This isnt a trick question, please dont go on the offensive.......?

Question

The more I hear about problems with foot and mouth, blue tongue disease (whatever that is), the more I think about cutting meat out of my diet, not fish though. I have thought about it for years, and steadily improved my diet, however, not reduced the meat. I wouldnt know what to replace it with whilst having a proper meal. Im okay during the day whilst snacking on fruit etc but am at a loss at the main meals. Are there any tips or advice, like an idiots guide, that you could pass on to help me cross the line, and drop meat from my diet. Any links or recommended sites would be useful too.

Answer 1

Get a vegetarian cookbook.
One key is to stop looking at vegetables as
a side dish, but rather as a main dish.
Things like TVP can work as meat substitutes
in things like sloppy joes, lasagnas, etc.

Answer 2

I make my own vegeburgers by mashing a tin of red kidney beans with a fork, adding a finely chopped onion, a cup of porridge oats and a generous teaspoon of yeast extract, mixing it all together, dividing into burgers and frying. Takes minutes and they're much nicer than the ones you buy in the shops.

This is a good site with recipes and advice on going vegetarian:

http://www.viva.org.uk

Despite what a previous commentator said, I can honestly say that of the dozens of vegetarians I have known over the years I have only known one who has got sick more easily while on a meat-free diet. I really think vegetarianism causes health problems only if your diet is very bad generally anyway or if you have an exceptional genetic tendency to diseases like anaemia. I've experienced no problems of that nature, either during four years as a lacto-vegetarian or three years as a vegan.

Answer 3

Investing in a vegetarian cook book or two is a great way to get started, lots of meal ideas and you know you will be eating a well balanced diet.

Iron and protein are two of the biggest things to make sure you are getting if you do chose to cut meat out of your diet. Things which can be good for this include: most nuts, tofu, eggs, mushrooms and spinach just to name a few. Also don't forget to include plenty of beans and pulses.

I've not been veggie very long myself, but my housemate has been ever since he was a kid. If you have vegetarian friends take advantage of the fact, ask them for tips.

Answer 4

At my house we eat pasta with vegetable lots of beans things made with beans salads tortillas with veggies rice with veggies lots of potatoes and some tofu and some veggie meats we really like the Garden burgers as well as Morning Star products like their meat crumbles You can also get some good nut loaf recipes on line all the ones I have contain egg and or cheese there are some many ways to make main dishes with out meat you just have to experiment but get a good cook book that will help

Answer 5

most shops sell vegetarian foods if you wanted to cut out meat altogether, veggie burgers are fab home made, cook the veg as usual and mash it down to a burger with breadcrumbs around. Play about with different dishes and see what strange recipe's you come up with. To be honest I'm not bothered with this foot and mouth, no matter what i enjoy in life it's bad for me, eg sweets, chocolate, a drink of alcohol, etc, so next time your shopping look at the vegetarian dishes for ideas.

Answer 6

www.vegweb.com has tons of recipes and is a good all-around source for vegan living.

There is "Being Vegetarian for Dummies," which helped me out when I first went veg over five years ago.

Compassion Over Killing (www.cok.net) has a good starter guide.

As long as you eat enough food, and you don't eat just junk food, you will almost certainly get enough protein. Learn to cook with tofu, tempeh, and seitan. Experiment with the many analogues on the market; you're sure to find more than a few you like.

Good luck!

Answer 7

Google "Flexitarian Diets", luv. Check out the websites that come up. They've finally labelled what I've been for years AND you will have a proper meal, with no worry and little fuss.

Answer 8

Foot and Mouth and blue tongue have no effect on humans. veggies are just as prone if not more prone to disease than meat and you can not live properly without meat. One of the things I have notived on here particularly is the same as you noticed "Veggies" are aggresive and overly sensitive people as both individuals and a group. they do not take to bequestioned and mostly are unable to justify, not that they have too, their so called "ethical" choices. Yes not eating meat means that less meat will be consumed but it also means they are denying life to hundreds of thousands of animals. That is just plain wrong. The next step will be the extermination of "teachers maybe" because after all everyone could be educated at home and some people think that kids educated at home get a "better" education. It's just self serving ballony "EAT MEAT KEEP THE ANIMALS ALIVE"

Answer 9

The largest most power full animals on the face of the earth don't eat any protein in animal form. They make it internally from fresh food and enzymes. What makes you think that you cant? Listened to too many people giving false advise?

Answer 10

Try http://www.vrg.org/ they've got tons of recipes and meal suggestions. Also, tofu is a great option when you want a meaty addition to your meal but without the meat. It can be cooked with anything.

Good luck!