Forums: March 2010 Kickstart Forum Archive: Carni-carbovore needs help
Created on: 03/17/10 10:07 AM Views: 2550 Replies: 13
edslattery Joined: 03/17/10 Posts: 4	Carni-carbovore needs help Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 10:07 AM What can you do for a carnivore who doesn't like vegetables? I am a philosphical vegan but don't like the veggies. I am putting vegetables like lettuce and peppers on sandwiches and my wife hides vegetables in sauces and I will eat veggies in foreign dishes more readily than American dishes. The issue for me is texture probably more than taste. I would love to reduce meat and increase fruits and vegetables in my diet but at nearly 54 it is hard to change my behavior. Any thoughts or recipes for someone like me? Ed
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LaniMuelrath Joined: 12/30/09 Location: California Posts: 557	RE: Carni-carbovore needs help Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 10:25 AM edslattery wrote: What can you do for a carnivore who doesn't like vegetables? I am a philosphical vegan but don't like the veggies. I am putting vegetables like lettuce and peppers on sandwiches and my wife hides vegetables in sauces and I will eat veggies in foreign dishes more readily than American dishes. The issue for me is texture probably more than taste. I would love to reduce meat and increase fruits and vegetables in my diet but at nearly 54 it is hard to change my behavior. Any thoughts or recipes for someone like me? Ed Ed, yes you can change your tastes. I know countless other before you who have done same. Start with the veggies you DO like. There must be one or two! Don't be afraid of starches, whole grains, starchy veggies and the like to "beef" up your non-carni meals. If you are a carbovore, this should be easy! Here is a great way to slip in more veggies - again, start with those that you like. Pile on the whole grains and beans and you have great potential! Veggie wrap Also, if you get a chance, read Rip's Engine 2 Diet: Engine 2 Diet This delivers LOTS of ideas and convincing strategies to get you busy at changing those tastes! Cheers, Lani Lani Muelrath, M.A. CGFI, CPBN the Plant-Based Fitness Expert McDougall Health & Medical Center 5 Minute Fitness & Plant-based Blueprint www
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essie Joined: 02/26/10 Posts: 163	RE: Carni-carbovore needs help Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 11:00 AM Ed, have you tried seitan? It's chewy and savory, usually comes with a broth that can be made into gravy. In fact, some vegetarians find it too meaty. Might help you transition. Look for it in the refrigerated section, near the tofu. You can also make it from scratch fairly easily, with the "Vital Wheat Gluten" flour in the baking aisle, by Arrowhead Mills. Vegan Dad has a bunch of very good recipes for it: http://vegandad.blogspot.com Mushrooms, especially giant portobello caps grilled whole, like a steak or burger, and sliced shiitakes are also nice. I put mushrooms in fajitas and tacos and all kinds of things where meat used to go. Veggie burgers may also help satisfy. There are lots of vegan options--I like Sunshine Burger, but they're more like a veggie cake, so maybe not ideal for you right now. Boca's original is vegan, Amy's makes several vegan ones. Field Roast grain sausages (seitan, basically) are very very good, even on the grill. Whole Foods and health food stores carry these. Hope some of those ideas help. Good luck!
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edslattery Joined: 03/17/10 Posts: 4	RE: Carni-carbovore needs help Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 11:03 AM Thanks you for that feedback. Has anyone personally been in my shoes and successfully moved away from meat and carbs- especially simple carbs? I'd like to hear from you too. Ed
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cyclingmarge Joined: 03/01/10 Location: Seattle Posts: 31	RE: Carni-carbovore needs help Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 11:06 AM you say you don't like the texture? too chewy or too soft?
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edslattery Joined: 03/17/10 Posts: 4	RE: Carni-carbovore needs help Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 12:12 PM I feel like I have to chew raw vegetables way too long, i.e. carrots. I don't like vegetables by themselves, except a chopped salad with just a hint of dressing like vinagrette(sp?) or honey mustard. I eat vegetables in rice or pasta, cous cous, quinoa, etc if cut up small enough, though I hate peas. I know, just grow up right. Well I've tried that but fail miserably. A Ph.D. Economist with a responsible job, four kids, all doing well, and I have this vegetable thing I've been fighting all my life. It really does go back to childhood when veggies were literally forced down my throat. They couldn't make me keep them down though. Unfortunately, I am the one who is suffering with high blood pressure, sleep apnea, high triglycerides, and an early appointment with St. Peter or someone else. There' my rant. Ed
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DrDons Joined: 01/11/10 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 17	RE: Carni-carbovore needs help Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 12:44 PM I would some thoughts to the other excellent suggestions: First, try eating some fresh vegetables that are crispy and not chewy... red peppers, carrots, etc. Second, get a good recipe for roasted vegetables. These aren't chewy and with a good topping is one of our favorite dishes. Third, get a VitaMix or other good blender and blend the vegetables into a drink. Lastly look for some good recipes that incorporate cut up leafy greens(kale,chard, etc.), many chili recipes have them. Don't be afraid to experiment and don't beat up on yourself while you are learning... it is a journey not a destination as the saying goes. I was never a vegetable person so can identify with you and am stilling looking for good ways to eat beets and brussel sprouts. However now I eat a lot of vegetables and love them besides they have the lowest calorie density so help us move toward healthier body fat content. Good luck on your journey. Getting meat and dairy out of your diet will have terrific health benefits... lower risks of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer, etc., any doubts read T. Colin Campbells book, The China Study. Be well. Don www
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MsJD2011 Joined: 03/17/10 Posts: 4	RE: Carni-carbovore needs help Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 12:49 PM I feel the same way regarding the need for meat. I love veggies. I always have. The problem is that I also love meat. I can live without everything but turkey and fish. I crave it so badly. I did very well the first week or so then the cravings kicked in. The more I stayed away from meat the more I wanted cheese. Needless to say I fell off the bandwagon. I felt hungrier than ever and actual began having flu like symptoms. This is a lot mroe difficult than I expected. I am going to focus more on progress and less on perfection but I dont know if I am ever going to be able to go vegan. Ugh.
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MsJD2011 Joined: 03/17/10 Posts: 4	RE: Carni-carbovore needs help Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 12:49 PM I feel the same way regarding the need for meat. I love veggies. I always have. The problem is that I also love meat. I can live without everything but turkey and fish. I crave it so badly. I did very well the first week or so then the cravings kicked in. The more I stayed away from meat the more I wanted cheese. Needless to say I fell off the bandwagon. I felt hungrier than ever and actual began having flu like symptoms. This is a lot mroe difficult than I expected. I am going to focus more on progress and less on perfection but I dont know if I am ever going to be able to go vegan. Ugh.
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TexGal Joined: 02/25/10 Location: Texas Posts: 111	RE: Carni-carbovore needs help Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 12:55 PM Ed, age 54 is NOT too old to change! I am closer to 60 than to 50, and was not much of a vegetable eater either until beginning this vegan journey. Like you, I had spinach and broccoli practically forced down my throat as a kid, so I have been re-training my tastes too. I don't much like really crunchy raw veggies (carrots, celery, etc), except in salads and cut up small. But I am enjoying lightly steamed or stir fried veggies, either alone or over rice, noodles, etc. I haven't yet started sauteing in water instead of oil, but that is another step to cut down even more on the fat. Like others have said, find the things you do like and focus on those and don't beat yourself up if you don't like brussels sprouts! It is also an adjustment to think of potatoes and other high carb foods as "good" instead of "bad." Just takes a different viewpoint. Try a baked potato toppped with vegan chili or beans and salsa, and a side salad. Or spaghetti with a meatless marinara sauce. Lots of ideas on this website and others. Good luck!
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kvhpkh Joined: 03/01/10 Posts: 30	RE: Carni-carbovore needs help Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 5:17 PM I'm hearing that you don't want to give up meat altogether but, reduce meat and increase your veggies/fruit. That's pretty much where I am at at this point. Perhaps this might be a place to start - I've been thinking about it myself: Have you heard of the book, "Deceptively Delicious" and "The Sneaky Chef"? One of the Sneaky Chef books is entitled, "How to Cheat on Your Man (In the Kitchen!): Hiding Healthy Foods in Hearty Meals Any Guy Will Love" These books show the cook how to puree veggies and then "hide" veggies in the meal so you can't notice them. Examples (from the Deceptively Delicious book) include: Chocolate Pudding (hides avocado), Buttered Noodles (hides yellow squash) Oatmeal (hides pumpkin) and Burgers (hides cauliflower or carrot). There is also a book called "The Gradual Vegetarian" which helps you make the transition. edslattery wrote: What can you do for a carnivore who doesn't like vegetables? I am a philosphical vegan but don't like the veggies. I am putting vegetables like lettuce and peppers on sandwiches and my wife hides vegetables in sauces and I will eat veggies in foreign dishes more readily than American dishes. The issue for me is texture probably more than taste. I would love to reduce meat and increase fruits and vegetables in my diet but at nearly 54 it is hard to change my behavior. Any thoughts or recipes for someone like me? Ed
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essie Joined: 02/26/10 Posts: 163	RE: Carni-carbovore needs help Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 5:26 PM Another suggestion: if you like chili...you can put any vegetables into a spicy tomato-based bean chili. Zucchini, carrots, fresh or frozen spinach, mushrooms, corn, mild as well as hot peppers. There's a restaurant near me that even puts in cauliflower. It's all about the chile spice anyway and you can cook the veggies soft. Blended soups with creamy textures are a good suggestion someone had, if you don't like chewing. And you can double them as pasta sauces. Marinara sauce is another place you can get in extra veggies--cook them soft and blend them first, then add to the tomato sauce as you cook or heat it. Natala at Vegan Hope blog has written a few times about her husband, who went vegan despite being actually allergic to most vegetables. But he was determined to do it. They even did a piece on him in VegNews! Good luck, Ed. I hope you come to love vegetables someday soon, and start swooning in the produce section like the rest of us.
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healthynell Joined: 01/01/10 Posts: 31	RE: Carni-carbovore needs help Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 10:41 PM Ed, I have yet to meet a roasted vegetable I didn't like...even Brussels sprouts! The thing about roasting them in the oven at a high temperature (around 450 for me) is that it brings out the natural sweetness in them. They are soooo delicious! I start with 10 minutes with most veggies before I check them and then flip them over for another 10 or so minutes. (Potatoes usually take a little longer.) Also make sure they lay on a cookie sheet in a single layer with none of them on top of one another.
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edslattery Joined: 03/17/10 Posts: 4	RE: Carni-carbovore needs help Posted Thursday, March 18, 2010 at 10:03 AM You are all so kind and understanding. I will start with a few recipes that look good and move on from there. I figure every fruit/veggie I eat, the less of the other stuff I'll eat so that's all to the good.
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