So to answer Kira's question, we are technically OVO-LACTO VEGETARIANS. Which means that we do consume some egg and dairy (Dan drinks cow milk, Heidi and Henry do not). However, I like to think of us as near Vegans (those whom consume no animal products). We eat Vegan I'd say around 80% of the time. The eggs and dairy products that we do consume are Organic, Grain-Feed and Free Range. We know that those are all words and that we are trusting a label, BUT it makes us feel a little better about consuming what animal products we do consume.
We DO NOT however eat any meat/flesh, fish, or animal by-products (gelatin, beef fat, chicken fat, beef broth, chicken broth, lard, fish oil-pretty much anything that would require the animal to be dead in order to eat it). It's actually quite alarming how many animal by-products are placed in processed foods. Moral of that story, don't buy processed foods and then you don't consume crap.
Kira asked what kind of Vegetarian we were because she was confused by the eating sushi part of our last post. See, that is one of the best parts about being Vegetarian-literally nothing is off limits, you can make almost anything Vegetarian or Vegan. Even pot-roast can be made Vegan. If you don't believe me come visit and I'll make it for you!
I digress, back to the sushi. Here are my three top fav veggi sushi rolls that I make ALL the time!
#1. Veggi Roll: (Obviously there are endless possibilities here) Carrots, Avocado, Cucumber, Green Onions, Asparagus, Broccoli....(hint: lightly steam carrots, asparagus, broccoli and then cool before using).
#2. The Christi Roll: (I first had this roll while living in Texas....SO GOOD!!! This is my all time favorite roll). Jalapeno, Avacado and Cream Cheese (this can be made Vegan by replacing the cream cheese with tofu).
#3. The Myla: (OK, this one is named after my dog, but for no other reason than that she was sitting there when I made it). Sauteed Shitake Mushrooms and Onions.
I know that this post is getting a little long, but I wanted to comment on one more thing. This is not a direct shot at Kira's comment (because truly I have no idea how she eats,) but the number one comment we get after someone hears that we are a plant based family is that they immediately say, "Well, I don't really eat that much meat." I almost think that people say that to justify their own eating habits, because deep down they know that they eat too much meat. And statistically they probably do. Americans on average eat 4 times the amount of protein that is recommended, and most of that protein is coming from animal products. Americans eat only 5 percent of calories from fruit, vegetables, beans and unprocessed nuts and seeds. (Joel Fuhrman, M.D; Disease-Proof Your Child 2005)
In our opinion if you are eating meat once a day, you are eating too much meat. This suggestion by Dr. Fuhrman is exactly how we try to eat, "If you choose a limited amount of animal products to be included in your family's diet, I favor eggs over fish or dairy, because of the potential for transmission of chemicals, mercury, and PCBs in the fish and dairy. Eggs, because they are virtually pollution-free would be a favored choice over other animal products to add to an otherwise Vegan diet. If one is to utilize animal products in their family's diet they should only choose low-fat or nonfat varieties of dairy products, if they are included in the diet at all. I recommend substituting nuts, seeds and avocados as the major sources of fat in the diet, instead of diary fat, oils and meat."
Seriously consider how you eat. How much animal products are you really eating? How many whole grains, vegetables and fruits are you really eating? Because chances are you could eat better, we all could.
3 comments:
Too bad you don't live close! You could buy our eggs! We use a rotating pasture system for our chickens, pigs and cows. While we aren't necessarily pro-organic, but we are for sustainable agriculture! Our chickens love the pasture and we supplement with grain. Jo Sallatin has some really good ideas about using and producing your own foods and goods!
To clarify, I honestly and by no standard view myself as a vegetarian. Though I may not have properly clarified it, my "we rarely eat meat" comment was not based on the notion that we are vegetarians, because we are not, but on the idea that I recognize that there is such a wide variety of flavors and textures found in vegetables that we rarely find it necessary to add meat to a meal to add substance or flavor to it, and I do not consider vegetarianism limiting, since I know that we so rarely add meat to our meals, and we eat an incredibly wide and diverse diet.
I love that you have been blogging about this lately! We used to be too poor to afford very much meat, we only had it maybe once a week, and I have found that it really is freeing to not think about what to make with meat. I think that is how a lot of Americans tend to plan their meals. 'Ok, we had chicken the last 2 nights, so what can I make tonight with beef?' And it really is limiting!
So, maybe you are sick of blogging about this topic, but honestly, I have been trying to get our family to a point where we consume a lot more vegetables, beans, and other legumes and less meat!
So I have 2 questions-- the first is silly. I LOVE fruit snacks. They are my favorite treat. Is there anything I can do to replace them, or should I just give them up?
The second is...Where do I start?? I am so interested in cutting out meats and other animal products, but I just don't know where to start! I mean, I attempt to not cook with meat very often, but you had some valid points of how many other animal products we are consuming. So where do I start? And one more thing- what is/are your favorite cookbook(s) and/or blog(s) to help incorporate a wider variety of vegetables and legumes?
Post a Comment