Meat-Eating Debate (Relocated Thread)

[chriskisn]

Originally Posted by jannieC

I accidentally ate a bite of regular chicken salad last month and seriously almost vomited. I had no idea that chicken tasted so, chicken-ey!

I know. At Christmas I accidentally ate a cheese and bacon ball (kind of a potato chip) before I realised that it wasn't just a plain old cheese ball. I almost vomited at the bacon taste and believe me I used to love bacon.

[markolas]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

That's the 'Skinny Manhattan Bitch' diet. I hate to stereotype, but I see them shopping at the market across the street all the time: tall, skinny, very well put together, probably working in fashion, P.R. or media, 30-something.

That's why they're bitchy - they're hungry!

And they eat like that because they're probably on some type of amphetamine, and have no appetite...you have to be on some kind of speed or coke or something to be able to do those kinds of jobs.

And no, I had no idea what I was doing when I tried going vegetarian. lol

Although, I forgot that I did manage it once for a week (and will again later this summer), but that was because I was on a retreat and didn't have a choice - all the meals were vegetarian. A lot of food was prepared, but none of it was very filling, and some of it - like miso soup - was downright disgusting. Generally, I'm of the opinion that anything can be made palatable if you put enough salt on it, but there wasn't even any of that available. So I went through the whole week just being kinda tired all the time, and a little bit cranky.

I have a very American palate, I'm afraid.

[markolas]

Originally Posted by chriskisn

I hate salad too though don't worry, even though my wife does try to get me to eat it during summer.

Well, I do like salad - provided it's got ample amounts of Parmesan cheese, Caesar dressing, and croutons.

[jannieC]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

Then why did you give it up? I did it because I was a bored college student on summer break, and I wanted to try it as an experiment. It happened very spontaneously/organically; it's not like I sat down one night and had my "final supper." One morning I woke up and just decided to go with it; I never looked back.

It's kind of a long story, but briefly: my best friend was a vegetarian and she was quite an influential person in my life at that time. I think it was in 1990 that I began to eliminate meat from my diet. The first five years, I waffled back and forth a bit. I would go one year, then eat meat for six months, and so on. At some point, I read the book Diet for a Gentle World and never had another bite of meat thereafter (with the exception of the chicken salad debacle).

[KarmaContestant]

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.

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.

[HomerMcvie]

Dear Bacon,
Don't listen to these bitter bitches. Daddy still loves you.
Homie

I'll admit, I've always been confused by all the terminology. Vegetarian vs vegan, vs ovo-lacto......
http://www.vegetarianvegan.com/Vegan_Vs_Vegetarian.html
I can claim semi-vegetarian, about 4 days a week(yes, I know it's not a daily classification). That's about the best I can do. Like I said, I only eat red meat, once every week or two. But my palate CRAVES tuna, bacon, chicken, and fish. I didn't include tuna as fish, because I mean tuna salad. I make a mean tuna salad!

[camchristo]

I gave up red meat and pork about 17 years ago and I don't miss it one bit. I thought I would, but I don't. As a kid, I always remember not liking red meat. My mom cooked dinner every night with meat, a starch and vegetables and I was never a fan of the meat.

I do eat chicken, turkey and fish on occasion. Fish more than chicken or turkey. I do think I could give up chicken and turkey and not miss it - and I plan to do so. However, I don't plan on giving up fish. I really enjoy all kinds of seafood. The majority of my diet consists of vegetables, fruits, beans, grains, eggs and dairy. I love the meat substitues/soy-based products as well. I don't like the ones that are trying to be a burger though, aka, Boca Burger. I like the ones that are not trying to be something they aren't. Like black bean burgers or chick pea patties. I love falafel, tofu, tempeh. I love all kinds of veggies. I eat a lot of black beans. They are very hearty and filling. I love salads but not with iceberg lettuce. I like dark leafy greens, spring mix, etc.

I love food and I love to eat. I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. I guess I make the distinction between red meat/pork and chicken/turkey/fish based on health reasons. I feel that lean meat and fish is healthier and I eat them in moderation. Also, I can't stand the thought of eating other mammals. I see the trucks go by with the pigs in them and it makes me sad. I don't preach to others about what they should and should not eat because I know whatever I say is not going to change anyone's mind.

Karma, your cooking sounds delicious. I'm going to try the rice/blackbean taco filling. Yum!

[KarmaContestant]

Originally Posted by camchristo

Karma, your cooking sounds delicious. I'm going to try the rice/blackbean taco filling. Yum!

Aw, thanks. If you use premade taco seasoning, I suggest starting with about half of the packet at first and all of the recommended water and add more seasoning to suit your taste as you go. The water cooks off, but makes it easier to get it all mixed in.

[louielouie2000]

I was flipping channels just now and saw something that made me think of this thread. I saw a small child with a gun standing over a dead deer, and the voiceover was the child's Dad preening over his son, and I quote:

"harvesting his first animal."



Like deer spring up out of the ground and you simply pick them when they're ripe. I don't care whether people eat meat or not (I eat meat personally and have no qualms with it), but I thought the self-assured imagery the Dad used on that TV program was just absurd.

[HomerMcvie]

Driving home, a few days ago, about 1/2 mile from my house, I looked off into the sunset, and noticed this guy, with a rifle slung over his shoulder...he was standing over a huge Buck that he'd just shot. It's rack was probably the largest I've ever seen.
And while I hate deer, and find them to be giant, destructive rodents, my heart still kind of sank, just thinking about it being shot and killed.

JTIS

[bucklind17]

I understand and respect people who choose to be vegetarians but I never understood the need for having "fake" versions of meat products. If you're not going to eat turkey, why would need tofurkey? If you're not going to eat hot dogs, what is the purpose of a tofudog? This is a genuine question, it's something that always perplexed me, the idea of eating fake versions of things that you don't want to eat the real version of.

I personally could never be a vegetarian. I wouldn't say I crave meat, but I do have a sort of dependence on it that affects my mood and overall how I feel if I hadn't had it in awhile. But this happens with vegetables too, if I don't eat enough green vegetables in a certain amount of time, I start feeling crummy and cranky. So it must just be how I'm wired at this point.

[ButterCookie]

Originally Posted by bucklind17

I understand and respect people who choose to be vegetarians but I never understood the need for having "fake" versions of meat products. If you're not going to eat turkey, why would need tofurkey? If you're not going to eat hot dogs, what is the purpose of a tofudog? This is a genuine question, it's something that always perplexed me, the idea of eating fake versions of things that you don't want to eat the real version of.

I personally could never be a vegetarian. I wouldn't say I crave meat, but I do have a sort of dependence on it that affects my mood and overall how I feel if I hadn't had it in awhile. But this happens with vegetables too, if I don't eat enough green vegetables in a certain amount of time, I start feeling crummy and cranky. So it must just be how I'm wired at this point.

I've been asked about the first quite a lot. I've only recently cut meat (bar fish) out of my diet because I've reached the age where I can cook for myself etc and therefore can choose my own meals. I like the taste of Quorn because it's not anything like Meat. Simple as that. I really don't think you can replicate the taste of it and I'm glad

I marinade my Tofu in sauces like sweet and sour or oyster so that it takes on that flavour rather than that of meat. But, I prefer meals without either Tofu or Quorn, I just find I'm much more full after those two.

I'm the exact opposite to you, which I find weird but kinda interesting. I used to be lazy, unmotivated and have terrible skin. Now that I've cut most meat out of my diet I've got more energy, more focus and a vastly improved complexion.

Damn, we're a weird species

[chriskisn]

Originally Posted by bucklind17

I understand and respect people who choose to be vegetarians but I never understood the need for having "fake" versions of meat products. If you're not going to eat turkey, why would need tofurkey? If you're not going to eat hot dogs, what is the purpose of a tofudog? This is a genuine question, it's something that always perplexed me, the idea of eating fake versions of things that you don't want to eat the real version of.

Basically the reason I eat products such as Quorn is because they are easy to use. Rather than spending an hour after work cooking a meal, I can just throw a couple of pies/pasties/schnitzels/whatever in the oven while taking the dog for a walk. Vegetarians can be lazy just like meat eaters.

Plus, just because I don't want to eat animals doesn't mean I don't want to eat a burger, a pie, a sausage roll, hot dog, etc. Quorn sausages are still good for BBQs, they just don't contain dead cow or dead pig.

Not so sure why you actually need a tofurkey though...never had one.

[holidayroad]

I've been an ovo-lacto vegetarian for about 11 years. Even before that, from age 14-25, I rarely ate meat.
I respect that others still enjoy meat. The hard part for me is that my husband and son do eat meat, so I still have to purchase and prepare it. I hate handling raw meat.
The good part is that they respect my choices and don't do things like try to sneak meat into something I'm eating. I've had that happen before!

[jannieC]

Originally Posted by bucklind17

I understand and respect people who choose to be vegetarians but I never understood the need for having "fake" versions of meat products. If you're not going to eat turkey, why would need tofurkey? If you're not going to eat hot dogs, what is the purpose of a tofudog? This is a genuine question, it's something that always perplexed me, the idea of eating fake versions of things that you don't want to eat the real version of.

I personally could never be a vegetarian. I wouldn't say I crave meat, but I do have a sort of dependence on it that affects my mood and overall how I feel if I hadn't had it in awhile. But this happens with vegetables too, if I don't eat enough green vegetables in a certain amount of time, I start feeling crummy and cranky. So it must just be how I'm wired at this point.

I like sliced tofurkey because I like to eat sandwiches. I also like to use some non meat things in my recipes for either the consistency or flavor. I use these for stews, along with vegetables and potatoes. I use the "sausage" crumbles in my chili for both flavor AND consistency. I also like to make "chicken" and rice with soy nuggets from Earth Fare. Come to think of it, I will occasionally eat a tofudog! The reason is that I do like the flavor of a soydog with mustard and sauerkraut without worrying about biting into a vein, but that's just me!

A lot of fake meat items are high in salt, so I try to limit the amount we eat.