Transitioning into a veg diet

A few of us veg's were recently asked our perspective on consuming fake meats. Doesn't that go against everything for which we stand? I stumbled upon this article that discusses the merits and drawbacks of relying on faux meat products as a supplement to one's vegetarian/vegan diet. A look at fake meats

During our discussion the other day, I mentioned that fake meats are an easy way to make a transition to a plant based diet. The idea of becoming vegetarian can be completely overwhelming initially, because everything you once knew about feeding yourself has gone out the window. Learning to shop (and what to shop for), cook, scour labels, etc. suddenly becomes more work than it should be - particularly for those who were raised in carnivorous families. Given that my mom was unable to teach me how to make rocking tempeh tacos or barbecue seitan, I pretty much starved for the first year of being vegetarian. And then, like manna from heaven, Morning Star Farms released an extensive line of faux meat products.

As I became more comfortable and simultaneously bored in the diet over the years, I explored more vegan restaurants and deli counters (I dearly miss my Phoenix haunt Green) . I discovered that the variety and quality of vegan food far surpasses that of vegetarian food. We just make lasagnas without the meat, or swap a portabella for a hamburger patty, or, obviously, use processed fake ham in our club sandwiches. No wonder no one wants to come to the dark side - we've got nothing to offer but a pat on the back. Vegans, on the other hand, have to get creative as they have less with which to work. Rather than doctoring a previously meat filled dish to be less than we remember, they completely revamp old favorites to be delish for carnivores and veg's alike (see. vegan eggplant rollatini which is pictured above) or they create new dishes specifically for those looking to celebrate the vegetable. This discovery ultimately led to the presumptuous notion: if they can make meatless food good, so can I! And with that, I was able to transition from relying on fake meats and all of their processed goodness to food that has less impact on the environment and less impact on my thighs.

So for those who are interested in making a transition, or just eating some really amazing food no matter what your diet happens to be, I would recommend picking up or using Google books for a copy of the Veganomicon -which not only has recipes but also handy tips for finding and cooking with new the ingredients- or perusing the Post Punk Kitchen website. The authors of the Veganomicon post recipes here regularly. For those who have less time to spend in the kitchen, Skinny B****, in the Kitch is a great starter cookbook. They use fake meats in some of their recipes, but provide a great jumping off point as they explain veganism from a practical and humorous standpoint. -Want to look hot AND eat like a whale?