Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with vegetarian

Use of word "rennet" on labels

Morrigan — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:00:53 -0800

If a food lists rennet among its ingredients, am I right in assuming that it is most likely animal rennet? To put it another way, if the labels simply says "rennet," can I assume it is not vegetable, microbial or genetically engineered rennet and therefore is not appropriate for a vegetarian to eat? Or might some manufacturers use "rennet" as an umbrella term?

Vegetarian cookbook recommendations sought!

Phire — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:22:19 -0800

Give me your favourite vegetarian cookbook that has illustrations of simple but delicious meals, and offers the nutritional information for each meal. I'm starting to cook by recipe, rather than throwing anything I have in the kitchen into a pot and improvising. At the same time, I'm trying to decrease on the amount of meat I have on my diet. Though there are lots of awesome websites with an abundance of information on cooking veggies, I find the wealth of information makes it hard to find one starting point. So I'm asking for your recommendations for a vegetarian cookbook with the following criteria:

Simple meals: I really like the concept of the Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourment, which restricts each meal to 5 ingredients or less. I'm not terribly fussy about an absolute limitation on number of ingredients, but simple to make would be good - I'm pretty pressed for time. Michael Smith's Best of Chef at Home is a good standard for how simple I'd like the instructions and prep to be.

Nutritional information: Rather than laboriously looking up every ingredient online myself and then calculating the portions, I would prefer if the book listed these for me. This is totally essential.

Illustrations: These are more or less optional, but pretty pictures totally motivate me to cook.

Optional: This is totally nitpicky, but if that book only focused on cooking actual meals rather than desserts/drinks, that'd be great, too. I drink water and eat fruit, and having a book that spends 1/5 of its real estate on smoothies and cakes that I won't be making seems like a bit of a waste.

Does my dream cookbook exist? Thanks in advance for any help!

Hoots mon, I'm awa tae hunt the meatless haggis.

anadem — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:18:54 -0800

I'm planning a haggis-centric party and will make semi-traditional haggis from this recipe. I also need to make a vegetarian version, so what would be a tasty veggie substitute for the meat (preferably using the same recipe)? The meats to replace are "chopped cooked liver and chopped cooked heart (Or stew beef, or filet mignon)" and ground lamb. I'm in California, in case that makes a difference about ingredient availability. Full recipe below, in case Geocities has closed. Here's Lloyd Bogart's West Mosby Volunteers' Haggis. I hope Mr Bogart won't mind me copying it out, but the Geocities web is due to disappear tomorrow.

WEST MOSBY VOLUNTEERS' HAGGIS - Courtesy of Lloyd Bogart .

Haggis "is typically served on Burns Night,January 25, when Scotland celebrates the birth of its greatest poet, Robert Burns, who was born in Ayrshire on that date in 1759. During the celebration, Burns poems are read, and the haggis is addressed by a member of the party, ceremonially, in the form of verses from Burns' poem, 'Address to a Haggis.' A typical meal for Burns Night would include Cock-a-Leekie, Haggis with Tattie-an'-neeps, Roastit Beef, Tipsy Laird, and Dunlop Cheese."

Oh, and did I mention that whisky is also served?

Disclaimer: If you jam 5 dowels into a haggis it kinda resembles a bagpipe, but only if you jam 5 single malts into yourself first. There, that makes this article "bagpipe related".

Here's a tried-and-true recipe for haggis -- entered in the international competition a few years back. It sounds more complex than it is -- it's really no more than equal amounts of meat mixture, oats, onions, and stock, with appropriate spices. Good Eating!

The following recipe is for a traditional sized (3-lb?) haggis. We prepare up to 12 times this amount, in double recipe batches, for our Annual Regimental Mess and Robert Burns Supper. It freezes well, and can be "revived" in a microwave.

1. Advanced preparation.

Find a source of ONLY Steel cut oats OR (if available) Scottish pin oats. Rolled oats will NOT provide the traditional texture, which is something like that of rice. Steel cut oats can be had, or can be ordered, from food stores specializing in organic foods, etc. You'll need 2 Cups of Oats, but if you have to order them, get extra "for next time".

Once you've found proper oats, you're ready to proceed. You'll need:

1 Cup of chopped cooked liver
1 Cup of chopped cooked heart (Or stew beef, or filet mignon)
2-3 Cups stock
Use Lamb if available, otherwise beef will work fine.

Cover the raw meat with salted COLD water, bring to a boil (gently, and covered) for about 1 hour. Drain, (keep the stock) Cool the meat, and remove any gristle, membranes, large vessels, then chop or grind the meat (coarse, as for hash). Refrigerate the stock, and discard any fat later, after it chills.

Mix the ground up heart and liver in equal proportions. You'll need about 2 cups of this meat mixture for each haggis, but it can be prepared in larger quantities, then refrigerated or frozen for later use. For final assembly, the haggis can be completed when convenient.

2. Additional Ingredients:

1 Lb. ground lamb (for "authentic" flavor -- replaces "other stuff")
2 Cups medium to coarse-chopped onions
1 Cup vegetable oil (replaces suet)
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Oz. single malt whisky (Balvenie is quite acceptable)
2 tsp. salt or beef bouillon powder
2 Tbsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. grated nutmeg

Optional: (but recommended for a "special occasion" haggis)
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground mace
2 Tbsp. Parsley Flakes
1/4 Cup currants

Casing: Reynold's Oven Cooking Bag. These are Nylon roasting bags that are available in most any grocery store. The traditional sheep's stomach or a large sausage casing may be used for a "show" haggis, but they are "old-tech". Boiling in oven cooking bags is far more convenient, if you're preparing large quantities, especially, and this process "reassures" your dinner guests.

3. Preparation

Put 2 cups of the thawed meat mixture in the oven cooking bag. Add 2 cups of (coarse) chopped onions, 2 cups of oats, and the other dry ingredients and mix well. Set the mixture aside until it is at room temperature.

In a covered saucepan or skillet, warm 2 Cups or so of the stock (Be sure any fat has been removed. -- If more liquid is needed, here or later, use bouillon or beef stock.)

Break up the ground lamb into the warmed stock; bring to a slow boil (covered) for 5 minutes or so. Remove from heat, allow to cool briefly, and be sure the lamb is in small pieces.

Add the lemon juice and vegetable oil to the lamb & stock mixture. Then combine the lamb/liquid mixture with the other ingredients in the cooking bag, and mix well.

This should produce a moist, soft mixture that will still hold together when pinched. (If it's too dry, add a small amount of stock or bouillon.)

Boil the mixture IN the cooking bag:

Close off the bag using a nylon tie, but allow room below the tie for expansion during boiling. Trim off the bag 3" above the tie, and pierce the top of the bag, below the tie, but well above the mixture, to allow steam to escape.

Use a 4 Qt. (or larger) pot with a rack at the bottom. The water around the haggis should nearly cover the bag of mixture. Periodically adjust the heat to maintain a slow boil for at least 1 1/2 hours. Add HOT water to the pot if needed.

Add 2 Oz. single malt whisky to the cook. (He/She deserves it!)

The cooking bag can be placed on a shallow pan and transferred to a preheated oven

(325 degrees F) for the last half-hour. This doesn't affect the flavor, but does add a bit of color, if desired.

The proof:

This recipe has gotten rave reviews from visiting Scots. Talk about a tough room -- Whew! I hope you'll enjoy it.

The strategy for preparing rather largish amounts is just a bit different; if you need advice on this, please contact me personally. Today I purchased 10 pounds of oats, if you catch my drift....

Cheers
Lloyd Bogart

(If anyone wants the email address which is included on Mr Bogart's web page, please mefi-mail me, though it could be inactive.)

Vegetarian seeks tasty food in Western Europe

embrangled — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:57:04 -0800

What tasty foods should an adventurous vegetarian eat in the UK and Western Europe? I eat eggs and dairy, but not meat and only rarely fish. I'm not overly uptight about trace animal products or stock. I'll be travelling through England, The Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany. These countries aren't generally known as hotbeds of vegetarianism, but I'd still like to try as many interesting local foods as I can.

A meat-eating friend has been joking that I'll starve - I'm more optimistic, so help me prove him wrong. I'm not worried about what I'll eat, but I'd like to expand my culinary horizons beyond "That one vegan cafe in the hippy district". Which quintessential European meals and snacks just happen to be meat-free?

Leather-free fashion in Paris?

nicoleincanada — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 09:21:59 -0800

Where can I find leather-free clothing in Paris? Specifically, I'm looking for boots and shoes, but bonus points for jackets, belts and the like. I'll soon be spending a week in Paris, and it seems reasonable to expect that one should be able to buy stylish, leather-free footwear in one of the world's fashion capitals. But so far I've had zero luck on Google in finding any Parisian store that sells leather-free or vegetarian clothing (granted, I'm Googling in English due to minimal French language skills.)

I'm willing to spend some money - though not crazy amounts - for reasonably well-made non-leather footwear, casual or dressy. Stores that advertise as vegan/vegetarian would be awesome, but not necessary. Ideally I'd love to go to a store that specializes in this sort of thing, but I know of only Stella McCartney, and I suspect her flagship store will be trop cher for me.

As a runner-up, I'd be interested in any stores that typically sell some non-leather footwear. (Runner up b/c in my experience, the token synthetic pair of boots in any given place is usually frumpier and more cheaply made than the leather stuff. And then there's the offgassing...)

To narrow things down further, I'm aware that there are good options available for online ordering - I've resisted because I have wide and weirdly shaped feet, and don't feel like dealing with the hassle of shipping shoes. But if you've had great experiences at any given online store, I'd love to hear about it.

And finally, I've found a lot of thorough lists of vegetarian restaurants in Paris online. No concerns there. This is just about fashion.

Vegetarian seeks most humane and delicious steak.

a.steele — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:40:32 -0800

Help me pick the best option for humanely raised and slaughtered beef (Local? Kosher?) I'm having a hard time deciding between certain criteria. After some deliberation and 7 years of being vegetarian/pescetarian I've decided to jump off the wagon for one delicious steak (which may lead to more occasional meat-meals). Because of my ethical convictions I would like for this steak to have come from a cow that lived a happy life and did not die in fear or pain. Onto my options:

There are two local beef farms that sell at the local farmer's market. I plan on asking them this directly, but in the meantime, is there a "standard" way for smaller farms to slaughter cattle? I know in most cases they are transferred to a separate place, but do smaller farms usually send their cattle to "humane" slaughterhouses?

Despite living in the meat-loving, bbq capital, most obese city in the South, we do have a Whole Foods, which opens up a ton of other options for kosher and "humane" beef. Can anyone explain what the distinctions mean? Does something being slaughtered humanely mean it was treated well it's whole life?

I like the idea of buying from a local farmer for reasons of freshness and legitimacy, but I would really rather not be thinking of all the horrors that occurred after it left the quiet little farm. I'm having trouble finding resources to help me make the most informed decision. And if anyone out there has first-hand experience, spare no details. I want my experience to be as delicious and guilt-free as possible. Thanks!

vegan junction city KS - "No results found"

mezzanayne — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 06:24:45 -0800

Vegan eats in Junction City, KS? I'll be in Junction City, KS today around 10am. I'm looking for a place with vegan options. So far (via Google) I've found 2 coffee shops that aren't open on Sundays, a Mexican restaurant that no longer exists, and a Chinese restaurant that doesn't open until 11:30am. I won't be in town long and I'll want to eat shortly after arriving. Fast food is always an option (I know that I can easily eat at Subway or Taco Bell) but a local sit-down place is preferred. Bonus points if it's got good coffee and/or is close to I-70 highway.

Happycow.net has nothing. Google is failing me. Please help me to find a decent vegan meal.

Thank you!

Oh Great Seitan, Mock Meat Of Vegetarian Champions!!

jbenben — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:56:00 -0800

Oh, Seitan! What is the best way to make you from scratch.... and will your high protein gluten goodness harm me? Oh, Seitan! What is the best way to make you from scratch.... and will your high protein gluten goodness harm me?

Right now, I am in the middle of making homemade seitan. One is being boiled, as per the recipe in the link above. One is being baked as per the recipe in this link.

The theory goes that baking is superior to boiling in terms of texture result. I made both versions WITHOUT any seasonings - just vital wheat gluten & water. The boiled version is simmering in salted h2O.

Since seitan is about 75% protein and low carb, this seemed like a great experiment. I made both versions w/out seasoning because I am super keen to know what this product is like. If I know it, I'll know how to season it depending on my tastes or the desired result. Fair enough.

But I know that gluten is a problem if you have celiac disease (also spelled coeliac.) I had a friend who had celiac. My understanding is that having a sensitivity to gluten is a bit hard to determine. For those who don't know, gluten can cause an inflammation of the lower intestine in certain individuals.

Anyway, while seitan has been around for centuries, it's not all that popular in the West. Is gluten sensitivity for Westerners like lactose intolerance for Asians? I'm just wondering.

Also, gluten is super sticky. Does the body digest seitan easily? If I eat it often, should I increase my intake of fiber?

I would love to hear from anyone who enjoys this mock meat product! What have you found beneficial about consuming seitan often? Have you experienced any negative effects?

**Bonus points if you share a favorite preparation for this item, as I am always keen to learn something new!

How do I go about eatting meat again?

deacon_blues — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:39:31 -0800

I've been a vegetarian for over five years. After being belittled by Tony Bourdain for years, I think I'm ready to eat some meat again. Advice? I've found it to be about time to start weening myself back to meat. To elaborate a bit i'm looking to start back with chicken and seafood, not red meat.

So, for those of you who have done this and/or know what to expect, can you give me some advice? I'm concerned about getting sick because my stomach no longer has the enzymes needed to break down meat...right?

Fried chicken awaits. Tell me how to get there.

Oh boy, soy!

Anonymous — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 21:51:24 -0800

My vegetarian diet is making me sick. Help! I'm a 27-year-old female who has been a vegetarian for nearly 14 years. I was overweight when I started the diet and dropped about 40 pounds in 6 months. I've managed to maintain my weight and remain relatively healthy- until recently.

Two years ago, I was diagnosed with anemia and the doctor found that my thyroid was sluggish. I began taking iron pills daily which provided some relief, but with very unwelcome digestive side effects. A year later, my iron levels improved and my thyroid was no longer sluggish, but the doctor wanted me to continue taking iron during my period.

However, during the past 6 months, I began to gain weight. I exercise daily, take vitamins, and consume between 1000-1500 calories daily, so I had no clue why I packed on 15 pounds. After talking with a friend, who was recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism, I began to suspect that my thyroid was failing me again. I was depressed, tired, and bloated-basically I felt as if I had PMS 24/7. But then my friend asked me how much soy was in my diet.

Though I do eat fruits, veggies, and whole grains, the majority of my diet consists of soy products. My friend mentioned that all of this soy consumption could lead to estrogen dominance, which inhibits thyroid functioning. After reviewing all of the symptoms, I realized that I had every single one of them.

Like everyone else, money is incredibly tight at the moment, and I can't afford to pay for lab tests on my hormones and thyroid functioning. I'm obviously going to cut the soy out of my diet, and will probably give up my vegetarian lifestyle, but what else can I do to get my body back in shape? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

How to make seitan that isn't chewy or fried?

bengarland — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:51:05 -0800

How to make homemade seitan that isn't chewy? I'm at a loss. I've been a vegetarian for 15+ years now, and one thing I've never quite mastered is how to make my own fake meat from seitan (vital wheat gluten). Actually, I did figure out how to make amazing country-fried seitan steaks but it isn't the healthiest method, nor the most diverse.

Every time I try to make it without pan frying it in 1/2 inch of oil, it turns out rubbery. I've tried baking and broiling it, and while the outside gets nice and crispy the inside is always really chewy.

Yet, for some reason, when I pan fry it the seitan NEVER gets chewy. The damn country-fried seitan recipe is practically foolproof and melts in your mouth.

Does anyone have a foolproof recipe that doesn't involve cooking the seitan in tons of oil (or even ANY oil at all) ???

Apparently it IS possible, because the processed seitan that you can buy in cans at Asian markets isn't fried yet isn't chewy either.

BONUS POINTS if you know how to make the seitan stringy like meat. Apparently that's possible, too, since you can get a grilled and juicy seitan steak (similar to a filet mignon of the meat world) at the vegan restaurant Horizons in Philadelphia -- it's so good it would fool my dad, a steak guy! I know Horizons gets their seitan steaks from a place in Philly called "Ray's Seitan" but that's all I've been able to figure out... apparently the process is a secret.

Relatively cheap restaurants in Manhattan that have good vegetarian options?

exolstice — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:18:54 -0800

Relatively cheap restaurants in Manhattan that have good vegetarian options? I'll be in Manhattan August 22-24 and I need suggestions of places to eat for someone on a budget who is a vegetarian going with another person who isn't. I'm flexible on location, but ideally in the Midtown East or East Village areas.

Must See in D.C.

misha — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:21:58 -0800

Cheap eats and must-sees in D.C. for three adults and three teens? Bonus for any vegetarian-friendly options! We're taking our guys and heading to D.C., where we'll be joining our oldest son's girlfriend and her Mom for five days. We have tickets to the Capitol tour and plan to stop in the Holocaust museum, but we need suggestions for inexpensive places to eat (girlfriend is a vegetarian), as well as your picks for must-sees in town. I'd prefer places you've actually visited, thanks.

Also, I've always enjoyed the Smithsonian--any suggestions for exhibits our teens might especially enjoy as well? We have goths, metalheads and gamers to entertain in the party.

chicken and dumplings...but without the chicken

Epsilon-minus semi moron — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:32:01 -0800

I demand to know your best vegetarian "chicken" and dumpling recipe! My new roommate just mentioned that one of the food she misses most since becoming vegetarian is chicken and dumplings. I would like to make as close an approximation of said dish as possible. I've poked around and found a few recipes...but I'd like to get some tried and true ideas from my favorite source. Difficulty: I've never made dumplings of any sort before, so the easier on that end the better. Thank you!

please help resolve my tofu troubles

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:43:59 -0800

Can I eat this expired (but frozen) tofu/tempeh/tofurky? I just moved into a new apartment and my new roommate's old roommate left behind some food in the freezer. At first I was delighted to be inheriting free food, but now that I've checked the best by dates, I'm not so sure. Details:

Tofurky: "enjoy by" 08/23/08
Yves Meatless Deli Ham: "best before" 02/13/08
White Wave Baked Tofu: 09/02/05 (date has no qualifier before it)
Sunergia Soyfoods pesto tofu: 04/22/06 (also no qualifier)
SoyBoy Tempeh: April 26 (says that it can be "sold frozen for 6 months after date" but, the date doesn't have a year after it and considering the other fake meats, I wouldn't bet on it being 2009)

I do not know for how long any of this was frozen, nor can I contact new roommate's old roommate to ask.

So...can I eat any of this? If it were anything else, I'd probably just throw it away, but I do love fancy tofu products (and very rarely buy them myself due to their fancy prices) so this would be a free food grand slam.

How actively do vegetarians avoid gelatin?

zennie — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:10:32 -0800

How actively do vegetarians avoid eating gelatin? I'm probably going to use gelatin in a dish that will be part of the cater service at a party for people I don't really know, a few of whom will be vegetarian. I've been disastrously unsuccessful adjusting the recipe using various non-animal-source replacements (agar-agar, gums, starches, and so forth). It would be my preference not to use gelatin (I am not required to make this dish vegetarian), but I'm all out of time for experimentation.

I'd like to be able to estimate the impact of having to use gelatin as an ingredient.

Given that there's a range of reasons for vegetarianism and individuals go about it in their own way, how often is an exception made for gelatin? What about fish-based gelatin?

Vegetarian options in seafood country?

m0kingb1rd — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:38:59 -0800

Does anyone have any recommendations for vegetarian options/restaurants in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Charlottetown, PEI? We love seafood, but have a vegetarian teenager. I hope someone can prevent her from starving.

Help me Hivemind: spending money and eating veggie in Japan.

Kirn — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:55:40 -0800

How much spending money do I need for 10 days in Japan? And: help me eat vegetarian while I'm there. I'll be visiting Japan for 10 days from the 8th of June. That's 3 days in Tokyo, 4 days in Kyoto (with a day trip to Nara and possibly another one to Osaka, and a few hours spent in Nagoya), 2 days in Hiroshima (with a day trip to Miyajima island) and finally 1 day in Narita.

I'm trying to get an idea of how much spending money I should take. Flights, hotels and JR pass are all booked already, but I'll pay to get around Tokyo for the first 3 days (subway or trains) and from Narita Airport->Tokyo, as the JR pass is only for the last 7 days. I won't be looking to eat anywhere that expensive, though doing so by accident is quite possible. I'll be looking to take some souvenirs home, but I'm not after anything specific (and unlikely to go for expensive electronics etc.) and travelling carry-on only so space is limited. I'm travelling with friends so we'll probably want to go out drinking some nights, but not clubbing. No specific tourist destinations in mind but we'll be going to see temples, maybe a couple of museums etc.

So: how much spending money should I take?

And... I'd like to make an appeal for advice on eating vegetarian in Japan. I get that this will be difficult and that there's fish stock/flakes in everything - I'm ok with the fish stock/flakes but would like to avoid meat/fish flesh/seafood.

So my second question is: are there any common vegetarian dishes (with or without fish flakes but ideally without) that I can look for in restaurants? Something I can learn the name of and be sure (or at least relatively sure) that I'm getting something flesh-free? (What about convenience stores etc.?)

And finally: if I learn phrases for 'do you have anything without meat, fish or seafood?' and 'can you make it without meat/fish/seafood?', what kind of response am I likely to get in typical eateries? Refusal/bewilderment/misunderstanding/annoyance? (I won't be able to carry on a conversation as I only know a few basic words and phrases, though I will occasionally be accompanied by a fluent Japanese speaker.)

Thanks very much in advance everyone, and sorry for the many sprawling questions - I'm trying to get the most out of my weekly questions before I go! For what it's worth, I'm a 24-year old male from the UK, travelling with 2-3 guys and 1 girl of similar ages.

Help a vegetarian lose weight!

Ponderance — Thu, 21 May 2009 08:01:23 -0800

Smart fitness people help a vegetarian lose weight! Is there a veggie atkins? Other suggestions wanted! Rambling details inside. I am a 37 year old vegetarian, male, who lives in metro-Chicago (in case you want to provide shopping advice) who isn’t afraid of cooking, but does have little time and a toddler. I am trying to lose weight, I’m about 6’3 and maybe 200-210 pounds and am paunchier than I’d like. I have an extremely sedentary job. Like being in a coma.

I have recently joined a nearby gym for little workouts (30-60 minutes, again time is the issue) and am using the elliptical and lifting weights with machines.

NOW, I know the whole south beach-atkins-whatnot diet approach is great for people, high protein etc. As I don’t eat animals, and while I eat eggs and cheese, they are fatty and don’t agree with me, are their (food replacement style) dieting options out there? I am trying to eat fewer carbs (tough as much of the veggie processed food/fake chicken patty stuff is carby), in reality I should see a nutritionist, but fiscally that isn’t an option.

SO, my questions are, are their diet plans like south beach for the meat-free? What other products (protein shake stuff??) are out there to help? What have you done as a veg to lose weight?

What exercises will burn fat, particularly in the middle region.

Any and all advice other than “Start eating meat” is welcome!

Thanks!

Improving texture in a vegetarian diet

slow graffiti — Wed, 13 May 2009 12:07:23 -0800

My vegetarian cooking tastes good, but the lack of different textures bores me. Help me incorporate dishes that have some chew or crunch! I cook vegetarian 99% of the time at home. This means I make alot of soup and stew type things, rice, pasta and legumes. Often I miss the crusty exterior and melty insides of seared meat, or the crunch of baked or fried things. I'm learning to bake my own bread and pizza, but that's pretty labor intensive. What other vegetarian dishes can I try at home when I want satisfying texture and I'm bored to death of soft vegetables? I especially love something like nachos that has multiple textures going on in one dish.

Vegetarian volunteer in Botswana...

Anonymous — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 06:50:42 -0800

I am spending three weeks in Botswana as a volunteer this summer. I am also a strict vegetarian. Having never visited that part of the world I am not familiar with the local dietary options. Will it be difficult to maintain a vegetarian diet in Botswana? I will not be near any major urban areas.

As custom and availability prevails I was hoping to maintain my vegetarian lifestyle (as I've been one for 15 years). However, I also realize that it is a luxury to have the food selection available to me in North America to do so.

I don't want to be rude as I am a guest in their country. Any ideas or advice will help make any the mental shift a little easier. Thanks!

Mmmm...(fake) deer...

starbaby — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 11:51:46 -0800

Is it possible to make meat substitute taste like fried venison? I'm from the south, and deer was a winter staple in my childhood. My father would slice it about a 1/4"-1/2" thick, batter it in flour, salt, garlic salt, and pepper, and fry it in a skillet in vegetable oil.

I would like to reproduce this wonderful taste without using meat. Most people recommend that when cooking with tofu (or other meat substitutes), you simply get the fake meat the right consistency and cook it as you normally would meat; it will absorb the flavors of the seasoning and taste similar.

However, I am not looking for the taste of the seasonings; I'm looking for the taste that is inherently missing inside the tofu. Clearly battering tofu in salt, garlic salt, pepper and flour will just make it taste like those things. Someone recommended worcestershire sauce, but I do not have any without anchovies in it.

I am coming up short when I look for recipes. This seems to be an elusive phantom idea among vegetarians.

Do you know how to make fake meat (any kind, I'm not limited to just tofu) taste like venison?

Thanks in advance.

Looking for a name for this type of diet.

bchaplin — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 04:24:34 -0800

Mostly vegetarian diet with some meat, lots of fruits and vegetables, few carbs, no dairy. Is there a name for this type of eating, and where can I get recipes? For health reasons I want to reform my eating habits. I just read the book Eat to Live and am completely won over to the idea of eating that way, but the issue for me is the implementation. I'd like to greatly increase the fruits and vegetables I eat, but not give up meat entirely. I do want to forego dairy food, though, and cut back on carbs. I've tried it for a few days, but honestly, my cooking expertise ends at chopping up a salad or steaming greens. Is there a name for this type of eating? I need to find some simple, easy-to-do recipes if I am going to be successful.

Work difficulties as a vegetarian!

Raynyn — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:13:50 -0800

How can I properly deal with being a vegetarian in my new job? Okay, I'm a long time vegetarian (11 years). I also have some social anxiety issues, I'm very shy and I worry a lot about being judged by new people. I recently got a new job as a youth worker, and I will be doing some in-home work. I will be working with Aboriginal clients and there is the possibility of having to eat dinner in their homes. Today at orientation my supervisor was commenting on how people will generally be offended if you don't eat with them or don't eat what you are offered. I just nodded and kept quiet, not mentioning I have significant dietary restrictions. Also I have staff meetings every two weeks (starting Tuesday) and the supervisor cooks or orders food for the meals (Tuesday is pizza day). How can I politely handle these situations and explain my vegetarianism?

Machine, point me to food

klangklangston — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:45:20 -0800

Where's my food? How to make a web ap that tells me how to find vegetarian food easily? Ok, so, first off—I'm not tremendously programming savvy, so don't be afraid to talk down to me in simple terms (seriously, don't assume I know anything).

Here is what I want: I want to be able to go to a page (either on a computer or a phone) and see where the nearest vegetarian food is (vegetarian restaurant or just a place that has veggie food). I would like to make this open, so that I don't have to find every vegetarian dish everywhere (crowdsource).

I assume that what I need will be some sort of database that accepts submissions easily, and that will work with google maps; and some server space to run it from.

Given that—if I want to build something that does this, what do I need and what do I need to know? Is this something that can be built by a programming novice (I haven't done any programming since high school and that was still mostly basic. I have a moderate grasp of HTML, but little CSS)? How hard will this be? What should I know when I start to build it?