Sunday, 30 November 2008

  • From the Momaroo Vault: Pancakes Made My Family Vegetarians

    Editor's Note: Over the holiday weekend we'll be featuring one post a day from the Momaroo Vault (aka archives).

    Mama Fox by Mama Fox

    Warning: This may be extremely silly to you. This also may prove that I am indeed insane. Either way, this is my story.

    All stories must have a beginning. This one starts way back in the day. Since I was a little girl, I've been a compassionate animal lover. For a brief few months, I told everyone that I was going to be a veterinarian. It made sense. I loved animals and wanted to work with them and to a 5 year old, that was my conclusion. It didn't take me long to realize that I absolutely cannot handle sick and injured animals. Not to mention the sight of blood. So revised, I want to be a zookeeper. (That still is my dream. I'll be one some day.)

    Along with my love for animals came my finickiness with food. I refuse to eat meat that even partially resembles what it looked like when it was alive. Completely forget about trying to get me to eat something I saw when it WAS alive. I will not eat meat off of a bone. I get nauseated at the thought of my husband's medium rare stakes. Don't even get started on Thanksgiving turkey. I cooked one once... I'm still traumatized. 

    I did have one huge if irrational fear. Being a small child, I didn't understand that chickens lay eggs, fertilized or not. So every time I made something with eggs or watched some one crack eggs, I was completely terrified that one would have a baby chick in it. This wasn't just a little concern, it was to phobia point. I couldn't handle the thought that a poor innocent DEVELOPED chick died.

    As I grew older I learned the truth about the eggs from the grocery store. Chickens kept in crates stacked to the barn ceiling and then the process those eggs go through and are checked to make sure no baby chicks make it to my fridge. (Saw that once on Discovery Channel's "How It's Made") While I understood about it, I still had/have a small fear of finding a chick.

    I've been teetering on the edge of vegetarianism for years. Even had a brief stint of no meat in high school (I gave up for my love of Big Macs even though I'm not so sure that McDonalds uses real meat...). You would think with all my issues with eating meat and my passionate at times debates about how animals are treated before they become food I would have made this decision a long time ago. I would have... if it wasn't for my husband. He loves meat. He wants me to cook meat for his dinner. So to make it easier on myself, I cooked and ate meat along with him. I just tried not to think about it too much. I didn't eat much meat, I usually left more of the meat for Papa Fox anyway.

    Last night, I was pushed WAY over the edge. I was getting things together to make pancakes (breakfast for dinner night). I pulled my carton of farmer's market eggs from the fridge. I picked up an egg and saw something. Looked a bit closer and I saw a few small cracks... with feathers. OH. MY. GOD. I put the egg down quickly and put my head in the sink. I couldn't process it. My mind completely shut down to protect what little of my sanity I have. Papa Fox came in to see what the problem was while I ran into our bathroom.

    Thankfully I didn't throw up (really wanted to) AND it turned out to be a false alarm. Papa Fox examined the egg and discovered it was just a few feathers stuck to the shell and made it look like it was cracked... He even cracked it into the bowl to make sure it was safe before I came out to see. But HOLY BEJEEBIES! I slept awful last night because I couldn't stop thinking about it. I still don't think Papa Fox understands why that was such a big deal.

    While I made pancakes, I shouted to the living room "That's it! I'm vegetarian!" ... "Are you serious?" ... "Damn straight I am." That was my declaration to my redneck carnivore husband. After dinner we sat down and discussed where we go from here. I will no longer eat meat (including eggs...) and will possibly be headed towards being vegan. I talked with the boys and they are with me on my no meat journey. They don't really like meat anyway so I saw that coming. Fox3 gets a majority of his food from the boob so he's on my side too.

    I am okay with cooking meat, provided it follows my guidelines. I will not see it while it resembles a living thing (this will be a big rule when Papa Fox starts hunting). I will not handle anything that is bloody. I will not be cooking a turkey for Thanksgiving. I will not buy eggs ever again. (I'm on the hunt for a good egg replacer. I mainly use eggs for baking so it shouldn't be difficult.) But I will cook meat on the side for Papa Fox to add to his dinner. I already cooked up a pound of ground turkey to have in the fridge. All he has to do is reheat as much as he wants for dinner and add it to the dinners I make.

    This will save us money and save my sanity. And HEY! I'm not the only one with a weird reason to going veggie. A friend of ours is vegetarian because a friend of his bet him a case of beer he couldn't go a month without meat. He did then realized (probably as he was drinking his beer) that he didn't miss meat at all. I laughed really hard when I heard that story. I emailed this friend last night to ask for some recipes. His wife is not vegetarian so I'm sure what he cooks makes them both happy (Yes he does the cooking). He made spinach enchiladas for the fiesta they had during Spanish week at the academy and Papa Fox came home raving about how good it was. I have that recipe but haven't had a chance to make it yet. I'm going to pick up a couple vegetarian/vegan cook books from the library this weekend.

    So, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.With the exception of my husband, we are a vegetarian family now.

    I'm sure you've thought about being a vegetarian at least once in your life - What would make you a vegetarian? 

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Comments (93)

  • lissalinn@xanga

    I understand the thing with the egg. I've had that happen before except it wasn't that it looked like it was cracked but that it was fertilized. I also didn't know until I was in mid-pour into the bowl.
  • HeartOfPandora@xanga

    I suggest Veganomicon, by the authors of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World.  Veganomicon is far better, though, and all of the recipes are simple and easy to make, not to mention quick!  A must get.  :]  Good luck!

    Also, be extremely careful to read labels!  Things that have no reason to include chicken, may in fact, include dried chicken fat.  Like certain kinds of rice flavouring.  Don't ask me why rice needs chicken fat, I have no idea.  >.>
  • myfate22@xanga

    I've been veg for about 3 years now....it kind of snuck up on me. I don't do it becuase it is an animal though. I believe that is part of their purpose on earth. I just don't want it....that simple. My boyfriend is a huge meat eater and he also does most of the cooking. We do alot of mexican and chinese food since it is easily made either way. When he cooks out I get a portabello mushroom to make a sandwich out of.


    Just make sure you are getting protein and make sure it is a complete protein (tons of info online so I won't go into it). Talk to the doctor about the kids nutrition. I know kids can eat a vegetarian diet and be fine but you have to be more careful with them since they are growing.


    The biggest issue I face is that people assume they can stuff you with pasta and salads. Just be mindful if you are eating with others to make sure you have something. It really isn't that bad. I don't like the idea of people going out of their way for me at parties so I don't publicize it. I eat what I can and if I'm still hungery have a snack when I get home.


    Congrats on your decision. I understand where you are coming from.
  • filtered_sunlight@xanga

    I went through a good couple of months earlier in pregnancy where my stomach just couldn't handle meat. I could still prepare it (and did for Tim) but eating it would make me sick. We still eat the occasion vegetarian meal. I have a few good recipes I'll have to type up and post soon. The pasta I made a few days ago came out awesome.
  • JuniWolfspirit@xanga

    Congratulations! The road to vegetarianism and veganism is an exciting
    one fraught with surprises and self-discovery. Fortunately, now that
    going green is a huge fad, there are loads of wonderful (free)
    vegetarian recipes online that you can find through Google. I'm making
    a vegan lasagna for a potluck with tofu instead of cheese.


    I went vegetarian because, like you, I've been an animal lover ever
    since I was very very young, and my best friend going veg finally
    pushed me into it during my junior year in high school. Now I've been
    vegan for nearly two years.


    And I am, by the way, from Texas, so I completely understand where
    you're coming from with the husband. No one in my family with the
    exception of my "out there" brother really understands why a person
    would want to stop eating meat or dairy, or anything they were raised
    on.


    Have fun! =)
  • mamamonkey

    I have to say that I am a 100% down home Wisconsin meat and potatoe lover. Don't get me wrong, I love animals - but I have not fond connections to cows and I love steak! Though I have alway had a hang up with handling raw meat....I hate doing it.


    Good for you though. I know that it is a good healthy choice to make...it just isn't for me I guess. (Does that make it sound like I don't want to be healthy? hmm....)


    Hope it goes well for you. And I have always had that irrational fear that a chick may be in the egg I crack open.

  • mamafox

    @mamamonkey - .... or a gecko...

    I've learned far more about eggs then I cared to know today. I shall post about it.

  • iLLuSiVe_ViEt@xanga

    You can buy Egg Beaters next to the eggs. It comes in a carton (like a milk carton) so you never have to be afraid of cracking open an egg ever again :]
  • Kates533@xanga

    Sorry, I love meat a lot, and it doesn't bother me to handle it raw... I grew up in an area that has a lot of farms, so eating meat is pretty normal for me. I don't think I've ever had the thought of being a vegetarian.

  • hopesonehope@xanga

    laughs

    AND add this rule!  there are now meat and NO MEAT pans in your home

    trust me a veggie that is with a meat and potato man

    love
    t
  • MEluvCH@xanga

    Wow!  What a story!  While I am not vegetarian, I cannot eat red meat or eggs--not sure if it's an iron or protein intolerence but I still eat poultry and fish.  My husband adapted pretty easily to my not cooking red meat--he still eats it when we go out and he'll buy some over the summer months when he grills.  But I don't miss it--turkey has become so easily adaptable: ground, burgers, bacon, even ham!  But I do sometimes eat vegetarian items and that doesn't phase me either.  But I do crave turkey burgers...  I admire your family (even your husband)!

  • goodgirl_196@xanga

    I should say, straight out, that I'm not Vegan/Vegetarian but I am in the process of reading a book titled "Skinny Bitch" which is all about the "grossness" of all the foods that American's consume on a daily basis. In the book all types of foods are explained (meat, dairy, sugar, etc.), with plenty of research to back up their claim of how E-V-I-L those foods are though it does NOT read like some boring educational book. 

    Anyways, the authors of that book wrote a cook book that's full of Vegan menus--desserts, dinners, snacks, etc. In case you're interested it's called, "Skinny Bitch in the Kitch". If you read it, or their first book, I'd love to hear what you think but I should warn you to read it with an open mind because there's a ton of information to digest--no pun intended.
  • Thirteenhearts@xanga

    Good luck!! It was pretty easy for me to become vegetarian, and have been for about 3 1/2 years now. Im never going back to meat lol

    One day I had a realization about the way the animals I was eating were being treated and that was it. No more meat.

    My fiance, on the other hand, LOVES meat and even works at his family's restaurant which is also a deli....Ive helped him become healthier in his eating habits, but Im not going to try forcing him to give up meat the same way I did... If he gives it up completely, good for him and Ill be very happy about that decision. If not, Ill still love him ;)

    (The only issue I have with him eating meat is when he eats a juicy steak and kisses me afterwards....ewww lol)
  • ElliottStrange@xanga

    I have no qualms with vegetarianism as a lifestyle, it's totally cool with me. I just worry when parents raise their children to be vegetarians. Not only does it restrict the range of possible useful life experiences (knowing how to hunt/kill/clean an animal in emergencies) but it is absolutely essential that growing children receive requisite levels of protein.
    Don't give me that nonsense about vitamin supplements either; that's a horrible thing to do to a child. 
  • AgentOrangeSkiesXx@xanga

    I went semi-vegetarian when I was about 4 just because the sight of meat is disgusting [I woulda been full but my dad lied to me and said mcdonalds chicken nuggets weren't really chicken...] and I've been a full vegetarian since 5th grade. Anddd for baking without eggs, A good replacer is half a mashed up banana for each egg. :]

  • cbprice24@xanga

    @ElliottStrange@xanga - But how many kids are taught how to hunt an animal in an emergency anyway? Not many in America, not anymore, and it's not just the vegetarians.

    Just like some other posters, I would be most concerned about running this by your kids' doctor(s) to make sure you can give them the protein, iron, etc that they will need.
  • ElliottStrange@xanga

    @cbprice24@xanga - Not enough children, that's for damn sure. I know if I was going to have kids they'd know how to do it. It's a shame more people are prepared for the worst.
  • methodElevated@xanga

    I think arrow root is the general go-to egg substitute for vegans.
  • gratefulgrapefruit@xanga

    I have a few horror egg stories too.

    Every crack open an egg just to have a bunch of red liquid come out?
  • klbalikes

    Your post was wonderful to read.  It is so great to hear about people following their conscience even when it means going against the grain. I think there are more people than imaginable who have a personal conviction about not eating animal products because they know in their heart of hearts that it is wrong.  But because it is so accepted in our American society and in so many other society's to kill and eat animals, many people will go along with the flow even if it goes against personal convictions.

    From every stand point, the vegan lifestyle makes sense.  From a health perspective, veganism tops the carnivore diet by unlimited proportions.  There are so many health benefits it is unreal.  People say it is hard to be healthy and vegan, but in reality, it is hard to be healthy no matter what diet you are on if you aren't putting thought into what you are putting in your mouth.  I guarantee you there are many more unhealthy carnivores than vegans or vegetarians if for no other reason than because there are more carnivores.

    I have to laugh to myself when people caution you about getting enough protein.  I did a little research to support what I already knew.  Vegetable protein is so much more usable to our bodies than proteins from cooked foods such as meats because at least 40% of animal proteins are unusable to the body.  In actuality, the raw vegan diet is the prescribed diet for humans as you will learn if you ever read "Skinny Bitch" as someone else already recommended.  Plus, more people get too much protein than not enough in America.  If you want to see protein deficiency, go to Africa where the children are starving.

    Doctors that understand and support any diet other than the SAD (standard american diet) are hard to come by.  Doctors have minimal nutritional training as part of their education and therefore are relying solely on what other fields such as nutritionists have "discovered" to be supposedly healthy.  Always remember, "broad the road to destruction, but narrow the gate to life  and few find it" (Matthew 7:13-14)

    An excellent book I want to recommend for you and your family is "Raw Kids: Transitioning Children to a Raw Food Diet" by Cheryl Stoycoff.

    There is also the environmental aspect of veganism and of course, the thing that moved you to the diet, compassion for animals.  There are a growing number of resources out there.  Keep up the good fight!

  • klbalikes

    Oh, one more thing I forgot.  Morning Star makes an egg substitute.  I haven't tried it because the stores don't carry it locally.  If you don't already know, Morning Star is a leader in making artificial meat and meat substitutes from vegetables and other stuff.  I think some may contain animal products though, just not the meat itself.  Hope this helps!
  • Tormlen@xanga

    I've been vegetarian for about seven months and I don't see myself going back.  I never liked meat much, aside from chicken, and a bunch of my friends are vegetarian.  It's a great lifestyle, and this is Corporate America, your kids don't need to know how to hunt animals, sorry.  We've progressed far past the hunter and gatherer stages.
  • BurnSoBrightQuotes@xanga

    When I grow older, I plan to become a lacto vegetarian. The lifestyle is so much healthier and I've always been opposed to the way the animals are slaughtered. Even if vegetarianism doesn't turn out to be for me, I'll know that for sure. I don't really eat that much meat now anyways, but since I'm only sixteen I think I'd find it too difficult to be the only one out of a family of five. Also, I haven't been the biggest fan of beans or legumes and I know I'd need to eat tons of them for protein and iron. I'm sure I can get over my dislikes, though, just to know that my body would be less likely to develop cancer, heart disease, or other life-threatening conditions.
  • thislittlegirl18@xanga

    haha this made me laugh.


    When I was in...7th grade, about 6 years ago, I was horribly in love with Orlando Bloom. Horribly. As you may or may not know, Orlando Bloom is a vegetarian. For me and my obsessive friend, that was a good enough reason to become vegetarian too. And although I fell out of love once I hit high school, I remained vegetarian until pretty recently. It was just healthier and most of the time, better. My recent fallout is more due to convenience and the fact that I spend more time oustide the comforts of my home and in the meat eating lands of my friends homes. It's more respectful, I guess.

  • xiaosnowtenshi@xanga

    Chinese vegetarian food is extremely good, there's a wide variety. In fact, I like imitation ham a lot more than real ham. So if it weren't for the fact that I love seafood, I could probably go vegetarian without a problem. 

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    • From: momaroo
    • Posted: 11/30/2008 7:35 PM

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