New Vegetarian!

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  • SweatinSammie
    SweatinSammie Posts: 126
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    Welcome! I'm a 'pescaterian' - I eat fish about once a week. My food diary is open so anyone can look at my meals. I live with my Mother and try to make meals that she can also eat even though she eats meat. I try to make things like couscous with shrimp, lentil based meals (lentil sloppy joes, lentil chilli), and vegetable pizzas.
  • LizGogol
    LizGogol Posts: 73 Member
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    She did clarify what she meant, and it makes about as much sense as saying "I'm a pescetarian who avoids eating dairy and other animal products."

    Not if you consider fish to be animals - which they are. But we could debate about that all day. I just don't get the label if you clearly aren't something - why call yourself it? It just makes it way more confusing for the rest of us who are strict to our diet.
  • LizGogol
    LizGogol Posts: 73 Member
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    ****! I wanted to quote that and post a reply!!

    I HATE LABELS!! I used to tell people I was a vegetarian and I would have to explain myself and argue with a ton of people! It got exhausting. I just tell people I am a picky eater now!

    We all love and respect animals!
  • leomentlines
    leomentlines Posts: 440 Member
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    I also agree with this.. I think its a beautiful thing to cut back on meat consumption, but when you call yourself a vegetarian/vegan while eating animal flesh it gives others you come into contact with the wrong impression of what being vegetarian/vegan is.

    You like fish? You're a pescetarian, that's all :)
  • lilwednesday
    lilwednesday Posts: 36
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    Hello -

    I am also "nearly - vegan" because I do eat honey and occasional dairy when I got out to restaurants. I have been eating this way for about two years now and my husband wouldn't eat beans, tofu, or tempeh when I started. So it does take time but now he eats all those things and even decided to try the month of February as a vegetarian!! I spent a lot of time research how to "veganize" his favorite recipes and trying out meat replacements. I also took some vegan cooking classes! Good luck and keep up the great work.

    I just can't get my tempeh to taste right. Can you share your recipe with me please? Faye
  • lilwednesday
    lilwednesday Posts: 36
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    I didn't eat meat from the age of twelve until recently (I'm 33) and I'm not a big fan now. Can't see the point to replacement products myself as I don't like the taste of meat so wouldn't eat them. Oh, and I'm leather bag and shoes all the way kind of girl.

    So if you aren't a fanatic and just want to cut out meat for the health benefits, allow me to share my salad recipe with you.

    Faye's Frozen Summer Salad (between 2) - about 300 calories per serve
    600g watermelon, cubed in 2cm cubes
    1 orange, sliced then halved into semi circle shapes
    1 small red onion finely sliced
    Balsamic vinegar
    60g Low fat feta cheese, crumbled or tiny cubes

    Prepare this in advance as follows
    Toss watermelon and orange sliced together and freeze for 2 hours (or overnight to stay fresh in a lunch box)
    Marinade onion in balsamic while fruit freezes
    Take fruit out of freezer, drain onion and combine onion with the fruit
    Crumble over the feta and serve.
    Fresh and delish!

    Mint is a nice option.
  • Luckymam
    Luckymam Posts: 300
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    I think what's so "LOLable" is how 'holier than thou' some people are. I'm making a transition from fully-fledged carnivore to not eating animal products and I come in for criticism from the purists. I think I'm doing pretty well!

    SO EXCUSE ME!
  • TheMaidOfAstolat
    TheMaidOfAstolat Posts: 3,222 Member
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    I'm going to get pounced on for this...but I don't care.
    If you're a vegan...it's not just about what you consume...it's about what you wear, what make-up, hair products ect you use. You're a strict vegetarian if you use animal byproducts in anyform other than eating it.
    I am a vegetarian with vegan tendancies (I consume dairy...yet I do not wear leather, wool, silk, or any other by products).
  • lilwednesday
    lilwednesday Posts: 36
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    I think what's so "LOLable" is how 'holier than thou' some people are. I'm making a transition from fully-fledged carnivore to not eating animal products and I come in for criticism from the purists. I think I'm doing pretty well!

    SO EXCUSE ME!

    Don't you worry about them. Keep up the good work! x
    They probably don't realise they are eating insects with every red food dye consumed because red dyes are usually not plant but insect for colouring. Vegan beware: never eat a smartie again!
  • 0flynnstone0
    0flynnstone0 Posts: 150
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    Hey!

    Since there's been some issues about labels here, I suppose I'm what they call a "flexitarian." AKA I usually don't eat meat or drink milk, but I also don't ban myself from it, I just eat a lot less than most people.

    I'm a single student, so I don't have to worry about cooking for anyone but myself, but I have fooled my friends before by using Morningstar soy crumbles in lasagna. They had no idea til I told them! And this may be personal preference, but I think Morningstar "chicken" nuggets taste 10 times better than nuggets made of real chicken. Also, lentils can be used as a replacement for meat a lot of the time.

    Good luck on the new lifestyle! Feel free to add me if you want.
  • 0flynnstone0
    0flynnstone0 Posts: 150
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    I think what's so "LOLable" is how 'holier than thou' some people are. I'm making a transition from fully-fledged carnivore to not eating animal products and I come in for criticism from the purists. I think I'm doing pretty well!

    SO EXCUSE ME!


    *high five*
  • dawn0802
    dawn0802 Posts: 1
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    Hello. I just signed up for this site today. I have also just made the change to vegetarian. I have been talking about it for some time now and finally decided to just do it. It has been 3 weeks so far. (I do eat fish) Fortunately my husband is not a big meat eater so the transition was easy.
  • AmeMahoney
    AmeMahoney Posts: 232
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    I'm "Nearly" Not a meat/dairy eater. Saying that usually keeps people from giving me so much crap.
    Most of my friends and family refer to me as a Part-time Vegetarian or a Part-time Vegan. But it doesn't really matter to me what label they want to use. (My mother-in-law just calls me "picky.") Some days I eat meat (I'll have 3 oz beef with dinner in an hour), some days I don't. Some days I have cheese, some days I have a little milk. Most I don't. Whatever. I think part of the reason that I am not all Vegetarian or Vegan is because I don't like to eat processed foods. Even if they are veg or vegan, they still include lots of chemicals and weird stuff that aren't good for you. For that reason, I choose to just eat a little meat when I'm not getting my protein from beans. Sure, I'll have tofu sometimes, but in general I don't eat tofurkey or tofu dogs or processed "veg" "meat."

    I went on a Raw Food diet for over 8 months 2 years ago. That was AWESOME! I just got tired of all of the questions and comments (and judging), so I finally went back to eating cooked food and sometimes meat. I still only eat Raw Food desserts, and everyone begs me for them all the time. (Except for one guy who is allergic to nuts.) One of these days I hope to get mostly back to raw food because I feel so great on it, my energy is through the roof, and my blood work is even better than it normally is.

    Feel free to add me if you don't mind that I eat a little meat. I figure it's better than how I was raised. Besides, have you seen the Veg pamphlet about cutting out a little meat? Every meatless meal is a small victory, even if every meal is not meatless.
    :flowerforyou:

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