Long shot - anyone else here vegan or vegetarian?

DEFINITELY not me! :D But I am interested in recipes! I want to start doing at least one vegetarian day a week (and one carb-free day a week) just to amp up my/my bf's veggie intake. It's difficult getting started when I'm not used to cooking with restrictions!
 
One day a week is a good way to start! Not sure how you feel about black beans, but this recipe is one of my daughter's favorites (and mine obviously - LOL). I actually cut the bean cake recipe in half since it's just the 2 of us but I make a full batch of the salsa because it's sooo good!

Black Bean Cakes with Mango Salsa

Mango Salsa
2 cups peeled, diced mango
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1 serrano pepper, seeded and minced
2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tsp minced fresh ginger root
1 tbsp fresh lime juice

Black Bean Cakes
Two 15 0z cans black beans, rinsed
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 egg white, slightly beaten
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
Nonstick cooking spray
1 tbsp olive oil
Fresh chopped cilantro and lime wedges for garnish (optional)
preparation
Salsa: Combine all the salsa ingredients in a bowl. Set aside

Bean Cakes: Place the beans in a large bowl and coarsely mash them until they stick together. Add the cilantro, onion, egg white, cumin, garlic, allspice and cayenne. Mix until well blended. Divide the mixture into 8 equal parts. Shape into 1/2 inch thick patties. Coat the patties with bread crumbs. Spray both sides with nonstick cooking spray.

Heat the oil in the skillet over medium high heat. Add the bean cakes and fry until golden brown on both sides, turning once, about 8 minutes total. Serve warm with the mango salsa. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.
 
Whoa, sounds yummy! My bf looooves black beans so I can see him gobbling this up lol! And the spices are right up my alley. :)
 
Hi, Marie. I prefer to call myself a total vegetarian rather than vegan. I still like my leather shoes. I've been went vegan over 20 years ago and have never regretted it. Over the years I've collected a lot of vegan/vegetarian cookbooks, but love to cook from scratch. The black bean burgers look delicious. I would substitute for the egg white. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
 
I'm not vegetarian but do eat a lot of veggies. Right now one of my faves is a riced cauliflower dish with lots of diced veggies, garlic, salt & pepper, hot pepper flakes, garlic chili spice,
onion and celery fried in coconut oil.
 
Riced cauliflower--yes! My mom makes a "spanish rice" with riced cauliflower and it's seriously delicious, makes me not even miss rice! I like to make it with garlic and butter---mmm MMM!

Rae, your version sounds SO good! I'd like to make that with some chicken. Since I last posted, I went Paleo. I have meat at nearly every meal, but the same goes for veggies, too! Boy, I need to write down that list of stuff and make a cauliflower rice stir-fry some night.
 
I eat vegetarian twice a week. Roasted veggies are great. Some of my favorites are kale chips, parsnips, cauliflower, and sweet potatoes. I chop up the veggies and toss with some olive oil and spices. If you add salt use less than normal because the veggies lose moisture and volume. Put the veggies on cookie sheets with sides lined with parchment paper. Pop in a preheated oven (turn on convection if it's an option) and cook for about 15 minutes. Check your veggies and if they need more time, stir and put them back in the oven until they start brown around the edges checking and stirring every 10-15 minutes. The roasting carmelizes the natural sugars in the veggies for an added depth of flavor. If you would like more specific instructions, let me know and I can write them up. The parsnips and sweet potatoes I cut in thin strips and they come out like fries. I also a good recipe for sweet potato salad. Also, if you like butternut squash soup, if you roast the squash rather than boiling, the flavor is more intense.
 
Ambelleina said:
Riced cauliflower--yes! My mom makes a "spanish rice" with riced cauliflower and it's seriously delicious, makes me not even miss rice! I like to make it with garlic and butter---mmm MMM!

Rae, your version sounds SO good! I'd like to make that with some chicken. Since I last posted, I went Paleo. I have meat at nearly every meal, but the same goes for veggies, too! Boy, I need to write down that list of stuff and make a cauliflower rice stir-fry some night.
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Christina, what do you use to "rice" the cauliflower? Our local stores have had such beautiful cauliflowers which I have been roasting but ricing sounds great. The other day when we had grilled tofu, I steamed some finely chopped cabbage. Then I served the tofu on the steamed cabbage and drizzled with yogurt sauce... would also be wonderful with a mango chutney.
 
My Mom was vegetarian she made the most delicious food. our family eat vegetarian food regularly. It Is very hot where we live so one of our favorites is broccoli mixed with finely chopped onion, chunks of apple, walnuts and mayonnaise. Season to taste.
 
Several months ago I started taking a closer look at GMO, and decided to cut out as much genetically modified food as possible. That means most soy and corn, unless the food is labeled "certified organic." I also started making my own bread again. One organic vegetable that I can find almost year round in my local grocery store are beets. I wouldn't eat beets until I became an adult because I couldn't stand the taste. I decided to try them one day and liked them. My DH wouldn't eat them until I roasted them and encouraged him to try them. He was hooked. I take a mix of root veges and cut them into large chunks. I place them in a roasting pan, drizzle with some olive oil, sea salt, and add several sprigs of fresh rosemary. I cover the pan with foil and put in the oven for an hour to an hour and a half at 350. I put the beets on the bottom as they will turn everything red. But the veges are delicious. And any leftovers are good in soups or stews.
 
I like to roast veggies, too, in olive oil and a little sea salt. I squeeze lemon juice over a serving and it is the manna of the gods! LOL I use lemon juice as a seasoning for a lot of things. On pizza, it really brings out the flavor of the sauce. Note: Be wary! Wash your lemons really good if you are going to drop the squeezed out wedge into the dish or glass. Especially do this in public places, There has been more salmonella found in the lemons people squeeze into their iced tea!
I quit eating meat almost completely after working in a restaurant. Darned near quit eating everything! Some how, working in the food industry causes me to lose my appetite - working with food all day, I guess.
Raw is good, too, but, that is another whole way of eating.

Su
 
I'm going to return to my vegan way's, my body & I love life so much better when Inflammatory foods are not involved!!
 
I love vegetables but am not vegan. I could never give up turkey bacon! ;)

I love to grill veggies. Corn, asparagus, peppers and onion. OMG..SOOOO Good on the grill. I have also found a great recipe for roasted beets that I love. I'm the only one who likes beets in my family so I usually make a very small batch (one large beet). We have a fresh market just around the corner and they have the most amazing fruit and veggies and all pesticide free, grown in their own greenhouses and brought in from local (within 10 kms) farms. Amazing!!! I have found so many veg that I had never tried and found that we love them.

Our latest addiction is fingerling potatoes. WOW, they are so creamy! :)
 
Not Vegan but a huge fan of lots of vegan dishes.
Massaman Curry with tofu is a favorite at our house.
And we do a meatless meal at least once a week, usually Falafel pockets. Mmmm! Smack!
 
I would love to go vegetarian but don't know how to eat everyday to stay healthy with just veggies. I eat alot of veggies, quinoa, rice and meatless dishes...any ideas on how to make the total switch?
 
Route66 said:
I would love to go vegetarian but don't know how to eat everyday to stay healthy with just veggies. I eat alot of veggies, quinoa, rice and meatless dishes...any ideas on how to make the total switch?
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Your best bet is to meet with a registered dietitian, who can provide you with custom-tailored dietary advice. Make sure the person is a dietitian, not a nutritionist. Anyone can call themselves a nutritionist, even if they have no training in nutrition! A dietitian has a four-year degree in nutrition combined with a practical internship in nutrition.

If you don't have access to one, a very basic guide can be found at Eat Right Ontario: https://uat.eatrightontario.ca/en/A...eed-to-know-about-a-healthy-vegetarian-e.aspx

With a vegetarian diet, you need to ensure you are getting enough protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. If you eliminate dairy, you also have to ensure you obtain enough calcium and vitamin D.
 
Route66 said:
I would love to go vegetarian but don't know how to eat everyday to stay healthy with just veggies. I eat alot of veggies, quinoa, rice and meatless dishes...any ideas on how to make the total switch?
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Good advice above but also know that a lot of dietitians (as well as most doctors) are not completely educated on a vegetarian/vegan diet. I would try to find a dietitian who specializes in a plant-based diet. A very good resource is the book "How NOT to Die" by Dr. Michael Greger - a completely science and fact-based book with many, many pages of documented studies. He also has a nonprofit website (which means no support in the way of advertisements from influencing groups such as the dairy or meat industries) - the site is nutritionfacts.org. I've been eating this way for over 30 years and I supplement vitamin B12 (which by the way is becoming much more prevalent among meat eaters because of the antibiotics used in animals - B12 does NOT come from the animal itself but from what the animal eats - B12 is actually a bacteria found in soil and the more we have been inoculating our animals and "cleaning" our vegetables the less B12 we are consuming). I also supplement vitamin D but not because I'm a vegetarian, because I live in a very northern climate and sunlight isn't something we get abundantly here on an every-day basis.

If you eat a rounded diet in vegetables, fruits, beans, grains (rice, quinoa, oats, etc.) you are getting plenty of protein (did you know that vegetables HAVE protein?). Those who eat a western diet are most likely exceeding their protein intake and excess protein can lead to a lot of issues (kidney especially). Another book I highly recommend is "Proteinaholic" by Dr. Garth Davis. I haven't had issues with iron levels since I started eating this way; in fact my iron levels have gone up. Calcium is not an issue either and my DEXA scans show good strong bones. Did you know that there is a phenomenon in the US where even though protein intake (from animal sources) is increasing osteoporosis rates are increasing as well? The acidity that animal products causes in our body leaches the calcium from our bones to buffer this acidity (much like how taking Tums will buffer the acid when you take it for heartburn.... Tums are made from calcium ;) See the correlation?

Anyway, so many people have so many myths ingrained in them since childhood - drink your milk, eat your meat, etc. I did and it took a while to get beyond those myths. I love eating this way because I can eat so much, have so much variety and flavors, and I feel GREAT! At over 50 I have absolutely no chronic illness - no diabetes, no high blood pressure, no high cholesterol, and so forth. I have plenty of energy and sleep great too.
 
Are you vegetarian or vegan Caylynn? Do you have some favorite recipe sites/blogs to share? I'm always looking for new inspiration! :D
 
As an Indian belonging to a family which has been following vegetarianism for a few thousand years, my diet is a traditional Hindu vegetarian diet. I occasionally cook other styles of vegetarian food but I reckon my Indian home-cooking recipes won't suit most of you :) I am pleased to see so many more people taking up a vegetarian diet around the world!
 
Indian food is my favorite ethnic food :D It's probably not as authentic as yours (obviously!) but the spices and flavor combinations are soooooooooo good!
 
mariewilcox said:
Good advice above but also know that a lot of dietitians (as well as most doctors) are not completely educated on a vegetarian/vegan diet. .
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Here in Canada, at least, all registered dietitians are very well versed in vegetarian diets. It is part of our training! We learn about healthy vegetarian diets, and how to modify vegetarian diets for individuals with various health conditions, including heart disease and diabetes. We also have training in cultural food practices, so that we can counsel clients who are vegetarian for cultural or religious reasons.

Maybe it is different in different countries, or maybe there are some old-school dietitians out there who haven't updated their knowledge of vegetarian diets since they went through school, but any current, Canadian, registered dietitian is going to have a lot of knowledge about vegetarian and vegan diets.

You can eat a vegetarian or vegan diet and still be eating a very unhealthy diet (I've counselled some individuals with vegetarian diets that consisted only of white bread, carrots, peas, and potatoes, believe it or not! Not very healthy!) But, of course, vegetarian and vegan diets, if done right, can be very healthy!

Myself, I am mostly vegetarian, although I could be described more as a pescetarian - I like the occasional piece of fish, especially salmon. Although I can get my healthy omega-3s from plenty of vegetarian sources, I do like fish. I also enjoy dairy, mostly in the form of yogourt, which is a staple in my diet. I've never been a fan of liquid milk, not even as a child, but you'll pry my yogourt from my cold, dead hands! ;) I also enjoy some cheese - such as in a vegetarian lasagna, made with whole wheat noodles, of course!

I love legumes (mostly beans and lentils - I'm not a pea fan), vegetables, fruit, and whole grains like quinoa. I love quinoa - it's a complete protein and has plenty of fibre. I'm allergic to soy and nuts, so I can't include those in my diet, but I know many vegetarians have those as dietary staples. I love using lentils in places you wouldn't think to find them - muffins, smoothies, etc. And I love a good black bean brownie for a dessert when I'm being decadent. :)

Some resources for great vegetarian or vegan recipes:
https://ohsheglows.com/ (although I modify a number of her recipes due to the soy or nuts in them)
https://www.lentils.ca/ (I have several of their recipe books and I love them!)
https://www.halfyourplate.ca/
https://www.cookspiration.com/genre.aspx?g=25
https://www.cookspiration.com/genre.aspx?g=23
https://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/Recipes/Vegetarian.aspx

I also make my own "energy bites" to eat before workouts, instead of buying processed bars. I use this recipe with some modifications:
https://smashedpeasandcarrots.com/no-bake-energy-bites-recipe/

I can't do nut butters, so I use sunflower seed butter. Instead of coconut flakes (I don't like the taste of coconut), I use wheat germ, chia seed, or hemp hearts. Or just more flaxseed, depending on what I have in the cupboards and fridge. It's a great, versatile recipe. Instead of mini chocolate chips, I'll sometimes used some dried fruit pieces, like raisins, dried cranberries, or other small chopped pieces of dried fruit.

And while the recipes aren't all vegetarian, The Sneaky Chef: https://www.thesneakychef.com/ has some great ways of including more vegetables in your diet (especially children's diets, hence the name The Sneaky Chef).
 
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