I don't like vegetarian/vegan food. Never really have actually. I don't care fore tofu, most beans, plain yogurt, and many of the cooked vegetables often substituted for protein. I actively dislike tempeh and mushrooms. I only eat spinach raw.
I thought it was difficult being vegetarian in Nebraska, but here, I've just plain given up. In Nebraska, I can control my own diet. I like pasta, white rice with teriaki stir fry, potatoes and corn, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables. For protein I love milk, cheese, fruity yogurt, smoothies, pinto beans and refritos, and soyburger which I add to many, many dishes.
So I'm a bad vegetarian. The deal was (which I made with myself) I won't buy meat, order it at restaurants unless there is literally nothing vegetarian on the menu (as is common in Nebraska), or request it from friends or relatives, but if someone puts it in front of me.....well, I do actually like meat. At home it usually means I end up eating meat once every couple of weeks, usually when I'm with my family. Grandma is a fan of Atkins, so at her house I eat pot roast, and Dad is a fan of Arby's, so when he's buying I eat roast beef. My friends have all adjusted fairly easily, since we all like Italian, Mexican, and restaurants which serve breakfast all day, all of which are easy on vegetarians.
I try the things the kitchen here puts out. I keep hoping to find something I'll like, but the truth is woman cannot live on salad and peanut butter alone. And they do such good roast chicken here...and salmon...and ribs...yum!
*sigh* What's a girl to do?
7 comments:
I sort of know how you feel. I am not vegetarian at all, but just don't like most meat for some reason. I will eat it, but it's not usually that tasty for me. So I also like what you described here. We also don't cook meat at home, because it's just a pain. But at least once a week I'll go and order a nice burger. Ground or roast beef (and bacon) is actually about the only meat I really like. It makes going out a bit tricky - like when someone cooks up a bunch of pork and I end up eating sandwitches. But oh well. At least beef is popular.
And maybe I'm wrong, but didn't Dalai Lama say he tried to be vegetarian, but had to give up because of health reasons? Plus Gehlek Rinpoche said vegetarians kill more bugs because of the harvesting, etc. So I'll go with that eh?! Unfortunately killing other things to live is just one of the rules of this reality :( But some of those things are really tasty.
Oh, I know, the Dalai Lama eats meat and all that. I think it can be argued both ways 'til Sunday. I just read an article in Dharma Rain about the sentience of trees and plants as well.
But I like animals. Some of the best people I know are fur-people. They have feelings - fear, anger, joy, pain. So it bothers me.
But, damn it, they served teryaki salmon today and the alternative was teryaki tempeh, yuk!
Besides the fact that current methods of cattle ranching(involving feedlots) are ecologically unsound. As are most livestock industries (hogs, chickens, even salmon farming) at the moment. They are unsustainable practices which are bad for the environment, the animals, and the consumers. They lead to pollution, both from chemicals and over concentration of natural wastes, disease, and suffering.
Okay, end of rant. *sigh*
shanti
Just notice your experience. With conscious awareness, I tend to think the alignment of practice will take care of itself. (at least with stuff like this -- and yes, I recognize that my feelings about this are more than mildly inconsistent with what I just posted on your "Oh, Cookies!" thread. ;-))
But also remember the movie 'My Perfect Teacher', when he says that when you're not attached to anything, you're free to experience everything. Does this apply to eating animals? In my case, I'm hoping so, and also hoping it applies to beer. Horay!
Of course, if one isn't careful and wise, it could be a bad thing.
If they serve two options at most meals: "regular" and vegan, maybe you could suggest that they make the "regular" option meatless half the time.
The carnivores would probably not object to cheese pizza and fettucine alfredo, etc. Also, the non-vegan vegetarians like yourself would really appreciate it. I bet there are a lot of your fellows that feel exactly the way you do.
They already do that a lot anyway. Yesterday was spaghetti and veggie marinara. Yum! :-9
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