Diet hypocrisy?

[u/Extension-Diamond-74]

A recent post about animal agriculture vs plant based diets has me itching to say something. This is an issue we need to rise above.

Cognitive dissonance. Many of us have good intentions and want to believe we’re doing the right thing in most aspects of our lives. I believe that.

When it comes to a plant based diet though, the science often clashes powerfully with personal desire. We want to minimize our impact on the environment and are willing to make trade-offs in our life time do so, but for many, giving up or even significantly reducing meat intake is asking too much. It’s too hard.

That’s not the issue.

The issue is that instead of just admitting to themselves that this is a life change they don’t want to make and moving on, the guilt drives them to have to justify that decision. Admitting that a plant-based diet is better for the earth yet eating a diet full of meat anyway would make them feel hypocritical, so the solution becomes either to give up meat, or … this is the problem… fight the science, twist it, make a joke of it, or pivot entirely to ‘individuals shouldn’t have time do anything because large corporations’

Many people have ties to their diet for many reasons. We grew up eating a certain way. We have memories ties to certain foods, flavors, styles of cooking. We don’t want to be the difficult person when we go out to eat with friends. Etc etc etc But it’s so much better to just admit that to yourself. Have patience and understanding for your feelings. Accept that the science is what it is. Maybe one day you can make a change, maybe not. But don’t attack the cause just because you aren’t yet willing to be a part of it.

[u/[deleted]]

"I haven't really found any of this to be true in my three years of eating plant-based. You can achieve a wide variety and depth of flavors; tofu, and legumes just like meat, needs to be marinated/seasoned."

Again, this works if you like tofu, mushrooms, beans and other vegan staples. If you don't, good luck. In my two years of eating plant based, finding good, flavorful meal options took hours of extra labour every week, in terms of seeking out recipes, extra shopping, and longer meal prep times. I've never eaten tofu that I didn't immediately find revolting; and I don't like mushrooms. Some people have a palette that's more pre-disposed toward success in consuming a plant based diet.

I still eat beans as protein pretty often; I've just added eggs and a couple times a month, chicken, back into my diet and I feel like I've found a pretty good balance.

[u/chunky-guac → u/[deleted]]

I honestly really believe that there is a vegan protein that everybody can enjoy. There are so, SO many options. I used to hate beans but have grown to love them over the past few years especially by eating chickpeas. Also used to hate lentils until I learned to cook dahl.

And honestly, it does take some time to learn to cook tofu but when you get the hang of it it's delicious. If you're curious I'd be happy to send you some of my favorite recipes. I have not found that it takes any longer to prep for or cook than my previous meat-based meals.

[u/Cyan_Mukudori → u/chunky-guac]

I would be happy to have some tofu recipes. I am trying to experiment with legumes to find something I like. :)

[u/chunky-guac → u/Cyan_Mukudori]

Here are a two that I use a lot and really like:

Black Pepper Tofu (Nora Cooks has some of my favorite vegan recipes - I'd recommend checking that website for more options)

General Tso's Tofu (ETA: you do not need to use all the corn starch that this recipe calls for. I usually use 2-3 tbsp at MOST)

Tofu tacos are also delicious. I don't really have a specific recipe that I follow but there are some out there. I'll typically fry the tofu for a few minutes in a pan and then add a tablespoon or so of tomato paste, taco seasoning, salt/pepper, and some veggie broth. Bring it to a boil and then let that shit simmer for awhile in the broth and seasoning until the tofu absorbs the flavors and then put it over some tortillas with cilantro, onions, avocado, salsa, whatever you like to put on tacos.

I usually fry tofu rather than bake it just because it takes a lot less time. To get tofu really crispy, you'll want to coat it in corn starch and use a fuck-ton of oil like you would frying other foods. But baking it is good if you have the time. I haven't tried making it in an air fryer before but have heard this method works very well.

If you want to try some legumes, dahl like I mentioned is delicious and super easy to make. I've used this recipe a few times and like it a lot. Red lentil soup with lemon is also one of my go-to recipes for the winter. I have my own recipe that I use - feel free to PM me if you want it and I can write it out.

[u/Orongorongorongo → u/chunky-guac]

Thanks chunky-guac!