Veg Mamas support thread - November!

[PikkuMyy]

OK. Here we go! No one had started one. Why is it that the ones in the summer were more htan 10 pages long and now no one has started one for November. And in the past few months, there have been so many posts about vegan and veg issues. I'm telling ya, we need a subforum!

Anyway, what are everyone's plans for Thanksgiving! Are you doing it alone, with family, all veg*n or somewhat veg*n? Are you cooking from scratch?

How has school being going for those of you with veg*n kids? Anyone had anything like this happen?

http://www.vegfamily.com/blog/index.php?p=7

DH (also a vegan) and I are going to spend the holidays with his best friend and his wife (one veggie, one vegan) in LA. I can't wait! And although last year we went to Real Food Daily, a fancy vegan restaurant, this year we're cooking from scratch. They have a TINYTINYTINY kitchen, so we're going to cook several dishes in our house and drive them down. We're going to make some new dishes so we'll try them out at our house in advance just to make sure they work... (YUM!) and if they don't, no on will ever know. Except y'all here!

We won't have any family there although if we had it here, I'm sure my FIL (only family in the area) would love to come. He's not veg but he enjoys vegetarian and vegan food. (He taught me how to make a mean vegan shepherd's pie!)

And now, a quick "Oops!" moment! I work with a little boy with autism and one thing I work on with him is expanding his food choices. Recently, his mom gave him some ham and he loved it. She is vegetarian, and he's basically been too but they are willing to give him meat so that he'll have a better diet. So last week I was making him a ham sandwich. I pulled a piece out of the deli package and a piece of it broke. Without thinking, I started to put it up to my mouth. Luckily I realized what I was doing at the last minute and put it down. Just shows where that automatic eating of leftovers and broken parts gets you!

[kellers1384]

hello. i just recently have decided to try vegan- i received some info in the mail that just horrified me. as i told my husband, i believe it is fine to eat animals, like in the olden days where cows were like a family pet and were treated well and you had chickens out in your yard that you got eggs from and took care of, but i just don't think its right when they are kept in cages dying and the pictures i saw...ugh its just horrible. that's why i made this decision. however, i am not quite sure what is "allowed". i know no meat, milk/dairy, eggs, wool, leather, etc. but i didn't know if there were things not so obvious i guess that hadn't been mentioned in my information or not. also what are some good alternatives to these items? my husband and i discussed my decision, and he says he is not ready to do something like this, and he wants my daughter to be able to make her own choices about eating meat. she is 15 months old and doesn't like any meat that we have given her so far, she loves vegetables. but he wants her to grow up knowing that mommy eats this way because _______, and daddy eats this way because ________, and to let her decide. i don't know, we will see. however another problem is we are living with my inlaws, and they wont buy any alternatives for me since they pay for groceries, so until a check comes in that i am waiting for, i wont have access to a lot of other things. we will see how that goes. but are there some really good recipes out there? anyone have a favorite or two?

[Delight]

Kelli-
Congrats on making the decision to be vegan. Just be prepared for a little "opposition" from people who aren't really informed about it. It could be hard living with your in-laws, but you can do it! There are many, many inexpensive vegan meals. I have just recently become a vegetarian. I strive to be more on the vegan side (we don't do dairy or eggs...just cheese sometimes when we're out). I think the best way to learn about this lifestyle is online...there are so many resources.

Vegan FAQ
Vegetarian Baby
Veg Family
Eating Out as a Vegan
VegWeb Recipes

I could go on all day with great sites...but this should get you started. As for items that you may not know about...I was surprised to find out that gelatin is an animal by-product. It's in a lot of stuff, including some candies. Marshmellows are not vegan. Hmmm....I'm sure other people could give you a few more.

If you haven't read "Diet for a New America" by John Robbins...you must! I think it's an essential read. Get it from the library

This is my first Thanksgiving as a vegetarian...and we are going to be at my DH's relative's house. Big family dinner with turkey, stuffing, the works. I've already talked with the host and I am bringing anything additional that I want to eat. Her stuffing has meat, so I'll make some that doesn't. My DH has decided to try going veggie too...so it's nice to have some support at home!!
I do get a lot of grief from my family...but they are coming around. They are all Atkins lovers...so that taints their view. They don't understand how I can go from Atkins to Vegetarian. I tell them that when you know better, you do better. I guess that applies to a lot of things.

I have one vegetarian friend right now IRL, and she's moving away! So I hope that we can keep these threads going.

[isosmom]

Checking in
Don't have much to add at the moment. Thanksgiving should be fun this year, just the siblings, their dps and my dc. Really looking forward to it. Haven't quite figured out what I'll be making though, but it'll be potluck.

[PikkuMyy]

Hi Kelli,

Congrats on your decision!

Can you give us some more information about things that you aren't sure about? There isn't really an allowed/not allowed list. But being vegan, as opposed to a strict vegetarian means that you do your best to avoid eating AND using any products that came from an animal. This includes food, clothing, furniture, body care products, household products, and things that were tested on animals as well as things containing products originally from animals. You have to be most careful in body care and household products. The easiest things is to buy items that clearly state (no animal testing, no animal products, or cruelty-free.) This way you don't have to worry about trying to read the ingredients' list.

So the basics are out - milk, eggs, wool, and leather. Some vegans eat honey and some don't. Some wear or use used wool and leather products, some don't. But there are fine lines to any philosophy and each person decides where to draw the line. Some people are very strict at home but a little more lenient (with eggs and milk) outside of the home. Some might try a bit of milk or eggs at a friend's farm where the animals were all treated as pets and weren't killed, etc.

It's really up to you to decide how strongly you feel about veganism, how much you want to make it part of your life, etc.

Gelatin, unless labeled vegetarian, comes from rendered animal by-products (hoofs, horns, bones, testicles, udders, roadkill, euthanized animals, spoiled meat, etc. complete with all of the packaging, flea collars, medication, etc. that was with the animals.) Even if I LOVED meat, I wouldn't eat gelatin. It totally grosses me out to think that I did. So keep a close eye for products that contain gelatin, like vitamins, Pop Tarts, Altoids, some yogurts, etc. which you wouldn't think of normally.

In terms of foods - make sure you are getting a balance of whole foods - raw fruits and veggies, cooked but fresh ones, grains, beans, nuts, and seeds. This will give you a healthy diet even thought you don't have access to alternatives right now. It may be a little more boring until you can get your hands on some alternatives but there are so many good recipes out there. Here are the links to the precious month's veg mama's support threads. There are many favorite recipes posted in them, as well as advice, etc.


October http://www.mothering.com/discussions...&highlight=veg

Sept. http://www.mothering.com/discussions...&highlight=veg

Aug. http://www.mothering.com/discussions...&highlight=veg

July http://www.mothering.com/discussions...&highlight=veg

June http://www.mothering.com/discussions...&highlight=veg

And a "What did you eat today thread?" For meal ideas and then you can PM some of the posters to ask for their recipes

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...&highlight=veg

[KYCat]

We love being vegetarian, but I was bummed to think that our boys couldn't roast marshmallows when we went camping - very nostalgic for me. Anyway, pangea at veganstore.com offers veg marshmallows. I was so excited. I made rice krispie treats and bought another bag for roasting. In life's irony, ds didn't eat either - the rice krispie treats were 'too hard' and he tasted a marshmallow but just wasn't in to all that sugar (I however was on a sugar buzz all week.) Obviously not recommended for regular consumption, but it's good to know that the option is out there.

[cathe]

I thought I'd join in to see what others are doing for thanksgiving. I was thinking of lasagna this year - wondering what others are making.

[Erin Pavlina]

Here's our vegan thanksgiving plan:

Grilled Veggies in a phyllo roll up with sesame seed and dipping sauce
Baked sweet potatoes
Cheese potatoes (sour cream, cheese, veg bacon bits, oh my)
Green beans in a peanut sauce
Green Salad
Rolls with margarine

For dessert, my famous homemade, only-make-it-one-time-per-year, apple pie with Soy Delicious purely vanilla ice cream for the ala mode thing.

I can make half the dinner the night before, so no big whoop there. And hubby has agreed to keep the kids entertained while I make everything else. I'm so excited!

[kellers1384]

mmmm. your dinner sounds yummy.

thanks everyone for all the ideas and support. my inlaws think i am insane and wont buy me anything specific, but they haven't tried to talk me out of anything or shove meat down my throat either. i had a job interview today, so hopefully that will work out and i will be able to buy my own alternatives to use. i also talked to my mother who lives close by about thanksgiving since she always holds it at her house, and explained to her my decisions and beliefs. she has some friends who raise turkeys and they are well treated- her friends raise their own animals and have gardens for many vegetables items- so they are going to give my mother a turkey for thanksgiving which i will be able to eat. i haven't been able to find a good food store around here so far that has a lot of options, but there is a coop that delivers items monthly to the area, so i will probably start ordering through them.

[PikkuMyy]

Cathy - are you sure the vegan marshmallows aren't for regular consumption? Cuz I eat a package almost every week! Try the vegan supreme marshmallows - available at www.vegansuprememarshmallows.com - they are fat and soft and when I made rice krispy treats, they were soft and chewy. (Don't use brown rice cereal.)

Kelli - I applaud your efforts at eating better and trying not to eat badly-treated animals. I just have to say, for the record, that if you are going to continue eating meat, no matter how well-treated while alive, please make sure that you don't call yourself a vegetarian or vegan. Other than that, I wish you luck making the transition and once you have the option to buy alternatives, please ask us for suggestions - there are some delicious vegan products, and some nasty vegan products. I wouldn't want you to be turned away because you tried the wrong ones.

PM

[kellers1384]

i was under the impression that many people who are consider themselves vegetarian and vegan do eat meat when they raise it themselves for example. i am choosing this lifestyle because i believe animals are on earth as a part of the food chain which we are also a part of, however, i do not believe this means they can be treated cruelly. so as far as i am concerned, i am a vegetarian/vegan/whatever i want to call myself. maybe not as strict as you, and maybe not for the same reasons, but i am one.

[rastamama]

kelli,

Congrats on your decision, especially this time of year where everyone os feasting on meat and you are with in-laws. I think evryone has a different reason for becoming a veg. yours seems to be animal cruelty, but for some people it doesn't matter how well the animal was treated they just don't believe in eating the flesh of animals. each person does the best they can for their own belief systems. Becoming a vegetarain is often a process, you start cutting out meat until you no longer even consider it an option.

by definition a vegetarian is a person who doesn't eat animal flesh, meat, chicken, or fish. It's hard when you tell someone you are a vegetarian and you get a plate of chicken or fish, because someone they knew who once called themselves a vegetarian ate that. its gets confusuing when it means different things to different people.

hope everyone has a great thanksgiving. Looking for a smooth and creamy vegan pumpkin pie recipie that actually sets nice and has no white specks of tofu. anyone?

[PikkuMyy]

Originally Posted by kellers1384

i was under the impression that many people who are consider themselves vegetarian and vegan do eat meat when they raise it themselves for example. so as far as i am concerned, i am a vegetarian/vegan/whatever i want to call myself. maybe not as strict as you, and maybe not for the same reasons, but i am one.

You were under the impression but now you need to understand that it is an incorrect impression.

The definition of vegetarian is: n : eater of fruits and grains and nuts; someone who eats no meat or fish or (often) any animal products

The definition of vegan is: A vegetarian who eats plant products only, especially one who uses no products derived from animals, as fur or leather.

I applaud your decision to refuse to eat factory farmed animals. But if you choose to think of yourself as something you are not, you can't expect others to agree with you. It's like saying that you are a non-smoker but you actually smoke American Spirits cigarettes (no additives, pesticides, etc.)

These "veg mamas" support threads were started for people actively living or pursuing a vegetarian or vegan diet so that we would have a place to discuss our lifestyle and dietary choices without having to deal with arguments about our health, etc. By telling us that you are going to continue to eat meat, you have said that you are not living or pursuing such a lifestyle. I see that you are new here. Please read some of the older threads to see what we discuss and how we need to have this place where we can feel "safe" discussing our choices. I'm not saying that you can't post here, but if you do, it must pertain to actual vegetarian or vegan issues, and you need to stop calling yourself a vegetarian or vegan if you still eat meat.

Thanks,
PM

[callmemama]

deleted

[root*children]

ooooookay... enough talk about that.

I'm watching this yummy show about cooking with a dutch oven while camping. He's rockin the pears and pecans and blackberry syrup. I have no idea what he's actually cooking, but I've never loved a redneck so much

I got my soy milk maker in the mail today!! WOOO-HOOOO! It only takes like a 1/4 cup of beans to make a half-gallon. Anyone wanna come over and drink fresh milk til ya burst? I'm absolutely peeing in my pants to be able to afford almond milk! I haven't made any yet, b/c you have to wash it real good, and my sink of dirty dishes is embarrassingly high right now : Well, maybe tomorrow. DS wants gallons of chocolate rice milk for breakfast

oooh, my redneck camper is making cornbread and vegetarian stew! (making me giggle b/c he can't remember the names of all the veggies ) I don't believe I've ever been so in love with a 50yo wearing tight jeans and a flannel shirt and a big ol' cowboy hat ... off to obsess....

[isosmom]

WTH are ya watching dready?
Whatever it is, you've got me :LOL and curious.
Just checked out Still Life with Menu, by Molly Katzen from the library, it's a good one.

[root*children]

I still don;t know.. something on PBS. Found out his name is Butch tee-hee.. Glad DH is snoring on the couch and this can be our little secret...

[PikkuMyy]

I love cornbread. I should make some. That sentence should be my mantra. The two years DH and I were in NYC, we dreamed about having a clean oven that wasn't home to mice families so that we could bake. Now we've been living out here in the West for 2 1/2 years and what have we baked? Well, potatoes, enchiladas, and such, but have we made any baked goods? NO!!!! I have the most amazing vegan blueberry muffin recipe and I haven't made it yet. Sigh! Maybe if we had a television and I could see them being made, I would be inspired.

At least with Thanksgiving coming and us cooking from scratch, I'll have no excuse!

[root*children]

Seriously? How do you live w/o baking? I think I would die w/o my mile-high vegan chocolate cake! And muffins... and bread... and ... okay.. I'll stop.

What do y'all know about being veg and tooth demineralization? I have it horribly, and both DS's do. Which sucks for DS#2, he's got it the worst, and is only 16mo, has only 6 teeth so far!! And he's getting holes in the top ones! Is this anything to do with diet? If so, are there veg supplements I should be taking? Or should I be supplementing with something else non-veg (please say no!). It seems diet related to me since mine started to demineralize when I became preggo with DS #1 (my nutrients being taken to grow a baby), and he's started getting holes in teeth as a baby, but stopped once he started eating meat, at 2-1/2. Any thoughts?

[giarose]

Hi there, so glad I found you all!

We're having some friends over for Thanksgiving, some veg*ns, some not. My dh eats meat ocassionally, but only of the organic cruelty free type and then he eats eggs from the chickens in the back yard. He's ordered an organic turkey, but everything else will be veggie friendly.

Thanksgiving day menu plans:
Mixed grain (quinoa and millet) and Tempeh stuffing
mashed sweet potatoes with chipotle peppers
asparagus with pecans
steamed kale with apples and cranberry vinaigrette
maybe some gingered carrot soup
and vegan pumpkin cheesecake (non-vegs can't tell the difference!)

mmm... I'm getting hungry...