Vegetarians- When you stopped eating meat, did you find that you discovered foods.....?

Question

....that you either didnt know existed or hadn't eaten in years?
I feel like i have re-discovered salad and raw foods such as fruits and vegetables and it is amazing! A typical meal for me would have been a piece of meat and rice, or a potato and MAYBE a canned vegetable....

Answer 1

i was a very adventurous eater and a reasonably good cook before i went vegetarian, but i have discoved a couple things. quinoa comes to mind.

Answer 2

Yes, my diet became much more varied & interesting than it had ever been. "New" foods I tried & love include Greek, Thai & Indian vegetarian dishes, grains such as amaranth & quinoa, & non-dairy frozen desserts, not to mention a much wider array of fruits & veggies. Also, I developed a taste for veggies that I'd never cared for, especially eggplant.
We have a magnet in our kitchen that says: "There's plenty to eat without choosing meat"

Answer 3

Yes indeed! And how delightful it is! I had to give up meat due to serious food allergies, along with many other common "foods" such as wheat, soy, eggs, commercial dairy, corn, nuts, and some other foods. I now ENJOY all sorts of raw veggies and fruits, grains such as quinoa, millet, flax, and oat groats, and loads of legumes, beans, pulses, seeds, and other delights I had never even heard of! I am stunned when someone says "I HATE vegetables", as if they could have possibly tried AND hated them all! One of my favorite veggies (that I had never even heard of before) is kohlrabi, which is awesome steamed, fried, sauteed, or best of all, raw in salads. I also enjoy sunchokes, durian, horseradish root, rutebagga, and other yummy delights. Good luck to you on your new lifestyle! EXPLORE AND ENJOY!

Answer 4

Oh, of course. I have never eaten as varied, colorful or tasty a diet as when I decided to go vegetarian, and then I slowly progressed to a vegan diet as I realized I didn't need eggs or dairy either... I love to cook now and I see my food in its entirety every step of the way, I buy everything fresh, I literally shop the perimeters of the store and rarely if never step into center aisles now. The food I buy doesn't even need nutritional labels or ingredients lists. It's fresh and whole and natural.

Answer 5

I discovered delicious Asian vegetarian food that prepared nearly as equal as regular non-vegetarian food. Actually, they are much better. I never thought I would survive being one but I'm glad.

Answer 6

Oh yes, it definitely expanded my food knowledge.

I was a picky eater as a kid and ate the way you describe. Now, I love to try new things, especially food from other countries.

Answer 7

I discovered ethnic foods, specifically asian and Indian.. Definitely expanded my horizons.. Very liberating.. Who wants to be stuck in a "meat and Potatoes" box when there is delicious curries.. jabche..mandu..lo mein..

Answer 8

Iv'e wanted to go vegan for awhile, but my friends and family are so agianst it. I eat alot of junk food, because of that.

Answer 9

this is still happening all the time for me ... no kidding...I recently fell for Tofu in a whole new way...man I love just to fry a slice and season...just like that...fabulous..
Pasta made with jerusalem artichoke flour...? its great! love it...I've started making burgers...lots of fun..also Vanilla soy milk!
Still cant get my head around seitan...guess I'm just not ready!

Answer 10

I discovered the wonders of beans in all their protein-y goodness. I have also relighted my love of broccoli.