Anyone a vegetarian? I'm thinking of taking the plunge.

Mominator

I need to preface this by saying that I LOVE meat and my reasons for considering becoming a Vegetarian are all moral ones. I'm not sure if I can go as far as becoming a Vegan, but I think I truly need to cut all meat products out of my diet.

 Any advice you can offer me? Any cookbooks or even regular books you can recommend?

I'm probably going to switch myself to a vegetarian diet only and still prepare meat a few days a week for the kids, but I am definitely going to be switching to free range chickens and grain fed beef and wild caught fish.

DandelionMom

I am.  I don't really use cookbooks very often but occasionally I pick up one of the vegetarian magazines for inspiration. 

My kids eat a little meat too -- I try to make a meal that can go with or without meat (like risotto with tofu served with turkey sausage on the side) so they still have some meat a few times a week. 

meghans30

I'd like to try it also. I have no idea where to start though. I'm worried that I won't get enough protein. I'd have to get some vegetarian cook books because I could/can only live on salad for so long.

Mominator

Meghan, that is one of the main reasons that I couldn't go Vegan, I'd be worried about my protein intake. I have a hard enough time getting it all in now and I do eat meat. I mean, I know that there are vegetarian options for getting protein like beans and soy, but how much beans and soy can one person eat?

DandelionMom

It isn't that hard to get enough protein.  I try to shoot for about 10-15 g of protein per meal -- so 2 scrambled eggs for breakfast, soup or salad with beans for lunch, apple with peanut butter for a snack, and some kind of soy product with dinner. 

GreenEggs&Ham

Moral reasons?

because you don't approve of the manner in which the animals are slaughtered?  or do you disapprove of ending their lives in any manner?

 

Dougsgirl4ever

Standard way to figure out how much protein you need is

weight x .37

I only eat poultry & fish so I'm not vegetarian by any means but just thought I would give the figure in case some didn't know.

Mominator

GreenEggs&Ham:

Moral reasons?

because you don't approve of the manner in which the animals are slaughtered?  or do you disapprove of ending their lives in any manner?

 

I don't approve of the manner in which they are raised and also the moral implications of genetically altering animals to meet the needs of humans.

Mrs.JDD

I was basically a vegan while nursing Jack and it was pretty hard...especially when going out to eat.  I didn't choose to be that way, but Jack had really severe reactions to dairy in my diet, plus while I was pregnant with him I developed a huge aversion to meat.  I say "basically" a vegan because I still ate baked goods with eggs (but I don't eat eggs by themselves normally, like scrambled or anything) and I still eat fish.  For some reason fish doesn't bother me, so that helps now because I can have that when we go out.  Just cutting out meat is much, much easier.  To be honest, I don't miss meat in the least.  There are good substitutes, plus I'd rather eat something like pasta with roasted vegetables than some kind of meat anyway.  I eat rice and beans a lot, just cook some rice with lots of spices like basil, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, red pepper flake, black beans, frozen corn.  THen when it's cooked I stir in some chopped tomato and 1/2 avocado, diced.  YUM!  I also subscribed to Vegetarian Times magazine really cheap through amazon, but it hasn't started yet.  Good luck!