[Silverdragon102]

Originally Posted by bethin

I've thought about becoming a vegetarian for years now.

I tried it for about a week. I ate tofu and it made me extremely ill, as does soy milk (Crohn's here). Any other ideas? I bought boca burgers and like them and so does my gut. I also just tried Morningstar (?) sausage. Smelled like sausage and tasted like sausage.

I'm kinda hung up on how to cook spaghetti without meat. What do you use instead?

I'm becoming more green. I use Watkin's and Target's line of cleaning products. I recycle everything even though it means walking 5 blocks in a bad neighborhood, because I figure why waste gas when I can walk?

I have a lot of pasta and use meat free mince usually plain and then can add to my own sauce. Sometimes for a change I use pieces opposed to mince

[bethin]

Originally Posted by Silverdragon102

I have a lot of pasta and use meat free mince usually plain and then can add to my own sauce. Sometimes for a change I use pieces opposed to mince

At the risk of sounding stupid, what is mince and where do you buy it?

I'm not much of a cook...at all.

[Silverdragon102]

If you can buy quorn then there is a mince version and you just add quantity that you want in the cooking, otherwise just use it the same as ordinary mince except it doesn't need browning off.

Couple websites and have recipes

Quorn US
Gardein
Yves

[herring_RN]

Didn't know I am a flexitarian!
I ordered the cook book. Looks good with new ideas. At others homes or during a long day away from home I get so hungry and enjoy what is available.
Unless there is healthy food I almost never resist sweets and cheese. So I keep " meal cups" in my car and the bag I take to work. My daughter is now vegan. She decided to be vegatarian a few weeks into a lifestyle change three years ago.Now vegan. She lost 70 pounds and keeps it off. Exercises too

There is a lot of good information on this site. I buy the meal cups here too. For a lazy person it is great to dumpt the contents over vegetables. They taste great.
Some markets have them too but they cost more.
http://www.rightfoods.com/library.ph...be0cda0ae469bf

[jkal]

Blackcat, congratulations on your weight loss! That is very inspiring!

I started eating an "animal free" diet in December, for two main reasons: I hope it will improve my health, and I've come to feel that animals are not here to be used by us for food....I have noticed an increase in energy, and a bit of weight loss. I have always loved to cook, and this is a new culinary adventure. I'm trying to stay as "whole food" as possible, but we do eat some soy burgers, fake chicken, etc. I use a diet analysis program occasionally to check my intake, and so far, all is well. I also take a multi-vitamin to make sure I'm getting my B12 and D. It takes some time to convert the pantry, but there are so many tasty dishes from other cultural traditions that rely on the same repeat ingredients that it seems to be getting easier and easier to throw something together.
So--now I'm going to my end of semester dinner at the local steak house!
Salad, here I come!

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by bethin

Any favorite recipes? I'm looking at Ethiopian Spicy Tomato Lentil Stew, but it takes alot of ingredients I don't have.

I have noticed just eating boca burgers that I stay full much much longer. I had one this week on bread with mayo and cheese (bad I know) with broccoli, and it was the only meal I needed that day.

Interesting that Boca burgers don't upset your GI system, but tofu and soy milk does. For milk replacements, I use almond milk, soy milk and rice milk. I only use it in cereal in the mornings though and don't drink it by the glass. I try to find unsweetened varieties.

How do you do with legumes like black beans, etc. Beans should be a staple in any good vegetarian diet For spaghetti and pasta dishes (remember do use whole grain, I use tofu and tempeh, but also just stir fried veggies in olive oil for a primavera type sauce. Also Morningstar makes a vegetarian ground beef thats pretty good. You can find veggie meatballs too. The only vegan meatball I've found is "Nates" and it's relatively expensive.

I don't really have any standout favorite recipes from that cookbook yet as I'm just getting started on them, but made a very good kale-brussel sprout dish this week.

Originally Posted by Blackcat99

I have been a vegetarian for 28 years. Unfortunately, I also ate lots of junk food-cookies,potato chips etc. when I was practicing "my food addiction." Yes, I think being nearly vegan has helped me keep my weight off too. I lost 125 pounds and have kept my weight off for 1 year.

Congrats again on your weight loss. I stopped being a vegetarian and went on Atkins a few years ago because I was getting fat and wanted to wean myself. It didn't work.

Originally Posted by Silverdragon102

I have a lot of pasta and use meat free mince usually plain and then can add to my own sauce. Sometimes for a change I use pieces opposed to mince

"Mince" is not an American word which is why Bethin asked. I'm not sure what you're talking about either, so you're going to have to be descriptive. I'm thinking you might be talking about ground beef??

Originally Posted by herring_RN

Didn't know I am a flexitarian!
I ordered the cook book. Looks good with new ideas. At others homes or during a long day away from home I get so hungry and enjoy what is available.
Unless there is healthy food I almost never resist sweets and cheese. So I keep " meal cups" in my car and the bag I take to work. My daughter is now vegan. She decided to be vegatarian a few weeks into a lifestyle change three years ago.Now vegan. She lost 70 pounds and keeps it off. Exercises too

There is a lot of good information on this site. I buy the meal cups here too. For a lazy person it is great to dumpt the contents over vegetables. They taste great.
Some markets have them too but they cost more.
http://www.rightfoods.com/library.ph...be0cda0ae469bf

Did your oder Veganomicon? That and her other book "Vegan with a Vegence" is pretty good.

Dr. McDougal seems to have a good diet plan and some good information and research. I've seen his dinner cups but for a hungry jack like me they look more like a side dish snack.

Originally Posted by jkal

Blackcat, congratulations on your weight loss! That is very inspiring!

I started eating an "animal free" diet in December, for two main reasons: I hope it will improve my health, and I've come to feel that animals are not here to be used by us for food....I have noticed an increase in energy, and a bit of weight loss. I have always loved to cook, and this is a new culinary adventure. I'm trying to stay as "whole food" as possible, but we do eat some soy burgers, fake chicken, etc. I use a diet analysis program occasionally to check my intake, and so far, all is well. I also take a multi-vitamin to make sure I'm getting my B12 and D. It takes some time to convert the pantry, but there are so many tasty dishes from other cultural traditions that rely on the same repeat ingredients that it seems to be getting easier and easier to throw something together.
So--now I'm going to my end of semester dinner at the local steak house!
Salad, here I come!

Enjoy the dinner. Hopefully you can get a baked potato as well. I've been to a steakhouse as a vegetarian before, but only for the company I was with. Good luck for continuing to go "animal free", let us know how it goes.

[snick520]

Hello. I would consider myself a "flexitarian". Or maybe a fruititarian. I eat maybe 1 ounce a day of tuna plain or turkey. Sometimes i will eat an egg white for breakfast. I have lost over 150 lbs eating like this, it has kinda become an obsession for me.
Love to chat and learn more.

[herring_RN]

I did order Veganomicon because of your recommendation.

The meal cups are great for seasoning. I like to dump the tortilla soup or chili onto pinto beans, onions, tomato, and corn.

The curry is rice based and great over cooked frozen peas with a handful of raisins.

Black bean and lime soup over black beans, of course.

The split pea soup is almost as tasty as home made. I like to take it to work and eat it with broked bread, rye or sourdough whole wheat.

And the breakfast cups taste so good. I really like the Oatmeal with cranberries. The maple oatmeal makes a nice dessert.

The asian ones are good over vegetables too. Even frozen asian stir fry veggies.

Our Sizzler steak house has a good enough salad bar with beans, corn and pasta.
I have to watch out for the canned fruit and sweet stuff.

[Silverdragon102]

Yep, I do mean ground beef I guess I will get the hang of change in a few years

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by Silverdragon102

Yep, I do mean ground beef I guess I will get the hang of change in a few years

LOL......and remember it's soccer, not "football". w00t

Originally Posted by herring_RN

I did order Veganomicon because of your recommendation.

The meal cups are great for seasoning. I like to dump the tortilla soup or chili onto pinto beans, onions, tomato, and corn.

The curry is rice based and great over cooked frozen peas with a handful of raisins.

Black bean and lime soup over black beans, of course.

The split pea soup is almost as tasty as home made. I like to take it to work and eat it with broked bread, rye or sourdough whole wheat.

And the breakfast cups taste so good. I really like the Oatmeal with cranberries. The maple oatmeal makes a nice dessert.

The asian ones are good over vegetables too. Even frozen asian stir fry veggies.

Our Sizzler steak house has a good enough salad bar with beans, corn and pasta.
I have to watch out for the canned fruit and sweet stuff.

Those are some good ideas. I wouldn't have thought of using them like that. I think the cookbook is a good one and I hope that you enjoy it.

Originally Posted by snick520

Hello. I would consider myself a "flexitarian". Or maybe a fruititarian. I eat maybe 1 ounce a day of tuna plain or turkey. Sometimes i will eat an egg white for breakfast. I have lost over 150 lbs eating like this, it has kinda become an obsession for me.
Love to chat and learn more.

Wow! Congratulations!!! I eat a lot of fruit myself.