Vegetarianism

[ipitytheblue]

So, in preparation for spending some time at home over the recent holiday, I picked up what I thought was Jonathan Safran Foer's last novel, Eating Animals. Turns out it's not a novel at all (didn't research this one bit, obviously) but rather a book about his journey to find out where food comes from, initially sparked by him preparing to become a father. It's very well-researched, rich in context (social, historical, political, ethical etc.), and unsurprisingly disturbing when it comes to the implications of eating meat these days. Happy Thanksgiving to me! I'm not going to preach here (don't wanna be that asshole) but I would recommend the book to anyone who feels like they're willfully ignoring some unpleasant truths behind their daily practices.

Anyway, I thought I'd try out vegetarianism for a little while, after the new year. Seems like a healthy, ethical decision to make. Problem is, I know next to nothing about it and am not a very active cook to begin with. I'm curious to hear from any of you what that transition is like, any good resources to check out, delicious recipes... you name it.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Milhouse]

i don't give a shit, meat is delicious

 

[cookoutdeac]

i don't give a shit, meat is delicious

teh truth.

 

[dashionista]

So, in preparation for spending some time at home over the recent holiday, I picked up what I thought was Jonathan Safran Foer's last novel, Eating Animals. Turns out it's not a novel at all (didn't research this one bit, obviously) but rather a book about his journey to find out where food comes from, initially sparked by him preparing to become a father. It's very well-researched, rich in context (social, historical, political, ethical etc.), and unsurprisingly disturbing when it comes to the implications of eating meat these days. Happy Thanksgiving to me! I'm not going to preach here (don't wanna be that asshole) but I would recommend the book to anyone who feels like they're willfully ignoring some unpleasant truths behind their daily practices.

Anyway, I thought I'd try out vegetarianism for a little while, after the new year. Seems like a healthy, ethical decision to make. Problem is, I know next to nothing about it and am not a very active cook to begin with. I'm curious to hear from any of you what that transition is like, any good resources to check out, delicious recipes... you name it.

Thanks in advance!

i think i once made a bet that you'd eventually turn into a vegetarian. time to collect!

 

[TWDeac]

I listened to an NPR show about a guy that was an strict vegan, but for some reason(I'm sure they explained, I didn't hear it) decided to incorporate meat into his diet. He only wanted to eat animals he shot, though, so he went hunting for deer. It was very strange because he was almost worshipping the animal.

http://www.tovarcerulli.com/

A Mindful Carnivore

 

[TWDeac]

At twenty, moved by the compassionate words of Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh and concerned about the ecological impacts of meat, I became a vegetarian. Soon I went vegan.Almost a decade later, having moved back to a rural community from New York City, I realized that all food has its costs. From habitat destruction to grain combines that inadvertently mince rabbits to the shooting of deer in soybean and lettuce fields, crop production is far from harmless. Even in our own organic garden, my wife and I were battling ravenous insects and fence-defying woodchucks. I began to see that the question wasn’t what we ate but how that food came to our plates.


A few years later, my doctor (a naturopath) and my wife—who was studying holistic health and nutrition—suggested that we shift our diet. My health improved when we started eating dairy and eggs. It improved still more when we started eating chicken and fish.


Searching for ethical, ecologically responsible ways to come to terms with my food, I began to contemplate the unthinkable: hunting. Two years later, I took up a deer rifle.

\

FYI

 

[Deadbolt]

I did it for a few months last year, just to challenge myself. Eating out becomes pretty difficult, so you have to cook for yourself. I thought that I'd lose weight doing it, but I ended up eating a lot of carbs and didn't lose anything. I did, however, notice that I felt better most of the time. Always satisfied but never "full." I didn't stick with it, but it was a cool experience.

 

[ipitytheblue]

TW: Yeah, I can see that. It's not the eating of meat itself that bothers me but rather the relative impossibility of casually eating meat in this country that doesn't come from factory farms or involve disease and suffering. I'd eat from family farms without hesitation.

 

[PirateDeacon]

Factory farming is awful. With that said everyone needs vitamin b12 and even though it is possible to have enough vitamin b12 without eating animals or eggs, it is extremely difficult.

I don't eat any factory-farmed meat anymore but I still eat free-range eggs, wild fish, and the occasional free range chicken.

Not only is factory-farmed meat unethical but it pales in comparison to the taste of a healthy chicken or egg. It can be rather expensive though.

 

[KickballDeac]

TW: Yeah, I can see that. It's not the eating of meat itself that bothers me but rather the relative impossibility of casually eating meat in this country that doesn't come from factory farms or involve disease and suffering. I'd eat from family farms without hesitation.

I understand health and religious/cultural reasons behind vegetarianism, but I tend to think wanting to limit animal 'suffering' alone is pretty shallow.

Davis's research focuses on the work of Tom Regan, a philosophy professor from North Carolina State University and founder of the contemporary animal rights movement. Regan argues that the least harm would be done to animals if people were to adopt a vegan diet - that is, a diet based only on plants, with no meat, eggs, or milk products.


What goes unaccounted for in Regan's vegan conclusion, according to Davis, is the number of animals who are inadvertently killed during crop production and harvest.


"Vegan diets are not bloodless diets," Davis said. "Millions of animals die every year to provide products used in vegan diets."

http://web.archive.org/web/20041107084521/http://eesc.orst.edu/agcomwebfile/news/food/vegan.html

It's hard to escape the struggle for existence is all I'm saying.

 

[ipitytheblue]

I don't really see how it's "shallow". I mean it's not perfect but undeniably better, IMO. In any case, I'm not here to debate the practice but rather to hear from folks with experience.

 

[mmedeac]

So, in preparation for spending some time at home over the recent holiday, I picked up what I thought was Jonathan Safran Foer's last novel, Eating Animals. Turns out it's not a novel at all (didn't research this one bit, obviously) but rather a book about his journey to find out where food comes from, initially sparked by him preparing to become a father. It's very well-researched, rich in context (social, historical, political, ethical etc.), and unsurprisingly disturbing when it comes to the implications of eating meat these days. Happy Thanksgiving to me! I'm not going to preach here (don't wanna be that asshole) but I would recommend the book to anyone who feels like they're willfully ignoring some unpleasant truths behind their daily practices.

Anyway, I thought I'd try out vegetarianism for a little while, after the new year. Seems like a healthy, ethical decision to make. Problem is, I know next to nothing about it and am not a very active cook to begin with. I'm curious to hear from any of you what that transition is like, any good resources to check out, delicious recipes... you name it.

Thanks in advance!

I read the same book last fall and it changed my eating habits radically this year. I generally now have very little desire for meat and will eat about 1/4 of a serving of it. I didn't set out to forego meat, but that has certainly been the result of reading Foer's book. Healthy eating in general has been more satisfying without a lot of meat. Good luck to you!

 

[KickballDeac]

I don't really see how it's "shallow". I mean it's not perfect but undeniably better, IMO. In any case, I'm not here to debate the practice but rather to hear from folks with experience.

Just pointing it out because you mentioned unpleasant truths (which I'm not denying) and ethics in your OP, and there's probably a flip side to that. I toyed with the idea of vegetarianism a bit last year and stumbled on the argument then. But I don't have a strong opinion about it because I was just looking into eating healthier.

Anyway, more relevant to your main point: I learned a bunch of stir-fry recipes to start out. It's easy, it's filling, it's quick, and there are enough sauce flavors out there that kept me from getting bored (Szechuan and Thai peanut FTW)

 

[ipitytheblue]

Just pointing it out because you mentioned unpleasant truths (which I'm not denying) and ethics in your OP, and there's probably a flip side to that. I toyed with the idea of vegetarianism a bit last year and stumbled on the argument then. But I don't have a strong opinion about it because I was just looking into eating healthier.

Anyway, more relevant to your main point: I learned a bunch of stir-fry recipes to start out. It's easy, it's filling, it's quick, and there are enough sauce flavors out there that kept me from getting bored (Szechuan and Thai peanut FTW)

thanks, that's what I need

 

[lbE08]

Yeah, for me the trick was finding hearty grains/beans and basing meals around that rather than just feeling like all there is to eat is salad and pasta.
First, would you still eat fish and eggs? this is a question that can drastically alter your options, especially when eating out. Personally, i found it really hard not to do either, and ended up still consuming both. Eggs more often than fish.
Second, it's amazing what you can do with beans and quinoa. I didn't even know what quinoa was when I was veggie, and damn- that stuff is in incredible, and incredibly filling. Beans are great and a decent amount can be done w/ them. Bean chilis and stews are great for making en masse and eating over the course of the week, especially in winter.
Third- 'meatless' meat products are typically pretty awful and full of all sorts of fake crap, but if you're going to eat them, the 'best' ones are the morningstar farms soysage and various garden burgers. Boca is ok, but i think the MSF ones have better flavor. Making your own black bean burgers is pretty simple and delicious, i recommend this way more than buying the patties.

You'll probably cook more, and you'll just have to be aware to choose more nutrient-rich things. Kale and spinach instead of iceberg, etc. When you eat out, it's most likely that your only options will be pasta (unless you still go w/ fish).

another book i'll recommend- "Meat is for Pussies" by John Joseph. He's an MMA fighter, who's also vegan... pretty funny book for guys looking to this type of living.

 

[ThinkingWithMyDeac]

I always find these kind of ideas fascinating, but probably would never do it myself. Also there seems to be a large correlation of people that follow vegetarianism, paleo, and other natural diets and then the fall of the cliff with holistic medicine, anti-vaccine, etc...

 

[ipitytheblue]

Yeah, for me the trick was finding hearty grains/beans and basing meals around that rather than just feeling like all there is to eat is salad and pasta.
First, would you still eat fish and eggs? this is a question that can drastically alter your options, especially when eating out. Personally, i found it really hard not to do either, and ended up still consuming both. Eggs more often than fish.
Second, it's amazing what you can do with beans and quinoa. I didn't even know what quinoa was when I was veggie, and damn- that stuff is in incredible, and incredibly filling. Beans are great and a decent amount can be done w/ them. Bean chilis and stews are great for making en masse and eating over the course of the week, especially in winter.
Third- 'meatless' meat products are typically pretty awful and full of all sorts of fake crap, but if you're going to eat them, the 'best' ones are the morningstar farms soysage and various garden burgers. Boca is ok, but i think the MSF ones have better flavor. Making your own black bean burgers is pretty simple and delicious, i recommend this way more than buying the patties.

You'll probably cook more, and you'll just have to be aware to choose more nutrient-rich things. Kale and spinach instead of iceberg, etc. When you eat out, it's most likely that your only options will be pasta (unless you still go w/ fish).

another book i'll recommend- "Meat is for Pussies" by John Joseph. He's an MMA fighter, who's also vegan... pretty funny book for guys looking to this type of living.

ahhh thanks, really useful. not sure about fish and eggs since they're still part of the same factory system as poultry/beef/pork etc. my sister made a pretty tasty quinoa dish over thanksgiving so that's definitely on the radar. bean chilis would work in my slow cooker...

I always find these kind of ideas fascinating, but probably would never do it myself. Also there seems to be a large correlation of people that follow vegetarianism, paleo, and other natural diets and then the fall of the cliff with holistic medicine, anti-vaccine, etc...

hmm, I haven't really found that. the veggies I know are pretty normal folks. just made the decision that it's not a system they wanted to participate in. :noidea:

 

[Toogs]

Omnivore's Dilemma is better and doesn't lead to stupid things like vegetarianism.

 

[lbE08]

Omnivore's Dilemma is better and doesn't lead to stupid things like vegetarianism.

i disagree; it definitely made me examine my meat intake (which at the time i read it was zero, since then i've just become very aware of where thigns come from) and i could see how some would stop eating meat because of it.


ipitty, you could probably find some farm-source eggs around you.

 

[DeacHoops]

Factory farming is awful. With that said everyone needs vitamin b12 and even though it is possible to have enough vitamin b12 without eating animals or eggs, it is extremely difficult.

I don't eat any factory-farmed meat anymore but I still eat free-range eggs, wild fish, and the occasional free range chicken.

Not only is factory-farmed meat unethical but it pales in comparison to the taste of a healthy chicken or egg. It can be rather expensive though.

not really. just go to your closest earthfare or whole foods, and pick up some nutritional yeast (note: this is not yeast. nutritional yeast is an entirely different thing. sometimes it's in the bulk section. sometimes it's in a container that looks like one of those plastic parmesan cheese containers). it kind of tastes like parmesan cheese (...kind of). i find that i just add it to things like chilis or lasagnas or things like that where it's easily combined with other things. i have friends who just sprinkle it on top of veggies, and i've tried that before, but to me it just doesn't taste good enough for it to be a featured part of any meal. i'd rather mix it in well with something.

and ipity, i was vegetarian for 7 years. i actually put on 15 pounds during that time though, and the reason was because i wasn't intentional about what i was eating. what happened was that i wasn't meal planning well, so i wound up just making noodles or something for dinner, and without the added protein, i wound up very hungry shortly after. so then i'd eat chips and salsa instead of something else healthy...and of course then i put on weight.

if you're going to go vegetarian, make sure it's actually a vegetarian lifestyle. not just a meatless one. you'll need to start relying on cooking more instead of eating out. it's very difficult to eat out frequently when you have strict diet limitations. things like sweet potatoes have a lot of calories and are pretty good as a base for your diet so that you're not lacking a lot of calories. find a good source of iron (cooked spinach is best). add nutritional yeast to everything. make sure you aren't going to wind up deficient in the vitamins/minerals that typically come from meat (iron and b12 are the biggest ones). soups/stews/pasta dishes are generally pretty good ways to get the calories you need without it being crappy food.

good luck! i occasionally think about going vegetarian again, but with my activity level, i just find it very, very difficult to get the calories i need without meat. done right it can be a really great thing for your health. but it takes a lot of effort to do it right, so make sure you're taking the time to meal plan and research.