The Vegetarian & Vegan Thread

[fashionista-ta]

^ They would be a good company to contact ...

I'm reminded of when I used to work in retail and we had a new cotton suit for summer. A guy in a Greenpeace t-shirt bought it from me in every color it came in.

 

[fashionista-ta]

Here's a thread on a different forum discussing this very issue ... http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=84226

 

[northernsky]

I guess I will write some eMails tomorrow. I'm only looking for a new pair of jeans but my friend needs a complete make-over (shopping marathon, oh no ), so it's probably worth the trouble

Thanks for the link, fashionista-ta, I already browsed that thread but they were mostly discussing Levi's (not sweatshop free, I think) and Gap (there is no shop selling Gap around here) Yeah, I know I'm difficult but I'd like vegan AND sweatshop free AND organic cotton AND making my behind look good AND affordable, too (I know why I prefer skirts)

Ohhh, I just remembered there is a German vegan online shop, hmm, this definitaly meets three out of five criterias, not so sure about the rest, but if anyone else is interested.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Actually quite a few other brands were mentioned ...

True Religion, Hudson, Joe's Jeans, Seven for all Mankind are some that I checked and none of them have leather.

I don't know if these are available where you are, but these are major brands here ...

 

[fashionista-ta]

Our vegan/vegetarian style thread (shoes, accessories, clothing http://forums.thefashionspot.com/f58/your-vegan-vegetarian-style-75676.html

 

[northernsky]

True Religion and Seven for all Mankind are available online. So the list is actually not that short. Good, good, I'm relieved

Ah, I didn't know about the other thread. Thank you for the link! I have to catch up

 

[northernsky]

I got a couple of cook books yesterday (I love browsing cook books)

One is Vegan with a Vengeance and the other one is Vegan Planet (still have to figure out the measurements and stuff but both are awesome. Has anyone bought the Veganomicon by any chance? Is it written in the same style as Vegan with a Vengeance? I love her writing style and the little anecdotes.) Any other book recommendations are welcome, too.

I was in the mood for waffles so I tried the Ginger-Pear Waffles (with apples instead of pears cause those were out.) Yom! Tomorrow I'll probably try the Oatmeal-Banana-Raisin Waffles (without the raisins) And I tried oat cream for the first time (it was on sale) and was surprised at how lovely it tastes, though I like oat milk, I only bought it for my tea, but it made a great topping for the waffles. I made some improvised muffins from applesauce and almond powder, too, because I had so much applesauce leftovers, and they were quite good, although they could have been a little fluffier, oh well. The good thing about making a bunch of muffins and stuff on Sunday is, I always have a snack handy, because vegan how do you call it? take away bakeries are hard to come by, and sandwiches or salad or vegetables sticks can get a little messy if carried around with you when you are running errands all day.

 

[N3bird]

People I know used to think I was crazy for being Vegan.
First, they didn't know what it was, then, they would say, "Well, if you don't eat meat, what DO you eat, fish?"
Like there is nothing else to eat besides meat or fish.

The concept is very confusing to some people, I don't know why.

If I want to make it perfectly clear, I tell them I don't eat anything that had a Mother...lol. Then they understand.

 

[northernsky]

People always act like vegan food was some kind of special food (like I don't know astronaut food that you had to special order at NASA.) When I tell them the pasta dish or the champignon pastry they just had is vegan too they seem confused. Or even if I use vegetarian cookbooks in the kitchen (which contain lots of vegan dishes anyways, and most dishes are easily 'veganized') they go like "But you can't have that, it's not vegan, it's vegetarian!"

 

[madchenlieben]

I truly can't live not being vegan.
It's so much better. When I used to eat meat I really felt like a living grave of murdered animal, and you don't really realize it until you stop eating it. You feel so much lighter, healthier and alive. And it's like someone took a really heavy weight of guilt off your back.
If only people knew what the suffering animals that we rely on have to go through every day... The industry keeps it hidden cause we would stop consuming it, and that's a LOT of money.

and I'll just quote a great doctor and medical researcher:
"The beef industry has contributed to more American deaths than all the wars of this century, all natural disasters, and all automobile accidents combined. If beef is your idea of "real food for real people" you'd better live real close to a real good hospital." -Neal Barnard

 

[oiselet]

(Sigh) I told my friend I was thinking about going vegan and she said, in a very annoyed tone, "would you quit doing that? It's annoying."

Um... sorry for caring about my health?

 

[northernsky]

Don't let them make you insecure. Your friends are going to accept it if you feel certain about your decision and comfortable with it. Maybe you could just tell them you are trying it out for say three weeks and look how you feel with it, just like an experiment. So they can see how easy it is and that you are alright. Like that it's not that big live-changing decision it looks like, including the pro's and con's and the unnerving discussions beforehand. Maybe that makes it less 'unsettling' for your friends?

Although I have to admit I don't think I'm healthier now than I was when I was a vegetarian. I don't have allergies, migraines or anything like that, though I am slim and very pale, which I have been since childhood, people tend to think of me as sickly... I think a vegan diet is not necessarily healthier or unhealthier as a vegetarian or an omnivore's diet. It's just that vegans and vegetarians are as a whole more healthconscious as the average so they turn to be healthier in comparison.

Btw. do you see any changes in your skin? Just out of interest...

 

[sedirea]

(Sigh) I told my friend I was thinking about going vegan and she said, in a very annoyed tone, "would you quit doing that? It's annoying."

Um... sorry for caring about my health?

Going vegan has nothing to do with health unless you are doing it for allergy reasons. You can still be healthy eating meat as long as you're smart about it. Going vegan isnt the easy way out to a 'healthy lifestyle' ...

 

[tigerrouge]

"The beef industry has contributed to more American deaths than all the wars of this century, all natural disasters, and all automobile accidents combined. If beef is your idea of "real food for real people" you'd better live real close to a real good hospital." -Neal Barnard

That has to be the craziest thing I've read in years, simply on the basis of the comparison.

I have no problem with the idea that there are certain foods which could be unhealthy, but it's very difficult to attribute cause of death to any particular foodstuff, because 'what you put in your mouth' is a cumulative and rather untraceable process, which unfolds over a timescale of decades.

The millions - millions - who have perished in warfare and accidents had a definitely attributable cause of death, so it's like comparing 'a candyfloss fact' to a concrete fact. One statistic is real, the other one is being made up by someone who loves to sound dramatic, because drama is the only true substance in his words. And we all love a bit of theatre.

You can talk about the merits of not eating meat without sounding like a nutter and undermining the sensible basis of it. People can discuss many different aspects of it, in a way that makes it sound like a logical choice for anyone who likes taste and texture in their diet, without having to resort to scaremongering or insanity.

 

[tigerrouge]

^ I'd like to make it clear that I'm entirely referring to that doctor, not anyone in this thread.

 

[chanelnumber5]

That has to be the craziest thing I've read in years, simply on the basis of the comparison.

I have no problem with the idea that there are certain foods which could be unhealthy, but it's very difficult to attribute cause of death to any particular foodstuff, because 'what you put in your mouth' is a cumulative and rather untraceable process, which unfolds over a timescale of decades.

The millions - millions - who have perished in warfare and accidents had a definitely attributable cause of death, so it's like comparing 'a candyfloss fact' to a concrete fact. One statistic is real, the other one is being made up by someone who loves to sound dramatic, because drama is the only true substance in his words. And we all love a bit of theatre.

You can talk about the merits of not eating meat without sounding like a nutter and undermining the sensible basis of it. People can discuss many different aspects of it, in a way that makes it sound like a logical choice for anyone who likes taste and texture in their diet, without having to resort to scaremongering or insanity.

I completely agree (Not a particularly contructive post on my part, but couldn't think of anything to add to your post!). For all of the reasons above, I really dislike PETA also - it give vegetarians/vegans a bad reputation, as do doctors like that one

 

[ilaughead]

Going vegan has nothing to do with health unless you are doing it for allergy reasons. You can still be healthy eating meat as long as you're smart about it. Going vegan isnt the easy way out to a 'healthy lifestyle' ...

I don't know if anyone would every call veganism an easy way out of anything.

 

[oiselet]

Going vegan has nothing to do with health unless you are doing it for allergy reasons. You can still be healthy eating meat as long as you're smart about it. Going vegan isnt the easy way out to a 'healthy lifestyle' ...

I don't eat meat because I don't like it.

I wanted to go vegan because I don't believe dairy and eggs are healthy, but I'm not going to go into that. I don't feel like arguing at the moment.

 

[oiselet]

Btw. do you see any changes in your skin? Just out of interest...

I've really seen the effect of not eating meat, I'm not so tired anymore and my skin is brighter and clearer. I don't even need foundation anymore!

I don't know if anyone would every call veganism an easy way out of anything.

Agreed!

 

[STYLEOClDE]

I officially turned Vegetarian! I've been trying for a week, and then that week turned into about 1 month? I feel so much healthier and less guilty. Now, I don't know if I can become vegan, but I'm willing to try! I hope I don't go back into eating meat... Cos, 1 month
isn't that long.

What are the best vegan foods to eat? Like, as a snack?