Well, it looks like I've done it.

[bertha katzenengel]

See for background: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=231&topic_id=3709&mesg_id=3709

Friday a week ago Mrs. V. and I began our vacation, driving to Tennessee. We stopped at a Hardee's for lunch and I had a burger. Later in the day, at a gas stop, I saw a trailer full of calves. I walked up to them and spoke to one of them. S/he looked at me.

The next morning we stopped at Cracker Barrel for lunch. I didn't want to eat meat but I knew I'd never make the rest of the drive if I didn't have protein, and there was no non-meat protein on the menu. So I ate meat.

Two nights later, I ate two hot dogs at a ball game. That was the last time I ate meat.

May I tell you that eastern Tennessee and on vacation is probably one of the worst places & times to begin a vegetarian diet?

If anyone can direct me to a resource for beginning lacto-ovo-fisho* types, I'd be grateful. I need help finding protein.

* Maybe fish. I'm not sure yet, but I don't need help deciding.

[flvegan]

1. Here's a couple you might want to try, bk

Vegetarian Resource Group
http://www.vrg.org/

PETA's goveg site (halfway down the page is a "vegetarian living" section)
http://www.goveg.com/

Vegsource has lots of info and a message board for "newbies"
http://www.vegsource.com/

This is a site specifically for the beginning vegetarian
http://www.vegez.com/commerce/index.htm

Howard Lyman, The Mad Cowboy, has some tips here
http://www.vegsource.com/lyman/beginner.htm

As for finding day-to-day protein, I get most of mine from tofu, of course. I also like many of the offerings from Boca and Gardenburger (the Riblets are to. die. for.). I also supplement once a day with a soy protein shake (I'm a gym rat and want the extra protein in my diet).

Congrats on your decision to commit to a more healthy and compassionate diet! Sorry that TN wasn't a little easier on you.

[bertha katzenengel]

2. flvegan, thanks very much

Looks like some great resources.

[shockra]

16. Yeah, riblets.

I've gotten them a couple of times since you recommended them. :)

Also the Grapeseed Oil Vegenaise that you mentioned early on in the forum. Better than regular old mayo.

I hadn't had tofu in a while, but I have been eating tofu "egg salad" sandwiches for the last couple of days.

[smbolisnch]

3. Yay Bertha!!

I am so proud of you!!
Flvegan gave some good links, check those out!
:applause:

[bertha katzenengel]

6. thank you

pride & applause aren't necessary, though i appreciate them

[livinginphotographs]

4. Congratulations.

It's easier than you might think.

I can't really add anything else - it looks like flvegan did a pretty good job on the resources.

[bertha katzenengel]

5. "It's easier than you might think." -- after looking that calf in the eye

damn right it is. :(

I dare anyone to tell me these are not sentient beings.

[livinginphotographs]

13. That sounds exactly like my story.

I hear you how sad it can make you. But just know you're doing the right thing even by just reducing your meat consumption.

[bertha katzenengel]

14. Here are my three bird dreams. These are disturbing so DON'T READ

if you think you may be upset. I may have told these before on DU, but I don't remember.

When I had these dreams, almost ten years ago, I didn't have the guts to go meat free.

1. Hundreds of chickens roosted on scores of long, heavy dowels, which stuck horizontally from giant poles the size of telephone poles. The chickens clucked happily while the giant poles were lowered into enormous vats of boiling oil.

2. Diners enjoyed a patio cafe at which a small hibachi sat at the head of each table. Three or four doves sat tamely on small perches near the hibachis, and the diners petted and played with the birds -- while eating their mates, who had just been roasted feathers and all on the little grills.

3. I was chased by a chicken larger than myself. Its beak had just been chopped off and it gaped its bloody maw at me in rage.

So now here we are. :shrug:

How can I have loved animals, have felt such a deep attachment to them all my life, and mistreated them in my fucked-up years, and continued to eat them even after healing many years ago? Sigh.

[flvegan]

15. Don't beat yourself up, bk.

Yes, those dreams are disturbing. Yes, you can look (with hindsight) at them and wonder how you could do such things.

Everyone here was as you are. And as we are, hopefully you will be. A veg lifestyle isn't about dwelling upon what you've "done" or what wrongs you think (again, in hindsight) you've been a part of. It's about what you are doing, or can do in the future. Veg*ism is a positive lifestyle. It's about looking forward.

Please allow me some levity here, as I promise it goes somewhere...

Imagine that you voted for Bush the last time 'round. I know...a tough one. Bear with me. Why Bush? Well, because you always have. Your folks did, your friends did, and you voted for him last time. Sounds logical, right? Now, after paying attention, after opening your mind, after educating yourself and listening to YOU, you realize that it isn't right. You suck it up, knowing that "switching sides" will be tough. Tough, but right. For the benefit of you, for the benefit of others, you take that damn W '04 sticker off your car and throw it in the trash. Your resolve is stronger than partisan lines. You are voting your conscience, for the betterment of us all.

Now, imagine that your fork is your vote. Every choice and decision that you make matters, and that's a fact.

How can you have loved animals, felt that attachment, and then mistreated them? Continued to eat them? The same way we all have. I did my 7th grade science fair project on the evils of vivisection. I went home to a meat dinner. I didn't know. I know now. "Now" matters. "Then" doesn't. Find peace with yourself in your decision. It's not what you've done, but what you do now.

[flamingyouth]

7. Good for you, bertha

:hug:

I still eat fish occasionally but that's it for me. I think in the beginning you'll crave it but that passes.

There's a great cookbook thread here too - check that out. :)

[bertha katzenengel]

11. Thanks, FY

:hug: thank you

[RebelOne]

8. Here's a bunch of them

http://amacord.com/taste/
A Taste of Heaven and Earth

http://www.abbeysvegetarianrecipes.com/
Abbey's Vegetarian Recipes - Welcome!

http://vegetarian.about.com/?once=true&
About.com -  Vegetarian Cuisine

http://aboverubies.org/health/cheese.html
Aboverubies.org - Non-diary cheese recipes

http://www.all-creatures.org/recipes.html
All-Creatures.org - Recipes

http://www.bocaburger.com/main.aspx?s=&m=index
Bocaburger.com

http://www.boutell.com/vegetarian/index.html
Boutell.com - Small Household Vegetarian Recipe Index

http://www.catteacorner.com/recipes.htm
Catteacorner.com - Vegan recipes

http://www.fatfree.com/
Fatfree.com -  The Low Fat Vegetarian Recipe Archive

http://www.foodweb.com/virtualcookbook/vegrecipes.html
FoodWeb ®: Vegetarian/Vegan Recipes

http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/egg/egg1097/vegecbs.html
Globalgourmet.com - Meatless meals

http://www.happycow.net/
HappyCow.net  Veg restaurant guide/directory/natural health food stores

http://www.t2ta.com/meatlessmenu.html
International Flavors - Meatless Meals Menu Page

http://www.ivu.org/recipes/regions.html
IVU.org - Vegetarian Recipes Around the World - Regional Indexes

http://www.lagustasluscious.com/
Lagusta's Luscious.com - Vegetarian home meal delivery service

http://www.lanierbb.com/recipes/vegetarian.html
Lanierbb.com - Vegetarian recipes from Bed and Breakfast Inns

http://www.living-foods.com/recipes/
Living-foods.com - raw food recipes

http://www.imagegypsy.com/orgprr.htm
Organic Patch Raw Vegan Recipe Index

http://www.peta.org/liv/recipe.html
PETA :: Living :: Cooking With PETA

http://www.recipesource.com/special-diets/vegetarian/
RecipeSource: Vegetarian Recipes

http://www.soymilkmaker.com/
Soymilkmaker.com - The Soyajoy

http://www.veganchef.com/
The Vegan Chef - Vegan Recipes - Beverly Lynn Bennett

http://www.vegdining.com/Home.cfm
VegDining.com -- Your Online Guide to Vegetarian Restaurants Around the World

http://www.vegancooking.com/links.htm
Vegancooking.com - Great tasting recipe's free from animal products

http://www.veganoutreach.org/starterpack/recipes.html
Vegan Outreach.org - recipes

http://www.vegcooking.com/
VegCooking: Vegetarian Recipes, Products, Restaurants, and Much More!

http://www.vrg.org/journal/
The Vegetarian Journal -- Magazine archives

http://www.vrg.org/recipes/
Vegetarian Resource Group - Recipes

http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/ballpark.htm
Vegetarian Resource Group- vegetarian and vegan ballpark foods

http://www.vegsoc.org/health/
Vegetarian Society -Health and Nutrition index

These are courtesy of AnimalWritesOnline.

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/
Vegetarian Times 

http://www.vegparadise.com/recipeindex.html
Vegetarians in Paradise/Vegan Recipes/Gourmet Vegetarian Recipes Index

http://www.vegkitchen.com/
Vegkitchen.com - Vegetarian Recipes: In a Vegetarian Kitchen

http://www.vegsource.com/recipe/
VegSource.com  -- Best of The Net Recipes!

http://vegweb.com/food/
VegWeb.com -  Recipe Directory

http://www.webvalue.net/recipes/index.html
Webvalue.net - Vegetarian Recipes

[bertha katzenengel]

10. thank you, RebelOne

I appreciate your offering all those links.

[yewberry]

9. Don't hesitate to ask questions

There are a lot of myths and misinformation about a veg diet out there.

This is really one of those subjects about which there are no stupid questions. Let me know if there is any help (or answers or support) I can offer.

Good luck!

[bertha katzenengel]

12. no worries -- I'll ask!

thanks