recipes all over the net.

Wild Mushroom Lasagna with Smoked Mozzarella and Fresh Sage
Austere, unsaucy, devoted singularly to the flavors of one ingredient- mushrooms

Ingredients:
1 1/2 firmly packed cups dried porcini
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 cups very thinly sliced cultivated mushrooms (about 1 pound)
6 cups very thinly sliced wild mushrooms (about 1 1/4 pounds)
6 shallots, peeled and very thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
2 tablespoons fresh sage, finely minced (plus extra leaves for garnish)
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
freshly grated nutmeg
9 sheets lasagna, each one about 10 inches by 2 inches, parboiled (see pages 160 and 161)
1 pound smoked mozzarella, shredded
3/4 cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano plus extra for serving

Directions:
1. Place the dried porcini in a bowl, and cover with about 2 cups of hot water. Soak for 30 minutes.

2. Place 2 tablespoons of the butter in a very large sautpan over moderately high heat. When the butter has melted and is just starting to brown slightly, add the sliced cultivated mushrooms. Make sure the pan is not crowded (if it is, do this in two batches). Sauté the mushrooms over high heat for 2 minutes, or until they begin to brown slightly. Remove and reserve.

3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan over moderately high heat. When the butter has melted and is just starting to brown slightly, add the sliced wild mushrooms. Make sure the pan is not crowded (if it is, do this in two batches). Also add the shallots, the garlic, and the minced sage. Sauté the mushrooms over high heat for 2 minutes, or until they begin to brown slightly. Return the sautéed cultivated mushrooms to the pan, and mix together well. Drain the porcini, and add to the pan, mixing well. Add the cream, and cook over high heat until the cream thickens slightly (about 30 seconds). Remove mixture from heat. Season with salt, pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg.

4. Butter a lasagna pan that is roughly 9 inches by 11 inches by 1 1/2 inches. Place 3 parboiled lasagna strips on the bottom of the pan (they may overlap slightly). Cover with half of the mushroom mixture, half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a quarter of the smoked mozzarella. Make sure everything is spread out evenly. Top with 3 more lasagna strips. Cover with the remaining half of the mushroom mixture, the remaining half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano, and the second quarter of the smoked mozzarella (reserving half of the original amount). Make sure everything is spread out evenly. Top with the last 3 lasagna strips. Place whole leaves of sage over the lasagna in a decorative pattern. Top with the remaining smoked mozzarella, spreading it out evenly.

5. Cover the lasagna pan well with aluminum foil, and bake in a preheated 325 degrees oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, remove foil, and place under the broiler until brown and bubbly on top, about 1 minute. Let rest 10 minutes, then cut into sections and place on plates. There will probably be a little creamy liquid at the bottom of the lasagna pan. Reduce briefly, if desired, and spoon a little over the lasagna portions. Sprinkle each portion with salt and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and serve.

Note: This recipe, especially, is good with fresh lasagna noodles. It doesn't have as much goo in the middle as other lasagnas, and the fresh noodles help pull it together.

You've probably never had a lasagna like this one: austere, unsaucy, devoted singularly to the flavors of one ingredient -- mushrooms. And do those flavors ever come through! The smoky mozzarella only serves to underline the earthy, woodsy autumnness of it all. Use the deepest-tasting wild mushrooms you can find (we've done this dish with everything from French chanterelles to Japanese mitsutake mushrooms). The key to success is slicing all of the mushrooms very thinly; the thinness of the cut is what gives the dish its delicacy. We like to use a mandoline or one of those less expensive plastic versions. Serves 6