New To Vegetarian Cooking

Don't really know if this is the right section for this topic, but I thought it better to be here rather than Toke n Talk.

So, I have thought about going vegetarian for a while now and last week I finally decided to do something about it. I'm not the type of guy who just quits cold turkey (no pun intended). I'm easying my way into the whole idea. I've started eating vegetarian style foods 5 days a week, leaving the week ends to kinda cheat in a burger or eggs and sausage. I figure I'll do this for about a month or so and see how I fare. If I behave myself, than only eat meat once a month, and than eventually cut out animals all togather. At least this is what I plan.
I was hoping to get other vegetarians out there and see what you did to change your eating habits. Also if you have any good recipes and/or recipe books/sites to recommend, I'm all ears.

N0iZ said:

Don't really know if this is the right section for this topic, but I thought it better to be here rather than Toke n Talk.

So, I have thought about going vegetarian for a while now and last week I finally decided to do something about it. I'm not the type of guy who just quits cold turkey (no pun intended). I'm easying my way into the whole idea. I've started eating vegetarian style foods 5 days a week, leaving the week ends to kinda cheat in a burger or eggs and sausage. I figure I'll do this for about a month or so and see how I fare. If I behave myself, than only eat meat once a month, and than eventually cut out animals all togather. At least this is what I plan.
I was hoping to get other vegetarians out there and see what you did to change your eating habits. Also if you have any good recipes and/or recipe books/sites to recommend, I'm all ears.

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Definitely get a cookbook or two. There are some excellent cookbooks out there. Do a search on Amazon.

This is the one that got me started: The New Moosewood Cookbook.



http://www.molliekatzen.com/archives.php

I became vegetarian in 1996 and now I have a whole bookshelf of vegetarian cookbooks in my kitchen.

http://vegweb.com/

Depending on the size of your town, there may be a vegetarian group that gets together from time to time for tastings and to exchange recipes.

Warning: Prepare yourself for the haters. You will be amazed to discover the number of people who will get their thongs in a wad over your diet. Just remember you do not have to justify yourself to anyone.

Best of luck.

Happy Cow is good too. Great restaurant guide. Essential for traveling.

http://www.happycow.net/

Thanks Johnny. I went to my local Barns&Noble and pick up a few vegetarian cook books, including The Moosewood Cookbook that you recommended. I am generally excited to start cooking my dinner tonight.

Oh, and as far as other people getting there panties in a twist. I'm not to worried about it. I do what makes me happy, and this whole transition into a new lifestyle has really got be gitty

On July 5th, 1971 I quit smoking cigs, quit eating meat and quit alcohol. In 1989 I did start back drinking beer. (got divorced and could not sleep)
Never smoked cigs or ate meat again since. My 39 year old daugher and 31 year old son have never ate a bite of animal in their entire lives.

You know if you 100% quit eating meat, for two weeks, with NO animal products at all, then do eat some meat, it is going to make you very very sick! VERY sick!

We eat Chilli, and lots of Mexican dishes but no meat, we eat pizza, spagetti and other Italian dishes, Japanese, Cuban, and Chinese too, but no meat. We eat a lot of rice and beans, salads, soups, caseroles, and tons of vegetables, but no meat.

N0iZ said:

Thanks Johnny. I went to my local Barns&Noble and pick up a few vegetarian cook books, including The Moosewood Cookbook that you recommended. I am generally excited to start cooking my dinner tonight.

Oh, and as far as other people getting there panties in a twist. I'm not to worried about it. I do what makes me happy, and this whole transition into a new lifestyle has really got be gitty

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Excellent.

I was going through my kitchen library and realized I did not recommend the book which has the most splashed, stained pages and a broken spine. I don't use this book as much as I did primarily because I have memorized all of my favorite recipes from it.

Very accessible dishes and the ingredients used are easy to find.



Definitely recommended.

How did the first dinner go?

The longest living reptiles on earth, those giant sea turtles, are vegetarians.
The longest living birds, parrots, are vegetarians.
And the longest living mamals like the BLUE WHALE eats plankon and is a vegetarian.
Elephants live a long time too and theya re vegetarians.

Meat eating animals, like the dog, or cat have a very short and straight digestive tract running from the mouth to the butt hole so the food exits quicker without building up harmful bacteria in the system. Meat eating animals also have teeth designed for eating meat and tearing it apart.
Vegetarian animals have a long and windey colon and digestive tract so the food stays in longer. And they do not have "meating eating " teeth. Considering all of that, humans are not meant to be meat eaters.

And when a wild meat eating animal like a lion or wolf kills and eats a vegetarian animal, they forst go to the stomach and intestiens and eats that animal's stomach contents and other organs.

Wow its awesome to see other vegetarians on here!

Roseman i have mad respect for you, seem like a really great guy!

The cook book i have is called, easy cooking for vegetarians... Or something like that, not at my house at the moment so i cant remember exactly what it is.

I havnt eaten an animal since i was 15, im 21 now, its been over 6 years and there is not a day that i have ever thought of eating another animal.

I find that eating mexican food and soy products is the easiest, NOIZ just stick with it eventually it will be like second nature to you.

Dang. I don't know how you can not eat meat. Not bashing to each there own. i can give you a few recipes
if you like. green beens,egg plant, bbq lots of stuff.

my best advice for you if your a vegiterian dont eat meat and youll be fine

stumps said:

Dang. I don't know how you can not eat meat. Not bashing to each there own. i can give you a few recipes
if you like. green beens,egg plant, bbq lots of stuff.

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Deprogramming is easy.

All it takes is a little willpower, and courage.

I don't see how anyone can put the decaying flesh of a dead animal in their mouth. Not bashing. To each their own

can no one hear the screams of the vegtables?????????????

beardo said:

can no one hear the screams of the vegtables?????????????

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I can't.

Can you?

A tomato will not try to escape when I am about to chop it up.

But a chicken would.
So would a cow.
Or a pig.
Or a bunny rabbit.

That asinine argument never ceases to humor me.

Kindly start a vegetarian-bashing thread if you want to continue this conversation; unless you have a recipe you would like to contribute here.

i love veggies im not 1 myself but also not a big meat eater and eventhough i dont see eating meat as inherently wrong i think how disconected we are from our food is wrong 95% of the peope eating at mcdonalds right now wouldnt kill a cow...they dont deserve to eat one then also i realise that the meat we have acess to isnt natural its got hormones and its been bred. the scream of the vegtables things from the hidden track 69 on tools cd with prison sex on it its awsome

Tomato-Basil Risotto

Ingredients:
8 c. vegetable broth
1/4 c. margarine
1/4 c. chopped onion
3 c. chopped plum tomatoes
2 c. Arborio rice
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil, or 1½ Tbs. dried
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions:
Cook broth in a saucepan over medium heat until hot. Melt 2 tbsp. butter in large Dutch oven over med-high heat; add onion, and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add tomato; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add rice; cook 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add broth, 1/2 c. at a time, stirring constantly; allow rice to absorb liquid before adding more broth. Stir in remaining 2 tbsp. butter, chopped basil, and remaining ingredients. Makes 5 cups.

Guess you missed the the point. I can give you lots of ways to prep veggies if you want. If not thats ok too.

What a lovely thread to read. I have been vegetarian for 10 years and consider it the one decision I have ever made which I know was right.
As Roseman mentioned mexican is killer for vegetarians, I eat my own half assed versions every day - tacos, nachoes, enchiladas, burritos, etc.
Also vegie lasagnes, falafels, pies(piemakers rock, cauliflower and cheese is a favourite), stuffed capsicums, huge roasted mushrooms, big breakfasts for lunch!
A personal recipe;
Ensalada Almondrado;
Salad
Cream
Almonds

Make a kick ass salad, include all sorts of roasted vegies, wedges, spices, chilli etc....
Smash your almonds up.
Mix them with the cream and cook on low heat until it's very thick.
Pour that over your salad. Creamy almond sauce, it's impossible to describe how good it is. is great with wedges or roast pumpkin, even paneer and stuff like that.

stumps said:

Guess you missed the the point. I can give you lots of ways to prep veggies if you want. If not thats ok too.

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Your post had more than one point. All of which I understood.

Yes, you offered recipes, including Bar-B-Que . But what you don't seem to realize is that as a meateater vegetables will always be nothing more than a side dish to you. Many meateaters include meat in vegetable dishes for 'flavor.' I suspect your recipes will reflect that lack of imagination. In other words, you just don't get it.

I changed my avi back to what it was before the holiday. Here it is for posterity.

I tried to + REP the vegetarians.

Thanks Roseman, i got ya back.


Have any of you guys ever tried the Gimmie Lean Sausage?

Oh jeez its the best, pan fry some up and throw it in spaghetti and you got yourself i nice meal right there!