Vegetarian Chatter

[luna moth]

Hi All!

Well, that took off like I never expected! Who knew there were so many vegos around? I'm chuffed!
Arimeh - maybe we can do a separate thread for recipes? And one for just chatter, because obviously we can chat!
Ally - I found your post to be so affirming for me. I've been questioning whetehr I want to stay vegan while pregnant, and I know that I do, but with energy levels a little bit drained, I've found myself thinking that I can't deal with the struggle - having to provide my own milk for the staffroom, taking my own food to places, asking if something is made with chicken stock, checking ingerdient labels. It's only been a year, and I think I'm suffering from vegan fatigue.
Holly - the Eatwell sausages also come in a tomato onion basil variety, and they make the best sausage rolls if you want an easy meal - just cut in half lengthwise, wrap them in Borg's puff pastry (I choose Borg's because it says vegan clearly on its label. Most other puff pastries are also vegan, but I like to support them for supporting me) and bake. Yums.
Nai - I do slowcooker baked beans, took some to the last Brissy BB meetup. Dried cannellini, chopped tomatoes, bay leaves, celery, carrot, sometimes some capsicum or sweet potato, whatever's around really. They're a great source of iron. Also, if you want a quick can recipe, the IGA organic baked beans are incredible.

I love Sanitarium Casserole Mince in bolognese too. My favourite comfort food. I also make a vegan lasagne using lentils and spinach with a tofu-based white sauce. It comes highly praised by all who experience it.

Our children will be making their own choices about their diet as they grow. We'll only ever be vegan at home, but will always allow them the choice if they are out. But, like Ally, will teach them about where that food comes from. I know that my mum used to refer to chicken and lamb as "meat" when I was a kid, because otherwise I would make the association with fluffy farm animals and get upset about eating them. I don't want that.

[Cherished]

Yay snugglybean... Looks like this thread is a hit

I've read through all of the posts but I wont go into perssies as I will be here for ever so I will just give you my story so far

I've been MIA all weekend as dh and I went to a seminar in Brissy and just got back today. Snugglybean knows a little of my story but for everyone else my dh and I are vego, dh has been for around 15 years (he doesn't count) and I have been for 3 years. We are both high energy people and neither of us noticed a drop in energy when we went vego (which is the main statement I find people say about being vego.... followed by "where do you get your iron") blah blah blah.... If they said it with some real interest rather than a criticism I wouldn't mind!!! BUT It's just ignorance, dh doesn't mind what anyone says about 'anything' he's so far beyond the regular meat eating boof heads out there he just says "that's their belief and they are allowed to have it" I find it really frustrating I am prepared for people to give me 'the look' when I am pregnant and vego but 'they' are the ones with the problem! All the crap that they eat is probably far worse than not giving your baby meat! The benefits your body gets from not eating meat far out way the benefits of eating meat (if there really are any???)

Then the next question is "what do you eat" again if it was asked with genuine interest (like some of you girls who aren't vego on here) I wouldn't mind but when it's a criticism I want to just blurt out "are you 'that' uncreative"!!!!!! for Gode sake there is more FOOD in the world that meat and 3 veg! Basically you can eat EVERYTHING that you eat now.... just take the meat out! ie curries, stews, stirfry, make lentil burgers instead of meat burgers, tacos with beans instead of meat, lovely rich pasta sauces with flavour, SPICES etc etc etc...... There is soooooo much to eat that isn't an animal, if you really need a substitute for the meat to create substance you can add sweet potato, tofu, beans, add lentils to thicken up the meal and serve it with rice or cuscus

Why are we vego? dh couldn't afford to buy met at uni so became vego, he thought it was great because he did lots of exercise and noticed that he didn't smell when sweating anymore so he didn't need to buy deodorant either! hehehe He never missed the meat and it didn't limit his physical ability so it was win, win for him... As for me I really stopped eating meat regularly about 6 years ago, I probably ate red meat 2 times a year and other meat maybe once a fortnight and that slowly declined to maybe once a month as I found that my colon just couldn't cope with it... When I met dh and he was vego there was no twisting my arm! I was vego in a heartbeat... Now the idea of eating a dead animal just makes me feel sick and I find it so interesting that others can just switch off their brain and eat it... I am sure you all know what I am talking about..... I just think wow the person who first ate meat must have been VERY hungry to think "oh how about I eat a smelly, bloody dead animal" These days in our country anyway there is no need to eat animals.

OK that has turned into a huge rant!!!!!! SORRY I guess this thread is for that purpose too

I've told snugglybean that if it weren't for dh & I eating cheese we would be vegan, there really isn't any need to eat heaps of mucus forming dairy when there are other substitutes like organic oat or rice milk if you need milk

As for iron I take floradix if I feel that I haven't eaten many leafy greens or other beans, legumes etc etc or if I just think of it... Protein wise I have natural whey powder every morning in a smoothie which has oat or rice milk in it, flaxseed oil, fresh LSA (made in the morning) some sprouts or what ever greens I have in the fridge, cinnamon, nutmeg, honey, a tablespoon of oats and I put in a banana or mixed berries. With that I have a multi vitamin, probiotic and a vegetarian digestive enzyme YUMMMO

anyway I will be back to share recipes etc, I am in no way an expert on vego cooking but would love to hear the vegan recipes as when you don't eat eggs it can be even trickier to think up new things..... Sorry if that all sounded scatter brained! I promise I don't have mulitple personality disorder! And my posts aren't usually this long!!! hehehehe

[Nai]

Snugglybean - I wish I had a slow cooker. That sounds great!

cherished1 - I have been taking the floradix since having DD2 and I have found it to be pretty good.

[luna moth]

Hey cherished! Nice to see you made it here! I love a good rant - it should be an Olympic sport.

We threw together a BBQ tonight - I suck at cooking at the moment, get too sick. So chopped up capsicum, zucchini, onion, half pineapple, cooked it up with some chickpea and spinach sausages on the verandah, sat out there to eat it in my pjs. It was ace! I also threw together a nibble bowl of almonds and cashews roasted up with smoked paprika and oregano. Quite pleased with myself, actually.

Does anybody make roasted chickpeas? I have done it once, and they were SO good, but I can't remember how.

[Cherished]

Snugglybean that bbq sounds great!

I have a little book which we picked up at a hari christner cafe ages ago it's called 'The Higher Taste', it's been around for a while now, does anyone else have it? Anyway I was reading on the net about world hunger increasing now due to the economic crisis and it makes my blood boil that just because people in America are now 'starving' it's all of the sudden 'news worthy' when there has been people dying all over the world from hunger for decades!

Here is a bit of the info from the book (stats wise)

According to information complied by the United States Department of Agriculture, over 90% of all the grain produced in America is used to feed livestock. Yet this process is incredibly wasteful...You get back only 1 pound of beef for every 16 pounds of grain. It takes 5,214 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of beef, 1,630 gallons for 1 pound of pork, 815 gallons for 1 pound of chicken but it only takes 23 gallons of water to produce a pound of lettuce and only 25 gallons of water to produce a pound of wheat.... Imagine all the people that grain could feed rather than feeding just a few with meat and imagine how many people would have water rather than giving it to animals just so that a few people can eat that animal! In terms of calorie unit per acre a diet of grains, vegetables, and beans will support 20 time more people than a diet of meat.

I hope some of you find this interesting

[luna moth]

Just got home from Melbourne, to a very empty fridge - 3 carrots, 6 baby potatoes, some very sad looking parsley. Pantry pretty OK, so managed to rustle up a lentil shepherd's pie - puff pastry lined tray, lentils braised with onion and carrots, layered with chopped potato and baked. I think it may even defeat the morning sickness.

While in Melbourne I hit up White Lotus on Thursday, Vegie Bar on Friday and Vegie Hut on Saturday. I had a good time

Anybody else have fave vegie spots?

[Peach*]

Hi Girls, Can I join this chat?

This is so random, I literally joined a veg*n forum yesterday, and then here this pops up! Must be a sign from the Bellybelly gods not to stray
I have been vegetarian for 3 years now for environmental but mostly animal rights reasons, gave up red meat in 2001 but then started eating it again in 05 then went completely veg in 06.
Ive always loved animals and remember as a little girl crying whenever I saw road kill so in a way I always knew eating animals was wrong... My family was one that(still) could not eat or even comprehend a vegetarian meal so when I stopped eating red meat I had to fend for myself pretty much. I converted DP about 1 month after I went veg... or in his words "Im sick of you making me feel bad everytime I eat meat!" woops So now we are a happy little vegie family and are going to raise DD the same. The Grandparents know that if they even try to feed her anything contraband visitations will be limited... god not to sound like a nazi lol

Enough about my life story!
Snugglybean- I have never even tried roasted chickpeas but they sound amazing! And the things you cook sound taaaasty! Im always making the same boring stuff so this thread will be good for ideas. Tonight we had "special noodles" ie 2 min mi-goreng lol but with added vegies.
How awesome is Melb for veg eating?? Did you like vegie bar? What did you have from there? DP and I lived there most of last year so have tried a bunch of eat outs...

In brisbane a great cheap place to eat in the valley is Quan Yin, anyone been there? SO cheap and filling, its a taiwanese tea house that does 'fake' food such as sweet and sour pork etc when I was preg I craved chicken so bad so when we went there I had 2 chicken dishes and a pork main... and projectile vomited it all back up when I got home

Ok enough rambling, hope everyone is having a great night*

[*Ash*]

Hi everyone,

Welcome Peach. Yes, I have been to Quan Yin. We visited Bris in Jan and just stumbled upon the place. We were stoked. It IS cheap, and yummy. My fav vego places are Green Gourmet in Newtown (Syd) and 20 000 Cows in Lismore (nth NSW).

Snugglybean, your slap dash dinner sounds very yummy. Well done!

Holly M, I so, so SO agree with your comments about cows. I heard a dairy spokesperson refer to calves as ' an unwanted by-product'. I am sure their mothers don't feel that way.
Re: B12, I take a brand called Deva. It is sublingual, meaning you dissolve the tablet under your tongue. My children take them and it is really easy. I order them from a US online store called Vegan Essentials.

[luna moth]

Peach - welcome! Love the sound of special noodles!
A few weeks ago I roasted up some long sweet potato and zucchini wedges, and served them on soba noodles with a coconut milk-chilli-lime-ginger and other Asian flavours sauce that I simmered together for a while. I sort of Master-Chef it up in the kitch now, and make a big mountain out of it, and scatter cashews all around the plate. DH cracks up when i do this. But, really, it's a sooper easy dish!

When we lived in Melbs, Vegie Bar was about a weekly occurrence My faves are the rice balls, the tofu tight wrap, vegie roast, roti channai, and can't forget the chocolate royale cake! Last few times I have got a special, one was called the popeye pizza, was SO good!

Does anyone do Lentil As Anything? I used to love it there too. Oh, Melbourne...

I have been to KwanYin - I love their fake fish, so salty! Also good in Brissy is Magic Wok in Sunnybank, but their chef's visa has not been renewed - I got so upset I wrote to Kevin Rudd about it! (that's how I channel the pregnancy hormones, I write to pollies)
Have also been to Green Gourmet and LOVE it! Also, across the road is Chedi Thai, their silken tofu with peanut sauce is to fly for!
Also in Melbourne is Plush Pizza on Burwood Rd Hawthorn, they do all vegetarian pizzas and most can be made vegan as well - SO good! When we lived round there, we used to get the pizzas and a take-away 6 pack from the Elgin Inn, then go to the oval and feast

[Cherished]

AngelPunks] is all of this reading 'vegetarian'? I would say that all vegos are getting 2 serves a day out of nuts & seeds, legumes & grains... I know I am

[Peach*]

Good evening!

Snugglybean-(that's how I channel the pregnancy hormones, I write to pollies)- Bahaha crack up!
Where is green gormet?? We never ended up making it to lentil as anything unfortunately although it was always on the to-do list... Has anyone been to soul mama at st kilda? The view is beautiful, food very tasty, the price.... *groan* like everything at st kilda!

Aliash- I was at my SIL's place on the weekend and their house is on property surrounded by cows who all have calfs and one was suckling on its mummy and it really made me think "that is what cows milk is MEANT for" poor little babies... It makes me so sad people eat them without a second thought.

I have a sticker on my fridge with a photo of a lamb(so cute!) and it says "could you kill me? Then dont pay someone else to" and its so true... whenever I crave chicken I remind myself of an actual CHICKEN(duh) and think of killing it which horrifies me... craving banished!

Hope everyone is having a good night... I had hot chip sandwiches for dinner another lazy night! Last night we had friends over though, I made risotto with lots of tasty stuff in it(mushrooms, sweet potato,garlic, etc) and garlic wholemeal pitas.

Hope your all having a great night

[Cherished]

actually quite a few don't get the combination of complete plant protein - do you combine the two together - that is the only way to get complete plant protein

is all what reading?

I'm studying a Bachelor of Health Science with a major in Naturopathy - swapped from a Bachelor of Science degree with a double major in Biomedical Science and Chemistry.

Yes I would say that most vegos would eat 2 of those forms of protein combined together... I notice that you didn't mention anything about the types of protein that the body assimilates best (which I believe doesn't include meat or regular dairy protein)? and where does whey powder fit into it?
The books you have suggested we check out.... Are they about vegetarian nutrition?
Gee you'll have quite a title behind your name then
Maybe you could start up an nutritional advice thread and get some work experience in on BB

[surprised]

Great thread. We generally eat vego at home, and if we're out I will try to eat vego, but DH will have some meat. I find it hard when we have people over - we always end up buying meat because I feel bad not serving meat to visitors.

At the moment we're really struggling - I am constantly hungry (4.5 wks pg), but I don't feel like anything in particular. I'm overdosing on bread and other carbs, because it's quick and easy.

If anyone has quick, cheap and easy snack ideas that actually fill you up (but that won't puff me up! ), I would be very grateful!

[Phteven]

I just popped in to this thread because we eat vego a few nights a week and I thought I might find some yummy tips.
I have to say I'm a bit disappointed in the attitude of some of the posters. Calling people names because they have different diets than you is not cool nor is being rude to someone who popped in to offer you advice and help.

[luna moth]

Are there some posts I'm not seeing somehow??

Here's a cheap and easy meal that I love (not quick though, so good for slow cookers or those who are at home)

Pumpkin and barley casserole
Half butternut pumpkin, diced
1 cup pearled barley
about 6 chopped tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
2 cups stock

Throw it all in together, simmer for 90 minutes. To get that protein thing happening, you can sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, parmesan cheese, or (my favourite) swirl 2 big globs of tahini through it.

[Phteven]

Are there some posts I'm not seeing somehow??

Yes

[luna moth]

Oh, surprised, nuts have been my best friend. And bananas.

[Peach*]

Good Morning

Suprised- I can see where your coming from when you say you feel bad about serving meat, but when you have guests its a brilliant time to show 'anti-veg' eaters how good our food can be! There are so many meals you can make without meat and honestly people wouldnt even notice, there are heaps of good substitiutons too such as TVP(textured vegetable protien) which is like a fake mince, if you make a spag bog you can use this with a bunch of other stuff in the sauce and honestly you cant even tell the difference except its not as fatty which is awesome. Another great meal is tacos, as you mostly serve it with salad and a bit of mince, so the tvp goes well there too.
Hmmm easy meals...?? Im a sucker for the sandwich too-so quick.
When I was preg I ate alot of muesli in the morning, chopped up a bunch of fruit and had it with soy yoghurt, its quick and keeps you full for ages. The coles brand muesli in the orange bag is my fav