Vegetarians swaying blue!

[soni]

And way more food ads that I anticipated, too! I don't think I cut a single item out of the last issue. I really use my How to Cook Everything Vegetarian (Mark Bittman) cookbook the most.

Lola, I love the Mark Bittman's book. I borrowed it from a friend and seeing that I liked it so much she surprised me with one for me as a gift! It is awesome!!

We also do the smoothie thing every morning. We used a crappy blender earlier as the Vitamix was so over my budget. Then finally decided to splurge on it (a factory recondtitioned model which is slightly cheaper but with the same great 7 year warranty). It made life so much easier and our smoothies were now completely smooth.. lol. I love it to bits and put all kinds of things in the smoothie - kale/spinach, avocado, wheatgrass, mango/banana, tomato, a handful of nuts. It makes getting nutrients so much easier!

[soni]

Hi Lola, I totally agree with you about the soy. I am not a big fan of it either except in the form of tofu or its natural bean state. I have posted some of my recipes in the dream member TTC Boy section (European measurements though as they are the ones I am most comfortable with). Hope you enjoy.

I don't like soy either. It too processed and I am not sure if it does more harm than good. We do eat a bit of it use it in soy sauce or wasabi soy beans and edamame.. yum!

[LolaInLove]

Hi Lola, I totally agree with you about the soy. I am not a big fan of it either except in the form of tofu or its natural bean state. I have posted some of my recipes in the dream member TTC Boy section (European measurements though as they are the ones I am most comfortable with). Hope you enjoy.

Thanks, Pearl! I will check that out! I just worry about the phytoestrogenic effect for all of us. Can't be good for guys with low sperm count, or little growing girls either.

[LolaInLove]

I don't like soy either. It too processed and I am not sure if it does more harm than good. We do eat a bit of it use it in soy sauce or wasabi soy beans and edamame.. yum!

That is pretty much the extent to which we eat it also. Have you ever tried the Bragg's soy sauce? It's actually called liquid aminos, and it tastes better than the usual stuff.

I gotta get a good blender!!! I know Atomic likes the Omega juicers, trying to decide which one. I've got a little fund jar going for it, so hopefully we can get one in the next few months. Neither of them are cheap, but considering the health benefits, it's money well spent. I would really like to get the kids into it also....they would like going shopping and making up recipes for smoothies. Such a great way to get all those nutrients into them.

[Pearl327]

Thanks, Pearl! I will check that out! I just worry about the phytoestrogenic effect for all of us. Can't be good for guys with low sperm count, or little growing girls either.

I know I am concerned too, but with all the advice about different foods out their I follow the everything in moderation philosophy. I wouldn't have soy more than twice a week. and I try and use that across all my foods. (I usually fail at breakfast time and have the same thing 5+ times a week) So if I have a tofu meal 1 day, I might have a bean meal the next, an egg based one after that , then a lentil based one and a different bean based one. I do the same with my nuts and fruits and veg (at least one from the rainbow every day) so that I am eating as broad spectrum of foods a possible.

My DH and DD are not vegetarian but both happily eat my meals. DH gets fed his meat based 1pm dinner at work and DD gets hers in creche 4 days a week. I have not given DD soy products yet it is just the bean, egg and lentil meals she shares with us and DH will not be getting any soy from the start of July which will be out 3 month lead in to TTC.

[LolaInLove]

That sounds like a solid plan, Pearl. I love that my kids like veg meals as well, and my DH. I think that is the hardest thing about a veg diet is trying to plan out your week's intake so you have a good variety. I would be much better at that if I didn't work 12 hours a day!!!

[soni]

That is pretty much the extent to which we eat it also. Have you ever tried the Bragg's soy sauce? It's actually called liquid aminos, and it tastes better than the usual stuff.

I gotta get a good blender!!! I know Atomic likes the Omega juicers, trying to decide which one. I've got a little fund jar going for it, so hopefully we can get one in the next few months. Neither of them are cheap, but considering the health benefits, it's money well spent. I would really like to get the kids into it also....they would like going shopping and making up recipes for smoothies. Such a great way to get all those nutrients into them.

Nope Lola, I have seen Bragg's at Whole foods - will pick one up on my next shopping trip. I love food network. I like how they use the same Vitamix blenders on many of the shows like Chopped All Stars! I debated long and hard before getting one. DH freaked when I told him how much the blender was going to cost - he kept saying but its a belnder! Money on a good blender is truly well spent specially if you use it everyday!

[Pearl327]

I hear you Lola, you have to be very organised in order to eat well all week. Between the commute and working hours I am out of the house for a minimum of 11 hrs a day (I am lucky that I can work a 4 day week so that I have 3 days to spend with DD). When I went back to work after DD I started weekly menu planning on a Friday so that I know what I have my list for my saturday shop and I usually batch cook on a sat evening so that I have meals in the freezer. Then I just need to remind myself to take them out before I go to work.

Soni I would love a good blender, the one I have at the min is only OK and I wouldn't be tempted to use it very often. But my next kitchen equipment purchase is a juicer that can handle all veg. I am still researching it. My last one had given up after many years of good service. It could handle root veg no problem but was very poor at juicing soft and leafy fruits and veg so I used to just throw these into the blender with the juice but that leads to double the washing up.

[LolaInLove]

Pearl, that is exactly what I need to do, some good planning each week. I have done it some weekend when I had time to sit down for an hour or two on Saturday morning before the big shop, but many days we just wing it at the store.

Soni, I hear you, they are SO expensive, but supposed to last forever. Our crappy Oster one only lasted about 6 months and couldn't blend anything, but that's what you get for $30.

I am going to either go with Vitamax or one of these Omega ones: Amazon.com: omega juicers

Let me know what you gals think! We can comparison shop together.

[LolaInLove]

Pearl, that is exactly what I need to do, some good planning each week. I have done it some weekend when I had time to sit down for an hour or two on Saturday morning before the big shop, but many days we just wing it at the store.

Soni, I hear you, they are SO expensive, but supposed to last forever. Our crappy Oster one only lasted about 6 months and couldn't blend anything, but that's what you get for $30.

I am going to either go with Vitamax or one of these Omega ones: http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key...l_9kjoaqypyi_b

Let me know what you gals think! We can comparison shop together.