Vegetarians

[Goddess_Clio]

Originally Posted by Melaszka

Can't speak for all vegans, but for me there are two main issues:

(1) The conditions the animals are kept in. A dairy cow may not die to give us milk and a chicken may not die to give us an egg, but if it's kept in cramped, insanitary conditions, I don't want to be a party to its suffering.

You mean unsanitary? Insanitary should be a word, though. That's awesome.

Also, what about free-range dairy products? Eggs from free range chickens, milk from free range cows? I suppose it's a personal preference thing for each vegan (one of the vegans I know will eat dairy and meat products occassionally but only if they are free range or humanely raised) but I personally don't see any issue with eating dairy products from animals that are humanely raised (saw from my backyard neighbors that keep chickens that range all over my yard and squawk all day and night, I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to kill their damn rooster!) Then again, I also don't see the issue with eating meat so I guess i'm not one to talk.

(2) In dairy and egg farming, animals are still slaughtered when they become surplus to requirements. In dairy farming, in particular, male calves are often slaughtered soon after birth, because (for obvious reasons) they are useless to the dairy industry. So, while eating eggs and drinking milk may not directly involve an animal dying, there's often an indirect link.

I can understand that but there's also the argument that deforestation in order to provide farmers with more fields to plant vegetarian crops (as in fruits and vegetables) could (or does??) cause displacement and/or death of animals by the reduction of natural habitat. Human hands might not be the ones doing the killing but we are the reason those animals would die. Unless we wake up tomorrow and the earth's human population has dropped by 50% we will continue to impact animals in a negative way in the quest to feed ourselves whether that be through slaughtering animals to eat them, slaughtering them because they have little to no value to the person raising them (as with male cows at dairy farms) or indirectly causing the deaths of animals through other farming practices.

(Incidentally, dairy farms often sell male calves to beef ranchers rather than simply slaughtering them when they're born. It's more profitable for the dairy farm that way, unless the dairy is also set up as a beef ranch which I've never seen and there are a lot of dairy farms around my area... So it would be up to the beef rancher to decide whether to slaughter the calf for veal or raise them for beef. Either way, yes, the male calves die. But that's the life of a prey animal.)

(I don't mean to incite an argument in this thread, btw, it just seemed the appropriate place to ask that question about vegans since I've never really understood it.)

[Hes]

Let´s take care that this doesn´t turn into a debate thread fit for DoIMC standards and rules.

[Goddess_Clio]

Originally Posted by Hes

Let´s take care that this doesn´t turn into a debate thread fit for DoIMC standards and rules.

Originally Posted by Goddess_Clio

(I don't mean to incite an argument in this thread, btw, it just seemed the appropriate place to ask that question about vegans since I've never really understood it.)

That was never my intention. I'll leave the thread.

[Alastor]

Originally Posted by Goddess_Clio

You mean unsanitary? Insanitary should be a word, though. That's awesome.

After checking what my Concise Oxford has to say about those words (yes, it lists them both with a shadow of a difference in their meanings) I'm inclined to think that 'insanitary' is the right word for what Mealazska wanted to say. :

[merrymarge]

How about eating kelp or other types or seeweed?

[Quickquill]

Originally Posted by HPitty23

So, am I the odd vegetarian who doesn't like veggies all that much? I prefer fruits much, much more. And I can't eat tofu at all; I had a bad experience with it once, and whenever I try to eat it now, I think I'm eating a sponge. Weird, but true. I also can't stand salads, but that's mainly because I dislike dressing so very much (if you couldn't tell, I'm quite the picky eater!). And I'm close to being a vegan, but it's extremely hard for me to give up cheese. I love it sooo much! So, I buy organic cheese, and I always makes sure it doesn't have rennet in it. I recently have developed a love for Greek yogurt as well, after finally finding a brand that doesn't contain any gelatin in it. Oh, and it's been just about a year and a half since I made the switch to being a veggie.

Not everyone likes or can tolerate every food. I hate salad dressings too. Other people sometimes have a hard time understanding why I prefer my salads undressed, but nice fresh salad vegetables are just so nice and crisp and tasty by themselves, and I don't like the texture of limp dressed lettuce.

As far as Tofu goes, I can take it or leave it, but I hate extruded soy protein, and try to avoid it whenever possible. I was vegetarian for a number of years, but before that when I was on a half year program at an Ulpan in Arad (Israel) vegetarians were fed extruded soy protein stew every day as their main protein source. So I decided to remain a meat eater.

There was really no excuse for such culinary laziness. There are many vegetarian dishes here which are well known and loved, like felafel, Humous (chickpea) spread, ful (fava beans), vegetable patties etc. But the cook there didn't want to use his immagination. I love lentil stew. There is a well known Middle Eastern dish called Majedra which is basically lentils and rice with spices. It's delicious, and it's a balanced protein. You cook the lentils and rice separately and then mix them after draining them or cooling them. It can be served hot or cold. Common Middle Eastern spices that can be used are: cumin, turmeric, chervil, parsley, hyssop, garlic, olive oil, sesame seeds are good too but not traditional in majedra. but hey, use your immagination and spice it to your own liking. Pine nuts are also good. (No more than a palmful).

Nuts are also a great protein source, as are mushrooms. Are you aware that olives are a fruit, as are tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers, and carobs.

Originally Posted by sllagnire

I like carrots. They are my favorite veggie. I prefer them raw with dip, but I will eat them just about any way.

I'm with you! My favorite snack when I was little was a carrot. I used to pretend I was Bugs Bunny and gnaw on the carrot out of the side of my mouth and say "...nyeh, what's up Doc?"

I won't say I never tried a vegetable I didn't like, but pretty nearly. There were a couple squashes I didn't care for, like "spaghetti squash" and like I said, I don't really like soy products, and purple peppers tasted too bitter, but most other vegetables I like, as long as they're not over cooked.

Have you ever tried either raw or pickled turnips? - delicious.
I even like radishes, although I'm not too keen on raw onions, and half a chili pepper is my limit.

[ginger1]

I have been a vegetarian for nearly twenty years, and what I find interesting is the way that it's much easier now to get good vegetarian food in pubs and restaurants than say ten years ago. But it does depend on the country! Here in England you would never go hungry, but try asking for a vegetarian meal in Portugal, or even some parts of France, and it is (sometimes) a bit of a problem.

And why oh why do so many vegetarian dishes contain chilli? Does the chef think the dish would be too bland without it? It's a problem for me because I am allergic to chilli, and spend ages in supermarkets reading through the list of ingredients - and in a restaurant it's even worse. When will they realise that we actually like vegetables, and don't need them over-seasoned - or in my case - uneatable!