Calling All Vegetarians...

[Over50Newbie]

I just got back from my physical and my blood work shows that my cholesterol is too high . My HDL and triglycerides are very good, but my LDL number was not. My ratio of HDL to Total Cholesterol was also good. Here are the numbers

Total Cholesterol: 241
HDL: 54
Triglycerides: 101
LDL: 161

We had a long discussion about the numbers. She says that my HDL and triglycerides are good because of my commitment to exercise and eating healthy. But she really didn't like my LDL number and wants me to try to bring it down. Surprisingly, she wasn't really concerned about my total cholesterol number even though it was high.

So, instead of immediately putting me on a statin drug, my doctor and I decided that I would only eat only vegetarian food for the next 4 months and then be retested in August. I really like this idea! I don't want to go on any drugs if I don't need to.

The meat that I eat now is almost always chicken (and beef every now and then). I also eat eggs, cheese, butter, and yogurt on a daily basis, which, as you know, are animal by-products.

She gave me the option of eating vegetarian, or if I want to be more extreme, to eat vegan for the next four months. My choice. I'm not sure which I should choose. Any suggestions would be welcome.

So...

I need some help. I would like to add tofu and more soy to my diet, but I don't have a clue where to start. Is there a really good cookbook that you guys can recommend? Or maybe some really easy recipes?

I am very good at cooking all sorts of beans, legumes, and vegetables, but I have never tried cooking with tofu, tempeh, or those vegetarian crumble thingys (don't know the name of them). And it is sooo confusing with all the different types of tofu - silken, firm, extra firm, etc. And what exactly are tempeh, bean curd and those vegetarian crumble things?

I am such a novice in this area!

And are there any animal byproducts in the Beverly Chocolate Muscle Provider? Do I also need to give up my protein shakes? Please help!

I'm a bit overwhelmed and would appreciate any help at all.

Lynette

[Becky]

I'm neither a vegetarian nor a doctor, but my (limited) understanding is that saturated fat is what raises LDL cholesterol. So, cutting out cheese, full-fat dairy, and butter should go a long way towards bringing LDL down.

Can't help you with the soy questions. I'm interested to see what others have to say, as it wouldn't hurt me to east some tofu every now and then.

EDIT: Dr. Google turned up this page, which I found useful: http://www.lowfatlifestyle.com/cholesterol.htm

[divingbiker]

She gave me the option of eating vegetarian, or if I want to be more extreme, to eat vegan for the next four months. My choice. I'm not sure which I should choose. Any suggestions would be welcome.

Welcome to the vegetarian life! I've been a vegan for 18+ years, so of course that's what I'd encourage. You'll see the most dramatic and quick results if you eliminate all animal products, but it can be a challenge for some people.


I need some help. I would like to add tofu and more soy to my diet, but I don't have a clue where to start. Is there a really good cookbook that you guys can recommend? Or maybe some really easy recipes?

I am really good at cooking all sorts of beans, legumes, and vegetables, but I have never tried cooking with tofu, tempeh, or those vegetarian crumble thingys (don't know the name of them). And it is sooo confusion with all the different types of tofu - silken, firm, extra firm, etc. And what exactly are tempeh, bean curd and those vegetarian crumble things?

I don't really use a cookbook, so I can't recommend any one in particular. I have a lot of them, though, and I'd be happy to mail you a few to use during your four-month experiment so you can get some ideas.

You can find some good recipes here (http://fatfreevegan.com/); of course there are lot of other vegan sites also.

Silken tofu, usually found on the shelf in aseptic packaging, is best used in desserts. I usually use extra firm or firm tofu, the kind that comes packed in water, when cooking.

Tempeh is a fermented soy product. The trick to using it is to cut it into pieces and steam it for about 15 minutes before using it in a dish; the steaming removes a nasty bitter flavor.

The vegetarian crumbles are a soy product that can be used in place of ground beef in recipes. They're pretty tasty. Another option is to buy texturized vegetable protein (TVP) crumbles at Whole Foods or a co-op, and use them instead of hamburger.

One of my favorite easy dishes is to saute a chopped up onion, bell pepper and some mushrooms in a bit of olive oil, add a jar of Barilla sauce (my favorite is green and black olive), and a half a bag of Boca crumbles. Serve it over whole wheat pasta.


And are there any animal byproducts in the Bevery Chocolate Muscle Provider? Do I also need to give up my protein shakes? Please help!

I hate to tell you, but it's all animal products--whey and egg white. You can buy soy powder to add to smoothies if you feel you need a protein shake. (Many people think that it's hard to get enough protein when you're a vegetarian, but that's really not true if you eat a balanced diet.)


I'm a bit overwhelmed...

Relax! It's not that hard.

Janice

[Jolt]

Not a vegetarian (though I don't eat that much meat either), but figured I'd share my thoughts. As for vegan vs. non-vegan, I would go ovo-lacto if I were you. The reason is that there are nutrients (the one that immediately comes to mind is vitamin B12) that one can only get from animal products, aside from supplementing. To me, that indicates that a vegan diet is unnatural for humans (in fairness, so are a lot of other things we eat nowadays). Adding milk/eggs allows you to get what you would be missing by eliminating animal products entirely. I also have my concerns about the "fake meat" products (Boca, Morningstar etc.) as they are so processed--I just don't think they can be that good for you. Protein, as mentioned, is not a major issue one way or the other--complete proteins can pretty easily be obtained from plant foods by combining things like grains/legumes (such as a dish based on rice and beans). This may be getting a bit off topic, but I'm surprised your doctor didn't say anything about eating fish. Oily fish like salmon, herring etc. are high in omega-3 fatty acids which are good for the cardiovascular system (and the two I mentioned are also lower in mercury than a lot of other fish; mercury is a problem in some types of fish). Hope this helps and didn't offend anyone; that was not my intention.

[divingbiker]

Protein, as mentioned, is not a major issue one way or the other--complete proteins can pretty easily be obtained from plant foods by combining things like grains/legumes (such as a dish based on rice and beans).

Actually, the theory of protein combining has been debunked (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_combining).

[Thorn]

My suggestion....pick up a copy of Veganomicon (see also the website from the author at http://www.theppk.com/ ). My suggestion is to aim for vegan and if you fall "off the wagon" you can fall to low fat dairy. Eating vegan is easy if you cook at home; if you dine out, vegan is harder to do than ovo-lacto.

As divingbiker said, start simple. Pick up some TVP and use it where you'd normally use ground meat. If you don't want to use TVP, bulgar wheat also works well. I make a chili where I fry up the onions, garlic, pepper, toss in the bulgar and spices, sautee until slightly toasty and then add the beans and tomato. Simple changes.

Disclaimer: I've been vegetarian for more than 20 years--I've yet to find a good vegan substitute for bleu cheese :o I come from a family of high cholesterol and, even as a vegetarian I've had my cholesterol too high. Oatmeal in the morning; red wine in the evening and consuming only a small amount of fat-free or low fat dairy has got me under control (well, except for that bleu cheese habit)

Good luck.

[Jolt]

Actually, the theory of protein combining has been debunked (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_combining).

Good to know--thanks for the info.

[Bike Goddess]

I live in a vegetarian household and have been cooking vegetarian meals for about 5 yrs.

My LDL was a bit high a couple of years ago although my HDL was proportionately high as well. (LDL 150mg/HDL 92mg/Tri 45mg) Since my doc was concerned about the LDL numbers, I just cut back on some of the high in fat dairy products I was using. Now I use low fat milk in my tea, don't eat a lot of cheese, and don't use cream sauces as much as before. I still use butter on my toast and eat boiled or poached eggs almost everyday. I think by eliminating some of the saturated fats from my diet did the trick. I also eat nuts (in salads) regularly as well.

This year my LDL was down and my HDL was about the same as it was before. (LDL 118mg/HDL 89mg/Tri 51mg)

We eat pasta, potatoes, rice for dinner along with vegies (now I steam them as I like that better)and a huge salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dressing. I cook with Canola Oil and occasionally Olive Oil and butter. We rarely eat dessert. I don't do much with soy products so I can't help you on that one. Also I react to beans (gas) so we don't have that in our diet.

It is easy to cook vegetarian. You'll find lots of cookbooks on vegetarian cooking. Since I don't spend a lot of time cooking, I don't use many recipes from cookbooks. I have found some yummy recipes from Real Simple magazine which I have incorporated into our meals. I haven't checked, but I believe they would be on the internet as well.

Keep up your cycling! I'm a strong believer that the more exercise we get into our everyday lives, the healthier we are. When I ride a lot, I tend to want the "healthy" as opposed to the "junk" food!

[OakLeaf]

Actually, the theory of protein combining has been debunked (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_combining).

Only to the extent that you don't need all 8 essential amino acids in the same meal to survive. Your body still needs all of them to build tissue. So, recovery protein should be complete. A day's total protein intake should be complete. But if you eat mostly grain for breakfast (like most Americans), then you don't need to complete your bean dinner with grain if you don't want to.

[Karma007]

Definatley theppk, fatfreevagan, and the VRG (vegetarian resource group).Congrats on going veg. Even if you don't go 100% vegan, bear in mind that dairy (esp. cheese, which I had to give up entirely and it's easier than you think) can add calories very quicky, and is really unnessary.Try not to depend on them too much. It's really a much easier transition than you think, and you don't nessesarily need a bunch of meat alternatives or soy to make it work, but can make the transition easier. Congrats! You can be a strong competitor w/out meat and dairy. For a post ride shake, try 'Vega' . Nutritionally balanced, 100% vegan and loaded with all kinds of amazing things!

[mayanorange]

My suggestion....pick up a copy of Veganomicon (see also the website from the author at http://www.theppk.com/ ).

1+ I'm a meat eater, but love some of these recipes. Just not the vegan mac n cheese... sorry, it's just wrong....

[Susan Otcenas]

I'm going to recommend vegetarian, not vegan.

I ate vegetarian for about 11 years, only recently adding meat back into my diet (but that's a topic for another day...)

It's not hard to be a vegan at home, but unless you live someplace where vegan restaurants are widespread, you will find it very difficult to have a social life. The menu choices for vegetarians are already quite limited in many restaurants, vegan way more so.

Also, unless you have many vegan friends, it's hard to eat dinner at a friend's house or attend a potluck (unless you only want to eat what you yourself brought along.)

Susan

[Karma007]

1+ I'm a meat eater, but love some of these recipes. Just not the vegan mac n cheese... sorry, it's just wrong....

I hereby disagree! This is AWESOME! Especially if you've gone w/out cheese for a while. It's creamy and comforting. Try it w/out the breadcrumbs, b/c they soak up too much sauce.

This is VN's signature Macaroni & Cheese, and we absolutely couldn't live without it.

Serves 6
What You Need:
4 quarts water
1 tablespoon sea salt
8 ounces macaroni
4 slices of bread, torn into large pieces
2 tablespoons + 1/3 cup non-hydrogenated margarine
2 tablespoons shallots, peeled and chopped
1 cup red or yellow potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup onion, peeled and chopped
1 cup water
1/4 cup raw cashews
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon paprika
What You Do:
In a large pot, bring the water and salt to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until al dente. In a colander, drain pasta and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
In a food processor, make breadcrumbs by pulverizing the bread and 2 tablespoons margarine to a medium-fine texture. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan, add shallots, potatoes, carrots, onion, and water, and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft.
In a blender, process the cashews, salt, garlic, 1/3 cup margarine, mustard, lemon juice, black pepper, and cayenne. Add softened vegetables and cooking water to the blender and process until perfectly smooth.
In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta and blended cheese sauce until completely coated. Spread mixture into a 9 x 12 casserole dish, sprinkle with prepared breadcrumbs, and dust with paprika. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese sauce is bubbling and the top has turned golden brown.

[ny biker]

Even if you don't go 100% vegan, bear in mind that dairy (esp. cheese, which I had to give up entirely and it's easier than you think) can add calories very quicky, and is really unnessary.

It would not be easy at all for me to give up dairy. I love cheese and it most definitely is not unnecessary to me. ;) However I buy 2% milk or skim milk versions of most of the dairy products that I buy, which reduces the fat content but still leaves the taste and texture that I like.

In terms of whether to choose vegan or vegetarian, Lynette, I would say that for your purposes it doesn't have to be either/or. You could decide to be mostly vegan, but still have a couple of dairy products, like yogurt made from skim milk, if you really like them. Or you could start out vegetarian and then try the switch to vegan after a few weeks or a month or whatever. Or, to address Susan's point, you could be vegan at home but not when you're eating out. Because I think it's important for you to make changes that you're happy with and that you feel you could live with long-term.

Good luck!

[Tuckervill]

I've heard Dr. Dean Ornish on the radio talking about taking people off diabetic, cholesterol and blood pressure meds by going vegan. Maybe you don't want to go that radical, but he wrote a book about the whole spectrum of healthful eating. In fact, it's called The Spectrum:

http://www.pmri.org/lifestyle_program.html

The thing I liked that he said was not to think about how you can replace what you like to eat with something that doesn't contain meat, but to find things you like and are good just the way they are. You are going into the growing season right now and the variety of fresh produce will be wonderful and tasty! Eat vegetables close to their whole form. Do soups and chilies. Use lots and lots of spices to make the food tasty and inviting. It's not just about eating vegan or veggie, but enjoying your food.

And by the way, my dad is one of those Atkin's diet success stories, who went off cholesterol medication by eating bacon and butter! I can't do Atkins because I get sick during the induction phase, but it works for him, which is just proof that there is no one right diet for every person. That's what Ornish's book is about.

Karen

[malkin]

When my numbers soared, I became a fan of oatmeal.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cholesterol/CL00002

[Eden]

I'm not a vegetarian.... but I usually eat like one...

I have culinary objections to soy masquerading as other things myself... I just don't think you need to pretend its hotdogs or chicken nuggets. Usually those things are pretty nasty and your mind and mouth are expecting something entirely different. Personally I prefer to cook in styles that use foods in a natural way.

I love Chinese, Thai and Indian food. Chinese and Thai of course uses lots of soy - and many many Asian recipes that calls for meat can be made with tofu instead. One of the biggest tricks to getting tofu to taste good is to drain it thoroughly. I usually cube it and press it between a few paper towels while I'm preparing everything else for the meal. If its wet through it won't pick up any flavors from your dish. You can also freshen it up by giving it a quick par boil - though I find, around here at least where the tofu is generally pretty fresh, this is unnecessary. Silken tofu, is not only nice for desserts, but really good in soup too. I like to make a stir fry/ soup by stir frying cabbage or bok choy, mushrooms (shitake, cloud ear, or straw) and bamboo shoots with lots of garlic and hot chili bean paste then adding enough stock to make it soupy - add in loosely cubed silken tofu, heat it through top off with green onions - yum, yum - and quick too.

Indian cuisine has lots of legume dishes. I love, love, love curry chickpeas (garbanzos). I have probably half a dozen lentil soup recipes, all different and all extremely tasty. Middle eastern food also uses chickpeas pretty extensively and is very tasty too.

[Over50Newbie]

Wow - so much information! Thank you everyone for such quick responses. I think I will start by checking out the suggested websites and then go to my library to see if I can find some of the books that were also suggested.

And I also really like the idea of being flexible, especially in the beginning, as I will be trying out a bunch of new tastes and textures.

I still would like a specific "How to Cook with Tofu" cookbook suggestion that would be appropriate for a true beginner, written in very simple terms. With tips in it like Eden's post about putting tofu between paper towels to dry it out before cooking it.

With the right information, this new journey could be a lot of fun, as well as healthy! :)

Thanks again, everyone.

And if anyone wants to add anything else, I am all ears!

Lynette

[Ana]

It would not be easy at all for me to give up dairy. I love cheese and it most definitely is not unnecessary to me. ;)

+1! :D

I looove cheese and some rich foods but I just eat them in moderation and make healthy choices when I can. I am a semi-vegetarian because I eat some fish (love the salmon...can't give it up--plus it's omega-3 fatty acid rich) and my HDL is 84 and my LDL is 73 :) If my levels change in the future, I may have to make other changes.

My main challenge is getting variety of fruits and veggies because I like relying on old stand-by favorites :p I see some very interesting veggies that I'd love to cook if I only knew how ;) I am going to start cooking more this summer and maybe try a new vegetable each week.

[malkin]

I have culinary objections to soy masquerading as other things myself...

Exactly!
I want real food, and I want "food that looks like food."
My test is that if our ancesters would not have recognized a substance as food, then maybe we'd be better off not eating it.

[Jolt]

I have culinary objections to soy masquerading as other things myself...

Exactly!
I want real food, and I want "food that looks like food."
My test is that if our ancesters would not have recognized a substance as food, then maybe we'd be better off not eating it.

Well said!

[shootingstar]

I'm not vegetarian but eat meat 1-2 times weekly- seafood or chicken breast.

At home, we seem to only buy butter um...1-2 times annually usually to bake something "special". :o It's at restaurants where I might order something that used butter. No we don't use margarine nor mayonnaise at home at all. We just eat a slice of yummy artisan bread from bakery as is. If you buy quality bread like this, no need to cover up this wonderful bread with any spread.

We have found a decent tasting soy cheese. (it's a Canadian brand).

Pureed root veggie soups solves any cravings for cream-based soups --ie. squash soup, carrot soup, pumpkin (we use a veggie broth base), beet soup. Can be creative in spicing-- grated ginger root, curry, or even star anise or fennel seed, puree cooked veggies in broth... He makes these soups in bulk. They freeze well and can be microwaved later..

No sugar, no eggs, no milk needed for these type of soups.

[divingbiker]

I still would like a specific "How to Cook with Tofu" cookbook suggestion that would be appropriate for a true beginner, written in very simple terms. With tips in it like Eden's post about putting tofu between paper towels to dry it out before cooking it.

The only tofu-specific cookbook I have is Tofu Cookery (http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Cookery-Louise-Hagler/dp/0913990760), but I never use it so I can't vouch for it. But when finding the link, This Can't Be Tofu (http://www.amazon.com/This-Cant-Tofu-Something-Would/dp/0767904192/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b/182-3626474-6798917) came up, and that might be a good one to try, because most cookbooks by Deborah Madison are pretty good. It says it talks about preparation (like pressing).

[tpb]

Our family has been eating (mostly) vegetarian for 15 years. Like another poster, we don't necessarily substitute veggie alternatives (tofu, etc.) for meat. Usually, we just load up on veggies or make things that were intended to use beans, tofu, etc. I think another poster brought up ethnic foods. We love Chinese and Thai food because the tofu is *supposed* to be there - it's not standing in the place of something else (not sure if that is clear).

Anyway, cookbook-wise, we like How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Simple Meatless Recipes for Great Food by Mark Bittman. We also have a few by Deborah Madison that we really like.

Also, don't overlook beans. You can easily take something that a meat-based meal would consider a "side" and turn it into the entree. Beans and rice, for example, is a wonderful "main dish".

Happy eating!
TB

[Over50Newbie]

DivingBiker,

I sent you a PM about those cookbooks. What a nice thing to offer!!! I think I will take you up on it. :)

Thank you,

Lynette

[skinimini]

Ditto for Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, I also like the Greens restaurant (San Francisco) cookbooks, Greens and Everyday Greens. I also like Vegetarian Times magazine. I know that a lot of people swear by the Moosewood cookbooks, but I've had less than stellar results with many of their recipes.

There's a lot of good info in the previous posts, I'd just like to add that I really like quinoa and farro and have begun to use them more. Quinoa provides superior protein to other grains and may even be considered a "complete" protein.

Right now, I'm ready to move on with the spring/summer vegetables. I have one butternut squash left in the fridge, and after that, so long until next fall.

[OakLeaf]

If you don't already have a pressure cooker, get one, along with one of Lorna Sass's excellent cookbooks. Pressure cooking beans is so quick and easy (and SO much cheaper and less wasteful than canned beans)! Some of my standbys: pasta e fagioli, risotto (also in the pressure cooker) with white beans and rappini; highly seasoned Spanish style garbanzos with saffron (so sue me, it's from one of the Moosewood books); Cuban style black beans with oranges and kale....

mmmm, I'm getting hungry. :)

[skinimini]

"Cuban style black beans with oranges and kale...."

Can you pass along that recipe? I love Cuban black beans, but I've never had it with oranges and kale.

[OakLeaf]

I don't have a real recipe with proportions, but it's pretty simple.

I saute onion and garlic in a little oil in the pressure cooker, add the soaked black beans, some ground cumin, and water or unsalted stock to cover. Bring to high pressure and cook for 4-5 minutes, then let the pressure come down naturally. (Or, you can use a quick-release method, either running cold water over the cooker or some cookers have a release valve; if you're going to quick-release, the beans need to cook at high pressure 5-9 minutes. Bean skins have a tendency to break when you quick-release, though.) If the beans aren't done when you open the cooker, either finish cooking them conventionally, or return them to pressure for a minute or two.

Once the beans are done, I add a chopped red jalapeno (you could use ground red pepper or a green jalapeno or other hot pepper), some thyme, sometimes a diced green or red bell pepper, salt and black pepper, orange slices cut into 1" chunks (I don't bother to take the membranes off, but you might prefer it that way), orange zest if the orange is organic and/or maybe a little bit of orange juice, and a bunch of roughly chopped kale, then cook conventionally until the greens are tender.

(Most recipes call for cooking greens separately, then chopping them and adding them when everything else is done. I love greens, so I don't mind a stronger flavor, and plus I'm all about doing everything in as few steps as possible. ;))

I usually serve it with rice; crusty bread would be good too. Enjoy!

[divingbiker]

The only tofu-specific cookbook I have is Tofu Cookery (http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Cookery-Louise-Hagler/dp/0913990760), but I never use it so I can't vouch for it. But when finding the link, This Can't Be Tofu (http://www.amazon.com/This-Cant-Tofu-Something-Would/dp/0767904192/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b/182-3626474-6798917) came up, and that might be a good one to try, because most cookbooks by Deborah Madison are pretty good. It says it talks about preparation (like pressing).

Ha, it turns out that I do have This Can't be Tofu! I also have a Lorna Sass soy cookbook. I buy cookbooks and never use them. I'll send both of them along with some others.

[Eden]

Another thing to look for, though you'll probably only find it if you live in an area with a significant Asian population, is pressed or baked flavored tofu. The texture is very different from regular tofu. It is very firm and a a bit chewy. I love just cubing it up and putting in cold noodle salads. It doesn't hold any water when its been prepared this way, so no draining needed.
This is my recipe that I made up and its yummy!

Thai inspired noodle salad (quantities are guesses - I hardly ever measure if I'm making something up)
Rice noodles - I like the really, really fine kind that only need soaking, but any kind will work.
1 cucumber cut into strips or quarters
1 green (not ripe - it should be pretty hard and still a bit sour) mango peeled and cut into strips
2 or 3 medium tomatoes cut into 1/8" segments
4 or 5 green onions, white and green parts cut into 1" pieced and julienned (or just cut into rounds if you are in a hurry)
1 block of baked tofu cut into small cubes - I like 5 spice or Thai flavored
toss with:
fish sauce
rice vinegar
sesame oil
white pepper

this is a super refreshing supper on a hot day and if you can find the Maifun style noodles there is not any cooking at all involved.

[Karma007]

I have D. Madison's Vegetable Soup book- Yum! Her "Sick Person's Soup" (I'd post but @ work) is awesome- ginger, cabbage, miso and garlic. Awesome for a chili day.

[Blueberry]

Another thing to look for, though you'll probably only find it if you live in an area with a significant Asian population, is pressed or baked flavored tofu. The texture is very different from regular tofu. It is very firm and a a bit chewy. I love just cubing it up and putting in cold noodle salads. It doesn't hold any water when its been prepared this way, so no draining needed.

Trader Joe's has a really good version of this in a couple of "flavors" - teriyaki, and I'm not sure what else. Goes really well in lots of dishes.

CA

[endurancerider]

W
I still would like a specific "How to Cook with Tofu" cookbook suggestion that would be appropriate for a true beginner, written in very simple terms. With tips in it like Eden's post about putting tofu between paper towels to dry it out before cooking it.


Well for really simple, buy the baked tofu at Trader Joe's, and fry it in a pan with some spinach and salt. If you want more complex, add garlic.

I also like the Soy Chorizo they sell at Trader Joe's. I cook it with onion and tomato. Don't put in too much, a little goes a long way. I know you're avoiding dairy--I often add this to an egg and a little cheese--but you could add a little soy cheese to cut the chorizo. Good on a tortilla with guacamole.

[Over50Newbie]

Wow - these are all great ideas!!

Thank you so much, everyone!

And I do have a Trader Joe's about a half hour from my house, although I have to admit that I have never gone shopping there.

But I will go now, and with my shopping list in hand.

Thanks again, everyone!

And a special thanks to divingbiker for lending me those cookbooks. She won't even let me pay for the shipping. What a sweetheart! :)

That's what I love about this TE community - we all help each other out!

Lynette

[Blueberry]

Well for really simple, buy the baked tofu at Trader Joe's, and fry it in a pan with some spinach and salt. If you want more complex, add garlic.

I also like the Soy Chorizo they sell at Trader Joe's. I cook it with onion and tomato. Don't put in too much, a little goes a long way. I know you're avoiding dairy--I often add this to an egg and a little cheese--but you could add a little soy cheese to cut the chorizo. Good on a tortilla with guacamole.

Oh...the Soy Chorizo is fabulous!!! We cook it and put it and corn salsa over a potato. Yummy!!!

[msincredible]

Trader Joe's has a nice selection of vegetarian and vegan foods at very reasonable prices. :)

[NbyNW]

I'm an omnivore who happens to love vegetables.

I have "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone" by Deborah Madison, and it's a pretty reliable one to have.

Is salt an issue for you at all?

Like a few others have mentioned, I'm not a fan of trying to get soy to masquerade as something else. Other cultures have been using soy in their cuisine for centuries without trying to market it as a meat substitute.

One of my favorite things to do with silken tofu is to just put it on a plate, and slice it into cubes, but leave the whole block intact. Then sprinkle some chopped scallions, and bonito flakes if I have them. Drizzle soy sauce (the really good thick stuff) and sesame oil. Makes a nice appetizer.

You can also add a few cubes of silken tofu to miso soup, to change things up a bit.

Soy yogurt is also not bad. I was skeptical, then a co-worker brought some in to go with some berries. Quite tasty.

[divingbiker]

...instead of immediately putting me on a statin drug, my doctor and I decided that I would only eat only vegetarian food for the next 4 months and then be retested in August.

So, how did your four-month experiment with vegetarianism go?

[katluvr]

And has anyone switched to a vegetarian diet and loss weight? I guess when I try and lose weight I go w/ vegies, fruit and lean protein (chicken, low fat dairy choices) and minimize the pasta and grains.

[rubywagon]

I have been a vegetarian since January and have lost 12 pounds. The first 7 came off within a matter of 3 months, the last 5 since I started road cycling. I feel GREAT!

I didn't read through everyones suggestions, but quinoa is a great source of protein for vegetarians. It contains the B vitamins and amino acids that can usually only be found in animal protein. You can make it sweet, like an oatmeal, or as a savory dish. It is a superfood and tastes great!

WARM GARBANZO AND QUINOA SALAD

1 1/2 t. chopped garlic
1 small zucchini, quartered and sliced
2 carrots grated
1/2 c. chopped red bell pepper
2 c. canned garbanzo beans rinsed and drained (I'd probably use less next time around)
1/2 c. (packed) chopped scallions
2T. extra-virgin olive oil
3T. white-wine vinegar
1/4t. salt
1c. quinoa (cooked with vegetable broth as per package directions (can substitute couscous)
4c. baby spinach leaves

1. Coat a saute pan with cooking spray and heat to medium high. Add garlic, zucchini, carrots, and pepper. Saute until softened (around 5 min). Add beans and heat through.
2. In a food processor, puree scallions, gradually adding oil, vinegar, salt and pepper (to taste) Process to a thick consistency.
3. Add scallion mixture and quinoa to saute pan; heat through.
4. To serve, arrange spinach on plate with quinoa/bean mixture on top

[Over50Newbie]

Hey everyone,

Here's an update:

I was really, really good!! I only cheated once when I went on vacation to Texas. I couldn't be in Texas and not at least taste Texan spare ribs. But that was the only time meat passed through these lips the whole time. And it wasn't so hard after all.

After changing my eating habits to become vegetarian, my total cholesterol dropped 6 points (from 241 to 235) and my LDL dropped 9 points (from 167 to 158). Not earth shattering results, I know, but the bottom line is that both numbers went down and that makes me happy.

My doctor wants me to stay vegetarian until January and then get retested to see what my numbers are like. So, it looks like more of the same for me until then.

DivingBiker - I still have your tofu cookbooks. I am using them, but not as much as I did in the beginning. Do you want them back now? I will be happy to mail them back to you whenever you want them.

And thank you again for letting me borrow them! :)

As for losing weight - I am about 138 pounds right now. When I started this journey, I was 138, so it looks like eating vegetarian has not helped me lose weight.

Lynette

[aeiea]

how wonderful! congrats.

(another good vegetarian dish is mudjaddarah, a rice/lentils dish with delicious spices)

This isn't really a recipe, but something I love to do when I travel is look on yelp.com for people's favorite vegetarian/vegan restaurants in the area. Checking out their dishes will help inspire ideas too. So if you come to LA... head to RFD or Euphoria Loves Rawvolution :)

[OakLeaf]

something I love to do when I travel is look on yelp.com for people's favorite vegetarian/vegan restaurants in the area.

I like Happy Cow (http://www.happycow.net/). Found some pretty good places through there.

[shootingstar]

Hey everyone,

Here's an update:

I was really, really good!! I only cheated once when I went on vacation to Texas. I couldn't be in Texas and not at least taste Texan spare ribs. But that was the only time meat passed through these lips the whole time. And it wasn't so hard after all.

After changing my eating habits to become vegetarian, my total cholesterol dropped 6 points (from 241 to 235) and my LDL dropped 9 points (from 167 to 158). Not earth shattering results, I know, but the bottom line is that both numbers went down and that makes me happy.

My doctor wants me to stay vegetarian until January and then get retested to see what my numbers are like. So, it looks like more of the same for me until then.

DivingBiker - I still have your tofu cookbooks. I am using them, but not as much as I did in the beginning. Do you want them back now? I will be happy to mail them back to you whenever you want them.

And thank you again for letting me borrow them! :)

As for losing weight - I am about 138 pounds right now. When I started this journey, I was 138, so it looks like eating vegetarian has not helped me lose weight.

Lynette

Congrats. for these improvements. As for becoming more vegetarian, do many of your dishes contain much cheese, eggs, butter in preparation? At least try low-fat cheese. Occasionally substitute eggs with egg whites. It still looks like scrambled eggs with a lighter taste. You get the picture..


P.S. I'm not vegetarian. I just eat meat 1-2 times per week. Primarily seafood, chicken breast. Haven't had a sparerib..um..maybe in last 12 months, simply because it was never my favourite cut of meat. If you give me grilled chicken breast or meat kebabs with roasted veggies, now we're talkin'!

[divingbiker]

My doctor wants me to stay vegetarian until January and then get retested to see what my numbers are like. So, it looks like more of the same for me until then.

DivingBiker - I still have your tofu cookbooks. I am using them, but not as much as I did in the beginning. Do you want them back now? I will be happy to mail them back to you whenever you want them.

And thank you again for letting me borrow them! :)

Cool. We take our vegetarians however we can get them.:p

No rush on the cookbooks, I have plenty.

[OakLeaf]

Ooooooh, how did I miss this recipe (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/25/health/research/25recipehealth.html) last week?

Hmmmmmm.... stuffed peppers tonight, and that one tomorrow, or the other way around?

[malkin]

Way to go!

[Dogmama]

After reading about ground beef - I'd think there would be more vegetarians. If you missed it - here's the article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/health/04meat.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

[KnottedYet]

Well, that just re-inforces my desire not to eat meat from any mammal whose name I didn't know.

I met one of the Seattle Jack-In-The-Box E.coli victims. Bad stuff.

[Jolt]

After reading about ground beef - I'd think there would be more vegetarians. If you missed it - here's the article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/health/04meat.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Yikes...and yuck! Makes me glad that when I do buy hamburger, it's from a local grass-fed farm.

[jp4995]

Oh, yuck yuck yuck. We switched from ground beef to ground turkey years ago... but I don't know if turkey has any better processing practices (??).

But, ew. Talk about mystery meat.

[katluvr]

I didn't read the article... perfer not to. (Incase I have a hamburger anytime soon!)

I dont' do much ground meat of any kind. I know Ground Turkey (unless it is ground turkey breast) is "ground everything of the turkey".

I have a kitchen aid mixer (love it) w/ the meat grinder attachment and will grind my own chicken breast or pork...(could even do beef/steak). I don't necessarily buy organic/free range, etc meat--but if I grind it myself I know mostly what is in there!

Just a thought.

[OakLeaf]

"Food" for thought (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/28/AR2009072800390.html):


Two researchers at the University of Chicago estimated that switching to a vegan diet would have a bigger impact than trading in your gas guzzler for a Prius (PDF). A study out of Carnegie Mellon University found that the average American would do less for the planet by switching to a totally local diet than by going vegetarian one day a week....

The visceral reaction against anyone questioning our God-given right to bathe in bacon has been enough to scare many in the environmental movement away from this issue.