calling all vegetarians

I'm really thinking of becoming one. I just don't know how to start really. The idea of eating meat just turns my stomach lately. It's because of something that I saw....I won't go into details because it's too gross.

Anyhow, I tried to do a search but all I came up with was receipes and stuff like that. Nothing that could help me really get started.
I've already cut back on most beef and pork products. I'm not 100% faithful about not eating beef or pork but I rarely eat it nowadays.

So how did you all get started? Was is hard to cut all meat from your diet? Are there any online groups/sites/messageboards that you know about?( because I haven't been able to find any)

Hi!! always good when someone decides not to eat meat. I haven't eaten meat for over 5 years. No, it's not hard, I just stopped eating it from one day to the next, haven't looked back since. You can eat meat substitutes if you find it too difficult to think up recipes and such. I personally love Quorn and Tivall, their products are really tasty. Quorn is made from mushrooms and Tivall is soja based. They have ready cooked meals but also burgers and such and it should be available in the supermarket. Furthermore you have to watch packets and stuff, lots of times there are meat by products in package soups or sauces. Watch out for animal fats and stuff with gelatine in it, as gelatine comes from ground up bones.
If you have any other questions feel free to ask!

Tash

I am on and off, though would rather be on. One of my NY resolutions.

Convenience and old habits get in the way.

However, the following are sites I like in particular, one is a support group - to boost your enthusiasm

http://www.vegetarianrecipe.com/default.asp

http://www.vrg.org/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vegetarian-support-grp/

Come to the Sainsbury's I work at, I can show you where to get all your vegetarian alternatives!

Seriously, they are like the only thing that I know where they are

Keep On Rockin'

My brother actually got my family to become vegetarian. My mom had quit red meat for about 10 years before, but on Thanksgiving, when my brother was like, 4, Big Bird did a tour of the turkey farm. He asked mom before dinner was served how turkey came from the farm to the table and mom said they had to kill it. He refused to eat meat that night, and we ate a lot of Kraft Mac&Cheese till mom found some vegetarian recipies. Its not that hard to cut meat from your diet at all. We did it overnight, you just need to do it and throw out all your meat products. Finding some good vegetarian recipies helps too. Don't eat anything with eggplant in it in your early vegetarian days. It might actually put you off vegetarianism.

Adrian

Mmmm...eggplant is delicious!

I eggplant aubergine??? I never know what to do with the stuff.. any good recipes, people???

Tash

I've been a vegetarian for a year and a half, now. Actually, I've been a REAL vegetarian for about a year (as soon as I learned that marshmallows contained gelatin and instant ramen had chicken fat). It wasn't all that hard for me. I had always wanted to be a vegetarian, but I never had the guts to do it. When I finally announced to my family that I wanted to be a vegetarian, my mom blew up. It wasn't much of a problem for me to stop eating meat. It was a bigger problem for my mom, who's the cook of the family. Eating out is also sometimes hard.
Some advice I have for you is to try tofu (soy protein). It's actually quite good if you prepare it right. They tend to serve it a lot at oriental restaurnats. Some products that specialize in soy protein are Boca and Garden Burger. They're made to look and taste like meat, and they're pretty good substitutes.

i never tasted meat or eggs in my life i feeeeel good(singing)

My in laws are from Singapore...over there they call eggplant Brinjal
[?spelling]...Jim cuts the eggplant into slices about 1/2" thick, washes it with sea salt, pats it dry, scores the slices - but not the skin [in the same pattern that you see on glazed ham].
He then spreads the slices out on a plate, places in the microwave for about 1 min. [this helps speed up the cooking process]
- heat a small amount of virgin Olive oil in an open frypan...place the slices in, sprinkle with tumeric and/or a good curry powder/paste [if you like curry that is] - sometimes he puts a bit of Paprika on [more for the colour than taste I think]...flip the slices a few times until they are cooked through - the flesh of the eggplant will change colour - becomes sort of opaque - let them drain a bit on paper towels and serve.

He LOVES them.

S.