Quote:
Originally Posted by SummerChild
What has been your experience since becoming a vegetarian or vegan? Any good recipes? I am trying to become a vegetarian. Please share your experiences. Any really good restaurant chains out there?
SC
|
Hey Summer!
Sorry to crash
I've been a vegetarian since I was a little girl (a total vegetarian -- no chicken, red meat, fish but I will eat dairy) and it's actually really simple after awhile. I can't imagine ever eating meat again. Especially in my family where cholesterol/heart disease is a problem, my cardiovascular health has always been great and I feel so much healthier for not chowing down on lots of meat.
You can find vegetarian things at most restaurants. Lots of chain restaurants (Chili's, Red Robin, TGI Fridays) have veggie burger options. There are plenty of salads, pastas, rice dishes, etc. that can be customized to suit your needs. If you explain that you're a vegetarian to the waiter and ask nicely, I've found they usually go out of their way to help me find something to eat. I've never had a kitchen refuse to modify a dish to make it meat free and most of the time my waiter will be like "Oh yeah, my (sister/best friend/neighbor) is a vegetarian, don't worry, I'll talk to the kitchen for you." They're very understanding. And it's always boring, but there's ALWAYS salad
Learn to love Thai, Indian and Mediterreanean food (La Shish is one particularly good chain) because eastern cuisines have lots of tasty vegetarian stuff. Hummus, baba ganouj, falafel, paneer, tofu pad prik....yum! Morningstar Farms has the best selection of meat replacement products...vegetarian "chicken" patties, "burgers," "hot dogs"... even veggie sausage and bacon. It's great and incredibly tasty.
Nicer places, even if it's a seafood place or a steakhouse, will go out of their way to cater to a vegetarian. I've called up ahead of time and the hostess has actually had the chef create a "special" pasta dish just for me...it's great!
Now, the problems I've encountered...
People don't seem to understand that being a VEGETARIAN means NO MEAT AT ALL (yes, fish and seafood is MEAT! Yes, chicken is MEAT!) That's probably because so many people call themselves vegetarian and eat chicken/fish. Nuh-uh. That kind of eating is something else entirely. But because of this, be prepared to explain yourself over and over again...
My uncle: "Oh you're a vegetarian. Do you eat chicken?"
Me: "No, I eat no meat at all."
Uncle: "But you eat fish."
Me: "I don't eat meat."
Uncle: "Fish isn't meat."
Me: "Oh, is it a vegetable?"
Uncle: "Well NO but it's not like a COW."
Me: "Ew."
I've also gone to weddings and plated dinners where I'll check the "vegetarian" option and been served fish and even chicken. I don't like to cause trouble in these circumstances, so I go hungry and make a Taco Bell run later or ask for extra vegetables from the kitchen. That sometimes can be a problem.
Be prepared to cook a LOT too, because it's easy to fall into the trap of going out and the only thing you want to order is like, cheese fries. You have to force yourself to make the majority of your diet vegetables. I have vegetarian friends (and I even fall into this trap sometimes) that will skip over the salad for mac&cheese and other fried deliciousness. If you aren't really strict with yourself about the vegetables, you can actually gain weight on a vegetarian diet, which isn't fun.
If it's still out there, I received an amazing book called "A Teen's Guide to Going Vegetarian" when I decided to give up meat. It has lots of easy recipes and motivation to go vegetarian and it's not too "save the animals-PETA" preachy. I know we're adults now but I still use it for recipes and healthy vegetarian tips. I highly recommend it if it's still in print.
Good luck and PM me if you need any more advice!