30 Day Veg Challenge - Day 1

Liann

Liann

Cathlete
Ok girls, this is day 1 for those of us who decided to take the 30 day veg challenge. For those of you who haven't heard of it, go to:

http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/30_day_veg_pledge?qp_source=vegpledgegen

For those of you who are already vegetarians, PLEASE join us as us wannabe vegetarians could really use the support and knowledge of you pros!!!

I went shopping at lunchtime and realized how challenging the supermarket can be for a vegetarian. Everything is Meat, Meat, Meat! Even the vegetarian vegetable soup I picked up had Chicken broth in it - duh! Finally, found some semi-healthy veggie soups and picked up some greens for salad and some fresh veggies and fruit. I will admit though that I also picked up some frozen vegetarian burritoes and premade meals as well. I needed something to tide me over while I work on an actual meal plan. I also bought some smooth tofu and firm tofu, but have no idea what the heck to do with either, lol. This is definitely going to be a learning experience for me. My next stop will be the book store to pick up some cookbooks.

I plan to still eat dairy products minus milk (I'll stick with Silk), but I am going to try to keep all my dairy products organic.

If anyone has a good idea for a name for this check-in, let me know. I just put something you all would recognize, but I want to eventually use something that lets the vegetarians know that this isn't just for new converts.
 
I also went to the market on my lunch and perused the alises for all that is vegitarian.

I ended up with lots of fresh veggies and fruit. Beans and chickpeas.
I have a great receipe for chickpea burgers and will post it later.

I plan on hitting the bookstore later this week as well. I plan on eliminating all meats including fish and all dairy except for cheese.

This will absolutly be a learning experience for me but one I am looking forward to.

Thanks to liann for posting the challenge
 
You're off to a great start, Liann! :D

If you want fabulous canned soups and frozen meals, look no further than Amy's. They are great for times when you just don't feel like cooking. :)

I find that grocery shopping is so much EASIER as a vegetarian! I pretty much stick to the produce aisle and bakery, the natural foods section, frozen foods (for frozen veggies and fruits), and a few select rows in between. Since most processed, prepackaged meals are not veg-friendly, I just avoid those aisles.

As for the tofu... by smooth tofu, do you mean silken? Silken tofu is good for making smoothies, puddings, and other creamy things. It's NOT good for stir-frying or using as a meat substitute. Firm tofu can be cubed and sauteed with veggies for a tasty stir-fry. Make sure you drain it, and then let it sit between some towels for a few minutes to get rid of excess water. :)

As for me... For lunch today, I had leftover minestrone (homemade by me - very tasty!). I'm not sure what's for dinner - I haven't thought that far ahead. Maybe leftovers from last night (Ravioli with Bell Peppers and Tomatoes). All this talk about veggie meat substitutes has got me craving Chik'n patties, though... so maybe we'll have those. ;)
 
Lol, silken, that's what I meant! Couldn't remember the name. See, total amateur here! ;) I think I did pick up a few "Amy" items and I did grab some Chik'n patties and Natures Promise Veggie burgers.

Teri - Can't wait to see your chickpea burger recipe. :)
 
Well, at least I knew what you meant! ;)

Oh, and I forgot to suggest a name for this thread... hmmmm...

"Broccoli Babes"
"Toying with Tofu"
"Meat-Free for a Month"
"Cauliflower Catheites"
"No Animals Were Harmed in the Making of This Thread"

:D
 
Hi everyone!!! *waves*

I have a really tasty bean burger recipe I will share. And actually, lots of others too.

Liann - sounds like you're off to a great start.

Teri - I can't give up cheese either. It's just far too yummy!

Emily - *ahem* So cough up the vegan CC cookie recipe, would ya?:p
 
Hey guys!

Let me quickly post my recipe for Veggie Bean Burgers. I make these in very big batches (like tripling the recipe), then I individually freeze, then vaccuum-seal them so I can just zip one open and toss it on the grill when I make burgers for the boys.

Veggie Bean Burgers
1 T olive oil
1/2 C minced onion
1/2 C minced green or red pepper
1/2 C minced carrot
1/2 C minced celery
15 oz. cna cannelloni beans (or other white bean)
2 eggs, lightly beaten (I use egg sub)
2/3 C seasoned bread crumbs
1/4-1/2 C veggie broth
garlic powder

*In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1/4 C broth. Add minced veggies anc ook over meium heat, stirring occassionally until veggies are soft and moisture has evaporated. Set aside to cool slightly.
*Mash the beans and place in a medium bowl. Add eggs and mix well. Add bread crumbs and veggie mixture; mix until completely combined.
*Shape into 8 equal patties (wet hands work best to prevent sticking). Cover and refrigerate until chilled (about 20 minutes) or freeze for 10 minutes.
*In same skillet, heat 1/2 tsp oil. Add 4 patties, sprinkled with garlic powder and cook over medium heat, turning once, until browned on both sides. Remove patties and repeat with the remaning 4 patties.
*Freeze or eat immediately.

I use the food processor for all that mincing and mashing....really cuts down on the prep time! I LOVE THESE! I use this mixture just like you would use a ground beef or meatloaf recipe....stuffed peppers, stuffed zucchini, meatballs, etc. Really like this recipe!

Gayle
 
OK! Glad we're in this together! Honestly, after looking thru my recipe box, I'm not all that concerned about "going veggie" completely. I'm mostly concerned about how to slowly switch my kids over, but I'll be taking baby steps with them!

I hit the grocery store yesterday and stocked up on fresh greens and made a LARGE salad...added my home-grown tomatoes, green peppers, hot peppers, and eggplant. That will last me several days! Tomorrow I'll be making a new veg recipe with hominy (sp?) in it. Will be interesting. I've never tasted that.

I'M EXCITED and can't wait to check out the new websites and cookbooks you all suggested.

RECIPES!!! Always willing to try something new, so feel free to share yours!

Gayle
 
Hi,

I've been a veggie since January of this year and went no diary in March when I began to read more. This was the most challenging part for me as I LOVED cottage cheese and ate it all the time! I was also a huge ice cream fanatic.

Since I've been eating this way (and I use to eat meat at every meal before) my best description of how I feel is 'all clean on the inside.' Yep, sounds goofy but there ya go!

I'm a very limited cook so I'm looking forward to seeing what recipes I can handle. By limited, I mean, I have veggies or a salad and toss some beans on it! :) Lunch is usually fruit with a handful of some type of nut and then hummus on whole wheat pita.

Anyhoo, looking forward to hanging out with everyone.

Diana
(waving hi from hot and sticky south Florida)
 
SOUPS! You just wait till I get my soup section out of my recipe box! I always have homemade soup on hand in my fridge....and most of them are vegetarian already! I can't wait to share!

Gayle
 
Diana - "Limited Cook" would be an understatement for me! ;) My DH actually does all of the cooking in the house normally. I'm going to have to take over though or he will continue trying to serve me beef and chicken!

Gayle - I am going to take baby steps with my DH and try to pull him over slowly. I will just start making some veggie dishes and not mentioning that they are "meatless" and over time I'll faze out the meat. That's my plan at least - I figure he will just be so happy that I am cooking that he will not notice. There were some fun ideas on that one vegetarian web site about things to do with kids. One was building a mashed potato sunday with a non-meat based brown gravy and faux hamburger crumbles. Looked kind of interesting. I might have to try that with my DH. All men are just big kids, right? :+
 
Hi Friends of Animals :)

I have not cooked much all summer, but today I just finished making mushroom Barley Soup. That will be dinner with a big green salad.

( I also made chicken soup for the carnivores here.)

If I don't feel like cooking, a big salad with beans works. We also do a big salad with baked salmon or cubed sauteed tofu. Often the family will have a roast chicken and large salad and I have a veg burger or beans or tofu on the salad.

Peanut butter in measured quantities (1-2 tablespoons maximum) can be filing and an easy breakfast in a bowl of oatmeal or on a slice of whole grain bread or wrap.

Hummus is a staple in our kitchen too. We have it with raw broccoli or carrots or red pepper slices.

Whole Grain Pasta tossed with roasted veggies makes a great dinner. Especially with garlic }(


[font color=red][font size=+2]Judy "Likes2bfit"[/font]
 
Hello!

I would love to join the 30 day challenge. Whenever I cook it's meatless, but my boyfriend is a chef and thinks everything tastes better with some sort of animal product in it, especially bacon or butter.

I need to cut out dairy products because of my allergies. And I love cheese. I've been doing some surfing and have read about the Uncheese Cookbook. Has anyone tried it? Is it any good? Can you really make good tasting uncheese?

I've not had any animal products today (leftover pasta for breakfast -- I was running late -- and a bizarre sweet potato, corn and black bean hash for lunch). I will probably make a smoothie with soy milk after my workout (LIC) tonight.

Vanessa
 
Im pretty excited...My DH has agreed to go veggie monday-friday. It's a start right?

we are haing a spicy black bean and veggie stir fry for dinner. This is a meal enjoy regularly anyway. After thinking about what we usually eat this may be easier than I originally thought.

Gayle- thank for the buger receipe it looks fantanstic
 
Judy-quick question about the roasted veggies with pasta. Do you roast your own or do you buy them already roasted? I make a roasted veggie soup that I then puree till smooth, and add liquid. I could probaby just use the roasted veggies like that, right? How do you roast yours?

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM...now I'm getting hungry for oven-roasted veggies! Maybe tomorrow I'll roast a batch of my garden tomatoes and eat them over pasta! YUMMY!

Gayle
 
>Im pretty excited...My DH has agreed to go veggie
>monday-friday. It's a start right?
>
>we are haing a spicy black bean and veggie stir fry for
>dinner. This is a meal enjoy regularly anyway. After
>thinking about what we usually eat this may be easier than I
>originally thought.
>
>Gayle- thank for the buger receipe it looks fantanstic

That's great Teri! Maybe that approach will work on my DH too. :)
 
Gayle-

I line a baking sheet with foil and put olive oil spray on it. top with sliced veggies and a spritz of olive oil and a bit of salt and garlic powder or minced garlic. roast in 400-425 degree oven until done but not overly charred. ** If I am in a hurry, I will use the broiler but then they have to be checked for burning more often.

suggested veggies: portabello or other mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini, asparagus, sweet peppers, cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, onions sliced thick, roma tomatoes

toss roasted veggies ***and their juices*** and whole grain pasta with a small amount of olive oil and perhaps some fresh basil or parsley, S&P and there is dinner.

[font color=red][font size=+2]Judy "Likes2bfit"[/font]
 
Ok, I have to vent a little. My DH just came home from work with a bag of ground beef! WTF??? We discussed this yesterday. I asked him nicely what the "beef" was for and he said it was to make us stuffed peppers. AUGHHHH..... Obviously, he is not remotely taking me seriously and now he's giving me attitude for saying I can't eat that. I thought he understood why I was doing this. I'm not a wishy washy person, when I say I am going to not eat meat, I mean it... I wouldn't mind if he bought himself some meat, but he bought like 4 lbs of this stuff and he is acting all shocked that I do not want to eat it.

K, the rant is over... I just thought he actually took me seriously last night and obviously he didn't. :(
 
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