I realize that this is probably a redundant query here on the PB. But I was wondering if there are any members who are non meat eating. If there are, now is the time to come out, as it were, and feel the warm embrace of good fur nothin' tree huggers such as myself.
I am not yet a vegetarian, though I try to keep at least a couple of meat free days each week. I really don't like the smell of raw meat and if I think too long about meat and where it came from then I get a bit squeamish. Like when ya'll talk about eating rabbit, possum, goat, etc. Or of roasting whole pigs/lambs.
So grab an organic coffee (in a pottery mug), sling on your old woollen sweater and get your CFC free self over here and start talking lentils to me!

__________________
Donnie MacLeod
Crossroads Presbyterian Fellowship (PCA), Maplewood, MO
MDiv Student Covenant Theological Seminary

You filled my heart with greater joy
than others may have found
As they rejoiced at harvest time,
when grain and wine abound.Ps 4:7, Sing Psalms 2003

I was a vegetarian for 9 years who made an allowance for fish a couple of times a week. My husband & son, too. Then I got violently allergic to all fish & had to cut that out. I, too, hate the thought of red meat & eat it as seldom as possible. I eat chicken about once a week. Outside of that, we eat complex proteins & a lot of fruits & vegetables -- although my husband & son have gone back to eating fish & chicken.

I have a TON of recipes for great vegetarian meals & dishes, if you're interested. I've been collecting them for the past 10-12 years. These kinds of meals keep your weight & cholesterol & BP down, that's for sure! No one here has any problems like that!

Margaret

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Margaret
Free Church of Scotland [Continuing]
Michigan

From what I understand, vegetarian is an American Indian word that means, 'Lousy hunter'.

Theognome

__________________
Bill Cunningham
Covenant Reformed Church, URC
Kansas City
There are three kinds of people- those who can count, and those who can't.

Thanks for the response. That's a real shame you became allergic to fish.
Now, this is one of my concerns re vegetarianism: how to eat a well balanced diet with enough of the essential food groups, particularly proteins. You seem to manage it.
The recipes sound like a good idea, if you don't mind sharing some.

-----Added 2/21/2009 at 03:49:39 EST-----



Hunting:

I have difficulty "hunting" in the grocery store for what I want!

I find that a plant-based diet works the best for me for getting trim after the holidays. I've also found that eating this way causes me to be more proficient in the kitchen, expand my repertoire by moving out of my comfort zone of mainstream American fare and use our household resources more efficiently. Veggies and fruit do not rot in my crisper if I'm using them all the time, and if they're not constantly playing second fiddle to a meat or poultry main dish. And certainly the way our meat and poultry is processed today is reason enough to encourage more of a plant-based diet. Even omnivores and carnivores should be acquainted with the farms where their food comes from.

I think the key is understanding that God allows us to enjoy the consumption of both plant life and animals He has given to us for stewardship and dominion in the earth. We are not sinning if we decide we'd like a cheeseburger with fries or couple of pieces of pizza with everything every now and again instead of tempeh and cucumbers on 15 grain Ezekiel bread. All of it is God's food. It is such a blessing to be able to cling to Christ's words, "It is not what goes into a man's body which makes him unclean." Unlike the heathen vegetarian, we are not in bondage to the Marxism, globalism, legalism and animal and earth worship through a misapplication of the sixth commandment so pervasive in this lifestyle. It's so good to be free in Christ, because we still get enjoy the health benefits which a plant-based diet has to offer.

The late Evangelist Lester Roloff (I should have remembered him for the favorite preachers thread!) was a plant-based diet adherent and advocate and found that when he fed the children he cared for this way, many of their health and behavioral problems improved or disappeared.

__________________
Toni Cunningham, Wife of Bill (Theognome)
Parkwoods OPC, Overland Park KS

"Vice is a monster of so frightful mien, As, to be hated, needs but to be seen; Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, We first endure, then pity, then embrace." ~ Alexander Pope

What really tickles me about this post is that she wrote it while I was busily barbequing chicken. Note that I'm doing it Kansas City style, which is, of course, the most orthodox method of barbeque.

Theognome

I'm only vegetarian while I'm sleeping.

__________________
Rich Koster
1689'er
Browns Mills NJ USA
Often Goofy Reformed Eccentric
Romans 7:14-25

vegetables are people to.

Salad is murder.

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Josh Taylor
Verde Valley Reformed Chapel, OPC
Cottonwood, AZ

Doesn't CTS still have a (free) hunters breakfast on graduation day? Then there's the free Filet Mignon for lunch.

OK, we didn't have them when I graduated either!!

__________________
Curt Lovelace
Pastor, Covenant Baptist Church (CBA)
Acton, Maine
Director, Lifework Forum
Sermons at SermonAudio.com/CBCActon
Blogging at Coffee with Curt

Larry Boy and Bob the tomato would agree

I prefer being a carnivoire. I eat mostly meat and some leafy greens. I don't eat cereals (bread, corn, oats, etc.) roots, beans or sugars (including fruit). I've had to go off it for a while, and my health suffers every time I do.

__________________
Brian Withnell
Deacon, OPC
Leesburg, Virginia

You cannot train for war in the midst of a battle. Prepare before the battle starts; if the battle is long and hard, you will wish you had.

If God didn't want us to eat animals, he wouldn't have made them out of meat.

__________________
Rev. R. Kevin Carroll
Pastor Elect
Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA)
Wheat Ridge, CO
Blog: Reformed and Loving It

I was a vegetarian for about seven years. In that whole time, I didn't eat one piece of poultry, fish, meat, etc. (except possibly unbeknownst to me, while on a mission trip in Jamaica where the rumor was the cook killed the goat and put it our potato soup.) I was fine that whole time and had no cravings.
However, during a six week backpacking trip one summer, I desperately wanted any of the meat my fellow backpackers were cooking up. I finally caved with SPAM, of all things!!! During the rest of the trip, I ate pepperoni and summer sausage and figured that my body was honestly telling me something. Since then, I eat meat. I usually cook with chicken or ground turkey, but I do like red meat. I hate, hate, hate eating anything with bones!

One of the reasons I hated being a vegetarian, though, was I felt snobby. I was a Christian and knew that God made animals for many things, our sustenance included. However, I did not (still do not) like the way we can destroy earth and beast in order to buy a $0.49 hamburger. But I hated going to someone's house for dinner and telling them, "I am too righteous to be eating your food that you so graciously invited me to enjoy."
I HATED doing that. But I was very convinced that eating meat the American way was wrong and I was committed. If I did not eat meat now, I think I would, first, not want to call myself a vegetarian, because my identity has nothing to do with the food I eat; and second, eat whatever someone in their hospitality chose to serve. I can see not accepting something if I had legitimate allergies, but aside from that, I don't think I could try to press on my host's conscience about so little a matter. And, obviously, I was the weaker brother, thinking that it was wrong to eat something that God put before me.

(That's why you'll never see me deny dessert)

__________________
Shalom,
jessi
PCA
Steelers fan exiled to Virginia


“Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, that is really your God.”
Martin Luther

But only shod in Birkenstocks, no?

Those who say that we can get all the protein we need from a vegetable diet should remember what happens when men eat a lot of soy. Testicles shrink, testosterone levels tank, and estrogen levels climb. Meat is for protein. Eggs are for protein. We don't need 4000 grams of protein each day, but all things in moderation.

Long live manly men!

__________________
Kevin, husband of a truly angelic woman, and father to ten.
Zion United Reformed Church of Sheffield
Ontario, Canada

Toni/Jessi
Thank you for your excellent posts. I agree completely. I have concerns about the way in which we farm and process meat. I am in no way suggesting that it is wrong or sinful to eat meat. Of course, it's not. But to choose to not eat meat is, I believe adiaphora.

There should be many, many more vegetarians. That way, there'll be that much more meat for the rest of us!

__________________
Richard T. Zuelch, M.Div
Ruling Elder, OPC (not currently serving)
Westminster Presbyterian Church, CA (OPC)
www.alexandermaclaren.wordpress.com
www.reiterations.wordpress.com
www.spurgeonswords.wordpress.com

Devout souls do not take offence at the depths and difficulties of God's Word, but are, thereby, drawn to intenser contemplation of them. - Alexander Maclaren (1826-1910)

Grilling isn't barbequeing, so I dunno how that can be orthodox... heretic.

__________________
Andrew DeShazo
Husband of Kathryn
Father of Phillip-Giles B. DeShazo
Deacon
Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, Memphis, TN
"From out of the depth of unbroken Infinfity arose the Question, "Who am I?" And to that Question there is the answer, "I am God!" -Meher Baba, died 1969.

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Christ, died 33 AD, ressurected three days later.

I said I was going to post some recipes, so here's a major one to start off with. It's a casserole made with virtually infinite combinations of ingredients. I've tried many of the combinations here & never had a "miss." This was in the Detroit Free Press cooking section a few years ago (Tom Close is given as the compiler; must give credit where credit is due).

In making these casseroles, you pick from the categories as directed. "You can play it as conservatively or as wildly as you want," the accompanying article says. *These casseroles do include meat as an option as well.*

Protein
(1-2 c., cooked, drained & cubed if desired) Choose from:
chicken, turkey, ham, ground beef, sausage, lunchmeat, tuna, other fish, tofu, beans, cottage cheese.

Base Flavor
(pick 2 or more; cleaned, chopped, cooked or raw)
1 medium onion, 1 tsp. garlic, 1/2 c. celery, salt/pepper to taste, 1 tbsp. parsley, 3-4 sun-dried tomatoes, 1 c. green pepper, hot sauce to taste, 1 tbsp. lemon juice or lime juice.

Starch
(2 c., cooked according to pkg. directions)
pasta, brown or white rice, barley, couscous, stuffing mix, lentils, stiff or thick mashed potatoes, hash browns, spaghetti squash, beans.

Vegetables
(1-2 c., cleaned, chopped, cooked or raw)
peas, corn, mushrooms, red or green peppers, crushed tomatoes, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, sauerkraut, spinach, artichokes.

Binders
(pick 1; 2 c.)
white sauce, cheese sauce, gravy, barbecue sauce, sour cream w/ 1 tbsp. horseradish and 2 tbsp. cornstarch, 10-3/4-oz. any cream soup plus 1/2 c. liquid, mayonnaise or salad dressing, spaghetti sauce, 1 c. dressing plus 1 c. yogurt or sour cream, cheese soup, tomato soup, broth w/ 2 tbsp. cornstarch, salsa.

Herb & Spice Combinations
(pick 1 set)
Italian: 1 tsp. basil, 1/4 tsp. oregano, 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese;
French: 1/2 tsp. thyme, 1/4 tsp. tarragon;
Cajun: 1 tsp. chili powder, 1/2 tsp. cumin, 1/2 tsp. paprika;
Oriental: 1 tsp. ginger, 2 tsp. sesame oil, 1 tbsp. soy sauce;
Indian: 1 tsp. curry powder, 1/2 tsp. cumin, 1/2 tsp. turmeric;
Mexican: 1 tsp. chili powder; 1/2 tsp. cumin; 1/4 tsp. basil;
Greek: 1/2 tsp. dill, 1/2 tsp. mint, 1/4 tsp. organo, 1/3 c. feta cheese;
German: 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds, 1 tsp. dry mustard, 1 tbsp. vinegar, 1/2 tsp. sugar;
Thai: 1/3 c. peanut butter, 1 tbsp. chili powder, 1/2 tsp. cumin, 1 tbsp. fish sauce;
Spanish: 1/2 tsp. saffron, 1/2 tsp. cumin, 1/2 tsp. thyme, 1/4 tsp. ground bay leaf.

Toppings
(pick 1; 1 c., mix to combine)
shredded cheese, crushed potato chips, chow mein noodles, french-fried onion rings, shredded cheese and bread crumbs; almonds, peanuts, cashews, pine nuts & walnuts; crushed cereal; pineapple slices.

Preheat oven to 350. In a 2- to 3-qt. casserole, combine items from each category except topping, which is mixed in a separate bowl. Bake 30 mins. Remove from oven & sprinkle w/ topping. Return to oven & bake 15 mins. Serves 4-6.

As I said, I've made countless variations of these for our family & for church fellowships & they're always a hit.

Blessings,

Margaret

One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. Romans 14:2

__________________
César Proença

there is no will nor running by which we can prepare the way for our salvation, it is wholly of the Divine Mercy Jean Calvin Institutes II . V. 17

Reformed Churches in The Netherlands (liberated) http://www.gkv.nl/main.asp?intTreeviewID=954

Igreja Reformada em Massamá Portugal http://www.igrejareformada.pt

Folks are vegetarians for health reasons too and not just faith reasons.

My wife has stomach issues and a vegetarian diet keeps her healthy.



Here's another perspective:

Today, there will be several thousand people die due to hunger-related issues in the Third World.

At the same time, several hundred in the States will die also....due to obesity and over-nutrition issues (i.e. too much red meat, obesity, stroke, heart attack).

__________________
Pergamum


"If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?"
-- David Livingstone

You are so right!!! Here's a video to explain further.

__________________
Timothy Johnson
First United Presbyterian of Moline
PCUSA (Yea, I know)
Theology/Philosophy Sunday School Teacher
Davenport, IA

Funny video! I can never eat salad again! Save the veggies!

__________________
Michael Tremmel
attending Christ Reformed Baptist Church
Hales Corners, WI.

Isaiah 46:5-11

I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Ps.16:8 ESV

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. 1 Cor.15:10a ESV

Praecepta docent, exempla movent (precepts teach, but examples move)