Easing into vegetarianism

[Annpan]

Muddy, as always, I salute you

[Millymollymandy]

You probably are not interested, but the word 'handicapped' came in the top ten of offensive words when referring to disabled people.

No. 3 is window licker !!! I have never heard that term in English, but in French it means "window shopper"!!! (literally 'window shopping' translates as 'to lick shop windows'.

Perhaps I'll have to be a bit more careful when speaking English now as we often say it in English because we find the term so funny!

[mybarnconversion]

No-one should feel bad ... nice to see some healthy debate ...

We're not going PC here are we? My frequent use of the term window-licker (which I've never heard before either & believe me I'm quite an expert on derogatory terms) may lead me into trouble

[Wombat]

Nev: - if we carry on arguing you will come over and visit? cool!

Hmmm, i just might have too!

Nev

[Lord Azrael]

Just to put my 5 pence worth in...I've been a vegetarian for about 20 years now since I was a kid. We decided as a family to change, again mainly due to the attrocious way in which the animals are treated.
I'm perfectly healthy, happy and have never been the worse for it.
Back then, vegetarian choices were fairly limited in restaurants or ready meals (not that was ever a problem as we all cook) but now there is so much choice and variety and a great vegetarian cookbook can be picked up for only a couple of £'s

To be honest, I couldn't afford the extortionate prices of meat nowadays anyway! Our main expensive vice is really only cheese, again a relatively highly priced item, but lovely! If I could only make that myself....

[ina]

[quote="Lord Azrael]Back then, vegetarian choices were fairly limited in restaurants [/quote]

They still are! Even fairly upmarket restaurants generally give you the choice between veggie lasagne and pasta with veggie sauce... If you are lucky, you get mushroom risotto. And the cheaper places offer the choice of macaroni cheese or baked potato. I don't really find eating out much fun; pasta is something I want to do at home because it's quick and easily done, especially if you are cooking for one.

[the.fee.fairy]

There's always the ubiquitous Nut Roast!!

Actually, i long for a good nut roast every now and then...

[Lord Azrael]

funnily enough, nut roast is the one thing I can't abide!
Actually, I'm not keen on nuts in cooked food at all (with the exception of cakes)

Yes, I know what you mean about the restaurants, but a lot of them have got better, even the ones in New York were pretty good considering they seem to be a bit further behind us on the veggie front normally.

[ina]

There's always the ubiquitous Nut Roast!!

Never seen one on the menue yet!

[contadina]

Hi Ina,

I feel for you being vegetarian in Scotland. Beautiful part of the world but not a good place to eat out if you don't do meat. My husband and I got married in Scotland and all we could eat on our various scouting missions was plastic macaroni cheese with chips. I was very excited by a Mexican offering somewhere but was not so impressed when a wrap that had been stuffed with potato, carrot and cauliflower arrived - no sauce just plain, over-boiled veg. Ian Banks had a similar experience I remember reading that he was given some regular cream to go with a chilli and when he said that he'd prefer the soured variety the waitress returned with a bottle of jiff.

I promise you that you can get really, really good veggie food in most restaurants the further south that you travel in the UK.

[Clara]

Hmmmm should try living in Spain.....

BTW just changed my avatar - check out my veggie baby (and her tired looking veggie mama!).

Back on topic - veggie jalfrezi tonight, with dhal and rice - yum!

[red]

great picture

I often have the veggie option at pubs and restaurants here. as there seems to be some great things on offer - maybe its a regional thing?

tonight we had spinach and mushroom roll and it was scrummy

[ina]

was plastic macaroni cheese with chips. I was very excited by a Mexican offering somewhere but was not so impressed when a wrap that had been stuffed with potato, carrot and cauliflower arrived - no sauce just plain, over-boiled veg.

Ah yes, I know those well. And they don't know any seasoning apart from salt, and, if you are really lucky, pepper. I actually quite like macaroni cheese - when I make it myself, and it includes not just a variety of herbs and spices, but also onion and other veg! And it's NOT served with chips...

And I've had those proudly presented stuffed things of one kind or another, too. Stuffed peppers, for example - stuffed with plain boiled rice. Oh well.

[contadina]

We're bravely (or stupidly) preparing an Indian meal for Italian friends tonight (dhansak, dahl, bombay potatoes and chapatis). Whilst I love the food and the passion for it over here it's so local that we could end up with some very hungry guests.

All the more for me - yum!

[ina]

I think Indian is a safer bet than macaroni cheese with chips! I remember the first time I had pasta served with chips - couldn't believe what these Brits eat!