melody Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I was vegetarian for 9 years. This summer I had to stop eating gluten for health reasons. I've reintroduced a bit of meat recently because I wasn't sure that I was meeting all of the nutritional needs in my diet as it stood. Before Whole30 my diet consisted of veggies, fruits, grains like quinoa & rice, legumes, dark chocolate, nuts, seeds, and some tofu, eggs, yogurt, and cheese. I've never been a big processed foods person and in the past year have tried to mostly eat whole foods-- and when eating processed, as minimally as possible. My only form of caffeine was dark chocolate. And my favorite thing to drink is water. I decided to do this whole 30 (my first) as a meat eater. And now, day 15, I am so utterly sick of eating meat (and eggs) that I'm fighting off the urge to just quit. In part, I chose to do whole30 as a meat eater rather than with the vegetarian food list because I know that dairy makes me congested and I should try and avoid it. That said, yogurt, a bowl of lentils or some tempeh sound pretty delicious right now. They talk about being really happy on Whole30, but so far for me I just seem to be getting grumpier. Normally I am super cheerful, but not the past week. In part this is just a venting session because I gave myself a goal and I don't want to turn back on it now. I do like bacon, and am considering driving an hour away to buy some that's compliant. But even bacon shouldn't be eaten every day so I don't know if I should bother making the drive. I bought myself some frozen lobster tails tonight for dinner tomorrow because I remember liking lobster the last time I had it. But I can't afford for that to be a normal thing. Here's what I have tried: Chicken. It reminds me why I became a vegetarian. I can tolerate the canned stuff but needs lots of toppings to mask the taste of it any other way. Turkey. It's not terrible. I've been eating it pretty much every day though and am getting sick of it. Same thing goes for eggs. Turkey Liver. Totally gross. But I tried it. Cod & Swordfish. Both not terrible, but not something I'd want to eat more than 1x/mo Steak. Totally gross Pork. Hidden in soup it's somewhat tolerable. Beef. Not doing it. Sorry. Prosciutto. Got some that tastes gross, will try one more time. SO. My question is, if I'm going to stick with this as a meat eater, what suggestions do people have for things to try that I would maybe like? And/or, would it be so terrible to incorporate some lentils & other items on the veg/vegan list? Or to only eat meat at one meal a day? Trying to incorporate it into 3 meals a day is just totally bringing me down. I really like the fact that I've been fully sustained and not needing/wanting to snack throughout the day, eat late at night, or think about chocolate all day long. But otherwise this thing has me feeling cranky, grumpy, irritable, and in the same size pants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pomme Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Shrimp. Make it with Melissa Joulwan's recipe in Well Fed. Actually, getting her cookbook and using her recipes would be a great starting point, because they are all really well developed and may help you expand your taste tolerance for meat because they're so good! What about tuna and salmon? Also, fillets of tilapia. How about "hiding" ground meat in hash dishes? Or "strata" dishes (where slices of eggplant are like the noodles in lasagna)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachael2288 Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I was vegetarian for 9 years. This summer I had to stop eating gluten for health reasons. I've reintroduced a bit of meat recently because I wasn't sure that I was meeting all of the nutritional needs in my diet as it stood. Before Whole30 my diet consisted of veggies, fruits, grains like quinoa & rice, legumes, dark chocolate, nuts, seeds, and some tofu, eggs, yogurt, and cheese. I've never been a big processed foods person and in the past year have tried to mostly eat whole foods-- and when eating processed, as minimally as possible. My only form of caffeine was dark chocolate. And my favorite thing to drink is water. I decided to do this whole 30 (my first) as a meat eater. And now, day 15, I am so utterly sick of eating meat (and eggs) that I'm fighting off the urge to just quit. In part, I chose to do whole30 as a meat eater rather than with the vegetarian food list because I know that dairy makes me congested and I should try and avoid it. That said, yogurt, a bowl of lentils or some tempeh sound pretty delicious right now. They talk about being really happy on Whole30, but so far for me I just seem to be getting grumpier. Normally I am super cheerful, but not the past week. In part this is just a venting session because I gave myself a goal and I don't want to turn back on it now. I do like bacon, and am considering driving an hour away to buy some that's compliant. But even bacon shouldn't be eaten every day so I don't know if I should bother making the drive. I bought myself some frozen lobster tails tonight for dinner tomorrow because I remember liking lobster the last time I had it. But I can't afford for that to be a normal thing. Here's what I have tried: Chicken. It reminds me why I became a vegetarian. I can tolerate the canned stuff but needs lots of toppings to mask the taste of it any other way. Turkey. It's not terrible. I've been eating it pretty much every day though and am getting sick of it. Same thing goes for eggs. Turkey Liver. Totally gross. But I tried it. Cod & Swordfish. Both not terrible, but not something I'd want to eat more than 1x/mo Steak. Totally gross Pork. Hidden in soup it's somewhat tolerable. Beef. Not doing it. Sorry. Prosciutto. Got some that tastes gross, will try one more time. SO. My question is, if I'm going to stick with this as a meat eater, what suggestions do people have for things to try that I would maybe like? And/or, would it be so terrible to incorporate some lentils & other items on the veg/vegan list? Or to only eat meat at one meal a day? Trying to incorporate it into 3 meals a day is just totally bringing me down. I really like the fact that I've been fully sustained and not needing/wanting to snack throughout the day, eat late at night, or think about chocolate all day long. But otherwise this thing has me feeling cranky, grumpy, irritable, and in the same size pants. "They talk about being really happy on Whole30, but so far for me I just seem to be getting grumpier. Normally I am super cheerful, but not the past week." Melody, this is pretty typical of day 15... just want you to know. Everyone doesn't get SUPER happy halfway through. My first Whole30 I had been a pretty "good" eater with whole foods before I started and I still didn't feel all that great until about day 25, so it may just take more time for you. I agree that you should get Well Fed, amazing cookbook. There are also tons of great recipes all over Pinterest, Chowstalker, Paleomg.com, nomnompaleo.com, etc that could help you with your meat issues. I only recently realized my love for canned sardines (would NEVER have touched these 6 months ago), pork chops (check out a recipe for amazing ones on my blog), and types of fish I had never had. I would recommend using some tried and true recipes online and in cookbooks to see if you just need more flavor! I typically need some very strong flavor to ensure I enjoy my meal, like curry, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika. Good luck and keep on truckin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaleena Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I'm former veggie eating only fish. I feel your pain but have no helpful suggestions. Just thought I'd chime in so you know you're not alone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melody Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 I have both Well Fed & ISWF on order from Amazon (present I bought myself at the 1week mark) but they STILL haven't shipped it and it's not due to arrive until the day that I finish! :-( I've always hated shrimp (ate only for the yummy coconut sugar crust), but I could try again. I hid crab meat in my dinner tonight and it ruined it for me. Thanks for the support, all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noelle Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 What about meal-in-a-bowl-type recipes? Soups and stews and curries, where your meat and veggies are all mixed together with lots of herbs and spices? I'm in kind of a "meat-rut" myself, and craving mung beans and rice (of all things). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirsteen Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I know where you're coming from. I used to be a raw food vegan,and on various cancer protocols because I only finished cancer treatment last October, so it was quite a leap for me. All I can say is it does get better. I would never have believed it but now I actually crave meat especially ground beef and roast brisket. There are meats I'm still not keen on but they're cheap so I tend to use them in chilli or curry where the spices will mask the flavour. And I do feel better healthwise on this way of eating. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournegirl Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I was vege for 16 years... It can take a long time to get the taste back... There is no way I can eat legumes or dairy or grain again so no going back for me (due to intolerances). You might be able to but it would be worth doing a proper reintro at the end of 30 days. I put berries and lots of veges in my breakfast ground beef or mix it in to an omelet, it's good on top of a really fresh chopped salad too. Tody I enjoyed a lamb soup made from the bones... It's only taken me nearly 20 years to not find boiled lamb too strong a flavour lol And you can have a day off meat... Sub with ground nuts and seeds? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Strathdee Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Please take this tough love for what it is. Know that I want you to succeed in your journey to better health, not just in the Whole30 program guidelines. This post is the grown up equivalent of a food tantrum. You've very clearly established what you DON'T want to eat, let's talk about what you've found successful. Let's talk about new horizons and positive outlooks. If you spend all your time dreading the prospect of eating gross food, you'll never take the time to discover new ones you DO like. Let's make a list of proteins you WILL eat, then find ways to incorporate them into your meals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melody Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 Thanks Robin, yes last night was very much me throwing a "I'm hungry and tired of this program" tantrum. And it was nice to find support from everyone here to stick with it. That said, it was also a request for ideas of what types of protein to try. I'm open to continue trying stuff with the exception of beef. So far, turkey and eggs are the only protein I've really enjoyed and I've been eating so much of them that I'm growing a bit tired. I'll continue trying fish, the two I had were decent enough. I'm concerned with fish being a daily thing though for both budget & mercury reasons. I am open to ideas of other protein to try! After the 30 days are over, I'll be incorporating the vegan version of the food guide, and I guess my other big question is would it be so terrible to just start incorporating those foods in now? (i.e., lentils, natto, grain-free tempheh). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee Lee Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Mercury's only a concern if you're eating fish species that don't have greater amounts of selenium in them. http://chriskresser.com/is-eating-fish-safe-a-lot-safer-than-not-eating-fish You're obviously free to revert to the veggie recommendation whenever you want, but you're already half way there. If you've already decided to give the meat eating a shot, you might as well give it the full 30 days. Are you just struggling because of the way you're preparing them? I know a lot of veg*ns don't really know how to prepare meat, so they wind up with tough/icky meals that don't really taste (or have a good mouthfeel). I grew up with chalky, overcooked chicken livers, so I'm fine if I overdo them now...but if I were served an overcooked liver for the first time now? I'm pretty sure I would gag. Prep is important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melody Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 I've used the sous vide to cook a lot, which pretty much you can't screw up. And I've used an oven thermometer when cooking chicken in there, I did over cook the first day but had perfect temp. the other times. With chicken it's gristle that freaks me out the most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee Lee Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Haha. Oh. You know, that MAY be part of your problem. I have limited experience with sous vide cooking, but I know that a lot of meat can get mushy from that cooking method. Additionally, because it's cooked in its own juices, the flavors of the meat are a lot more intense than they would be otherwise. If the flavors of the meat are part of your problem, this is something to think about. Hang in there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Meat can gross me out too, and I really, really care about it being humanely raised. You've made it very clear that you don't want to eat beef, so completely ignore me if you want to... But I find humanely raised grass-fed beef (I even went to fields my animal grazed in and then the slaughterhouse when it was slaughtered) much easier to eat than chicken or turkey. Since I saw the animal in both of these stages and I know the quality of life it experienced I feel different, verses chicken or turkey that I am still unable to get from a source I trust. (I pretty much have to see with my own eyes to believe). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melody Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 :-) Well, I've liked the fish okay that I cooked in there. And I love all the veggie dishes that I cook in it. My husband (who was vegan/veg for 11 years) LOVES the steak & other parts of cow he cooks in it so much that he'll beg me to taste it because he finds it so delicious. And all the friends we've served it to find it equally delicious. I feel like all the other former vegs I know love eating meat. *sigh* On the plus side, excited for the lobster I'm going to try making tonight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caitlin Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Have you tried boneless chicken thighs? They often come in value packs, and I think they are sooooo much tastier than chicken breasts. I love the drumsticks too, but they might be a more difficult transition from being a vegetarian. Maybe it would help to think of old meals you enjoyed and try just replacing the protein? I know when I went vegetarian years ago I did this and it worked pretty well, so maybe it can work in reverse? For example, if you love tofu stir fry over rice, try making it with cauliflower rice and cubed chicken. If you can list some of your old go-to meals, I'm sure that we can think of some substitutions that may work. This way the meal itself will be familiar, and the transition to the new protein will be a little more subtle. Is your aversion to beef because of flavor or other reasons? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blissing Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 A lot of Chinese cooking methods are meant to disguise gamey flavors. Things like boiling meat twice, frying with aromatics like ginger, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caitlin Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Ps. I love cooking sous vide, but it can definitely create texture issues with certain cuts of meat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I even went to fields my animal grazed in and then the slaughterhouse when it was slaughtered). Love it!! You are right out of an episode of Portlandia!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 ?? Off to google Portlandia... (I also am on a road kill list and recently got 100lbs of meat from an elk that got hit by a car. I'm sorry it got hit by a car but glad the meat can be used). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Love it!! You are right out of an episode of Portlandia!!! Ann, my trainer told me about that episode. Hilarious. I so wish I had seen it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Season 1, episode 1, I believe. In case you wanna Netflix it or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Oh good idea. Netflix here I come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melody Posted January 18, 2013 Author Share Posted January 18, 2013 I love Portlandia. hahahaha! For those of you looking for the clip: Check Out Portlandia: Ordering the Chicken, Part 1 http://www.hulu.com/watch/208808 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLC1968 Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 I love that episode! To be honest, I've done that when buying chicken but I don't think I'd do it in a restaurant...even in Portland. On the original topic, we prefer most of our meat cooked on a grill, so maybe that's a cooking style you could try? Also, if you like turkey, what about some compliant turkey (or even chicken) sausages? Most of them don't taste like regular turkey or chicken and they are a great way to mix it up. Aidels chicken apple sausage is compliant and it's almost a staple in our house for the 'go-to quick meal' factor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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