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MineralMan

(146,116 posts)
50. A vegetarian or vegan diet does not have to be yucky.
Sat Nov 10, 2012, 04:26 PM
Nov 2012

Some people do make yucky food for that diet, but there are so many ways you can go that end up with delicious food that doesn't pretend to be anything else. I've never understood trying to make "spare ribs." Why would anyone want to do that?

My former wife was a vegetarian for a couple of years. Since I always did the cooking, I learned to cook vegetarian. I hate terrible food, so I learned to cook delicious, balanced meals that I could enjoy, too. For a while, we seemed to be entertaining a lot during that period, so I even cooked for groups of vegetarians and shared recipes with others.

It's not that difficult, as long as you forget about trying to duplicate non-vegetarian dishes. Start with good ingredients, combine them in ways that taste good, learn about creating satisfying textures and flavors, and Bob's your uncle.

There are some really good cookbooks, too, but they're not the ones that are the most popular. You have to dig a bit. There are a million great Indian vegetarian recipes, along with Buddhist recipes, and homegrown American recipes, too. I cooked from a variety of international cuisines, and came up with a few of my own inventions, too. The key is flavor and texture. Aroma's matter, too. Umami is very, very important, maybe even the most important in creating satisfaction for those who are eating what you cook.

It was fun. I still make some of the best of those meals, as a change from our regular diet. I even do it for non-vegetarian guests from time to time. It's always fun to get raves for a meal that contains no animal products from people who normally eat meat at every meal.

Yeah glacierbay Nov 2012 #1
Most hunters are fucking morons in my opinion. RebelOne Nov 2012 #5
Good for you glacierbay Nov 2012 #9
You're against hunting even when the meat is eaten and not wasted? SickOfTheOnePct Nov 2012 #22
what a pile of dog shit. cali Nov 2012 #27
I've known some people Aerows Nov 2012 #28
"not everyone can be a vegetarian" Exactly. We are JanMichael Nov 2012 #30
The whole "protein" thing is a myth justiceischeap Nov 2012 #34
I'm sure that stuff is out of the price range of poor folks on food stamps. Odin2005 Nov 2012 #40
Yeah, I can tell you REALLY hate to preach... SickOfTheOnePct Nov 2012 #41
If you're not going to eat meat, why eat stuff made to look like meat? hobbit709 Nov 2012 #59
I have never understood HappyMe Nov 2012 #60
Most PETA types think Bambi is a documentary. Odin2005 Nov 2012 #38
Oh, you again. Odin2005 Nov 2012 #32
What did you bag? glacierbay Nov 2012 #37
6-pointer. Odin2005 Nov 2012 #46
Yummmm glacierbay Nov 2012 #48
LOVE venison chili! Odin2005 Nov 2012 #73
Most people who make blanket generalizations are fucking morons in my opinion. 11 Bravo Nov 2012 #33
Does meat grow in the wild wrapped in plastic on styrofoam trays? ProgressiveProfessor Nov 2012 #55
Oooh, you're the perfect person to ask then. geomon666 Nov 2012 #19
Yes there is a big difference glacierbay Nov 2012 #20
thank you geomon666 Nov 2012 #21
You're welcome glacierbay Nov 2012 #23
One of the best things you can do is find a turkey farmer and preorder your birds in the spring Marrah_G Nov 2012 #24
I'll eat an extra big piece of breast in their honor. nt Comrade_McKenzie Nov 2012 #2
*rolls my eyes* sakabatou Nov 2012 #3
PETA has become a fringe, ridiculous laughing-stock. Nye Bevan Nov 2012 #4
PETA is an archetypal example of upper-middle class "Lifestyle" cultists. Odin2005 Nov 2012 #42
Yes PETA has become quite ridiculous. I give you exhibit A: Initech Nov 2012 #65
Sometimes real life resembles "The Onion" (nt) Nye Bevan Nov 2012 #69
Yup - you just can't make shit up sometimes. Initech Nov 2012 #72
PETA is right. Those turkeys are tortured. It's disgusting BUT JanMichael Nov 2012 #6
A sensible post with which I can agree The Straight Story Nov 2012 #10
I refuse to buy store bought glacierbay Nov 2012 #12
and frankly, wild turkey (and I do mean the bird) JanMichael Nov 2012 #14
I've always found glacierbay Nov 2012 #17
PETA has made that happen, you just don't hear about it justiceischeap Nov 2012 #43
Yep glacierbay Nov 2012 #44
Yes but name one organization that has done more for all animals? justiceischeap Nov 2012 #47
Oh I'm sure they've done some good glacierbay Nov 2012 #49
Nice qualifier Major Nikon Nov 2012 #58
we haven't "considered it." We LIVE it JanMichael Nov 2012 #45
Good grief! HappyMe Nov 2012 #7
Tofurky is over-processed factory food. MineralMan Nov 2012 #8
Tofurkey is a once a year treat JanMichael Nov 2012 #11
I've eaten it. It's not a treat. nt MineralMan Nov 2012 #18
I've tried it too Aerows Nov 2012 #31
A vegetarian or vegan diet does not have to be yucky. MineralMan Nov 2012 #50
heh. I just realized something JanMichael Nov 2012 #36
This is what I think! Aerows Nov 2012 #39
peta is a complete joke. BlueMan Votes Nov 2012 #13
i'll take a pepperoni n/t Enrique Nov 2012 #15
I love PETA. Always so entertaining. Quantess Nov 2012 #16
I once dated a woman who believed plants felt pain too. Maybe we should all just starve to death. Bad_Ronald Nov 2012 #25
If you're my age (50) SickOfTheOnePct Nov 2012 #26
According to PETA, chickens can do basic math. Initech Nov 2012 #29
The math of chickens is all about the twos. MineralMan Nov 2012 #53
Does PETA still use sexist advertising using scantily-clad women? Odin2005 Nov 2012 #35
Oh, good freaking grief. liberalhistorian Nov 2012 #51
As god is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly. n/t Ian David Nov 2012 #52
One of the best WKRP in Cincinnati episodes ever. glacierbay Nov 2012 #54
What about supermodels in cages. Can we cook them? Bucky Nov 2012 #56
To scrawny! whistler162 Nov 2012 #62
Wouldn't get enough meat off them to make worth your while. bluestate10 Nov 2012 #67
If we're talking about LWolf Nov 2012 #57
PETA thread. Sweet. flvegan Nov 2012 #61
I can't stand vegetarian food that's processed to look and taste like meat. cherish44 Nov 2012 #63
Tofurky is fucking nasty argiel1234 Nov 2012 #64
Sorry, no tofu for me, on any day. longship Nov 2012 #66
PETA's a joke. I might take them more seriously if they picked their battles. Proles Nov 2012 #68
Again? nadinbrzezinski Nov 2012 #70
I think pitting children against their parents on a family day is wrong Marrah_G Nov 2012 #71
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