flexitarian eating and recipes support forum

bugseywalker
bugseywalker Posts: 7 Member
in Recipes
Hi everyone.

I am a flexitarian. For those who don't know what that is, its a person who eats around 80% vegetables/fruit (mostly vegetables) and around 20% meat (includes seafood, eggs, dairy from mammals, and meats of course). Consequently, I am discovering a whole new world of eating like vegetarian hamburgers and even a vegetarian meatloaf. Since starting this on Jan. 1, I have lost a total of 11 pounds and feel pretty good!

Part of the plan omits refined sugars as an opting for only natural sugars and, of course, stevia. I have created a couple of times (I had surgery this month) and consoled myself with chocolate-covered peanuts (M&Ms) a couple of times. I was pretty down. But that's passed and I still lost weight! Of course, I discovered during this time frame that peanuts and I don't agree with one another. My poste752iwbiiun8.jpg
-surgery photo shows that I am healing, albeit slowly due to age and general health, but I'm able to type at least so the temporary "I need chocolate" depression has passed.

If there are any other flexitarians, please join in. Even if you're not one but have tasty meal ideas and recipes, please feel free to join in.

I will post as often as I can and share some of my own recipes with you.





Replies

  • happysquidmuffin
    happysquidmuffin Posts: 651 Member
    I consider myself Flexitarian, but my definition is a little different. Vegetarian most of the time, vegan when convenient, using mostly plant based milk instead of dairy, but sometimes I still eat meat and feel no guilt about it. When it gets a little warmer we’ll start getting our eggs from a local “happy free chicken” source again. I eat way less than 20% meat. I’ll go several days without any meat, but then I might have sushi or a hamburger or pizza with meat on it. At the moment I have to eat only softer foods bc a few days ago I had one of my front teeth pulled :( I don’t recommend it!
  • happysquidmuffin
    happysquidmuffin Posts: 651 Member
    Chocolate cherry energy balls

    15 deglet noor dates, soaked 10 minutes & drained
    1 cup dried cherries
    1/4 cup salted sunflower seeds
    1/4 cup chopped walnuts
    1/2 cup chunky almond butter
    2 tbsp cocoa powder
    2 tbsp cacao nibs
    2-3 twists sea salt grinder (or sprinkle to taste)
    1 tbsp melted coconut oil
    2-3 tbsp water if needed

    Blend everything in a food processor until combined, adding water as needed. You could prob leave out the coconut oil if you wanted to.

    Makes 29-30 half tablespoon bites. About 80 cal per piece.

    I’ve only made this once, my own recipe. I will try it again and probably omit the walnuts and coconut oil, and maybe add some oats.
  • happysquidmuffin
    happysquidmuffin Posts: 651 Member
    edited February 2020
    scarlett_k wrote: »
    Isn't 20% meat basically a regular omnivorous diet?
    That’s kinda what I thought but I wasn’t gonna say it 😏

  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited February 2020
    scarlett_k wrote: »
    Isn't 20% meat basically a regular omnivorous diet?

    I was a bit confused too, because that's like 400 calories of non-vegetarian food for someone who eats 2000. That's in line with what a regular omnivore eats. Then I thought maybe it means 20% of the meals, like one meal containing non-vegetarian food every couple of days or so.

    I don't particularly try to be flexitarian, but I guess I am because of my food preferences. My diet is primarily lacto vegetarian, with the occasional fish or chicken breast anywhere from 0 to 3 times a week. The only time I'll eat red meat is when we make meals that have ground beef maybe once a month, if that. I won't even look at a steak, and I remove all the meat chunks from my plate when we make a stew. When I do eat chicken, my portion is usually small compared to what people usually consider adequate. The only exception is when we have processed meat like luncheon. I use it in my sandwiches almost daily when we have it, and when we're out I don't miss it until someone feels like buying some which isn't often.
  • karenscfld
    karenscfld Posts: 38 Member
    I enjoy meatless meals quite often although I not in any special group. One meal I especially enjoy us a version of pizza. I take a frozen black bean burger and top it with about 1/4 cup of tomato sauce, I saute zucchini, green pepper, onion in olive oil and put on top of the burger. I top it off with a bit of parmesan and cook in the air fryer for about 15 minutes. It is quite good
  • Pamstimelines
    Pamstimelines Posts: 79 Member
    I would call myself a flexitarian. Flexible is right in the word but after all they are all just labels and anyone can define and name their own style of eating, right? I think I did like the term "semi-vegetarian" better but flexitarian seems to me that it can mean that you don't mind meat, like it can be cooking in the same pan, etc.
    I have evolved from meat and potato loving to including vegetables at every meal and now eating mostly vegetables. I like the idea of building my meals around the vegetables instead of a meat main course. It's a process for me and I welcome any open-minded ladies to send me a friend request! :smiley:
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    scarlett_k wrote: »
    Isn't 20% meat basically a regular omnivorous diet?

    That was my first thought, but then I wondered if maybe OP meant 20% of their meals have meat, and 80% don't? Which still wouldn't be a much lower percentage of meatless meals than I had as a child (generally only meat at dinner, as I didn't much like meat sandwiches for lunch, plus meatless Fridays as a holdover pre-Vatican II tradition. It's actually probably more "with meat" meals than I eat now as an adult, and I consider myself an omnivore.

    OP, can you clarify?
  • chelleedub
    chelleedub Posts: 50 Member
    I honestly don’t have enough calories or do enough cooking to do many side dishes, but I’m a fan of green beans with minced garlic and dill. That prolly didn’t help much, lol. I like one pan meals, myself. Congrats on reducing your consumption of animal products and increasing your produce intake!
  • JRsLateInLifeMom
    JRsLateInLifeMom Posts: 2,275 Member
    I was raised by meat eaters Dads Side but Native American to Jewish y German foods .

    Moms side were Vegans fight for PETA !! visit the nudest colony a few live in even tho I was a kid very confused why everyone wasn’t wearing underwear 🩲(comadooooo).
    She cooked British y Dutch foods so was an odd mix.

    So never knew what I was going to eat.
    Dads side hands you snakes grilled to a steak.
    Moms family hands you tofurkey y salads with beans sprouting in them lots of Waldorf salads (I like apple in a salad but not a fruit cocktail).

    Then had my kids neither will eat meat for years. Son still refusing y Navy Daughter is a Pescatarian it’s raw fish yuck 🤢 raw all raw.
    Hubby Jewish Spanish mix the Doctor can’t decide to treat him with a Vegan diet,vegetarian,or flexitarian as you call it.

    So my meals tend to be lots of no meats then randomly some meats 2ounces then back to no meats. Gets confusing in our home. Hubby went years as a Vegan Doctor has him add chicken y eggs. So will see what Doctors decide next. Being Both Jewish y me Native American mixed into our huge mixed selves we do agree on cruelty free y all natural everything

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