Top Foods you may not have had.

[Crown Royal]

I became a vegetarian in March (well, pescatarian, though I am cutting fish out as well). This happened to a long time carnivore who loved to eat and cook. Food for me was an art. When I decided to do this, one of the first problems was food just seemed bland and boring.

Since the, I have branched out and discovered that I can still enjoy meals. Below are my favorite styles of food. Thought it would be a good thread/timewaste (we are playing the TEXANS) to have a food thread. Below are some foods that seem exotic to a lot of folk that you might want to try. I have had these foods for a while. While I find them very veg friendly (most non-western foods are), you can get them with meat.

Anyway:

1) Indian - Curry is amazing, and this culture (Hindu) is very vegetarian friendly. Lots of people are afraid to try this and don't like the look or smell. I live for curry and love how it smells. Malak Paneer, Pakoras, etc. are very good. If you like meat, I would suggest trying tandoor chicken, though I can't eat it anymore.

2) Lebanese/Greek/Mediterranean - Hummus, falafel, tahini sauce, etc. Unleavened bread is delicious. You can really get advanced with some of these dishes as well. I think this is slightly healthier than Indian, because it uses less cooking oil. Fattouch and tabbouli are some of the best salads in the world. Fans of 'Wedding Crashers' will note that 'baba ganoush' is actually a fantastic mediterranean dish with eggplant and hummus. It means 'sweet daddy' or something like that.

3) Thai - basically a fusion between asian culinary arts and Indian curry (Siam was a trading area between the east and west). Thai cuisine is the pinnacle of culinary arts, as they actually have a philosophy in their food. Their coconut/peanut curries are good. If you've only had pad thai, you haven't begun to enjoy the greatness that is thai. When you eat thai, you actually analyze the food, like an audiophile would a song. Greatness.

4) Sushi - I am beginning to stop eating fish, to complete the final phase of my vegetarianism. That being said, this food isn't quite as exotic as it might have once been. In the past decade, sushi has become very chic, so much so that it isn't even considered a 'yuppie' or 'eclectic' food - many people in major metro areas have enjoyed sushi at this point. That being said, it is still best to pay good money, because when it comes to sushi, you get what you pay for. This food, like many asian foods (other than the cookie-cutter chinese you get from takout) is considered an artform and can be analyzed as such.

Should you enjoy food, I would suggest you try each of these with open minds. Anything else that someone could suggest that I haven't had?

 

[Yeagermeister]

I'm a carnivore and proud of it

 

[trickblue]

I like a lot of vegetarian dishes although I am a carnivore...

My wife likes to cook Indian and you are right, it is very good...

 

[Crown Royal]

I like a lot of vegetarian dishes although I am a carnivore...

My wife likes to cook Indian and you are right, it is very good...

It gets a bad wrap because a lot of people are unfamiliar with curry and the spices used. They think it stinks at first. You get used to it and discover that Indian is one of the heartiest foods there are. I also think a lot of people psyche themselves out of it at first because i kinda looks gross (palak paneer is the spinach dish).

When I ate meat, there were some very good chicken dishes (chicken makhani).

 

[dal0789]

Congrats on becoming a vegitarian, I have been one all my life and cant see any other way even though I can bet that it can and will be argued on here lol.

 

[Hoov]

Crown,

good luck with the vegetarian diet, i tried it at one time for a while, actually all i ate was fruit, vegetables and a few grains - nothinh processed at all..... but i was always eating, like 5-7 times a day and it got to be a pain after a while, also people got ticked off at me all the time cause i wouldnt go places to eat certain stuff.

Make sure you do some research regarding adequate iron intake (though most of the iron in vegetables in very poorly absorbed) most vegetarians are anemic and new research is showing that anemia adversely affects the heart... - specifically left ventriclular hypertrophy - which adversely affects cardiac output. At any rate, people used to act like it was no big deal to be iron deficient and have mild anemia (and i dont know at what point a low hemoglobin starts to affect the heart) but it is not something i would take lightly.

You might want to try supplements (iron and zinc) because those are the two minerals you are likely to get a deficiency in if you go without animal products.


Back to the foods from different cultures idea, i like all those types of cuisine.

Indian is one of my favotite because you'll get a lot of vegetables. Im a meat and vegetables person, prefer that to a meal with a lot of starches.

There is an excellent thia restaurant near my house, I usually get pad thai. next time i'll try something different.

Have you tried a mongolian restaurant yet ?

 

[Crown Royal]

Crown,

good luck with the vegetarian diet, i tried it at one time for a while, actually all i ate was fruit, vegetables and a few grains - nothinh processed at all..... but i was always eating, like 5-7 times a day and it got to be a pain after a while, also people got ticked off at me all the time cause i wouldnt go places to eat certain stuff.

Make sure you do some research regarding adequate iron intake (though most of the iron in vegetables in very poorly absorbed) most vegetarians are anemic and new research is showing that anemia adversely affects the heart... - specifically left ventriclular hypertrophy - which adversely affects cardiac output. At any rate, people used to act like it was no big deal to be iron deficient and have mild anemia (and i dont know at what point a low hemoglobin starts to affect the heart) but it is not something i would take lightly.

You might want to try supplements (iron and zinc) because those are the two minerals you are likely to get a deficiency in if you go without animal products.


Back to the foods from different cultures idea, i like all those types of cuisine.

Indian is one of my favotite because you'll get a lot of vegetables. Im a meat and vegetables person, prefer that to a meal with a lot of starches.

There is an excellent thia restaurant near my house, I usually get pad thai. next time i'll try something different.

Have you tried a mongolian restaurant yet ?

I've not tried Mongolian, outside of 'mongolian barbecue' where you create your own dish and they cook it on the stone top. If that is what you mean, then yes.

Regarding the info above - thanks - I have been trying to figure out how to get B-12 as well. Thus far I haven't felt any adverse affects. I am trying to cut down on processed items to (such as pastas), but not cut it out entirely. I just want to go a bit more 'whole food' if I can. With my travel and work schedule, this can be difficult.

When I am done with this assignment, I will likely get a couple of weeks off (since I've been away from home for more than 3 mos now). I think I am going to go visit a dietician to more healthfully plan my diet out.

 

[Crown Royal]

Congrats on becoming a vegitarian, I have been one all my life and cant see any other way even though I can bet that it can and will be argued on here lol.

I turned 23 in August. I spent 21.5 years worshiping meat. I couldn't fathom a meal without an animal based protein. The first few months of this were incredibly difficult, but I have definitely learned to deal with it easily. Most restaurants have one or two dishes that I can eat, except those names above, but it has also promoted me expanding my cooking ability at home (when I get the time).

 

[AbeBeta]

Crown -- if you don't already have it, pick up Madhur Jaffrey's "World Vegetarian: More Than 650 Meatless Recipes from Around the World" -- my favorite cookbook by far. She's Indian (actually she's a pretty big movie star in India) and has great Indian recipes -- but other countries are very well represented. During the World Cup we were picking a different country's vegetarian dish every night. I don't recall ever making anything that wasn't great -- our copy is filthy -- and that's the mark of a great cookbook.

As far as b-12 goes, you pretty much have to take vitamins -- most vegetable stuff that has b-12 we can't absorb anyway. You might actually think about getting chick vitamins - as they'll have more iron but be pretty much identical otherwise.

 

[ROMOSAPIEN9]

I applaud your dietary decision Crown, and I wish you the best of health. BUT..............

To me, there is nothing quite as tasty as a decapitated, gutted, plucked, mutilated, seasoned and deep fried yardbird.

But that's just me.

 

[Hoov]

Crown -- if you don't already have it, pick up Madhur Jaffrey's "World Vegetarian: More Than 650 Meatless Recipes from Around the World" -- my favorite cookbook by far. She's Indian (actually she's a pretty big movie star in India) and has great Indian recipes -- but other countries are very well represented. During the World Cup we were picking a different country's vegetarian dish every night. I don't recall ever making anything that wasn't great -- our copy is filthy -- and that's the mark of a great cookbook.

As far as b-12 goes, you pretty much have to take vitamins -- most vegetable stuff that has b-12 we can't absorb anyway. You might actually think about getting chick vitamins - as they'll have more iron but be pretty much identical otherwise.

I take a B complex supplement (on days i remember it because b vitamins are water soluble and alcohol and coffee both deplete your levels. I drink enough of both. Also, a lot of people dont know this but alcoholics get a problem from long term B1 deficiency which is Thiamin. The results is a loss of childhood memory, for a long time i guess people just attributed this to the alcohol but its actually a Thiamin deficiency. It cant hurt you because you just excrete excess B vitamins so taking a bcomplex is a good idea anyway.

Im a registered dietitian, Talking to a dietitian is a good idea if you want to get you whole diet evaluated, but in the meantime I'll look through the ADA site on the internet and post a link in this thread if i find anything you might like. Make sure that you find out what the dietitian specializes in or you may be disappointed. If you want to know a lot about organic foods and herbals i wouldnt be able to advise you anything that you probably already dont know. I dont know a lot about herbals, though i beleive that there are many powerful herbs that science hasnt really come to understand yet. But i also know a lot of what is published about herbals is bogus information.

I work with patients who are pretty ill so most of the time i am trying to get them to eat adequate calories and protein as well as following some very specialized diets.

But there are dietitians that do more outpatient counseling and would be more up on things like that.

 

[Crown Royal]

.

Im a registered dietitian, Talking to a dietitian is a good idea if you want to get you whole diet evaluated, but in the meantime I'll look through the ADA site on the internet and post a link in this thread if i find anything you might like. Make sure that you find out what the dietitian specializes in or you may be disappointed. If you want to know a lot about organic foods and herbals i wouldnt be able to advise you anything that you probably already dont know. I dont know a lot about herbals, though i beleive that there are many powerful herbs that science hasnt really come to understand yet. But i also know a lot of what is published about herbals is bogus information.

I just want my diet analyzed for nutritian and what not, to determine my needs and everything. I don't necessarily need their info on organics or herbs. I don't buy most holistic medicine - I have some very close friends who don't believe in doctors or modern medicine (they see an herbologist and 'iridologist', and believe in reflexology and other rubbish). I just think that American and western cuisine, especially since WWII and the fifties, is extraordinarily bad for us. I am trying to break myself of it.

 

[Hoov]

I just want my diet analyzed for nutritian and what not, to determine my needs and everything. I don't necessarily need their info on organics or herbs. I don't buy most holistic medicine - I have some very close friends who don't believe in doctors or modern medicine (they see an herbologist and 'iridologist', and believe in reflexology and other rubbish). I just think that American and western cuisine, especially since WWII and the fifties, is extraordinarily bad for us. I am trying to break myself of it.

True. Processed foods, farmers manipulating the diet of livestock and adding things to get more production.

Someone was complaining to me about this and i was joking with them, you cant eat beef because mad cow and ecoli, you cant eat poultry due to all the additives they give these animals and you risk semonilla, no pork for similar reasons and the fish are full of mercury. fruits and vegetables are sprayed with pesticides and other toxins and carbohydrates will make you fat.

But seriously, there is a lot that goes into foods that make it to our market that just makes you scratch your head and wonder why.

On the other hand, some people can get way to carried away with stuff.
I read some info from a doctor who was big into nutrition, he said even meat from animals fed an organic diet was not good enough. He said the animals if fed grain will have more saturated fat, but if fed only grass they will have mostly omega 3 fatty acids. Interestingly buffallo meat is said to be high in omega 3 fatty acids, and these animals more likely to have a grass diet than grain. Anyway, i read further to see where i could get such meat and it was about 10 times the normal cost, i cant remember the figures but it was rediculous. I think a box of 40 hamburgers was 100 dollars.

Go to the ADA website. Type american dietetic association into your google search and you'll get the official website. Then in the search box in upper right corner type vegetarian diet. I did this and got several journal sites where you could read the abstract and some were really good. There was one in particular dated oct 2006, i think it was the 3rd one listed, but it analyzed vegetarian diets and many of the minerals and was really in depth.

oh, by the way. are you giving up dairy and eggs too ?

One more thing.....i thought of another exotic food i would share with anyone reading this thread (though it is not vegetarian).

cows tongue. i first tried this in burrito and quesadilla at a mexican lunch truck that is the real deal as far as mexican foods go. The guy told me that is most popular choice for meat in the part of mexico he was from. Its actually very good (i also tried cow head - wonder what that actually was).

I also had cow tongue at a cuban retaurant in the hispanic sector of philly. It was very good. That is one thing about philadelphia, you still have a lot of neighborhoods that are primarily one ethnicity, but when you go to that section you know you can find a restaurant that is an authentic version.

Oh, i also had octopus in Brazil, with pasta and something similar to a maranara sauce. That was one of the best meals i ever had.

 

[AbeBeta]

He said the animals if fed grain will have more saturated fat, but if fed only grass they will have mostly omega 3 fatty acids. Interestingly buffallo meat is said to be high in omega 3 fatty acids, and these animals more likely to have a grass diet than grain. Anyway, i read further to see where i could get such meat and it was about 10 times the normal cost, i cant remember the figures but it was rediculous. I think a box of 40 hamburgers was 100 dollars.

My local store sells grass-fed beef, the cost is nowhere near 10 times the regular. Your fancier stores (e.g., Whole Foods) will have that for maybe twice the cost of regular, local cooperative markets usually carry that as well. Out here in Cali that stuff is pretty standard fare and widely available.

P.S. Cow's head (Cabeza) has often been described to me as the cheek and other stuff that comes off the skull bone.

 

[Crown Royal]

I am not abstaining from dairy and eggs. However, I do drink more soy milk than regular milk. When I have something that requirs milk, I go with Horizon brand.

Regarding tongue - I had always wanted to try that. I've had plenty of brains & eggs and I've had pig tongue during a Cuban style bbq, but never got to try cow. Pity.

And regarding Octopus - used to eat it quite a bit, loved it. That being said, did you know that the octopus is the smartest invertabrate in the world, with intelligence on par with a cat?

As far as pesticides and what not - for fresh produce I try to find farmers markets in my towns when I can, rather than shop for the food at the grocery. This way I can talk to the actual grower and discuss the food. This can be tough, though, considering my travels.

 

[tomson75]

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[jem88]

I wish I could be vegetarian, but I love meat too much and I hate tomatoes (which strike me as being a staple of a vegetarian diet.) The best places I've been to for food are:

Brazil: Carnivore heaven but so much more as well: Fruits we've never heard of up here in North America; the best pizza I've ever eaten (and yes I've tried it in Italy); black beans and rice (simple yet immensely satisfying); and paõ de qeiijo (a kind of cheese bread that is to die for.)

Venezuela: More or less the same as above, with the same emphasis on freshness (the only fish I've ever enjoyed was fresh from the Caribbean.)

France: Some weird things (snails, horse, tete de veau, etc.) but also some exquisite fare (duck being one of my favourites.)

Belgium: Surprisingly good. Very French in style but much more generous in servings. The 'frites' are ridiculously good, as is the chocolate (best in the world) and the beer.

I've never been to either country, but I also love Indian and Thai.

The worst food? Probably England. Oily, fattening, and bland. Not a good combination. The food here in Canada is no great shakes either.

 

[Crown Royal]

I wish I could be vegetarian, but I love meat too much and I hate tomatoes (which strike me as being a staple of a vegetarian diet.) The best places I've been to for food are:

Brazil: Carnivore heaven but so much more as well: Fruits we've never heard of up here in North America; the best pizza I've ever eaten (and yes I've tried it in Italy); black beans and rice (simple yet immensely satisfying); and paõ de qeiijo (a kind of cheese bread that is to die for.)

Venezuela: More or less the same as above, with the same emphasis on freshness (the only fish I've ever enjoyed was fresh from the Caribbean.)

France: Some weird things (snails, horse, tete de veau, etc.) but also some exquisite fare (duck being one of my favourites.)

Belgium: Surprisingly good. Very French in style but much more generous in servings. The 'frites' are ridiculously good, as is the chocolate (best in the world) and the beer.

I've never been to either country, but I also love Indian and Thai.

The worst food? Probably England. Oily, fattening, and bland. Not a good combination. The food here in Canada is no great shakes either.

I do love tomatoes, though I used to abhor them. I am actually a lot like you - I was very very carnivorous for most of my life. Steak, chicken, fish, you name it, I ate it. You mentioned Brazilian - one of my favorite places used to be the chucascarrias (sp?) in DFW, where they bring the meat to you in abundance.

That being said, I read something in a philosophy class once that, while I had often explained away many moral arguments on vegetarianism, this one just stuck with me. I dunno if I buy into it yet, but I figure that I might as well abstain from meat until I figure out my views, and enjoy the health benefits while I am at it.

Also - escargot is amazing. I wonder if I can explain those away - they aren't animals so much as blobs.

And yeah - Brits leave a lot to be desired. Good thing they make a good cup of tea.

 

[jackrussell]

Ok Ok, listen...there was this Jew, Catholic, and Pescatarian in a bar............

 

[Kevinicus]

I don't really like foreign foods. Hell, I don't like much american food either. I'm a very very picky person when it comes to food. I couldn't ever imagine becoming a vegetarian. I just don't see the point, especially since you miss out on things like steak. I couldn't see doing the Atkins diet either. I love my bread. I love breakfast food. Cereal, Pancakes, Cinammon Rolls, Biscuits, etc.

Don't know why I don't like foriegn food (unless you count pizza, spagetti, or hamburger helper lasagna as foriegn). I just don't. My wife is part Mexican, and so whenever she does cook (which isn't often) she cooks Mexican food. I can't stand that either. It kind of sucks being picky.

One of my favorite things though is bacon jelly toast sandwiches. Two slices of toast, grape jelly on both, with 2-4 slices of bacon (mmm, bacon) in the middle. Everyone thinks I'm crazy when I tell them about it, but once they try it everyone thinks it's pretty good. Just don't burn the toast, it makes it too dry.