Kelly

I need ideas, advice, help, info.....lol....ANYTHING! Okay, my
daughter has made the decision, and has been pondering it for a
couple years actually, to not eat meat. No beef, poultry, fish and so
on. She said she just cannot stand the thought any longer of animals
being killed for her food. While many I know do not have the same
feelings about this and many do, she does. She is 13 years old and is
very sweet. She is not doing this for any other reason than the one
mentioned. She has also informed me that is the eggs we eat "could"
become chickens if we did not eat them then she no longer wants to
eat those as well.

She actually tried this a couple years ago and we did not think much
of it because we thought it would go a couple days, maybe even a week
or so but would end. She went 6 months, but ate fish and eggs, and
said she could not stand the feeling of being constantly hungry as
well as a sick feeling as well as tired all the time.

Now I should also mention that she is a VERY picky eater which does
not make this any easier. She said she will try and learn to like
foods she does not currently like. She does not eat lettuce,
tomatoes, cucumbers, apples, carrots, pears, radishes.....I am sure
their is more.

Can anyone offer any ideas on what I can feed her? What about
supplements? ANY info is greatly appreciated. It does not matter if
it is a recipe, a way to eat, vitamin ideas, tips...anything. The
more the better as I know my daughter is mature enough to make this
decision and even if she is unable to keep with it I know she
desperately wants to and I want to do anything I can to help. I am
currently on the path to a healthier me as it is so it would not hurt
me either. Thank you soooo much for any info you can offer and I am
sorry if you see this post on another group as I am just posting this
to the ones I belong to to try and get as much advice as I can!

Thanks so much!


Kelly in TN

Lora Pek

I am new here, and this is my first post. First off, my name is Lora and I
have two boys, 7 and 4 and we are exploring unschooling and LOVE the idea of
incorporating this into our lives.

As far as your daughter, I would go to the library and let her explore some
receipe books on being basically a vegan. There are a ton of receipe
websites also. I have eliminated meats, etc., from my diet and I feel great
about it. It is actually easy once you get the hang of it. My children are
in the grocery store with me frequently saying, "Mom, we are not eating meat
anymore , right? It is better to eat fruits and vegetables." They are so
sweet! :-) We enjoy exploring new tastes and foods.

As far as supplements go, there are a ton out of them. We personally use
Juice Plus. You can go to their website at www.juiceplus.com and read up on
it. We love it.

Hope that helps.

Lora

_________________________________________________________________
A new home for Mom, no cleanup required. All starts here.
http://www.reallivemoms.com?ocid=TXT_TAGHM&loc=us

[email protected]

In a message dated 8/6/2007 8:06:32 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
CraftyGardenerTN@... writes:

Can anyone offer any ideas on what I can feed her? What about
supplements? ANY info is greatly appreciated. It does not matter if
it is a recipe, a way to eat, vitamin ideas, tips...anything.


___

My daughter who is now almost 18 made the choice to become a vegetarian when
she was 12 and is still a complete vegetarian. We have never been big meat
eaters and I have also gone through years when I chose to be vegetarian.
However, both my husband and son eat meat, chicken and fish.

I have found that most recipes using any kind of ground meat are easily
changed to some kind of soy substitute so I make most family recipes using that.
Some examples are tacos, chili, spaghetti. When we have lasagne, I usually
make half with meat and half with spinach or other vegies. When we have
hamburgers, we just make some of them vegie burgers.

Some other staples are pasta with various kinds of red or white sauces, a
variety of cheeses, yogurts, hummus for dipping or just as a spread, peanut or
other nut butters as well as nuts in general provide protein. Beans are a
great source of protein and can also be used in most recipes. We also keep
protein bars on hand and she will sometimes grab one on the way out the door.

I'd suggest going to a natural food store in your area and just spend some
time with her looking at all the options and try some new things each week. I
think you'll be surprised at how many options she has and how easy it is to
have just part of your family vegetarian.

Gail



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[email protected]

In a message dated 8/6/2007 8:06:33 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
CraftyGardenerTN@... writes:

She has also informed me that is the eggs we eat "could"
become chickens if we did not eat them then she no longer wants to
eat those as well.

*************************
Remind her that *only* those hens that are with a rooster would ever get to
become chickens. Hens lay eggs..it's only when a rooster *dances* with them
that the eggs are fertilized and *could* become chickens.
Many people are unaware of this.

We are sooo with your daughter and we are gradually lessening the amount of
meat in our diets too, and even more so after reading the book, The China Study.

I'm trying to make more things with beans and also substituting the meat in
recipes with veggies instead, and am using whole grains.
Check out some books on the topic and cookbooks from the library..and on the
internet!

~marcia
HarmonyWoodsFarm
my blog: _http://www.xanga.com/livefreeinharmony_
(http://www.xanga.com/livefreeinharmony)



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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Lisa

My 14 yr old recently became a vegetarian.... she is a good eater and
likes most all vegetables etc so it's a bit easier for us. I already
cook alot of vegetables along with whatever meat we eat so it's not
been a huge transition for her. I make sure we always have hummus,
yogurt (you didn't say if your daughter was going to continue to drink
milk or drinks milk currently), fruit, vegetables for salads, pasta (I
buy the Barilla Plus which is not completely whole wheat but less
white flour) also peanut butter or other nut butters... whole wheat
breads. Basically you have to raise the quality of what she does
eat...if she eats pasta go more whole grain so it's a more hearty
meal. My daughter makes smoothies each day with yogurt, frozen
berries (I buy a frozen berry blend at Sam's...BJ's has a similar one
that is organic) and a splash of orange juice... you could add soy
protein powder or hemp protein powder to add some ump! I also buy
those new steam bags .. I think ziploc and hefty make them now.... you
can put whatever veggies she likes in there for a quick steam. My
daughter has begun to cook more and experiment in the kitchen more
now. If your daughter likes potatoes that could make a great hearty
meal to have a baked potato with cheese or salsa if she likes that.
I am not sure how you prepare your vegetables but I found with my
picky kids if you lightly steam something with a little salt, pepper
and butter they are more likely to eat it... overcooked veggies smell
bad and don't look very appetizing to a child. I also buy lots of
Clif Bars , granola bars, and other higher nutritional quality snacks.
My daughter made her decision based on her own reading and
researching and came to me and told me she didn't want to eat meat
anymore. She wants to be a vet and reads alot of Temple Grandin's
books... Temple Grandin in an amazing PhD who has autism that has done
the bulk of her research in slaughter houses, fed lots etc... she's
developed more humane slaughter and enclosure systems for all types of
animals. Anyway that reading brought my daughter to more indepth
reading and her decision not to eat meat. She is still eating a
little fish and other seafood now and then. You will have to help
your daughter figure out food quality so she will not be hungry... my
daughter has learned so much about nutrition! She knows what foods
are high in protein (which is typically what keeps them from being
hungry!) and lots about how different foods are prepared (some
processing for foods that don't contain meat necessarily are still
prepared in ways that are unhealthy to animals and the environment!)
Anyway I have found lots of great vegetarian recipes online ...
great recipe for Spicy Black Bean burgers that we all enjoy and many
others! Personally I think that making a decision like this that may
not be in line with the family ...especially extended family ....is a
great way for kids to learn to really listen to their internal compass
and begin to know what they stand for! Amazingly my dad who is the
biggest carnivore on the planet is very supportive of Anna's decision
... he asked her why she had decided not to eat meat, listened to her
and agreed that for her it did make sense that she would follow what
she felt was right.
Good luck!
Lisa Blocker

MrsStranahan

Pressing the excess liquid out of a block of firm or extra-firm tofu and
then freezing it will give the texture of ground meat and can be used to
make chili, spaghetti, etc. Just treat it the same way you would meat ...
brown the thawed out crumbled tofu in a little oil and season it (maybe
season a little more than you would meat) and continue with your recipe.
Epicurious.com has a Cincinnati chili recipe that worked well for me when I
substituted tofu for the ground beef.

Silken tofu blends up really nice in smoothies. I've made a chocolate shake
for my kids with silken tofu and chocolate soy dream and a little flax seed
oil.

If your daughter was feeling hungry and sick she might have needed a little
more protein than she was taking in.

Vegsource.com has lots of tips and recipes.

Lauren

On 8/6/07, Lisa <jlblock01@...> wrote:
>
> My 14 yr old recently became a vegetarian.... she is a good eater and
> likes most all vegetables etc so it's a bit easier for us. I already
> cook alot of vegetables along with whatever meat we eat so it's not
> been a huge transition for her. I make sure we always have hummus,
> yogurt (you didn't say if your daughter was going to continue to drink
> milk or drinks milk currently), fruit, vegetables for salads, pasta (I
> buy the Barilla Plus which is not completely whole wheat but less
> white flour) also peanut butter or other nut butters... whole wheat
> breads. Basically you have to raise the quality of what she does
> eat...if she eats pasta go more whole grain so it's a more hearty
> meal. My daughter makes smoothies each day with yogurt, frozen
> berries (I buy a frozen berry blend at Sam's...BJ's has a similar one
> that is organic) and a splash of orange juice... you could add soy
> protein powder or hemp protein powder to add some ump! I also buy
> those new steam bags .. I think ziploc and hefty make them now.... you
> can put whatever veggies she likes in there for a quick steam. My
> daughter has begun to cook more and experiment in the kitchen more
> now. If your daughter likes potatoes that could make a great hearty
> meal to have a baked potato with cheese or salsa if she likes that.
> I am not sure how you prepare your vegetables but I found with my
> picky kids if you lightly steam something with a little salt, pepper
> and butter they are more likely to eat it... overcooked veggies smell
> bad and don't look very appetizing to a child. I also buy lots of
> Clif Bars , granola bars, and other higher nutritional quality snacks.
> My daughter made her decision based on her own reading and
> researching and came to me and told me she didn't want to eat meat
> anymore. She wants to be a vet and reads alot of Temple Grandin's
> books... Temple Grandin in an amazing PhD who has autism that has done
> the bulk of her research in slaughter houses, fed lots etc... she's
> developed more humane slaughter and enclosure systems for all types of
> animals. Anyway that reading brought my daughter to more indepth
> reading and her decision not to eat meat. She is still eating a
> little fish and other seafood now and then. You will have to help
> your daughter figure out food quality so she will not be hungry... my
> daughter has learned so much about nutrition! She knows what foods
> are high in protein (which is typically what keeps them from being
> hungry!) and lots about how different foods are prepared (some
> processing for foods that don't contain meat necessarily are still
> prepared in ways that are unhealthy to animals and the environment!)
> Anyway I have found lots of great vegetarian recipes online ...
> great recipe for Spicy Black Bean burgers that we all enjoy and many
> others! Personally I think that making a decision like this that may
> not be in line with the family ...especially extended family ....is a
> great way for kids to learn to really listen to their internal compass
> and begin to know what they stand for! Amazingly my dad who is the
> biggest carnivore on the planet is very supportive of Anna's decision
> ... he asked her why she had decided not to eat meat, listened to her
> and agreed that for her it did make sense that she would follow what
> she felt was right.
> Good luck!
> Lisa Blocker
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Paul D. Fernhout

First, I think different people need somewhat different diets, based on
their metabolism type.

Might not help much, but our child (almost four) has pretty much always been
a vegetarian. People always remark how tall they are for their age. Organic
milk, eggs (unfertilized, we have our own hens and no rooster, and feed
organic grain), cheese, and organic butter are eaten, as well as now those
new chocolate-flavored covered walnuts (for extra omega-3 fatty acids).
Fruit and and other veggies are eaten, mostly chosen on their own from
pre-washed in the fridge (though you say yours does not liek this -- maybe
if they grew their own?). Blueberries are a big hit. Likes beans and peas --
including from our garden.

We tried a kid's supplement with extra omega-3 but our kid did not like it.
But we use a regular kids chewable supplement.

Was a period of about a week after reading _Shiloh_ when several organic
nitrate-free hot dogs were eaten (they were fed to the dog in the book), but
that passed.
http://www.applegatefarms.com/
Occasionally a tiny piece of fish slips in. :-)

Maybe time for your daughter to have some chickens of her own? A bunch of
work though -- not so much to keep up with the chickens as to build and
maintain a coop and yard, especially if, like us, you have dogs who would
like to get in there. Maybe she might help a neighbor who already has a coop
and no rooster and get a few eggs a week in return? Also as chickens are
social, you need several, and that would make too many eggs for one kid. We
also scramble the extras for our dogs.

Also, try stocking the freezer with "Amy's" frozen food.
http://www.amyskitchen.com/
A little pricey, but well worth it -- usually organic stuff, and all
vegetarian dishes. It is a little pricey relative to other frozen foods, but
still probably cheaper than almost anything you buy when eating out, and
cheaper than dealing with health problems. Amy's might help your daughter
make a transition to more food variety, which she could then cook herself.

Lots of books out there on vegetarian cooking -- for example, try "The
Starving Student's Vegetarian Cookbook" for example.
http://www.amazon.com/Starving-Students-Vegetarian-Cookbook/dp/0446676756

Also, try pasta and chili beans. I make the pasta in the microwave (about
twelve minutes in ours, adding a little salt and olive oil to the water),
and I use a hand can opener which does not leave sharp edges -- that tool is
a miracle and I found it in a big grocery store. Similar to this:
http://www.amazon.com/Good-Grips-1049953-Smooth-Opener/dp/B000079XW2
Seems doable for a fourteen year old and fairly nutritious. I'd stay away
from soaking beans for a while -- too much planning. Used good canned beans
or good canned chili, again, from Amy's (they do extra good on beans
compared with other brands). I've also found you can dump an organic canned
soup over the pasta.

--Paul Fernhout

Kelly wrote:
> I need ideas, advice, help, info.....lol....ANYTHING! Okay, my
> daughter has made the decision, and has been pondering it for a
> couple years actually, to not eat meat. No beef, poultry, fish and so
> on. She said she just cannot stand the thought any longer of animals
> being killed for her food. While many I know do not have the same
> feelings about this and many do, she does. She is 13 years old and is
> very sweet. She is not doing this for any other reason than the one
> mentioned. She has also informed me that is the eggs we eat "could"
> become chickens if we did not eat them then she no longer wants to
> eat those as well.
>
> She actually tried this a couple years ago and we did not think much
> of it because we thought it would go a couple days, maybe even a week
> or so but would end. She went 6 months, but ate fish and eggs, and
> said she could not stand the feeling of being constantly hungry as
> well as a sick feeling as well as tired all the time.
>
> Now I should also mention that she is a VERY picky eater which does
> not make this any easier. She said she will try and learn to like
> foods she does not currently like. She does not eat lettuce,
> tomatoes, cucumbers, apples, carrots, pears, radishes.....I am sure
> their is more.
>
> Can anyone offer any ideas on what I can feed her? What about
> supplements? ANY info is greatly appreciated. It does not matter if
> it is a recipe, a way to eat, vitamin ideas, tips...anything. The
> more the better as I know my daughter is mature enough to make this
> decision and even if she is unable to keep with it I know she
> desperately wants to and I want to do anything I can to help. I am
> currently on the path to a healthier me as it is so it would not hurt
> me either. Thank you soooo much for any info you can offer and I am
> sorry if you see this post on another group as I am just posting this
> to the ones I belong to to try and get as much advice as I can!
>
> Thanks so much!
>
>
> Kelly in TN
>
>

Debra Rossing

>I have found that most recipes using any kind of ground meat are easily
changed to some kind of soy substitute so I make most family recipes
using that.
I don't tolerate soy well so we've found another option:



Basic bean & grain burger (from The Vegetarian Grill, page 136) makes 8
burgers/portions



2/3 C uncooked bulgur

1 1/3 C boiling water

1/2 C bread crumbs - 4 slices stale or toasted whole wheat bread or
about 1 C of whole grain O cereal whirred through the food processor

1 1/2 C cooked kidney, pinto, or black beans or one 15 oz can, rinsed
and drained (we prefer pinto beans for this recipe)

1/2 C chopped fresh parsley (we omitted this, didn't miss it)

2 cloves garlic, minced (adjust to taste)

1 large egg (or egg substitute - need something as a binding agent)

2 tbl tomato paste (can use ketchup instead)

1 tbl soy sauce (can use worcestershire instead)

1 tbl chili powder (or omit this and use Italian seasoning instead, play
with the seasonings until you find what you like)

salt & pepper to taste (we omitted this entirely)



1 - Combine bulgur and water in a bowl, cover, set it aside for 10
minutes

2 - Process the bread (or cereal) in a food processor to make 1/2 C
crumbs

3 - Combine beans, parsley, garlic in the food processor and pulse until
you have a fairly smooth mixture

4 - Drain excess liquid from bulgur and stir into bean mixture

5 - Add bread crumbs, egg, tomato paste, soy sauce, chili powder, salt,
pepper

6 - Set aside for 30 minutes - it will thicken as it stands

7 - Prepare medium fire in grill with lightly oiled vegetable grill rack
in place - we just used the pancake griddle over medium heat on the
stove

8 - Shape into 8 3" patties or 8 "sausages"

9 - Grill until crisp on the outside - about 5 minutes per side for
patties; roll 1/4 turn approx every 2 minutes for "sausages" until it's
browned all over

10 - Serve on buns, bread, or tortilla wraps with ketchup, salsa,
cheese, whatever


The basic mix, when using pintos, looks a lot like meatloaf. You can
make meatballs from it, burger patties, sausage shapes, etc. And, you
can cook it as 'crumbles' as you would ground meat to use for
tacos/nachos, meat sauces, etc. Can be made ahead and reheated (cook up
all the meatballs or patties then microwave until warmed). The only
caveat I've found so far is that once it's been mixed into a meat sauce
(for pasta for example), it has to be used - the sauce adds extra
moisture and it gets a bit mushy if it sits overnight and gets reheated
in this form. One big bonus is that it just needs to be warmed or
browned, no worries about "rare meat", it just needs to cook enough for
the egg to cook and that's pretty minimal. It will brown nicely as a
patty and we love to brown up a bunch of meatballs then toss them with a
bit of our favorite BBQ sauce.

Deb

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[email protected]

We have been vegetarians for 30 years and our kids have never eaten any kind of meat. We do eat cheese, milk and eggs.
I work full time so its difficult sometimes to find the time to prepare meals, but I usually have a crockpot going with some kind of bean or lentil dish in it.
I also have a book called "Fast Vegetarian Feasts" that includes recipes that can be made in about 15 minutes. I recommend picking up something similiar at the bookstore and having your daughter experiment with the recipes and discover what she likes. There are quite a few "quick vegetarian recipe" books out there, some with wonderful recipes from around the world. The recipes are easy enough for anyone to try.
Kathryn

-------------- Original message --------------
From: "Kelly" <CraftyGardenerTN@...>
I need ideas, advice, help, info.....lol....ANYTHING! Okay, my
daughter has made the decision, and has been pondering it for a
couple years actually, to not eat meat. No beef, poultry, fish and so
on. She said she just cannot stand the thought any longer of animals
being killed for her food. While many I know do not have the same
feelings about this and many do, she does. She is 13 years old and is
very sweet. She is not doing this for any other reason than the one
mentioned. She has also informed me that is the eggs we eat "could"
become chickens if we did not eat them then she no longer wants to
eat those as well.

She actually tried this a couple years ago and we did not think much
of it because we thought it would go a couple days, maybe even a week
or so but would end. She went 6 months, but ate fish and eggs, and
said she could not stand the feeling of being constantly hungry as
well as a sick feeling as well as tired all the time.

Now I should also mention that she is a VERY picky eater which does
not make this any easier. She said she will try and learn to like
foods she does not currently like. She does not eat lettuce,
tomatoes, cucumbers, apples, carrots, pears, radishes.....I am sure
their is more.

Can anyone offer any ideas on what I can feed her? What about
supplements? ANY info is greatly appreciated. It does not matter if
it is a recipe, a way to eat, vitamin ideas, tips...anything. The
more the better as I know my daughter is mature enough to make this
decision and even if she is unable to keep with it I know she
desperately wants to and I want to do anything I can to help. I am
currently on the path to a healthier me as it is so it would not hurt
me either. Thank you soooo much for any info you can offer and I am
sorry if you see this post on another group as I am just posting this
to the ones I belong to to try and get as much advice as I can!

Thanks so much!

Kelly in TN




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[email protected]

-----Original Message-----
From: Kelly <CraftyGardenerTN@...>

I need ideas, advice, help, info.....lol....ANYTHING! Okay, my
daughter has made the decision, and has been pondering it for a
couple years actually, to not eat meat. No beef, poultry, fish and so
on. She said she just cannot stand the thought any longer of animals
being killed for her food. While many I know do not have the same
feelings about this and many do, she does. She is 13 years old and is
very sweet. She is not doing this for any other reason than the one
mentioned.

-=-=-=-=-

Cameron (19) has been an on&off vegetarian over his teen years. For the
same reasons.

-=-===-


She has also informed me that is the eggs we eat "could"
become chickens if we did not eat them then she no longer wants to
eat those as well.

-=-=-=-

Naw---just get unfertilized eggs---they can't become chicks no matter
how hard you sit on them! <G>

-=-=-=-=-

She actually tried this a couple years ago and we did not think much
of it because we thought it would go a couple days, maybe even a week
or so but would end. She went 6 months, but ate fish and eggs, and
said she could not stand the feeling of being constantly hungry as
well as a sick feeling as well as tired all the time.

-=-=-=-=-

Also why Cam has been on&off! He's gotten too tired as well as
"stupid"---like his brain wasn't functioning well. He didn't feel good.
This time, we discussed how he could make it work. He went to our local
health food store and talked a long tme about how it made him feel
before and how he could prevent it. She suggested a multi-vitamin wih
lots of "B"---which is lacking in many vegetarian diets.

We also discussed many other protein options. Apparantly he wasn't
getting NEARLY enough before (he needs a lot). He also needs more iron
than the average male. Combined (low protien & low iron)---no wonder he
was pooped!

Now he fixes two fried eggs every morning---almost without fail---as
well as toast with peanut butter. We always have a large tub of hummus
& flatbread or carrots to dip and plenty of yoghurt with granola for
snacks. I fix a lot of greens (I have low iron too). He's learning all
about soy substitutes (which I find repulsive), so I'll often make a
sauce or something with a bit left over before I add the meat, so that
he can add the soy.

BEANS are your friends! <G> I made minestrone soup last night---chocked
full of beans (dark and light kidney and young green beans, cut up).
He's trying to make the perfect vegie burger. We've tried black bean
and brown rice-based ones. Thyey were delicious, but not sturdy enough.
He and Brenna made some last weekend that were great! Had nuts in them.
Speaking of nuts---we always have a bowl of cashews or pecans or
walnuts or sunflower seeds or peanuts---ALWAYS!

-=-=-=-=-=-

Now I should also mention that she is a VERY picky eater which does
not make this any easier. She said she will try and learn to like
foods she does not currently like. She does not eat lettuce,
tomatoes, cucumbers, apples, carrots, pears, radishes.....I am sure
their is more.

-=-=-=-=-

THis is my pet peeve with vegetarians! <BWG> You guys really DO need to
eat VEGETABLES!

One of Duncan's friends has a small list of foods she eats, but insists
that she is a vegetarian. <G> The list includes (and is practically
limited to!) french fries, chicken nuggets, sauceless pasta, and cheese
pizza. I keep finding those chicken nuggets to be *partially* about
meat! <G> But she eats almost no vegies---I think she'll eat a carrot
stick. It's really hard to feed her here!

I think many adults prepare vegies to be unappealing to kids. Not on
purpose, of course! But either too raw or cooked to death and smothered
in stuff. Dips are GREAT! *Lighly* steamed broccoli & asparagus with
just a simple lemon-butter to dip in. Grape tomatoes dipped in coarse
salt. Carrots in hummus (if she doesn't like them raw or cooked, try
lightly steaming to just get rid of the bitterness, but not so long
that it gets rid of the crunch). Also buying really *FRESH* fruits and
vegies! REALLY, REALLY fresh! Like *she* gets to pick them!

But I would make sure she knows to keep the high-protein foods close
by!



~Kelly

Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://www.LiveandLearnConference.org




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Deb

--- In [email protected], kbcdlovejo@... wrote:
>
> BEANS are your friends! <G> I made minestrone soup last night---
>chocked
> full of beans (dark and light kidney and young green beans, cut up).
> He's trying to make the perfect vegie burger. We've tried black bean
> and brown rice-based ones. Thyey were delicious, but not sturdy
>enough.
> He and Brenna made some last weekend that were great! Had nuts in
>them.
> Speaking of nuts---we always have a bowl of cashews or pecans or
> walnuts or sunflower seeds or peanuts---ALWAYS!
>
A couple of suggestions: check out The Vegetarian Grill cookbook - has
maybe 3 or 6 different recipes for bean based burgers (like the bulgur
and bean burger recipe I posted earlier). Also, they had a great
sidebar about how you really need a good, hearty, whole grain type bun
for these type burgers because they're softer to begin with; standard
soft fluffy buns just mush up. And, do NOT use oats as a bulker-upper
(is that a word? lol) many recipes include oats but that tends to make
things a bit gummy textured.

DH makes an awesome veggie chili - black, white, pinto, and kidney
beans, tri-color bell peppers (red, yellow, green - our co-op sells
packs of pre sliced frozen organic peppers, we've always got a couple
packs on hand for quick chilis and such), corn or mixed veggies,
tomato sauce, seasonings - a combo of ancho chili powder and chipotle
chili powder has turned out to be our favorite, just hot enough to be
chili for DH and mild/smoky enough that DS and I can eat it (we don't
like the really spicy burn-your-mouth stuff plus my reflux issues
won't tolerate it well). Teamed with a loaf of still warm whole wheat
or pumpernickel bread on a cold night - mmmmmm!

Also, another good hearty (and protein rich) summer meal is cold brown
rice salad, we have two variants we like, sweet and savory:
Cold Rice Salad (sweet)

5 C cooked brown basmati rice
1 C chopped carrots
½ sm. Onion, chopped
½ C raisins
½ C chopped pecans
Optional: ½ C dried cranberries; ¼ C unsalted sunflower seeds
¼ C balsamic vinegar (to taste)
¼ C olive oil (to taste)
2 tbl. maple syrup (to taste)

Combine all ingredients, serve cold

Cold Rice Salad (savory)

5 C cooked brown basmati rice
1 large bell pepper, chopped
1 C chopped carrots
1 can diced tomato, drained (or fresh diced tomato)
¼ C balsamic vinegar (to taste)
¼ C olive oil (to taste)
1 tsp minced garlic (to taste)
1 tbl Italian seasoning (to taste)

Combine all ingredients, serve cold
*can also add cooked, cooled beans of any sort (chick peas, black
beans, whatever) to the savory one for added protein. Brown basmati
rice itself has a nice serving of protein (12 grams per cup roughly).
You can also toss in some raw or lightly steamed broccoli as well.

I love to toss a handful of broken up pecans onto my cereal in the
morning and we often have pecans and raisins tossed onto oatmeal in
the winter - adds a bit of protein and iron and texture (actually,
oatmeal at our house looks a lot like a make-your-own-sundae
party...we put out raisins, craisins if we have them, pecans, peanut
butter, honey, real maple syrup - DS won't touch the 'pancake syrup'
stuff, chocolate chips, cinnamon, sugar, butter, almond milk - we
haven't used cow milk since late winter/early spring, and any other
tidbits we might have on hand that seem like they'd be tasty).

We don't claim to be vegetarian since we love sushi, eat tuna, and
like an occasional bit of chicken now and again but we prefer to eat a
plant-based diet. It's fun going out and re-arranging the menu to suit
what I want to eat (they really will do just about anything if they
have the components on the menu)

--Deb

Ren Allen

~~Also buying really *FRESH* fruits and
vegies! REALLY, REALLY fresh! Like *she* gets to pick them!~~

I agree!!
My kids are MUCH more likely to eat things they help grow. Besides, it
all tastes SO much better.

Ren
learninginfreedom.com

[email protected]

In a message dated 8/6/2007 7:06:35 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
starsuncloud@... writes:

~~Also buying really *FRESH* fruits and
vegies! REALLY, REALLY fresh! Like *she* gets to pick them!~~

I agree!!
My kids are MUCH more likely to eat things they help grow. Besides, it
all tastes SO much better.



____________________________________

Oooo, same here, even though it's a cement container garden, my kids are
thrilled with our miniature crop an are happy to sample the items :)

Karen



************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

kaikade

Kelly,

I just got this info from a daily subscription I'm on...and wanted
to share. I know 2 families who are completely raw. They have kids
that are thriving. Just a thought to add to what may work...

In peace,
Ginger
just moved from TN
mama to Kai(8) and Kade(5)


Raw Recipe Resources....

Free Raw Recipes Online - http://rawfoods.com/recipes/
Free Raw Recipe Videos Online -
http://gliving.tv/shows/category/greenchefs/
Raw Recipe Books - http://www.rawveganbooks.com
The Raw Gourmet DVDs - http://www.rawgourmet.com/
The Garden Diet recipes - http://www.TheGardenDiet.com/abouttgd.html
The Raw Vegan Kitchen videos -
http://www.rawveganchannel.com/kitchen.html

Krisula Moyer

My dd 11 is a vegetarian (mostly) and dd7 likes to eat vegetarian if the
option is available. I recently started meal planning with a book called
"Saving Dinner the Vegetarian Way".
http://www.amazon.com/Saving-Dinner-Vegetarian-Way-Shopping/dp/0345485424

It is organized by season and includes weekly shopping lists to go with each
group of 6 dinner recipes. I really like using it to plan meals and then I
will add a meat "side dish" like a piece of chicken or beef for my son and
husband. I find it much easier to start by assuming everyone will eat the
vegge meal then adding a bit of meat for the guys than the other way 'round.
Hope this helps,
Krisula


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

rn9302000

Hello,
I did not get a chance to read thru this entire thread, but I wanted
to second the recommendation for Isa's cookbooks, I have both and they
are wonderful, the cupcake one especially :)
also another good one is Vegetarian Family Cookbook by nava atlas, she
gives vegan alternatives to each recipe.

another great book is Disease Proof your Child by Dr. Joel Fuhrman.
good luck!
Diane




--- In [email protected], Kendrah Nilsestuen
<carebear-79@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Kelly,
>
> My husband and I are both vegans. Currently we are raising our kids
> ovo-lacto, but the majority of their diet is vegan. We give both
> quality multi-vitamins, which btw are vegetarian. They are called
> Animal Parade. Is she still planning to eat dairy? Vitamin B-12 can
> be a concern for vegans (who eat no animal products) but this will be
> in the multi-vitamin and added to so many non-animal products such as
> rice/soy milk. It is also in nutritional yeast. I've a attached a
> link to Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). They
> advocate a vegetarian/vegan diet (yes even for kids!) and have
> information that would probably answer any concerns you have like is
> she getting enough protein, iron, calcium, etc. They also have
> recipes to appeal to the kiddos! I would caution against just
> replacing meat or dairy with the soy alternatives. Many people do
> this when they first become vegetarian but those packaged soy
> alternatives are highly processed and not that healthy. Occasionally
> is fine, but everything in moderation. I know my vegetarian support
> group was necessary for me in the beginning. Maybe you have a local
> one that has potlucks and you can try new recipes. My favorite
> cookbook is Vegan With A Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. It is
> awesome. Full of tasty, healthy recipes. If you have a sweet tooth
> she also has a cookbook called Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World
> (not necessarily healthy!). No animal products in any of these. I
> made some of her cupcakes for my son's birthday, and everyone told me
> they were the best they'd ever had vegan or not. Most the people at
> the party weren't veggie. I could go on and on but my daughter is up
> now. Hopefully this will get you started. I'm pretty passionate about
> a veggie lifestyle. It changed my life so much. I've never felt
> better, or looked better for that matter:) My kids are growing off
> the charts as well.
>
> Earth Balance is a good butter alternative.
> Veganaise is a good mayo alternative.
>
> I should also make it clear that in line with the unschooling
> philosophy if my children showed an interest in eating meat I would
> not stop them. I would find a way to meet their curiosity about it. I
> do it for health, environment, ethics etc. But that is me. Since it
> is me (and my husband) we do not cook meat. However, we have eaten
> with people who do (and place NO judgement on them, so I'm sure the
> kids would feel comfortable telling us they wanted to) and at this
> point they have no curiosity about it...
>
> http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/veg_diets_for_children.html
>
> Kendrah:)
>

Meredith

--- In [email protected], "Paul D. Fernhout"
<pdfernhout@...> wrote:
>
> First, I think different people need somewhat different diets,
based on
> their metabolism type.

I want to second this big time! We have some really different
metabolisms in my house ;) And the darn things change over time!

I've found it helpful to look at different theories of food/eating
as related to metabolism and body type. There are quite a few
different ways of approaching the whole question of "what does my
body need?" and different approaches work better for different
people. Personally, I've had good luck using ayurveda as a guide for
*me* - doesn't necessarily work for my partner, though.

One of the differences in *our* metabolisms has to do with enzymes
and the way we digest vegetables. He does well with lots of raw or
lightly cooked greens, for example, and I can barely eat greens at
all, unless they're well cooked or fermented. I'm bringing this up
in particular as a caveat to all the comments regarding veggies -
different bodies (even different vegetarian bodies) will handle
vegetables in different ways.

A lot of my own "pickiness" wrt food has been resolved by honoring
my own tastes and actively seeking more foods that taste yummy to
me. That has helped broaden my diet far more than choking down
servings of vegetables I dislike.

On that note, I'll recommend my current favorite food author, Sandor
Katz, who writes about fermentation, the need to listen to our
bodies and also the politics of food:

http://www.wildfermentation.com/

---Meredith (Mo 6, Ray 13)

Deb Lewis

Protein requirements are probably different for different people but
if she shoots for around fifty grams a day she'd likely feel just
fine. I never feel tired if I'm low on protein, I feel tired if I'm
low on calories, but everyone's different.

If there are some fruits she likes try a smoothie in the morning.
They're filling and sweet. If you make a fruit smoothie with soy
milk and add a little vegetarian protein powder, that's probably
easily a third, or more, of the protein she'd need in a day. In the
summer I make a twelve ounce smoothie and have half for breakfast
and the other half for a mid morning snack. In winter I like a
warmer breakfast.<g>

Tofu is high in protein.
There are meat analogues if she has no objection to the taste of
meat. Most meat eaters wouldn't find meat substitutes to taste
much like meat but as a vegan I find the taste so close I can't eat
many of them. But if she likes them, and my son Dylan likes
several, they're loaded with protein. (Dylan has never eaten meat)
Of the meat-substitute-things he likes Celebration Roast and Boca
Burger (vegan)

Dylan likes falafel and a mix from Fantastic Foods called Natures
Burger.

Loma Linda and Worthington Foods make meat substitutes but you might
have to buy them online. I don't use those so don't know what they
taste like.

Dylan doesn't like carrots so sometimes getting a salad in a
restaurant is hard because lots of salad bars shred carrots into the
lettuce. But at home we make glorious salads.

There are different kinds of lettuce so if your daughter doesn't
like the slimy paper feel of leaf lettuce maybe she'd like the
watery crunch of a head lettuce. Does she like other greens? We
make lovely salads from mixed greens and cabbages and other veggies.

Dylan also doesn't especially care for tomatoes, onions (raw or
cooked, but onion powder in foods is ok, it's a texture thing)
avocado, beets or peppers. Inspire of that long list we still have
many salad type vegetables to choose from.

Some of Dylan's favorite salad ingredients are lettuce, any kind,
greens (Swiss chard, spinach, etc.), cabbage, cucumber, black and
green olives, raw mushrooms, raw broccoli and cauliflower, celery,
water chestnuts , garbanzo beans, fresh raw peas and zucchini.

Of cooked vegetables he'll eat corn on the cob (not now that he has
braces on his teeth) steamed or sautéed cauliflower and broccoli,
sautéed zucchini or other summer squash, potatoes,any way, but not
crazy about mashed, sweet potatoes cut like French fries and baked
in a hot oven with a drizzle of olive oil, green beans cooked any
way but his favorite is blanched and then seared in a pan with
garlic, sesame oil, sesame seeds and soy sauce, yams, cabbage,
especially bok choy on the grill, jicama, kohlrabi and mushrooms.

He's not fond of turnips, rutabaga, Brussels sprouts or cooked peas,
but when I halve fresh Brussels sprouts and grill them with a little
sesame oil he'll eat them dipped in course salt. He'll eat cooked
(but not mushy) peas with a little sesame ginger dressing.

He likes nuts of all kinds (he'd have to, living here, <snort>) and
they're a good protein source.
He likes beans and we eat lots of beans and rice.
He likes hearty breads, rolls and muffins and whole grains have
protein.

There are lots of recipes online. There's a charming, funky, hippy
cookbook that might especially appeal to your daughter called "The
Cookbook for People Who Love Animals." My copy is just loose pages
now but when he was little Dylan would look through that book and
read the little snippets and quotes and then tell me which recipe he
thought we should try. <g> Amazon has new and used copies starting
at $3.90. http://www.amazon.com/Cookbook-People-Who-Love-
Animals/dp/0929274180 The book might appeal to your daughter's
ethics and give you some ideas. It's not the best vegetarian
cookbook I have, but I'm still fond of it. Buy a used copy. <g>

Two books I have used a lot are The American Vegetarian Cookbook, by
Marilyn Diamond and The Shoshoni Cookbook: Vegetarian Recipes from
the Shoshoni Yoga Spa.

It's not hard to get enough protein. At ten grams per serving (or
more) of tofu or meat substitute times (lets just say) three meals a
day you already have thirty plus grams of protein. Add a side dish
each meal, a couple glasses of soy milk a day, some nuts for
snacking and hearty breads and you would easily meet or exceed the
recommended amount of protein for a day.

Deb Lewis

[email protected]

Hi Kelly,

the only thing that comes immediately to mind is that the eggs we buy or
hens lay without a rooster around CAN'T become chickens, because they are
NOT fertilised by a male/rooster. They are just the same as our ovulations,
except the egg actually comes out and obviously, we don't ovulate every day,
like hens! (Has anyone seen the episode of Red Dwarf where they eat 'boiled
chicken's ovulations'?).

Also, protein can be derived from other sources, as you would know, it's
just a bit harder than eating a hunk of cow. So, there are many nuts and
legumes that contain protein, as well as goat's milk (you can get it organic,
humanely produced, or have your own goat/know someone who has one). This
would go for any humanely produced cheese and eggs, I guess, so your daughter
would feel okay if she thought the animals were being treated okay in thr
milking or laying process. It could be a good thing that your daughter becomes
really informed about her own nutritional needs, as well as animal rights.
Dark leafy greens are a good source of iron and minerals and are easy to
grow at home. There are also ethical supplements you could look into.

Hope that helps,

Cathy.

[email protected]

Vitamin B-12 can
be a concern for vegans (who eat no animal products) but this will be
in the multi-vitamin and added to so many non-animal products such as
rice/soy milk.

Hey Kendrah and all,

mushrooms are also a source of B12.

Cathy.