Thread: New vegetarian

Originally Posted by Mes T

I was vegetarian for a while and didn't have any troubles adjusting - I think it just depends on what you eat. What have you been eating this past week?

Also, may I ask why you're giving up eggs? The eggs that you buy at the shop were never fertilized.

I'd suggest going shopping for a couple of good vegetarian cookbooks. There are lots of veggie meals that even meat-lovers like your husband would love. My favorite veggie dishes are quiches, or some kind of Indian curry (yum yum yum).

I've given up eggs because I feel the way chickens are treated to produce eggs is a violation of the first precept of Buddhism, "Do not kill or harm any living being".

Giving up eating meat is going to be harder than I thought, mainly because I still have to cook it for my husband. Last night I fixed pork chops for him, the temptation to eat some was almost overwhelming. Even after I went to bed I kept thinking about that left over pork chop in the refrigerator.

I have been eating rice, beans and vegetables of all kinds. I like raw vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and asparagus. I eat salads and for light lunches, grilled cheese sandwiches or bean burritos. I have to limit the amount of beans I eat because I get so much gas. From what I've read, this will get better when I adjust to the diet. Since I like vegetables with just a little butter and soy sauce, I don't really need any recipes.

I don't recommend converting to vegetarian unless all members of the household also converts. I am learning that the hard way.

Have you tried preparing meals that meat can be added to later? Such as a stir fry, where the meat is cooked separately, and then he can add it in himself. Also, if part of your problem is with the way animals are treated, have you looked into buying locally? A lot of areas have farmers markets, and you can actually talk to the people that raise the animals, and in a lot of cases they are willing to let you come see their farm so you can be sure the animals aren't being mistreated. Or, if you don't have that available, what about a local 4-H or FFA group? There are more places to get meat than the grocery store.

If chicken treatment is your reason not to eat eggs, you should probably look into the dairy market before continuing to eat dairy.
An option is owning a chicken for farm-fresh eggs. I'm certain you would be capable of treating a "pet" chicken with respect.

A good vegetarian cookbook is Laurel's Kitchen. Many of its recipes include eggs and dairy, but quite a few, especially the homemade breads, don't. It focuses on getting in the correct amount and variation in types of protein and does not advocate the use of any meat substitutes (tofu, tempeh, etc.) It's important that you continue to get a variety of foods and nutrients!

I ate a vegetarian diet one month in college just to try it out. It was an enjoyable excuse to add more fresh vegetables and many new foods into my diet. I strive to serve one meat-free dinner per week as a way to reduce both my grocery bill and my ecological footprint. Enjoy this new chapter in your life!

I usually do cook ingredients of stir fry separately and combine them at the end. That way each ingredient is cooked according to its needs. My mother was more proficient, she could add the uncooked ingredients at the right time so they all came together at the end but I can't seem to get that right.

Cooking meat for my husband without eating any is one of the hardest things I've ever done. I look upon it as a test of my determination, a test that I might fail.

Practice, practice, practice.... The only way to get better at about anything. Your mother, and my father, are/were excellent cooks because they had years of experience by the time you and I came along.

"The difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is that successful people fail more" Feel free to insert "cooks" in place of people...

Failure is a perception we have of ourselves...especially when it is preconceived (as you stated above).

You are an amazing young woman who has made and continues to make incredible changes to her life. Give yourself some credit! You have earned it and you deserve it too!

I made a red lentil stew from a recipe I found on the web. I sliced up a poached chicken breast for my hubby's portion. I liked it but he didn't like the lentils very much. I asked him if there was any chance he would convert to vegetarian, he said as soon as McDonald's stops selling burgers. Any chance of that in the near future?