Going Veggie

[Amaris]

I don't think escalating it really helps matters. Some people just seem to have a weird kind of inferiority complex when they're faced with someone who's a vegetarian/vegan for ethical reasons. People tend to feel very strongly about what they eat, I suppose. I usually take it as a sign that they might feel bad about eating meat at times. It also helps to say that you feel sorry for the animals rather than that you think it's wrong to eat them. I used the latter phrasing just once - it didn't go over well.
Usually, when people find out you're vegetarian/vegan they will ask you about it. I think it's best to stay polite and friendly because I believe that's a better way to get them to think about it.

Well, it's all in good fun. I only get annoyed when someone gets pushy. Up until that point, I'm as pacified as peach pie.

Yay! I totally support you, J. Allen! Glad to hear it's had such a marked effect on your health so far!

Myself, I just don't like meat for the most part. The taste, the texture, the way it feels in my mouth, the way I feel after I eat it...bleck. Especially beef.

I do, however, love seafood and some forms of dairy (mostly cheese), as well as eggs.

So I do eat meat, on occasion. But people cooking for me or eating with me have come to think of me as vegetarian (comparatively speaking) because if there is a choice between vegetarian anything and something incorporating meat, I'll almost always pick the former. And we do a lot of vegetarian cooking around here, to the chagrin of my carnivorous family members.

Thanks, Grey! To be honest, like Count Zero was talking about earlier, I started seeing the animals I was eating, and while that wasn't the biggest motivator to move to vegetarianism (my health is the biggest), it still played a role, and now if I visit a farm, I shall pet the animals with impunity. IMPUNITY, I SAY!

APPROACH ME, LITTLE LAMB, FOR I SHALL NOT SUP UPON YOU THIS NIGHT!

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

APPROACH ME, LITTLE LAMB, FOR I SHALL NOT SUP UPON YOU THIS NIGHT!

I see you with a jar of mint sauce in your back pocket..

 

[Amaris]

APPROACH ME, LITTLE LAMB, FOR I SHALL NOT SUP UPON YOU THIS NIGHT!

I see you with a jar of mint sauce in your back pocket..

It's for the trees. The trees love mint sauce.

 

[Sector 7]

^Is a slow cooker the same thing as a crock pot?

When I was a kid there was a year when our stove broke and my mom couldn't afford to fix it, so every hot meal we had was in from a crock pot!

I make a bitchin' vegetarian chili, if you want the recipe for that, J. It's easy to make, easy to modify, cost-effective, super nutritious, extra-diabetes friendly, and delicious!

"Crock-Pot" is a brand made by Rival. When other manufacturers started making them, the term "slow-cooker" came into use. It is a generic term for the same thing.

That sounds delicious! Though I might see if I (and this gonna sound like sacrilege) will remove the beans. Or at least not do as much of them. I know, I know, no chili without beans, but I'm not a huge fan. Luckily bro is so he might eat mine.

On the contrary, m'dear, there are those who would say that anything that has beans is not chili! So you prefer an all veggie chili-esque stew? So what, make what you like! Another healthful, but non-vegetarian creative spin would be to use ground turkey breast or chicken breast and make a bean-free chili

I agree, there are as many versions of "chili" as there are cooks.

I make a simple chili in the slow-cooker/Crock-Pot, with ground turkey:

1 can Light Red Kidney Beans
1 can Dark Red Kidney Beans
1 can Black Beans
1 pound Ground Turkey
1 can Diced Tomatoes
Diced Fresh or Dehydrated Onions
Crushed Basil
Cholula Hot Sauce (or other hot sauce/chili powder) to taste

Brown ground turkey in pan. Add to slow-cooker.
Add canned items to slow-cooker. Stir.
Cover with lid. Simmer all day while at work, etc.
Enjoy a simple chili for dinner!

[p.s.- for a thicker chili, I have been known to add a small can of tomato paste]
Apologies to the purists, but being a caregiver and disabled myself, I often use canned food. You have permission to substitute and suggest healthier alternatives.

For my current batch, I had leftover broccoli stems and celery hearts from a veggie tray I made for friends. I diced them finely and put them all in the chili. Mom and I LOVED it!

Oh, man, Sector7, please don't take any offense or insult at this, because I don't mean it that way at all, but I personally find your attitude towards carb counting hilarious! It's just that I am a type 1 diabetic; I've been carb counting since I was 12, using carb counts to calculate boluses. The thought of carb counting as fun rather than "IF YOU DON'T DO THIS CORRECTLY, YOU WILL DIE IN YOUR SLEEP!" is so mind-bogglingly foreign to me that it made me laugh! It's awesome that you like it though, and that it's working so well for you. Very cool!

I am very insulted and mortally wounded............ NOT!
Like I said, tsq, I have always loved reading labels. I just never really knew how to apply what I read to a healthy diet. Carb Counting just... clicked.

Hey, I have a bean question. When you buy dried beans and lentils, it seems like they need to soak for a long time before they're usable. Like 4-6 hours minimum. Is there any maximum? Can I keep a bunch of beans sealed up with water in a jar in my refrigerator, ready to be used at a moment's notice? Or would they deteriorate into a soggy mess before too long?

I read several posts from you, Gary7 and others about beans. Thought I'd add something I learned. Not knowing how to cook them & Mom being hungry for beans, I did not rinse the beans... just put the dried beans in the crock pot with lightly salted water with black pepper and simmered all day, stirring occasionally. They turned out great... even I liked them and I'm not a fan of just a plain old pot of beans.

This has become my favorite thread on TrekBBS, right behind The Caregivers' Thread!

 

[Amaris]

Oh, man, I love a good old pot of beans. I also like to cut big chunks of Vidalia onion into the pot. It adds this flavor that's hard for me to explain, but it just tastes so good!

 

[Sector 7]

Oh, man, I love a good old pot of beans. I also like to cut big chunks of Vidalia onion into the pot. It adds this flavor that's hard for me to explain, but it just tastes so good!

When I do eat them, I like slivers of raw onion and apple cider vinegar on top. I learned that from my best friend's mom while in college.

This begs the question to all: How do you like your beans?

Also, since I am eating healthier... Mom only has upper dentures, therefore she cannot chew food well. I see quite a few raw veggie dishes here. How can I compromise? I need dishes where I can cook the same items crispy/crunchy for me AND softer for Mom. Puree is out of the question. The food becomes mush and too soft even for Mom. An example is Chinese stir-fry: I'll make it normal, eat mine right away. By the time I finish eating, Mom's is soft enough for her to enjoy. With only the two of us, it is much too expensive and time consuming to fix separate meals. [Hope that made sense... I had a big day & am exhausted]

 

[Amaris]

Oh, man, I love a good old pot of beans. I also like to cut big chunks of Vidalia onion into the pot. It adds this flavor that's hard for me to explain, but it just tastes so good!

When I do eat them, I like slivers of raw onion and apple cider vinegar on top. I learned that from my best friend's mom while in college.

Apple cider vinegar, eh? Hmm...

 

[SmoothieX]

^ The chili, or the ballpark?

(srsly, GABP looks very nice. Much better than that dump the Reds used to play in....Unfortunately it'll be at least a year before I can go there. But it's on my list!)

Both! And I've only been to GABP once, but it is something I haven't forgotten. My friend and I were only 4 rows back, and behind the shortstop, which is a great place to be, because all of the really good action happens there.

You were sitting in short left field?

Good luck with the changes in your diet. A few years back, my cholesterol, triglycerides, and liver counts were through the roof and I had to give up alcohol other than on rare special occasions. Not fun considering I used to brew my own beer. But my levels dropped dramatically in short order, so well worth the investment in my health.

As for chili, Cincy style is fun. Never had the real stuff, but have made it from a recipe a few times. My favorite is a pork chili verde I conjured up one Super Bowl Sunday a few years back.

 

[KimMH]

In agreement with you Sector7! Informative and funny! And inspiring. I've always been a committed carnivore. This makes me want to explore other options!

J. Allen, as for the ethics of vegetarianism, I grew up next to my grandparent's farm. We were trained early to harden our hearts towards what we saw. It was difficult; I think the natural inclination is kindness, and it never occurred to my elders that perhaps they should have allowed is to own our feelings of compassion.

 

[Amaris]

You were sitting in short left field?

Good luck with the changes in your diet. A few years back, my cholesterol, triglycerides, and liver counts were through the roof and I had to give up alcohol other than on rare special occasions. Not fun considering I used to brew my own beer. But my levels dropped dramatically in short order, so well worth the investment in my health.

As for chili, Cincy style is fun. Never had the real stuff, but have made it from a recipe a few times. My favorite is a pork chili verde I conjured up one Super Bowl Sunday a few years back.

Thanks, Smoothie!
Yeah, we were actually next to second base, which I guess isn't really the short stop position.

The best Cincinnati style chili will be the one I try to make next.

In agreement with you Sector7! Informative and funny! And inspiring. I've always been a committed carnivore. This makes me want to explore other options!

J. Allen, as for the ethics of vegetarianism, I grew up next to my grandparent's farm. We were trained early to harden our hearts towards what we saw. It was difficult; I think the natural inclination is kindness, and it never occurred to my elders that perhaps they should have allowed is to own our feelings of compassion.

I agree. You should be able to feel however you wish. I feel that if such a thing doesn't bother you, okay. If it does, that's just as alright. I was never completely comfortable with it, and as I get older, I find it less and less appealing. That's just for me, though, and I would never hold anyone else to that. We're omnivores by nature. What's nice is that it also lets me make a choice, and my body doesn't have to suffer for that choice.

 

[Tachyon]

I went veggie two years ago and I don't feel like I am missing out of anything, really. I didn't have any specific ethical reasons to go veggie back in the day, I simply realized I was eating meat less and less, because I didn't really enjoy it anymore. Now the mere thought of consuming meat is a bit appaling, tbh.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I have invented the most awesome summer salad.. I'm eating it now with an icy glass of sauvignon blanc.

Diced continental cucumber, black beans, squeeze of lime juice and fresh lychees. I was looking at the bag of lychees on my desk when this vision suddenly came to me.

It is beautiful.

 

[lurok]

Yum. I love lychees, esp peeling them, but somehow always feel they taste like perfumed balls.

How are you with durians? *eek*

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I've only had durian ice cream. I saw they were selling durian in woolworths recently but I suspect it was mislabled jackfruit. I sniffed it deeply but failed to detect anything. The durian ice cream was fine.

I love lychees, "perfumed" is one of my favorite food groups, LOL. Turkish delight, lychees, rambutans, lavender cheese.. but lychees are my favorite. They are cheap here too, I just ADORE them. Rambutans I adore because they appear in the fruit bowls of so many science fiction shows but I don't think they have the same fragrance.

I will try durian when I get the chance.

 

[thestrangequark]

^I like "perfumed" foods too. My mother makes a lot of homemade jams and jellies, and my favorite by far is her strawberry lavender jam. It's AMAZING! Though the sangria jelly she made this summer is a close second! I also love Turkish Delights. I grew up in a state famous for apples, and there is a company called Aplets & Cotlets that makes their own unique variety of Turkish Delight. The company was founded by two middle eastern immigrants (I'm assuming here, I know they were immigrants but I could not find their country of origin) who moved to Washington State to farm. They grew apricots, apples, and tree nuts. Applets & Cotlets are basically apricot and apple Turkish delights with chopped walnuts, and they're amazing. My mother, sister, and I went to their tiny little factory one year, situated in the little town by their orchards and where they give little factory tours. It was actually a lot of fun, and the fresh sweets were mind-blowingly good!

Anyway, enough being all "This post brought to you by our sponsors..."

I am trying to take J's motivation to heart and improve my own diet. I already eat really healthy in general, and I actually eat vegetarian by default. I don't exclude meat because, as a type 1 diabetic, the options I have for what will affect my blood sugar are limited enough already, and I found complete vegetarianism just too limiting (though I did do it for several years). I just like my once a year buffalo jerky too much! I hardly ever eat it, though.

I should get more variety, though. I sometimes make great soups, but usually I just eat the same thing every day: cup of cottage cheese, piece of fruit if my blood sugar is low enough, salad, 1/4 cup of mixed nuts. Yesterday, though, I tried something new (though not veggie). I baked a catfish fillet and steamed some broccoli and those tiny, multicolored potatoes. I can't believe how easy and delicious the fish was, and so much less messy than cooking meat!

 

[Sector 7]

I hope my questions are not annoying or offensive. They are not meant to be. This is addressed to TheStrangeQuark and, well, any others:

I gather there are different levels of veggie-ism. Vegans seem to be one extreme, but many levels seem to exist.

Why is it OK to eat fish, but not other meat... or chicken, but not beef? This is something I really don't understand. [Remember, I'm not trying to be offensive, but to learn.]

Where I live, we don't even have specialty stores. The lychee salad looks great, but I don't have access to many of the ingredients I've seen on here. It's another reason I'm just trying to eat healthier in general. It was different when we lived at the beach, it was a larger city with more variety.

 

[Amaris]

I hope my questions are not annoying or offensive. They are not meant to be. This is addressed to TheStrangeQuark and, well, any others:

I gather there are different levels of veggie-ism. Vegans seem to be one extreme, but many levels seem to exist.

Why is it OK to eat fish, but not other meat... or chicken, but not beef? This is something I really don't understand. [Remember, I'm not trying to be offensive, but to learn.]

Where I live, we don't even have specialty stores. The lychee salad looks great, but I don't have access to many of the ingredients I've seen on here. It's another reason I'm just trying to eat healthier in general. It was different when we lived at the beach, it was a larger city with more variety.

For asking this question, I'm going to have to beat you, ostracize you, and then beat you again. Fortunately, in between each beating, you will be showered with kisses.

Seriously, though, in my opinion, fish is meat. So it's more akin to Pescetarianism, rather than Vegetarianism, but that's just my opinion. Generally, this topic is highly debated. Personally, it doesn't matter to me, but I do find it a bit curious.

 

[thestrangequark]

I hope my questions are not annoying or offensive. They are not meant to be. This is addressed to TheStrangeQuark and, well, any others:

I gather there are different levels of veggie-ism. Vegans seem to be one extreme, but many levels seem to exist.

Why is it OK to eat fish, but not other meat... or chicken, but not beef? This is something I really don't understand. [Remember, I'm not trying to be offensive, but to learn.]

Where I live, we don't even have specialty stores. The lychee salad looks great, but I don't have access to many of the ingredients I've seen on here. It's another reason I'm just trying to eat healthier in general. It was different when we lived at the beach, it was a larger city with more variety.

Not offended at all.

My sister is a vegan. Her philosophy is that she is in the position to live without using animals at all, and that is what she should do. Her's is a position of ethics, recognizing that we, as humans, are animals. She believes, therefore, that animals deserve the same rights not to be abused, exploited, or murdered as people do. She therefore does what she can to be completely independent of all animal products, from meat, fish, dairy, and eggs, to honey, leather, and wool. While I do agree with some of her philosophy, I don't share it all, but I understand why she feels the way she does.

As for other lines, I think some people draw the line at meat but continue to eat fish and poultry for health reasons. Others, because their arbitrary line of morality extends only to land animals. For some, it's about the environment the animal lived in: a fish caught from the ocean was not exploited all its life for food. The truth is, no matter where we draw our personal ethical lines it is pretty much arbitrary in the end. Vegans eat mushrooms even though they are far more closely related to animals than to plants, for example. Morals are a choice, and some people just choose differently along the scale. I think every point on the meat-eater to fish-eater to veggie to vegan scale has good moral arguments for it, and good arguments why the line should be somewhere else, so I figure people should be allowed to settle wherever they feel most comfortable and justify their position as they will.

 

[Amaris]

I believe you may have answered that question perfectly, tsq.
That doesn't change that I'm still beating him. In fact, if you'll keep an eye on him, I'll go get the comfy chair.

 

[CorporalClegg]

tsq does everything perfectly. Who are you kidding?