Seewalds 30: No new baby, but with more recipe thread-drift

[BlackberryGirl]

Sunday I made roast chicken breasts with potato wedges, simple and yummy. Tuesday I used the left overs and another half breast and made chicken and dumpling stew... Chicken, onion, carrots, acini de pepe, soup base, bisquick dumplings.  Yesterday I turned what was left of   It into Italian Wedding soup, with matzoh balls. I made  meatballs, useing a half pound of meat, added spices , parmesan and breadcrumbs.  

I started with 3 chicken breast halves, with skin and bones. I think it was less than $5. I fed 3 adults  about 12 bowls of soup and 2 breast meals.  There was nothing complicated about any of this. The recipe for dumplings and matzoh balls are on the package. 

 

[oldfashionedgal]

23 minutes ago, BlackberryGirl said:

I started with 3 chicken breast halves, with skin and bones. I think it was less than $5. I fed 3 adults  about 12 bowls of soup and 2 breast meals.

 

If I served my husband half a chicken breast I guarantee there wouldn’t BE any leftovers. I’d count myself lucky if he didn’t complain there wasn’t enough meat 

[Nargus]

5 hours ago, oldfashionedgal said:

If I served my husband half a chicken breast I guarantee there wouldn’t BE any leftovers. I’d count myself lucky if he didn’t complain there wasn’t enough meat 

That's my husband's complaint with every vegetarian meal I've ever made.  "This would be awesome with some chicken" "All this needs is some ground beef" and so on. 

I found a vegan quinoa minestrone recipe that I love, and he won't eat it unless I put ground beef and noodles in it.  So it becomes more of a hamburger soup. 

It's like trying to feed a toddler some days.  

[BlackberryGirl]

Spoiler

 

These were HUGE 1/2 breasts. I couldn't finish mine. I don't make vegetarian meals, but sometimes, like with the chicken stew the meat is  an accent, not the main attraction. In 40+ years of making my chicken stew, no one has ever complained about a lack of meat. 

[oldfashionedgal]

1 hour ago, Nargus said:

It's like trying to feed a toddler some days.  

Yes! I know this feeling well!

 

1 hour ago, BlackberryGirl said:

  Reveal hidden contents

 

In 40+ years of making my chicken stew, no one has ever complained about a lack of meat. 

I definitely think you need less meat in stew, but my point was if I served half a roast chicken breast the way my husband eats there wouldn’t be any meat at all to put in said stew. This is the guy who will eat his entire breast AND half of mine.

Speaking of chicken stew, i’m making one with chickpeas and sultanas tomorrow 

[JemimaPuddle-Duck]

I think a lot of people say breast when they mean 1/2 breast. When you buy those huge breasts with the rib bone and skin, those are actually halves. I think I just made it sound more confusing instead of clearer lol. 

[TheMustardCardigan]

My boyfriend is a vegetarian, but I'm not.  It's never an issue for us, though. It's fun to find vegetarian recipes and try them out. I like to use the Veggie Crumbles that are supposed to be similar to ground beef. I've made lasagna, enchilada casserole, and stuffed portobello mushrooms with them and it all turned out really good! We also go out to eat a lot and there's never a restaurant that he can't find something to eat at. 

[Skeptic]

2 hours ago, TheMustardCardigan said:

My boyfriend is a vegetarian, but I'm not.  It's never an issue for us, though. It's fun to find vegetarian recipes and try them out. I like to use the Veggie Crumbles that are supposed to be similar to ground beef. I've made lasagna, enchilada casserole, and stuffed portobello mushrooms with them and it all turned out really good! We also go out to eat a lot and there's never a restaurant that he can't find something to eat at. 

I’m vegan, and my boyfriend is not, but it’s never a problem for us either! We use a lot of those same recipes, and his enchilada casserole with soft tofu and black beans is amazing. He makes some vegan recipes better than I do, despite me having three more years of experience. He’ll eat anything, but thankfully never complains about still being hungry: he just takes a larger portion or grabs a snack when necessary. Our relationship wouldn’t be what it is if he were fussy about food. We love to cook and share meals together. 

[Charliemae]

7 hours ago, JemimaPuddle-Duck said:

I think a lot of people say breast when they mean 1/2 breast. When you buy those huge breasts with the rib bone and skin, those are actually halves. I think I just made it sound more confusing instead of clearer lol. 

This!

I've been chuckling over this misunderstanding!  the terminology is confusing; If you go to the butcher and ask for a WHOLE CHICKEN BREAST you are getting a hunk of poultry with bones and two "breast fillets".  Most people are thinking of one boneless skinless chicken breast fillet being cut in half ...

[Satan'sFortress]

I am vegetarian and the rest of my family isn't.  I'm surprised that other "mixed couples' don't find this to be a problem--it is a HUGE problem for me. 

They don't want to eat vegetarian all the time, and since I do the cooking, I then have to prepare meated meals, which I find kind of gross.   Raw meat + me being a vegetarian = not fun. Although I get creative with tacos and quesadillas, etc.  that everyone can customize with meat or no meat, many nights, I end up cooking two meals.  Or worse yet, I make their meated meal and then just find myself eating the veg side dish and a cup of yogurt because I am too damn tired to cook a separate meal.  Plus, it can get expensive to prepare two different meals.

I love all kinds of food (other than meat) and would be cooking something different every night. but they don't like tofu, eggplant, quinoa, tomatoes, oh my, the list goes on and on.  It is a source of real unhappiness for me.

3 hours ago, TheMustardCardigan said:

My boyfriend is a vegetarian, but I'm not.  It's never an issue for us, though. It's fun to find vegetarian recipes and try them out. I like to use the Veggie Crumbles that are supposed to be similar to ground beef. I've made lasagna, enchilada casserole, and stuffed portobello mushrooms with them and it all turned out really good! We also go out to eat a lot and there's never a restaurant that he can't find something to eat at. 

I wish I lived wherever you do--because going out to eat is almost always a hassle for me.  I have to check the menu online before I go & many times there are NO veg options at all.  I have to settle for a salad, or maybe a meal that I can order and ask them to hold the chicken or shrimp or steak . . . note that I still get charged full price even though I didn't have the meat.

Sorry for the rant--it has been a tough food week here and I am genuinely hungry and cranky.  Thanks for listening. 

[singsingsing]

8 minutes ago, Satan'sFortress said:

They don't want to eat vegetarian all the time, and since I do the cooking, I then have to prepare meated meals, which I find kind of gross.   Raw meat + me being a vegetarian = not fun.

But if you're doing all the cooking, why do you have to make them their own meals? I get that that's not feasible for little kids, and I'm not sure whether a vegetarian diet is advisable for little kids or not, but if we're talking older kids, teens or adults, surely they can either eat what you make them, or if they don't like it, make their own meal? 

[bananabread]

22 minutes ago, singsingsing said:

I'm not sure whether a vegetarian diet is advisable for little kids or not

I've been vegetarian (mostly, I occasionally fall off the wagon for a lobster dinner or Big Mac) for a few years now, and I'm pretty sure a veggie diet for children is fine. As long as they get plenty of protein and B12 (not hard to do on a veggie diet), they're good to go. The problem comes in with veganism. I believe doctors still caution against vegan diets for children and expectant mothers.

My fiance is not vegetarian, but he likes vegetarian food and I've never had a problem in that arena. He orders meat when we go out to eat, but at home we eat vegetarian. Enchiladas, pasta, grilled cheese, soups, pizza, Rice-a-Roni, breakfast for dinner...there are plenty of cheap, easy options!

I feel like expecting your partner to cook two separate meals is just ridiculous. Not very thoughtful or supportive.

[AnnEggBlandHer?]

2 hours ago, singsingsing said:

I'm not sure whether a vegetarian diet is advisable for little kids or not,

My toddler is basically a vegetarian, he just refuses to eat meat, and we think it’s a texture thing. Occasionally I’ll sneak a meatball past him, or he’ll take a bite of something from my plate, but any chicken/pork/etc that I put on his tray gets tossed on the floor. His pediatrician isn’t concerned at all, he eats beans, tofu, and lots of yogurt and cheese. 

My husband is a big meat eater, and I’ve found that I can reduce our meat consumption by making more casseroles or skillet meals, because it’s easier to use veggies and beans as filler without it being so obvious. If you are serving a piece of meat, veggie, and salad, it’s a lot more noticeable exactly how much meat you’re getting. 

[VelociRapture]

2 hours ago, singsingsing said:

But if you're doing all the cooking, why do you have to make them their own meals? I get that that's not feasible for little kids, and I'm not sure whether a vegetarian diet is advisable for little kids or not, but if we're talking older kids, teens or adults, surely they can either eat what you make them, or if they don't like it, make their own meal? 

With little kids it likely depends on a lot of factors. The more restrictive the diet the more likely it is that the child may not be getting the right nutrients on a regular basis. So, like @bananabreadmentioned, a kid being raised on a vegan diet may not do as well as a kid raised with a vegetarian diet that allows dairy and egg products. Of course it all depends on the parents and how educated they are on nutrition. I’m sure there are vegan parents out there who are more than capable of getting their kid adequate amounts of protein and important vitamins. I’d just suggest to any parents that are looking to raise their kids as vegans or vegetarians (or with any type of dietary restrictions) to go in with an open mind, flexibility, and a solid plan worked out with your child’s Pediatrician. It’s fine to give it a try if you know what you’re doing, but just be ready to adjust if your kid isn’t doing well.

Also, multivitamins are a great option for any growing kid. My daughter has been taking Polyvisol with iron (on her Pediatrician’s recommendation) since she was a very little baby. It makes us feel better knowing that she’s getting the vitamins she needs even on days where she doesn’t eat as well as we’d like - toddlers can be really picky.

(And no, we aren’t vegetarians. We do try to have at least one or two meatless dinners each week for health and environmental reasons though. Plus I think it’s a fun way to introduce the baby to different foods and dishes.) 

[lizzybee]

We're transitioning to a plant based diet in particular to help with my husband's health, but pretty much for both of us. I actually googled this, this morning and saved it because I was curious what the stance was on this due to having a small child and being pregnant myself. 

http://jandonline.org/article/S2212-2672(16)31192-3/abstract

Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is that a vegan diet is healthful for all stages of life including pregnancy, childhood, infancy, and lactation. 

American heart association also concludes that a vegetarian diet is healthful for all stages of life.  

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Vegetarian-Diets_UCM_306032_Article.jsp#.WoCopJPwbVo

I plan on supplementing all of us with Vitamin D and B12 once we're completely transitioned. 

[Satan'sFortress]

5 hours ago, singsingsing said:

But if you're doing all the cooking, why do you have to make them their own meals? I get that that's not feasible for little kids, and I'm not sure whether a vegetarian diet is advisable for little kids or not, but if we're talking older kids, teens or adults, surely they can either eat what you make them, or if they don't like it, make their own meal? 

I hear you, and yet I guess I feel like being vegetarian is my choice, not theirs, so they shouldn't have to suffer for it.  I only work part-time and my husband works full time, so I just can't feel good about him having to come home after working all day and then having to cook something, too.  Also, he can't cook.  That may sound all June Cleaver, but I really do think it would be unfair.  FTR, he does plenty of his share of housework, including doing the dishes every night.  We've been together for 25 years, and cooking has always just been my thing. He wouldn't eat much of what I would love to cook and eat, which is too bad, because I am actually a really good cook.

I have one ridiculously picky child, but he is away at school.  My other kid is 16---a better eater and would probably be happy to be veg-at-home if it were just the two of us.

4 hours ago, bananabread said:

I feel like expecting your partner to cook two separate meals is just ridiculous. Not very thoughtful or supportive.

Yes, if he were the full time cook and made meated foods, i wouldn't expect him to make a vegetarian meal for me. Honestly, no one seems to ever notice.  It is just how it has been.

 

[JillyO]

I'm going to offer a likely unpopular opinion here and say that I don't understand taking dietary supplements (such as multivitamins) unless there is a medical indication or you can't get something naturally (like, you can't get B12 from a vegan diet, so of course you have to supplement). It baffles me that this is so incredibly common in America. You actually can overdose on some of those supplements, so it's not just a "can't hurt, and it may help" kind of situation.

ETA: Here's some information just from a quick Google search: https://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/articles/2012/02/24/popular-but-dangerous-3-vitamins-that-can-hurt-you.

[SapphireSlytherin]

5 hours ago, VelociRapture said:

I’m sure there are vegan parents out there who are more than capable of getting their kid adequate amounts of protein and important vitamins.

My vegan friend is raising her child as vegan (since birth). The only milk the child has consumed is breast milk. Child is perfectly healthy and off the charts on height, and 50th %ile on weight. The child is perfectly healthy and smart as a whip. Vegan friend has been vegan for two decades, so she knows her shit.

[Nikedagain?]

On 2/8/2018 at 4:27 PM, singsingsing said:

They did, but you could get a dispensation. The Habsburgs were, afaik, the only ones who went for uncle-niece marriages on the regular. But as long as the Pope issued a dispensation you were good to go. 

Most people were very much against the idea of such marriages, though, and I’m not entirely sure why the Habsburgs were so inclined to it. Back in jolly old England, the much-maligned Richard III (reputedly) considered marrying his niece and there was an enormous outcry against it.

All I can think about is Gerhardt from 30 Rock:

 

[HermioneSparrow]

I don't see the problem on raising a vegan child.. Vegetarianism and veganism are healthier lifestyles imo.. I'm trying to switch slowly to vegetarianism (it's hard! Love me some chicken and seafood) but it's better for my stomach and I already ditched almost all dairy because i'm lactose intolerant. Feels a hell of a lot better. I wish my parents would've raised me as a vegan

[Shadoewolf]

I can't help it, I love me some non-hormone, no pesticides, free range, humanely killed steak and pork chops. But we special order all that through Hubby's distributer. And crab legs. And sushi. 

I probably could get away from the processed stuff, but it's hard when juggling the schedules of 5 other people who all go in different directions and one car (though hopefully 2 soon!) When my 2 seniors clear out then it may be easier but right now quick and easy gets everyone fed. 

We add a multivitamin for the kids, and I take Thyrovanz (NDT) and a thyroid support formula with extra iodine/selenium and holy basil,  plus berberine for blood sugar management. In the right amounts supplements are ok. But it's following the research and knowing what's safe versus just adding stuff willy nilly.

[SapphireSlytherin]

12 minutes ago, Shadoewolf said:

I can't help it, I love me some non-hormone, no pesticides, free range, humanely killed steak and pork chops.

I have a very hard time eating commercial meat, but DH hunts, and we eat what he harvests. We also buy half of a cow every winter - from friends whose cows spend their lives in pasture, no hormones, no antibiotics, grass-fed in non-Monsanto fields. We eat nothing processed (chicken nuggets/tenders, breaded fish, etc).

GryffindorDisappointment refused meat at an early age, and her pediatrician insisted that she eat meat. I tried everything to get her to eat it, but she wouldn't. Even now she only eats (red) meat about five times per year. lol

 

[CorruptionInc.]

2 hours ago, Shadoewolf said:

And crab legs.

I'm drooling now. 

I love Crab!!!! 

If only Uber Eats or something did Crab!!!

[Rachel333]

6 hours ago, JillyO said:

I'm going to offer a likely unpopular opinion here and say that I don't understand taking dietary supplements (such as multivitamins) unless there is a medical indication or you can't get something naturally (like, you can't get B12 from a vegan diet, so of course you have to supplement). It baffles me that this is so incredibly common in America. You actually can overdose on some of those supplements, so it's not just a "can't hurt, and it may help" kind of situation.

ETA: Here's some information just from a quick Google search: https://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/articles/2012/02/24/popular-but-dangerous-3-vitamins-that-can-hurt-you.

Yes, there's not a lot of evidence that vitamins help unless they're something specific you're deficient in like B12 or iron. At best they basically just give you nice brightly colored, expensive urine and at worst they can even hurt. Multiple studies have found higher death rates for people who take vitamins, which is believed to be causative and not a mere correlation.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/09/opinion/sunday/dont-take-your-vitamins.html

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/07/the-vitamin-myth-why-we-think-we-need-supplements/277947/

[just_ordinary]

As someone from Europe, I am also baffled about the amount of supplements Americans seem to take. If there is no deficiency you will just pee away your money and additional give your kidneys and liver more work than needed (which can become a serious health problem). Supplements a great - if you need them!

We got vegetarian friends with a young child but to this point they still give her meat. Young children can be so picky about food in certain phases (plain pasta for days anyone?) that sometimes it is just hard to put the right amount of nutrients in them. They don’t want to raise their child with stuffing it up with pills, so meat it is. I believe when she gets around 5 they want to cut it at home but give her free choice going out or when she is with friends/relatives.