I never did understand why vegetarians want pretend meat.
People become vegetarians usually for one or more of three reasons: it's kinder to animals, it's healthier, and it's more sustainable. It's a matter or conscience, not taste. Some people (and I haven't met many) are vegetarian because they simply dislike eating meat. I see no reason to class vegi sausages or burgers as "pretend meat"; they are merely convenient shapes in which to form and cook ground-up food, regardless of its origin.
Why can't they gas the animals? Surely there's something that could just put the animals to 'sleep' I understand the convenient shape of burgers and the like but it's the attempt at getting a meaty texture that seems strange. Do they still make those lurid pink and white vegetarian rashers? Nitrites, Food colouring , vegetable protein and fats .yum!
I don't eat fake meat, either, stopped eating it, over 40 years ago, can make a mean dhal or korma with chickpeas or sweet potato, even my meat and 2 meat Hubby, who was obviously brought up to fear veg, is a convert. Oh, and the beet(root) burgers
I do actually dislike eating meat, the smell, the look, the texture. and the taste, the old mans favorite meat is lamb, he cooked himself a couple of chops the other day, and comented on the revolting smell of the lamb raw. I wouldn't stop anyone else eating it, that's their choice.
Butchers that prominently display 'halal' signage are ones I don't go near. 😞
I find vegetable alternatives that try to be meat taste worse than 'I am vegetable and proud' kind. Possibly due to too much beetroot to get that pinky colour.
Also with you on the tofu @Obelixx, eaten it twice, spent valuable time throwing up twice.
We eat a fair proportion of veggie and also fish to reduce, but not eliminate, meat. It's a serious problem that OH can't eat soya or yeast extract though. Essentially we have to eat non-processed food and we can't add stock cubes to liven it up so pulses and vegetables are good - I can rustle up a decent nut loaf, you can't beat a good bean chilli, then there's lots of variations on the theme of stir frying and 'rice plus'. But if you also eat seasonally, the options for variety in a non-processed veggie diet in late winter when a lot of salads are off the table do become a bit monotonous. Beans/lentils more than 3 times a week is fine, but rather dull.
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Lots and lots of vegetarian recipes on BBC Good Food website @raisingirl. I use it a lot for inspiration. We do eat meat and fish but enjoy vegetables too.
One of my favourite lentil dishes is lentil and mushroom slice :-
Lentil & Mushroom Slice- 4.
6oz split
red lentils 12 fl oz unsalted stock or water 1 large onion, chopped 6 oz mushrooms,
finely sliced 1 oz butter
or olive oil 1 tbs parsley,
chopped 4 oz cheese,
grated 1 egg salt
& pepper
Rinse the lentils then simmer in the
water or stock till all the liquid has been absorbed. Set oven to 190C/375F. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and
soften the onions for about 10 minutes without browning. Add to the lentils and then use the same pan
to cook the mushrooms till they have released all their moisture and dried
again. Whiz the lentils, onions,
cheese, egg and parsley in a processor for a smooth mixture or beat well with a
wooden spoon for something more rustic.
Season with s & p then add the mushrooms and whiz or beat a little
more to blend. Turn the mixture into a
baking dish and top with extra cheese.
Bake for about 35 mins.
Serve with
a spicy tomato sauce and green vegetable, especially cabbage, not peas.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Sainsbury's had some best before kale reduced to 29p. There's nothing wrong with it that I can see but there's an awful lot of it! I've removed the stalks and chopped it up. Now what?? Tasted a bit raw and it tastes like dark leaves on spring greens which I like. I think I'll treat a bit of it like cabbage. Then kale bubble and squeak?
I realise most will think this is strange but it works for us. My wife writes down the week’s menus in a Filofax plus the requisite ingredients and I do the shopping, or order online from Tesco’s. I also do most of the food preparation (partial sightedness and peripheral neuropathy in the fingers make it difficult for her) and lots of meals are made in multiples with spares going in the freezer. We try to go a full month, sometimes two, without repeating anything. It’s easy to browse through the Filofax to see what we’ve had and what we fancy. The references to the relevant cookery book page number are also written down.
On a blackboard in the kitchen the week’s menus are chalked up so I know what, if anything, needs to be taken out of the freezer in the morning.
We also have a record of all meals given to guests going back several years.
For good measure we (read she) have a book recording Christmas and birthday presents bought in advance, often in the sales! All presents for this Christmas and birthday presents for next year are already bought. We believe that we have bought things which are well suited to the recipients and don’t have to rely on last minute candle and pot-pourri sets from Morrison’s.
Christmas cards get similar organisation from Signora Cotto. She notes which cards were sent last year and the essence of the greeting on cards received back. Often cards are the only mode of communication for a full year so it is good to be able to make reference to major life events the following Christmas.
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I understand the convenient shape of burgers and the like but it's the attempt at getting a meaty texture that seems strange. Do they still make those lurid pink and white vegetarian rashers? Nitrites, Food colouring , vegetable protein and fats .yum!
I find vegetable alternatives that try to be meat taste worse than 'I am vegetable and proud' kind. Possibly due to too much beetroot to get that pinky colour.
Also with you on the tofu @Obelixx, eaten it twice, spent valuable time throwing up twice.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
One of my favourite lentil dishes is lentil and mushroom slice :-
Lentil & Mushroom Slice - 4.
6oz split red lentils
12 fl oz unsalted stock or water
1 large onion, chopped
6 oz mushrooms, finely sliced
1 oz butter or olive oil
1 tbs parsley, chopped
4 oz cheese, grated
1 egg
salt & pepper
Rinse the lentils then simmer in the water or stock till all the liquid has been absorbed. Set oven to 190C/375F. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and soften the onions for about 10 minutes without browning. Add to the lentils and then use the same pan to cook the mushrooms till they have released all their moisture and dried again. Whiz the lentils, onions, cheese, egg and parsley in a processor for a smooth mixture or beat well with a wooden spoon for something more rustic. Season with s & p then add the mushrooms and whiz or beat a little more to blend. Turn the mixture into a baking dish and top with extra cheese. Bake for about 35 mins.
Serve with a spicy tomato sauce and green vegetable, especially cabbage, not peas.
Tasted a bit raw and it tastes like dark leaves on spring greens which I like.
I think I'll treat a bit of it like cabbage.
Then kale bubble and squeak?
On a blackboard in the kitchen the week’s menus are chalked up so I know what, if anything, needs to be taken out of the freezer in the morning.
We also have a record of all meals given to guests going back several years.
For good measure we (read she) have a book recording Christmas and birthday presents bought in advance, often in the sales! All presents for this Christmas and birthday presents for next year are already bought. We believe that we have bought things which are well suited to the recipients and don’t have to rely on last minute candle and pot-pourri sets from Morrison’s.
Christmas cards get similar organisation from Signora Cotto. She notes which cards were sent last year and the essence of the greeting on cards received back. Often cards are the only mode of communication for a full year so it is good to be able to make reference to major life events the following Christmas.