Help Turning My Partner Green

Greetings!

My very handsome significant other would like to diet. While I know he needs to, I love him in every form (he keeps me warm, I'm not going to complain). However, I know he is bordering being diabetic and I am terrified he is unhealthy and more at a risk for cancer (his father's went undetected too long and he passed away in a very unpleasant and traumatic way for him). The thought of losing him is a horrible feeling.

Here's the thing, he is manly and loves food. I can almost hear him grunt at the steaks on Food Network. I don't think I could go past 80/20 for him and that's probably pushing it. I'd say 70/30 to be safe.

He is willing to try, but he's picky. He even hates vegetable soup. Who hates veggie soup? I need to come up with a diet for him and hopefully you all could help me compile recipes that are approved by meat loving men. Snacks would be appreciated, too, as he snacks quite a bit throughout the day. He is 6'3, so he needs a significant amount of food to keep him awake.

He also loves Persian food (as he is Persian), so if there's some alternate recipes I could work with that would be great. I've only managed to convert a few recipes by simply removing the meat in them. Like the stuffed grape leaves I still use the spices, but remove the lamb (gag) and replace white basmati rice with brown. I'd still like him to ideally have some cooked meals for dinner, but nothing like what he's having now (ribs, for example).

Cooking one meal for 3 people is complex, moreso when you're sick and tired. I need to gain weight, my son who is 10 needs a solid balanced diet and my partner needs to lose weight - I'm sure you can see where this can introduce some problems.

Any help would be appreciated, I don't know where to start or what to feed him. I have always fancied veggies so eating healthy is a lot easier for me. He grew up on some bitchin' Persian stews that make you drool from miles away and fragrant saffron rice.. I should make myself lunch, typing this is making me hungry.

Anywho, help me please. He seems to hate everything I make thats healthy except corn chowder I made (from the organic earthbound farm book), and these lettuce wraps with chicken, baby bok choy and some other crap I threw in (I forgot, but admit it was really good).

I am also a fat and calorie and carb idiot. I'm not savvy at all. I don't plan to count his grams of whatever. I want him to eat healthy and then he can work out or give me some 'love' for means of exercise. 8)

Thanks and sorry for babbling, I can't find my medicine so I'm a little on edge.