Vegetarian

ok so let me just introduce myself first and give you a feel for how i live my life... that way you can give more suiting advice for my lifestyle. i am a 21 yr old , i live in az, and i am a hairstylist - i've been a vegetarian since march of 06 and i live with a family of meat eaters (me being the ONLY on in my family who has given up on eating animal)

i have tried for years now to slim down but i notice that my modivation dies down after awhile when i don't see anything coming off. i am one of those ppl that can look 15 lbs lighter when the scale really tells me i'm 5 lbs heavier and i don't quite understand it. now the one problem i have dealt with, that most of you probably have is... converting to becoming that carb eater after giving up meat. which was a big mistake for me, already having issues with my insulin levels (my body produces too much) and completely loving carbs.

the other issue i have is that i'm a hairstylist and in case most of you don't know, we have the worst eating habits - fortunately for me, since i am a vegetarian i don't have the option of going to the closest mcdonalds to get a cheeseburger haha. but i still have that issue of not knowing what to eat while at work - i was wondering if any of you can give me help, some kind of advice that might help my busy schedule and help shed these lbs. i am dying to lose at least 35lbs by september

since i am still fairly new to this vegetarian lifestyle, i am open to almost any recipe. at this time i get most of my protein from cheese, beans, and soy products but i would like more options. because i am new to all this i think it would be great to know where some of you get your daily intake of nutrients. anyways it's getting a little late, thanks to all of you that help me out with this :)

I am not totally vegan, but mostly.  I don't eat much meat. I just happen to prefer fruit, veggies, beans and grains.

I always bring canned beans and organic herb salad to work along with several pieces of fresh fruit and chopped veggies.  I always have a pot of brown rice ready. 

I also keep a box of whole oats or Uncle Sam's cereal in my desk.  I may be crazy, but I have gotten used to eating these dry with my banana.  I also like to have a couple of spoons of the dry cereal to take with my vitamins.

I like to make home-made soup using broth and adding frozen veggies and spices and then spooning it over some brown rice.

Consider vegan sandwiches with slices of avacado, mushroom, lettuces, cucumber, tomatoe, cheese, etc. 

Also, do you work near a Subway?  They have an option to get a veggie sub or salad.  I usually get one of each, a 6" sub with a salad, but its a little pricey doing that.  Can't help myself, tho.

ooh thanks for your help redrock. i do live near a subway but i've never liked the place (even when i did eat meat). something about getting ripped off made me bitter haha but i'll give them a try.

now i have to ask, what company do you think makes the best brown rice? i've tried several and i haven't been able to find the right kind, especially since i was raised off white rice (being part asian). and do you add seasoning to that rice?

thx again for your help

Hello cheeseencrackers, do not feel discourage!! :) I am the only vegetarian when i was living with my family too, but it doen't matter. After giving up meat for a while, I feel way better about myself and my body feels better too. One year ago, I moved to the USA, and due to the difficulties of living by myself-not so able to cook, I sometimes gave up, ate seafoods, and even chicken (very rarely though). And please guess what happened??? I gained weight, particularly because I also craving sugars and stuff afterwards.
This year, I've commited myself to be a vegetarian again. For some reason, I know that its the best thing that I could do toward my body.

My suggestion for you about foods:

1. eat carbs, but the good one. I still have white rice, I am an asian and i was raised with rice.. U dont have to put any seasoning to the rice, but U can make vegetable soup and keep it in the fridge even for a week (very easy--veggie broth, cabbage, onion, carrots, salt, black pepper--cook until soft in med-med high), u can also browned (fried with pan spray or grilled) Tofu or Tempeh, they're perfect!!

2. Wheat breads!! Make sandwich with sugar free jelly and low fat peaut butter, OR just scrambled egg beaters (half calories from real eggs) and put some vegetables :))

3. If u eat salad, do not pour the sauce.. Just dip ur fork to the dressing before u fork the vegetables (one at a time) So u will not have alot of sauce (trust me u wont even finish 1/4 of it) But u still have the taste :))

4. Snack on apples, bananas (this is really goo--do not put bananas in the fridge, but u can put one of them in the fridge couple hrs before u eat it, it taste so goodd, cold n tasty)

5. I know u're not vegan, but there;s this vegan cheese that taste soo good and have only 35 calories!! My fave is the swiss cheese, its called Yves something (they have it in CC food list)

I think thats the basic.., contact me anytime if u think u need suggestion :)) W e all struggling with our eating habit. so yea, we will win this :)

cheeseencrackers, Yeah, brown rice definitely is not as fluffy as white rice, but I choose it for the fiber.  I do like the flavor, too. 

I have just been using Mahatma long-grain brown rice from the local grocery.  I cook a bunch for the week in my rice cooker then put it in a baggie and freeze it to use as needed.  Sometimes I cook it using broth instead of water and sometimes I do add spices.  I like all the Mrs. Dash spice blends. 

Here on CC, I saw that medium and short grain brown rice get a higher grade.  I find that interesting.

I have experimented and like other whole grains, too, like wheat berries, oat groats, wild rice, rye.  I like the all.  They each have their own mild flavor and texture.  They cook up well in the rice maker, too.

I agree with Stephanie about the breads and whole grains.  I keep a toaster at work and a jar of PB, instead of bringing a blah flat sandwich.  Though I personally shy away from the low fat PB.  I find that it has corn syrup added to it.  I mulled it over and decided the fat in PB was a good kind so I would take that over the processed sugar. 

Its a personal choice for you to make on things like that.  Whats right for one of us is not for another. ~ Lost Artist
.

redrock, you said you're vegan, but you eat some meat? How come vegan and not someone who eats a mostly vegetarian diet.

I was just wondering be/c that's very unusal. I'd say 98.9% of vegans are for ethical reasons.

How come? If you don't mind, am interested.

dharma_bum.  Thanks for asking.  Actually, I said "I am not totally vegan..."  I just happen to enjoy fruits, veggies, nuts, beans and grains over meat.  I will eat very lean meat or fish sometimes.  Meat can just gross me out if it has skin, fat or grissle.  So, I am not vegan, I just prefer that eating style most of the time. 

Do I get the boot for not being a true Vegan?

No, but some vegans get a little miffed when people who eat meat call themselves that.

*gentle reminder* :)

Oh.  Thanks.  It wasn't my intention to call myself that.  I thought I was referring to an eating style.  Thanks for the heads up.  :-)

redrock you also suggested vegan sandwiches with cheese. i think maybe you are a little confused about the difference between vegetarian and vegan?

I guess I am.  I thought a Vegan was a vegetarian.  I know there are different kinds of vegetarians, e.g. some eat eggs and dairy.  I will look up vegan on the internet.

cheesencrackers, How are you doing?  I didn't mean to steal the show, here.  Afterall, you started this thread with questions.  Did you get enough answers?  :-)

Does anyone have any tips or advice for cheesencrackers, who really wants some help?  :-)

a good recipe resource is www.vegweb.com, there are many many cookbooks out there, too. lots deal specificially with healthy or "light" vegetarian foods. speaking from experiance, i'd say stay away from any and all junk food, it got me in the position i'm in now.

i like veggies and hummus for snacks, and you can't go wrong with salad(s)!! you can mash chickpeas and mix with nayonaise (or mayo if you still eat it) and make tasty "egg" sald for protein in your salads. or cube and bake some tofu tossed in your favorite spices.

there are so many options! and this is coming from a vegan on a diet! haha.

Seriously.  Vegweb rules.  And if you sign up for the newsletter you get new recipes in your email every week.  Sweet.

My brown rice (which I buy long grain bulk) is usually pretty fluffy, especially if I leave my rice cooker on warming for a while after it's done cooking.  I also add some seasoning to my rice when I cook it, usually a bit of soy sauce and a VERY small drizzle of toasted sesame oil.  It's very yummy.  Or if I want more of an Italian feel I add oregano, thyme, basil, etc to the rice cooking water.  Chili powder and ground cumin for Mexican dishes.

Other things I cook in my rice cooker:  Barley, lentils, quinoa, craked wheat, kasha (toasted buckwheat groats), and steel-cut oats.