David's Friends

I have been a vegetarian for almost 2 years now. When I first started, my diet consisted of mostly carbs, dairy, junk food, and other not-so-healthy foods. Last January I decided to change my eating habits a little more, and gave up most dairy, and junk food, and lost 40lbs in the process. Now, this is a good thing, considering when I started I was overweight. Now, I'm going for those last 15lbs, and it hasn't been easy. In the process of trying to eat as healthy as I can, I'm afraid I'm not actually eating enough, or getting enough nutrients. So, my question is, to either you healthy vegetarian eaters, or those of you who happen to be on a diet too: What is your daily menu like?

newbie
Hi, I am a 38 yr old mother of two girls, age 12 and 15, married.
I am an RN.
we live in Sweden. We are a mixed household, my youngest and I are vegetarians and my husband and my older daughter are omnivores. I have been dabbling with veg. for a while but I finally decided to go full out about 2 weeks ago. I feel so much better for it and my youngest is thrilled as she has been veggie for a while now.
Nice to meet you all

anyway on to show and tell

lentil soup

red lentils. simmer with water, turmeric, paprika and red chili flakes
top with garlic and ginger browned in butter

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today for lunch...
i made this for my son today - he was excited because he loves the stuff. now, he won't eat (because cartoons are on, little rat)...

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Current Music: Killswitch Engage - Holy Diver

What are your 'can't live without' specialist/ethnic/vegetarian foods?

Next week I'm going home for the weekend. Home is Brighton, mecca of veg places, whereas I normally live in the north, where they still can't quite get their heads round not eating meat. I'd like to load up on some stuff while I'm there - and I'm hoping a cool bag filled with icepacks will let me bring some chilled stuff home.

I'm pretty sure I can find just about anything under the sun there, so hit me with some ideas :D I'm seriously bored of supermarket stuff. (oh yes, and I'm ovo-lacto veg)

Survey
Hi there everyone! I have to do a survey for my Algebra class and I chose to do it on vegetarianism, so I was hoping I could get some of you to do it. it will only take about a minute or 2 and it doesn't ask any seriously personal questions. There are 10 questions in total. Follow the cut if you will take it! :) i need about 100 people to do it alltogether.

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just a rant of sorts...if this isnt' okay, feel free to delete it.

do people ever say things to you that you know they obviously think are very clever but which are actually just RUDE? my sister came up with such a gem at the dinner table today, i feel i have to share my disgust.

my father had been talking about organically fed pigs, who apparently are treated very nicely. he was just curious, asking if i'd eat that kind of meat. we were having a very polite discussion and i was in the middle of telling him that, no, i would not eat that kind of meat or any kind. after all, despite the fact that those pigs are humanely treated they are still killed...i won't eat anything that had a face, thank you.

my sister laughed at me and snapped "get off your high horse so we can slaughter it for dog meat."
i coudlnt' believe it.

firstly, i'm not on a high horse. i'm not insisting that my family not eat meat. i keep to myself. i cook all my own meals and i buy my own food. i'm not a hinderance at all to my family aside from the fact that sometimes we have two people cooking in a rather small kitchen.
secondly, that is just...insensitive and innapropriate! but she thought it was funny...she expected me to laugh! i just coudlnt' believe it...

...do people say things to like that to you guys often? how do you cope with that? obviously ignoring her would be a good idea, but it's a bit hard because we live in very close quarters...>.<

Power Bars
I'm going to be going on a very long bus ride, so I was wondering if anyone had suggestions as to good, substantial brands of power bars or granola bars. Thanks!

Hello!
Alright, so i'll probably ask a question you guys are tired of answering, BUT
I like tofu a lot a lot more in dishes then meat. It's tastier. Except I haven't really cooked it before. (N00b)
My question is:
I'm going to make a stir fry, so do I just throw in the tofu as if it was chicken and follow the exact same directions?
Or does tofu have to be cooked differently?
(N00bN00bN00b)

Current Mood: :o

Vegetarian cookbook suggestions?
Do any of you own Mark Bittman's How To Cook Everything Vegetarian? If so, how do you like it?

Also, what other vegetarian cookbooks would you recommend? I'm going to make a stop at Chapters this afternoon to look around and while I do enjoy browsing, it'd be awesome if I had some solid suggestions for excellent cookbooks. I'm pretty handy in the kitchen and I already do most of my own cooking, so it's okay if the recipes aren't super-simple beginner recipes too. Thank you!

New Vegan Icecream that Rocks!!!
Turtle Mountain just came out with a new flavor called Key Lime Pie that is soooo good. Not sure when it came out but it's not on their Web site yet. It's also gluten free. OMG.. it's creamy and delicious. Get you some!!!

I thought maybe some of you would appreciate this.

Threadless actually has several anti-meat/cruelty shirts right now, it's weird.

Current Mood: tired
Current Music: the Eels - That's Not Really Funny

Sticks and berries, apparently.
So, my boyfriend is a vegan which I'm totally cool with but he's made the decision to cut out certian foods from his diet because he likes the idea of the Paleololithic Diet. This means, that from his vegan diet he's *completley* cutting out all beans and grains. No pinto beans, no lentils, no rice, no wheat, no corn, no spelt, no chichpeas etc.. I don't know much about the benefits of this diet and all I can think of are cons. Can anyone tell me a little bit about this type of eating? Is anyone here a grain/bean-free vegan? How do you find it? Are there things (besides complete protien- he says nuts, seeds and hemp powder are going to do it for him(?)) in the way of vitimins and minerals that he should be concerned about missing? He's about 6'2 and has lost a lot of weight being a vegan (went fron 180 to ~160 in about two months) and i'm worried that he's going to get too thin without grains and beans because he's also kind of a lazy eater/cook and is very physically active (swims, works on his feet, weightlifts, cycles).

Thanks!

the big P...
questions about protein.

i just went home for my birthday a week or so ago and AGAIN... my family had to rag on me about being a veg and blah blah. mostly they like to tell me this story about how some girl from the office that my uncle works at was forced to eat meat again by her doctor because she wasn't getting enough protein. so you know, this means that NO ONE should be a vegetarian because one girl didn't keep track of her diet. obviously that's the way the world works. [/sarcasm]

so, back to the point... i'm a thin 23 year old girl who has a pretty active lifestyle. i spend at least 40 or so hours a week busting my ass on my feet. (i'm a waitress) i have a pretty high metabolism and pretty much eat all the time.

about how much protein should i REALLY be consuming?

and what is your favorite way to get all the protein you need?

There was a really good editorial in Slate about vegetarianism. It happened to sum me personally up almost 100% (minus the fact that the author wears leather, but I agree with his explanation and approach).

EDIT: okay, it's not the most fantastic article ever. ;) I just find myself pretty much saying quite regularly the exact same things he's said here, almost word-for-word even. It's more like a peace offering, a plea to try to get people to loosen up and not stigmatize and pre-judge vegetarians so much. (And I seriously don't think he set out to insult vegans!)

http://www.slate.com/id/2190872/

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Current Mood: tired

costco
I just got a costco card and was wondering if anyone is a regular shopper there and knows what vegetarian items are carried?

I have a theory...
I have a theory that I'd like to run by everyone. I'm curious as to what other veggies and vegans might say.

Recently, I got pancreatits (I've got several illnesses- suffice it to say that I'm used to it.). Usually the treatment for this is absolutely no food, and ice chips for your mouth. I'm hypoglycemic (low blood sugar), however, and since I was handling the pancreatitus at home (without an IV for fluids and glucose), I had to eat. The doc said "No fat, or as little as possible. I'd prefer none." So, I abstained from fat completely (I'm vegetarian, not vegan). After my guts healed, I was told that I could go back to eating a "normal" diet. I did, but liked the way I felt from eating such healthy food, so I tried to keep it up. I couldn't. Now here's my question:

Is fat addictive?

Think about cheese, ice cream, cookies (usually lots of sugar and fat)... the list goes on. I was in so much pain when I went on that strict "pancreatitis diet" that I didn't notice anything, but after just one piece of cheese, I craved it at every meal, or rather, craved chips, fried stuff, cookies, etc. and I couldn't get a fruit or vegetable to calm the craving. It's been like that ever since. I try to keep eating the good stuff, I like the good stuff, but every little while my braid goes, "MUST HAVE JUNKFOOD!!!" With my health already sucky, I need to eat more healthfully.

Has anyone else noticed this? Does anyone know of a good way to get your body to stop? I swear! It's like trying to get off cigarettes or drugs!

recipes
to those that i promised recipes to...i am dreadfully sorry! between a full-time work schedule, attempting to be a girlfriend, running a business, and parenting, i've barely had time to sleep and shower! i will be getting to all the requests on Monday - scout's honor!

Some questions
Hi everyone -

My name is Kenza Moller (I've been on this community for a while), and I'm currently writing an article for PEARL World Youth News on the environmental impact of vegetarianism. I'd like to get some quotes from people who went vegetarian for environmental reasons (or environmental reasons were an influence on you going vegetarian). Anyway, I'll post the questions below the cut, and you can either reply directly to this post with the info, or you can email me at kenzadm (at) gmail.com. Please don't skip the questions on name, age, profession or I can't quote. :) Thanks so much!

Kenza.

PS- juuuust to avoid lawsuits, make sure you don't mind me using your name, age, profession and quote in my news article, as it will be included. It will be for pearl.iearn.org . TIA! :)

( Questions here! )

New Convert
Hi everyone, I'm new both to the lifestyle and to the community. After a year and a half of knowing I wanted to, I finally decided yesterday to make the jump into turning vegetarian. While the thought of some of the food I won't eat anymore makes me a bit sad, I know I'm making the right choice, and I'm ultimately very excited about it. I also have a few friends who have been vegetarian for some time now, and they've all told me that they reached a point where they didn't miss meat anymore, and that's very reassuring to me. In addition to not supporting animal cruelty, I also think I'm going to gain a much healthier life from this decision. It just seems like such a win/win situation, which makes it an even easier transition.

I have a couple of questions too, if you don't mind. I love Omega-3 because it helps with a variety of things. I've been taking the fish oil pills for it, but I definitely want to get off of it because fish happen to be one of my favorite animals. I've done some research, and seen people recommend flaxseed oil as a replacement. What's the best way to get this? Can I take some sort of supplement with it, or should I be eating it with food? Forgive my ignorance, I still have much to learn. :)

Also, for those of you in California, Nevada, Arizona, and anywhere else with this place: I'm originally from San Diego, and am planning on spending my summer there this year. Does anybody know if In-N-Out has any vegetarian options? I know they have a grilled cheese sandwich, but is it cooked with meat products? Or is this one of those things that's a case-by-case situation? I love the place, and would like to eat there still if I could, but I'll definitely give it up if there are no options there.

Thank you in advance for answers, and I'm sorry if I'm asking things that get asked a lot or anything. I looked around in the memories a bit, and went a few pages back and didn't really see anything. I hope I'm okay. :)

Gym Questions

I recently joined a gym and found out I need to put on 28lbs in weight because I have a BMI of only 17. I've been vegetarian for 7 years and I have a daily calorie intake of around 700, which is very bad of me. I should be getting 2000.

1) Anyone know any high protein, high calorie foods/drinks that would help me put on weight?
2) Are Slim Fast shakes vegetarian?
3) What about 'protein powder', is this suitable?
4) Any good smoothie recipes to help me out? I love avocado. But I've heard silken tofu in the blender works good.
5) Know any high calorie but not sickening snack foods? I hate cakes and sickly things. I much prefer a bit of fruit, hence the underweight problem.
6) Alternatives to dairy I can use? I drink soya milk and I tend to avoid egg unless it's free range and definitely necessary. I do eat a bit of goat's cheese on very rare occassions.
7) Quick and easy high calorie meal recipes? I'm impatient with preparing food, and sometimes forget to eat entirely.
8) Breakfast doses? I have 3 weetabix every morning with a sprinkle of brown sugar, but it's not enough.
9) Certain nutritional foodstuffs? Know of any super fruits and veg that could boost me?

Thanks for your time!

Current Mood: hopeful

Awkward moments -
I was at my boss's (well actually he may become my future employer i am just doing some work experience with his newspaper) house today. I was typing up an article so i was left at his house alone.
He came back about an hour later Macca's in hand looking very proud of himself.

"I brought you some lunch," he said.

"Oh," i said. Quite worried.

"You like Chicken burgers? ohhhhh your vegetarian...you eat chicken right"?

"ummmmm no," i reply.

"oh well you can just pick the patty off," he said.

"actually i can't eat it, thank you very much for the thought but i can't eat it," I tried to sound very apologetic.

At which point i begin to panic that he is just going to chuck the whole burger out, and i am fiercely against the unnecessary waste of animals.

Luckily he sat down with both burgers and ate them. But i think i may have just royally offended my boss! ahhahaha

Ordinarily i would have been very - No...NO MEAT!!!!!!

But this guy is my potential employer in a market very hard to get into.
I was trying to be a grateful as possible in (in my opinion) a very difficult circumstance.
I was just a little annoyed as only 2 weeks before we had a very in depth conversation about my vegetarianism and he knew exactly what i did and did not eat on that day. So its not as though he had no idea.

Has anyone had a experience like this. Turning down meat and wanting to be a little more forceful to someone who you MUST be polite to?

Hi, I've been on this community for a while, but I've never posted.

I've been vegetarian for two years now, and recently decided to go vegan.
Being a vegetarian has been easy for me since I've never been much of a meat eater, but I seem to be having a difficult time going without dairy. Any suggestions please?

Also, whats some vegan foods to snack on?

Thanks.

Chocolatey goodness...
Hello friendly veg*ns, :)

I was wondering, I think so, but is dark chocolate vegan? And also, I am trying to be as vegan as I can be, but I have to admit, every now and again I get a craving for ice cream and chocolate sauce. My aim is to get some 'soy ice cream' in the house, but what's the answer for chocolate sauce? We always melted dark chocolate and sweetened condensed milk together. Works like a charm and is really tasty, but it's milk. Suggestions?

Thanks!!
Christine

Party for the animals.
For those of you that didn't know, Animal Rights has gone into politics... a party that includes left and right wingers, vegans and vegatarians. They got in Parliament in the 2006 Dutch election, becoming the first Animal-focused party in the world to become elected. Apparently, from their 2 seats in the house of reps(in addition to 1 seat in the senate and 9 seats for provincial level government), they flood the whole place with 'at least 10 bills every week' (comment from another Dutch Politian)

http://www.partyfortheanimals.nl/

Something to consider for those law/politics/history/economics students? =)

x-posted to vegan people . Sorry if flooded.

No support posts
Hey, just a suggestion to the mods ...

would it be possible to make a massive tag/memory/log of entries or include it in the userinfo (such as 'how to cook tofu' is) to catalogue the 'my boyfriend/mother/father/friend is not veg/not supportive/loves meat what do I do?' posts we get? We literally have one of these a day and it would be so convenient to have the answers in one place than rehash the same situation day after day.

Thanks!

Current Mood: curious