Want to go half veggie

Lotus-eater

So... I want to start eating half veggie food, for health and general well being feeling. Might help cost wise also.

Not sure how to go about it. When we eat without meat now, I just tend to eat the same simple meals without meat in them.

I bought some quorn products recently, that are made into meat substitutes and they've been ok.

I need some basic advice what to swap for meat that gives the same proteins and stuff. Is it as simple as buying quorn or soya curd and eating that as we would eat meat?

And how good is soya milk for you? If we swapped to half soya milk, would that be good and which one to buy, I had a look and there seems a variety of choice. (at least in Asda)

mrcow

Before you start making big plans on switching to soya milk - try it first. IMO it tastes like stale pants.

Lotus-eater

mrcow wrote: »

Before you start making big plans on switching to soya milk - try it first. IMO it tastes like stale pants.

Ah well, it's only in planning mode ATM, obviously a trial run under scientific conditions will have to be done.
I think anything that tastes of dirty undergarments will be thrown out at the testing.

mark55man

so you want to replace half your carnivore meals with veggie alternatives

good plan - we did that by default when DS and DD went veggie. Pretty MSE as well and good for the planet

we use a fair amount of quorn, lots of salads, lots of tuna and smoked fish (if you allow yourself fish), lots of soup (less so in summer), lots of pasta and tomato based sauces, ainsley harriet curried dahl is nice, vege curry (sainsbury basics 9p is fab for that)

then when we do eat meat its a lot of chicken and occasionally mince

Justamum

mrcow wrote: »

Before you start making big plans on switching to soya milk - try it first. IMO it tastes like stale pants.

When I went vegan a few years ago I didn't like soya milk at first, but after a week it's fine. Now cow's milk tastes pretty rank! It was the same when I decided to give up sugar in tea - I went from 3 teaspoons to none, but I persevered and after a week I was used to it.

There are many different types of soya milk. The ones I use are Tesco Value for cooking and making cocoa, etc, and Alpro (not the chilled kind or the light) for coffee as it's the only one I can find which doesn't curdle in hot coffee. I used to buy White Wave but my local supermarket stopped stocking it.

elantan

if you drink coffe and add soya you need to be careful it doesnt curdle ... there is one brand that you can use that works without curdling that i know of and it really improves the flavour (imo) it gives the coffee a slightly nutty chocolate taste.

if your thinking of going vegetarian yay well done ... firstly i would say try going veggie one day a week then upping it to two etc till you get to a level you are happy with ... contrary to popular belief eating fish is not vegetarian, it is known as pescatarian (sp)

i would have a look at vegetarian recipes online ... when i first went veggie my hubby just took out the meat from our meals for me and the thing is the meal was based around the meat so it just wasnt right ... now we have meals based round vegetables with meat added occasionally ( then i fish it out for me) i rarely eat things like quorn etc as i feel if you want a sausage then have a sausage dont have a veggie sausage thinking ohhhh that was lovely when your brain is going wheres the meat

i will occasionally have tofu but i tend to eat it scrambled quick recipe for you to try

1 bell pepper chopped
1 onion chopped
1-2 ( i like 2 cause i love garlic) cloves of garlic chopped
handful of cashew nuts broken up
mushrooms (as many as you like)
packet of tofu
pesto
curry powder
olive oil
2 slice of toast buttered

lightly fry onions, garlic, nuts and bell peppers so that they still have a bite in them but they are that wee bit softer, add mushrooms. pick up tofu take out excess water, squeeze tofu in hands so that it looks like scrambled egg ... add to pan add pesto to taste add curry powder to taste give it all a stir so that it is mixed well ... put on two slices of toast ( you will have spare to do you another time) enjoy

i also add things like courgettes to that dish basically what ever is in my fridge ... its a filling tasty meal that lasts me 3 meals all together

good luck on your journey

gratefulforhelp_2

Please don't tell people you are vegetarian when you make this change, or people who are completely vegetarian will get served up fish/chicken

"but lotus-eater eats fish and s/he's a vegetarian"

my worst vegetarian meal out was whole, raw swordfish to be cooked on hot slabs at the table...

natlie

Hi I have been veggie for 18 years now, first make a list of the veggie meals you alreadt eat e.g. Jacket spud cheese and beans, toasties, egg based meals like omelette, salads, pasta you may be suprised how much veggie stuff you already eat. I would swith to organic milk not soya - you have to be comitted to drink soya I think its an aquired taste and I don't know the health benefits compared to real milk.
Nat
x

elantan

or you get the whole why question ... and the your weird stares .... or you speak to a rabid vegan and you get the oh your a part timer etc .... i didnt realise food was such a sensitive subject till i went veggie lol

then try giving up alcohol oh my goodness that is a whole other ball game ... i used to explain to people why i gave it up but they didnt seem to believe me ... now i say oh i'm an alcoholic i like to let them feel a little uncomfortable for a change

geri1965_2

You can't really be "half" veggie, you are either a veggie or you are not. Even if you only eat meat once a month you are still not a veggie!

Cat2011

I put lots of beans in quite a few of my meals, there are endless canned varieties in the shops. I would also try Quinoa, it's kind of a rice alternative. I don't really like tofu, but do have some of the quorn/meat-free supermarket products, tho try not to eat many as they're pretty manufactured. Wherever I would use mince or chicken in a meal, I just use the quorn alternative e.g. in a lasagne, or chilli con carne.