Help me out here!

First, please don't judge me. Here's the deal.

You may have read my posts in the parenting and women's forums about vegetarianism. If you did, for the moment, for the purpose of this conversation, disregard what I said.

I was raised vegetarian. I was vegetarian most of my life. So, even though for a few years I ate meat, I have always been super squeamish and I have never eaten much of it. Some of the vegan food I was raised on made me feel really sick. Like TVP and lentils. When I eat those things I feel super sick for a couple of days.

DON'T READ THE NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU'RE SUPER SQUEAMISH!

So, here's the deal. The other day I was in China Town in San Francisco. My mom and brothers are still veg and for years we have bought turtles in China Town and released them. It's a tradition. So, my mom and I took my kids to buy some turtles to release. If you've ever been to meat markets in China Town, well, it's not for people with a weak stomach. We saw all the live animals crowded into bins. I'll just stop there. Anyway, this time, nobody would sell us live turtles. They all said that they would only sell us one if they could slaughter it first. My kids were horrified. I was horrified. We begged and pleaded. We asked nicely. No deal.

So....even when I haven't been a veg I have eaten mostly veg, but I have been an omnivore for a while. After that happened last week, I can't do it. I am grossed out. But here's the thing. A lot of times I don't make any meat anyway until my kids ask for it. I have tried in the past to get them into mock meat. They'll eat it sometimes. They were shaken by what they saw in China Town, but they still want meat.

Can people in this forum, in a kind, friendly, supportive, not angry, not judgemental, way please direct me to places on the web where I might find vegetarian and vegan recipes that my kids would eat? I want my family to feel nourished and well fed and good about what we eat.

Thanks so much.

 

Also, I have checked out the sticky with the link to the vegetarian recipes in the munchies forum. Those are great. Are there any parents on here that have ideas about or links to good stuff that picky kids like?


You know, I only have vegetarian cookbooks, but kids are so picky.

 

I don't know what to suggest for feeding your kids, but your 'turtle releasing' tradition is great! I can just picture the relieved little reptiles swimming out to sea! What a great memory for your kids(if you were allowed to buy live ones!)

 

http://vegweb.com/ <-- you can find a recipe for absolutley anything you could want to make the vegan way. I think there is some sort of kid picks section too.

I am NOT trying to insult you here because i think the turtle idea is great, but what sort of turtles are these? and where do you release them? Introduction of a non-native speaice can really wreck an ecosystem. I am sorry your children had to see that.

 

I don't own it but I heard that there's a cookbook called "Vegetarian recipes for Meat Eaters" or something like that. Your kids might like something where they won't feel so different eating it. Also, I hate to sound like I'm advocating "tricking" your kids but maybe you could just substitute a Boca burger for a real one...kids usually can't tell the difference. You could always implement the "don't ask don't tell policy". I can't see too many kid's saying "excuse me, is this a Boca burger or did it come from a cow?"

 

Thank you so much for the link!

That's a good question. You know, I don't know what the name of the species is, but I know what they look like. Buddhists have been doing this for a long time in San Francisco, so this particular kind already lives in Golden Gate Park, and who knows where else. It's my understanding that some people believe that releasing one on your birthday will bring you long life. I don't know if that's a Chinese belief, or a Buddhist belief, or both, or what.

The next day we were in Golden Gate Park and we saw a lot of those same turtles swimming around, living it up. That was in the arboretum, which is a carefully managed set of little examples of ecosystems from around the world, so I know that they're not being allowed to destroy that part of the park. People have been releasing these turtles in SF for many years.

It is a really fun experience. My kids love animals. It was weird because when we went to the park the next day we weren't thinking about seeing the turtles, but there they were. And those huge goldfish that grow so large when people release them, too. My kids enjoyed seeing them sunning and swimming after what they'd seen in Chinatown.

 

I tried to reply to this but I accidentally right clicked on some magical thing that makes my computer suddenly stupid. I'll try again.

I have always been squeamish, so at my house if they want a hot dog, a burger, or sausage, they're pretty much getting the veg version anyway, even before this hapened. They're used to boca burgers, and smart dogs. They can definitely tell the difference, though. I have never totally gotten used to the 'real' versions of those things, so at least they're already familiar with the veg versions.

I can't afford to eat those all the time, though. That book sounds like a good idea.

 

Thanks for your support. Thanks for the ideas, too. I really appreciate it.

I was raised vegetarian, vegan for a good part of that. I lived in intentional community situations, etc, growing up. I just dealt with so many people who said "You must do it this way" or "This is the only right way" and tried to shove their particular dietary quirks down people's throats, including mine. Plus, this was in the era of homemade tofu, etc. No Boca Burgers. No Rice Dream. I have health problems and I didn't thrive.

Now I really don't dig it when people get mad at me about what I eat. I was never anti-vegetarian. I always ate mostly vegetarian. It just really pushes my buttons when people get in my face about THE RIGHT WAY to eat. I think it has a lot to do with how I was raised.

I have a teenage brother, as I have mentioned in other threads, who is an angry vegan. He can work 'why everyone but me is evil' and descriptions of animal cruelty into discussions about the weather. I have tried to tell him that he would convert more people if he were a groovy vegan who was healthy and happy and maybe even a good cook, but he can't hear me because he's yelling. I think he just needs to get laid. (Which could be dangerous, because he's like 5' 10" and 75 pounds.) He can't even cook toast, either.

So, now that I can't bring myself to eat meat anymore, I aspire to be a nice, healthy, positive vegetarian. Thanks for your help.

I also have to take into account that sometimes I have to rely on uncooked or microwaveable foods because of my epilepsy. Sometimes I just shouldn't be cooking these fantastic sounding meals that require the stove and oven. It depends on how I'm feeling.

 

That link is awesome!