Originally Posted by ISOS Duke

Thanks for making this thread Cherry! I may eat meat myself, but I find it very educational to read what everyone has been posting here. There are some things that raise questions (such as dairy-less dairy products), but tis my own ignorance which I plan on research later, maybe when I get home, you know, use it to not to auditing homework...

I just wanted to add something that [RFIM] was saying. When my boyfriend started working out, we learned that the human body doesn't actually require much protein as it is. It could be like what jelly said with us not really needing or being able to fully digest meat, but the usual amount of protein that people take in is typically just wasted throughout the day (smelly farts and such XP).

Hey, if you ever want some quick info on the dairy-less dairy products (if you will) feel free to ask me! If it seems a little ironic, that's cause it is.

But, yes! Totally with you on the protein thing. Unless you're trying to get MASSIVE amounts of muscle, then protein isn't something the average human needs to actively think about/try to get.
But it's the go-to worry about going meat free. Not saying there's anything wrong with that worry. Just shows that every person needs to really think before they decide on a "restrictive" diet of any kind.

Originally Posted by Pistachio_Moustache

There's no Aldi's around here, but I wish.
xD

The local shop around here is expensive as hell.
I work there.
xD

I prefer Walmart for staples, and go to the local shop for fresh produce and meat.
Although, everyone in this house is a meat eater, and I have bland tastes...
Maybe I should just go vegetarian one final time.
My younger cousin recently went vegetarian, so I should support her as well~

Aww, no Aldi? Definitely double check that with the store locator on their website - that store is a godsend. Otherwise, you might want to try looking around for other cheap stores. Walmart can be shockingly expensive - I've met a lot of people who just assume it always has the best prices on everything, but that's just not the case.

I'd say that vegetarianism is unlikely to stick unless you have a strong, personal conviction towards it, mostly because of how damn inconvenient it can be. So if you have trouble sticking with it, maybe approach it less from an "all or nothing" standpoint and consider just eating less meat, and experimenting more with vegetarian meals?

Originally Posted by Alexander J Luthor

I could probably be a vegetarian. Lately I've only had or eaten meat if I've gone out of my way to get it. Right now it's mainly just a way to get protein without having to research veggies and plan meals. Meat is very simple to cook and I love it for that. Would it count as vegetarian if I just had broth? Just a splash here and there, or a bullion cube.

It's been said already, but you don't really have to worry about protein at all. Iron is generally the larger actual risk for deficiencies with vegetarians/vegans, but eating plenty of dark plants takes care of that.

As for meat broth being vegetarian, it really depends on the vegetarian you ask. Some vegetarians abstain only from actual meat and are fine with by-products like broth. Me personally, I avoid anything that comes from a dead animal - including broths and gelatin. That being said, vegetable broth/bouillon is really quite tasty.

Originally Posted by [RFIM]

@Cherry
Haha, I gave it CPR and shoved it back into life! ^o^

Those marshmallows are AMAZING.
Just freaking awesome. I love them. They have a better taste than normal marshmallows, in my opinion! I'm surprised you found some "accidentally vegan" marshmallows! That's awesome though. A lot of vegan stuff doesn't get advertised as vegan, I think some companies even worry they might drive off non-vegans who are like "EW IS IT MADE OF TOFU?" (I swear, everyone I know asks if literally everything vegan I eat is "made of tofu") ~_~;

I ended up with just the pasta salad and treats for Easter. But everyone liked it! And they were uber supportive and didn't dump butter on the veggies and even got some Earth Balance and made vegan mashed potatoes! :D
I think I will look into some falafel recipes though... That sounds good! c:

You mentioned eggs too... Are eggs considered vegetarian? I never figured they were. ;o

That "is everything made of tofu" question makes me laugh... like, do you know what vegetables are?! Why would everything be tofu?

Congrats on the successful easter offerings!

Eggs are generally considered vegetarian, yeah. They're not meat and nothing died for it. Some vegetarians go without eggs, but that's bordering on veganism, honestly.

Originally Posted by ISOS Duke

Thanks for making this thread Cherry! I may eat meat myself, but I find it very educational to read what everyone has been posting here. There are some things that raise questions (such as dairy-less dairy products), but tis my own ignorance which I plan on research later, maybe when I get home, you know, use it to not to auditing homework...

I just wanted to add something that [RFIM] was saying. When my boyfriend started working out, we learned that the human body doesn't actually require much protein as it is. It could be like what jelly said with us not really needing or being able to fully digest meat, but the usual amount of protein that people take in is typically just wasted throughout the day (smelly farts and such XP).

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have, half of my goal here was to educate (the other half being to connect with other veggies). So just as long as you're not coming at us aggressively (which you're clearly not!), ask away!

As for the protein thing, that's a really good point. I wanted to bring it up in my post that addressed faux "nutritional concerns," but I couldn't find a source for that info at the time and didn't want to drop a fact as large as that uncited.

This one isn't so much 'how does this work' related, but what would you say your go-to snacks would be? Or what would you say your favorite snack is, if that differs from the go-to?

It would be silly to think 'oh, they must eat carrots for snacks, yup, has to be it. Plus, I need new snack foods for work and I'm tired of junk food and carrots (I'm so healthy...)!

I can definitely say that this is day one of my meat-less days.
I cannot go vegan, because I love eggs too much.
I can't live without my egg sandwiches.
xD

The only thing that's gonna bother me is cooking the meat for the meat eaters in this house.
I'm the only one that cooks.
Since I'm not going to be eating the meat, I can season the hell out of it.
Hubby always complains that I never season food.
I can't stand strong spices, but I like spicy food.
xDD

Last night I ate fish, and decided that it was the last time I was going to eat meat.
Although I love shrimp, I can give it up.

One of my go-to meals is pasta coated in sriracha with a little mayo.
The mayo knocks the sriracha down a notch. xD
It's a good anti-inflammatory for my cysts, and it helps keep my hunger at bay.

I want a pet chicken... xD

@Cherry, There's no Aldi's in the city I live in.

@RFIM, I'm doing it again! Last time! I will not fall through this time~!

ISOS - Honestly, junk food. Vegetarian doesn't necessarily mean healthier, it just means no meat. I eat chips, popcorn, cookies, the same junk anyone else does.

I've heard baked and seasoned chickpeas make a wonderful healthy snack, but I've not tried it yet.

After I postes I realized how silly of a post it was ^.^;;

It's alright. I think a lot of people tend to forget that veggies just abstain from meat and don't necessarily eat any differently where non-meat things are concerned.

Sun Chips, maybe? All the convenience of a chip, but better for you. I like those.

I had vegan on my mind and for some reason I sais that even in regards to vegetarians being able to eat the same things XP

Potato chips are vegan too, though.

I did not know this! It's more, my lack of understanding of being a vegan evidently causes issues -.-

I have some simple definitions on the first page that might help you.

Yes, I had read those! I never knew there was one for eating fish and not other meats. I guess it's more my ignorance as to what is really in food. I just tend to eat it and not pay attention to what goes into it.

I appreciate the patience you're having with me ^.^;;

Pescatarianism isn't a well-known term. Even among pescatarians! Some of them just refer to themselves as "vegetarians who eat fish." Even my spell checker doesn't know the word.

Cherry - Aldi is awesome!

I'm a meat eater but there are many kinds of meat I avoid. I only eat breast meat from poultry (I know, wasteful), certain cuts of steak and fish (but no shellfish). I also try to avoid processed meat, but I have this serious weakness for salami...

I'll contribute one of my favorite vegetarian recipes, it's got butter and chicken bouillon in it but I'm sure that can be tweaked for vegans.

Portobello and Green Bean Saute

1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and halved
1 lb baby porotbello mushrooms, quartered
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup butter, cubed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp chicken bouillon granules
4 plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped (I don't peel the skin but do what you wish)
1 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Place beans in a large saucepan and cover with water, bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute mushrooms and onion in butter until tender. Add garlic and bouillon, cook 1 minute longer. Drain green beans; add to skillet and toss to coat. Remove from heat. Stir in tomatoes, marjoram and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley.

What sort of texture do portabello mushrooms have? I don't mind the flavor of mushrooms, but their texture is a stumbling block for me. The kind you get sliced in cans just have the worst texture. ><

Originally Posted by Cherry Who?

What sort of texture do portabello mushrooms have? I don't mind the flavor of mushrooms, but their texture is a stumbling block for me. The kind you get sliced in cans just have the worst texture. ><

omg canned mushrooms, what an abomination. They're much better fresh. I even eat some milder mushrooms raw, like white buttons. Others have a more intense earthy taste that go better in cooked dishes.
But portabellos can vary in texture; I've made grilled portabello caps marinated in steak sauce (another great vegetarian idea [lots of steak sauces, I know especially Worcestershire, contain fish, so vegans watch for that]) and I had a couple that were very tender and delicious, and another one that was just... I can't even describe it. Wasn't that great, though.
The texture of mushrooms is probably the thing people like least about them lol. Sometimes it's weird to me, but they're so omnommy I just bear with the sensation.

You really don't have to stick to portabellos for this, I've used some more exotic varieties (absolutely cannot remember the names) I found at the farmer's market. It's definitely an easy recipe to get creative with and try a few new things when you've made it a time or two.

BTW: Kari Byron, the main girl on Mythbusters, is a pescetarian. She just calls herself a vegetarian on camera because so few people know the term lol. My godmother became pescetarian after beating cancer, she just couldn't handle digesting red meat.

Hello hello - I'm a vegetarian and have been eating mostly dairy free lately, so I suppose that means I'm on a mostly vegan diet.

Has anyone ever tried vegetarian lunch "meat"? Looks like slices of chicken or ham or whatever you'd put on a sandwich, but it's soy or something. Saw some at a grocery store a while back and I've been craving a good sandwich so I'm thinking about getting some tomorrow.

I've also seen "meat" crumbles.
xD
Fuddruckers has a pretty good veggie burger.
I took a bite, and broccoli and carrots popped out.
xDD

I can look to see if the store I work at has lunch "meat."
:D

Oh, I've had plenty of meat substitutes. Veggie burgers, bean burgers, soy bacon, soy "ground beef." I'm talking specifically about lunch meat. You know, for sandwiches. Thin slices.

I was trying to say that I haven't seen it.
Oops.
xDD