★The V- Word

I have been vegetarian for over 3 years and during this time different food products and items have been added or taken away from my “can have” list. These include cheese, fish, eggs and a bunch of additives that only entered my appetite occasionally anyway. I was comfortable with all of these changes, as was my significant other (who still eats fish and eggs) but I was still anxious about my identity as a vegetarian. Was I vegan? Not technically. I subscribe to a vegan forum and the people on there are quite strict – no honey, few food dyes (made from insects) and of course the clothes issue (leather, wool and silk). They certainly wouldn’t accept my flimsy boundaries. But I wasn’t a vegetarian because I don’t consume eggs or dairy.

It was coming down the practicality of the dilemma. My lifestyle and my SO’s food choices all affected how easy it was going to be to eat this way. In my own home, this is simple. But we eat out about 4 nights per week and this is usually a lot of Indian food – ghee, I know. I rang around a few restaurants and asked if they use ghee and as it turns out a few have converted to vegetable oil so I can feel less guilty. But eating out with friends and family has always been tricky and now cutting out fish and eggs was going to make it even harder to find a place where my fussy parents and I could enjoy a meal.

Throughout this process of decision making I did not want to affirm a negative belief about begin vegan – “it’s too hard”, “it’s just not practical”, or even worse “I’m going to have to eat the same things all the time!”. They weren’t the reasons I made this choice. I had to keep on track with the positives.

I am a conscious eater.
I listen to my body and it tells me the types of food it needs.
I am proud of my stance on animal rights.
The environment is benefiting from my personal choices.

I know another vegan in person (surprisingly rare in my circles!) and she tells people that she is “vegan with a sauce clause” assuming that if there is dairy or another minute amount of animal product in a sauce she will still eat it. But I can’t subscribe to this – if there is beef in my stock or sauce I’m not going to eat it. The closest thing I have come to a label for me that I find acceptable and encompassing of my choices is veg*n. Kind of like a strict vegetarian but may as well be a vegan is societies eyes.

It still feels like a battle sometimes. Like going home for xmas my parents will want to have fish (a bit of a tradition) and this will be first time I will say no in front of them and have to justify my food choices. It feels like vegan is a swear word sometimes.

i keep seeing this thread and thinking, hmmmm the V word…sounds sexy! i wonder whats inside? and then i click on the thread and find vegetarianism, what the hell? how boring! i want meat! false advertising! i’ve let myself be mislead by clicking on this thread two times now…grrrr…the things the V word does to me.

I am a vegan and have 5 vegetarian children and 1 meat eater, I really dont understand why this thread has been headed up as The V-Word? I do understand where you are coming from when others dont respect your beliefs or make you feel difficult infront of them also. I do get that sometimes too when dinning out, I get funny looks and noses upturned. It is dishearten to see others do it but I turn around and point out that hey it is my belief please respect what I eat cause I respect what you eat and dont make a big hoohay about what they do. I was a meat eater, then turned vegetarian for 3 years and now I am a vegan for nearly a year. There are heaps of foods out there, you are never bored with just eating the same old stuff all the time. There are heaps of vegetarian and vegan books available too.

I applause you for beliefs Melt86! Continue been proud of your choice of a vegetarian. Your affirmations are awesome too! I especially love these two affirmations of yours “I listen to my body and it tells me the types of food it needs”. and “I am proud of my stance on animal rights”
That is so true!

Wishing you all the best Melt86!

Kindest regards
Denise

I’m the SO Mel speaks of.

I eat fish, but try to avoid all other animal products and other than fish, never eat any other kind of meat.

I can’t eat wheat, but it’s not the gluten I’m allergic too. I can’t eat dairy products but it’s not the lactose I can’t tolerate. I also can’t drink coffee anymore :( All of these products have the same affect on me, dodgy stomach, bad skin and a sore lower back.

I would give up fish ANY day if I could swap it for wheat and coffee. I know wheat isn’t the best thing for me, but I miss croissants like nothing else.

So yeah, if I could choose between being vegan and being able to eat wheat, or being a vegetarian that eats fish then I would choose vegan any day of the week :P

I am usually vegetarian – but in the last 3 months – I’ve been purging myself of idealism. I’ve been up to my armpits in it. Now I’ve been eating meat I can’t sit on my high horse and look down on meat eaters.

But my weight and health has suffered, so it’s back onto my usual healthy diet :)

I’ll be catering an event in January – the Now Now festival (experimental music) – I’ve decided it’s going to be vegan.

Lee – I can have coffee :)

Personally, I love it when I find a vegetarian meal that satisfies my taste buds, my appetite and my personal health requirements. Though —I must admit I am not a vegetarian—I wish I could say I was. I love living things —and would like to prove it by being a vegetarian. I had quite a health issue—a few years back—that got me in tune w/ how to keep my body healthy—and it includes poultry, fish and lamb and of course a whole host of fruits and vegetables.. Having had fully recovered from a bad time —> I am grateful everyday —having a healthy-self today—and continue to experiment with good foods. I believe prayer, exercise, good thoughts, and organic (and or locally derived) foods are the big ticket in this area.

I also believe being we all are affected by things differently—and we have to find what works for us. One of many reasons why I like this site—is—I can get pretty closed minded—about trying new things—once I find things that work—-Things that don’t work obviously caused something I didn’t want—I love to repeat the good stuff. My goal is to listen more to the whats and whys of others—and just see if can expand my horizons a bit(:

Freygan, can you say more about this Now Now Festival or post a link? Will it be in the mountains, do you need caterers. I know some great vegan cafes here in sydney if you need some inspirational food. I’d love to know more

I catered the festival last year, it was vegetarian, but not vegan. This year I want to make it just vegan, except for milk for coffee/teas.

http://thenownow.net/

I have veganomicon and google :) I am armed and ready!

Which cafes? I would love to check them out! Any excuse to eat :)

The program looks great freygan, Lee and I will check our calendar!

There is a cafe in Newtown called Naked 18 which only use Bonsoy in their coffee. they also have a full vegan breakfast menu on the weekends.
In Marrickville there is a lady who sells vegan and gluten-free baked goods. Rowies cakes
In terms of restaurants there is A Peasants Feast and Green Gourmet both in Newtown and some outlets in North Sydney. I wonder if any of them would cater for you?

In response to melt86’s post:
Hello Mel, I was looking for a no sugar vegan pumpkin bread recipe looked good, and thought of you and this thread.

I am going to possibly exchange applesauce for oil. It will make it fat free and sweeter.

Are you a pumpkin fan?

In response to laurie’s post:

I’ve never made pumpkin bread, i don’t know it i’ve ever seen canned pumpkin either! It looks like it could be nice though and easy to make gluten free.
Thanks for the recipe :)

Well I must admit The V word, caught my attention. About 15 years ago my wife decided to become vegetarian. Her reasons were based on her findings that it would be good in support of her asthma. At that time I was chief cook-and-bottle-washer and was preparing two meals at dinner. I soon decided to become vegetarian out of convenience. As I learned more about food, I decided that vegetarianism was a good choice because of the hormones and additives found in our food supplies. So I have been vegetarian for about 10 years. We eat eggs and cheese and the occasional fish (salmon and tuna).

I have recently discovered that eating the occasional turkey made me feel ‘smarter’. I don’t know, perhaps my brain needs a bit of protein now and then. Since discovering this, I guess I’m having turkey or chicken about once or twice a week. No red meat, no desire for it. My wife pooh-poohs my ventures into the poultry world and insists she stay on the V-wagon.

In response to melt86’s post:
Canned pumpkin is very big in the US as compared to using fresh pumpkin.

In response to ThisIsBruce’s post:
Hi Bruce, I am not advocating or discrediting chicken or turkey; though as someone who still hasn’t given it up yet; they are pretty nutritious foods

And as far as hormones and antibiotics, you can get them without.

Beyond the great mix of vit’s and amino acids, turkey is especially high in the amino acid tryptophan and the mineral/antioxidant selenium;great health benefits and both feel-good-mood nutrients. And chicken, great source of protein, namely the amino acid phenalanine; another feel good-element.

Sounds like you’re eating healthy even though you haven’t gone completely vegetarian.

What do you think?

That’s why we don’t eat animals

It looks like an interesting text for children. I would never be allowed to get away with reading it at work, but it’s so rare to find a story, written for children, that shows them an option other than the status quo

In response to melt86’s post:

You know, my children were natural vegetarians. They had no desire to eat any kind of meat (and you couldn’t force them to eat it – as the school tried!). I wonder if children are born with the vegetarian instinct and adults feed it out of them???

We are flexitarian in our house right now. Mostly vegetarian, but once in a while, we do eat some fish and poultry. The poultry is from my dad’s farm, though. They are free range and definitely not injected with anything. My husband is chief cook in our house (as is Bruce) and on the occasion he cooks fish or poultry, we eat it. But, we don’t eat it as a main course. There may be one chicken breast in a dish that serves five people.

I think that kids should definitely know there are choices and my kids are free to choose. It gives them some power to decide what is right for them. They are healthy and that is what counts!!

In response to meditatingmama’s post:

I agree with you too MM inregards to that children should know the choices and that they are free to choose in whether they want to be.

All my efforts in showing my children that there are options in what they want to be inregards to Meat Eater, Vegetarian and Vegan have paid off.

My 4 little children have experienced all three. They made their decision on New Years Eve when we were having fish and chips at a park. My three youngest wanted to try fish and then after tasting it they decided they didnt want to be Vegans anymore (they were vegans for 6 months) and my eldest daughter decided to that she wanted to be a vegetarian just like her eldest brother.

The only meat we have in the house is lamb and chicken. Kids wont eat mince meat, they prefer eating Protein based Vegetarian Mince. It is their favourite meal of all time.

I am so proud of my youngest daughter Naidene who speaks with confidence that she can be whatever she wants to be! She keeps me in tow inregards to what I am allowed to eat lol. It is really cute when she does that.

In response to Pure Essence’s post:
In response to meditatingmama’s post:
That’s so awesome your children have developed a confident an open minded attitude!

I’m still torn between the idea that if I owned a farm and had clam, healthy animals at one point I would eat them. In many ways I could say yes, but then I also realise that I don’t need to. I’m perfectly healthy as a vegan!

I love that you’re both teaching your children conscious living and eating :)

Found this site today for good veggie dishes