When I met Sailor Man, he had just returned to the States after living abroad in Japan for two years. Aside form having a rather odd accent (which I discovered was really an “Erie” accent), he also had peculiar eating habits resulting from being a vegetarian. I’m from Michigan where “vegetarians” are small game you use as bait for bigger game, or something you eat when your plans for bigger game fail. So I broke him of that in short order by the cunning use of roast chicken.
Sailor Man has threatened on and off over the years of reverting back to his old ways, something I usually thwart by ordering organic lamb from this farm in in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and it generally succeeds in keeping him from going over to the dark side because Sailor Man really loves his lamb.
However, genetics is having the last laugh. After 7 years of harassment, I finally got Sailor Man to have a cholesterol test. Let me first say that Sailor Man, at 32, is in some damn fine shape. Actually, he’s in as good as shape now than when I met him almost 8 years ago. He runs, lifts weights, stretches, and more often than not, will always order the vegetarian special when eating out. And his cholesterol clocked in at 205, and triglycerides? Well, I’m still a little shell shocked over than one as well.
You see, family history is trumping good health. Grandfather, father, and now son. So of course, we’ve begun mainlining oatmeal and incorporating more red wine into the diet. I suspect though, given family history, this is not something that will go away on its own without the future use of pharmaceuticals.
So here I am in the meantime, at Whole Foods buying hippy food.
I’ve slowly incorporated organic products into our diets for years now, so that is not the issue. The issue is trying to limit the intake of animal fats while not choking on an organic-vegan-tofu-tempeh-meat-substitute-bean-curd-something or other. “Textured Vegetable Protein”? It looks like the byproduct of a horrifically bad sinus infection. “Gluten Free”? Oh, how thoughtful! They removed the Elmer’s Glue from the ingredients and replaced it with something truly inedible! And anything with tempeh reminds me of the time I was in Tunisia and accidentally ordered lamb brains (which were actually tasty until I discovered what they were, my French is minimal at best). Hell, half of the stuff I’m coming across to replace animal protein has the texture and consistency of building material. I’m trying to eat here people, not build a hut!
This is not me trying to find an excuse not to go vegetarian. I see the logic in it and I’m all for it, it’s just I really also need my food to taste like food and the organic-vegan-silkened-tofu-chocolate-creme pie that tasted like chocolate flavored rubber hosing is not going to win me over. And we’re both athletes. We need our protein. Lot’s of it.
Over the years, we’ve cut carbs, cut salt, cut out processed food, reduced portions, limited drinking, reduced processed wheat, lowered saturated fats, and lowered calories. So clearly, we’ve got the reduction/elimination thing down. But what exactly does that leave you with at the end of the day?
I’ll tell you, having to learn a completely different style of eating. And it suuuuuuuuuuuucks.
7 comments
Comments feed for this article
January 22, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Emma
I was a vegetarian for a while, so perhaps I can help a bit, but both andrea (who has commented on your blog) and her husband are vegetarians, so she can probably help even more.
I like Morningstar Farms’ products (fake chicken patties, fake burgers, fake sausage, etc.) I’ve found that the big grocery stores have a better selection of Morningstar Farms products than does the Whole Foods Coop.
We also eat a lot of meatless pasta dishes.
One of these days, I’m going to go back to my vegetarian ways and take Al kicking and screaming along with me. But first, I have to get some vegetarian cooking lessons from Andrea. 😉
January 22, 2008 at 3:09 pm
inmate1972
I love Morningstar products but they tend to be a little high in salt. Their “chicken” patties are amazing but at 20-30% of your daily salt intake wrapped up in one pattie, ehhhhhh, I’m hesitant to make it a part of my daily regime.
Thanks for the info!
January 22, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Emma
I never paid much attention to the salt content. That kinda sucks.
January 22, 2008 at 6:14 pm
inmate1972
Yeah, but they’re still better than most.
January 22, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Melissa
The best non-meat burger is one constructed from black beans. I’ll have to find a recipe for that to post. TVP is good when cooked in chili, tacos, or sloppy joes. Tempeh is loaded with protein and tastes very good if you saute it in a skillet with mixed vegetables, soy sauce, and a little crushed pineapple for sweetness. Seitan also makes a mean sandwich and is best if you make it from scratch (again, I need to post a recipe). Tofu, well…tofu I’m not as fond of as a main dish. It makes a decent addition to Indian mutter – you use it as the sans-dairy “paneer.” Speaking of that…Indian food has some potential. Has loads of good carbs and good fiber in it.
January 22, 2008 at 6:56 pm
andrea
Andrea here! I’ve been a vegetarian for the most part for twenty plus years. I know it’s difficult to find meat substitutes if you are not used to the texture. I sometimes get frustrated when I think about how processed protein substitutes are but I won’t eat meat again. Part of the process is learning to cook with it. As far is tofu is concerned, Whole Foods has extra firm tofu and that is good for stir fries and the like. You can either cut it into cubes or strips or crumble it up in a sesame carrot tofu dish. Likewise, there are pre-marinated tofus that are very firm and you can cube them or eat them whole. You might still have the problem with the texture. Also, if you like the Morningstar brand, check out Quorn at Whole Foods. We like the cutlets and put barbecue sauce or marinade on it and then grill it. You can also try beans and leafy green vegetables as good sources of iron and protein.
Obviously, meat substitutes will never be the same as real meat. I never like meat so it wasn’t hard to give it up. If you have any questions about cooking veggie, feel free to email me and I can probably come up with more ideas. Right now this comment is waaaaaaayyyyyyyy too long!
January 22, 2008 at 8:02 pm
inmate1972
I’m as auto-didactic as the next schlub, but I’m thinking I need to take a class for this.
Thank you all for the advice!