Wow - This is encouraging! Even the New York Times has a whole article devoted to a vegan meal, and not a soy product in sight. You can dine on Farro and Fresh Tomato Soup, Harvest Tart with Pumpkin, Roasted Red Peppers and Olives, and Roasted Pears with Coconut Butterscotch Sauce and Toasted Coconut.
Here's the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/19/dining/a-vegan-dinner-party-for-autumn-a-good-appetite.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=%22warm,welcoming,meatless%22&st=cse
(If clicking on the link doesn't work, you may need to copy & paste the url.)
Dinner, anyone?
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
the manners police
"Ewww... How can you eat that? Don't you care how that animal suffered?"
"Humans are supposed to eat meat. We're carnivores." (Actually we're omnivores, but let's not get picky.)
"Would you eat your cat or your dog? After all, they're animals, too."
"Don't be disgusting."
"All that animal fat isn't healthy."
"What's healthy about all that weird stuff you eat? Seaweed? Tofu? Yuck."
"OK - everyone leave the table until you can be civil."
Sounds like a recipe for indigestion, doesn't it? If your vegan was formerly "just" vegetarian, you've probably already been through this, but expect it to escalate now. You must be the manners police or your dinner is going to turn ugly. Be prepared to referee. Better yet, have a friendly chat with family members ahead of time and insist that everyone (including vegans) keep their opinions to themselves at the table. There's plenty of time after dinner for philosophical discussions (otherwise known as arguments). Step in quickly if anyone "forgets". Results may vary. Fortunately, my family is past this now......at least at the dinner table.
No matter how you manage everyday mealtimes, things can heat up a bit at large family gatherings where relatives of all ages eagerly weigh in with their opinions. It's not easy to tell a relative, especially an older one, to back off. I'll revisit this topic later.
"Humans are supposed to eat meat. We're carnivores." (Actually we're omnivores, but let's not get picky.)
"Would you eat your cat or your dog? After all, they're animals, too."
"Don't be disgusting."
"All that animal fat isn't healthy."
"What's healthy about all that weird stuff you eat? Seaweed? Tofu? Yuck."
"OK - everyone leave the table until you can be civil."
Sounds like a recipe for indigestion, doesn't it? If your vegan was formerly "just" vegetarian, you've probably already been through this, but expect it to escalate now. You must be the manners police or your dinner is going to turn ugly. Be prepared to referee. Better yet, have a friendly chat with family members ahead of time and insist that everyone (including vegans) keep their opinions to themselves at the table. There's plenty of time after dinner for philosophical discussions (otherwise known as arguments). Step in quickly if anyone "forgets". Results may vary. Fortunately, my family is past this now......at least at the dinner table.
No matter how you manage everyday mealtimes, things can heat up a bit at large family gatherings where relatives of all ages eagerly weigh in with their opinions. It's not easy to tell a relative, especially an older one, to back off. I'll revisit this topic later.
Monday, October 3, 2011
to soy or not to soy
Ahh...the food fight continues. Thank goodness that my previously bean-and-lentil-hating daughter now enjoys them (I think) and prepares them for her family. She's a great cook! But, her position on soy is pretty clear. Family dinners now have to take that into account, since I can't prepare a soy-cream-cheese-based peanut butter pie and explain to my grandchildren why Auntie can have it but they can't. It's already hard to answer their questions about why she doesn't eat meat - except to say that she just doesn't. I wonder how long that will fly.
However, it is true that you don't need soy to have delicious, nutritious vegan food.
However, it is true that you don't need soy to have delicious, nutritious vegan food.
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