I've been Vegetarian for 7+ years, often consuming a mostly vegan diet. DH loves our food, and although he is an omnivore, he sees the health benefits of a vegetarian diet and truly enjoys our food. We have a 5 month old son we plan to raise as a vegetarian, possibly a vegan. Also, any future children will be raised veg*n, as well. My 2 DSDs, ages 13 1/2 and 11, are omnivores. They are used to eating the Standard American Diet of packaged, processed foods. They are with us during the summer. This summer we are grilling out 2-4 times a week, so they're getting meat when we grill. I also want to expose them to our healthy diet. I don't cook processed, packaged food and the thought of it honestly makes me cringe. DH and I have found a few things that they love, such as our homemade refried beans, chili beans and chocolate cake, all vegan, (except when they add the sour cream and cheese to the bean dishes). But then there are nights such as last when we prepared some of our favorite dishes: Sunflower Lentil Pie, Mashed Potatoes with Creamy Country Gravy (made with nutritional yeast), Green Beans with Toasted Almonds and Chocolate Pumpkin Pie with Celestial Cream. All of these dishes have gotten an incredible thumbs up from every omnivore we know, but the girls didn't seem to like any of it, including the Chocolate Pumpkin Pie with Celestial Cream. DH and I were floored.
In 2-3 years I don't want to be preparing and eating meat around my bio son and future children. I don't talk to the girls about my myriad of reasons to be vegetarian, as it's not my place, and were they to ever convert to vegetarianism, their bio mom would have no clue where to begin. However, I will very much teach my values and reasons for being vegetarian or vegan to my biological children. I don't want to teach my bio children that eating meat is ethically wrong, only to cook it and have it sitting on our dinner table. Yet, I want my DSDs to enjoy our family meals and am feeling fairly conflicted.
I feel horrible when the girls barely touch what's on their plates. If they don't like what we prepare, they have the option of making a sandwich, and while it doesn't happen often, I feel terrible and like I'm not taking very good care of them when it does happen.
In the past 2 years we've transitioned them from the white bread and pasta that they're used to to whole grain bread and pasta. And, thankfully, they do like beans and aren't HORRIBLY picky. But they don't have a very seasoned palate when it comes to spices. I'm hoping to transition our household to mostly veg*n meals within the next couple of years, as I'm truly opposed to eating animals. But I also need to know that the girls will eat the healthy food we cook. We do talk to them about how various foods are good for us and they help in the preparation of our meals. They love that we cook from scratch and the veg meals we make that they like, they REALLY like and request the recipes for.
Please recommend healthy veg*n cookbooks that omni kids love.
In 2-3 years I don't want to be preparing and eating meat around my bio son and future children. I don't talk to the girls about my myriad of reasons to be vegetarian, as it's not my place, and were they to ever convert to vegetarianism, their bio mom would have no clue where to begin. However, I will very much teach my values and reasons for being vegetarian or vegan to my biological children. I don't want to teach my bio children that eating meat is ethically wrong, only to cook it and have it sitting on our dinner table. Yet, I want my DSDs to enjoy our family meals and am feeling fairly conflicted.
I feel horrible when the girls barely touch what's on their plates. If they don't like what we prepare, they have the option of making a sandwich, and while it doesn't happen often, I feel terrible and like I'm not taking very good care of them when it does happen.
In the past 2 years we've transitioned them from the white bread and pasta that they're used to to whole grain bread and pasta. And, thankfully, they do like beans and aren't HORRIBLY picky. But they don't have a very seasoned palate when it comes to spices. I'm hoping to transition our household to mostly veg*n meals within the next couple of years, as I'm truly opposed to eating animals. But I also need to know that the girls will eat the healthy food we cook. We do talk to them about how various foods are good for us and they help in the preparation of our meals. They love that we cook from scratch and the veg meals we make that they like, they REALLY like and request the recipes for.
Please recommend healthy veg*n cookbooks that omni kids love.
lately. If you can get your hands on daiya cheese, the ziti out of this book is amazing. I've also made the chicken seitan, and made fried chicken and chicken salad out of it and it's just really good. And simple to make! The "alfredo two ways" is an awesome recipe, and if you have Veganomicon, whip up some chickpea cutlets first and then chop them up and add them to the sauce -- instant alfredo w/chicken!
