Help from Vegans/Vegetarians-I need recipes badly

1. 60

   MelissaBarrettposted 12 years ago

   For the last three weeks, I've not been able to stomach any meat at all.  I can't touch it or smell it without gagging (at best) so that means cooking it is nearly impossible. (Ask me about taco night... Cooked with my eyes closed and lifted the burger with tongs... it was great)
   
   Normally, my personal tastes lean towards veggies anyway but now I have to have extra protein. I hate beans and I haven't a clue what to do with tofu.  That eliminates most of the recipes I'm finding online.  I am the sole meal prep person in my family, so they have to eat what I fix too.
   
   They are getting very tired of Mac and Cheese and meatless spaghetti.
   
   Any suggestions?

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      NatalieSackposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Maybe a more important thing to explore is why you have the sudden aversion to meat.  The body tells us in so many way what it needs (we tend to ignore it), and your body seems to be sending you a message.
      
      On the menu:  I have a meat and potatoes husband and I lean toward vegetarian.  A buffet approach helps me.  For example, I'll make a homemade vegetable soup or a salad, and make for him some diced chicken that he can add to the soup.  It comes fully cooked in the freezer aisle, so it just needs microwaved and you don't have to deal with a meat prep that makes you uncomfortable.
      
      Another option is breakfast for dinner.  Whole wheat toast, potatoes, a fruit smoothie--and eggs for the protein-lovers in your family.
      
      P.S.  I hate beans as well, but have found lentils to be versatile and delicious.  Bonus:  they are super cheap.

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   2. 92

      rebeccamealeyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I make veggie chili when it is cold. It is tasty and economical. Just throw 3 or so  kinds of beans (red, great northern, chic peas. white beans.....whatever! together with canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, onions, garlic, small can of corn. Cook like chili, with chili powder sans the meat.

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   3. 87

      Marisa Wrightposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      You can't eat meat - do you mean just red meat? 
      
      There are so many other sources of animal protein:
      
      Chicken
      Bacon, Ham
      Fish
      Seafood
      Milk
      Eggs
      Cheese
      Yoghurt
      
      Animal protein is the only kind that gives you "complete" protein.  Vegetable proteins are "incomplete", which means you need to ensure a variety of different sources in your diet, to make sure you're getting all the amino acids you need.  If you don't like beans or tofu, it's going to be much more difficult to do that unless you use some of the animal sources.
      
      Make omelettes or frittata, add milk or yoghurt to sauces, make cheese sauce or sprinkle food with cheese.   Bacon bits add flavour to vegetable dishes.  And of course, fish and seafood are very, very good for you in all kinds of ways.

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         EyesStraightAheadposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Actually, research as shown that you can get protein other ways. However, since our government heavily subsides farms, they will never support that they have written an incorrect food pyramid for years. I highly recommend "Knives over Forks" for anyone who thinks you have to eat animals to gain your protein needs. It is eye opening, as are Earthlings, Food Inc., and Fast Food Nation.

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         1. 87

            Marisa Wrightposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Yes, I know it's perfectly possible to get sufficient protein by other means, including on a vegan diet.  However it does take a little more care in combining foods, and the OP said she won't eat beans so that limits her possible combinations and means she'll have to work harder to ensure she gets sufficient nutrients.
            
            Also, if you read her post, she has no objection to eating animal protein, she just can't stand the smell of meat.

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2. 93

   DeborahNeyensposted 12 years ago

   Quinoa.  It's a grain but has a lot of protein.  You can add veggies to it like a pilaf for a warm dish or salad for cold.  There are a lot of recipes out there.

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      MelissaBarrettposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      There's a thought.  I'd forgotten about quinoa.

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         Hollie Thomasposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Quinoa's a good choice, but what about bulgar wheat? Also, if meats out out of the question could YOU and your family stomach fish, or seafood?

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            MelissaBarrettposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            I've never tried bulgar wheat, I'll have to get a bit to test it out.  Lily is as gluten free/casin free as possible but we could work around it.  Seafood isn't happening either.  I tried and as soon as I smelled it I was to the bathroom at a full run.
            
            Sorry, I know I am being difficult.  I've got an appointment with a nutritionist but I can't get in before March.

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            1. 61

               couturepopcafeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Lentils are great. Buy them canned (I recommend Progresso) or dried and soak. Cook with celery, carrots, olive oil, onions like a thick soup. You're family can add chicken or quinoa or brown rice as wanted.

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3. 74

   WriteAngledposted 12 years ago

   I really enjoy stir fried vegetables with cashews, served with rice or noodles.

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      MelissaBarrettposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      The nuts would give some protein.  If I served it over quinoa then I could get closer to a complete protein.  Thanks!

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4. 60

   wellnessguidesjaposted 12 years ago

   Hi, This is from a vegetarian wannabee who has tried many veggie recipes. You could try a vegetable stir fry or vegetable chop suey. You'll need to have ready:
   Bok coy or pak choy cut into sizes you like
   mustard greens cut into sizes you like
   carrots julienned
   mushrooms if you like them
   cabbage
   garlic minced
   spoon of sugar
   oyster sauce or soy sauce
   ginger
   sesame oil
   vegetable stock
   cornstarch mixed in a little water for thickening
   
   On VERY high heat in a wok saute the garlic and ginger (don't burn them). add the carrots then add the bok choy, cabbage and mustard greens. Seasons with the oyster sauce. Add a little vege stock, when bubbling away, add the cornstarch slurry. 
   
   remove from heat then serve with steamed, saltless white rice like basmati

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   1. 60

      MelissaBarrettposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Sounds yummy!

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         couturepopcafeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Can you eat eggs?

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5. 56

   SanXuaryposted 12 years ago

   I make a million dishes with potatoes or rice. Slice them up, add vegetables and bake them in butter, spices or non-animal based gravy. There really is no end to the number of ideas. Stir fry anything you like with potatoes or rice and I do green bean casseroles with only water and non animal based gravy. I went to a bulk place and discovered three gravy mixes that contain no animal in them. I love beats with garlic, pepper and salt and butter and you can do this with several vegetables. Sweet potatoes or carrots baked in water and brown sugar not to mention squash. Oddly enough I actually do not like beans. Baked beans once in a while. You can also do a lot with bis-quick such as biscuits and waffles or pan cakes. I of course love salad all the time and sliced turnips. Most of these food items can be found cheap and they usually last forever. In fact I have turnips growing in my refrigerator. A bulk section with various granola and add some dried fruit or snack mix or even peanut butter beats any cereal. You can add water or soy milk but I like it plain unless I add fresh fruit.

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      MelissaBarrettposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Wow!  Lots of good stuff in there!  So you get your protein from dairy products and nuts?  That could work.  Sorry if I sound ignorant, but I've never really approached vegetarianism from a nutritional standpoint before and making huge dietary changes(even temporarily) is especially scary when pregnant.

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         Hollie Thomasposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I have a hub (not trying to promote, but you may find tasty) for spicy, nutty bananas. Great dessert if you fancy it.

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   ecoethicalveganposted 12 years ago

   Maybe you could make a shepherds pie using Yves Ground Round I've used it several times and find it to be delicious! also you could try making a hearty Happy Chicken Soup lol that's what I call it because I leave out the chicken, it has potatoes, parsnip, turnip, carrots, dill etc in it and is also very tasty.
   
   You can also make roast potatoes and carrots, coleslaw, mushroom gravy etc.
   
   Good Luck!

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   1. 60

      MelissaBarrettposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I've always wanted to ask about the vegie meats.  I used to love the boca burgers but do they cook well in recipes?  Do you need to add a little extra oil for them to cook right? (in comparison to the huge fat dripping slabs of real meat)

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7. 86

   livelongerposted 12 years ago

   Melissa - You could try Quorn products (in the freezer aisle, bright orange boxes). My partner and I make tacos with their ground "meat" and he, a meat-eater, says it's just as good, without being greasy, as real meat.
   I find the taste different enough from real meat to be palatable. You might find the same, too. It's made of "mycoprotein" - a particular type of mushroom/fungus.

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   1. 60

      MelissaBarrettposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I'm going shopping today L.L. if I can find it (rural west virginia) I will definitely grab some.  If not, I'll see if I can order offline somewhere. I've talked about this with Hubby and he says it's alright (mainly because he has no choice if he wants food) but I expect him to jump out of the car and start chewing on a cow at some point.

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         Hollie Thomasposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Also what about various pulses, lentils etc. or. black eyed beans, cannelini beans and the like. They make wonderful casseroles and have quite a high fibre content ( i think, you many need to do a little research though)
         
         Good link here, Melissa. Listing the protein content in beans. Might help!
         
         http://www.wisegeek.com/which-beans-hav … rotein.htm

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         Hollie Thomasposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Sorry, just read further up that you dislike beans.

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      2uesdayposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I think Quorn is a great idea as the family then get meals similar to the ones they are use to and you get to cook without the smell of meat. I use Quorn sometimes and you can make good spaghetti bolognase with the mince, shepherd's pie (cooked mince with mash potatoes on the top crisped brown under the grill or in the oven. They also do Quorn sausages,ones that are like chicken burgers or beef burgers too it is also lower in fat than meat so a healthy choice. This might be helpful for recipes -
      
      http://www.quorn.com/Recipes/
      
      Aubergines are a good texture substitute for meat for vegetarians do you call them eggplants,they are purple in color. For a snack beans on toast the grain and the bean are more notorious eaten together protein wise.
      
      I also cook vegetable risotto or lasagna for our vegetarian visitors.

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8. 56

   SanXuaryposted 12 years ago

   I do no eat milk meat or eggs but If I felt that I needed it, I would then have some. If you go a week and only have one serving it really is not going to hurt you in comparison to eating these things every day. Going two weeks is even better but it really is a determination of age and how much physical work you do. I believe protein is greatly over rated but important when you our growing up. To much soy really effects young boys and decreases testosterone. Its not a religion for me its all about health. The best studies so far indicate that no animal based products are needed at all but were mainly dealing with patients with severe health problems and adults. Its the enormous over consumption of animal based products that exist in 8 out of every ten products you buy in a store that is driving so many health problems. You eat a steak for dinner but never count the fact that you had the equivalent of 5 or 6 steaks when you ate all those other products. There is no failure in a program of whole foods and less or no animal products. A documentary called forks over knives has some of the best documented studies ever done and very compelling evidence that we can solve most of our own health problems.

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      wellnessguidesjaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      If you can stomach eggs and dairy, a fritatta filled with fresh veggies and some cheese (maybe even vegetarian cheese) could be nice, served with a salad and vinaigrette.

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9. 71

   seanorjohnposted 12 years ago

   Cheese sauce over veg and toastie bits arranged differently. Seriously, this works. Cut the toast into small portions and lay them on the outer rim. Keep mixing the cheese with stuff like onions and herbs.

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10. 79

    writinginalaskaposted 12 years ago

    i have a Hub on my page regarding Kasha.  It has the highest protein n the entire plant kingdom and is really easy to make.  it does involve the use of an egg.  See what you think.  ( not trying to promote my Hub, just trying to answer your question with some useful information that hasn't already been mentioned.  lvh

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11. 79

    writinginalaskaposted 12 years ago

    sorry my prior post calls it Kasha,  in my Hub it is called Buckwheat ( it's the same thing)

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12. 60

    MelissaBarrettposted 12 years ago

    I've never been able to eat eggs (hatched eggs as a science fair project in 7th grade, broke them open at different stages of development... peta would have killed me)
    
    I've been reading all your guys' suggestions and plan on trying most of them.  I feel like a spammer replying to every post.  The quinoa was a great hit... I used it in place of bulgar (nearest store that sells bulgar is 40 miles away) in a tabbouleh tonight.   Added feta cheese and Greek yogurt to a whole wheat pita on the side (This is all probably too much info)
    
    No Quorn products but I found some Yves ground round and I'm gonna make shepards pie (a family favorite) tomorrow night. I also picked up cashews and veggies for a stir fry... (combining wellnessguidesja's and WriteAngled's ideas)

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13. 86

    livelongerposted 12 years ago

    Good stuff! Glad you were able to find some suitable ingredients. Greek yogurt is a great way to get some serious protein.

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14. 0

    bri36posted 12 years ago

    Here is a suggestion that just might work for you and the family. Try out some of the Middle Eastern Foods i.e. Falafel, hummus, or any of the hundreds of other dishes that are meat free. Just search on line or at hubpages for most of the things that you are willing or able to eat. out comes hub after hub of cool stuff that is veggie friendly and best of all the whole family gets to share in your new found culinary skills'')

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15. 84

    kerrygposted 12 years ago

    I definitely second the recs for stir fry, bulgur (though it goes rancid quickly, so be sure to store it in the freezer), and buckwheat (grechka in Russian - it's a staple there). My sister-in-law sautes diced onions, garlic, carrots, and potatoes in oil and spices and then simmers them in a little water to make a nice sauce to pour over buckwheat.
    
    Tofu can be crumbled up and added to stir fries for extra protein. It takes on the flavor of whatever it's cooked in, so it's fairly versatile. I also crumble it up in sloppy joe sauce and eat it like a sloppy joe.
    
    Are lentils and split peas in the "beans" category? If not, I love soups and daals made from those. If you don't like regular brown lentils, red ones have a milder flavor, imho.
    
    Cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli all have a fair amount of protein. Mollie Katzen has a good recipe for cabbage stroganoff. Russian cuisine has a lot of good cabbage recipes, too. S-i-l does something called domlama that is basically cabbage, carrots, and potatoes cooked together with basil, cumin, and salt until the veggies are tender. In this country she adds celery and bok choy too. It traditionally has chicken in it, but is good vegetarian too. For cauliflower, I like to saute it with tomatoes, garlic, and basil until tender, toss with cheddar and Parmesan and serve over pasta. Broccoli I like best in stir fries.

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16. 90

    Pcunixposted 12 years ago

    Meatless lasagna is easy to make.  Substitute spinach for the meat.
    
    Hummus, definitely.
    
    Nut mixes usually have way too much salt, but you can buy unsalted peanuts, almonds and walnuts in bulk to make a healthy mix that has less salt but still tastes good.
    
    Bananas. Can be fried.  We love boch choy but so many markets have crappy looking stuff.

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17. 60

    SherryDigitalposted 12 years ago

    Hey! Even if you don't like beans - you can always make black bean burgers and season them really well. They shape and cook just like regular burgers but are so much healthier. I also eat a lot of cous cous, amaranth is another wonderful grain, greek salad with olives, feta and sunflower seeds, yogurt parfait with some nuts and maybe a little peanut butter is always yummy. I actually wrote a Hub about a vegetarian 1200 meal plans. There are 3 recipes listed there.
    
    Good luck!

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18. 57

    devon-bredposted 12 years ago

    Hi Melissa,
    
    I was bought up vegetarian so I've never been in your shoes but I do sympathise! What you can eat depends a huge amount on where you live. Are you based in the USA, Canada, or UK? Or elsewhere...
    
    I am from the UK and our supermarkets and full of vegetarian alternatives, Quorn Mince, Chicken style Chunks, Beef Style strips, Vegetarian Mince etc that you can just use to substitute for the meat products. If you can't get things like that in your supermarket then I reckon you'd be best off trying a health food store. They tend to have all manner of things including vegetarian sausages and burgers.
    
    In terms of raw ingredients I find the following are great sources of protein:
    
    Dairy
    Nuts
    Seeds
    Eggs
    Beans (you say you don't like them but why not try some different types, they all have varying textures and tastes).
    Chickpeas
    Lentils (so many types to choose from, Red Lentils cook really quickly and don't require soaking, Yellow lentils and Urad Dhal are also delicious)
    Soya Mince - this needs to be seasoned heavily though or it tastes like crap
    Tempeh - a soya derivative found in health food shops
    
    Beware however, Nuts, Dairy and Seeds can all be high in far and don't tend to be very filling so they are usually teamed with carbs. If you stick to those you will find that you could put on unwanted weight. Lentils, beans and chickpeas on the other hand are very filling and nutritious.
    
    My best tip, check out some Indian cookbooks and websites for suggestions for how to cook with lentils. There are so many great Dhal recipes (Indian lentil soups and curries) that you'll be spoilt for choice.
    
    Hope that helps!

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19. 61

    Dani Katarinaposted 12 years ago

    RICE! you can do so many things with it. Recently ive been making lettuce tacos (i use butter cup lettuce leaves as the tortilla) then make some rice (basmati is my favorite)some corn, maybe some bell peppers, black beans (if those are ok) cilantro...get some fresh salsa, and you have an easy and delicious dinner!
    
    I also discovered meat-less "ground beef" (you can find them at Whole Foods or Trader Joes, most likely lots of other places)...I made a meat less version of a sloppy joe! with some ketchup and bbq sauce, its delicious!
    
    let me see..what else...pastas are endless, you can make pasta salads, baked spaghetti and "meat" sauce (with the ground "beef", spinach alfredo (I make mine vegan)...
    
    you can check out my blog for more recipe ideas
    Hope this was helpful!! GOOD LUCK! and let me tell you, since i went vegetarian almost a year ago, and vegan about a month ago..food has never tasted better, its just a matter of time until you begin coming across TONS of yummy recipes.

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20. 57

    devon-bredposted 12 years ago

    You need to be crefull with Rice and Pasta though. They don't have any protein in them so by all means use these staples to bulk out your meals and give you that full up feeling. But to make sure you don't get too lethargic you still need to make sure you're getting the protein into your meals.

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21. 68

    maddartistposted 12 years ago

    I know you said you don't like beans, but have you tried Edamame? They're really easy to cook and you can add them to any pasta or salad or eat them by themselves and they have the same protein as meat (according to Alton Brown on 'Good Eats')

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22. 90

    rmcrayneposted 12 years ago

    Melissa, I don’t digest animal protein particularly well (common for low thyroid function), and sometimes go weeks w/o eating meat.  When I do eat meat, I try to avoid meat in my evening meals.  I have written a bunch of vegetarian and vegan hubs.  If you find any one of them, I have a ‘rmcrayne veg recipes’ tag, so you can click on that and it will take you to the RSS w/ all of them.
    
    Amaranth, millet, buckwheat, and quinoa are high in protein.  I did some research for one of my Body Ecology hubs, and have links to tons of recipes with these.  I also looked into tofu, and have a couple recipes.  One uses nutritional yeast to coat the tofu.  Nutritional yeast gives food a cheesy flavor, and is very high in B12. 
    
    Rachael Ray’s magazine website has tons of vegetarian recipes.  I recently tried her Eggplant Parm Ravioli, and couldn’t believe how good it was.  Easy to make too with wonton wrappers.  I have step-by-step with photos on the recipe.  I did not however like Rachael's veg shepherd's pie.
    
    Good luck!

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23. 78

    mega1posted 12 years ago

    You can make meatless terrines - which are like meatloaf only all veggies and nuts.  They are molded and baked with variety of sauces.   Look for vegetable terrine recipes online - here's a picture of just one of them - you don't have to make it layered, although it is very pretty:
    
    
    Also frittatas - which are just various ingredients: veggies, cheese, combined with eggs and rice and baked in a casserole in the oven - served in squares hot, with toast they are good for any meal. 
    
    I love roasted veggies of any kind but especially roast red bell peppers, garlic, eggplant - I puree these in the food processor with olive oil and make a spread which is so delicious on toast or crackers, it can be an appetizer or a meal.
    
    I recently started sprouting my own seeds and beans - and they are wonderful and make a ho-hum salad really special.  It does take several days, but worth it.  The resulting sprouts do not taste like the beans and seeds they came from, just a hint of the flavor.  My favorites are sunflower seed sprouts.   
    
    If there is a farmer's market in your area - make friends with some of the vendors and they will share recipes with you.  Make it a family outing to encourage the rest of the household to appreciate what they are eating and they will be sold on this new lifestyle!
    
    I would like to go meatless but I cook for someone who loves meats - if it made me feel ill to cook it, I'd be out of a job.  But I have found these ways to sneak in more vegetables.  Good luck to you.

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       rmcrayneposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks for the idea!  Never made a terrine before.  My first searches only yielded desserts.  Then I found these: 
       
       http://www.delish.com/search/fast_searc … rm=terrine

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          tsmogposted 12 years agoin reply to this

          Thanks Melissa for the forum question. According to the Metabolic Typing Diet I am a protein type. My PH balances seem to work best with it too. I am looking for good protein sources too. Thank you   rmcrayne for the links. Saved and will be referring to it. I do have to confess while not knowing why, those names scare the begishish (sp) out of me. I guess part of the socialized process. Yet, I will be giving some a try.

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    bri36posted 12 years ago

    So it look s like you have a very good assortment of meatless recipes here i bet the family is really digging it now right?

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25. 76

    EyesStraightAheadposted 12 years ago

    I highly recommend the following websites (I thought I read we can't share external links in the forums, so I am typing the names of the sites, all of which will come up within the top few Google or GoodSearch results):
       Post Punk Kitchen
       The Kind Life
       Care 2 Make a Difference
       Living Vegan 
    
    I also recommend the following cookbooks:
       Moosewood Cookbook
       Are You Sure That's Vegan?
       Vegan Lunchbox
       Tofu Cookery
    
    If this is new to you, I recommend the following books:
       The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone
       Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman
    
    And finally, I recommend the following blogs:
       I'm vegan, and no, I'm not starving
       Peas and Thank You
    
    Good luck!

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26. 91

    Rochelle Frankposted 12 years ago

    I have found that using bulgar wheat, can substitute for ground beef in some recipes.  My hub on "unintentional Vegetarian" might give you some ideas for those tacos and such.

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    LollyUnjollyposted 12 years ago

    Try eggplant, portobello mushrooms (they have a very similar texture to meat), and try meat alternatives. I have fed them to my husband, and he has not eve noticed the difference. Check into the "Skinny Bitch books, there is also a cookbook by the same authors.

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       EyesStraightAheadposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       I love the "Skinny Bi**h in the Kitchen" book! I totally forgot about them and appreciate you reminding me. The problem sometimes with Kindle, I find, is that I don't have the physical book in front of me and end up forgetting about them. Thank you for the reminder about this wonderful book, which I definitely have to buy in print so I can have it in sight! (I also liked the first book she wrote...I don't know that I have ever had anyone define so truly what eating meat is like. It definitely makes it harder to enjoy once you have read the book.)

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    techygranposted 12 years ago

    What an incredible lot of possibilities for expanding the old vegan repetoire, eh?  I would like to add in my Church's vegan website-- has over 100 recipes by a remarkable woman who has been vegetarian-vegan for probably 50 years.  Go to http://veggieschool.blogspot.com/ and type in the search bar what it is that you are looking for (example: rice, noodles, oats, burgers).

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    JayeWisdomposted 12 years ago

    Don't worry about not getting sufficient protein. No veg diet, whether ovo-lacto vegetarian that allows cheese and eggs right on to a strict vegan diet, is going to be limited to only vegetables, and the grains you eat with veggies complement each other. Since you don't eat eggs, but perhaps eat cheese and/or yogurt, you really don't need to worry about protein.
    
    Besides, there are some vegetables that are either complete proteins or have a high protein content, lacking only one of the nine amino acids in a complete protein. These include beans (and there are such a variety of beans and many wonderful ways to cook them), lentils, peas, also sweet potatoes. Grains that supplement veggies to make complete protein include:  buckwheat, quinoa(which alone is very high, a complete protein), amaranth, oats. Also, most nuts have protein.
    
    Veggies plus whole grains plus nuts plus the "good" fats in moderation plus fruits equal the healthiest diet on the planet. If everyone ate this way, cancer and heart disease would probably disappear, factory farms would go out of business (hallelujah!) doing away with the animal cruelty these corporate monsters engage in because of greed, the environment and thus the planet would benefit, and the hungry people all over the world could be fed.
    
    This would be wonderful--at least, I think so--but if people who eat meat won't even listen to the truth about how unsafe for humans to eat factory-farmed meat is (pumped full of hormones and antibiotics to make the animals/poultry grow unnaturally big unnaturally fast, not to mention the sheer filth, such as feces, that is part of the "water" chickens soak up to add weight), they aren't likely to listen to the rest of my soapbox sermon, are they?
    
    And these die-hard carnivores probably don't care that pigs have been tested and found even smarter than chimpanzees when it comes to playing video games, which makes the thought of killing them for bacon or ham revolting to me.
    
    This is likely TMI for your question, but it's difficult for me to keep this to myself. I highly recommend the book EATING ANIMALS, by Jonathan Foer, to anyone who is even contemplating the change to a veg lifestyle. I don't think anyone can read that book cover to cover without being strongly affected by it.

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    DearBanditposted 12 years ago

    MelissaBarrett, I know this may sound hippie ish but just try to listen to what your body wants. If you eat healty for 5 days, that is all it takes to start your body to wanting be healthy and wanting you to feed it healthy food. You can get protein and alot of nutritional value from fruit and veggies.  You can  google, and if you have time read some books on health. Some info can be alot to take in, but you will get the hang of it. One lady that I really love, and she inspired me to be healthy is Gillian Mckeith. Some people do not like her. But I love her. She made me open my eyes almost 6 years ago. She made me understand how and why the human body does what it does,  and what foods you need to feed yourself. Good luck and I wish you all the best, and I hope you will have a healthy lifestyle change : )
    P.S Sounds to me you are heading on the right track!

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