Why would you need an alternative to beef!

My Daughter’s Facebook postings contained a discussion about a vegetarian dish and one of her friends asked, “Why would you need an alternative to beef!? LOL”   and you know what? That is a great question, why?  Because something like a gazillion people are omnivores and the other 3 dozen people are non meat eaters..   

We don’t know why, because there are not enough people telling us why in a NONE “my way is better than yours” sort of way.  Just bring up Vegetarianism in a discussion and you will get some really well defined resistance.  WHAT, no way, I am a meat eater, a Carnivore! You can’t ask me to walk around eating grass and sticks!    We are resistant to change and look at things we are not used to with suspicion. (Wasn’t that Gandhi guy a vegetarian?  Worshiped cows or something? , freaky veggie heads!!!!!, gimme my beer dam it! )   

But why do we want to substitute our fleshy indulgences?   

Apparently my daughter is trying to cook healthier because her mother has some mega incredible Cholesterol level and needs to correct this situation, just like we all would if diagnoses with such a medical condition.  Medicine alone will not correct this issue, so we need to curb our intake of foods that contribute to high cholesterol.  Reducing your intake is particularly important if you are a person who genetically produces more cholesterol than you take in, reducing your intake is a must to get your levels under control.

Veggie dishes are good, but how many times are you going to eat beans and rice?  You’ll get bored, meat analogs (fake meat) help you get your high quality protein, will help satisfy you and allows you to make most of the dished you already love with no cholesterol and less fat. And any fat that is there will likely be the good kind!  Think Olive oil and the rest!  (What! there’s good fat!!!!! OMG!!!)   See my Chili recipe on my Fouth post.

Usage is important.  You would not use squishy Tofu when trying to make a Shish kabob,   would you?  Or Seitan, (wheat meat) in a dish that calls for ground chicken, nope. It would be gross..   Properly prepared meat analogs should be used to fit the appropriate dish. It’s not unlike cooking conventionally; you use the appropriate ingredients for the appropriate dishes.

In reducing your Beef intake, you increase you health benefits, by using meat analogs in other dishes, you expand your tastes and rely on the meats less for satisfaction and gain peace of mind knowing you ate a little healthier.   Eat like this and you may not have to deal with high cholesterol and then you will never have to worry about being told “You can’t eat that Steak or Hamburger”   when you do have real meat.  The alternative is dealing with the high levels and never eating meat without the worry of contributing to your own heart attack.  

FACEBOOK Ramblings

·          So I made curried rice with mixed vegetables and mushrooms stuffed in some roasted green peppers -- definitely a delicious alternative to beef!

·          We must be the best chef's in Marlton

·          Rite? Iron Chef Marlton go

·          Why would you need an alternative to beef!? LOL

·          I'm a Flexitarian :p

·          So I see. I am a devout meat eater, but I have dabbled in and enjoy on occasion a few (very few) vegetarian (but never vegan, eew) dishes... namely falafel and morning star burritos... so what does that make me?

·          I think just a regular carnivore. I think vegetarian dishes are super good though.