Guest guest Posted June 23, 2008 Report Share Posted June 23, 2008 Ok I am still fairly new to all this and its a bit overwhelming. I have learned more about food this weak then I have in my lifetime. I know we exchange recipes but can someone help with menus. Now coming from the meat world a typical meal use to be Meat, side, vegetable bread and salad. Now I having trouble with the sides concept when the main dish is vegetables. So can someone tell me some great combinations. I current do bean dishes and rice. and protein substitutes like Tofu, chicken or vegetable burger but I want to think differently about my food combinations. Also when you have guest what do you do or when you go to visit peoples house do you pack food? As expected my In laws laughed at Grants and my new Phase. Yet this kids is going on month 2 and despite daddy trying to entice him with his old favorites he isnt budging. He eats his tofu and other protein subsitutes without arguing and he and I are doing well with our new diets. By the way secretly he is converting his father who angrily admits he is now very concious of what he is eating which is making it very unappealing. Anyway help with menus would be great. Reni <renireligion Monday, June 23, 2008 9:09:02 AM Re: OT: Unique Baby Names hi Nicolette. i was given this wonderful book, *A World of Baby Names*<http://www.amazon. com/World- Names-Revised- Teresa-Norman/ dp/0399528946/ ref=pd_bbs_ sr_1?ie=UTF8 & s=books & qid= 1214225424 & sr=8-1>, that was a really good resource. i went through list after list of names myself. in the book, i was particularly fond of the section on mythology. my son was almost named Gabriel, after the archangel (i think) attributed to his zodiac sign. i'm partial to names which are based on music and musicians - had i known my son would keep his hazel-grey eyes, he'd have been named Raine Maida White after the lead singer for Our Lady Peace. -- HAIKU ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- - Drag queens are the rea- Son I pluck my eyebrows. It's The least I can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 Hi Lebasi, Here's what we do - we just stock up the fridge and freezer and pantry with basic meal ingredients and then choose stuff that goes together and makes a balanced meal/whatever we need to eat at that meal. Sometimes it's a more organized meal, sometimes it's more of a hodge-podge, but it works. :-) So, for example, we always have different pastas, rice, quinoa, barley, breads, polenta, crackers, tortillas, cereals, waffles, various flours, etc. for grains - and tofu, dried and canned beans, lentils, canned lentil and bean soups, eggs, nuts, seeds, soy milk, nut butters, etc. for protein - and fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, along with salsas, pickled veggies, tomato sauce, canned tomatoes, juices, etc. - and milk, cheese, yogurt, etc. since we eat dairy. Then, at a meal, we decide what each person needs to eat (based on what we've eaten and not eaten that day), and how much the cook for that meal feels like doing, and then start choosing - like, hmmm, do you all feel like eating pasta or rice or tortillas? Then, once that's picked, we see what goes with it - okay, everyone wants tortillas, and we need to add some protein and veggies, so we could have bean/cheese/veggie burritos or tacos with fruit salad, or cheese/veggie wraps with soymilk/yogurt/fruit smoothies? Now, like I said, this can end up being a wacky meal - we have been known to just let our son pick the food so that life is quieter and easier . . . so we've had flax waffles, refried beans and tomato slices for dinner before. That's okay with us - and it was easy. And sometimes we eat plates of raw veggies, olives, crackers, cheese, fruit, and cold beans - I know it sounds like appetizers, but it fills tummies and is good on these hot days. :-) And then when we have more energy, we do things like veggie/tofu lasagna, cheese and black bean enchiladas, huge soups or chilis. And we always keep a big green salad in the fridge, and cut up fruit and sometimes cut up raw veggies - carrot sticks, cucumber slices, etc. - in the fridge, to make meal prep easier. So I guess our meal planning isn't so much meal planning as it is shopping planning - we shop ahead of time with some staples for each food group in mind, and some meals planned, and just know that we'll cobble stuff together throughout the week. :-) Good luck and have fun! Lorraine On Behalf Of Lebasi Monday, June 23, 2008 11:04 AM Re: Help planning meals Ok I am still fairly new to all this and its a bit overwhelming. I have learned more about food this weak then I have in my lifetime. I know we exchange recipes but can someone help with menus. Now coming from the meat world a typical meal use to be Meat, side, vegetable bread and salad. Now I having trouble with the sides concept when the main dish is vegetables. So can someone tell me some great combinations. I current do bean dishes and rice. and protein substitutes like Tofu, chicken or vegetable burger but I want to think differently about my food combinations. Also when you have guest what do you do or when you go to visit peoples house do you pack food? As expected my In laws laughed at Grants and my new Phase. Yet this kids is going on month 2 and despite daddy trying to entice him with his old favorites he isnt budging. He eats his tofu and other protein subsitutes without arguing and he and I are doing well with our new diets. By the way secretly he is converting his father who angrily admits he is now very concious of what he is eating which is making it very unappealing. Anyway help with menus would be great. Reni <renireligion@ <renireligion%40gmail.com> gmail.com> @gro <%40> ups.com Monday, June 23, 2008 9:09:02 AM Re: OT: Unique Baby Names hi Nicolette. i was given this wonderful book, *A World of Baby Names*<http://www.amazon. com/World- Names-Revised- Teresa-Norman/ dp/0399528946/ ref=pd_bbs_ sr_1?ie=UTF8 & s=books & qid= 1214225424 & sr=8-1>, that was a really good resource. i went through list after list of names myself. in the book, i was particularly fond of the section on mythology. my son was almost named Gabriel, after the archangel (i think) attributed to his zodiac sign. i'm partial to names which are based on music and musicians - had i known my son would keep his hazel-grey eyes, he'd have been named Raine Maida White after the lead singer for Our Lady Peace. -- HAIKU ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- - Drag queens are the rea- Son I pluck my eyebrows. It's The least I can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 Instead of meat, think protein source (beans/tofu/meat sub's/seitan/probably something else I'm forgetting) with the general sides: starch, green and at least one other color/veggie. Someone here goes by the 3 different colors on the plate, which is a good way to think about it, too. you can do stirfries with rice or noodles I found a skillet hodgepodge meal (recipe) that I alter all the time - tonight it was sort of vegan cheese burger macaroni skillet meal (TVP for the 'burger' part, I added cabbage we had leftover and broccoli from the other day as well - tomatoes, and sort of a by-taste 'cheezy' sauce based on the recipe in Veganomicon - only I added poultry seasoning, a russian blend of spices to round it out (it was the Tsarist Nights one I think it's called, added some yellow mustard instead of dry). It was amazing, as usual. seitan (or other cutlet - tofu, or other meat sub) with corn, green beans, broccoli/cauli mix, (garlic) mashed potatoes, or whatever else - cranberry sauce and stuffing. Lasagna with veggies (I sometimes use a home made tofu ricotta instead of vegan cheese) I do a pasta primavera/fagioli - canned tomatoes are quick for this, onions, oregano and other italian herbs, garlic, corn, garbanzos, some kind of greens (kale, swiss chard, collards all work well in it), I usually vary the veggies - it's not really like a sauce, it's not got enough liquid to be a soup, it's kind of " pasta with stuff in " or just with a mushroom/veggie sauce (I always add extra veggies/garlic/onion if it's store bought) burritos/tacos - you can use vegetarian refried beans (my current favorite are refried black beans), TVP or lentils spiced with taco seasoning. You could also do 'fajitas' with seitan or veggi burger or meat sub. strips with a nice variety of veggies in the salad (carrots/lettuce/onions/cukes/whatever else floats your boat) or whatever variations - add brown rice, a salad, or corn/other veggies to round it out if you like When we've gone to others houses for dinner, it kind of depends. All of our family and friends know we're vegetarian, though they accomodate in various ways - at cookouts we bring stuff to throw on the grill, at dinner parties, we bring something in general (I've made home made gnocchi and brought that, and/or desserts and so on). For our son we usually bring his meal - sometimes we might need it on the way to some places, so it depends. The in-laws have really surprised us at the last 2 family gatherings with things that we could eat, and they were even thoughtful enough to get a vegan piece of cake for our son at the last birthday party gathering at their house. It was awesome. (we all ended up sharing it because it was HUGE). It's taken them I think nearly 7-8 years to figure it out, but they've gotten really good -especially with taking into consideration the milk protein allergy, which was our main issue at these gatherings (veggies always had real butter on them, other stuff had milk in it or cheese - it was dreadful, so we always brought his dinner, things got crazy when we went vegan, but it's at least gotten to where they make the substitutions we've asked for - using vegan margarines or just using olive oil instead (Smart Balance light w/flax oil has vegan stamped on the side, and is readily available in 'normal' grocery stores, my mom uses that one by default, and I never knew until we were just visiting her - a nice surprise). Anyway- sorry this is kind of long. Hope it helps. My son just started a half-day school camp and I realized to day after his first day, I need to have a 'go to list' so this actually helped me sort through things, to make things easier. Missie On Mon, Jun 23, 2008 at 1:04 PM, Lebasi <lebasi.klotko wrote: > Ok I am still fairly new to all this and its a bit overwhelming. I have > learned more about food this weak then I have in my lifetime. > > I know we exchange recipes but can someone help with menus. > > Now coming from the meat world a typical meal use to be Meat, side, > vegetable bread and salad. > > Now I having trouble with the sides concept when the main dish is > vegetables. So can someone tell me some great combinations. I current do > bean dishes and rice. and protein substitutes like Tofu, chicken or > vegetable burger but I want to think differently about my food combinations. > > Also when you have guest what do you do or when you go to visit peoples > house do you pack food? > > As expected my In laws laughed at Grants and my new Phase. Yet this kids is > going on month 2 and despite daddy trying to entice him with his old > favorites he isnt budging. He eats his tofu and other protein subsitutes > without arguing and he and I are doing well with our new diets. > > By the way secretly he is converting his father who angrily admits he is now > very concious of what he is eating which is making it very unappealing. > > Anyway help with menus would be great. > > > Reni <renireligion > > Monday, June 23, 2008 9:09:02 AM > Re: OT: Unique Baby Names > > hi Nicolette. > > i was given this wonderful book, *A World of Baby > Names*<http://www.amazon. com/World- Names-Revised- Teresa-Norman/ > dp/0399528946/ ref=pd_bbs_ sr_1?ie=UTF8 & s=books & qid= 1214225424 & sr=8-1>, > that was a really good resource. i went through list after list of names > myself. in the book, i was particularly fond of the section on mythology. my > son was almost named Gabriel, after the archangel (i think) attributed to > his zodiac sign. > > i'm partial to names which are based on music and musicians - had i known my > son would keep his hazel-grey eyes, he'd have been named Raine Maida White > after the lead singer for Our Lady Peace. > > -- > HAIKU > ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- - > Drag queens are the rea- > Son I pluck my eyebrows. It's > The least I can do. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 Don't let the in-laws get you down! Let them see how healthy and happy you are. Being vegetarian should be about what you DO eat, not what you DON'T eat. I stink at planning meals. In general, dinner takes 20 minutes or less and is cooked in one pot or pan. My sole planning is to cook (brown) rice in my ricecooker on Sunday and freeze portions in wax bags in a big zipper bag. The wax bags can safely go into the microwave. Dinner is often a stir fry with frozen veggies, diced tofu and a jarred sauce (Indian, Chinese, etc) over rice. Depending on the sauce, I fry some sliced garllic and ginger in olive oil then cook the tofu in the seasoned oil. Another quick dinner is whole wheat pasta (usually little shells) mixed with sauce, spinach, tofu, mozarella, maybe some canned beans; I also do a mexican version with salsa, tomato sauce and cheddar. We have burritos as least once a week: whole wheat tortillas, refried beans (I use the dehydraded), cheese, avocado, chopped tomato and lettuce. Sometimes dinner is soup and salad. When it's really hot out (we don't have a/c), we have had cold cereal with frozen berries. --- On Mon, 6/23/08, Lebasi <lebasi.klotko wrote: Lebasi <lebasi.klotko Re: Help planning meals Monday, June 23, 2008, 1:04 PM Ok I am still fairly new to all this and its a bit overwhelming. I have learned more about food this weak then I have in my lifetime. I know we exchange recipes but can someone help with menus. Now coming from the meat world a typical meal use to be Meat, side, vegetable bread and salad. Now I having trouble with the sides concept when the main dish is vegetables. So can someone tell me some great combinations. I current do bean dishes and rice. and protein substitutes like Tofu, chicken or vegetable burger but I want to think differently about my food combinations. Also when you have guest what do you do or when you go to visit peoples house do you pack food? As expected my In laws laughed at Grants and my new Phase. Yet this kids is going on month 2 and despite daddy trying to entice him with his old favorites he isnt budging. He eats his tofu and other protein subsitutes without arguing and he and I are doing well with our new diets. By the way secretly he is converting his father who angrily admits he is now very concious of what he is eating which is making it very unappealing. Anyway help with menus would be great. Reni <renireligion@ gmail.com> @gro ups.com Monday, June 23, 2008 9:09:02 AM Re: OT: Unique Baby Names hi Nicolette. i was given this wonderful book, *A World of Baby Names*<http://www.amazon. com/World- Names-Revised- Teresa-Norman/ dp/0399528946/ ref=pd_bbs_ sr_1?ie=UTF8 & s=books & qid= 1214225424 & sr=8-1>, that was a really good resource. i went through list after list of names myself. in the book, i was particularly fond of the section on mythology. my son was almost named Gabriel, after the archangel (i think) attributed to his zodiac sign. i'm partial to names which are based on music and musicians - had i known my son would keep his hazel-grey eyes, he'd have been named Raine Maida White after the lead singer for Our Lady Peace. -- HAIKU ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- - Drag queens are the rea- Son I pluck my eyebrows. It's The least I can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 I really " felt " your post. This IS all so overwhelming. Ignorance about what my daughter and I were eating before wasn't bliss but sometimes it's feeling like a big pain in the you-know-what to have to read all these labels and know what I know now! But in the end overall everything feels so much better. I feel peaceful and we can know that we're modeling good choices and compassion to our kids. What an amazing discovery! I have a two year old so I'm trying to get a dark green vegetable and a protein source in each night. We're doing a lot of veggie pizza (spinach, red pepper, onion, maybe blackened tofu on top), stir fry (linguine noodles or rice with sugar snap peas, red pepper, onion, mushrooms, etc.), veggie spaghetti (sauce, various veggies, some spinach mixed in), what we like to call our Southern BBQ sides meal (just veg baked beans, corn on the cob, collard greens - she loves it!)... Luna bars are an awesome snack for us. Lots of protein and good stuff in those. And fruit leather. I've been surprised about how many things are vegan just by default too - cake mixes I just add egg subsitute to, those Murray butter cookies that we love so much, even some " milk chocolate " icings! etc. etc. - and then so many substitutes are just as good as the original - Tofutti chocolate ice cream, chocolate soymilk, Smart Bacon on BLTs!) In so far as going over to people's houses, I am not asking anyone to cook differently for us. Everyone knows about the changes we've made in our diet. Most of them have been very accomodating but not because I've asked. If anything I've said NOT to change anything for us. If we go to a cookout we bring Smart Dogs but other than that, for regular meals we're invited to, we just eat whatever sides they're cooking in bigger portions. Sometimes this means we might take in a little butter (we're trying to do the vegan, not the vegetarian, thing). But my thinking behind this is that I want my family and friends to see that this can be easy and painless. A joyful process of change, and not something that creates tension in our family at events... We can totally do this! Aaaand... just wanted to share with everyone that my boyfriend (who was raised on a pig farm in southern Illinois) is vegetarian now! Mwahahaha!!!!! Tanya , " Lorraine " <ldemi wrote: > > Hi Lebasi, > Here's what we do - we just stock up the fridge and freezer and pantry > with basic meal ingredients and then choose stuff that goes together and > makes a balanced meal/whatever we need to eat at that meal. Sometimes > it's a more organized meal, sometimes it's more of a hodge-podge, but it > works. :-) So, for example, we always have different pastas, rice, > quinoa, barley, breads, polenta, crackers, tortillas, cereals, waffles, > various flours, etc. for grains - and tofu, dried and canned beans, > lentils, canned lentil and bean soups, eggs, nuts, seeds, soy milk, nut > butters, etc. for protein - and fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, > along with salsas, pickled veggies, tomato sauce, canned tomatoes, > juices, etc. - and milk, cheese, yogurt, etc. since we eat dairy. Then, > at a meal, we decide what each person needs to eat (based on what we've > eaten and not eaten that day), and how much the cook for that meal feels > like doing, and then start choosing - like, hmmm, do you all feel like > eating pasta or rice or tortillas? Then, once that's picked, we see > what goes with it - okay, everyone wants tortillas, and we need to add > some protein and veggies, so we could have bean/cheese/veggie burritos > or tacos with fruit salad, or cheese/veggie wraps with > soymilk/yogurt/fruit smoothies? Now, like I said, this can end up being > a wacky meal - we have been known to just let our son pick the food so > that life is quieter and easier . . . so we've had flax waffles, refried > beans and tomato slices for dinner before. That's okay with us - and it > was easy. And sometimes we eat plates of raw veggies, olives, crackers, > cheese, fruit, and cold beans - I know it sounds like appetizers, but it > fills tummies and is good on these hot days. :-) And then when we have > more energy, we do things like veggie/tofu lasagna, cheese and black > bean enchiladas, huge soups or chilis. And we always keep a big green > salad in the fridge, and cut up fruit and sometimes cut up raw veggies - > carrot sticks, cucumber slices, etc. - in the fridge, to make meal prep > easier. So I guess our meal planning isn't so much meal planning as it > is shopping planning - we shop ahead of time with some staples for each > food group in mind, and some meals planned, and just know that we'll > cobble stuff together throughout the week. :-) > Good luck and have fun! > Lorraine > > > On > Behalf Of Lebasi > Monday, June 23, 2008 11:04 AM > > Re: Help planning meals > > Ok I am still fairly new to all this and its a bit overwhelming. I have > learned more about food this weak then I have in my lifetime. > > I know we exchange recipes but can someone help with menus. > > Now coming from the meat world a typical meal use to be Meat, side, > vegetable bread and salad. > > Now I having trouble with the sides concept when the main dish is > vegetables. So can someone tell me some great combinations. I current do > bean dishes and rice. and protein substitutes like Tofu, chicken or > vegetable burger but I want to think differently about my food > combinations. > > Also when you have guest what do you do or when you go to visit peoples > house do you pack food? > > As expected my In laws laughed at Grants and my new Phase. Yet this kids > is going on month 2 and despite daddy trying to entice him with his old > favorites he isnt budging. He eats his tofu and other protein subsitutes > without arguing and he and I are doing well with our new diets. > > By the way secretly he is converting his father who angrily admits he is > now very concious of what he is eating which is making it very > unappealing. > > Anyway help with menus would be great. > > > Reni <renireligion@ <renireligion%40gmail.com> gmail.com> > @gro <%40> ups.com > Monday, June 23, 2008 9:09:02 AM > Re: OT: Unique Baby Names > > hi Nicolette. > > i was given this wonderful book, *A World of Baby > Names*<http://www.amazon. com/World- Names-Revised- Teresa-Norman/ > dp/0399528946/ ref=pd_bbs_ sr_1?ie=UTF8 & s=books & qid= 1214225424 & > sr=8-1>, > that was a really good resource. i went through list after list of names > myself. in the book, i was particularly fond of the section on > mythology. my > son was almost named Gabriel, after the archangel (i think) attributed > to > his zodiac sign. > > i'm partial to names which are based on music and musicians - had i > known my > son would keep his hazel-grey eyes, he'd have been named Raine Maida > White > after the lead singer for Our Lady Peace. > > -- > HAIKU > ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- - > Drag queens are the rea- > Son I pluck my eyebrows. It's > The least I can do. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 I think my big problem stems that before doing this new adventure I was trying to stay away from processed foods keeping to a rule of 3 ingredients per item. Now I am back to buying man generated food which doesnt feel right. Tanya <tcomer5 Tuesday, June 24, 2008 8:48:07 AM Re: Help planning meals I really " felt " your post. This IS all so overwhelming. Ignorance about what my daughter and I were eating before wasn't bliss but sometimes it's feeling like a big pain in the you-know-what to have to read all these labels and know what I know now! But in the end overall everything feels so much better. I feel peaceful and we can know that we're modeling good choices and compassion to our kids. What an amazing discovery! I have a two year old so I'm trying to get a dark green vegetable and a protein source in each night. We're doing a lot of veggie pizza (spinach, red pepper, onion, maybe blackened tofu on top), stir fry (linguine noodles or rice with sugar snap peas, red pepper, onion, mushrooms, etc.), veggie spaghetti (sauce, various veggies, some spinach mixed in), what we like to call our Southern BBQ sides meal (just veg baked beans, corn on the cob, collard greens - she loves it!)... Luna bars are an awesome snack for us. Lots of protein and good stuff in those. And fruit leather. I've been surprised about how many things are vegan just by default too - cake mixes I just add egg subsitute to, those Murray butter cookies that we love so much, even some " milk chocolate " icings! etc. etc. - and then so many substitutes are just as good as the original - Tofutti chocolate ice cream, chocolate soymilk, Smart Bacon on BLTs!) In so far as going over to people's houses, I am not asking anyone to cook differently for us. Everyone knows about the changes we've made in our diet. Most of them have been very accomodating but not because I've asked. If anything I've said NOT to change anything for us. If we go to a cookout we bring Smart Dogs but other than that, for regular meals we're invited to, we just eat whatever sides they're cooking in bigger portions. Sometimes this means we might take in a little butter (we're trying to do the vegan, not the vegetarian, thing). But my thinking behind this is that I want my family and friends to see that this can be easy and painless. A joyful process of change, and not something that creates tension in our family at events... We can totally do this! Aaaand... just wanted to share with everyone that my boyfriend (who was raised on a pig farm in southern Illinois) is vegetarian now! Mwahahaha!!! !! Tanya @gro ups.com, " Lorraine " <ldemi wrote: > > Hi Lebasi, > Here's what we do - we just stock up the fridge and freezer and pantry > with basic meal ingredients and then choose stuff that goes together and > makes a balanced meal/whatever we need to eat at that meal. Sometimes > it's a more organized meal, sometimes it's more of a hodge-podge, but it > works. :-) So, for example, we always have different pastas, rice, > quinoa, barley, breads, polenta, crackers, tortillas, cereals, waffles, > various flours, etc. for grains - and tofu, dried and canned beans, > lentils, canned lentil and bean soups, eggs, nuts, seeds, soy milk, nut > butters, etc. for protein - and fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, > along with salsas, pickled veggies, tomato sauce, canned tomatoes, > juices, etc. - and milk, cheese, yogurt, etc. since we eat dairy. Then, > at a meal, we decide what each person needs to eat (based on what we've > eaten and not eaten that day), and how much the cook for that meal feels > like doing, and then start choosing - like, hmmm, do you all feel like > eating pasta or rice or tortillas? Then, once that's picked, we see > what goes with it - okay, everyone wants tortillas, and we need to add > some protein and veggies, so we could have bean/cheese/ veggie burritos > or tacos with fruit salad, or cheese/veggie wraps with > soymilk/yogurt/ fruit smoothies? Now, like I said, this can end up being > a wacky meal - we have been known to just let our son pick the food so > that life is quieter and easier . . . so we've had flax waffles, refried > beans and tomato slices for dinner before. That's okay with us - and it > was easy. And sometimes we eat plates of raw veggies, olives, crackers, > cheese, fruit, and cold beans - I know it sounds like appetizers, but it > fills tummies and is good on these hot days. :-) And then when we have > more energy, we do things like veggie/tofu lasagna, cheese and black > bean enchiladas, huge soups or chilis. And we always keep a big green > salad in the fridge, and cut up fruit and sometimes cut up raw veggies - > carrot sticks, cucumber slices, etc. - in the fridge, to make meal prep > easier. So I guess our meal planning isn't so much meal planning as it > is shopping planning - we shop ahead of time with some staples for each > food group in mind, and some meals planned, and just know that we'll > cobble stuff together throughout the week. :-) > Good luck and have fun! > Lorraine > > > @gro ups.com [@gro ups.com] On > Behalf Of Lebasi > Monday, June 23, 2008 11:04 AM > @gro ups.com > Re: Help planning meals > > Ok I am still fairly new to all this and its a bit overwhelming. I have > learned more about food this weak then I have in my lifetime. > > I know we exchange recipes but can someone help with menus. > > Now coming from the meat world a typical meal use to be Meat, side, > vegetable bread and salad. > > Now I having trouble with the sides concept when the main dish is > vegetables. So can someone tell me some great combinations. I current do > bean dishes and rice. and protein substitutes like Tofu, chicken or > vegetable burger but I want to think differently about my food > combinations. > > Also when you have guest what do you do or when you go to visit peoples > house do you pack food? > > As expected my In laws laughed at Grants and my new Phase. Yet this kids > is going on month 2 and despite daddy trying to entice him with his old > favorites he isnt budging. He eats his tofu and other protein subsitutes > without arguing and he and I are doing well with our new diets. > > By the way secretly he is converting his father who angrily admits he is > now very concious of what he is eating which is making it very > unappealing. > > Anyway help with menus would be great. > > > Reni <renireligion@ <renireligio n%40gmail. com> gmail.com> > @gro <% 40. com> ups.com > Monday, June 23, 2008 9:09:02 AM > Re: OT: Unique Baby Names > > hi Nicolette. > > i was given this wonderful book, *A World of Baby > Names*<http://www.amazon. com/World- Names-Revised- Teresa-Norman/ > dp/0399528946/ ref=pd_bbs_ sr_1?ie=UTF8 & s=books & qid= 1214225424 & > sr=8-1>, > that was a really good resource. i went through list after list of names > myself. in the book, i was particularly fond of the section on > mythology. my > son was almost named Gabriel, after the archangel (i think) attributed > to > his zodiac sign. > > i'm partial to names which are based on music and musicians - had i > known my > son would keep his hazel-grey eyes, he'd have been named Raine Maida > White > after the lead singer for Our Lady Peace. > > -- > HAIKU > ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- - > Drag queens are the rea- > Son I pluck my eyebrows. It's > The least I can do. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 When I went veg almost 20 years ago, I was still living at home, and my mom had no idea how to cook for me so we did a lot of the " man generated food " items. Once I moved out on my own, I realized I don't need to eat the standard main course, with a side, and salad, etc. Now we make the salad the main course with lots of local, fresh seasonal veggies. We have a large herb garden in the backyard and make our own dressings based on the mood of the day and what looks really good. We also get the opportunity to teach our son about sharing with the critters in the backyard. We have a parsley plant that we have had to give to the caterpillars so we can have healthy butterflies. If we want to eat salad and french fries (baked ones made from scratch) then we eat that, and don't worry about the veggie burger that would typically go with that meal. I think you should eat what " feels " right and if you are falling to processed foods so that you can have a main dish, maybe reprogram what the main dish really is. For us, the main dish is always a vegetable for lunch and dinner - typically breakfast is not associated with a main dish. As far as what to do when you eat at someone else's home, I think it depends on your comfort level with that person. Whenever we eat at my mom's house, I help her plan something that she can make that my family will eat because she likes to be the hostess and does not like anyone to bring a dish when they come to her house. If we go to a friends house, I always offer to bring a dish and ask what the menu is so I can plan a dish that would compliment the menu. By asing this way, most people are not offended that you are asking about the menu and you also get a sneak peek as to what will be served. We were invited to a very SAD dinner one time where I would not be able to eat anything on the menu. I brought three dishes to share so that I would have something to eat, and told the hostess ahead of time what I was bringing. I always bring enough for others to try when I bring food. It is nice when people try your food and then want the recipe, or you have no leftovers to bring home. I also think it is nmore acceptable to bring your children's food because people accept that children are picky. So for children's gatherings where there really isn't any adult food, just pack something so your child has plenty to eat, but also bring a treat to share. HTH, Susan , Lebasi <lebasi.klotko wrote: > > I think my big problem stems that before doing this new adventure I was trying to stay away from processed foods keeping to a rule of 3 ingredients per item. Now I am back to buying man generated food which doesnt feel right. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 the healthiest, most long lived folks build their meals around starchy foods- Whole grains (rice, corn) and the whole grain flours (wheat, rye) and whole grain pastas (wheat, soba) made from them, tubers (potatoes, yams), legumes (beans, peas), and winter squashes (acorn, hubbard) etc and then add lots of colorful fruits and vegetables to complete the meal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 I think we did more of them when we were first starting out. Bean dishes with rice are a nice change, I found a nice recipe on the Goya Red Kidney beans can. It's pretty simple, and we add a ton of peppers and onions and for the smokey flavor, I just put in a little liquid smoke (works well for giving the impression of those smokey meats/subs -even works great in split pea soup to make it w/out the fake-bacon ). It does get easier. Maybe try finding a new recipe to try once a week to replace one of them. There's also a ton of recipes on making your own seitan - I do this a lot, as I always thought it was way too expensive to buy, and one package of Bob's Red Mill Gluten flour will make about 6 meals for us. (A pointer from making it so much - make sure that if you use broth, that it is cold, or at least room temperature. If it is hot, it will be very rubbery and my first attempt I think I just ended up throwing out (after I did boil it, and then baked it and finally I think we pan 'fried' it to make something like BBQ - it was ok after that, but not something I wanted to do again for a while. Since then I've figured it out, and there's different methods, too). I think we only rely on the packaged items now when we go visiting family out of state, as it's easier for them to find if they want to pick something up for us. We also offer to cook a meal (or a couple) while we're there for everyone, so we know we're not imposing on them with our food choices. Missie On Tue, Jun 24, 2008 at 11:49 AM, Lebasi <lebasi.klotko wrote: > I think my big problem stems that before doing this new adventure I was > trying to stay away from processed foods keeping to a rule of 3 ingredients > per item. Now I am back to buying man generated food which doesnt feel > right. > -- http://mszzzi.zoomshare.com http://www.flickr.com/photos/mszzzi/ ~~~~~(m-.-)m Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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