Vegeterian Sleevers, What Are You Eating?

[Kiki Von Moonshine 53]

I'm sure the same as before just less. My diet consists mainly of soy, or non soy meat alternatives with a carb side, and some veggies. Not as much as I should have but yea.. I do eat diary. I just can't shake cheese and yogurt. So what are you eating?

[clk 3,519]

I'm not a vegetarian (currently) but spent a number of years as one. Then I got to my remote location here and couldn't find meat so I went back to a vegetarian diet for a while. As it is, I might eat meat once or twice a week. I'm no vegetarian, but I certainly eat a lot of vegetarian meals!

I was never able to shake dairy until I got hit by lactose intolerance post op. Doesn't that just figure? I still love cheese but usually only have what I can make myself (simple farmer's cheeses, mozzarella, ricotta, etc.) so my intake is drastically reduced. I try to avoid Pasta, but I make syrniki as a dairy meal - basically it's a cheese pancake made from sweetened farmer's cheese and raisins. I also eat Beans with melted mozzarella on them, and I mix cheese into salads for that tiny Protein (and flavor) boost.

I eat a lot of soy products but living in Central Asia means my access to those convenience foods is very limited. For the most part, if I can't make it myself I can't eat it. I make my own soy milk and drink some every day. I make the soy milk into yogurt, too, which I can then use for eating but also for sauces like tzatziki. I make lentil Soup and even lentil salads. I find myself eating tofu pretty frequently (prepared any number of ways), but I also make seitan and occasionally use TVP to make things like chili, sloppy joes or burgers. I use Beans in almost everything and I make a big batch of hummus for Snacks and sandwiches. I even make uncheeses - there are a few of them I find tasty enough to eat even now that I eat cheese and meat when I want. I make curries, I make dal, I even try to make simple Soups and boost the Protein in them by adding unflavored protein power (Integrated supplements brand works best, IMO).

If you ask me, one of the best foods you can eat post VSG is seitan, assuming you like the taste. I make a big batch of "meatballs" from seitan and eating two of them will fill me up and give me 18 grams of protein.

I was able to order a bunch of Fantastic Foods vegetarian meals for when I want to eat something in a hurry and they're tasty, even if they're not as healthy as something I could make myself.

In any case, you probably have dozens more options than I do! I'm sure that if you get bored you can find some new recipes or ideas online. Hopefully someone else will chime in here with other ideas, too.

When I think of it I get envious of the huge variety of prepared vegetarian meals available stateside. Everything I do here is certainly healthier because it's made from scratch but it's also very time consuming.

~Cheri

[Kiki Von Moonshine 53]

I haven't had seitan yet, but I have reached for it once.