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Meat to Veg.
Steve108
Explorer
Is it difficult to make the transition from a meat eating diet to a vegetarian diet. Something that I've wanted to do for a while now but have been unable to take that first step. Any tips please.
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soya mince = easy
Aim to be vegan, then successfully fail into veggieness
It is very easy. Don't buy meat, then you won't eat it.
I used to only eat meat when eating out. That is a halfway approach.
Eat fish only to start.
It is easy. You don't miss meat and you tend to eat better.
I don't know if you've tried seitan/wheat gluten, for example, but it can be fried/boiled/baked/grilled/you-name-it into all kinds of delicious meaty-like dishes. You can use the same sauces, marinades, seasonings, etc. you would on chicken or beef. At a Taiwanese Buddhist gathering once they were roasting what looked like a massive pork hock and I was really confused--found out it was a massive gluten hock
Tofu gets an unfairly-bad rap; if you get the firm stuff and fry it hot enough, or bake it, especially after marinating, it's awesome and has plenty of "chew."
There are also Adventist product lines (Worthington Foods, Loma Linda Foods--I think they've merged now), that make delicious canned products designed to be meatlike--much tastier, often, than the secular equivalents, although those are improving rapidly. Fri-Chik (like chicken nuggets), Big Franks (like beef franks), Skallops (like scallops), etc., are a few examples. My family now insists I make stir-fry with Fri-Chik instead of regular chicken!
Once again, I find myself hungry and drooling after reading a NewBuddhist thread
rice
mushrooms
eggplant
peppers, tomatoes, all veggies
all fruits,
tofu
beans (oh so tasty -- legumes -- you can make soups, spreads, anything)
breads (although I guess technically contain Egg?)
Anyway, mushrooms are a good replacement "main" for most meats. I get Roasted Black Bean patties from the store and they are scrumptious. When I went Veg I didn't know what to eat, but try just swapping out meat with [non-meat] and go from there. I also learned to love every vegetable. Yum, so crunchy, juicy, tasty! =D
When it comes to vegetarian meals I eat a lot of beans and chick peas which are good sources of protein and can be prepared a lot of different ways (thrown in salads, baked in casseroles, stews, soups etc). I also eat almonds for the same reason (I like to put them in salads), but I have to be somewhat careful with my nut intake since I managed to eat walnuts too often and developed a mild sensitivity. Hummus makes great sandwich spread. Roasting veggies in the oven is a lovely way to prepare them and is super easy. I am all about the easy when it comes to food preparation. I love to eat and try new things, but I did not inherit the cooking gene that the rest of my family got.
I don't like many of the fake meat products and tend to just enjoy veggies for what they are (did find a decent meatless chorizo sausage though). I don't have any plans to ever give up dairy or eggs, and if you wish to continue eating those that will give you plenty of options too. My problem isn't a dislike of vegetarian meals or a specific craving for meat in general, but having trouble turning down my family's excellent cooking (plus I hate to inconvenience people) as well as situations where there are not a lot of alternatives available -- despite wanting to have a meat free weekend, I ended up with a meat pie at the Ren Fair *sigh*.
Try masala fish or curried with something you like.
Without fish. No life. [Lobsterian saying]
Yes, tofu is yummy but not easy to get hold of where I live. I tend to eat quorn which is widely available and tastes a bit like chicken...
Quorn is a brandname that makes a great chicken/turkey patty substitute of a sort. It's made out of a form of fungus (you can think mushroom, if you like, lol) that is high in protein and provides a nice natural texture and flavor. It doesn't exactly taste LIKE chicken, per se, but it does taste nice. In my experience, I don't much care for the veg things that are supposed to taste LIKE their meat counterpart because they will almost always be disappointing (try veggi bacon, I dare you). I'd rather eat something that tastes good on it's own without adding in a bunch of weird chemical flavors.
@black_tea Did the veg chorizo you mention come from Trader Joes? Someone else told me I should try it but I haven't yet.
Two of my faves are 油麵筋 - yau min jeung (oily wheat tendon, lol) are those delicious little tender bites, sometimes called mock abalone
And all-time fave, 烤麩 - hau fu (baked wheatbran), sometimes braised and marinated. My mom used it for our curries - it soaks up sauce like nobody's business:
and I always answer "Anything but meat". =D That's really how it is. I prefered to think of it as a creative opportunity to make dishes without meat in the beginning.
Just watch out for the lack of B12 which is mainly gain from meat and dairy products.
Good luck!
B12 is produced by bacteria, not directly by plants or animals, and actually bacteria found in our intestines produce some. So is good for this and others reasons have a healthy gut flora.
So if you eat sometimes Nori seaweed in sushi and breakfast cereals you'll be fine.
On the protein side: tofu, lentils, garbanzo beans (chick peas here in Australia), fresh soy beans (also known as endamame, totally delicious with soy sauce and sesame seeds), kidney beans, the queen of grains Quinoa (pronounced keenwah), eggs (a source of B12). There's a fantastic product called Quorn which comes as mince, sausages, medallions etc. And don't forget nuts and seeds which you can snack on.
On the iron side: When you become a vegetarian the idea is to eat a lot of vegetables, more than the recommended 2 1/2 cups per day. Try to make every meal at least half to 2/3 plant food. That way you won't miss out on iron because it is present in most vegetables. Leafy greens a great sources, especially Kale. Those endamame beans are chock full of iron. Try and eat veges at every meal. Think eggs, spinach and mushrooms for breakfast. Avoid filling up on starches like bread, rice, potatoes and pasta, too many carbs is not a good thing.
Don't forget dairy, it's considered one of the most complete foods, but don't overdo it as it can be high in carbs and fat (provided you are not considering vegan).
Don't overdo fruit either as it's high in natural sugars.
Becoming vegetarian isn't only about replacing one food for another. You need to rethink what constitutes a meal if you aren't building around a dead animal (sorry ;-) The formats of your meals may change. Hurrah for one pot meals and substantial salads.
There is a wealth of information and recipes on the net. Sometimes cooking vego can be time consuming but there are shortcuts.
The only hitch I've found is when I travel, and this is true just about anywhere. Warn restaurants before hand. Last year I was in Bali and all I was offered for 10 days was Nasi Goreng (rice) and tofu. Not a vege in sight except for spring onions!
Good luck Steve108, eating a well balanced diet you will look better, feel better and your body will function better... and you will be honouring sila by abstaining from taking life in order to survive.
There are countless delicious veggie options and the process of finding them and tweaking them to your tastes can be a really enjoyable experience.
http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=4916&catId=1
He's been a vegan for many years - despite people telling him top athletes can't be - and he assigns part of his success to his vegan diet.
He scatters a few of his favourite vegan foods, including stuff he fuels with, throughout the book if anyone's interested.
I don't know if Jurek is 'Buddhist', but he has an interest in Buddhism. He's from the US so I can imagine he would tone down any non-Christian belief; but it's a good read if anyone is interested in running and a non meat diet.
Oh, but in regards to what was quoted, the increase in meat consumption is only relevant because it's sustainable. The inventor of Quorn didn't think it was sustainable, thus, he thought it would lessen. We've proven that we can raise much more meat than anyone ever expected... although obviously... it's an inferior product. Something always has to give.