Hey you vegetarians out there...

[SunDrop23]

I am ready to make the switch. Any support you can provide for a newbie would be greatly appreciated!

[Shell Beau]

1. You should post in the vegetarian group!

Go to the DU Groups forum and scroll down. I know a ton of people would love to help you!

[SunDrop23]

2. Thanks!!!

[Shell Beau]

3. No problem! Did you find it?

[Mutley]

4. You have to donate to be able to post in the groups.

Congrats on your change of lifestyle BTW. There are a ton of vegetarian cook books with great recipes. I'm not a vegetarian, but my stepmom was for years and she made some excellent dishes.

[Shell Beau]

5. That is right! I forgot about that!

[SunDrop23]

10. Thanks for the link. It's high time I made a donation anyway.

[billyskank]

6. Learn how to cook Indian

Indian vegetarian food is more varied and more interesting than any other I know of. Probably because India has an ancient tradition of vegetarianism.

[LeftyMom]

7. If you have a specific question I'd be glad to answer

You need a donor star to post in the Veg/animal rights group but I think you can read without one. We have oodles of recipies down there.

Here's a link that should help with label reading. http://www.cyberparent.com/eat/hiddenanimalsinfood.htm

[smbolisnch]

8. Hey SunDrop!

:hi:
Are there any specific questions you have? Feel free to PM me also if you would rather!

Here are a few helpful links for you to check out, and make sure you read the veggie board here at DU! :)

http://www.goveg.com/
http://www.vegsoc.org/
www.vegweb.com

Good luck and congrats on making the switch! :woohoo:

[flamingyouth]

9. Looks like you have a star now

Come down and join us in the Veggie group. :hi:

[friesianrider]

11. Hey SunDrop!

Good for you for deciding to become veg! I made the switch 4 years ago now and I am SO glad I did. I've never felt better or looked better!

Definitely check out under DU Groups and then the Vegetarian, Vegan, and Animal Rights group. They're all wonderful there (as soon as I get my darn star for donating this week, I'll be there too grr!) :)

Good for you - you're about to make a really good choice for yourself, the environment, and animals!

:hug:

[shockra]

12. Congratulations!

Start replacing your meat products with faux meats. Fake chicken is the best. I really haven't found a bad brand of fake chicken. I like Morningstar Farm's chicken nuggets and there are lots of fake chicken patties, MF's Parmesan Cheese is my fave there. There are lots of different fake burger brands too, but it may take longer to find the one you like best.

Use hummus, or peanut butter for sandwich spreads. There are many varieties of nut butters out there now. Almond, cashew, and Tahini (sesame seed) also go well on rice cakes.

The hardest thing is probably that you will feel more hungry at first, since the fat content in your diet will be drastically reduced. So add enough cheese, or other high fat foods like nut butters to make you feel full. Whole grain breads will help as they are high in fiber, as are fruits and vegetables.

I like Mexican food. Bean burritos, black bean and rice burritos, Mexican rice with beans. I made a casserole from a Tortilla Soup mix (McDougall's) the other day that's really good. Just added brown rice, a can of tomatoes, and black beans. You can smother it with cheddar cheese, if you desire. :9

Edit: spelling

[friesianrider]

13. Morningstar Farms' Parmesan Ranch chik'n...mmmmm!

They are my fave as well!

Morningstar is awesome for fake meat. I agree at first your body will feel "hungrier" (is that even a word?) at first, but you'll adjust quickly. It's so much healthier for you and better for the world in so many ways, you'll be glad you switched! :)

Great advice, shockra! :hi:

[SunDrop23]

15. Thanks shockra!

[XemaSab]

14. Welcome to the club!

You'll want to eat a lot of "eastern" cooking, like curry and stir-fry. Also mexican food is good. Try out a lot of the fake meat products and see what you like. I personally like Soyrizo and seitan. Fake meat adds flavor to food. (Not that you can't make a good yummy meal with no fake meat, but it expands the menu a lot).

Be sure to get a lot of protein, especially at first. It will help with missing meat. Even if you don't eat much meat now, when I went veg I felt a bit odd for a few weeks, but it passed.

Enjoy!

[SunDrop23]

16. Thanks!

[hippywife]

17. I don't have a star so I can't post in the veggie group but

my husband is veggie and I make some really great fresh tasting burritos that we both really love:

Tomato Basil tortillas
1 pkg Lipton Fiesta Sides Spanish Rice
Homemade guacamole
finely shredded cheddar cheese
diced onion
diced tomatoes
sour cream
avocado-tomatillo sauce: http://www.fsafood.com/fsacom/Recipes/Recipe+Index/A-Z+Listing/A/Avocado-Tomatillo+Sauce.htm


I used to use refried beans but they taste so much fresher without them.
The avocado-tomatillo sauce is awesome!!

Also, a good falafel recipe:
http://vegetarian.allrecipes.com/az/SnsFlflndCcmbrSc.asp

He also likes both the Boca and Garden Burgers. We do alot of stirfry and hummus, too. Since it's summer sometimes we eat just corn on the cob and salad with vinegarette for dinners.