Guest guest Posted December 1, 2003 Report Share Posted December 1, 2003 Hi Larry, Glad to have you with us. I am new to the group as well, and have only posted a couple of times, but hope to become more active with the group. I have enjoyed reading what folks cooked for Thanksgiving. I am the only vegetarian in my household, and when I do the cooking, we all eat vegetarian. My husband the carnivore cooked a turkey this year, though; I always have mixed feelings on the Thanksgivings when he does cook (some years I prepare the entire meal & there is no turkey involved :-). He was sweet though, and made a really nice vegetarian stuffing for me with carrots, onions, mushrooms, apples & apricots. We also had some great squash, raw veggies, and skin-on mashed potatoes. He is very respectful of my choice not to eat meat...he just doesn't share my feelings. With Christmas coming up, my sister just shared some news that I thought was great. For many years, part of my contribution to the family Christmas Eve gathering was Swedish meatballs. When I quit cooking meat about 10 years ago, my sister took over the responsibility to make the HUGE batch of meatballs. Last Christmas, I decided to try a vegetarian version of Swedish meatballs, using Gardenburger brand " meatballs " and the " gravy " recipe from the real meatballs. I just made a small batch, thinking it would be nice for my daughter-in-law, who is also a vegetarian, but other family members were interested in trying them, and were pleasantly surprised with how they tasted. My sister called the other day & said she is planning to bring Gardenburger meatballs instead of the " real " ones to our holiday gathering this year. Her daughter gave her a little grief about it, but she just told her daughter if she didn't like the meatball alternatives, she could eat lutefisk....that quieted her down pretty quickly :-) Actually, most of the folks who tried them last year really liked them, and won't mind the change at all. Hoping everyone has a great week! Sheri , Sant & Brown <santbrown@l...> wrote: > Hi group! Say Hello to Larry in Chicago! ;=) (Questionnaire included in message) > > Best, Pat > ------------ > > The Questionnaire > > > > 1) What is your name or what would you like to be > > called? Larry > > > > 2) How old are you (roughly)? 30 > > > > 3) Where do you live (city/country)? Chicago,IL > > > > 4) How long have you been a vegetarian/vegan, or how > > long have you been ionterested in cooking vegetarian > > food? Since I was 13. > > > > 5) What is your favourite food or meal? Can't decide > > > > 6) Why did you join the group?To hopefully be able > to chat with other vegetarians/vegans in my area,and > elsewhere. > > > > 7) Is there anything specific you want to get out of > > the group? > > > > 8) Tell us a few of your favourite things.Music(all > kinds),animals,especially cats and dogs. > > > > 9) Do you know of any internet sites or other groups > > which maybe relevant to members? None that I can > think of offhand. > > > > 10) Is there anything else you'd like to share with > > the group? Any info I get that may be relevant or > useful for anyone in the group. > > > -- > SANTBROWN@L... > townhounds/ > vegetarianslimming/ > HOMEPAGE: http://www.angelfire.com/art/pendragon/ > ---------- > * " I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet " - Gandhi > > * " The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of > animals as they now look upon the murder of men " - Leonardo da Vinci > ---------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 Wow, Sheri that's great. What a way to impact your relatives! Last Thanksgiving, we brought some meat alternatives so supplement our meal over at a relative's house. I kind of forced my mom to try it b/c of her cholesterol. She tried it and like it. Out of politeness, I offered others at the table to try it. They snubbed their noses like I was trying to get them to eat baked dog sh*t or something. Sheesh. karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 > They snubbed their noses > like I was trying to get them to eat baked dog sh*t or something. Poor you! How very rude of them. Weeeeeelllll, now they know a little bit how you feel when they offer you cooked dead animals. I don't quite understand this business of meat-eaters refusing vegetarian food containing tofu, seitan, tvp, tempeh, whatever, in place of meat. People will eat the vegetables-only casserole from a meat-eater (if they eat vegetables, and many people do so only under protest), be condescendingly 'polite' about the vegetables-only casserole from a vegetarian, and downright rude about a vegetable casserole containing so-called fake meats. I suspect it is several things working at once - and jump in and correct me if you think I am wrong, because many of these things are generation- and/or culture-specific. Here goes (at 07.20 on a snowy morning): 1. An 'us' against 'them' response - meat-eaters against the crazies/others - even if individually each would/might be willing to try the food and even enjoy it. 2. An unwillingness to try anything new - like a kid refusing some food that looks/smells/feels 'yucky'. 3. A cultural refusal to 'break tradition' and acknowledge foods that are non-traditional, especially at family dinners, even more especially at holiday time. 'Eat what I eat or you aren't one of us' - related to but not the same as no. 1 above. 4. A rejection of foods that could be associated with 'budget' foods (meat replacements like beans and lentils, among the more 'traditional' foods) - there are many people I know who *brag* (not just comment) that their chilli con carne contains *no* beans. 5. A rejection of foods that are associated with other cultures/nationalities/races - related to no. 1 and no. 3 above. 6. A genuine worry about unknown foods in case they contain items to which the unwary might be allergic. 7. A ready-made excuse to be rude to or to pick at someone they've been secretly dying to put down for a long time - especially in families. Enuffff ;=) But boy oh boy do I have stories!!! Best, Pat -- SANTBROWN townhounds/ vegetarianslimming/ HOMEPAGE: http://www.angelfire.com/art/pendragon/ ---------- * " I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet " - Gandhi * " The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men " - Leonardo da Vinci ---------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 Hi Karen, I really hadn't expected the other relatives to even be interested in trying the Gardenburger meatballs....just wanted my daughter-in-law to feel included, and I thought I, too, would enjoy being able to have some version of our traditional Swedish meatballs. It just happened. I'm glad to hear your mom was open to trying the meat alternative; sorry you had such a negative response from others at the table. I have to admit to adding meat alternative to things like baked bean hot dishes, etc... for family gatherings without announcing that it's a substitute. I figure all my relatives know I don't cook meat, so if I'm serving something that looks like meat, it's a fake, & they can choose whether or not to have it. When I cook for other gatherings, I do let folks know, as some people cannot have soy. I am really fortunate that both my family and my husband's family have been very accomodating for me concerning food. They are all meat-eaters, and it did take a little time for them to adjust to the changes I made (I was 40 years old when I quit eating meat, so they had known me as a meat-eater for a LONG time). Family members are great about making sure I have something to eat...both my family and my husband's have gone out of their way to make veggie dishes for me....vegetable lasagna along with their regular lasagna, an extra pot of vegetarian chili, etc... in recent years. Most of my family members are a little more adventurous and, mostly for health reasons, have been interested in trying vegetarian alternatives. I don't believe there will be any " converts " to vegetarianism in my family in the near future :-), but I am glad there is open communication & acceptance there. There are two of us " oddballs " at my work, and some of the folks I work with are quite curious and accepting; others much less so, but I'm hoping they'll become more comfortable with time, & realize we're not as strange as they think :-) Sheri , " bluetulipz " <bluetulipz> wrote: > Wow, Sheri that's great. What a way to impact your relatives! Last > Thanksgiving, we brought some meat alternatives so supplement our > meal over at a relative's house. I kind of forced my mom to try it > b/c of her cholesterol. She tried it and like it. Out of politeness, > I offered others at the table to try it. They snubbed their noses > like I was trying to get them to eat baked dog sh*t or something. > Sheesh. > > karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 > Most of my family members are a little more adventurous and, mostly for health reasons, > have been interested in trying vegetarian alternatives. My dh, he tells me these days, originally started on a vegetarian diet for health reasons ;=) Now he is outspoken for animal rights, against animal cruelty, and for a meat-free diet for ethical reasons. Suits me fine ;=) Of course, the fact is that it doesn't really matter *what* reason one has for avoiding animal products - it still saves lives: the animals' lives and our own lives through a healthy diet. > I don't believe there will be any " converts " to vegetarianism in my family in the near future :-) But even *some* avoidance of meat saves some animal lives and also helps family members' own health, after all, and that's great. Besides, you never know! Best, Pat -- SANTBROWN townhounds/ vegetarianslimming/ HOMEPAGE: http://www.angelfire.com/art/pendragon/ ---------- * " I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet " - Gandhi * " The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men " - Leonardo da Vinci ---------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 Well said, all great points and i'm pretty sure that's the reasoning behind lots of omnivore actions. Sometimes i think that by someone NOT eating meat, it brings to their attention that that's not beef, it's a cow. It's not pork, it's a pig. We put a face to it. Maybe makes them feel like they are doing something wrong. BTW... i'm new here. My name is Nikki and i live in Pensacola FL. Been a vegetarian for 9.5 years now. I have been a back-slider on occasion and ate fish though. And yes, fish is meat.. i'm not in denial.. lol! I joined this group because i am a major chow hound and need to lose weight. Hoping to find some good, filling recipes here. peace nikki - Sant & Brown Tuesday, December 02, 2003 6:37 AM Re: Re: Welcome Larry....Holiday Food > They snubbed their noses > like I was trying to get them to eat baked dog sh*t or something.Poor you! How very rude of them. Weeeeeelllll, now they know a littlebit how you feel when they offer you cooked dead animals.I don't quite understand this business of meat-eaters refusingvegetarian food containing tofu, seitan, tvp, tempeh, whatever, in placeof meat. People will eat the vegetables-only casserole from a meat-eater(if they eat vegetables, and many people do so only under protest), becondescendingly 'polite' about the vegetables-only casserole from avegetarian, and downright rude about a vegetable casserole containingso-called fake meats. I suspect it is several things working at once - and jump in and correctme if you think I am wrong, because many of these things are generation-and/or culture-specific. Here goes (at 07.20 on a snowy morning):1. An 'us' against 'them' response - meat-eaters against thecrazies/others - even if individually each would/might be willing to trythe food and even enjoy it.2. An unwillingness to try anything new - like a kid refusing some foodthat looks/smells/feels 'yucky'.3. A cultural refusal to 'break tradition' and acknowledge foods thatare non-traditional, especially at family dinners, even more especiallyat holiday time. 'Eat what I eat or you aren't one of us' - related tobut not the same as no. 1 above.4. A rejection of foods that could be associated with 'budget' foods(meat replacements like beans and lentils, among the more 'traditional'foods) - there are many people I know who *brag* (not just comment) thattheir chilli con carne contains *no* beans.5. A rejection of foods that are associated with othercultures/nationalities/races - related to no. 1 and no. 3 above.6. A genuine worry about unknown foods in case they contain items towhich the unwary might be allergic.7. A ready-made excuse to be rude to or to pick at someone they've beensecretly dying to put down for a long time - especially in families.Enuffff ;=) But boy oh boy do I have stories!!!Best,Pat-- SANTBROWNtownhounds/vegetarianslimming/HOMEPAGE: http://www.angelfire.com/art/pendragon/----------*"I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet" - Gandhi* "The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder ofanimals as they now look upon the murder of men" - Leonardo da Vinci---------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 Hi Nikki, Nice to have you on this list ;=) and you need to lose weight too?? How about that (said she, guiltily licking her fingers and hoping the crumbs won't show up on the email!) - me too. And there are people here with great ideas for finding good recipes and other tips that should help you out! Me, I find that I'm a tad heavy on the carbs and on the cooking oil/salad oil, so I try to cut back on those a bit as well as aiming for smaller portions. There are lots of good recipes in our Files - including a few that are really 'celebration' recipes rather than slimming / weight-loss recipes. I figure we are all capable of sorting out those from the rest and realizing that if something is loaded with, say, cheese or nuts or sweet stuff then we would be wise to take a very small portion of it ;=) So check them out. I look forward to chatting with you on the list ;=) Thanks for checking in! As for your comments on my post, I'm not sure there is a whole lot of 'reasoning' out there in omnivore land - just knee-jerk (and in many cases 'jerk' is the right word in both senses) reactions ;=) But yes, I do think that our 'putting a face' to their food (not ours) makes them feel awkward at least, possibly even guilty for a moment - not very, though, or they'd stop after the first time they met up with a vegetarian, and that rarely happens *lol* Best, Pat (one of yer moderators) > Well said, all great points and i'm pretty sure that's the reasoning behind lots of > omnivore actions. Sometimes i think that by someone NOT eating meat, it brings > to their attention that that's not beef, it's a cow. It's not pork, it's a pig. We put > a face to it. Maybe makes them feel like they are doing something wrong. > BTW... i'm new here. My name is Nikki and i live in Pensacola FL. Been a > vegetarian for 9.5 years now. I have been a back-slider on occasion and ate fish > though. And yes, fish is meat.. i'm not in denial.. lol! I joined this group because i > am a major chow hound and need to lose weight. Hoping to find some good, > filling recipes here. > peace > nikki -- SANTBROWN townhounds/ vegetarianslimming/ HOMEPAGE: http://www.angelfire.com/art/pendragon/ ---------- * " I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet " - Gandhi * " The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men " - Leonardo da Vinci ---------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 Hi Pat & Nikki, I think you both have shared some great reasons why meat eaters may choose not to try non meat meals. Something that wasn't mentioned is that meat-eaters sometimes feel attacked or judged by vegetarians, and defenses may just naturally go up, making them more likely to decline trying an alternative to meat. Nikki, it's good to meet you. I am new to the list as well, and looking forward to getting to know everyone here better. Sheri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2003 Report Share Posted December 2, 2003 Oh you're right of course! But *are* we judgmental around others? I kinda thought most of us were rather apologetic for our vegetarian eating peculiarities, or, at most, matter-of-fact about it. Siggghhhh. Oh dear. Can't deal with that possible guilt. They'll have to cope with that on their own! *lol* Best, Pat moondance3591 wrote: > > Hi Pat & Nikki, > > I think you both have shared some great reasons why meat eaters may > choose not to try non meat meals. Something that wasn't mentioned is > that meat-eaters sometimes feel attacked or judged by vegetarians, > and defenses may just naturally go up, making them more likely to > decline trying an alternative to meat. > > Nikki, it's good to meet you. I am new to the list as well, and > looking forward to getting to know everyone here better. > > Sheri -- SANTBROWN townhounds/ vegetarianslimming/ HOMEPAGE: http://www.angelfire.com/art/pendragon/ ---------- * " I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet " - Gandhi * " The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men " - Leonardo da Vinci ---------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.