Need help from fellow Vegetarians!!!

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Replies

  • wphetz
    wphetz Posts: 2 Member
    edited July 2015
    Good Luck!
  • epfahl
    epfahl Posts: 22 Member
    UGG all you people whining that Vegetarians don't get enough protein/vitamins/etc, and are all carb loaders? Where the hell do you get this bullcrap info? Also, VEGAN's are the ones who don't consume any animal products (honey, dairy, eggs, etc) 'lacto-ovo vegetarian' is such an old term for just a plain-old vegetarian (before they had a word for vegans). Vegetarians (without a prefix) are just plant-based diets and have restrictions on meat itself, not on animal byproducts. Honestly, unless you have a deficiency or illness that restricts your body from getting vitamins from foods, (Anemia, calcium deficiency, etc) you can get every vitamin you need from a plant based diet. No need for supplements or meats. I wont get on the rant about how eggs and dairy are horrible for you. That's a whole other can of worms.
    Eating Vegetarian is SIMPLE. DONT EAT MEAT.
    I eat 99% vegetarian. (Technically I'm Pescatarian due to low iron levels that require me to eat some fish occasionally).
    Feel free to look at my Food Diary. You don't need to carb load to be full. You don't need to eat Salad all the time. (but they are delicious)
    There are Billions of recipes out there to work with. Yummly.com is very helpful for people with restricted diets and can show results catered to your diet choices.
    Cassey Ho (Blogilates) has awesome recipes on her youtube channel. Go check her out.
    I've been a veg-head for years and can tell you it is all about being creative and open to new flavors and cooking methods.
    If there is something you cant live without (pizza, mac and cheese, tacos, chinese food?) I GUARENTEE you that you can find a low-calorie/low carb option that is not only meat free but MUCH healthier for you.
    I recently discovered an AMAZING substitute for my pasta cravings.- Spaghetti Squash. 5 cups of this stuff from Half a squash is one HUGE plate of angel-hair like 'pasta'. throw a little organic marinara sauce on there, and WHALA! A massive, filling meal, only 397 calories. (5 cups of normal pasta noodles would be 1105 calories... that's without the sauce too). Did your jaw just hit the floor? Mine did.
    Like Mac and cheese? Look up Miracle Noodle. a whole bag of that stuff, and a kick-butt recipe to make it ooy-gooey-cheesey, 88 Calories/serving. (it makes 2, but who are we kidding, I'd Eat the whole batch.) Regular Annie's Organic boxed mac n cheese, 700 Calories. (makes 1 bowl. and I know you'd eat the whole bowl. I do)
    Look up how to make cauliflower pizza crust. LIFESAVER.
    Gardein does amazing things with 'meat look-a-likes'. Mandarin Orange chik'n with some whole grain rice and steamed veggies. Boom. Chinese food. And if you like Spring rolls, I have a guilt-free recipe for those too.
    Morningstar and Boca have delicious burgers. all less than 180 Cal.
    Like Fries? grab a sweet potato or squash and roast em up!
    Tofu tacos are a MUST in my dinner selection. Super filling and less than 600 cal.
    Even my super picky meat-eating boyfriend likes these dishes. (So you know they're good!)
    Come at me, veggie-skeptics. I got recipes for my recipes. And a kitchen full of delicious ideas.

    I'm More than willing to help, just send me a message. (And friend me if you like.) :smiley:
    -Lisa
  • fullylugged
    fullylugged Posts: 67 Member
    Bananas are a good source of potassium. I have one as a mid ride snack when cycling for that reason, as well as the nice long burn energy it provides. Protein comes from lots of plants. Soy (Tofu, tempeh, etc) and a number of various beans are high in it. Cows get all that muscle people love to BBQ from eating grass you know. Or corn on a factory farm.
  • MarziPanda95
    MarziPanda95 Posts: 1,326 Member
    edited July 2015
    I was vegan for 11 years. Now I'm a lacto-ovo vegetarian. I have been a vegetarian since 1995. To me, asking what to eat that is vegetarian seems such an odd thing because humans eat only a handful of animals (cows, chickens, turkey, fish, pigs, shellfish, muscles, and I suppose the occasional rabbit, frog, monkey, grasshopper) but the vegetarian foods we eat are an almost infinite list (everything else, basically).

    I think even on a vegan diet, enough protein isn't hard to get. I think it does get more complicated if you are weightlifting and trying to build LBM (1g of protein per lb of LBM), but even then it's doable.

    anyways, I like things like pad thai, rad na, broccoli and tofu in garlic sauce, bean soft tacos, nachos, fried rice, veggie burgers, soy yogurts, egg sammiches, smoothies (lots and lots of smoothies with protein powder!), burritos, indian food (saag! saag! channa masala! Bombay curry!), corn on the cob, steamed veggies, salads (lots and lots of salads!)....

    I don't think you really get why people ask what to eat as a vegetarian. People who are only just going vegetarian have been omnivores their whole lives. Almost all main meals have some kind of meat. It's nothing to do with the fact that we only eat a handful of animals, it's to do with how - culturally - a lot of foods, recipes, meals... contain meat. New vegetarians ask that because they want alternatives to 'meat and two veg' that isn't just... veg.
    wphetz wrote: »
    UGG all you people whining that Vegetarians don't get enough protein/vitamins/etc, and are all carb loaders? Where the hell do you get this bullcrap info?

    Even my super picky meat-eating boyfriend likes these dishes. (So you know they're good!)
    Come at me, veggie-skeptics. I got recipes for my recipes. And a kitchen full of delicious ideas.

    Most of the people answering saying those things were vegetarians, actually. I don't think anyone said that vegetarians don't get enough protein/vitamins. They said that it is harder to do so as a vegetarian, which is true. You have to plan your meals more carefully.
    And FYI, I don't think I would like any of those recipes ;) (just teasing)
  • slaite1
    slaite1 Posts: 1,307 Member
    I was vegan for 11 years. Now I'm a lacto-ovo vegetarian. I have been a vegetarian since 1995. To me, asking what to eat that is vegetarian seems such an odd thing because humans eat only a handful of animals (cows, chickens, turkey, fish, pigs, shellfish, muscles, and I suppose the occasional rabbit, frog, monkey, grasshopper) but the vegetarian foods we eat are an almost infinite list (everything else, basically).

    I think even on a vegan diet, enough protein isn't hard to get. I think it does get more complicated if you are weightlifting and trying to build LBM (1g of protein per lb of LBM), but even then it's doable.

    anyways, I like things like pad thai, rad na, broccoli and tofu in garlic sauce, bean soft tacos, nachos, fried rice, veggie burgers, soy yogurts, egg sammiches, smoothies (lots and lots of smoothies with protein powder!), burritos, indian food (saag! saag! channa masala! Bombay curry!), corn on the cob, steamed veggies, salads (lots and lots of salads!)....

    I don't think you really get why people ask what to eat as a vegetarian. People who are only just going vegetarian have been omnivores their whole lives. Almost all main meals have some kind of meat. It's nothing to do with the fact that we only eat a handful of animals, it's to do with how - culturally - a lot of foods, recipes, meals... contain meat. New vegetarians ask that because they want alternatives to 'meat and two veg' that isn't just... veg.
    wphetz wrote: »
    UGG all you people whining that Vegetarians don't get enough protein/vitamins/etc, and are all carb loaders? Where the hell do you get this bullcrap info?

    Even my super picky meat-eating boyfriend likes these dishes. (So you know they're good!)
    Come at me, veggie-skeptics. I got recipes for my recipes. And a kitchen full of delicious ideas.

    Most of the people answering saying those things were vegetarians, actually. I don't think anyone said that vegetarians don't get enough protein/vitamins. They said that it is harder to do so as a vegetarian, which is true. You have to plan your meals more carefully.
    And FYI, I don't think I would like any of those recipes ;)

    +1 to all of this
  • audih12
    audih12 Posts: 11 Member
    Vegetarian here......any good recipe ideas?

    *positive friend add too......
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    jeneticir wrote: »
    VeggieLyfe wrote: »
    Thank you for the meal ideas!!!!!! I'm going to look at the site also too. I'm up for trying g new things!

    Hope you like it! That website is really awesome. The same chef also authored my favorite cookbook ever, "Isa Does It."

    Just wanted to add that that same chef also wrote one of my fave cookbooks - Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World! Seriously, you'll never want a non-vegan cupcake again as long as you live.
  • Katzedernacht
    Katzedernacht Posts: 266 Member
    wphetz wrote: »
    UGG all you people whining that Vegetarians don't get enough protein/vitamins/etc, and are all carb loaders? Where the hell do you get this bullcrap info? Also, VEGAN's are the ones who don't consume any animal products (honey, dairy, eggs, etc) 'lacto-ovo vegetarian' is such an old term for just a plain-old vegetarian (before they had a word for vegans). Vegetarians (without a prefix) are just plant-based diets and have restrictions on meat itself, not on animal byproducts. Honestly, unless you have a deficiency or illness that restricts your body from getting vitamins from foods, (Anemia, calcium deficiency, etc) you can get every vitamin you need from a plant based diet. No need for supplements or meats. I wont get on the rant about how eggs and dairy are horrible for you. That's a whole other can of worms.
    Eating Vegetarian is SIMPLE. DONT EAT MEAT.
    I eat 99% vegetarian. (Technically I'm Pescatarian due to low iron levels that require me to eat some fish occasionally).
    Feel free to look at my Food Diary. You don't need to carb load to be full. You don't need to eat Salad all the time. (but they are delicious)
    There are Billions of recipes out there to work with. Yummly.com is very helpful for people with restricted diets and can show results catered to your diet choices.
    Cassey Ho (Blogilates) has awesome recipes on her youtube channel. Go check her out.
    I've been a veg-head for years and can tell you it is all about being creative and open to new flavors and cooking methods.
    If there is something you cant live without (pizza, mac and cheese, tacos, chinese food?) I GUARENTEE you that you can find a low-calorie/low carb option that is not only meat free but MUCH healthier for you.
    I recently discovered an AMAZING substitute for my pasta cravings.- Spaghetti Squash. 5 cups of this stuff from Half a squash is one HUGE plate of angel-hair like 'pasta'. throw a little organic marinara sauce on there, and WHALA! A massive, filling meal, only 397 calories. (5 cups of normal pasta noodles would be 1105 calories... that's without the sauce too). Did your jaw just hit the floor? Mine did.
    Like Mac and cheese? Look up Miracle Noodle. a whole bag of that stuff, and a kick-butt recipe to make it ooy-gooey-cheesey, 88 Calories/serving. (it makes 2, but who are we kidding, I'd Eat the whole batch.) Regular Annie's Organic boxed mac n cheese, 700 Calories. (makes 1 bowl. and I know you'd eat the whole bowl. I do)
    Look up how to make cauliflower pizza crust. LIFESAVER.
    Gardein does amazing things with 'meat look-a-likes'. Mandarin Orange chik'n with some whole grain rice and steamed veggies. Boom. Chinese food. And if you like Spring rolls, I have a guilt-free recipe for those too.
    Morningstar and Boca have delicious burgers. all less than 180 Cal.
    Like Fries? grab a sweet potato or squash and roast em up!
    Tofu tacos are a MUST in my dinner selection. Super filling and less than 600 cal.
    Even my super picky meat-eating boyfriend likes these dishes. (So you know they're good!)
    Come at me, veggie-skeptics. I got recipes for my recipes. And a kitchen full of delicious ideas.

    I'm More than willing to help, just send me a message. (And friend me if you like.) :smiley:
    -Lisa

    I loved this reply here.
    and yeah,we vegans don't eat that but we still get ok nutrition xD I loved your recipes,well I'd like to try some, maybe some modified, How do you make tofu tacos? :wink:
  • cajune57
    cajune57 Posts: 3 Member
    I think the easiest way for you, being a new vegetarian, would be to go to the library (yes, a real old fashioned one with books!) and get a couple of good, basic vegetarian cookbooks. Try to find one that looks like it incorporates a wide range of foods and things that you like.

    I have an old book called The Meatless Gourmet with recipes from all over the world, it's a favourite. Lately I've been making a lot of recipes from The New Moosewood Cookbook. (Also available used online from Amazon for about $3.)
    Then keep an eye on your levels of protein, carbs, vitamins etc on MFP, you can change them in Settings to see different options. That keeps me aware of what I'm getting enough of, too much of etc.

    One of the things I like in making up these recipes is that you'll have enough for days (or the freezer)............takes a little time up front but saves you time in the long run.

    Finally, once you have recipes you like, you can put the ingredients into a nutrition counting program, get results and add them as My Foods in MFP so it is easy to add them to daily meals without having to count individual ingredients beyond the initial time of setting it up.

    Good luck and congrats on choosing a healthy lifestyle! :)
  • missball
    missball Posts: 21 Member
    My partner and I have been cooking and eating vegetarian for around 6 years now so glad to offer help and a few of the recipes we regularly use. Just message or add (diary is visible to friends). Generally speaking for your proteins you'll want things like beans, lentils, other pulses, meat substitutes like quorn, and limited dairy produce. My protein intake is actually consistently slightly lower than I would want but my fat is also nice and low.
    The carb:fat:protein ratio you should aim for is largely dependent on your lifestyle and exercise regime anyway, and we'll as your body type, so I wouldn't worry too much if you're not spot on.
  • angelexperiment
    angelexperiment Posts: 1,917 Member
    I would not stop eating meat then add back in bc you will not be able to tolerate the meat after awhile without. Stomache and digestive issues. Why not a lacto ovo vegetarian or pesca vegetarian. Lacto oveo u can have egg and dairy. Pesca fish.
    .
    this is more a life style change. Don't do it for weightloss. Also , ard to be veg and low carb. Unless you eat like veg fruit and quinoa rice beans etc all needed for a healthy veg diet.
  • angelexperiment
    angelexperiment Posts: 1,917 Member
    I would not stop eating meat then add back in bc you will not be able to tolerate the meat after awhile without. Stomache and digestive issues. Why not a lacto ovo vegetarian or pesca vegetarian. Lacto oveo u can have egg and dairy. Pesca fish.
    .
    this is more a life style change. Don't do it for weightloss. Also , ard to be veg and low carb. Unless you eat like veg fruit and quinoa rice beans etc all needed for a healthy veg diet.

    Oh also ezekial bread is high in protein
  • chasingthesun85
    chasingthesun85 Posts: 22 Member
    I've been a veg for years and I'm gonna let you know that the snide comments about your decision won't stop, best thing is to just ignore it, laugh with them etc. I live in Texas and when I tell people I don't eat meat they usually *kitten* themselves. :) I can tell you from personal experience I did lose a lot of weight and have more energy and feel better about not having another life suffer so I can have some bacon, I don't miss meat, and the only vitamin supplements I take are b-12 and iron because I was diagnosed anemic before going vegetarian. I would visit the forks over knives website they have good recipes and maybe check out the documentary forks over knives if you haven't seen it, it will definitely make you feel great about your decision. There's tons of websites that have only vegetarian or vegan recipes, feel free to add me if you have any question or just wanna chat.
  • aekaya
    aekaya Posts: 163 Member
    Not a vegetarian anymore, but I only eat meat a few times a week and am trying to cut back. For vegetarian snack ideas/meals that are quick and easy, my go-to's are:

    Apple slices with almond butter
    Toast with almond butter and strawberries
    Chunks of frozen (no sugar added) mango as dessert
    Soft-boiled or poached eggs on top of quinoa - VERY filling meal
    Crockpot vegetarian chili with cornbread
    Overnight oats for breakfast (1/3 cup each of vanilla greek yogurt, almond milk, oats, & dash of cinnamon, top it w/ almond slivers and strawberries)
    Greek yogurt/almond milk/fruit smoothies are a great afternoon snack
    Baked sweet potato fries
    Honeydew with cottage cheese (I also like those 100-calorie cottage cheese doubles)
    Quinoa patties (http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2014/04/09/crispy-quinoa-patties/)
    Rice cakes topped with guacamole
    Avocado spread on toasted english muffins
    String cheese (decent serving of protein for a snack!)

    That's all I can think of at the moment! Hope that helps.
  • fullylugged
    fullylugged Posts: 67 Member
    veganricha and fatfreevegan websites both have a ton of tasty recipes.
  • togetmesomepants
    togetmesomepants Posts: 10 Member
    @greenrhino6 Your food suggestions sound delicious.
  • alfiedn
    alfiedn Posts: 425 Member
    I'm technically pescetarian (clearly I can't spell this word!), but I rarely eat fish.

    I love cheese. I really love cheese. Can I tell you how much I love cheese?

    Nuts, seeds, cut raw veggies all make great on-the-go snacks.

    I have to keep my carbs somewhat low and it's hard. My suggestion is to eat fewer fruits and more veggies. Also, if you choose to keep your grain intake low, that may help as many of our protein sources are also starchy (beans, I'm looking at you!).

    Indian food recipes are usually vegetarian-friendly and delicious. It's all about how you spice your veggies and how you cook them. I made an awesome thai carrot soup with peanutbutter that's easy and out of this world delicious!

    If you find you feel hungry, try increasing your fats. I've found that eating lower carb as a mostly vegetarian, I need to eat more fat than I've eaten in the past in order to feel full and stay feeling full. When I first started doing this, I was eating HUGE plates of veggies and feeling physically stuffed and still hungry at the same time. Adding the fats helped me to un-tether from my kitchen. Now I can go places again! There are these amazing fat bomb recipes that you can find on pinterest and other places. My favorite is a peppermint patty-type recipe with coconut butter that doesn't require any added sugar or sugar substitute. Avocado is a great fat source as are nuts and oils in your cooking.

    Zucchini noodles with a lemon avocado sauce is super yummy! :)

    Black bean burgers (skinnytaste has a really good recipe)
    Thug Kitchen cookbook/blog (although there are a lot of grains in this one, it's amazingly delicious if you're willing to deal with the swearing...I find it funny)
    Chia seed puddings (use banana to sweeten)
    Eggs
    Roasted Brussell Sprouts!!!!
    Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms
    Cauliflower Pizza is a favorite in my house

    Best luck!
  • epfahl
    epfahl Posts: 22 Member
    Ohhh tofu tacos are delish!
    get some cubed extra-firm tofu at the store, drain it and press it with some paper towels to get the moisture out. fry it in a little bit of olive or coconut oil (add green peppers and onion if you want). When the pieces are golden brown on all sides their done. Add a bit of water and a sprinkle of taco seasoning (read the packet to make sure there isn't any 'natural flavor'(meat powder) in it.). warm up some tortillas, and add all the fresh ingredients you want! Cheese, peppers, onion, cucumber, spinach/lettuce, tomato, sour cream, taco sauce.... mmmm now I want tacos. so good.
  • epfahl
    epfahl Posts: 22 Member
    alfiedn wrote: »
    I'm technically pescetarian (clearly I can't spell this word!), but I rarely eat fish.

    I love cheese. I really love cheese. Can I tell you how much I love cheese?

    Nuts, seeds, cut raw veggies all make great on-the-go snacks.

    I have to keep my carbs somewhat low and it's hard. My suggestion is to eat fewer fruits and more veggies. Also, if you choose to keep your grain intake low, that may help as many of our protein sources are also starchy (beans, I'm looking at you!).

    Indian food recipes are usually vegetarian-friendly and delicious. It's all about how you spice your veggies and how you cook them. I made an awesome thai carrot soup with peanutbutter that's easy and out of this world delicious!

    If you find you feel hungry, try increasing your fats. I've found that eating lower carb as a mostly vegetarian, I need to eat more fat than I've eaten in the past in order to feel full and stay feeling full. When I first started doing this, I was eating HUGE plates of veggies and feeling physically stuffed and still hungry at the same time. Adding the fats helped me to un-tether from my kitchen. Now I can go places again! There are these amazing fat bomb recipes that you can find on pinterest and other places. My favorite is a peppermint patty-type recipe with coconut butter that doesn't require any added sugar or sugar substitute. Avocado is a great fat source as are nuts and oils in your cooking.

    Zucchini noodles with a lemon avocado sauce is super yummy! :)

    Black bean burgers (skinnytaste has a really good recipe)
    Thug Kitchen cookbook/blog (although there are a lot of grains in this one, it's amazingly delicious if you're willing to deal with the swearing...I find it funny)
    Chia seed puddings (use banana to sweeten)
    Eggs
    Roasted Brussell Sprouts!!!!
    Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms
    Cauliflower Pizza is a favorite in my house

    Best luck!

    OMG you MUST share your zucchini noodle recipe with me. It sounds amazing.
  • ScreeField
    ScreeField Posts: 180 Member
    This book (check it out from your library) has a wealth of information on what you really need (and what you don't) based on the author's lifetime of research experience and other research findings: Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition

    It doesn't necessarily promote a vegetarian (or vegan) diet, but it's very close and compatible with vegetarian (and vegan) views.

    Also, I posted this in a very similar topic yesterday:

    There is a scientist by the name of Dr. Rui Hai Liu doing work in this area. He's been showing that whole fruits and vegetables (like an apple for example) have a far better health and nutrition benefits than individual supplements.

    For example, he published in Nature back around 2000 showing that 100 grams (about 1/2 cup) of fresh apple had the same antioxidant equivalent as 1,500 mg of vitamin C--about 3x the amount of a single vitamin C supplement. The apple itself only has about 5.7 mg of vitamin C, but the benefit is from the right combination of the vitamin C in the apple and everything else in the apple. Supplements don't give you all the same components, nor the right blend of those components.

    Quote: It is estimated that more than 5000 individual phytochemicals have been identified in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, but a large percentage still remain unknown and need to be identified before we can fully understand the health benefits of phytochemicals in whole foods.

    Here's a link to an interview w/ the researcher:

    http://archive.sciencewatch.com/inter/aut/2012/12-jan/12janLiu/

    For Omega-3's, your body can actually convert ALA from nuts and seeds into EPA. And, DHA isn't necessary for most people if your Omega 3:Omega 6 ratio is balanced (which commonly occurs with a vegetarian diet). In fact, pregnant women are warned against taking fish oil supplements. And, although a few small studies showed improved biomarkers for certain ailments with fish oil supplementation, a survey of 98 studies (including a 15 year long study with 200,000 participants) showed detrimental effects from taking fish oil supplements.

    Protein is another interesting issue. Although it's currently the darling of the macros, there is increased scrutiny showing links to cancer from high animal-based protein diets. The paradigm will shift again. My best guess is the shift will shy away from individual micros in favor of unbroken structures.