Author Topic: vegetarian diets (Read 30585 times)

brokeplex · « **on:** December 16, 2007, 11:48:33 pm »

Anyone out there who follows a strict vegetarian diet? I don't mean vegan, but ovo-lacto vegetarian.

I followed a fairly strict ovo-lacto veg diet back in the 1990's for a couple of years and I lost about 50 pounds. I increased my daily exercise quota as well. I really felt healthier after going on the diet and increasing my daily exercise.

I still to this day no longer eat beef, lamb,or pork. I learned to bake my own bread which I still do, and I have kept the weight off after all of these years.

Other lasting effects of my veg experience, I became much more conscious of my diet and my health, and I learned to cook for myself and not rely on restaurants.

Shasta542 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 17, 2007, 12:06:09 am »

I'm interested. Does that mean you had vegetables, eggs, and milk products? What are a couple of sample meals that you liked? Now you have added chicken and seafood?

brokeplex · « **Reply #2 on:** December 17, 2007, 12:11:42 am »

Yes, I added eggs, cheese, milk, yogurt to a strict vegetarian diet. A bit like the vegetarian ingredients you might find in a vegetarian East Indian meal.

Later I added some chicken and some fish to the diet, and have pretty much maintained that ever since. I don't consider myself a vegetarian because I do eat chicken and fish, but I would say that the overall percentage of vegetables and milk products in my diet would have to be much higher than the average American.

Kelda · « **Reply #3 on:** December 24, 2007, 07:46:44 am »

well I'm a fairly vegertarian - and I can tell you - I'm in need of losing a stone ro two - doesn't matter whether you are vegetarian or a veagn - you cna still gorge on junkl foods.

My vegan friends junkl food is chips/french fries.

Brokeplex - this topic might get more of a reponse in bettermost people - I could move it over to there is you wish?

brokeplex · « **Reply #4 on:** December 27, 2007, 03:56:59 pm »

Quote from: Kelda on December 24, 2007, 07:46:44 am

well I'm a fairly vegertarian - and I can tell you - I'm in need of losing a stone ro two - doesn't matter whether you are vegetarian or a veagn - you cna still gorge on junkl foods.

My vegan friends junkl food is chips/french fries.

Brokeplex - this topic might get more of a reponse in bettermost people - I could move it over to there is you wish?

sure, move it please! and how much weight is a "stone"? I'm in Texas, a "stone" is just a fancy word for "rock" here. happy holidays!

ifyoucantfixit · « **Reply #5 on:** December 27, 2007, 10:05:28 pm »

My grandaughter has become a vegetarian this year...Its been about four months now. She is
liking it a lot.
I keep nagging her to be sure she is getting her needed amount of protein. She is taking supplements,
lots of nuts. Soy, and such...She said she feels great She is looking wonderful too...So far so good.

She eats eggs, and such, just no meat. Not even chicken, or fish. Which she never ate before..She
hates fish, and it makes her sick just to smell it.

brokeplex · « **Reply #6 on:** December 28, 2007, 01:07:01 pm »

The nuts, soy products and eggs should stand her well. You are correct that one the major problems vegetarians face is getting enough balanced proteins. Most vegetarian foods have proteins in them, but they are usually a protein of only one category or the other. The secret is to consume a combination of foods which in aggregate have sufficient proteins. Examples are balancing brown rice with soy, or balancing corn with beans. Each of the elements alone does not provide a complete balanced protein, but eaten together they are protein complete.

My favorite example from native American diets is balancing blue Indian corn tortillas with frijoles. top that with a little cheese and a green salad on the side, and you have a complete meal !

Right now I am sitting in a skiing lodge in the mountains in N Mexico. I just finished eating an excellent bowl of turkey chili with blue corn tortillas!

Shasta542 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 28, 2007, 01:19:02 pm »

Right now I am sitting in a skiing lodge in the mountains in N Mexico. I just finished eating an excellent bowl of turkey chili with blue corn tortillas!

That setting -- WOW!! The lunch sounds good too. Where's D.L.? On the slopes?

brokeplex · « **Reply #8 on:** December 28, 2007, 01:22:59 pm »

He is out on the slopes, trying to ski. He usually falls down bruised, but the boy has stamina! He just gets right back up, squarely in the face of the evidence that he can't ski, and tries again. I plan to hike up the side of the mountain after lunch, meanwhile I am enjoying a warm fire and a beautiful view outside.

Kelda · « **Reply #9 on:** January 12, 2008, 04:14:18 pm »

a stone is 14 pounds..

sorry I have had computer problems - I'll move this over now.

Can you explain tuerey chilli to me? This is vegetarian? Or its cos you eat white meat? I'm confused! In the US you give some foods funny names!!!!

Meryl · « **Reply #10 on:** January 12, 2008, 05:33:54 pm »

Kelda, I'm glad you bumped Bill's thread, since I recently started a vegetarian routine.

I went for a rare visit to my chiropractor last month, and he told me about a book that cast animal protein in a much less favorable light than we've been used to regarding it. The book is "The China Study" by T. Colin Campbell, PhD, published by BenBella Books in 2006. Campbell has strong credentials in nutrition research, and the China study of the book's title was a long-term (almost 30 years) study that produced literally thousands of significant factors between diet and disease.

The big finding? Animal protein (particularly casein, which makes up 87% of cow's milk protein) was consistently found to be a significant contributor to the development of cancer and other diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. When plant protein was substituted for animal protein, disease was reduced significantly; even cancer growth was slowed. Since I am at risk for all of these, I am taking his findings seriously and eliminating red meat and poultry from my diet, as well as cutting down on eggs and dairy products. I highly recommend this book to everyone, since it is really difficult to find hard facts about the risks of an animal protein diet anywhere, what with the powerful meat and dairy industries working against the dissemination of this information.

For Christmas I bought myself a really wonderful cookbook that covers everything from A to Z about vegetarian cooking: "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian" by Mark Bittman, published in 2007 by Wiley Pubishing. It's $35, but well worth it. It's tremendously thorough, easy to use, and entertainingly written.

So far, I haven't missed meat much at all, but I'm still new at it. However, I'm really enjoying trying new foods and restaurants and I've noticed I feel more energetic and am more regular. Hooray for the veggies!

brokeplex · « **Reply #11 on:** January 12, 2008, 08:33:20 pm »

I've read other studies corroborating the study you reference. In order to avoid the "longevity" diseases (diseases which seem to afflict those who live to late middle age and elderly ages) a strict vegetarian diet seems one of the most important keys. A vegan diet is difficult because of the struggles to balance the b vitamins and proteins. I try a middle of the road approach and have a diet with some poulty and fish, but no beef, pork, or lamb.

And, If you can boost your consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, you journey a long ways towards better health.

BelAir · « **Reply #12 on:** January 12, 2008, 09:14:27 pm »

hi all,

I ate strictly veggie for about 4 1/2 years (I ate lots of cheese and eggs though). I started eating beef on occasion again as a result of all my Brokie-ness (and an accident at Taco Bell), and I will occasionally eat fish and chicken now...

Kelda - you know Taco Bell or no?

my accident - I ordered a bean burrito. It was late at night. I was STARVING. I wolfed it down and was like "Wow, this is soooo good..." Then I realized in my hunger/exhaustion I had ordered the wrong thing and it had beef in it!

I didn't miss the meat at all, but it was occasionally hard to order non-meat items at restaurants. Even though I am eating more meat now, I still don't care for places that don't have a variety of non-meat options.

Kelda · « **Reply #13 on:** January 13, 2008, 07:38:19 am »

Quote from: BelAir on January 12, 2008, 09:14:27 pm

hi all,

I ate strictly veggie for about 4 1/2 years (I ate lots of cheese and eggs though). I started eating beef on occasion again as a result of all my Brokie-ness (and an accident at Taco Bell), and I will occasionally eat fish and chicken now...

Kelda - you know Taco Bell or no?

my accident - I ordered a bean burrito. It was late at night. I was STARVING. I wolfed it down and was like "Wow, this is soooo good..." Then I realized in my hunger/exhaustion I had ordered the wrong thing and it had beef in it!

I didn't miss the meat at all, but it was occasionally hard to order non-meat items at restaurants. Even though I am eating more meat now, I still don't care for places that don't have a variety of non-meat options.

I know of taco bell - a mexican fast food restaurant - but its not something we have over here - just the brand products!

Well I've been a vegetarian since I was nine so 17 years. Although for the first four or five years I was made to eat fish and chicken.

I have since cut this out and I don't eat gelatine wither.

I have to say I'm not so strict as I once was - I do eat cheeses thats aren't strictly vegetarian now and again- and I probably accidently use some canned products that have elements in it - like maybe pesto sause or red wine (although I drink this very very rarely).

And I have been known to eat celebrations - and not all of them are veggie.

But I'm definitely more strict than a lot of other veggies I know.

BelAir · « **Reply #14 on:** January 13, 2008, 10:50:48 am »

Kelda - did you decide on your own at 9 or did your family decide for you??

I'm not sure I knew that vegetarianism existed when I was nine, lol...

Kelda · « **Reply #15 on:** January 13, 2008, 11:07:44 am »

i decided on my own - and pleaded with my mother for months- I was a right little activist as a kid!. My mum used to hide the local papers from me as they transported veal from a local airport. She used to think I'd try to get on the bus and get there! I remember in primary 6 (at about age 10) I did a show and tell on battery egg farming. All my classmates were aghast at the end!

BelAir · « **Reply #16 on:** January 13, 2008, 11:12:14 am »

wow, I'm impressed!

RedAzaelia · « **Reply #17 on:** February 23, 2008, 03:53:10 pm »

I've been an ovo-lacto vegetarian since I was 12 (that's 8 years now!), mainly because I'd heard about how badly the animals I'd been eating had been treated. On the same day that I started to have those thoughts, we had a broasted chicken for dinner, and I realized suddenly that I could still see the bird it used to be. That was the end of that. Thankfully, my parents were very supportive of me, and my mom and I worked together to make sure I got enough protein and nutrients...

I like to think that my whole family eats healthier in general because of my decision. There's still meat on our table a lot of the time, but now there's a lot of really great stuff to go with it that I don't remember being there before. Everyone gets a more balanced diet now (except my brother who is nearly a carnivore--I guess he's the equal and opposite reaction for my action of becoming a veggie. lol).

I think that this diet has kept me a lot healthier than I would be otherwise (I kid you not, I am sick so rarely that it might as well be never), and in recent years, it's become so much easier to be a vegetarian than it was before. Nowadays, most places you can think of to go eat have at least a salad on the menu that doesn't have meat. I find that really interesting, since right when I started up, there were several restaraunts that we'd used to frequent that I couldn't eat at anymore.

Meat doesn't even smell good to me anymore. Has anyone else experienced that?

serious crayons · « **Reply #18 on:** February 23, 2008, 06:18:35 pm »

My son was a vegetarian for a year and a half, starting when he was 10. So strict that if you touched a spoon to something with meat in it and then to something vegetarian, he wouldn't eat the vegetarian thing. So strict that if he found out he'd accidentally eaten meat -- for example, anchovies in the Ceasar salad dressing at a restaurant -- he would dash into the bathroom and make himself throw up. So strict that he wouldn't wear shoes with leather and I had to special order him an expensive synthetic baseball glove.

Then very suddenly he started eating meat again a couple of months ago. I'm not sure why, but I think it was either because his older brother went through a growth spurt and he was worried it would affect his own growth or because he got a few bad grades and he was worried it was affecting his brain development.

On the one hand, I was sorry he gave it up, because I was proud of his self-discipline and ability to keep it up despite a LOT of pressure from his brother and father, who are avid carnivores (I can go either way -- I eat meat, but not a huge amount).

On the other hand, it makes life much easier for me because everyone in the family can now eat the same thing. Plus, he wouldn't eat soy because it's a phytoestrogen and he was afraid it would make him grow boobs, so I constantly worried he wasn't getting enough protein, and now I don't.

Plus, being really strict about avoiding meat is much harder than you might think. Besides the aforementioned anchovies in Caesar salad dressing, there's beef lard in lots of baked goods and gelatin in a lot of candy, for example. Last summer we went on vacation and kept talking the whole time about how we were going to stop for pie at this renowned pie shop, with all these kinds of really good pie. Finally, we got there and -- you guessed it -- almost all of the pie crust had lard in it. I think there were two kinds out of about 30 that didn't.

BelAir · « **Reply #19 on:** February 23, 2008, 07:17:04 pm »

during my true "not eating meat" stint, I was never bothered by the smell of meat... I still don't like the look of it raw, and I still mostly don't "eat meat"... but for whatever reason, the smell has always been appetizing to me.

Kelda · « **Reply #20 on:** February 24, 2008, 08:20:40 am »

I actually dont mind the smell of meat and sometimes I think it smells good but its never made me think - oh I need to eat that.

Callum (my partner) has a much better diet now that he lives with me and often doesn't eat meat for days at a time, which was very unusual for him, coming from a family which were very much meat eaters. If we go out for a nice dinner in a restaurant he always picks the meat main course!

I find that if i got to a vegetarian restaurant I can't choosee - I'm like - there's too many choices! Too many!

Wow - Katherine - for a 9 - 10 year old boy that really is self diciplined - I can see why you were proud of him for that.

My 4 yo niece has announced - nothing to do with me I might add but she does know I'm a vegetarain and has asked about it before - that she is now a 'vegetabletarian'.

she's very proud od that fact and she wont eat any meaty things at the moment.

She often asks - can a vegtabletarian eat that? And we'll say - well it is meat but you can eat whatever you want - but so far she refuses any meaty things.. shes not got to the stage of refusing yougurts and sweets cos of Gelatine etc though!!

Brown Eyes · « **Reply #21 on:** February 27, 2008, 11:53:18 am »

Throughout most of high school and all of college I was mostly vegetarian (meaning I only ate chicken and fish very rarely... but usually stuck to a purely veggie diet).

And, just this week I've decided to try to go back to that routine. This has mainly been spurred by the recent beef recall and the horrific videos of animal cruelty that have been on the news so much these last few days. I can't get those awful images of those poor cows/bulls out of my head.

There's no way I could ever be vegan, but I'm actually excited about the idea of going back to a vegetarian routine. I hope I have the discipline to keep it up. I love the flavor of meat and the vast variety of foods available to meat-eaters. I fell off the veggie-wagon shortly after finishing undergrad college and have eaten meat ever since then (except for veal, which I've always thought was pretty horrific). So, this will be a big change again for me. I remember how easy it is to lose the taste for meat, so I'm hoping that will help with the discipline issue.

Meryl · « **Reply #22 on:** February 27, 2008, 12:52:58 pm »

I've not eaten red meat since December, and I've had chicken only a couple of times. So far, so good. Haven't missed them very much. I still crave butter and cheese, though.

Brown Eyes · « **Reply #23 on:** February 27, 2008, 12:55:03 pm »

Quote from: Meryl on February 27, 2008, 12:52:58 pm

I've not eaten red meat since December, and I've had chicken only a couple of times. So far, so good. Haven't missed them very much. I still crave butter and cheese, though.

Meryl, next time we have a visit in NYC we'll have to seek out a cool vegetarian restaurant!

And, as I said, there's no way I could ever give up dairy.

serious crayons · « **Reply #24 on:** February 27, 2008, 01:41:52 pm »

To me, what makes the most sense from an animal-rights standpoint is to eat meat, dairy and eggs that are produced under humane conditions.

My sons and I had a debate about this when my younger son was a vegetarian. My older son pointed out that if fewer people ate meat, more cows wouldn't be living long happy lives -- there would be fewer cows, period. Ranchers are not going to raise them just to be nice. If nobody ate meat (or dairy, or wore leather) the cow population would dwindle to -- what, a handful in zoos?

So then the question becomes, from the cow's point of view, is it better to live, but eventually be killed for meat, or not to live at all? I think when cows (and chickens, pigs, etc.) are raised and slaughtered under the horrible conditions we hear about, they might feel it's better not to live at all. But if they live happily and comfortably, you could argue that you're giving them a chance to experience life.

I know not everybody will see it that way, but it is one way to look at it. The other problem is it's hard to ascertain just how your meat has been raised. I have read that truly cage-free eggs, for instance, are really hard to come by, even though many eggs in the store are labeled as such.

Brown Eyes · « **Reply #25 on:** February 27, 2008, 01:59:12 pm »

Well, yes, it's very clear to me that choosing to stop eating meat (for now anyway) is not a perfect solution in terms of an interest in animal rights (especially because I'm not going to stop eating dairy/eggs and I'll still wear leather). As with many environmental-type interests and intitiatives there are often pro- and con- consequences to numerous decisions (even when best-intentions are involved).

To me, at the moment, it's more about my emotional response to the food I'm eating. After watching the news last night I actually threw away some food I had in my freezer that contained meat (none of which was actually recalled as far as I know). And, clearly that didn't help the cows that had been slaughtered to make that particular food since it was already a done-deal. But, I just couldn't face eating it.

serious crayons · « **Reply #26 on:** February 27, 2008, 02:17:33 pm »

Quote from: atz75 on February 27, 2008, 01:59:12 pm

As with many environmental-type interests and intitiatives there are often pro- and con- consequences to numerous decisions (even when best-intentions are involved).

Yeah, it gets so complicated. For instance, I just read an article about how difficult it is to analyze the carbon impact of food. You'd think eating locally would be the best choice, but it isn't always -- sometimes food raised more efficiently can be less environmentally harmful, even if it has to be shipped halfway around the world.

So I think you're right that the best thing to do is go with your emotional response in a way that makes sense to you and hope for the best! I'm sure at least making an effort is going to have some positive impact.

serious crayons · « **Reply #27 on:** February 27, 2008, 06:05:57 pm »

Quote from: susiebk on February 27, 2008, 05:58:34 pm

Surely they are here for their own benefit and not for ours. I know, I know, survival of the fittest, but still. It is hard for me to accept that our superior intelligence is reason enough for us to be able to dominate animals and use them solely for our benefit or nourishment.

Well, animals at every level of intelligence use other animals for nourishment. What makes us different is not that we do eat meat but that our biology and intelligence allows us to choose not to.

Quote

Of course, I am such a softy that I will not even kill a bug in my house.

Me neither. But then, I'd rather eat a hamburger than kill a bug.

Brown Eyes · « **Reply #28 on:** February 27, 2008, 08:30:39 pm »

One of the hardest things for me in maintaining a veggie lifestyle is that I consider myself something of a foodie... and it's very hard to limit my options by cutting out meat. I love the taste of meat, so it's not about food preferences for me or even really nutrition/ weight-control. I think it's important to have food/eating be very pleasurable and enriching (both in terms of experience and nutrition). I know that there are good vegetarian cookbooks, recipes and restaurants. But, in my past experience I know those things are never quite the same. So, I'm going into this new decision knowing that it probably will really be a phase for me. I dated a vegan once and it was just so hard dealing with food and things like going out to dinner and even finding coffeehouses that had pastries that she could eat. She was a vegan entirely out of an animal-rights stance... she's a serious animal rights activist and is active in a couple pretty serious groups about that. But, it made food entirely a chore for her and it was sort of unpleasant to be around sometimes. I remember feeling like the food-as-chore aspect of maintaining her vegan diet was somewhat demoralizing.

But, I'm still going to give the vegetarian idea a try for now and see how it goes.

brokeplex · « **Reply #29 on:** February 27, 2008, 11:27:52 pm »

Quote from: ineedcrayons on February 27, 2008, 06:05:57 pm

Well, animals at every level of intelligence use other animals for nourishment.

What makes us different is not that we do eat meat but that our biology and intelligence allows us to choose not to.

Because humans evolved as omnivores they can choose a mix of diets, but the most complete protein is animal protein. Humans are the most succesful predators on this planet and therefore within reason can modify the environment to suit their needs. But, does that mean that this choice is preordainded?

If we wish to convert to vegetarianism wholesale, then much of the crop land now used to raise grains to feed livestock or increasingly turned into biofuels will have to be turned over to other grains and legumes. Maybe a change in diet is a more efficient manner of solving our energy and resource problems? We could also try more effectively limiting the Earth's population.

Artiste · « **Reply #30 on:** February 28, 2008, 12:02:53 am »

Quote

Maybe a change in diet is a more efficient manner of solving our energy and resource problems?

I think that you have a brilliant idea!

Vegetables, legumes, fruits.... great, and save lives!! Nuts too!!

Hugs!!

brokeplex · « **Reply #31 on:** February 28, 2008, 11:26:44 pm »

Quote from: susiebk on February 28, 2008, 12:38:57 pm

This is the only real, longterm, viable solution to many of our problems. That or bring resources from and populate space. We need to do both really. And soon.

I'm delighted to see that you agree with me on this. We hear almost nothing about population control and ultimately population reductions in the political arena or media. It is simply unavoidable that the Earth's population must stop growing and start on the downward slide if we are to avoid huge resource shortages in the future.

BelAir · « **Reply #32 on:** February 28, 2008, 11:42:17 pm »

Quote from: brokeplex on February 28, 2008, 11:26:44 pm

I'm delighted to see that you agree with me on this. We hear almost nothing about population control and ultimately population reductions in the political arena or media. It is simply unavoidable that the Earth's population must stop growing and start on the downward slide if we are to avoid huge resource shortages in the future.

I am struck by the thought of viruses that kill their host.... a smart virus lets its host live, if not, the host dies, and then so do the viruses (except the ones that moved on to other hosts).

I hope the Earth will persist, that we won't have to abandon it. For another host.

brokeplex · « **Reply #33 on:** February 28, 2008, 11:56:39 pm »

Then I guess we human "viruses" better get smart fast and stop the rapid population growth.

I'm not yet ready to immigrate to Mars.

Artiste · « **Reply #34 on:** February 29, 2008, 12:01:02 am »

I am finding that fruits are saving my life, often!!

Maybe they could save humanity and the earth??

Hugs!

nic · « **Reply #35 on:** February 29, 2008, 12:13:53 am »

Another mainly vegetarian here. I may eat certain meats or fish maybe about once a month in certain situations, eg going to a place where the veggie option really does not appeal to me. I never have meat or fish in the home except for our cats. I also tend to avoid toiletries and household products tested on animals where possible. I could be very principled about animal-derived products cos of the animal cruelty thing but I have difficulty in choosing where to draw the line, ie if I was that bothered I should become a full time animal rights campaigner.

I do believe veggie diets are better for the environment you can feed more people from an acre of plants than if that acre was used for grazing cattle.

Kelda · « **Reply #36 on:** February 29, 2008, 12:57:49 pm »

Nic - you haven't had any pheobe like meat cravings since getting pregnant?

brokeplex · « **Reply #37 on:** February 29, 2008, 09:07:13 pm »

Quote from: susiebk on February 29, 2008, 02:12:30 pm

Most people/governments are hesitant to deal with what is really the main issue for several reasons. One is the question of which populations to control (the world is becoming less white very rapidly - no judgement here - just a statement of fact), and who gets to decide.

then perhaps we need to reject the concept of identity politics, as it is probably racist and definitely harmful to the future of the planet.

brokeplex · « **Reply #38 on:** February 29, 2008, 09:16:58 pm »

Quote from: susiebk on February 29, 2008, 09:13:11 pm

Absolutely - I'm all for it. People are people. The more we mix, the healthier we are as a species, anyway. Apparently we all descended from one dark-skinned African woman (Genetic Eve), and the variations we see now are due to climate differences as we spread out and populated the earth. Now how do we get the people with the power to agree to give it up?

really, you mean Susie you don't subscribe to the theory that humans are descendants of alien humanoid like creatures who were seeded on this planet who then interbred with the Neanderthals? We modern humans then being the product of that interbreeding.

opinionista · « **Reply #39 on:** March 01, 2008, 08:16:05 am »

I am a meat eater. However, I also believe we the human beings in general eat foods we aren't supposed to eat. I mean that is not suitable for our natural organism. For example meat and milk. Please note that I am no expert. This is stuff I have read around and heard people say it so if anyone have better or more accurate information please let me know. Anyway, I read somewhere our teeth aren't for meat eating and our stomach can hardly process raw meat. I don't know if our ancestors (the one in the caves) ate raw meat or if the cooked in the fire. I seem to believe they did the later, but I think we mostly cook the meat to be able to chew it and digest it.

A similar thing happens with milk. When I was diagnosed being allergic to milk and derivates, the doctor told me my reaction was a natural one. He said the human organism is not made to process cow milk, that cow milk is for the calves, period. Hence many human infants do not tolerate cow milk. That's also the reason why the milk is pasteurized and put through a lot of processes before being made available to consumers. And those who own cows and enjoy milking them have to boil it before drinking the milk. He explained we need not to rely on milk for calcium. Broccoli, for example, is a good source of calcium. According to him, milk tends to do more damage than good even on people that are not allergic to it. He says it increases mucus production and it is the major cause of sinusitis. I don't know if this information is true. I know there are many groups out there advocating against milk and maybe he happens to suport them, but he certainly made me feel better!

opinionista · « **Reply #40 on:** March 01, 2008, 11:41:58 am »

Quote from: susiebk on March 01, 2008, 10:43:23 am

I am a big proponent of soy milk. I find it delicious. And there are so many excellent sources of calcium other than milk, as you said.

Me too. I also think soy milk is delicious, and healthier. So is soy ice cream and yogurt.

Kelda · « **Reply #41 on:** March 01, 2008, 12:09:19 pm »

Quote from: opinionista on March 01, 2008, 11:41:58 am

Me too. I also think soy milk is delicious, and healthier. So is soy ice cream and yogurt.

I quit like it too but soo expensive!!

opinionista · « **Reply #42 on:** March 01, 2008, 12:12:39 pm »

Quote from: Kelda on March 01, 2008, 12:09:19 pm

I quit like it too but soo expensive!!

I know. I find it insulting that soy milk is so expensive. Not fair.

nic · « **Reply #43 on:** March 10, 2008, 10:24:57 am »

Quote from: Kelda on February 29, 2008, 12:57:49 pm

Nic - you haven't had any pheobe like meat cravings since getting pregnant?

Nope. Some blood tests did confirm I was mildy aneamic, due more to pre-existing gynae issues than diet. I have not been completely repelled by meat as I managed to get cook some chicken for my cats when they were poorly, but I did find it gross. Previously I went through a stage of craving beetroot which I think may have been related to needing more iron. I haven't really had cravings, maybe a bit for cheese but then I love cheese all the time!

Kelda · « **Reply #44 on:** March 10, 2008, 04:06:45 pm »

Quote from: nic on March 10, 2008, 10:24:57 am

but then I love cheese all the time!

Me too!

BelAir · « **Reply #45 on:** March 10, 2008, 08:32:38 pm »

Quote from: susiebk on March 10, 2008, 08:25:42 pm

Me three!

me four!

Brown Eyes · « **Reply #46 on:** March 10, 2008, 09:28:03 pm »

Cheese Rocks!

BelAir · « **Reply #47 on:** March 10, 2008, 10:45:08 pm »

did you guys ever see that movie with Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline - French Kiss?

One of the scenes that made me laugh out loud/cry in the theater was when she got sick from all of the cheese!!! (I am so glad I do not have that problem.) The other scene is when she flips over the pastry cart or whatever while crawling around on her hands and knees.

And, to stay on topic, I wonder if regular restaurant fare is as potentially problematic for lactose intolerant folks as it for vegetarian/vegan folks...?

Kelda · « **Reply #48 on:** March 11, 2008, 07:15:43 pm »

Quote from: BelAir on March 10, 2008, 10:45:08 pm

did you guys ever see that movie with Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline - French Kiss?

One of the scenes that made me laugh out loud/cry in the theater was when she got sick from all of the cheese!!! (I am so glad I do not have that problem.) The other scene is when she flips over the pastry cart or whatever while crawling around on her hands and knees.

And, to stay on topic, I wonder if regular restaurant fare is as potentially problematic for lactose intolerant folks as it for vegetarian/vegan folks...?

Quote from: susiebk on March 11, 2008, 11:58:48 am

I have a friend who is lactose intolerant to the point where she can't eat cheese and has to avoid pizza. I'm not sure I would survive without pizza!

or getttiong back on topic..

CHEESE!!!!

Kelda · « **Reply #49 on:** March 12, 2008, 03:59:29 pm »

I love Epoisses - its very smelly but its great...

Brown Eyes · « **Reply #50 on:** March 18, 2008, 08:36:35 pm »

Heya,

I was just at the grocery store and I picked up some yummy looking portobello mushrooms that were on sale. So, I was on the verge of googling some recipes, but I thought it might be fun to come here first and ask for some recipe suggestions.

These are not whole mushroom tops... they're pre-sliced into big long strips.

So, cool recipes would be much appreciated!

BelAir · « **Reply #51 on:** March 22, 2008, 05:34:55 pm »

I always liked to fry them, lol...

Just bought a package of 'frying' mix at the store.

(probably not the suggestion you were looking for!)

Brown Eyes · « **Reply #52 on:** March 22, 2008, 08:20:28 pm »

Well tonight I sauteed them in butter and white wine sauce and then I put them in a salad. I made the dressing for the salad out of the white wine and butter from the pan and some honey mustard. So parts of the salad were slightly warm, which I like. It was totally yummy and 100% improvised.

BelAir · « **Reply #53 on:** March 22, 2008, 09:00:53 pm »

it sounds delicious!

Artiste · « **Reply #54 on:** March 24, 2008, 12:48:33 pm »

Ever tried adding pieces of an apple in a salad?

Maybe you would like that like I do?

Hugs!

brokeplex · « **Reply #55 on:** March 24, 2008, 10:38:34 pm »

apples and walnuts in your salad, makes a tasty dish.

Kelda · « **Reply #56 on:** March 25, 2008, 01:51:48 pm »

Quote from: atz75 on March 22, 2008, 08:20:28 pm

Well tonight I sauteed them in butter and white wine sauce and then I put them in a salad. I made the dressing for the salad out of the white wine and butter from the pan and some honey mustard. So parts of the salad were slightly warm, which I like. It was totally yummy and 100% improvised.

do you know I had amost the same salad last night! But without the honey mustard and some fake beef strips and some soy sauce...

Artiste · « **Reply #57 on:** March 25, 2008, 02:29:09 pm »

Tried pieces of a pear?

To a salad?

Au revoir,
hugs!

Artiste · « **Reply #58 on:** March 25, 2008, 02:33:13 pm »

J'ai oublié de dire à propos la poire!

I forgot to say about a pear!

When I used to go daily for years to an orchard to create my paintings, I loved walking among the many kinds of fruit trees. And when I was among rows of pear trees with big pears hanging from branches, I smelled something!! Guess what?

Au revoir...

brokeplex · « **Reply #59 on:** March 25, 2008, 11:51:22 pm »

pear orchards are lovely places, there was one not too far from my parent's house when I was younger, and I used to walk over to there to quietly contemplate.

Artiste · « **Reply #60 on:** March 26, 2008, 09:00:21 pm »

And what do you smell among those pear trees?

brokeplex · « **Reply #61 on:** March 26, 2008, 10:19:37 pm »

pears

Artiste · « **Reply #62 on:** March 26, 2008, 10:25:55 pm »

Secret:

if you walk among those pear trees with ripe pears, then you smelled amonia (I think it is) ??

They have that you know!!

Why?

Hugs!

Artiste · « **Reply #63 on:** March 26, 2008, 10:30:52 pm »

Brokeplex and/or all too... !!

You have pear orchard your way? Which pears?

Here is one from the Andes: Royal Riviera!

Which is a Spring time favorite for many.

You have any recipies with pears?

brokeplex · « **Reply #64 on:** March 26, 2008, 10:31:51 pm »

pears with brandy

Artiste · « **Reply #65 on:** March 26, 2008, 10:34:15 pm »

News:

Pears
(Pyrus communis)
Varieties
Five major varieties are grown in Ontario: Bartlett (the overwhelming favorite), Clapp's Favourite, Anjou, Bosc and Flemish Beauty.

Bartlett, the most common pear world-wide, is bell-shaped, sweet and soft with a light green skin that turns yellow when ripe.

Clapp's Favourite is similar in shape, with white flesh and exceptional sweetness. Its skin turns golden yellow when ripe.

Anjou is more egg-shaped, very aromatic and mildly sweet; the skin shows only traces of yellow over green when ripe.

Bosc has an elegant elongated shape with a slender neck; fine textured, russet colored and still relatively crunchy when ripe.

Flemish Beauty is roundish, with thick clear yellow skin speckled with red when ripe. The creamy colored flesh becomes meltingly tender when ripe.

Buying and Storing
Unlike most other fruits, pears don't ripen well on the tree (these can be soft and mushy at the centre). Pears are harvested when mature and allowed to finish ripening under controlled conditions. However, for Pick Your Own, varieties on dwarfing rootstock are popular and can be picked firm-ripe for final ripening at home.

A ripe pear is relatively firm but gives a little when pressed gently. Coloring should be appropriate to its variety (see varieties above). Good quality pears are smooth-skinned, unshrivelled and free of surface markings.

Ripe pears can spoil easily and their flavor is best when cool. So it's wise to refrigerate them and use within a couple of days of purchase.

Preparing
Handle pears with care to avoid bruising. Simply rinse under cool running water prior to use. Do not peel or core until ready to use.

Pears are ideal as a fresh impromptu snack or a natural dessert. They can also be used for pies and tarts, for baked cakes, crisps and crumbles, dumplings, sherbet, preserves, and even pastas and main-course salads.

Bartletts are good both fresh and for desserts, and they preserve well. Clapps are also well-suited to eating raw and to cooking and poaching.

Anjou is a succulent fresh dessert pear and also cooks and bakes well. Bosc is also great fresh and works well in gently cooked dishes. The Flemish Beauty is good as a raw dessert pear and for baking.

For picnics, Bosc and Flemish Beauty are well suited to packing in a hamper because their skins are relatively durable.

Nutrition
One medium pear (160 g) has about 100 calories, is a good source of fiber and a source of Vitamin C, potassium and folacin.

History
Originating in eastern Asia or China, the pear is related to the rose. It's thousands of years old and has produced literally thousands of varieties of itself.

One of the first fruits to be brought to North America from Europe, pear trees were growing 350 years ago in the Massachusetts Bay colony.

........

Where is Massachusetts Bay colony? Any pears still grown there to-day?

Enjoy... a pear. My past lover often did eat one! I loved him placing one on his table for me too!!

Hugs!

Brown Eyes · « **Reply #66 on:** March 27, 2008, 09:03:11 am »

I love pears too! They have such a subtle and fresh flavor.

Artiste · « **Reply #67 on:** April 02, 2008, 11:38:36 am »

Maman a une recette pour la soupe aux carrottes !!

Did you read that and got it ??

Au revoir,
hugs!

brokeplex · « **Reply #68 on:** April 02, 2008, 11:48:32 pm »

Quote from: Artiste on April 02, 2008, 11:38:36 am

Maman a une recette pour la soupe aux carrottes !!

Did you read that and got it ??

Au revoir,
hugs!

carrot soup is great. I like potato soup as well.

my mother had a wonderful recipe for potato soup that she would fix for me when I was ill.

when DL was immobilized after his skiing accident I made him some potato soup.

could you please give me your mother's recipe for carrot soup so that I can give him that after his next little mishap.

Artiste · « **Reply #69 on:** April 02, 2008, 11:58:43 pm »

Merci brokeplex!

Congratulations, you read that!

Yes, je demande à maman la recette!

To-day, she made one with an added potatoe too, for the first time!

So, I will try to get you her two recipes??

(And I love potatoe soup too!!)

Au revoir,
hugs!

Brown Eyes · « **Reply #70 on:** October 09, 2008, 11:19:29 pm »

Heya,

I'm here to revive this thread because I'm very excited to report that I've been meat-free in my diet for going-on 3 weeks now!

In these weeks I've had one slip up where I ate some salmon served at a dinner party. But, I haven't purchased any meat at the grocery store or at restaurants, etc., etc. I definitely eat dairy and eggs (I have no intention of becoming vegan).

I'm at a point where I'd really enjoy continuing to exchange recipes and cooking tips. LOL, one my questions at the moment is about sauteing tofu. What is the best method for cooking tofu so that it develops that nice golden crust or surface? Whenever I cook tofu it just gets hot... it doesn't develop that thin gold crust. Maybe I'm using too much oil or butter? Any and all tips about good tofu recipes would be great!

David In Indy · « **Reply #71 on:** October 09, 2008, 11:41:44 pm »

CellarDweller · « **Reply #72 on:** October 14, 2008, 08:46:16 am »

I could never be a vegetarian, I've only just recently started eating vegetables in the first place.

Brown Eyes · « **Reply #73 on:** October 15, 2008, 11:33:03 pm »

Quote from: SunShadow on October 15, 2008, 11:26:00 pm

You don't actually have to eat veggies to be a vegetarian ... pasta works just great!

Lately I've been on a soba noodle kick! Yummmmmmmm!!

David In Indy · « **Reply #74 on:** October 16, 2008, 02:10:48 am »

I'm ALMOST a vegetarian. I'm 99 percent there. I love veggie burgers, in fact I think they taste better than the beef version. Veggie hot dogs and veggie chicken is quite good too. And much better for us health wise as well.

I love pasta, and I love most vegetables except for lima beans. I gag on those every time. Tomatoes are one of my favorites although they are actually a fruit!

I also love potatoes, baked, fried, mashed... it doesn't matter. I love fried mashed potatoes, fried in vegetable oils of course!

BelAir · « **Reply #75 on:** October 18, 2008, 12:13:45 am »

Amanda - I don't know how much tofu baking experience you have - and I am not certainly one with a lot, but I found my biggest goof-up initially was not getting it dry enough before I started cooking it - I really started to like tofu once I managed to sop up all the water (clean towels and paper towels). My favorite recipe involves soaking in a teriyaki type marinade - it used a variety of soy sauces and vinegars and oils, as I recall, and then basically cooking/roasting it in the oven.

One of my other favorite "veggie" foods is the fake "meat crumbles" - great for tacos!

Lynne · « **Reply #76 on:** October 18, 2008, 12:58:09 am »

Hey there, Amanda. I a$ trying to get back to a more vegetable based diet too. Sadly, the only way I know how to get that golden brown skin on tofu is to deep fry it. It is true that it easily accepts the flavor of any marinade. I like to add the extra firm variety to simple broth-based soups, maybe vegetable or miso?

Have you tried seitan or tempeh? IMO, they have a nicer texture when cooked healthily, like in a stir fry.

Lynne

David In Indy · « **Reply #77 on:** October 18, 2008, 01:08:31 am »

Quote from: Lynne on October 18, 2008, 12:58:09 am

Hey there, Amanda. I a$ trying to get back to a more vegetable based diet too. Sadly, the only way I know how to get that golden brown skin on tofu is to deep fry it. It is true that it easily accepts the flavor of any marinade. I like to add the extra firm variety to simple broth-based soups, maybe vegetable or miso?

Have you tried seitan or tempeh? IMO, they have a nicer texture when cooked healthily, like in a stir fry.

Lynne

I love spaghetti squash. It's very good baked, or even fried. And it tastes like spaghetti too! I sometimes top it off with tomato sauce, chopped bell peppers, a little onion and some salt.

Lynne · « **Reply #78 on:** October 18, 2008, 01:19:21 am »

Spaghetti squash is a great suggestion too, David! I think it's more nutritious in some way than basic pasta, lower carbs, maybe?

The important thing IMO is to focus on your own food preparation and avoid fast food. One cannot live on beans (burritos) alone. ;-)

David In Indy · « **Reply #79 on:** October 18, 2008, 01:24:07 am »

Quote from: Lynne on October 18, 2008, 01:19:21 am

Spaghetti squash is a great suggestion too, David! I think it's more nutritious in some way than basic pasta, lower carbs, maybe?

The important thing IMO is to focus on your own food preparation and avoid fast food. One cannot live on beans (burritos) alone. ;-)

Yes, squash is very good for you! It's chaulked full of vitamins and it's not fattening! Well, not until you add the tomato sauce!

David In Indy · « **Reply #80 on:** October 18, 2008, 01:30:21 am »

Quote from: Lynne on October 18, 2008, 01:19:21 am

Spaghetti squash is a great suggestion too, David! I think it's more nutritious in some way than basic pasta, lower carbs, maybe?

The important thing IMO is to focus on your own food preparation and avoid fast food. One cannot live on beans (burritos) alone. ;-)

Speaking of fast food, here's an interesting little item I found over on AOL.

Teaser: Don't order the Wendy's "Healthy" salad. It has more fat and salt than chili!

http://www.aolhealth.com/diet/basics/high-sodium-foods?icid=200100397x1211623595x1200718316

CellarDweller · « **Reply #81 on:** October 18, 2008, 06:38:16 pm »

Quote from: SunShadow on October 15, 2008, 11:26:00 pm

You don't actually have to eat veggies to be a vegetarian ... pasta works just great!

I eat wheat pasta, but usually only on Sundays. (Italian day

)

I do have a fresh salad evry day for lunch. I'm not a fan of cooked vegetables, but I do like raw ones.

CellarDweller · « **Reply #82 on:** October 18, 2008, 06:49:30 pm »

Quote from: DavidInIndy on October 16, 2008, 02:10:48 am

I'm ALMOST a vegetarian. I'm 99 percent there. I love veggie burgers, in fact I think they taste better than the beef version. Veggie hot dogs and veggie chicken is quite good too. And much better for us health wise as well.

Do you have a brand that you buy, David? Here in NJ, we have "Boca" burgers. Very tasty. They have veggie chicken patties as well, in a "spicy" flavor that reminds me of buffalo wings.

Quote from: DavidInIndy on October 16, 2008, 02:10:48 am

Tomatoes are one of my favorites although they are actually a fruit!

I'm probably the only Italian who doesn't like tomatoes. I enjy tomato sauce, (NOT gravy, SAUCE), but don't like them on my sandwiches or in my salads.

Lynne · « **Reply #83 on:** October 18, 2008, 06:56:59 pm »

I like the Morningstar brand quite a bit too.

David In Indy · « **Reply #84 on:** October 18, 2008, 07:08:40 pm »

Quote from: CellarDweller on October 18, 2008, 06:49:30 pm

Do you have a brand that you buy, David? Here in NJ, we have "Boca" burgers. Very tasty. They have veggie chicken patties as well, in a "spicy" flavor that reminds me of buffalo wings.

I'm probably the only Italian who doesn't like tomatoes. I enjy tomato sauce, (NOT gravy, SAUCE), but don't like them on my sandwiches or in my salads.

My local grocery store (Marsh) makes generic versions which are quite good. I sometimes buy GardenBurger.

I'm thinking about trying to make them on my own. I found a recipe on the internet the other day.

Here it is:

Soy Burgers

2 Tbls. olive oil
2 Tbls. chopped green onions
1 cup coarsely chopped soybeans
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup grated cheese
1 cup toasted sunflower seeds, ground
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. basil

Saute onions in olive oil.
Mix in remaining ingredients.
Shape into patties and cook in a skillet.

Makes about 8 good size patties.

Instead of frying the soy burgers you could bake them at 350 for 20 minutes. Lightly oil the baking sheet so that the patties do not stick.

Preparation Time: 1/2 hour Serves: 8

Artiste · « **Reply #85 on:** October 18, 2008, 07:33:50 pm »

Say, did anyone mentioned: Wild Rice ?

seadragon16 · « **Reply #86 on:** October 22, 2008, 02:38:25 pm »

Quote from: atz75 on October 09, 2008, 11:19:29 pm

I'm at a point where I'd really enjoy continuing to exchange recipes and cooking tips. LOL, one my questions at the moment is about sauteing tofu. What is the best method for cooking tofu so that it develops that nice golden crust or surface? Whenever I cook tofu it just gets hot... it doesn't develop that thin gold crust. Maybe I'm using too much oil or butter? Any and all tips about good tofu recipes would be great!

Hey atz, hope you're still enjoying veggie food! I've been a veggie for almost 20 years since I was 10 and a vegan for the last year or so (I was also vegan from about the age of 15 - 18, but then started eating a little bit of dairy again). Cooking tofu takes some getting use to. It can be incredible if it's done right, but pretty horrible and tastless and it tends to turn to mush if it isn't.

As someone else said, the best thing is to press it between layers of kitchen paper to get it as dry as possible before deep frying it for a few minutes or frying it in a pan in very hot oil without turning it over too often. Also, don't cut it up too small. Then marinate it in whatever you fancy - for a stir fry, soy sauce with ginger and chilli is good - then add it to the veg and fry for a few minutes. You can also get smoked tofu that tastes good without marinating it.

My favourite meal is scrambled tofu with fried mushrooms, either on toast or on top of a jacket potato. Fry some mushrooms in a little oil or marg and then crumble a block of firm tofu into the pan with the mushrooms. To add to the flavour add a teaspoon or two of dried nutritional yeast (great for adding a 'savoury' or 'cheesy' taste to the tofu).

Tofu is also great in sauces - makes a great pasta sauce if you blend it together with mushrooms, garlic and some herbs and soya cream. Marmite is good in tofu marinades too (although I hate it otherwise!) - gives it a nice flavour, just don't use too much.

Just thinking about all that makes me feel hungry!

Brown Eyes · « **Reply #87 on:** November 19, 2008, 03:25:40 pm »

Heya! Thanks seadragon!

So, it seems like it might be a good moment around here to start exchanging vegetarian Thanksgiving and holiday recipes.

Any suggestions for a new vegetarian?

Ellemeno · « **Reply #88 on:** November 22, 2008, 09:16:09 am »

Quote from: atz75 on November 19, 2008, 03:25:40 pm

Heya! Thanks seadragon!

So, it seems like it might be a good moment around here to start exchanging vegetarian Thanksgiving and holiday recipes.

Any suggestions for a new vegetarian?

All of the typical Thanksgiving foods are vegetarian, or can be, except turkey, and even that has replacements. So it's pretty easy. Mini-Meno and Mr. Meno are ovo-lacto veg, and I am, at home. The one day of the year that meat is served in our house is Thanksgiving, but my sister in law makes and brings it, and it's her family who eats it. I've thought about asking them to consider just leaving it at home, but it seems to be part of our family's exercise in diversity.

Anyway, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, yam and squash, green bean, cranberry, pumpkin pie, all just plants. Even vegan Thanksgiving is pretty easy. Over the years, we've at times had two mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving: one with dairy, one vegan; 2 stuffings: one with meat and butter, one vegan; 2 gravies: one turkey, one nutritional yeast-based. These days, no one in the family is eating consistently pure vegan, and the meat eaters have gotten more flexible about what ingredients HAVE to be in things, so the one stuffing has butter, but no meat, and the mashed potatoes have butter and half and half. We still have 2 gravies, and frankly the last two years, the turkey gravy I've served has been straight out of a jar, and no one has said anything, though they may not be crazy about it. The homemade vegetarian gravy is much more delicious. My husband, who doesn't often feel the need for faux meat-type products, likes having some sort of vegetarian turkey-like hunk to slice up at Thanksgiving. The last couple of years it's been Field Roast brand. The few years before that, it was Tofurkey brand.

I guess, for me, the most challenging aspect of vegetarian Thanksgiving has been lack of respect for it on the part of a couple of the meat eaters in the extended family. But by now, with my husband having been a vegetarian for at least 13 years, my niece for nearly that time, since she was 12, and my daughter for all of her 5 1/2 years, the jokes, remarks, and concerns have all been said, and everyone's food choices are a non-issue.