Hi. New to veggie life

chelekaz

Hi, My name is Michele and I was born and raised on all that is meat. I've just made the change to vegetarian... like in the last two weeks!

Any and all help, ideas is appreciated. I see there is a recipe area.. awesome! I can't wait to see that so that I can find a variety of foods to make!

Who knows? Maybe I can even get my family eating healthier!

shannonewallace

congrats on making the change to vegetarian, and on the 20 lb loss so far! im sure you'll do great in the days to come

chelekaz

Thanks!

gingerb85

Finding some veggie friends on here can be very helpful. My diary is able to be viewed by my friends and I know I will look at my friends' diaries for menu ideas. I've done lots of searching online for veggie recipes and have become pretty good at adapting my own recipes. I'll swap beans or lentils for ground beef, tofu for chicken. Learning how to properly cook tofu was huge for me - I wasn't wild about it before, but now I crave it. Lots of veggies - I love them roasted or grilled. I love trying new veggies and grains. Quinoa is a grain that is a complete protein and can be used in many different ways. I love it and so does my family. I have been surprised by the change in my family the most - many of my vegan recipes have become recipes they now love and request. I do still cook meat for them a few times a week, but less and less because they are shunning that and eating my vegan fare. :^)

chelekaz

I was talking with a friend yesterday (non veggie) and she was telling me about roasting vegetables. She said she loves them so something I am going to try. My husband is Polish and loves his meat (as do our boys) so cooking meat is something that I will still need to do but, I too am hoping that I can substitute TVP or other ingredients in most dishes that they might not notice.

My 9 year old said to me last night "You can cook what ever you want Mom, and I will try it... just have some meat around just in case". He is a lover of food and will try literally anything!

shreddin_mama

I was talking with a friend yesterday (non veggie) and she was telling me about roasting vegetables. She said she loves them so something I am going to try. My husband is Polish and loves his meat (as do our boys) so cooking meat is something that I will still need to do but, I too am hoping that I can substitute TVP or other ingredients in most dishes that they might not notice.

My 9 year old said to me last night "You can cook what ever you want Mom, and I will try it... just have some meat around just in case". He is a lover of food and will try literally anything!

that's cute

gingerb85

I was talking with a friend yesterday (non veggie) and she was telling me about roasting vegetables. She said she loves them so something I am going to try. My husband is Polish and loves his meat (as do our boys) so cooking meat is something that I will still need to do but, I too am hoping that I can substitute TVP or other ingredients in most dishes that they might not notice.

My 9 year old said to me last night "You can cook what ever you want Mom, and I will try it... just have some meat around just in case". He is a lover of food and will try literally anything!

Got to love that! Especially in a 9-yo! That's so sweet!

My husband loves meat, too, but as I've made new recipes, he has found many that he was surprised he loved. And he is choosing meat less and less. He even took a friend and our adult son out to eat at a vegetarian restaurant while working in Seattle. We had discovered it a few months earlier when I was there with him. He said he wanted our son to experience fine dining vegetarian style! I was quite surprised!

When I first went vegan, I would make a meat-based meal one night, vegan meal the next. (I'd either eat leftovers on "meat night" or I'd take out for me before the meat was added.) But I was finding the vegan meals were getting devoured and the meat meals had leftovers that no one was eating. So my "every other night" meat meals are now perhaps twice a week at the very most. And there have been no complaints from my former carnivore.

themedalist

Michele, my suggestion would be to look at your family's favorite dishes and try to "de-meat" them. The list of vegetarian foods/meals is endless, but I think you'll be more successful if you don't move away completely from the types of foods that you like to eat.

Sweet potato burritos and Tai edamame pasta (peanut butter & soy sauce) are favorite meals with my family. Happy to share the recipes if interested. I also tried this recipe for chilli-lime roasted chickpeas and I'm completely addicted!

http://willowbirdbaking.com/2010/09/02/snack-attack-2-chili-lime-roasted-chickpeas/

MichelleRenee13

I am trying to make the transition to vegan. I have been a vegetarian for 20 years. It was the only new year's resolution that I have ever stuck to.

I would enjoy swapping recipes. Please friend if interested!

jshorr

Hi! I am new to MFP, but not new to vegetarianism. I have been on and off vegetarian since I was five. I realized I was making unhealthy choices recently even while sticking to a meat-free diet. It showed on my thighs, my waist, my skin, my attitude, and my energy level. I love to cook and bake, but somehow through holding down 3 jobs and going to school full time plus taking care of my babies-hopscotch, my cat and Kaya, my pitbull puppy- I have come to rely on unhealthy junk! I'm taking my body back! I'm very happy to see so many vegheads here, newly meat-free or experienced veggies! I don't have friends on here yet and was looking for some motivational pals who share my ethical and nutritional concerns.