Do you cook animals for the non veggies in your family?

June 27, 2007

I cook my vegetarian meals and feed the family. They eat what I cook

and love it.

My wife is proponent of " meat is the best and you can't live without

it " . It's not rational, it just is. So now the issue is, if I don't

buy the animal products myself and cook them for the wife, (who also

encourages our 7 year old daughter to eat meat and chicken), she'll

just order in from any of the hundred or so local restaurants (this is

New York City folks), or get any old product from the local

supermarket. She is getting better about buying her animal products

from the health food store and to me that is a major step in a better

direction. At least I can control the fact that they're eating free

range and hormone and antibiotic free foods if I'm the preparer, plus

I know exactly what they're eating if I'm doing the cooking.

I'll win the battle eventually with my daughter but my wife is a die

hard carnivore, sometimes I think just to irk me but that's another

story. My daughter right now, like any 7 year old, thinks with her 7

year old palate and her menu is taken from peer pressure influence

unless I'm there to hint at other choices, which I do but I'm not

always there. Then it becomes, " would you like some delicious chicken

nuggets? " from Mom.

Mom AND Dad have to be supportive in a healthier way of eating and we

both think we are but they're diametrically opposite. I have to make

the choice of getting out the soapbox everyday or winning the war with

little steps. I think little steps for now. I think if I flat out

said " no more meat " then I'd start a war...and right now I'm like a

resistance fighter just doing my little acts of " sabotage " to the meat

eaters.

Mock meats figure very heavily into my cooking. I think we should

change that term immediately. Perhaps they're called that because my

wife mocks me and says, " See, you still crave meat " . Truthfully

though, they are probably the easiest to substitute into a carnivore's

diet. I just have to figure I'm saving a life and that's better than not.

Many of my meals are adapted from mainstream cookbooks. In a way its

my way of getting back at the world for messing up our food chain so

badly.

One of my favorites is using Nick Stellino's Chicken Cutlets in a

Porcini Mushroom and Rosemary Sauce but substituting Quorn Naked

Cutlets. I heat 4 of them for 2 minutes on a plate covered with

plastic wrap and a few TBS of water in the microwave. You could

probably defrost another way but I don't think that far ahead. I

slice each piece in quarters on a bias and then follow the recipe. I

substitute veggie broth for chicken broth. I use mostly olive oil but

will use organic butter in many of my dishes to add another dimension

of flavor. The only ingredient not easily found is the porcini

mushroom powder. I had to eventually cave in after trying a few

different options and order a bag which I think will last me my

lifetime. It was pretty expensive and you don't use much but its an

incredible flavor.

I make a whole wheat pasta with this dish.

I also watch a ton of cooking shows and although have no interest in

the animal preparations, I take away the sauces and gravies and

cooking techniques. Most of what I vary is when I add the processed

part of the meal. Usually it's preheated and added at the end of the

cooking cycle, just to coat.

I make an etouffe I took from a " Cookin' in Brooklyn " show with other

fake chicken products over brown rice and it's awesome. Sautee the

veggies, reduce some broth with sherry and herbs, make a roux and in

half hour dinner is ready.

There are a few places to order these prepared vegetarian protein

substitutes, ok mock meats. I go to the shop in Chinatown but they

also sell online at www.vegieworld.com yes, only one " g " . I don't

know if all of their products are vegan but many are. I also have

developed my own Seitan receipe for a darker beefier seitan that I

used in alot of receipes instead of beef.

What does everyone else do in the same situation? How do you at least

incorporate more healthy eating into your family's diets? How do you

handle the protests? How do you handle the feelings that well up

inside you when you know you left tons of veggie stews and other

delicious veggie leftovers in the fridge but when you walk in the door

you see open boxes from the cheeseburgers and fries that were ordered

instead?

Anyway, I suppose I had a need to ramble. Done rambling. Back to

lurking. Thanks.

Marty

June 27, 2007

I will cook meat when I go to see my parents at Yule/Christmas at 78 I am not

going to change my Dad from meat and two veg and a meal! Although even he has

tried my veggie option on occasion!

I will stew off some meat occasionally for Mark and he will stir it in to his

own portion of veggie casserole. I don't have children but I think you would be

best to explain it to your kids as you and Mom eat differently and you want them

to try both ways and make up their own mind when they get older.

As you say at the moment they have peer pressure (never mind all the ads for

Burger King, KFC and McDonalds!) Could you not involve them in making veggie

burgers or something? make veggie food fun for them?

The Dragon (aka High Priestess Enchanting Evenweave)

WIPs/UFOs = Teresa Wentzler, Celtic Summer, exchange 6/10ths done

http://dragonstitching.blogspot.com/

http://dragonsteel.multiply.com/

June 27, 2007

Hi Marty,

Funny you post this, I just posted something earlier. I cook many vegetarian

meals for my family but I also cook meat for them. I don't like it but my

husband is also a die hard carnivore and stated that I won't make him a

vegetarian. So I compromise and make some of their favorite meals that I don't

eat ;/ I figure we meet halfway.

Whit

Marty <krutolowjunk wrote: