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Originally Posted by markolas
I've attempted vegetarianism once or twice, and never lasted a day. Do you just get used to being hungry all the time? I can't understand these people who have a cup of yogurt for breakfast, a salad for lunch, and some pasta & beans for dinner. If that was my food intake for the day, I'd be ready to kill somebody.
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I think it's funny how people will ask what I eat, or even funnier is when they ask 'how' I eat as a vegetarian. "WHAT?!?! You don't eat meat? How in the world do you eat, child?" There's a common misconception that vegetarians eat iceberg lettuce for every meal, and gosh that couldn't be further from the truth.
I love food, and I love to eat. I love cooking, and growing my own food, and shopping for food. I do shop at Whole Foods for some things; there's this amazing bread they make called Seeduction. I go there for parsley roots, or celery roots since other stores don't often sell them. Most importantly, I buy eggs at Whole Foods because it's the only market in Denver where I can buy eggs that are Certified Humane. Free-range and cage-free don't really mean that much if the chickens are not allowed to engage in natural chicken behavior, outdoors, unrestrained, and that's what the Humane certification is for.
I am not vegan, and it's not a very realistic diet for me. I don't know know how some vegans do it, but kudos to those who are able. I love cheese and eggs, and honey as well. I do cook with real butter, not that factory made oil-based butter-like-product, though usually I use olive or peanut oil. One friend of mine even excludes yeast from her vegan diet - I couldn't be happy without beer and bread!
Breakfast for me might be a bagel sandwich with egg and cheese, and maybe some sprouts; or steel-cut oats and yogurt with fruit and toast, fig jam and butter. I love Mexican and Italian foods, and there are so many vegetarian options in both of those cuisines. Denver has some rocking mexican restaurants that are very conscience of vegetarian patrons (we are the capital of the healthiest state in the country, and food is a huge part of that). Just last night I had chili rellenos with cheese enchiladas and a tostada piled with avocado and tomato. So good -
Indian food is a favorite as well, and vegetarian options are always on the menu. I enjoy other Asian foods as well, especially vegetarian sushi. I do not eat tofu - ever - and I do not eat those Boca or Morningstar pretend-meat products. I do in fact try to avoid soy products in general. I like food, not 'food-products'.
I used to eat a lot of the pretend-meat, but after two weeks in Europe without them it was amazing how much better I felt. I decided they weren't right for me, and so out they went along with the soy mochas and lattes. Just black coffee these days.
It's very easy to eat hearty, homestyle, filling meals that are completely vegetarian - I like to make pot-pie by simmering root vegetables with peas and corn in the crock pot all day, then I add butter and flour and make a thick gravy with the broth, pour it all into a pie shell, cover with crust and bake it. Or stuffing with leeks and pecans, meatless lasagna, macaroni & cheese made with smoked gouda and baked with broccoli and asparagus in it - or even better meatless shepherds pie! Delicious! Stuffed peppers with lentils, quinoa and black beans, or even tacos. I dry-fry cooked rice and add black beans, then season it with taco seasoning and use it in place of meat filling. Fajitas made with aparagus, peppers and yellow squash are great! Cooking vegetarian just takes a little creativity and maybe some research in a cookbook or two.
There's a brewpub (Denver is also known for the 300+ beers brewed in the area) near my house that specializes in vegetarian food where I go for grilled cheese sandwiches, with avocado and tomato, served with fries. French fries cooked in olive oil are amazing - they taste like potatoes instead of tasting like "fried".
As for junk food, I do eat it but sparingly. If someone brings doughnuts to the office, I'll have one. No guilt involved. I make cookies, and pies. I love sweets, ice cream is a favorite but usually for me sweets means fresh pineapple or oranges. Or blueberries by the pint. I can't get enough blueberries. I could eat them by the handful all day. Grapes, too.
There's no reason to be hungry just because you're not eating meat!
And if I do eat a salad as a meal, you can bet it's going to be huge, 4-5 cups of greens and then of course carrots, onions, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, olives, feta cheese and a good quantity of balsamic vinaigrette. Colorful food is healthier food.
And for the record, I'm 6'1" and 172 pounds.