I foundthis rant about vegetarians from Franklin Johnston of the Jamaica Observer (scroll down a bit). He writes: "Vegetarians are a selfish and self-righteous people. God save us from them! Or have I met the wrong lot?"
I wonder how many vegetarians he based this observation on. He writes: "Now for my rant on vegetarians.
"Why are vegetarians intolerant exhibitionists who think they are better than those who eat meat? Meat eaters never advertise themselves or impose their choices, vegetarians feel the need to flaunt their food choices and lecture us. Why?"
Not happy with offending people because of what they eat, he starts on people's sexuality. He says: "They are like exhibitionist gay people - in your face! Why do I have to know you are vegetarian? Why announce it? Just live it!"
The mindless drivel goes on and on. If you're interested the article is here but I warn you he's an absolute idiot.
I know it's really about Guinness and dancing but I thought I'd gather together a few traditional St Patrick's Day recipes - vegetarian style.
The vegetarian society website have a few good ones as well as other sites. I've never cooked for St Patrick's Day but I might try making the Guinness and Tofu stew.
It's finally here!!! The first Eclipse trailer. I hang my 27-year-old head in shame as I admit I'm a closet age-inappropriate Twihard. I'm ashamed even to use the word "Twihard".
The story of my addiction is a sad tale and there is no hope of recovery.
I let the Twilight film pass me by completely when it came out all those years ago. I imagined a teenage rom com which would make me feel 100 years old. Here's the Twilight trailer (a little treat to break up this blog post)
Then my sister booked a "girly bonding" trip to the movies. She booked New Moon tickets and the rest is (a very sorry) history. I borrowed the Twilight DVD before going to see New Moon. I watched it. I watched it again (within two days.) Ouch. And then I went to see New Moon (the same day)...(double ouch.)
The vampire/werewolf/human love triangle tickled a giggly girly part of me deep down which remembered the Point Romance books I'd read 12 years ago (only girls will remember that series of books) and undeniably female things like that
I think that's part of it: it's a "girl thing". The cinema is full of girls....and more shockingly...many women. It somehow spans age (just like vampires and werewolves!!!!)
It's something you feel only girls can understand. Having two beautiful, buff, supernatural men fighting over you when you're so plain, boring...normal.
Here's the New Moon trailer to complete the set so far (thank god we still have the fourth book Breaking Dawn to come in movie format):
I'm relatively well read, I studied English literature for five years at university, I have bulging bookshelves but I have (shamefully) bought and devoured the Twilight books.
I wouldn't recommed anyone to read them. They are not books to pass down the generations. They are like drinking a whole bottle of wine. You really shouldn't do it and you would never advise anyone else to do it however sometimes, just sometimes, you can't help but do it (even if it kills brain cells).
Serious health warning: don't do it. (But if you do...ENJOY!)
I found THIS article. It likens eating meat-shaped food to having sex with a blow-up doll. Have a read for yourself (here). It's really long so I skimmed through the last bit but certain parts are interesting.
The whole blow-up doll/sex is a little gratuitous and probably designed to achieve more hits but it gets his message across.
I don't have a problem with meat-like vegetarian products. I use veggie mince, chicken-style pieces, sausages, burgers, chicken-style fillets, the lot.
I live with a meat-eater and these products make life so much easier. If he's having spag bol we use the same sauce but whack beef in his saucepan and veggie mince in mine.
Separate out the pasta and voila! Also works brilliantly with the chicken pieces making curry, stir fry, everything.
One of the most interesting "substitutes" I've had was aromatic mock duck pancakes at the Pacifica Chinese restaurant in St Helens.
On the menu it's described as: "Made from wheat gluten and deep fried until crispy, to be rolled in pancakes with hoi sin sauce and salad."
When it arrived I had to shread it like real duck. That bit felt unnecessary but it was tasty and full points to the restaurant for the veggie choice.
I think meat-shaped products are only a problem to vegetarians who are making some kind of moral (nobler/purer/kinder than carnivores as Anneli Rufus puts it) statement.
The rest of us just think of it as a convenient way to get some lovely protein. Attaching any kind of guilt to food is never helpful nor healthy.
BEAUTIFUL Drew Barrymore has said being a vegetarian makes her a fussy eater.
I absolutely and completely disagree with the idea that people are fussy eaters simply because they are vegetarians.
According to ABS CBN News she said: "I'm a bit of a picky eater, but that's because I'm a vegetarian.
"I'm like a typical American teenager when it comes to my favorite foods! I love peanut butter with bananas. That's my favorite. I like grilled cheese sandwiches and I love homemade macaroni with cheese."
I'm a vegetarian and I'm a million times less fussy than most meat eaters I know. I will eat anything but meat and fish.
Surely that makes me a very unfussy eater and I bet there are tons of vegetarians just the same.
Surely people who think of vegetarians as fussy have a lack of culinary imagination.
I wrote this review for my newspaper and website Liverpool ECHO and Post. As the McCartney family have such strong links to the vegetarian community, it seemed appropriate to pop it on my blog too. Hope you enjoy:
BEING a Beatles baby can’t be easy – especially when you’re stood on stage as your audience gazes around the room hoping to see your famous father.
James McCartney, son of Sir Paul, kicked off his first UK tour in Liverpool, the birthplace of The Beatles, last night.
Looking like a younger, blonder version of his old man with a blue guitar slung round his neck, McCartney Jr. casually performed his set for the small but eager crowd.
He opened by dedicating his first song, New York City, to his Liverpool family and although his dad wasn’t backstage, his rock photographer uncle Mike was.
The 32-year-old also dedicated a song, called My Friend, to George Harrison whose birthday it would have been yesterday and paid homage to Sir Paul with his performance of I Love You, Dad.
The 14-strong setlist mingled angry, powerful rock numbers with soft, peaceful ballads. Simple lyrics and memorable melodies meant fragments of previously unheard songs stuck in the mind after just one play.
McCartney ploughed through his set, quickly introducing songs, singing them and moving onto the next. It wasn’t until a 50-something rocker yelled: “Go on, Jim lad” that McCartney cracked a smile and seemed suddenly more confident and at ease.
Although the multi-instrumentalist has played music all his life, he shied away from the limelight until last October when he played a handful of secret shows hiding behind the name “Light” in a bid to avoid his dad’s shadow.
At times he seemed uncomfortable and lacked the showmanship of his doe-eyed dad – but the audience warmed to him and roared their applause as he closed the concert with the words: “You are a heavenly audience. You’ve been the best audience in the whole wide world.”
Loads of my Google alerts are about American snowboarder Hannah Teter at the moment. I'm not interested in snowboarding so I haven't explored them much but she said something really positive about turning veggie last year.
She said: "I started that last year and feel stronger mentally and physically, and springier." (Read the whole interview with People Magazine.) I sometimes wonder how different I'd feel if I ate meat and fish: would I be fatter/ thinner, more alert, have healthier skin, hair etc...?
Having been a vegetarian for so long I have nothing to compare how I feel with. I guess I need to read the book I blogged on yesterday about the life-long vegetarian who started eating meat for health reasons.
Anyway...back to Hannah Teter. She eats loads of Quinoa. Quinoa is weird but really good for you.
Sarah Gross writes: "Vegetarian diets are growing in popularity among athletes, for numerous reasons.
" One study by the Yale Medical Journal found that vegetarians are often more capable of maintaining athletic endurance than their meat-eating counterparts."
A Google alert popped up in my email saying: "A vegetarian goes over to the dark (meat) side."
I was intrigued.
The link led to a (slightly boring) Q&A with Tara Austen Weaver who gave up being a vegetarian when her holistic doctor suggeted she eat meat for health reasons. (Read the Q&A here)
She had been a veggie all her life. In her book she describes what it was like beginning to eat meat. This includes enjoying barbecued bacon and "meat hangovers"
The blurb on the book reads: "One Woman's Romp through a World of Men, Meat and Moral Crisis." This put me off. It makes it sound like some kind of Sex in the City meets the Bible meets a cook book.
Maybe it's just me. I hate it when people connect vegetarianism with morality. It's a personal choice about diet not some kind of religious superiority to those who eat meat.
I haven't read the book so I won't judge it. It might be fantastic...just with a rubbish blurb. Either way it'd be interesting to read about the effects of eating meat on the body and mind of a life-long vegetarian.
McDonald's in Germany is apparently re-introducing the veggie burger to attract more women customers.
They think fresh food is more likely to bring in the female fast food lovers.
It will be made from potatoes, peppers and carrots. Although the Veggie Deluxe fills a guilty hole, I always liked the Quorn Premiere far more but according to a website I've found (Makeupyourownmind) there wasn't enough demand for it.
The website claims "The site has been set up for you to find out anything you would like to know about McDonald’s food, business, people and practices."
I haven't had a McDonald's for ages but the last thing I had involved chickpeas and an odd sauce. It helped ease a hangover but I won't be rushing back for another.
The Spicy Veggie Deli sandwich was good but didn't satisfy burger-cravings even though it was probably as laden with sugar and fat. (After a quick bit of research, I learn it contains 555 calories and 21g of fat - find out what the nutritional value of your McDonald's favourites here.)
As I've said before, I'm no cook. However, I'm trying at the moment because I'm doing that "low carb" diet again so bunging noodles in the microwave just won't cut it.
It's called Eggs with Mediterranean Vegetables in Tomato Sauce (not exactly inventive) and is super easy, especially with my cheeky cheap cheat.
Instead of messing with all the fresh vegetables (because I was busy not lazy...honest) I got a tin of organic vegetables, which worked great. (I'm sure fresh veg is nicer and healthier though.) Anyway...enough chatting..here's the recipe from Gino's website.
But first...here are pictures of my attempt. Doesn't look too bad? It was really filling and super tasty. I recommed it.
Eggs with Mediterranean Vegetables in Tomato Sauce
Serves 4
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, sliced 3 medium courgettes, roughly chopped 1 large yellow pepper, roughly chopped 400g tinned chopped tomatoes 5 fresh basil leaves 50g pitted Kalamata olives 4 medium eggs 70g freshly grated Cheddar cheese Salt and pepper
Preparation: Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion, courgettes and pepper until soft and browned, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, add in the tomatoes, basil and olives. Cook, uncovered, over a medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the water from the tomatoes is well reduced.
Meanwhile, preheat the grill. Make four slight hollows in the tomato mixture and very gently break one egg into each. Sprinkle over the cheese and cook under the grill for about 10 minutes or until the eggs are set as you like them.
Serve immediately with warm crusty bread. (Not so great on the low carb diet but nevermind.)
CHEF Aldo Zilli is apparently relaunching his Soho restaurant as a vegetarian venture.
The award-winning Italian chef will open Zilli Green in Soho on February 14 after being inspired by his time on Celebrity Fit Club to have a new lifestyle.
He said: "Before going on Celebrity Fit Club a few years ago I decided that I wanted a new lifestyle and a new way of looking at food.
"The programme inspired me to alter the focus of my cooking with new ingredients and different patterns of eating.
"This year marks my 30th anniversary as one of Soho's original restaurateurs. At the time, I brought a fresh new approach to eating Italian food to London and I want to mark this anniversary with an equally exciting new approach to a fresh and healthy way of life for everyone to enjoy."
Although I think it's brilliant such a high-profile chef is bringing vegetarian food into the spotlight, it sometimes annoys me people assume a vegetarian lifestyle is "the healthy option."
I remember being on an American flight as a child - when everyone got a ready salted bag of crisps as a snack, I was handed a stick of celery.
I do, however, like how Zilli focuses on how tasty vegetarian food can be. He said: "...vegetarian food doesn't have to be dull or tasteless - but exciting and delicious with quirky flavours and combinations."
Starter dishes (from £3.50) include Beetroot Lasagna with Dandelion & Rocket Salad; Jerusalem Artichoke Tart with Goats Cheese, Fig & Grape Chutney; and Red Lentil & Barley Soup.
Pasta dishes (£6.00) include Pumpkin ravioli with Butter, Sage and Nutmeg Sauce; Artichoke and Smoked Mozzarella Risotto with Toasted Sunflower Seeds; and Black truffle lasagne.
Other mains include, Lentil Cake with Steamed Baby Vegetables, Fried Fennel and Beetroot Oil; Marinated Seared Tofu with Asian Salad and Miso Soup; Thai Curry with Quinoa & Blood Orange Chutney; and Purple Sprouting Broccoli & Oyster Mushroom Tempura as well as a Daily Roast.
Vegetarianism isn't a moral choice for me. I love going to veggie restaurants because I can completely relax about what I'm eating, I know my food hasn't been cut with the wrong knife in the kitchen or touched something non-veggie.
However, vegetarian restaurants should not be held up as somehow better or healthier or more moral than other eateries. They are simply another choice, as is being a vegetarian.
I found this rant about vegetarians from Franklin Johnston of the Jamaica Observer (scroll down a bit). He writes: "Vegetarians are a selfish and self-righteous people. God save us from them! Or have I met the wrong lot?"
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