Topic: Vegetarian ?? ayone

[emmy1978]

Good site Biscombe, will go back to it when i have more time. Jeannine, you've got me thinking now!
Here is a link from the goveg site to get a go veggie starter pack (???)
I just like free stuff.  :-[

http://goveg.com/order.asp

[Jeannine]

Well Emmy I had a good look at that site, some interesting stuff on there.

Got you thinking ???

I have to admit to feeling a bit smug,I have done this for 7 days now which was my first goal. I think the hardest part is because I like to cook and my hands are tied a lot.

I have eaten a lot more fruit, about the same veggies , some fish but no meat at all, and that what was all I intended to do, cut out the meat.

Yesterday was a bit different,  I had bought some langostinas on sale, too many actually , but I could not freeze them so justifed  myself into thinking that being a piglet was OK. I had them with steamed asparagus, tons of butter and home baked bread.
John doesn't eat shellfish and as he is really only supporting me in the no meat thing I made him a Fray Bentos steak and kidney pie. It is one of his emergency DIY rations for if I am ever away.Personally I wouldn't touch it!!

Today we did a taste test with three types of veggie sausages, all very very different in tastes and texture but 1 came out as not bad at all.

I am not someone who buys prepared foods so the trip to ASDA to get veggie 'meats' was interesting.

I have been dreaming about lamb chops for three days though.

Thank you for all the interesting stuff posted, some very scary too.

Next goal getting to the end of the month!!

 XX Jeannine

[Robert_Brenchley]

It's also extemely inefficient. Only a proportion of the sun's energy gets converted into plant tissue, and only a proportion of that into animal tissue. Farming predatory fish like trout and salmon is even worse.

[Marymary]

So which veggie sausages won the taste test, Jeannine?

[emmy1978]

Quorn mince makes ok bol sauce but i'm prefering it with chunky veg and whizz it down so the girls will eat it.
I hope you're still going Jeannine, if not, that you gave in gracefully to the lamb chop and have enjoyed your veggie weeks!
The only 'veggie food' thing i really love are those Cauldron falafel. They are yum.  8)

[carolinej]

Have you tried the mushroom burgers by Cauldron. Yukky!

cj :)

[Jeannine]

Hi Mary Mary. Sauasages, all we did was brown them in a fry pan in a little oil.

1. Asda Glamorgan sausages...had the consistency of bubble and squeak, very soft, fell apart in the pan,in fact if someone had said it was bubble and squeak it would have made more sense.  Rating  very low.

2. Quorn, sausages Very pale pink, didn't brown in pan much, insipid looking,consistency was a little chewy,flavour was OK but lacked something?? Colour was off putting

3.Asda Lincolnshire sausages, these looked like a sausage, texture was again a bit chewy but was the same as a very low fat sausage in that repect. Flavour was better than the other 2 by far,they browned well,were well seasoned.I would buy these again. I think they could be made into something more interesting if used in a recipe.

I have used Quorn mince a long time to make a vegetarian chili for a friend.

Anyway, I am still dreaming of lamb chops but have not succumbed yet, I am not finding it difficult but I still feel I will,it is early days.

Tonight I just ate very fresh French bread with butter,a chunk of cheese,cherry tomatoes and some sweet  passion fruit and I enjoyed it.Usually I overlook bread as I have lots of everything else,today I wanted to eat bread as a main  part of a meal. I am surprising myself.

Thank you for the support

 XX Jeannne

[sarah]

bleauurrggg. i cant bear veggie quorn sausages. my husband and youngest son are veggy and they will eat quorn sausages but i find them inedible (me and older son meat eaters). i find the quorn chunks are fine in a curry or a stew.  i think you have to learn to love veg and pulses if youwant to succeed at being veggy and if you are eating cheese and eggs etc its not so bad. it just takes a bit of time to get the habit of meat out of the system.  personally i think some people are constitutionally natural veggies and some find it harder.  as we have two veggies in the family i find we all eat veggy most of the time by default and thats fine. 
i would suggest jeannine that if your craving for a lamb chop persists then in a week or so just allow yourself to have one (preferably organic and free range) and then move on.  to go from meat everyday to no meat ever is really hard and its not like smoking where "just one" wont hurt. if you lapse once a month it wont matter too much. eventually it wont even be an issue.  good luck though :)

[emmy1978]

Good advice there Sarah love!  Jeannine, if all you've done amounts to this :  re-evaluated the place and importance of meat in your diet, what meat you buy and where from then it's a good job well done and I wouldn't deprive yourself if you are craving it. Life is, as they say, too short.
 Bread is my weakness. Well, one of them anyway. The Atkins would never work for me as I am a carb junkie!
So many gorgeous bread recipes, as you probably know having spent time in the US and Canada. I love potato bread and  tomato bread, great for eating with meals. I also have a recipe for courgette teabread i have posted before on recipes. Let me know if you want any recipes.  8)

[angle shades]

:) going back to the sausages, Morrisons meatfree sausages taste sooooo good, we had to check the ingredients ;D

They have everything in them but meat ;D /shades x

[Marymary]

I agree Shades Morrisons are good & a good price. 

Jeannine I haven't tried the Asda Glamorgan & won't bother now after what you said - the Quorn sausages I don't like at all though they do some 'pork & apple' or some such & they are ok.  I really like Cauldron Linconshire & their other one - good texture, brown well & nice & spicy - also Linda Mac for barbies & such.

I also agree that one should eat veggies & pulses & things & we mostly do but sometimes in this hectic life a processed sausage with loads of veggies & mustard mash is just what's needed.  They are virtually the only processed food we buy - I make all the bread, pizzas etc.  :)

[Jeannine]

Thanks for the new info' it is all so helpful, I will certainly try the new suggestions. I am expecting to stub my toe( give in and and have an have a relapse) but I will move on again,so far I am OK.  2 weeks today since I ate any, that is a very long time for me!!

I tell you what, this veggie thing is sure good for making bum burps, I am so glad I can  cross the  school playground many times a day and not be stuck in my office, I often get the need to go for a little walkie !!!!

XX Jeannine