Author Topic: my "vegetarian" experiment (Read 17511 times)

zach · « **on:** June 01, 2014, 04:28:50 pm »

so i put in a little effort at the grocery store to not buy/eat red meat this weekend. the sky didn't fall, but i can't say i feel a difference in the three days so far. think i'll keep eating chicken and seafood, and give the red meats a rest for a few weeks, see if i become deathly ill. the southern in me just has a mistrust of rabbit food. i'll never give up eggs, cut milk a long time, and down to only using evoo as any type of cooking oil

any suggestions for good recipe websites for more vegan type meals? i'm not going to be strictly no animal products, but i've been thinking about this for a long time now.

one thing i am going try to commit to. no more fried food

mecch · « **Reply #1 on:** June 01, 2014, 05:06:19 pm »

evoo?
see if your library has cookbooks.
Moosewood cookbooks are classic and good enough.
It sounds like you are a long way from the vegan diet (no animal products, period!) and that you don't want to go there, but I suppose there are good vegan dishes you can add to your low red meat diet.
You can also just start to explore dishes from other cuisines that don't need the meat - all sorts of indian, mexican, japanese, chinese, italian, etc

phoenix · « **Reply #2 on:** June 01, 2014, 05:09:01 pm »

Zach Here's a site that has some vegetarian recipes. I tried the black bean burrito, stuffed peppers, and some others. Started adding vegetarian meals about 6 months ago, been doing it slow about once a week. My thing is I'm always hungry a few hours after I it. Took most of the red meat out of my diet , started using pork and seafood. Have managed to drop about 15 lbs in last 6months,done wonders for my blood test. http://allrecipes.com/recipes/everyday-cooking/vegetarian/?prop24=hn_slide0&evt19=1at your goal is. Good luck .right

mitch777 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 01, 2014, 06:02:33 pm »

I found this site helpful when I cut back drastically on red meat a few years ago.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/
Just plug in whatever ingredients you like into the search and loads of recipes pop up.

PS- Mecch, evoo= Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It's a Rachael Ray thing.

wolfter · « **Reply #4 on:** June 01, 2014, 06:04:36 pm »

I visit allrecipes.com quite often. simply type in vegan or vegetarian and you'll see many delicious choices.

I'd also suggest baby steps. A radical diet change can be quite stressful and you need to know what nutritional needs you'll be lacking. I have a protein bar almost daily because of my diet.

through trial and error, you'll discover some great meals. I regularly substitute toful for ground beef. I just haven't figured out a way to eat it by itself that doesn't taste awful. They're kinda expensive, but Boca burgers are quite delicious and contain no meat. Even BK offers a vegetarian burger.

zach · « **Reply #5 on:** June 01, 2014, 10:35:49 pm »

please dont get me started on my rachel ray crush, its embarrassing

Dan0 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 01, 2014, 11:55:04 pm »

http://www.epicurious.com/vegetarian-recipes

A little snooty and a lot of things that ....well.....it's not happening on my stove, but there are some real winners on this web.

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #7 on:** June 02, 2014, 08:46:05 am »

Just wondering, why are we cutting out "red meat"? There's a difference between consuming processed and unprocessed red meat.

mecch · « **Reply #8 on:** June 02, 2014, 09:47:14 am »

Who we

I'm keeping all my meats

I was a true vegan once and my doc finally put a stop to it.

I don't mind people those who cut it out for politics - carbon footprint, animal cruelty, high cost, or for health - getting rid of low quality protein, etc etc
To each his own...

I hear the pendulum is swinging back for example suggestions that high quality lard is actually fine for the system, high quality saturated fats, etc etc.

I haven't paid much attention to the politics in the last 15 years. But very recently it seems that over fishing is far more catastrophic than producing too much grain fed meat... Both bad, but lots of fish might soon be extinct.

And crappy farm-raised fish and seafood is dreadful, to my taste. Where sometimes industrial meat - for example in sausages it can still be tasty -- though of course one would prefer high quality meat for every application - sometimes its neither affordable nor available...

Buckmark · « **Reply #9 on:** June 02, 2014, 09:53:46 am »

Quote from: zach on June 01, 2014, 04:28:50 pm

...
one thing i am going try to commit to. no more fried food
...

*faints*

Seriously, it's never a bad thing to turn a critical eye on your diet. Reducing red meat intake is a good start. I don't know how much you had been consuming on a regular basis. Perusing the web for vegetarian and vegan recipes should give you inspiration on how to cut down. The Mediterranean diet might be a good way to go, if you like that kind of food (think southern Italy, Spain, Greece). My family is from Italy, so it's kinda seems normal to me. Here's a good overview of the Mediterranean diet -- you can find lots of other reference and info on the web: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/guide/the-mediterranean-diet.

It frustrates me when people sautee using EVOO. It's really a waste of money and good oil, as the "fruitiness" and complex flavors you pay for in EVOO dissipate with the heat. An ordinary olive oil or canola oil is fine for this purpose, and costs much less.

Lastly, is anyone else irritated by Rachel Ray's gravel-y voice and tough girl attitude? I mean, I grew up in New Jersey, and have encountered plenty of tough attitudes, but she is over the top. I'm sure it's part of her TV persona.

Happy eating!

mecch · « **Reply #10 on:** June 02, 2014, 10:00:00 am »

EVOO = Extra Virgin Olive Oil?
That is not for frying and sauté.... and unhealthy to do so.

wolfter · « **Reply #11 on:** June 02, 2014, 10:58:34 am »

Quote from: Miss Philicia on June 02, 2014, 08:46:05 am

Just wondering, why are we cutting out "red meat"? There's a difference between consuming processed and unprocessed red meat.

There always seems to be conflicting studies on the risks of unprocessed red meats. One year it's bad and the next year they find no added risks.

I didn't eat a lot of processed meat and ended up with heart disease early, having 2 heart attacks before the age of 40. Personally, I decided to switch my diet to address the horrid lipids. It was easier to eliminate beef than my beloved cheeses. My one weakness. Obviously not imperical data, just my own situation.

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #12 on:** June 02, 2014, 11:51:27 am »

I eat a steak, generally a rib eye (which I more than willing to shell out for) twice monthly and have done so for twenty years. OK, sometimes only monthly I don't really keep track. I think I've read that has less saturated fat than eating chicken with the skin on it, not that I keep skin on chicken when I make it unless I'm roasting one.

But processed meats contain a lot of sodium nitrates. Unfortunately I do indulge in occasional items but in minute amounts -- but the advice is to cut these out 100%. Now seriously ladies, am I supposed to forego my monthly sharp Italian 12" hoagie from Primo's? Anyway, there's not denying that cured pork products are part of a Mediterranean diet amirite? Moderation and portion control!

Otherwise I have the good fortune of preferring fresh fruit to juice, raw vegetables to cooked (unless lightly sautéed, and yes with EVOO though I'd never use that for frying meatballs). And indeed having a goal of two meals of fish/seafood weekly is a good thing. And as I live 60 miles from the ocean I have no shortage of locally sourced items, all properly labeled as to whether or not they have been farm raised -- also domestic (green, organic -- preferably from ) US farm raised shrimp under certain conditions is quite good in comparison to the atrocious items from Vietnam sold at Walmart.

ps: it's soft shell crab season!

zach · « **Reply #13 on:** June 02, 2014, 12:58:18 pm »

i was thinking sort of the same thing. no more hot dogs and ground beef for sure, steak a month or similar. i will still eat a pulled pork bbq sandwich on occasion. but no more fried porkchops and squash

tryingtostay · « **Reply #14 on:** June 03, 2014, 11:39:41 pm »

Include some Brussel Sprouts in your diet

Brussels Sprouts and Inflammatory/Anti-inflammatory Support

zach · « **Reply #15 on:** June 04, 2014, 12:17:23 am »

i usually grow brussel sprouts. this year is my smallest garden in years. my garden last year was huge, i put alot of time into it. grew all sorts of random stuff. and didn't know how to cook any of it, not well at least. my thinking was really to start learning to cook vegetarian and bring the two things together. then tweak the garden selection based on what i eat. first time i ate eggplant was last year, grew one and did one hell of a lasagna. ate beets and artichoke last year too, first time in my life.

Ann · « **Reply #16 on:** June 04, 2014, 03:19:24 am »

Brussel sprouts and Truvada is a really fun combination.

BT65 · « **Reply #17 on:** June 09, 2014, 05:49:40 pm »

I was raised Seventh Day Adventist, and as most of you probably know, the majority of Adventists are vegetarian. I went to school in Berrien Springs, at Andrews Academy, the University's school. Andrews University is actually the second largest school in the nation to have so many different cultures attending.

I remember lunches every day for two years were vegetarian, and to tell you the truth, if it's done right it's tasty. Also remember the potlucks at church, all vegetarian, and the older church ladies knew how to prepare it so it was very appetizing.

I would just make sure I was getting all the proper vitamins etc., as some people who become vegetarian have trouble with anemia (my former boss was taking iron tabs all the time).

thunter34 · « **Reply #18 on:** June 09, 2014, 07:10:14 pm »

My overall contribution to this thread based on all the other posts:

I quit red meat cold turkey once and stayed off of it for 8 years. Why? I got grossed out by one of those 20/20 type shows when they were doing a segment on meat packing plants - as I was sitting there eating a burger. I couldn't get past the ugh factor, and I dropped 8 lbs in the first month with no other dietary changes. I also lost body odor. I could sweat like the pig that I was now refusing to consume (and I was also working out heavy duty, so I was often sweaty) and have zero odor.
I did poultry and seafood, but most often not fried. The exception to this is and was....

Fried chicken. I could drop almost every fried thing out there, but give me my fried chicken breast. There is a Popeye's 1/2 mile down the road from work and it is on the way home. It is ridiculous how often I am there. At first, I would see them kind of nudging and pointing and laughing a little with each other, and I knew the conversation was somewhere along the lines of, "Dude, look....that guy is here again today. That is one chicken eating mother fucker!" Now they know me by name and start assembling my order as I walk to the door.

But anyway...at a July 4th cookout, I smelled the sizzling meat and suddenly craved a burger after 8 years. I ended up eating 3 back to back right there and then, and stayed on the burger and bacon bus until just a couple of months ago. I suddenly lost the desire for it again and sort of got the ick about it, though I know in my mind that there is plenty of ick about the chicken and stuff that I still consume.

Processed or not, I want to hurl about lots of stuff that Miss P talks about eating. Guts, however trendy or locally sourced they are, are still guts.

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #19 on:** June 09, 2014, 07:54:53 pm »

Quote from: thunter34 on June 09, 2014, 07:10:14 pm

Processed or not, I want to hurl about lots of stuff that Miss P talks about eating. Guts, however trendy or locally sourced they are, are still guts.

Barbara please. "Head to hoof" is like "farm to table".

ps: that Popeye's story was pathetic. At least go to Bojangles.

mrtoad · « **Reply #20 on:** August 14, 2014, 01:54:32 am »

what about men? men are meat

livingmmy9lives · « **Reply #21 on:** September 01, 2014, 11:26:04 pm »

I quit meat because it is very bad for the environment. Read it is the most polluting industry in North America. It's bad for people - cholesterol, lots of fat, laden with antibiotics & growth hormones. It's bad for animals - the farm animals obviously... lots of cruelty involved at all stages of the animals "life". It was not a difficult choice. Finding good meal choices was easy and I'm not eating unusual, obscure things. Glad I did it. I eat a little dairy though not much.. usually just when I go out or cooking for others. B-12 supplement is recommended for vegetarian/vegans.

initforlife · « **Reply #22 on:** September 02, 2014, 02:34:56 pm »

I have to have meat. grass fed beef is the way to go. We have our own cows here and I know what they are fed. Pork however is my downfall love it nothing better then a pull pork bbq sandwich with slaw Yum Yum! I also love my veggies too. nice side to the meat lol

mecch · « **Reply #23 on:** September 02, 2014, 02:51:39 pm »

It's hunting time in the Alps.
http://www.vd.ch/themes/environnement/faune-et-nature/chasse/informations-aux-chasseurs/

As this is somewhat Central Europe, its minutiously organised and supposedly designed to benefit the local ecology but yeah the critters are being killed so there's that.

Its not easy to get the local game - the hunters keep it or sell it to gastro restaurants that charge a hefty centime for guaranteeing that the game is indeed local.
^
A lot of the game is imported frozen and even farm raised - which in the pecking order of shameful meat production, is considerably worse than "culling", IMO. I mean it's one thing to eat Bambi culled from a mountain meadow, another to raise Bambi on a farm for slaughter?

mecch · « **Reply #24 on:** September 02, 2014, 02:56:50 pm »

I read that poorly capped old rotting oil rigs by the tens of thousands all over the world are the environment's death star. Not cattle ranches.

zach · « **Reply #25 on:** September 02, 2014, 03:08:56 pm »

see meech, you and i have an entirely different cultural experience on this. swine were introduced in north america. it hasn't gone well. a non-native, destructive, and invasive species to be killed on sight. some years there are no bag limits. even domestic pigs, when they escape and in a couple generations start looking like wild hogs again. but if you come across a strong bloodline honest to goodness european razorback boar... its fucking awesome, epic fear

as far as the meat i eat, or kill, and looking around i think i'm one of the handful of hunters here.

dead is dead, as long as its quick, get off your high horse. i worked in chicken houses when i was young. disgusting conditions. never worked the slaughter house, but most girls in town did. you just don't want to know. if i go in the back yard, kill a chicken or goat, its quick and clean and that animal has had a good life.

and like ms p, farm to table, head to hoof. grow it, raise it, harvest it, kill it, gotta eat to live

at the end of the day, you make peace with the death part or not.

my experiment here, i'll admit overall i've eaten much better last few months. still eat some red meat, but when i do eat meat, its higher quality. eggs daily, always will. if i had more time to fish, i would eat more fish. i had no lofty animal rights goals or anything other than trying to do whats best for body. i do ok.

mecch · « **Reply #26 on:** September 02, 2014, 03:35:14 pm »

My last paragraph was facetious, zach - a throw away to others who do make rankings.
I dunno. I kinda make non binding rankings (I'm not a stickler for anything, dietary wise - burned too deeply by the dietary PC hell in my 20's with rich liberals run amok on campus and then in SF and Park Slope.)
Mostly I shell out for the quality eggs and chicken outdoor, free-range, and as the price of the "eco" meat has fallen to reasonable levels, increasingly I'll buy basic meat that is also stamped "humane".
And no its not nice to think of a magnificent mountain beast laid low. But I'll eat either - the local real stuff or the imported farm raised...

Sometimes its all shot to hell - depending on my cash flow that month or that year or just how flush I feel when faced with sticker shock at the supermarket.

6 "real" swiss eggs = 4 USD.

"real" swiss pork chops = 17 USD per pound. How much is organic farm raised pork chop meat in US? I would guess around 10 USD?

initforlife · « **Reply #27 on:** September 02, 2014, 03:36:51 pm »

Wonders how many of yall men are grass fed and antibiotic free. I mean as a meat eater . I also love tube steak so should I give that up if they have taken antibiotics and been grain fed? Just a thought for today!

buginme2 · « **Reply #28 on:** September 02, 2014, 04:06:11 pm »

I'm reading this thread over lunch. Grilled fish and prawn tacos at the seattle fish company. Delish.

I only buy grass fed and organic meats/eggs/milk etc however, It's fucking expensive. Most people cannot afford it so to be high and mighty "you should only eat grass fed blah blah cows that are give hand jobs by the farm staff is b.s..

Besides, It's nearly impossible to do when eating out.

mecch · « **Reply #29 on:** September 02, 2014, 05:56:52 pm »

organic milk is almost double the price of everyday swiss milk, and supposedly everyday dairy cows in Switzerland can NOT be chemmed out like they can be in certain countries. So who really knows if the 1 CHF extra is worth it.
Since I don't drink much milk I will usually buy the organic but many times the everyday milk has a much fresher stamp, so you know, 6 of one....

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #30 on:** September 03, 2014, 08:29:10 am »

Quote from: mecch on September 02, 2014, 03:35:14 pm

"real" swiss pork chops = 17 USD per pound. How much is organic farm raised pork chop meat in US? I would guess around 10 USD?

I bought a couple nice, thick farm raised pastured pork chops at a farmer's market recently but can't locate pricing on their web site, but another one I've bought from has an extensive price list -- they go for ~$12/lb. You can also view their egg, chicken and beef prices.

http://www.farmtocity.org/ProductList.asp

This farm regularly supplies farm stand/farmers markets here as well as upscale farm to table restaurants, and we have a lot of that here for the past five years or more. The farm is located 70 miles west of the city in Amish country, north of Lancaster.

Irish Eyes · « **Reply #31 on:** September 03, 2014, 11:16:58 pm »

What I don't comprehend is the mindset.
Granted I don't eat meat or drink milk.

My brothers waste money on buying random 'organic' meat, milk, eggs, veg, etc.
Meanwhile the other 95+% of their diet is everyday crap (dining out etc.).

Unless you consume mainly/mostly organic/health food, and living healthily in general, what's the point in consuming and wasting money on random items.

Me no get it !

mecch · « **Reply #32 on:** September 04, 2014, 12:46:11 am »

1) taste. (A real chicken and real eggs taste better than industrial ones.)

2) doing what you can even if its not 100%. (Mostly I recycle but sometimes I don't.)

3) message to producers. The more the consumer buys quality food, the more quality food there is available, and prices come down.

4) being on trend.

cupidsbwter · « **Reply #33 on:** September 24, 2014, 10:59:40 am »

Hi all,

Being a total vegetarian by choice i have started eating eggs and meat after being diagnosed 5 months ago. I would have never dreamt to be a meat eater in my life but somehow the protein from meat "helps" to satiate my hunger and i'm getting my health back. It is a experiment but i'm looking forward to going back to be a vegetarian. I really wonder how being on strong medication like Atripla our body is able to sustain and maintain muscle mass over long run. Any thoughts?

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